Your dollar at work
Be one of the first to learn about KBC programming by signing up for our weekly newsletter!
2024
hands-on ag experiences for kids
The Kansas State Fair has many opportunities for visitors to have fun, eat good food and celebrate Kansas. There are activities for all ages and families. One of those activities is the Kansas Agriland booth, sponsored by Kansas commodity groups and Kansas Ag in the Classroom.
Located in the Pride of Kansas building, the Agriland booth gives children hands-on agricultural experiences. With families becoming more and more removed from the farm, having simple introductions to agriculture is a great way for kids to learn more about food production.
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) helps by providing saddles kids can ride while watching a video of a local Kansas cowboy working cattle on horseback. There also was a station displaying all the feedstuffs that cattle – both dairy and beef – may have included in their daily rations.
Stump Your Parents handouts also were provided by KBC to share interesting facts about beef production with the young Agriland visitors.
The ultimate goal of the booth is to have exciting and engaging stations and have kids connect personally with people in the agriculture industry. They can ask volunteers a multitude of questions and learn from those with firsthand agriculture experience.
“The Kansas Agriland booth is a great way to help introduce farming and ranching to kids who may not have another opportunity to see that lifestyle,” Teagan Sturdy, KBC Director of Industry Relations, said. “KBC and other commodity groups can show kids agriculture is exciting and fun to learn about.”
beef promotion operating committee approved fiscal year 2025 checkoff plan of work
Release courtesy of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board
DENVER, CO (Sept. 9, 2024) – The Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) will invest approximately $38 million into programs of beef promotion, research, consumer information, industry information, foreign marketing, and producer communications during fiscal 2025, subject to USDA approval.
In action at the end of its September 4-5 meeting in Denver, Colorado, the Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC) approved Checkoff funding for a total of 12 “Authorization Requests” – or grant proposals – for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2024. The committee, which includes 10 producers and importers from the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and 10 producers from the Federation of State Beef Councils, also recommended full Cattlemen’s Beef Board approval of a budget amendment to reflect the split of funding between budget categories affected by their decisions.
Eight contractors and two subcontractors brought 12 Authorization Requests worth approximately $46.8 million to the BPOC this week, approximately $8.8 million more than the funds available from the CBB budget.
“We’re consistently impressed with the proposals that our contractors bring forward each year, and choosing which initiatives to fund is a real challenge,” said Andy Bishop, CBB and BPOC chair. “Our budget amounts to slightly less each year because of inflation. To put it in perspective, a dollar in 1985 is worth just 35 cents[1] today. That means we simply don’t have the buying power that we had when this program first started.”
“As we expected, the Authorization Requests we reviewed this week were full of new ideas and innovative approaches supporting the Checkoff’s core programs of research, promotion, foreign marketing, industry information, consumer information and producer communications. Our committee did a great job of balancing our budget and distributing our limited funds in what we believe is the most optimal way possible. I personally thank our contractors and committee members for all their hard work, and I look forward to future Checkoff successes throughout FY25.”
Broken out by budget component – as outlined by the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 – the FY25 Plan of Work for the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board budget includes:
- Promotion Programs: $9,120,000, includes beef and veal campaigns focusing on beef’s nutritional value, eating experience, convenience, and production.
- Research Programs: $8,600,000, includes pre- and post-harvest beef safety, scientific affairs, nutrition, sustainability, product quality, culinary technical expertise, and consumer perceptions.
- Consumer Information Programs, $7,500,000, includes Northeast influencer outreach and public relations initiatives; national consumer public relations, including nutrition-influencer relations and work with primary- and secondary-school curriculum directors nationwide to get accurate information about the beef industry into classrooms of today’s youth. Additional initiatives include outreach and engagement with food, culinary, nutrition and health thought leaders; media and public relations efforts; and supply chain engagement.
- Industry Information Programs: $2,955,000, including dissemination of accurate information about the beef industry to counter misinformation from other groups, as well as funding for Checkoff participation in the annual national industry wide symposium about antibiotic use. Additional efforts in this program area include beef advocacy training and issues/crisis management and response.
- Foreign Marketing: $8,000,000, focusing on 13 regions, representing more than 90 countries around the world.
- Producer Communications:$1,800,000, which includes investor outreach using national communications and direct communications to producers and importers about Checkoff results. Elements of this program include ongoing producer listening and analysis; industry collaboration and outreach; and continued development of a publishing strategy and platform and a state beef council content hub.
The full fiscal 2025 Cattlemen’s Beef Board budget is approximately $42.2 million. Separate from the Authorization Requests, other expenses funded include $305,000 for program evaluation; $750,000 program development; $200,000 for Checkoff education resources; $575,000 for USDA oversight; $220,000 for state services; $200,000 supporting services and litigation; and approximately $2.0 million for CBB administration. The fiscal 2025 program budget represents an increase of slightly less than 1.0% percent, or $150,000, from the $42.1 million FY24 budget. For more information about the Beef Checkoff and its programs, including promotion, research, foreign marketing, industry information, consumer information and safety, contact the Cattlemen’s Beef Board at 303-220-9890 or visit DrivingDemandForBeef.com.
# # #
ABOUT THE BEEF CHECKOFF:
The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The Checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States may retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.
[1] Source: January 2023 Consumer Price Index Inflation Calculator
stem education readers
When talking to students, many express a desire to see what they are learning in real-life applications. Agriculture classes are a great way to combine different chemistry and biology principles to real-world situations, but not every school has access to those types of classes or students do not have room in their schedule for them.
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) has created a series of educational booklets (beef readers) for STEM teachers to use to connect the principles they are learning in class with cattle industry practices and innovations. These readers are best suited for STEM classes like biology and environmental sciences for sixth to 12th grade.
Environmental sustainability is a hot topic among the younger generations and comes up increasingly in STEM settings. KBC’s beef readers will address sustainability and how the cattle industry works to be sustainable. For example, students will learn about the carbon cycle and how cattle contribute to carbon sequestration. Other topics covered are water use and by-product (or nutrient) upcycling.
Students can delve into specific topics they are interested in through additional links and QR codes directing them to peer-reviewed and science-backed resources like videos and studies to learn more about topics.
The curriculum was designed to be neutral, allowing students to use scientific methods to come to a deeper understanding of processes and systems about which they might have preconceived notions.
At the end of each booklet, students can do small experiments in the classroom to immediately apply what they have learned on a small scale. Teachers can find the teacher guides to the booklets on the same webpage as the online version of the booklets.
Finally, the booklets show students the multitude of careers that are possible in the cattle industry. Outside of farmers or producers, students may not know about all the possible careers available to them that the agriculture industry has to offer. From working in genetics research to agricultural engineering, students will be able to see the endless possibilities of a STEM career in agriculture.
“It is important to show students what sustainability means in the cattle industry along with the possible careers in the industry,” Abby Heidari, KBC director of nutrition, said. “They are able to think critically, apply scientific discoveries, and envision potential career paths for themselves.”
All three booklets, with their corresponding teacher guides and student worksheets, are available for download on the KansasBeef.org website, under Beef in Schools.
kansas beef producers represented at the national level
Kansas is one of the nation’s leaders in the beef cattle industry when it comes to overall cattle inventory. Along with leading in quantity, many beef producers serving on the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) executive committee volunteer their time to represent Kansas through various national leadership roles.
These leadership positions are on Cattlemen’s Beef Board committees, where they represent either the Federation of State Beef Councils or the Beef Board. These committees were formed based on the strategies identified in the Beef Industry Long Range Plan.
Kansas is well-represented in national leadership roles with the following producers:
- Stacy McClintock was recently appointed to serve on the Evaluation Committee for the Federation of State Beef Councils
- Jaret Moyer was reappointed to serve on the Finance and Audit Committee for the Federation of State Beef Councils
- Philip Weltmer serves as the co-chair of the Checkoff Nutrition and Health Committee in addition to serving on the Nominating Committee at the 2025 annual convention
- Amy Langvardt was appointed to serve on the 2025 Cattlemen’s Beef Board Nominating Committee
- Randall Debler is the Kansas revenue seat for the Federation of State Beef Councils
Scott Stebner, KBC Executive Director, also serves on the Federation Advisory Council. This committee is a collective of state beef council executive directors who provide insight on state issues to Federation leadership.
Many other KBC volunteer leaders also serve on specific checkoff programming committees. In these committees, members listen to checkoff contractors speak about their programming results and proposals. These committees then make recommendations to BPOC on funding for their specific program areas.
Kansas beef council extends "sports nutrition game plan" to high schools
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) will be working with Kansas high school coaches to implement the Beef Checkoff-funded Sports Nutrition Game Plan in their teams and athletic programs.
This collaborative sports nutrition program, developed by the Texas Beef Council and veteran Sports Dietitian Amy Goodson, was designed to educate high school athletes, coaches, trainers and parents on sports nutrition principles to fuel their entire day as a student-athlete. The program highlights how beef fits perfectly into an athlete’s diet due to the high-quality nutrients lean beef cuts can provide.
The program utilizes videos, handouts, social graphics and team challenges as different vehicles for teaching the science-based program to athletes.
During the 90th Kansas High School Activities Association Coaching School conference earlier this month, the program received a warm reception from the 540 attending coaches. Abby Heidari, registered dietitian and director of nutrition for KBC, presented the program's benefits through a dedicated exhibitor booth and an educational presentation on integrating sports nutrition into high school team culture.
Weekly emails with the Sports Nutrition Game Plan tip of the week are sent to 65 different teams and parent groups across the state. These teams include every sport - from football to swimming. One of the weekly tips focused on the importance of having protein for breakfast, so protein information was presented alongside a beef breakfast recipe to help athletes incorporate this into their morning routines.
Due to recent dietary intake data highlighting nutrient deficiencies among school-age children, this program is incredibly timely. The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans emphasize deficiencies among children in essential nutrients such as protein, iron, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12. These nutrients are crucial for supporting physical growth, cognitive development and overall health during the critical tween and teen years.[1] Beef provides many of the nutrients that adolescents are not getting enough of each day. In fact, a 3 oz serving of cooked beef provides over 10% of 10 essential nutrients, including high-quality protein, iron, zinc, and B vitamins.4
By promoting the nutritional benefits of beef, KBC aims to instill healthy eating habits in young athletes and their families, ensuring beef remains a key protein source in their diets for enhanced athletic performance and overall health.
For more information on the Sports Nutrition Game Plan, visit https://www.kansasbeef.org/health-wellness/sports-nutrition-game-plan or go to www.kansasbeef.org and click on the “Health and Wellness” tab.
1.U.S.Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. Available athttps://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/.
2. Lassi Z, Moin A, Bhutta Z. Nutrition inMiddle Childhood and Adolescence. In: Bundy DAP, Silva Nd, Horton S, et al.,editors. Child and Adolescent Health and Development. 3rd edition. Washington(DC): The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The WorldBank; 2017 Nov 20. Chapter 11. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK525242/
3. Norris SA, Frongillo EA, Black MM, Dong Y, FallC, Lampl M, Liese AD, Naguib M, Prentice A, Rochat T, et al. Nutrition in adolescent growth and development. Lancet 2022;399(10320):172-84.
4. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Nutrient Data Laboratory. Food Data Central. Available at fdc.nal.usda.gov (Beef composite, cooked - NDB Number: 13364).
Beef Certificate Program 2024
The new school year is just around the corner! This means new opportunities for beef to be featured in the classroom!
The Beef Certificate Program (BCP) is a resource funded by Kansas beef farmers and ranchers through the beef checkoff that offers financial assistance for teachers who purchase beef for in-class learning opportunities. This program is specifically for Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) and ProStart teachers who teach cooking and culinary lessons.
BCP has science-based resources and lesson guides on beef selection, storage, preparation, nutrition and production. Through these lessons, students can see how beef is a versatile and nutritious protein for all diets. All BCP resources are easily adaptable and can be used in both in-person and virtual classrooms.
Over 22,000 Kansas students representing over 130 middle and high schools were able to learn more about beef during the 2023-2024 academic year. These schools were located in 48 different counties with a large concentration in high-population counties like Sedgwick and Johnson counties.
The Kansas Beef Council and the beef checkoff are committed to providing science-based information about beef to counter one-sided narratives that can be prevalent in popular media outlets. The goal of BCP resources is to help students make informed decisions about what they choose to eat.
If you or a teacher in your school district is interested in BCP, enrollment in the program is straightforward. They can apply annually through the Kansas Beef Council's website at kansasbeef.org. Go to the "Beef in Schools" section at the bottom of the homepage for all the details and resources needed to get involved.
Click here to go directly to the BCP webpage!
While BCP is primarily for FCS and ProStart educators, KBC also has resources available for STEM teachers about beef production and sustainability.
tailgater of the game 2024
The Wildcat family knows tailgating at Bill Snyder Family Stadium is essential to a great K-State game day. Fans from the fields of Western Kansas to the suburbs of Kansas City and beyond wake up early in the morning to join together and prepare for kickoff.
