Building Beef Demand

BUILDING BEEF DEMAND 1986-2016

INDUSTRY INFORMATION , as defined in the Beef Promotion & Research Act , means “ information and programs that will lead to development of new markets , marketing strategies , increased

efficiency , and activities to enhance the image of the cattle industry .” This includes programs such as issues management , public relations , and beef and veal quality assurance .

Advancing Antibiotics Intelligence

For the fifth year in a row , the beef checkoff helped fund a national antibiotics symposium in fiscal 2016 . The event provided a platform for academia , researchers , the scientific community and stakeholders in animal agriculture , human and veterinary medicine , and environment stewardship to share and discuss the most current science-based information about the issues of antimicrobial use and resistance . An integral part of the symposium was discussion within small breakout groups and large group sessions where individuals learn from each other , identify common ground , and create successful strategies to preserve antibiotic efficacy for people and animals alike . The content of presentations pointed out dramatic changes that have been realized since the first symposium in FY12 .

BQA Participation , Resources Grow

In the spring of 2016 , nearly 2,000 producers from across the country began the checkoff ’ s Beef Quality Assurance ( BQA ) certification program , thanks to the latest “ free-certification ” supported by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica , Inc . ( BIVI ). And 65 percent of those completed their certification , the highest percentage in the program ’ s six-year history . The checkoff-funded BQA program arms producers with a set of best practices for producing quality beef and , simultaneously , gives consumers the assurance they demand to know that the beef they eat is both safe and wholesome . BQA certification modules are customized to fit the specific needs of each segment of the cattle industry — cow-calf , stocker , feedyard and dairy operations . The program covers best-management practices , such as proper handling and administration of vaccinations and other products ; using low-stress cattle-handling principles ; and eliminating injection-site blemishes . Added this year was the Antibiotic Stewardship for Beef Producers , which outlines the antibiotic judicious-use protocols for every step in the beef supply chain .

Launch of Mobile Conversation Guide

It ’ s now easier than ever for Masters of Beef Advocacy ( MBA ) grads to have conversations about beef as they travel , thanks to the checkoff ’ s new MBA Mobile Conversation Guide . The guide puts the most up-to-date talking points and messages at the grads ’ fingertips , making it easy for them to have on-thefly conversations and share facts and figures about beef production , nutrition and sustainability with consumers . The mobile guide is available only to MBA 2.0 graduates , as it uses messages from MBA 2.0 lessons and addresses common myths and hot issues that our industry encounters daily . Once downloaded , the guide does not require internet access .