When weaving in and out of the rows of tailgating revelry, fans can be found eating one of their favorite proteins. Whether it is steak and eggs at 8:00 a.m. or a roast beef sandwich at 10 p.m., K-State fans eat beef.
For the past two years, the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) has partnered with K-State Athletics to champion these tailgaters choosing to fuel game day with beef with the Tailgater of the Game promotion. KBC and K-State Athletics once again are working together to highlight one of K-State Football’s favorite tailgate proteins!
Before each game, KBC representatives will walk around the tailgating area to see which tailgates are cooking beef. No tailgate is too small or too big to enter and win – tailgaters just need to be serving beef. A random name will be drawn each week to win a prize pack that includes a Pit Boss 2-Burner Tabletop Griddle, $200 worth of tailgate gear and Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. swag. Then, KBC will randomly select one of the weekly winners to be the Tailgater of the Season. That individual will receive a Pit Boss Sportsman 1100 with WiFi and grill cover along with box seats to the final home game against the University of Cincinnati.
Those wanting to participate in the Tailgater of the Game should be sure to keep an eye out for KBC representatives in purple Tailgater of the Games shirts. Participants also can message KBC on social media with their tailgate location to ensure a chance to win!
national roi study results
Cattle producers know the value of a dollar. That is why the Beef Checkoff ensures that every dollar invested in the checkoff benefits producers and elevates the industry by investing in demand-driving activities to promote beef both nationally and internationally.
These activities and programs need to be efficient and effective. Therefore, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Services, who are responsible for the oversight of commodity checkoff programs, requires checkoff programs to conduct an independent evaluation of their effectiveness every five years.
Dr. Harry M. Kaiser, Gellert Family Professor of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University, conducted the most recent independent study on the Beef Checkoff. Kaiser is no stranger to evaluating commodity checkoff ROI studies. He also conducted the 2014-2019 Beef Checkoff evaluation and performed checkoff evaluations for commodities like pork and soybean.
Recently, the Cattlemen’s Beef Board received the results from their return-on-investment (ROI) study. This study evaluated all national Beef Checkoff activities and calculated the ROI to those who pay directly into the checkoff from 2019 to 2023.
Major findings from the study include:
- an average of $13.41 ROI to producers and importers for every dollar invested in the checkoff (double the median of all checkoff programs)
- steer prices would have been 7.8% lower these past five years without Beef Checkoff programs
- total domestic beef demand would have been 2.4 billion pounds lower per year
- U.S. beef exports would have been 372 million pounds (11.5%) lower per year without Beef Checkoff work in seven major importing countries
- the Beef Checkoff added an incremental $3.3 billion to the beef industry in 2023
Demand-driving activities were broken into nine categories to evaluate the effectiveness of the various types. Foreign market development was noted as having the highest effect on demand. In 2023, foreign market development – primarily through the U.S. Meat Export Federation – contributed to 3.2 billion pounds of beef exports.
While the study only focused on national checkoff programming, states that invest their checkoff dollars into international marketing efforts can expect high ROI on their USMEF investment. This is one reason the Kansas Beef Council invests in the USMEF to conduct market development programs in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Mexico.
In the study, Kaiser also evaluated the greater impact of the national Beef Checkoff beyond the beef industry. Indirect effects of the national Beef Checkoff include:
- almost 47,000 jobs created
- increased employment income by $2.1 billion
- increased U.S. gross domestic product by nearly$9.5 billion
The Beef Checkoff adds tremendous value, not only to cattle producers and the cattle industry but also to the United States at large.
View the full 2019-2023 National Beef Checkoff ROI report here
summer business meeting 2024
This past week, nine Kansas Beef Council (KBC) volunteer leaders made their way to sunny San Diego for the 2024 NCBA Summer Business Meeting. Cattle producers from all segments of the industry, and from around the country, met to be updated on beef checkoff demand-building activities and to evaluate the 2025 beef checkoff authorization requests (ARs).
During committee meetings, beef checkoff contractors presented beef demand-building ARs for 2025 and provided updates on program successes from the prior year. Each committee then scored the request and provided input to the Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC), which ultimately decides whether to fund the request and for what amount.
“All cattle producers should be so proud that cattle producers get to make the decisions of this dollar and have done so very well with the best bang for our buck,” Stacy McClintock, KBC Executive Committee and Nutrition & Health Committee member, said. “It is super exciting to see where we have come throughout the years and learn where beef checkoff programming is going.”
In addition to the AR requests by various industry contractors, the results of the 2019-2023 Beef Checkoff Return on Investment study were presented. The independent study authored by Harry Kaiser of Cornell University showed that every dollar invested into national checkoff efforts led to a $13.41 return to producers and importers who pay into the program. Furthermore, Kaiser’s study concluded that without the national beef checkoff and its demand-building activities, U.S. beef demand would have decreased by 8.5% and the steer price would have been 7.8% lower per year than actual results.
“All beef producers are partners in the checkoff. It’s ourself-help program, designed solely to sustain and increase beef demand using sound research, consumer marketing, education and new product development,” Amy Langvardt, KBC Executive Committee and Cattlemen’s Beef Board member, said. “Checkoff money is never spent on lobbying and the entire program is strictly overseen by the USDA.”
Jan Lyons, Lyons Ranch, was honored with the fourth annual Beef Checkoff Visionary Award. This award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exemplary support of and commitment to the checkoff’s goals and vision. Lyons served on the KBC Executive committee for 10 years, was the Cattlemen’s Beef Board chair in 1996, then went on to become National Cattlemen’s Beef Association president in 2004.
late winter e-commerce advertising
The winter holiday season is full of beef roasts and steaks to celebrate all the various festivities. However, it seems once the last New Year’s party is cleaned up, beef sales dip down and become more infrequent.
Noticing this, the Federation of State Beef Councils and the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) placed advertisements on one of the most popular online grocery retailer’s website throughout February to mid-March to promote lean beef.
Nationally, the ads were seen over 57 million times, leading to $11.2 million in incremental beef sales. Incremental sales are sales that are directly attributed to specific marketing efforts.
KBC funded extra advertising efforts toward Kansas and the Kansas City metro area consumers. Through these targeted efforts, KBC saw a $158.76 return on investment. This means that for every advertising dollar spent on this campaign, there was $158.76 of attributed beef sales in Kansas and the KC Metro.
“We have had great success in e-commerce advertising during heavy beef-eating months like the summer and winter holiday seasons, so we wanted to promote beef during National Heart Health Month and part of National Nutrition Month,” Scott Stebner, KBC executive director, said. “We want consumers to know that lean beef is a great option and associate it with a nutritious and heart-healthy diet.”
KBC looks to continue advertising through e-commerce sites throughout the grilling season.
usMef and the beef checkoff work in mexico
The Beef Checkoff’s mission is to bring greater value to beef producers through various programs to drive beef sales and keep beef top of mind for consumers.
This includes marketing beef to Americans, but also to consumers around the globe. The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), a contractor of the Beef Checkoff, works to promote U.S. beef in the global market.
USMEF recently hosted the inaugural U.S. Red Meat Symposium in Mexico City. The conference featured presentations about potential growth opportunities in Mexico, one of the United States’ largest beef export markets, and examining Mexico's current political and economic climate. In attendance were Tracy Thomas, Kansas Beef Council executive committee member, and Mike Beam, Kansas Secretary of Agriculture.
“U.S. meat is in high demand in Mexico which makes it a good investment opportunity,” Beam said. “An official of Mexico shared that they actually need more high-protein products in their country at an affordable price and, fortunately, they are relying on the United States for that.”
The symposium also served as an opportunity for Mexican buyers and American exporters to connect and collaborate.
Mexico imported over 200,000 metric tons of beef cuts and beef variety meats in 2023. U.S. beef makes up 71% of Mexico’s total beef imports. USMEF reported that variety meats are almost half of all U.S. beef exports to Mexico.
Read USMEF’s export market reports here
“While we were there, another participant picked up a five-pound package of beef tongue. When we did a rough conversion, it came out to 30 U.S. dollars,” Beam said. “When we can sell these types of products at a higher rate, we add a lot of value to our beef carcasses.”
In 2023, USMEF reported that global export markets for beef added almost $400 per head of fed slaughter. They continue to seek opportunities to grow foreign markets to build a greater demand for American beef.
kbc-sponsored dietitians
The beef industry is one big collaboration; from cow-calf producers to pharmaceutical representatives, each industry member aims to makeUnited States beef the best it possibly can be. State beef councils share in this spirit of collaboration when it comes to promoting beef.
The Nebraska Beef Council (NBC) and the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) partner together to support four different dietitians on state beef councils in states with both a high population and low cattle inventory. Through these partnerships, the New York, California, Arizona, Kentucky and Tennessee beef councils can promote more of the Beef Checkoff-funded human nutrition research and materials to local health professionals.
California
Kori Dover, RD and California Beef Council’s director of food and nutrition outreach, has been pursuing ways to get beef into local California school districts. She worked with Healthy Kids Collaborative to plan and execute a webinar in March spotlighting different ways to affordably and deliciously incorporate beef into school foodservice across the state.
The webinar featured Mitch Rippe, NBC director of nutrition and education, and Paul R. Schutt, chef with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, who discussed topics ranging from beef nutrition to maintaining quality during preparation. There were more than 35 virtual attendees who gained insight from the webinar.
New York
In the past month, the New York Beef Council was able to secure two media placements with television stations in New York state. The first was with Bridge Street in Syracuse. Registered dietician Abigail Copenhaver joined the studio to cook a beef dish for summer grilling inspiration and talk about beef’s nutrition profile.
Upcoming, they have secured a segment with registered dietician Toby Amidor on the WPIX show “New York Living” in New York City. WPIX has 7.5 million viewers in the city and throughout the state. Amidor will discuss choosing beef as a protein to fuel the body. The segment will be recorded live in studio and shared on social media after airing.
Arizona
The Arizona Beef Council (ABC), in partnership with NBC and KBC, was a sponsor of the annual Arizona Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Conference. During the two-day conference, ABC staff was able to connect with members of the academy through a vendor table and hosted a social event for 50 select attendees.
An email newsletter also was sent out to more than 800 of the academy’s members promoting an upcoming Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. webinar, “Fueling for Optimal Performance.” Also included in the e-newsletter were links to highlighted Beef Checkoff-funded nutrition research and recipes.
Southeast
Southeast Regional Director of Nutrition Alex Scott has spearheaded beef nutrition programming this spring throughout Kentucky and Tennessee. Scott established contact with regional health professionals to share beef nutrition research and heart health toolkits, which include American Heart Association-certified recipes.
She also has met in-person with health professionals at multiple health professional conferences, including the Kentucky Public Health Association annual conference, the Tennessee Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics annual conference and the Kentucky Cardiopulmonary Rehab Association conference.
At these events, Beef Checkoff-funded research was distributed to attendees and Scott was available for attendees to ask questions related to beef in a balanced diet.
on the farm stem training
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) teachers have the unique opportunity to teach students the building blocks of everything we see and how the natural world works together. However, it sometimes can be hard for students to connect what they learn in science class to their everyday lives.
On the Farm STEM trainings are a Beef Checkoff-funded program produced by the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, a contractor of the Beef Checkoff, that helps STEM teachers develop curriculum for their classes using food and agriculture as a vehicle for scientific learning and development.
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) hosted one of these trainings on June 6 in Manhattan, KS, with 15 Kansas STEM teachers in attendance. These teachers were middle school and high school teachers who teach classes ranging from life sciences to horticulture. The group started at the Stanley Stout Center and then toured Downey Ranch and Tiffany Cattle Company.
Jessica Sadler, KBC’s teacher facilitator, started the day by instructing the teachers on activities like nature journaling as a way for them to get students curious and start the scientific process. For the teachers, this might entail showing the class a video about cattle production, prompting students to write down questions or sketch noteworthy pictures of plants or scenes that stood out to them, and then making connections to other things through prompts like “it reminds me of”.
The group then traveled to Downey Ranch for a comprehensive tour, featuring hands-on stations showcasing how STEM principles are a daily part of ranch management. These include herd management practices utilizing drones and heat sensors, genetic technology demonstrations featuring semen samples under microscopes, interactive pregnancy-check model demonstrations, and presentation of new equipment innovations such as GPS collars.
Bob Larson, veterinarian and professor of veterinary medicine; Maci Mueller, assistant professor of animal sciences and Phillip Lancaster, clinical assistant professor of animal sciences, all from K-State University, were there to help with the demonstrations along with answering any questions participants had.
After lunch with local cattle ranchers in Council Grove, the group headed to the Tiffany Cattle Company flagship feedyard. Participants got to learn about different technologies like hormone implants and improvements in animal handling through feedyard design. They also got a look into the regenerative practices that Tiffany Cattle Company uses alongside Elevate Ag.
One participant said, “I really enjoyed how the tour focused on the relationship between soil, species of plants and animals, chemistry, and the research and development for business. It’s all very exciting information that I can pass along to my students, showcasing the intersectionality in science and agriculture.”
Feedback gathered through both pre- and post-event surveys revealed a noteworthy shift in participants’ views regarding beef production practices. Specifically, participants expressed trust in the innovative methods and technologies employed within beef production, including antibiotic use and the humane treatment of animals. The data demonstrates increased trust and understanding among educators, emphasizing the tour’s educational value and the industry’s commitment to transparency and responsible practices.
Checkoff work overseas
Randall Debler, Kansas Beef Council Executive Committee member and immediate past chair, recently visited South Korea and Japan as apart of the U.S. Meat Export Federation’s (USMEF) Beef Leadership Team. Fifteen beef industry leaders made the trip to the two countries to observe potential market opportunities and participate in beef promotion events.
In March 2024, Japan imported 21,412 metric tons and South Korea imported 22,105 metric tons of U.S. beef. These numbers are due to the fact that the countries are not able to produce enough beef to meet their populations’ demand.
“The one thing that really struck me in both countries is that both are surrounded by water, but they are solid red meat eaters,” Debler said. “I expected there to be seafood - a majority seafood - but that is not really the case.”
While consumers in both countries do enjoy a nicely marbled sirloin or ribeye steak, there also is a large market for cuts that the U.S.typically throws away. Tongue and tripe are two cuts that are considered delicacies.
When on a grocery store tour, Debler did a quick conversion that showed tongue was being sold for roughly $12 per pound.
During the trip, it was stressed that due to the high demand for red meat, South Korea and Japan will continue to import a vast amount of their beef and pork – no matter what.
“They are going to import beef from somewhere,” he said.“But they say the U.S. has the most consistent high-quality beef product. This is a testament to U.S. beef producers really working to improve the overall herd quality.”
USMEF continues to work with the Beef Checkoff to access and develop beef markets in countries across the globe. Foreign markets have added over $400 of value to each head of US cattle[1].
Learn more about the Beef Leadership Team’s trip to Asia here.
1 https://www.beefboard.org/2022/07/15/how-exports-add-value-to-us-beef/
The Beef Checkoff Partners with Little League® to Keep Athletes Fueled with Beef on the Plate
With baseball and softball season underway and the kickoff to summer grilling season fast approaching, the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. brand, funded by the Beef Checkoff, is excited to announce the perfect partnership between beef and baseball/softball as a proud partner of the Little League® World Series this year.
“This partnership provides a unique opportunity to reach a younger audience and their families with facts about beef and recipes they will love,” said Dan Gattis, NCBA Federation Division Chair. “With approximately two million players annually, Little League teams account for 70% of youth baseball in the U.S. and makes them an ideal partner for the Beef Checkoff.”
The partnership, which will name Beef as the official sponsor of the Perfect Home Plate with Little League, will include a variety of advertising opportunities, including a digital video series to inspire consumers to choose beef. It will culminate with a beef dinner the night before the opening game of the Little League Baseball® World Series to fuel the young athletes with high quality protein and help them prepare for 11 days of competition.
Beef is always a crowd pleaser, but nutrition is key when fueling young athletes and busy families. This partnership will help educate consumers about beef’s unmatched nutrition package of high-quality protein and 10 essential nutrients, helping them keep their families nourished throughout the day and introducing the next generation to the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. brand.
To see recipes and more content from the partnership, visit our Little League webpage on BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com.
beef month content
May is the start of summer. The school year comes to a close and temperatures begin to creep up. This also means grills are coming out of hibernation and griddles are starting their extensive seasoning routine.
May is also Beef Month. A time for cattle producers and the average city dweller to celebrate one of Kansas’ favorite proteins - beef.
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) spent Beef Month 2024 connecting Kansas consumers to Kansas cattle producers.
Throughout the month, KBC shared different beef recipes straight from Kansas producers’ kitchens. Recipes included the Lindamoods’ beef spaghetti, the Hoaglands’ beef ramen and even the Wellses’ dinosaur eggs recipes. Consumers were able to see how people who understand beef best use it in their own homes.
The beef industry also has a large impact on the Kansas economy. KBC social accounts shared a quick fun fact each week about Kansas's beef and cattle industry. This included the number of jobs needed to support the industry, along with how Kansas ranks third nationally in total head of cattle.
Finally, KBC provided meal prep inspiration by sharing how to stretch various beef cuts among different meals. Consumers have noted in checkoff-funded preference surveys that meal planning ideas and inspiration could lead them to eat more beef.
“We really wanted to celebrate both the beef producer and the delicious meals beef provides,” Grace Jacobson, KBC Communications Coordinator, said. “By sharing little bites of industry facts and faces, Kansans can gain a greater appreciation for those who help make their favorite dishes possible.”
Cattlemen in kc
As consumers continue to have less and less firsthand experience with rural America and food production, cattle producers should look to gain an understanding of consumer trends. This helps producers address any misinformation directly that they encounter and best relate to those consuming their products.
“Consumers time and time again note that cattle producers are one of the most trustworthy sources of information when it comes to beef and beef production,” Abby Heidari, Kansas Beef Council (KBC) Director ofNutrition, said. “As emerging leaders in the Kansas beef industry, it is important to not only know consumer preferences and concerns but also to interact directly with consumers.”
Aiming to educate the next generation of Kansas beef leaders, Heidari shared checkoff-funded research that demonstrates how beef can be part of a healthy diet to the Kansas Livestock Association Young Stockmen’sAcademy (YSA) class of 2024. Grace Jacobson, KBC Communications Coordinator, then shared KBC-funded research on consumer trends to help producers better understand consumers.
YSA is a program designed to develop emerging leaders in the Kansas beef industry through a variety of experiences. These cattlemen and cattlewomen work in a variety of cattle production systems as well as different organizations and companies in the industry.
After the presentation, the YSA class traveled to two Hy-Vees in the Kansas City metro area to connect directly with consumers. They handed out Kansas City strip steak samples while talking to consumers about protein preferences and beef production.
Heart health outreach
In previous years, individuals trying to consume a heart-healthy diet have encountered mixed messages regarding the place of beef on their plates. This led the Beef Checkoff to fund multiple human nutrition research projects to see if eating beef can help those striving for heart health. The BOLD study is one of the studies showing that lean cuts of beef can, in fact, easily be included in heart-healthy diets.
During Heart Health Month in February, the Beef Nutrition Team on the state and national levels partnered with a point-of-influence company to distribute 760 heart-health toolkits to healthcare providers. This included health professionals from cardiologists to family physicians across the United States.
Each professional received a 12-page research booklet outlining recent studies supporting beef consumption for cardiometabolic health, a collection of heart-healthy recipe cards, a lean beef cuts magnet and 100 educational tear sheets to share with patients.
On a survey sent to toolkit recipients, one health professional noted, “The emphasis on avoiding red meat for so many years will be challenging to overcome,” proving the importance of the Beef Checkoff working to address and dispel nutrition misconceptions – especially among health professionals.
While Heart Health Month is February, the Kansas Beef Council helps ensure cardiac health professionals are always kept up to date on how lean beef can fit into a healthy diet.
During the Missouri-Kansas Association for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation conference in Kansas City this past April, the KBC nutrition consultant, Patti Dollarhide, engaged with 112 healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, exercise physiologists and dietitians. These professionals received updated research regarding lean beef and its impact on cardiometabolic health. Additionally, they were equipped with educational materials to use in their offices, such as American Heart Association®-certified Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. recipe videos, recipe cards and patient handouts.
These outreach endeavors are integral components of the Beef Checkoff's overarching nutrition program. By providing health professionals with accessible resources, we aim to reassure consumers that they still can enjoy the taste, nostalgia and overall experience of beef while maintaining a heart-healthy diet and lifestyle.
2023-2024 School year bcp impact
The academic year is winding down as schools are beginning to prepare for finals and end-of-the-year activities. Throughout the year, beef has played a role in hundreds of Kansas students’ classwork through the Beef Certificate Program (BCP).
BCP has helped over 137 schools in 48 counties across the state use high-quality beef in family and consumer sciences and ProStart classes. These programs empower students to learn more about beef cut selection, preparation, nutrition and cattle production. This spring, the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) sent BCP participant classrooms resource kits that included informational posters and free online classroom lessons.
As a contributing sponsor of the Kansas ProStart Invitational®, KBC supported schools - like Garden City High School - as they showcased their culinary prowess by winning the Best Beef Dish award at this spring’s competition in Wichita, Kansas. This event helps encourage students as they aspire to grow their culinary talents and become tomorrow’s hospitality leaders.
Programs such as BCP are just one facet of KBC’s commitment to equipping educators and students with science-based resources. These resources aim to showcase the important role beef plays in a healthy, balanced diet and lifestyle, while also equipping students with the knowledge and skills to confidently prepare beef dishes in their own homes or as future hospitality professionals.
“This program helps encourage students to learn more about beef nutrition and production, so they are confident when they are cooking beef that they not only are preparing it correctly, but also know it is a great product that easily can fit into a balanced diet throughout the rest of their lives,” Abby Heidari, KBC Director of Nutrition, said.
Beef Proclamation Signing 2024
Surrounded by beef producers, Governor Laura Kelly signed a proclamation on April 26 declaring May as Kansas Beef Month. The proclamation makes it official that Kansans will celebrate beef not only as an ecological and economic driver of the state, but also as a delicious and nutritious protein that brings friends and families together.
Kansas, renowned for its expansive prairies, has nearly 44.8 million acres of agricultural ground. However, not all this land is suitable for growing crops. By utilizing the 14 million acres of pasture and rangeland that otherwise would go unused, many of the 22,000 Kansas ranchers significantly increase the amount of high-quality protein grown for people.
Ranching not only preserves our beautiful landscapes but also ensures these lands contribute to a sustainable food system,” explained Jake Pannbacker, Kansas Beef Council (KBC) chairman, who attended the proclamation signing. “Cattle on Kansas pastures convert human-inedible native grasses into protein-rich beef that everyone loves. At the feedyard, cattle eat byproducts leftover from brewing beer or ethanol production, and turn something that would normally go to the landfill into one of America’s favorite proteins, beef.”
The Sunflower State ranks third in the United States with approximately 6.2 million head of cattle on ranches and in feedyards, and the beef industry has a direct output of more than $11 billion. With cattle farming and ranching employing nearly 20,000 Kansans and the meatpacking and prepared meat manufacturing industries employing 46,000 people, the Kansas beef industry is vital to the economic health of Kansans.
“Beef is a shared experience that brings us together around the table, but it is also vital to our economic well-being,” says Ty Breeden, Quinter rancher, banker and KBC vice chairman. “Most, if not all, of our rural communities are sustained by beef production. The vibrant small towns you pass on the highway or those beautiful and well-maintained pastures wouldn’t be here without the Kansas beef industry and hard-working cattlemen and cattlewomen.”
Beef Month serves as a reminder of the shared moments around the dinner table, the livelihoods supported by the beef industry and the sustainable practices that make Kansas a leader in beef production. So, when Kansans gather in May and throughout the summer to enjoy the undeniable taste of beef, as a majority of consumers prefer it over chicken, they also are celebrating the vital role this high-quality protein plays in the state’s heritage and its future, bringing communities, friends and families together.
Meat demand monitor
A great way to build demand for beef is to understand what the consumer is currently demanding from their protein products. This is why the Beef Checkoff continually supports and funds consumer demand research on both the national and state levels.
One of those research projects is the Meat Demand Monitor (MDM). The MDM is funded in part by the Beef and Pork Checkoffs. Glynn Tonsor, professor of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University, is the lead researcher on the MDM since its inception in early 2020.
The MDM is a monthly report of current trends, consumption habits and preferences collected from a nationwide survey. The questions asked of participants focus on what meat(s) they consume, why they consume that meat and willingness to pay for certain products. There are also questions about participants’ current feelings and perceptions of personal economic status and overall feelings toward the economy.
To better understand beef demand compared to overall protein demand, the MDM tracks chicken and alternative meat usage and market share. This helps contextualize current trends and feelings towards beef and pork products.
All the data from each month is published to AgManager.info alongside a summary of the results.
Current results have shown that many households are pessimistic about their finances. Entities – like the Kansas Beef Council (KBC)– have used this data to plan marketing efforts around these sentiments. For example, KBC has promoted budget beef recipes and also cooking instructions on how to make the most out of their beef cuts.
There has also been elevated demand at retail instead of food service (i.e. restaurants). “This is consistent with other data sets in the last couple of months that have pointed to asking prices for meals at restaurants have gone up due to increased inflation, labor costs and other costs increasing,” Tonsor said.
March 2024 results that were released on April 1 show that beef hamburger takes up 25% of the retail market share. Then ribeye steak and beef hamburger comprise almost 40% of the foodservice market share.
KBC continues to monitor MDM data to ensure that all marketing efforts resonate with consumers while also providing high-quality information about beef and the beef industry.
Taste is the number one purchasing consideration in protein. KBC continually showcases beef’s unique and robust flavor through different recipes, cooking methods and nutrition.
Connecting with youth sports personnel
Nutritional deficiencies and under-fueling can vary widely among athletes based on their sports, individual dietary choices and other factors.
To aid high school athletes in understanding proper fueling for optimal performance, the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) is extending "The Sports Nutrition Game Plan" into high schools.
This collaborative program with the Texas Beef Council and veteran sports dietitian Amy Goodson focuses on comprehensive sports nutrition and educating athletes, coaches, trainers and parents on beef's essential role in optimal fueling for training, performance and recovery.
The Kansas Beef Council's extension of "The Sports Nutrition Game Plan" offers a free, science-based program to help coaches add performance nutrition into their team’s culture of success. Coaches gain an easy-to-use platform with videos, handouts, social graphics and team challenges ready to be used.
This resource not only enhances training, performance and recovery, but also serves as a compelling avenue to showcase beef's nutritional value. With an overview of sports nutrition information, beef recipes that easily can be added to a student-athlete’s schedule are included.
To help spread awareness of this opportunity, KBC staff recently showcased the program at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Coaches Clinic in Overland Park, KS, in late January and the Kansas Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Conference in Manhattan, KS, in March. These conferences hosted over 445 coaches and athletic administrators from Kansas and neighboring states.
“Adequate nutrition is important for athletes, especially young athletes who are still physically developing,” Abby Heidari, KBC Director of Nutrition, said. “We at the beef council want to make sure coaches, families and youth sports teams have the opportunity to learn how beef is a great asset to their fueling plan.”
KBC will continue to promote “The Sports Nutrition Game Plan” program throughout the summer and fall coaches’ conferences in Kansas along with working directly with coaches wanting to implement the program.
KC Professional Sports Staff Dietitians Talk About Beef for Athletic Performance
Many families with young kids typically run from one sporting activity to another. Baseball games every other weekend, soccer practices throughout the week and a basketball clinic here and there. With an active lifestyle, nutrition plays an extremely important part in developing athletes.
Nutrition before, during and after physical activity plays crucial roles in muscle, skeletal and athletic development. Nutrition experts like Kim Gaskill, Sporting KC dietitian, and Leslie Bonci, Chiefs dietitian, work every day with athletes who utilize nutrition to fuel performance.
The Kansas Beef Council collaborated with these two experts to help educate active families on how beef can fit effortlessly into their young athletes’ diets.
Bonci’s article covers the “Four Ps” of protein to show how high-quality proteins can influence post-workout recovery and provide other essential nutrients that ultimately help promote performance. She also shared her favorite beef recipes for athletes.
Since recovery is such an important aspect of athletic training, Gaskill dove deeper into protein’s impact on recovering muscles. During this phase, muscle synthesis takes place to repair damaged tissue and to build new muscle. This ensures the athletes are adequately prepared for their next training session or game.
Gaskill even noted that beef burgers are a favorite among Sporting KC players.
These articles are being promoted through display advertisements on various websites, KBC social media channels and through a handout that will be distributed during coaching and youth athletic conferences throughout the spring.
healthy kids collaborative
Healthy Kids Collaborative There have been many instances where misinformation about animal protein has directly impacted school lunch and nutrition programs. For example, Meatless Monday initiatives have started appearing in school districts. These initiatives are derived from the misconception that animal proteins can lead to various health and environmental problems.
However, excluding animal proteins – like beef – can be detrimental to school-age children. Beef is a nutrient-dense protein option that can increase nutrient adequacy and promote healthy growth when included in kid-friendly meals. So, the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) partnered with the Nebraska (NEBC) and California (CBC) beef councils to work with the Healthy Kids Collaborative in California.
Healthy Kids Collaborative recently worked with the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, California, to organize a workshop that brought together multiple key stakeholders – chefs, school nutrition professionals, food suppliers, etc. – in the school nutrition space. The workshop specifically highlighted how to add beef to school meal plans.
A group of local students participated on a panel during the workshop to judge breakfast and lunch items. Different beef recipes developed for school cafeterias were blind-judged alongside recipes featuring different protein options. The panel's goal was to gain real insight into actual student taste preferences.
The beef frittata and tostada emerged as the top choices among the students, which helped solidify that beef is not just great nutritionally for students, but also their preferred taste.
Mitch Rippe, NEBC Director of Nutrition & Education, and Patti Dollarhide, KBC contractor, attended the workshop and will use the insights to develop a webinar with CBC for Healthy Kids Collaborative members.
CBC also is working with the Georgia Department of Education, a member of the Healthy Kids Collaborative, to create additional resources to support school nutrition professionals.
Collaborating with Healthy Kids Collaborative and CBC is one of the many ways Kansas Beef Checkoff funds are utilized to dispel misconceptions about beef and promote beef consumption in California.
kbc leadership update
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) Executive Committee is comprised of volunteer leaders who are Kansas cattlemen and women across all sectors of the cattle industry. These leaders are the ones who decide how all the funds KBC receives are used to grow beef demand – statewide, nationally and globally.
During the March Executive Committee meeting, Ty Breeden, Quinter, Kansas, was elected as the new vice chairman. Jake Pannbacker, Washington, Kansas, assumed the chairman position after serving as vice chairman for the past two years.
Randall Debler – Past Chairman
The Rock Hill Ranch in Alma is where you can find the Debler family managing their cow-calf operation alongside Paul and Nancy Miller. Giving back to the beef industry has been Debler’s primary goal when working to promote beef with the Checkoff.
Debler has been active in the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) and KBC for almost a decade. This has included serving on the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board, CBB’s Beef Promotion Operating Committee and currently serving on the Safety & Product Innovation Committee.
“I have seen a lot of the Beef Checkoff, and it is people in the beef industry making the decisions at both state and national levels,” he said. “It is feedlot operators, commercial stockers and backgrounders, seedstock producers and more coming together to advance the beef industry.”
He expresses his gratitude to those who encouraged him during his tenure as chairman.
“Some of the sharpest folks I know are on the KBC Executive Committee. I am thankful to be able to work and serve the Kansas beef industry with them,” he said.
KBC would like to thank Debler for his service as chairman.
Jake Pannbacker – Chairman
When he is not transporting two kids to different activities with wife, Lindsey, refereeing a local high school basketball game or cheering on the K-State Wildcats, Pannbacker is working with his father on Pannbacker Farm.
In 2017, Pannbacker officially joined the KBC Executive Committee. From there, he has served on the Domestic Marketing Committee through the Federation of State Beef Councils.
His desire to be a part of these committees came from ultimately wanting to represent his local communities.
“I am the guy from Washington, Republic and Marshall County. I want to represent and serve my area well,” he said.
After seeing previous programming success, he is excited to see what the future will bring for potential promotion opportunities.
“The K-State Tailgater of the Game has been such a success for KBC,” he said. “It has brought together the general public and producers to bond over our common love and appreciation of beef.”
Pannbacker notes collaboration brings about successful Beef Checkoff work. “All segments of the industry come to the table to discuss how to use the dollars because it takes all of us to make it all work.”
Recently, he had the opportunity to visit California to work with the California Beef Council’s Director of Food & Nutrition Outreach, Kori Dover. Through this experience, he was able to see firsthand the KBC-sponsored nutrition outreach Dover executes. “Through sponsoring dietitians in low cattle inventory and high population areas, Kansas can promote beef all around the nation,” he said. “Collaboration is important among beef producers, but also among state beef councils.”
Ty Breeden – Vice Chairman
Breeden with his wife, Jamie, and two girls are the fifth generation to operate their family cow-calf and crop operation in western Kansas.
After gaining his degree in agricultural economics from Kansas State University, he spent some time working in Kansas City. Despite taking this slight detour, he eventually returned to Quinter and teamed up with his father to take over the operation.
He was first appointed to the KBC Executive Committee around three years ago and also has served on the CBB’s Product Safety and Innovation Committee for the Federation of State Beef Councils.
“I believe 100% in the beef industry and the Beef Checkoff, and I wanted to learn more about it. So, when the opportunity to join the Executive Committee arose, I took it,” he said. “I think if you believe in something you should actively be promoting it.”
One of the most interesting programming areas is the unique research funded through the Checkoff on both the national and state levels, according to Breeden. He also noted there are multiple Checkoff initiatives – like KBC’s Beef Certificate Program – to get beef in schools through STEM and other academic curriculum development.
“The value of the dollar is more than just one dollar,” he said. “When we as an industry put all our dollars together, there are so many amazing things we can accomplish.”
connecting and updating producers
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) is producer-led and funded by the Beef Checkoff with the goals of promoting beef and positioning it as the go-to protein source for the modern household. With this, KBC understands the importance of keeping Kansas cattle producers up to date with all KBC programming activities.
This year, KBC participated in K-State’s annual Cattlemen’s Day activities. Staff was able to meet with producers and provide updates on how KBC is reaching consumers, health professionals and school programs.
“We are honored to work on behalf of producers and want to make sure they know how their Checkoff investment is being utilized judiciously and efficiently,” Scott Stebner, KBC Executive Director, said.
Other highlights from Cattlemen’s Day include Michael Chao, K-State Animal Science Assistant Professor, presenting his Beef Checkoff-funded research, “Technologies that Improve Beef Eating Experience.”
KBC also sponsored K-State’s Junior Beef Producer Day, which took place the day after Cattlemen’s Day. Students who participated in the program learned about beef production management, nutrition and quality assurance. The program helps educate and engage the next generation of Kansas cattlemen and cattlewomen.
Junior producers are not the only group that received quality assurance training this past month.
Finally, KBC has been taking a tour of the state to help producers get BQA-certified or recertified. Over 190 Kansas beef industry professionals have gotten their up-to-date BQA certifications.
BQA certification helps producers stay current with best handling and management practices and has been shown to improve consumer trust in beef.
There are still two KBC-sponsored BQA trainings this spring with Junction City and Syracuse hosting on March 18 and 26, respectively. If unable to attend in-person training, producers can go to this link to receive online certification training.
Kansas chefs' easy beef recipes
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) is committed to encouraging the general public to eat more beef. A great way to do this is by funding quarterly consumer preference research dashboards for both Kansas and the Kansas City metro area. KBC then uses the information collected to develop and share delicious beef recipes that meet these preferences.This past quarter, consumers indicated that they desired flavorful meals that are simple and quick to make. They also stated that access to chef-inspired recipes would encourage them to eat more beef.
With these considerations in mind, KBC collaborated with two local chefs and asked, “What do you prepare for your families on a busy night after a long day of work?” Chef Kara Anderson and Chef Chad Tillman then created three flavor-packed and Midwest comfort food-inspired recipes.
- Chef Kara’s Cheeseburger Stuffed Potatoes
- Chef Chad’s TexMex Chili
- Chef Kara’s Mexican-Inspired Shredded Beef
Recipe videos and web pages were published so consumers can access the recipes in the format they prefer. The videos already have collected over 1 million views across KBC’s social platforms.
“Meals can have amazing depth of flavor, great nutrition and comfort without someone slaving in the kitchen all day,” Abby Heidari, KBC Director of Nutrition, said. “Families definitely will be pulling these recipes out when they want something easy, yet so delicious!”
Kansas producers in the sunshine state
At the end of January, there was a pilgrimage of cattle producers from around the nation to Orlando, FL, for the annual CattleCon, hosted by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).
Volunteer leaders on the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) Executive Committee went down to the Sunshine State to attend Beef Checkoff committee meetings where they received programming updates from Checkoff contractors.
Kansas beef producers are well-represented with at least one KBC Executive Committee member on all six Beef Checkoff committees. Those representing Kansas in Orlando were:
· Jake Pannbacker – Domestic Marketing
· Larry Kendig - International Marketing
· Barb Downey – International Marketing
· Philip Weltmer – Nutrition & Health (co-chair)
· Amy Langvardt – Nutrition & Health
· Stacy McClintock – Nutrition & Health
· Evan Lesser – Safety & Product Innovation
· Ty Breeden – Safety & Product Innovation
· Randall Debler – Safety & Product Innovation
· Jack Geiger – Stakeholder Engagement
· Larry Jones – Stakeholder Engagement
· Josh Mueller – Stakeholder Engagement
While Kansas is well-represented, the entire cattle industry is fully represented during these committee meetings.
“In all the committee meetings, every single person in that room making any decisions is involved in the beef industry somehow,” Debler said. “When we went through introductions at the beginning of my committee meeting, there were cow-calf producers, a stocker operator, a feedlot owner and even a dairy operator present. All of them are boots on the ground in beef production.”
Checkoff contractors provided updates on authorization requests presented during the Summer Business Meeting that took place in July and approved by the Beef Promotion Committee in the fall.
During the domestic marketing meeting, the Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative (NEPBI) presented its 2024 program plans and 2023 successes. NEBPI helps build demand for beef in Northeast metro areas like Boston and New York City.
“Grilling season in New York City is going to look a lot different than Washington, Kansas,” Pannbacker said. “So, NEBPI is focusing on reaching out to thought-leaders and influencers in the area because it all goes back to word of mouth. Who is going to spread that information and give us a good plug? NEBPI is very forward-thinking in its approach.”
To find out more information about Beef Checkoff contractors visit this webpage.
Simple and easy nutrition information for consumers
With so much happening in life and the constant bombardment of information from social media, it can be difficult for consumers to know where to find simple and accurate nutrition information.
A 2019 study revealed that the general public trusts highly in dietitians, and most believe dietitians provide fair and accurate information when making patient recommendations [1].
In response, the Kansas Beef Council’s (KBC) Abby Heidari, registered dietitian and director of nutrition, wrote an article showcasing her favorite tips for easy, nutritious dinners.
"I am a mom with busy children," Heidari said."I know how stressful it can be trying to figure out how to make sure my family is getting everything they need nutritionally with only a little time to prepare meals."
Heidari isn’t alone. KBC-funded consumer research indicates consumers in the Kansas and Kansas City markets desire easy-to-prepare nutritious meals.
The article provides a simple overview of basic nutrition and delicious recipes from Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. and provides peer-reviewed research studies to provide fact-based information on beef’s nutritional benefits and how they impact everyday life.
The article will be promoted on KBC social media accounts and in paid digital advertisements.
[1] https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2019/08/02/trust-and-mistrust-in-americans-views-of-scientific-experts/
Heart Health MOnth Outreach
Just like that, January has come to an end, and love has filled the air. Nothing smells more like love than beef cooking. Grilling up beef for someone is not just a sign that you love them, but that you also love their heart – literally.
The Beef Checkoff has invested in various nutrition studies to determine if beef can be included in a heart-healthy diet. There are more than 30 scientific studies that support the role of lean beef in a heart-healthy diet and lifestyle [1]. One of the most notable is the Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet.
To help spread the love this Heart Health Month, the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) is connecting with and reaching various health professionals with heart-health-focused advertisements, American Heart Association (AHA)-certified recipes and other resources on lean beef in a heart-healthy diet.
Full-page print and digital ads have been placed in publications catering to and read by the thousands of Kansas and Kansas City-area nurses, dietitians and physicians. These ads share the different heart-health research studies and how lean beef can fit into a heart-healthy lifestyle.
KBC is again sharing AHA-certified recipe cards and other resources with cardiac rehab centers around the state to help support their patients’ journeys.
Lean beef research helps ensure that anyone can enjoy a great-tasting piece of beef, no matter what. KBC uses these Beef Checkoff-funded studies to correct misconceptions about lean beef’s potential role in a heart-healthy diet by interacting directly with health professionals.
[1] McNeill SH.Inclusion of red meat in healthful dietary patterns. Meat Sci 2014;98:452-460.
Arizona nutrition outreach sponsorship
Kansas is one of the few states where cattle outnumber people, beef is present at most celebrations and most people are connected to agriculture.
This unique combination allows the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) to support other states that have larger populations but lower cattle inventory. In 2023, the KBC Executive Committee voted – in partnership with the Nebraska Beef Council (NBC) – to help fund nutrition outreach programs with the Arizona Beef Council (ABC).
ABC has a successful track record of effectively educating health professionals with science-based information about beef nutrition and beef production. Examples of past outreaches include gate-to-plate experiences with dietetic students from multiple universities that help provide firsthand experiences of what happens on a ranch and clarify misconceptions about sustainability, nutrition and welfare.
Other healthcare and nutrition expert outreaches have included attending the School Nutrition Association of Arizona Trade Show and the Arizona Nurses Association Annual Conference. At these professional conferences, ABC has been able to grow its contact list of people interested in receiving more information about beef meals and nutrition.
KBC has a long history of partnering with high-population states to get accurate and science-backed information about beef nutrition and production to those who need to hear it. In collaboration with NBC, KBC also helps fund nutrition outreaches in California, New York and the Southeast.
Cooper beebe: powering his way to athletic success
For K-State Wildcat fans, the question is not if they will hear the name of home-state hero Cooper Beebe at the 2024 NFL Draft, but rather when they will hear it. Beebe had a historic year for the Wildcats by receiving Consensus All-American status, a slew of Big 12 honors and finalist status for the William V. Campbell Trophy.
There is no doubt that Beebe will excel at the professional level, and he got there by being elite on and off the field.
Beebe has fueled his athletic success with beef, a high-quality protein that provides over 10 essential nutrients necessary for athletes.
“It is the kinds of foods you eat. Foods with a big amount of protein is where us big guys live,” Beebe said. “High-protein options, like beef, help us power our bodies to get to where we need to be.”
Beef has made an impact on Beebe’s nutrition, but he also has used it to help impact the community around him.
The K-State offensive line, also known as the K-State Beef, teamed up with the Kansas Beef Council and Wildcat NIL to provide fresh ground beef to local food banks.
early 2024 bqa trainings
Cattle producers know the only way to handle their stock is the right way. To that end, producers regularly should have the opportunity to learn about best practices and new research.
The Beef Checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program has been educating cattle producers and handlers on the best animal welfare and handling practices since 1991. These practices ensure a high-quality product, and the research-backed training and certification help generate consumer confidence.
Producers not only benefit from BQA certification because it increases consumer trust but also because a 2019 study reports that there is nearly a $17/ head premium at auction for BQA-certified lots [1]. The
Kansas Beef Council (KBC) is committed to providing Beef Quality Assurance trainings to cattle industry personnel in Kansas. KBC and K-State Research and Extension are providing BQA training and certification opportunities throughout February and March. Dr. A.J. Tarpoff, DVM, associate professor of animal sciences at Kansas State University, will be the primary presenter at all trainings. Dates and locations include:
- Leavenworth County (Basehor) – February 3
- Coffeyville (in conjunction with the OKAN Conference) – February 20
- St. Francis – February 22
- Junction City – March 18
- Syracuse – March 26
If you are unable to make any of these trainings, BQA.org also provides online modules for certification and re-certification.
[1] https://www.bqa.org/Media/BQA/Docs/bqa-value-study-digital.pdf
2023
KBC at the annual kla convention
The annual Kansas Livestock Convention is one of the few opportunities for beef producers to come together, learn more about the future cattle markets and connect with other industry entities. The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) staff hosted a trade show booth and the Kansas Soybean Commission-sponsored Consumer Trends forum. Mandy Carr, NCBA Senior Executive Director of Scientific Affairs, spoke during the forum. Carr’s presentation was broken into three parts: who the modern consumer is, where the modern consumer is and what it means for the beef industry.
The modern consumer spends more than 12 hours a day consuming media, and digital media consumption will reach nearly eight hours by 2025. “Streaming is where we are going to meet consumers,” Carr said.
Both NCBA and KBC have already started shifting marketing efforts towards streaming advertisements. In 2023, KBC had over 5 million views on videos placed on YouTube and ConnectedTV (Hulu, Disney+, and other streaming sites).
View a Rundown of KBC 2023 Marketing Efforts Here
The beef industry has made significant changes in beef genetics and product quality – through the help of Beef Checkoff-funded research – over the past few decades. This has resulted in beef’s unique and high-quality flavor profile. Beef’s eating experience once again reigns as the top reason people eat more beef. “We can’t afford to lose beef’s eating experience,” Carr said.
While taste is what keeps consumers coming back to beef, lean cuts and recipes are the ways for beef to enter someone’s diet.
When looking at consumer protein preferences, Carr pointed out that consumers want variety. Over 70% of consumers who eat alternative proteins also consume beef every week. Consumers are not turning away from beef; they simply add alternative proteins to their diet.
“The yearly Consumer Trends forum at the KLA convention allows for an in-depth look into the ever-changing consumer, their protein preferences, and how checkoff-funded programs are efficiently marketing to this diverse population,” Scott Stebner, KBC Executive Director, said.
KBC would like to extend a thank you to all who stopped at the beef council’s booth or attended Consumer Trends forum during the KLAConvention.
K-12 School foodservice Guide
In 2023, the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) helped distribute the Beef Checkoff-funded Beef Resource Guide for School Foodservice. Originally developed by the Wisconsin Beef Council, this electronic resource guide highlights beef nutrition, versatility, practical tips and much more.
The guide was shared with over 900 individuals through an e-blast sent to KS School Lunch Program representatives and various contacts in onsite foodservice positions. The KSDE School Nutrition Programs September Update included the resource guide and was distributed to their mailing list.
School foodservice providers are a great way to help get beef into school lunch plans. Despite tightening budgets, the resource guide helps those making menu decisions know about economic cuts, proper thawing and proper preparation to ensure that they get the best use out of their high-quality protein option.
“Beef nutrition is highly important for adolescents,” Abby Heidari, KBC Director of Nutrition, says. “When kids miss out on high-quality proteins, their classroom performance can greatly diminish. We want to help school foodservice providers help kids reach their maximum potential in the classroom while still enjoying delicious meals.”
Consumer Preferences research
Every day reports are released stating what the modern consumer wants from the beef industry. Media outlets - both agriculture-specific and mainstream - report that the general public wants to switch to all organic or cut out all red meat. Despite this, there may be a difference between what the consumer theoretically wants and actually buys.
Ted Schroeder, professor and researcher of agricultural economics at Kansas State University, and a team of other K-State researchers wanted to learn if these reported consumer preferences -especially those around sustainability - match up with consumer spending habits.
Schroeder and his team sent out a nationwide survey in mid-March of 2023 and received over 3,000 useable responses. The sample of people surveyed closely matched US Census demographic data.
During the survey, participants ranked nine beef attributes in order of importance. The nine attributes were: animal welfare, produced without hormones or antibiotics, low-carbon beef (defined as beef produced with 10% less greenhouse gas emissions), price, supports local farmers, freshness, flavorful/ juicy/ tender, safety of food and nutritious content.
Freshness was deemed the most important attribute with 51%of respondents putting it in their top three attributes. Safety of food and price were ranked second and third, respectively, for the next top importance.
Product quality and safety have time and time again been top of mind for consumers and consumer research has shown that for decades.
The most surprising finding was that low-carbon beef was the least important attribute due to the amount of media attention the subject continually receives.
However, 57% of the survey respondents put this environmental sustainability attribute in their bottom three considerations. Only 11% put low-carbon beef in their top three attributes – the least of all the attributes.
The results of the survey show that there is room for every type of beef. While organic and natural beef labels are not deal-breakers to the average consumer, there is still a market for those types of beef products. This means there is room for many types of beef production models. Schroeder noted, “The challenge is a single strategy is likely to be less successful than a variety of strategies [e.g. organic or natural beef labels] targeting varied consumer segments” about the diversity of preferences.
Schroeder and his team then took these findings and made six recommendations for the beef industry at large. These recommendations were mainly about the continued development and adaption of production technology to make the final beef product more efficient, while keeping the eating experience beef provides.
"This type of consumer insight research is advantageous for the beef industry because the consumer is king, but we must realize what they say and how they actually spend their money doesn’t necessarily always line up,” Randall Debler, KBC Executive Committee chair, said. “Schroeder and his team did excellent work collecting and analyzing data that the beef community can use to continue making a great product.”
This consumer insights research is partially funded by the Kansas Beef Council through the Beef Checkoff, but opinions and recommendations in the report are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of KBC.
Connecting with Future dietitians
Young dietitians typically begin their careers with a simple desire to help people make better food decisions. However, as the years go by, they may be asked to take on additional roles, such as serving as a cooking instructor, translating academic research, and becoming a media spokesperson. Nevertheless, not many young dietitians see themselves as communicators or view communication as a key skill to have.
Recognizing this gap, the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) hosts scientific communication trainings with The University of Kansas Medical Center and Kansas State University dietetic students annually. These trainings center specifically on protein and how to effectively communicate about protein needs, with beef as the main example. The most recent trainings took place November 2nd and 3rd.
Abby Heidari, KBC Director of Nutrition, starts the trainings by sharing about the importance of protein in the diet and dispelling misconceptions about beef’s role. Then students have the opportunity to learn about beef production directly from Kansas beef producers, covering topics such as the various labels that can be seen on beef products and the use of hormone implants in cattle raising.
“It is important for us [beef cattle producers] to connect with those who are going to be recommending our product to their patients one day,” Wrenn Pacheco, member of the KBC Executive Committee, said. “If these students have a good understanding of beef production, they are more likely to recommend and talk about our product in their careers.”
The trainings also feature a media communications presentation by Melissa Joy Dobbins, a registered dietitian and owner of SoundBites, who shares insights on how dietitians can effectively present nutrition information through various channels.
To cap off the training, students have the opportunity to prepare a dish featuring beef sirloin, allowing them to gain hands-on experience in cooking beef while also presenting the nutritional aspects of their dish.
These trainings enable students to apply evidence-based guidelines as they practice delivering science-based protein recommendations.It also allows students to make connections directly with the beef industry and gain hands-on experience that will serve them immensely as they start their careers.
Promoting beef consumption for adolescent girls
One of the main concerns about beef consumption is that it is perceived as less healthy than other protein or food options. This sentiment, compounded with the notion that beef is considered a more “masculine” food, potentially can deter some women from including beef in their diets.
Women – especially young women – who do not consume enough red meat, like beef, can develop nutrient deficiencies. In the United States, it’s a significant issue, with over 20% of females aged 15 to 49 experiencing iron deficiency.[1]
With this, the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) recently placed multiple print and digital advertisements targeting health professionals to communicate the iron requirements for women at different ages and how beef can help meet essential iron needs.
The checkoff-funded ads were featured in online and print industry publications and conferences for physician, dietitian and nurse audiences.
“Adolescent girls benefit greatly from beef consumption, as it offers key nutrients many girls might be missing,” Abby Heidari, KBC Director of Nutrition, said. “We want health professionals to be aware that incorporating beef into a healthy and balanced diet can be an effective means of preventing common nutrient deficiencies.”
These ads are estimated to have already reached thousands of Kansas health professionals. The assets were designed to have a nationwide reach and will be used by multiple state beef councils along with the Federation of State Beef Councils.
Easy Recipes for Consumers
When looking for new recipes to try, most people are not looking for the family history of the recipe writer when figuring out what to cook for dinner. People just want to know what they need, how to do it and how long it will take to prepare.The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) wants to make cooking beef as easy and accessible as possible. So, KBC has created multiple listicles based on various consumer trends and demands this year.
Listicles are website articles that are a list over a certain topic. For example, KBC recently created a soup and stews listicle for the fall. In the soup listicle, 13 beef soup and stew recipes are shared so consumers have a variety of ideas and options from which to choose. The goal of the listicles is to be easy to follow and share straightforward recipes.
Other listicles produced this year are:
- 9 Flank Steak Recipes
- 9 Flat Iron Steak Recipes
- 7 Sirloin Recipes
- Ribeye Recipes
- 11 Strip Steak Recipes
- 20 Beef Pasta Recipes
- 10 Comfort Casserole Recipes
- 9 Beef Appetizers
- 5 Beef and Fruit Grilling Recipes
- 10 Slow Cooker Recipes
The listicles are first placed as native ads on various websites. Native ads are those typically seen while reading different news sites or on the sides of various web pages. The graphics are posted to various KBC social medias like Pinterest and Instagram. These are then turned into targeted ads.
To ensure the digital advertising budget is used as effectively as possible, KBC split-tests digital ads. Ad split-testing is when KBC creates and posts multiple ads with small variances in verbiage, colors or other aspects to see which one will generate the most engagement.
Once there is robust data collected, the most efficient and engaged ad is the only one that continues to be promoted.
This helps KBC use advertisements that effectively engage consumer audiences across the state and nation.
The listicles have produced over 12 million views across social media platforms and generated over 200,000 clicks. These markers prove KBC ads are performing well above industry averages.
Partnerships in Action Conference 2023
Coordinated by the Federation of State Beef Councils and funded by the Beef Checkoff, the annual Partnerships in Action (PIA) conference brings state beef councils together to build a stronger state and national partnership. The focus of this conference is to discuss national programming, share state-led efforts and expand upon existing assets and successful campaigns.
Attendees learned about program strategy, current consumer trends and preferences, and upcoming Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. promotions. More than 80 state staff from 32 state beef councils participated in the event, including the Kansas Beef Council’s Scott Stebner, Abby Heidari and Grace Jacobson.
“Connecting with other state beef councils and learning what national programs we can implement in our state is essential,” Grace Jacobson, KBC Communications Coordinator, said. “These partnerships help us effectively leverage Beef Checkoff funds and create programs that have the greatest impact to our producers.”
KBC is part of the Federation of State Beef Councils and voluntarily invests in the Federation to enhance the national Checkoff and leverage producer dollars through a coordinated partnership. The Federation was established in 1963 by grassroots producers as a more concerted and focused effort to conduct national beef research and promotion programs.
Meat-ing your needs with the chief's rd
Proper nutrition, both pre- and post-workout, can either elevate your fitness or limit your potential. No one sees that play out more than Leslie Bonci, registered dietitian and team dietitian for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) teamed up with Bonci to share how everyone can fuel their bodies like a pro in the article “Meat-ing Your Needs”. The article noted how beef is a good source of nutrients essential for active individuals to optimize their athletic potential.
“Eating beef may face skepticism in some health and fitness circles, so we want to showcase how it can genuinely advance an individual’s performance,” Abby Heidari, R.D., KBC Director of Nutrition, said. “By collaborating with Bonci, we can reach both sports dietitians and individuals looking to achieve their fitness goals.”
In the article, Bonci even shares some of her favorite beef recipes that are perfect for athletes and fitness fanatics!
The article will be promoted through various advertisements on social media platforms, as well as native ads. Native ads are the ads typically seen while reading different news sites or on the sides of various webpages.
Get beef into the curriculum
When thinking about agriculture in the classroom, most people tend to envision agriculture-specific classes taught by high school FFA advisors. While these classes give students practical and hands-on experiences in agriculture, many schools either lack agriculture education programs or find that students do not enroll in these classes.
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) has partnered with the Nebraska and Oklahoma beef councils to bring agriculture education into mainstream classrooms through a booklet series about various aspects of the beef industry.
There will be three readers in this series. These readers will provide scientifically accurate facts about beef production, information about different occupations in the cattle industry and QR codes that allow students to dig deeper into the content.
The readers mainly focus on different sustainability topics with the first covering greenhouse gas emissions, then the others will delve into nutrient up-cycling and the role of cattle in ecosystems. The readers have been designed for students in both middle and high school, targeting STEM classes and family & consumer sciences classes. The material was developed not only to inform students about cattle production, but also to encourage them to think critically about the complexities of various sustainability aspects.
“This reader series will help students who typically do not take agriculture-based classes make connections to the beef industry in a traditional classroom setting,” Abby Heidari, KBC Director of Nutrition, said. “The series will help students become critical observers and analytical thinkers as they uncover the interconnectedness of beef production and sustainability,”
Teachers interested in the beef readers can go to this link to find more information and download all assets of the first reader.
Building global beef demand
The Beef Checkoff’s primary function is to build beef demand. This can come through various functions, from beef recipe creation all the way to K-12 agricultural education curriculum.
However, one of the most successful ways the Beef Checkoff and the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) have helped build beef demand is by investing in international beef export markets. It is reported that 80% of global purchasing is located outside of the United States’ borders.
Export markets help move not only high-quality prime and choice cuts of beef, but also allow producers to add value to beef carcasses through value-added cuts like tongue and liver.
“Markets like Mexico and South America are willing to pay top dollar for cuts that you would have trouble giving away to the domestic consumer,” Ty Breeden, member of the KBC Executive Committee, said. “Exports help us gain more value from those cuts.”
The most notable way the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and KBC have helped invest in export markets is through working with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). USMEF is a contractor of the Beef Checkoff.
In USMEF’s latest export report, the beef export value equated to over $400 per head of fed slaughter in July of 2023. From January 2023 to July 2023, the average export value was around $395. The Cattlemen’s Beef Board has reported that investing in export market leads to roughly a $24.45 return on investment.
Other notable highlights in the export market included: Mexico exports increasing 31% from the year before; beef exports to Africa increased 25% from last year; Honduras exports totaled 226 megatons (mt), which is up from 95 mt from a year ago.
Export markets allow other countries to experience the high-quality beef the American beef herd provides, create avenues for variety meats to be sold and utilized, and ultimately benefit producers by increasing the value of their herds.
E-commerce success
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) is committed to using Beef Checkoff funds as efficiently and judiciously as possible to create beef demand. To that end, KBC tries to meet the consumer where they are through different targeting efforts.
Targeting allows KBC and other Checkoff contractors to place ads in front of specific audiences like people who have purchased beef before but have not in the last month. This helps beef stay top of mind to consumers who do not regularly reach for beef products on a normal night.
This past summer KBC partnered with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, to place Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. targeted advertisements on grocery store's online e-commerce website and app.
Some of the targeted consumer audiences were those who have purchased beef before through the app and those who have looked at beef products in the last 90 days but never purchased.
Advertisements on the online retailer resulted in 3.5 million impressions with over 840,000 of those coming specifically from Kansas shoppers. This created an estimated $18 million in incremental sales nationwide. Of those sales, 16% of them were from new buyers or members who had not bought beef products in the past year.
In Kansas, the advertisements created a 21.8% sales lift, which led to an overall $114 return on ad spend (ROAS). ROAS is a way to measure how effective an ad is by comparing how much money was made versus how much was spent on those ads.
“After the success of last year’s e-commerce advertising campaign, we decided that we wanted to continue this partnership with NCBA,” Randall Debler, KBC Executive Committee chairman, said. “We are happy to see that, again this year, consumers are responding to our campaign efforts by buying more beef!”
Ribeye steaks, New York strip steaks and 90/10 ground beef were the top three beef products bought during the campaign.
Bring on the K-state beef
Beef is a cornerstone of K-State football and tailgating tradition. Philly cheesesteaks, chilis and the classic hamburger are just a few of the dishes you find at Bill Snyder Stadium In the fall.
However, beef is not just a staple in the diet of K-State diehards, the offensive line also has made beef an integral part of preparing for a winning season.
K-State fans have been requesting the hats that were posted to social media earlier this year. The Kansas Beef Council and Wildcat NIL now officially have Kansas State Beef Offensive Line hats available for public purchase.
These hats not only are a reflection of Kansas State’s love of beef, but also a great way to give back to the community. For each hat sold, one pound of ground beef will be given to a local food bank. The remainder of the net proceeds will go to the offensive linemen through Wildcat NIL.
Food banks always are looking for fresh meat donations. Ground beef is a great way to meet that need that not only is easy to cook, but also nutritionally dense.
Over 600 hats already have been sold. Go to this webpage to find beef tailgate recipes that are always a fan favorite.
Purchase a hat through Wildcat NIL or at Rally House!
AHA-certified recipes update
When logging into different social media apps, one can be bombarded with various opinions on the same topic. This is extremely true about information regarding beef’s role in the diet. The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) diligently combats beef misinformation by working directly with health professionals.
At the beginning of the year, KBC distributed over 75 USB drives containing Checkoff-funded content and recipes on how to include beef in a lean, heart-healthy diet to various cardiac rehab facilities and health professional offices across the state. The recipes and corresponding content were created using Beef Checkoff-funded research, such as the Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD) study.
Check out more Checkoff-funded research here!
Doctors, nurses and other health professionals are widely regarded as the most-trusted sources of nutrition information. That is why KBC is dedicated to cultivating relationships with these professionals by providing them with scientifically accurate and up-to-date human nutrition research.
“I work in a cardiac rehabilitation program where I assist patients in adopting heart-healthy eating habits, which includes guiding them to choose lean cuts of beef,” Cheryl Mussatto, a registered dietitian, said. “The AHA-certified beef recipe videos and resources have been valuable tools for educating participants in cardiac rehabilitation that they can still enjoy lean beef as part of a heart-healthy diet. Educating patients on choosing the healthier cuts of beef, healthy cooking techniques, and pairing it with whole grains, veggies, and fruit, has helped patients immensely in eating healthier and actually enjoying a heart-healthy way of eating.”
KBC collaborated with Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. to expand the reach of this campaign. More than 16,000 recipe cards have been distributed to over 20 state beef councils.
Throughout the year, KBC and other beef councils have utilized this content to hand out at various nutrition and health conferences, such as the MO-KS Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Conference.
Check out the AHA-certified recipes here!
Tailgater of the game 2023
When it comes to the food served at tailgates, K-State Wildcat fans take “Eat Beef” very seriously. Beef brings more to tailgates, and no one knows that like the K-State family.
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) looks to encourage beef at tailgates this year by sponsoring the “Tailgater of the Game” competition again.
“Everyone gets excited to tailgate and watch football,” says Jamie Lindamood, a member of the KBC executive committee. “When you add the unbelievable taste of beef to your tailgate, it makes those gatherings and memories just that much better.”
For each home game, starting with the September 2 game against Southeast Missouri State University, and through the November 11 game against Baylor, KBC staff and volunteers will be walking around the main tailgating areas. Any tailgate crew that is cooking up beef – whether it be hamburgers, steaks or something in between – will have a chance to win.
The weekly winner will be chosen at random and then featured during the game in a video played on the big screens. Weekly winners will win a prize of grilling gear and a gift card. Then all the weekly winners will be entered to win the grand prize of box seats at the last home game of the year against Iowa State.
“Beef is an integral part of tailgating – let alone K-State tailgating!” Scott Stebner, Executive Director of KBC, said. “The K-State family loves cooking beef and we are excited to provide an opportunity to celebrate the Kansas beef industry alongside K-State Athletics.”
Go to this link to see the success of last year’s Tailgater of the Game promotion!
2023 Cattle Industry Business Meeting
Each July, volunteer leaders in the cattle industry from around the country come together to discuss upcoming projects and ongoing issues and connect with other producers.
Last week, Kansas Beef Council (KBC) executive committee members and staff traveled to San Diego to participate in the various Beef Checkoff committee meetings and training sessions held during the annual Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting. The six programming committees met to receive updates from Checkoff contractors, set program priorities and discuss funding requests for the upcoming year.
Go to this link to learn about all Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) program committees, and how they help build beef demand nationwide!
Funding research projects is one of many ways CBB builds beef demand. Checkoff-funded research helps build consumer trust in areas like product safety and nutrition. It also helps dispel any misconceptions about the beef industry by providing science-backed evidence and answers to popular questions and misinformation that circulates.
“Research is foundational to understanding beef’s role in a healthy diet and ensuring we have a role in the new dietary guidelines that are redone every five years and will be done again in 2025,” Philip Weltmer, co-chair of the Nutrition and Health Committee, said.
These committee meetings are where beef producers make informed decisions about how Checkoff funds are going to be used and ultimately promote beef in the upcoming year.
“Your Checkoff dollars is the only money that is going towards these kinds of efforts. So, be proud of what the money is doing, and rest assured that everything being done by the Beef Board is with the focus of using your dollar judiciously,” Amy Langvardt, CBB member, said.
Ks Cattle Reaching the empire state
Kansas is one of nine states where the cattle population is larger than the human population. Consequently, the general public in Kansas has an overall positive outlook on beef and the beef industry. This unique combination allows for the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) to partner with the Nebraska Beef Council and fund nutrition programming at the New York Beef Council (NYBC).
New York is a state with a high population but a low cattle inventory. Being home to one of the top-five most populous cities, it is extremely important to connect with health and nutrition professionals in New York to provide accurate and scientific information on beef.
One of the new programs NYBC helped sponsor was an “Intern Competency Workshop” for dietetic interns. This training included beef messaging to help equip attendees with the knowledge they need to address challenging questions about beef nutrition, thus enabling them to share accurate information with future clients and patients.
After the workshop, participants reported a significant increase in their knowledge about beef and expressed a greater likelihood of recommending beef more often to clients.
Additional outreach opportunities included sponsoring and attending the New York State Academy of Nutrition Dietetics Annual meeting. At this event, NYBC had a booth where they could engage with the health professionals about nutrition research, sustainability and promote “beef in the early years” content.
NYBC also collaborated with NCBA to promote the “Strong Minds, Strong Bodies” toolkit program. These toolkits, which discuss the benefits of consuming beef throughout all life stages, were sent to physicians and pediatricians throughout New York.
The practitioners who received the kits were asked to fill out a survey about their opinions and thoughts on current nutrition trends within the state. Only 54% of those who took the survey believed that the national school lunch program is balanced and helps children perform their best throughout the day. Additionally, 91% of the practitioners have recommended or intend to recommend beef for school-aged children due to the materials received.
Teachin' about beef
Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) classes in middle schools and high schools offer teenagers initial exposure to cooking skills and food handling techniques. These programs, while vital to developing the next generation, are often faced with limited resources and funds.
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) for over the past three decades has funded the Beef Certificate Program (BCP) aims to introduce students to a wide range of beef products, along with valuable nutritional and production information.
This Beef Checkoff-funded program provides financial support to teachers who want to incorporate beef into their classroom instruction. The BCP also includes curriculum about beef production, food safety and explanations on the different labels beef may have in the grocery store.
In the 2022-2023 school year, 21,247 students from over 100 different schools around Kansas benefited from the BCP.
“We really appreciate partnering with the Kansas BeefCouncil,” one teacher says. “Our students benefit each year from the knowledge and experience they receive.” FCS programs are not the only programs that benefit from the BCP. ProStart is a Kansas program where high school students can receive real-world professional experience in the culinary industry. ProStart teachers can apply for the BCP to help future Kansas chefs learn more about beef and the beef industry.
While the lessons are designed for FCS classes and cooking labs, they also establish cross-curriculum ties, particularly with STEM curriculum. Lessons about beef production cover topics like carbon sequestration, beef sustainability and the beef life cycle.
Applications for the 2023-2024 school year are open. If you know a teacher that may qualify for the BCP or would like beef curriculums, have them head to this link!
The Kansas Consumer
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) is constantly trying to find the most effective ways to connect with Kansas consumers to ultimately build beef demand. That is why KBC funds a consumer-focused dashboard report for both Kansas and the Kansas City metro-area once a quarter.
These dashboards help KBC understand what consumers are looking for when it comes to protein selections and what would entice them to eat more beef.
One of the main findings of this quarter’s dashboard was that Kansans are eating more beef than the national average. It also showed that Kansans have an overall positive attitude toward beef.
Approximately 81% of Kansans eat beef at least once a week, and they are unlikely to change their beef consumption patterns in the future.
The top three considerations for Kansans when selecting protein for meals are taste, value and if their kids or family will enjoy eating it. However, Kansas City consumers also heavily consider what is a great source of protein when selecting from the meat case.
With those considerations, 79% of Kansans’ families already enjoy beef as a protein option. Most consumers indicated a way to encourage more beef consumption is through various healthy, quick and easy meal and recipe ideas.
Kansas City residents are also interested in different ideas on how to use ground beef and chef-inspired recipes.
One of the more interesting findings is that most Kansas and Kansas City-area residents use food recipe websites. This past year KansasBeef.org received more than 1.3 million visits.
Other findings include 60% of Kansans are actively using different grocery shopping apps. Also, ground beef is the most commonly purchased cut online, with steak being the second most popular.
“These dashboards help us keep a pulse on what Kansans want out of their protein options,” Scott Stebner, KBC executive director, says. “We want to make judicious use of our time and resources, and these dashboards help us focus our efforts to make sure we are actually addressing the areas in which we can help build beef demand in Kansas.”
Online Grocery Store Promotion
Online shopping is no new phenomenon. People are slowly transitioning from walking into brick-and-mortar stores to browsing web pages, and trading in old shopping carts for digital ones. This is especially seen in consumer grocery buying, where the percentage of consumers purchasing groceries online is rising steadily.
Last year, the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) and NCBA, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, partnered to place ads on Walmart’s website to promote beef during grilling season.
To make sure that beef stays front of mind for consumers this summer, KBC and multiple other states again partnered with NCBA on a summer grilling e-commerce campaign.
Advertisements were placed on Sam’s Club’s website and app on May 1 and will run until June 30.
In addition to the Sam’s Club summer grilling campaign, beef promotions also will be seen on Wal-Mart’s website. These ads will run throughout the grilling and back-to-school seasons.
Nutrition Adventure 2023
Nutrition Adventure aims to clear beef industry misconceptions, connect dietitians with producers and provide applicable science and skills to dietitians nationwide. This three-day Beef Checkoff-funded program, which was held May 23-25, is co-hosted by the Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Missouri state beef councils.
Dietitians spanning from California to New York to Florida to Nebraska came to Kansas City for programming centered on beef, food inclusivity and food styling. Attendees were diverse in their specialties, ranging from university dining services to social media influencers.
Kansas Beef Council’s Abby Heidari, Nebraska Beef Council’s Mitch Rippe and Oklahoma Beef Council’s Sheri Glazier gave a presentation on “What is Cool about Beef?” on the first day. This presentation was a crash course on the cattle industry and beef. Topics covered included beef nutrition, the meaning of various labels on beef products and the different beef cuts available. The day concluded with a “Chopped”-style culinary competition, where participants made meals featuring skirt and flank steaks.
Day two focused on connecting attendees with the beef industry directly. Participants started the day with a presentation about beef sustainability by Dr. Tryon Wickersham, a ruminant nutritionist and professor at Texas A&M University. Then, local beef producers from Leavenworth County joined the group for lunch before heading to Tailgate Ranch.
At Tailgate Ranch, Kirk Sours led a farm tour sharing the history of the land, current management practices and how drought has affected his operation. Afterward, a panel consisting of Shawn Tiffany, COO of Tiffany Cattle Co.; Dr. Angie Siemens, Vice President of Food Safety, Quality and Regulatory at Cargill; Dr. Dan Thomson, Veterinary Professor at Iowa State University; and Kirk Sours, cow-calf producer and owner of Tailgate Ranch sat down to have an open conversation with participants.
This panel was open to all questions from attendees. Topics included an explanation of how beef is processed, the panel’s thoughts on alternative meat products and family involvement in the operation.
On the post-event survey, one participant noted they were comfortable recommending beef because they got to see first-hand how passionate producers and those in the beef industry were about raising cattle.
“I know colleagues when I get back are going to ask ‘is [large scale cattle production] really sustainable’, and the answer is yes,” Breana Killeen, a participant from Vermont, said. “It was unbiased, with a lot of different perspectives, and they told us the truth.”
Participants at the end reported feeling more comfortable with and knowledgeable about cattle management practices and beef nutrition.
To cap off Nutrition Adventure, attendees headed to Kauffmann Stadium for a food styling workshop with Jenn Davis. After the event, state beef council staff stayed to get a more in-depth lesson on styling burgers and steaks in hopes of improving consumer-focused efforts.
“What I really enjoyed about his event was that there were so many hands-on opportunities,” Elise Compston, a participant from Alabama, said. “It was so informative and really went above and beyond other conferences that we as dietitians go to.”
Spring Health Professional Networking
Health and nutrition professionals and experts are the most trusted source of information to the general population. Whether it be a dietitian or a nurse at a cardiovascular rehabilitation center, consumers trust these professionals.
This is why the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) has made efforts to engage and connect with health professionals through the Missouri-Kansas Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Conference (MOKSACVPR) and the annual Kansas Nutrition Council (KNC) Conference.
At the KNC conference, KBC hosted a Beef Checkoff-sponsored session titled “Sustainable Nutrition Meets Sustainable Agriculture: What Do Health Professionals Need to Know?” by Sheri Glazier. Glazier is an Oklahoma farmer and registered dietitian. She uses her background in both agriculture and nutrition to bridge the gaps between the two audiences through her business, Dirt Road Dietitian.
The session aimed to educate approximately 75 attendees about sustainability within the cattle and beef industry. Throughout the conference, KBC provided American Heart Association (AHA)-certified recipes and other information about the beef industry to participants.
MOKSACVPR was an opportunity for Patti Dollarhide, KBC nutrition program consultant, to share with heart health professionals how lean beef can fit into their patients’ lives.
Many cardiac rehab patients fit into the demographic of 45-plus-year-olds who consume beef on a regular basis. The AHA-certified recipes and other resources on lean beef were provided at a Beef Checkoff-funded booth hosted by KBC.
“Conference attendees were impressed with the resources that the Kansas Beef Council had to offer, especially the Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. American Heart Association® certified recipe videos,” Dollarhide said.
Outreach efforts like these are part of the Beef Checkoff’s broader nutrition program to connect health professionals with easy-to-refer patient resources and show consumers that they can continue to love the taste, the nostalgia, and the experience of lean beef within a heart-healthy diet and lifestyle.
Kansas Beef Month
YSA
The Kansas Livestock Association (KLA) each year brings together 20 young producers for their Young Stockman Academy (YSA) program.
This past week, the 2023 YSA class made their way to the Kansas City area. While there, Scott Stebner, KBC executive director, presented on consumer preferences and beef demand.
Stebner shared that when consumers think of beef, they think of a great-tasting product. He also highlighted that alternative proteins represent a very small portion of total protein sales. In fact, beef substitutes represent just 0.3% of the total dollars spent when compared to all animal proteins.
The information provided came from Beef Checkoff-funded dashboards that were built from surveys consumers in the Kansas City area and across Kansas completed. These dashboards, along with other consumer research, help KBC focus efforts on topics that resonate the most with consumers. The dashboards also provide information on the current preferences, food trends and demand drivers of Kansas consumers.
Beef Proclamation
Last Wednesday, Gov. Laura Kelly signed the official Beef Month Proclamation. Randall Debler, KBC chairman, and Jake Pannbacker, vice chairman, attended the signing at Cross Country Genetics.
“Beef is important and integral to the Kansas economy,” Debler says. “Our state is better off because of all the hard work cattle farmers and ranchers do day in and day out. I’m happy to see that recognized during Beef Month.”
Strava
KBC has partnered with Pit Boss Grills to host a Strava-art challenge. In this challenge, anyone in the Kansas or Kansas City area that creates a cow through their GPS data has the chance to win a Pit Boss griddle.
Strava is a social media app that allows fitness and health enthusiasts to share their workouts. If your workout happened outside, the app shares your route and other information.
This competition helps beef lovers to share how their runs and workouts are fueled by beef. The endurance running and biking communities tend to stay away from beef due to misconceptions about nutrition and animal welfare.
Cattle Care
Throughout May, KBC released videos and graphics talking about the people behind the scenes at feedlots. This includes veterinarians, pen riders and others. This is in an effort to share about what feed yards are like and correct misconceptions.
The videos can be seen across social media and connected TV.
KS in Cali
The California Beef Council (CBC) recently held a “Shed NewLight on Flavor” workshop for attendees of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Food & Culinary Professionals conference in the Napa area of California. This event was a blindfolded tasting of three different beef-forward dishes. The Beef Checkoff-funded event was in partnership with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the Nebraska Beef Council (NBC) and Kansas Beef Council (KBC).
Fifty registered dietitians attended and tried a beef, bean and mushroom slider, a salad with beef strips, a beef and veggie wrap and a fajita-style beef taco. Hoby Wedler, a chemist and sensory expert, led the group through the activity. Wedler has been blind from birth, so he has personal experience of the impact of taking sight away from the eating experience.
Wedler then led them in a still-blindfolded discussion of what they were tasting, what those flavors meant to the dish, how the flavors and textures made them perceive each dish, and what employing their other senses meant to their enjoyment and understanding of the different foods they were eating.
"These pre-event workshops are a way for nutrition and dietetics professionals to add an enrichment component to their conference experience," said Kori Dover, RD, Director of Food & Nutrition Outreach for CBC.
In addition to the pre-event workshop, Dover, along with meat scientist Dr. Phil Bass, provided a conference keynote session called "Raising the Steaks-Exploring Beef’s Versatility." This lively, interactive session provided attendees with practical ways to get the most value from various beef cuts, included cookery tips, looked at flavor profiles and provided insights into beef’s role in healthy and sustainable diets.
Michigan Association for Healthcare Foodservice - “Social and Environmental Impact Initiatives.”
Interest in the topic of sustainability has grown in onsite foodservice. Related industries are now looking at options that include metrics about food waste, energy consumption and the environmental footprint of their food purchases when selecting which foods to purchase and distribute.
Recently Patti Dollarhide, program consultant for the Kansas Beef Council (KBC), provided a presentation for 60 leaders and administrators of various Michigan healthcare and university systems explaining how beef can fit into a sustainable food system.
The session focused on the nutritional strength that beef brings to the menu while being part of the solution to environmental challenges. Beef Checkoff-funded sessions like these are designed to provide accurate, peer-reviewed information about beef to foodservice professionals who make purchasing decisions and plan menus for large hospitals and retirement living facilities, as well as university dining services throughout the U.S.
By attending these conferences and events, Checkoff-funded research is able to be shared with those who are skeptical towards beef products. Educating foodservice providers on the science behind beef and the beef industry, create consumer trust and beef demand.
Meeting with Future Dietitians
Healthcare professionals are a trusted source for nutrition information, yet they typically do not receive education on how food is raised and grown. This gap in understanding can cause distrust in modern agricultural practices.
Educational presentations to future health professionals like dietetic interns bridge the gap between classroom lessons and questions about food production that they will face when educating future patients and clients. When healthcare professionals are exposed to accurate information about beef production and nutrition, they are more likely to recommend beef to their patients.
Recently, Abby Heidari, director of nutrition for the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) provided a virtual presentation to Northwest Missouri State University dietetic interns. The session showcased the role dietitians can play working in agricultural communications and the importance of health professionals seeking out continuing education opportunities that provide science-based information about food production and processing. The session dispelled common myths about beef nutrition and increased the attendees’ knowledge about the beef life cycle and beef production.
Checkoff-funded sessions like this are designed to provide accurate, peer-reviewed information about beef to aspiring professionals who will reach thousands of consumers and clients with dietary advice during their careers.
KBC prioritizes meeting with future health professionals so they begin their careers knowing the importance of understanding meat and food production. Many of their clients will have questions about labels on food, so KBC wants to help them be prepared to address those.
Beef Promoted Across the Board
In 2020, it was reported that nearly 80% of 18- to 29-year-olds use at least one social media site daily, with YouTube and Facebook being the most popular among all adults.
This is beneficial for the beef industry, as these platforms and social media can be the easiest and most effective way to share tasty recipes, cooking tips and beef nutrition information. When consumers have easy access to information about beef, they are more likely to buy it.
With this in mind, the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) plans, creates and distributes social content that is adaptable to every social platform and algorithm. When it comes to promoting beef online, the ability to post on every platform on a regular basis can go a long way.
The videos KBC produces can then be formatted to fit the different preferences of each platform. For example, YouTube is now recommending and promoting YouTube Shorts over traditional long-form videos. This helps KBC content be seen by a larger audience.
In February, KBC staff filmed various videos for all their social accounts. The content included a video featuring a recipe for corned beef tacos, two videos about how beef can elevate the nutrition of popular vegetable-forward meals and a video on how to make dinner and dessert under 500 calories with beef.
The stout-braised corned beef tacos with fiery cabbage slaw video came from a recipe developed by the Texas Beef Council. With St. Patrick’s Day coming up, this video is timely for consumers.
Collaboration and the sharing of content between state beef councils make it possible to continually connect with consumer audiences on social media platforms without having to create, edit and post content individually.
The corned beef tacos video already has been seen more than a quarter of a million times since posting.
Check out KBC social media platforms to view the content produced and follow along to see how KBC is reaching consumers!
Promoting Beef in a digital world
In 2004, a Harvard University student started a social networking website that eventually would change how most people spend their time. Updating, scrolling and liking became a way of life, ultimately, altering how the average person sees and interacts with sponsored content and advertisements.Skip forward 17 years and social media and streaming services have entirely changed the way consumers view media content. In fact, a 2021 Pew Research Center study reported only 56% of households watch TV through cable or satellite services, which is over 20% less than in 2015 and remains on the decline. Around half of people 30 years old and younger cut the cord between 2015 and 2021. This shift to streaming services is mainly due to more content being accessible at any given time on these digital platforms compared to traditional television.
With this increased use of streaming services and smart TVs, the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) has shifted their focus to advertising on these platforms versus traditional television.
The change has allowed KBC to target specific demographics, like young families in the Johnson County, Kansas area, for example. This helps ensure beef is being promoted to areas with the least amount of access to beef operations but the highest population densities in Kansas.
Streaming services that Checkoff-funded advertisements can be seen on are ESPN, Roku and even Disney+. KBC ads have been viewed millions of times over the past few years.
YouTube also is one of the largest streaming services for those looking for a variety of content, and it is the second most popular search engine, as well. This is why KBC has placed a variety of ads about nutrition and general beef promotion on the website. The ads have generated almost 1 million views on the platform.
In addition to YouTube, KBC uses this system of targeted advertisements on popular social media platforms like Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok. These ads can help consumers be directly led to recipes, cooking tips and direct-to-consumer Kansas beef retailers. They also help KBC to connect and share information about beef to the younger generations like Gen Z.
While it seems most people are willing to pay for premium music subscriptions, KBC takes advantage that not everyone does. KBC regularly places ads on Spotify, which has resulted in 500,000 listens.
All these promotion and education efforts have helped drive more than 1 million page views for KansasBeef.org in 2022.
KBC-funded research
The beef industry has a vast supply chain, with many families, organizations and companies involved. Despite all the moving parts needed to deliver one serving of beef to the table, the American beef supply chain is one of the most efficient systems in the world.
This efficiency did not happen overnight, however, it was developed over time by those committed to the betterment of the beef community as a whole.
Since the creation of the Beef Promotion and Research Act & Order, the Checkoff has been committed to funding peer-reviewed research. This commitment comes from the understanding that research in the beef industry ultimately will produce a better product and a larger demand for beef.
Research is important to building beef demand because it helps the industry understand consumer trends and buying habits and aids in creating trust among consumers. Health professionals also are able to recommend diets and meals that include beef when there is scientific research backing beef nutrition.
While Kansas always has funded research through the national Checkoff, the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) executive committee recently has allocated funds to directly support research that will impact both Kansas and the nation.
KBC-funded research projects have covered topics from carcass shrinkage to consumer perceptions of sustainability topics.
Nationally, Checkoff-funded projects that recently have received a lot of attention are the Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet study by Penn State University and a study conducted by Purdue University on the popular Mediterranean diet.
KBC continues to look for and fund research that will increase beef demand and result in the betterment of the beef industry.
KC Health Professional Freezer Meal Class
Many health professionals may not receive robust training in nutrition. If they do, they often do not learn about the nutrition benefits of single-ingredient foods like beef.
Continuing education opportunities for health professionals hosted by the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) help fill gaps in nutrition knowledge on beef’s unique nutrient profile and the role beef plays in a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
Recently, KBC hosted a lean beef freezer meal prep class for 16 nurses, dietitians and physical therapists in Lenexa, Kansas. During this Checkoff-funded continuing education opportunity, Abby Heidari, director of nutrition for KBC, educated attendees on beef nutrition and production research while showcasing the variety of lean beef cuts used in freezer meal recipes.
With February being American Heart Month, the class focused on lean beef cut selection, preparation and safe food storage techniques while showcasing American Heart Association® certified Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. recipes and patient resources.
Outreach efforts like this are within the KBC’s larger nutrition campaign showcasing the positive role beef plays in a heart-healthy diet and lifestyle.
kbc at the 2023 ncba convention
The first week in February had cattle producers and beef industry professionals across the country coming together in New Orleans for the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention. Kansas beef producers and Beef Council Executive Committee members were in attendance to receive updates on the Cattlemen Beef Board (CBB) Checkoff committees they sit on and offer their feedback. Members present included:
- Jaret Moyer on the Consumer Trust Committee Trista Priest Brown and Jake Pannbacker on the Domestic Marketing Committee
- Tracy Thomas, Barb Downey, Larry Kendig and Byron Lehman on the International Marketing Committee
- Amy Langvardt, Stacey McClintock and Philip Wheltmer on the Nutrition and Health Committee
- Evan Lesser, Ty Breeden and Randall Debler on the Safety & Product Innovation Committee
- Philip Perry and Josh Mueller on the Stakeholder Engagement Committee
These committees help select potential projects to fund to help advise the Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC).
The Beef Promotion Operating Committee includes 10 producers elected by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and 10 producers elected by the Federation of State Beef Councils. The BPOC decides how the National Checkoff collection funds will be invested to promote beef demand. BPOC works with eligible contractors to implement Beef Checkoff programs that range from research projects, promotions, consumer information, foreign marketing, industry information and producer communications.
Barb Downey, KBC executive committee member, was selected to join the BPOC after a competitive application and interview process.
The goal of the committee meetings was to provide updates on Authorization Requests presented at the 2022 Summer Meeting that took place in July.
Updates included how the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) was using Checkoff funding to help promote variety meats in major export markets like Japan, Korea and China.
These international marketing efforts have greatly driven demand for U.S. beef – specifically for cuts not typically eaten in the U.S. like tongue and liver – around the world. In 2022, USMEF reports that the beef export value equated to $447.58/ head which is a record high.
Other Authorization Requests included the American Farm Bureau Farm Foundation for Agriculture which helps provide urban teachers with agriculture education materials and experiences.
Additionally, the Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative, a sub-contractor of the Beef Checkoff, promotes beef in major urban areas like New York City and Boston. In total, their region comprises over 73 million consumers. This area is critical to support due to the high population of people and low population of cattle. This past year, the initiative partnered with Seton Hall athletics to promote beef during basketball games and work with the student-athletes at the college.
Heart health Research
February is American Heart Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 20 million Americans suffer from coronary artery disease.
With that, there can be various opinions and thoughts on how to formulate the perfect heart-healthy diet. Before the Beef Checkoff made any claims of their own, they started investing in scientific research.
“The Beef Checkoff has invested in nutrition research to understand the role lean beef plays in heart health since the 1980s,” Shalene McNeill, Executive Director, Nutrition Science, Health & Wellness for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, says.
Most of the research is centered on the fat content of beef and if it affects heart health risk factors such as cholesterol levels.
It has been continuously shown that lean beef included in a healthy diet can lower total and LDL cholesterol levels.
Research is important because it helps give the Beef Checkoff a voice and credit among consumers and health professionals alike.
This research has also provided opportunities for the Checkoff to work with the American Heart Association® (AHA) to formulate AHA-certified recipes. Recipes and educational resources help show consumers how to prepare and enjoy lean beef with heart health in mind.
Throughout this month, KBC will be sharing recipes and information on lean beef’s role in a heart-healthy diet and lifestyle with both health professionals and the general public.
Read more information and research about lean beef in a heart-healthy diet here!
Be kind to your heart. Eat lean beef.
One of the largest misconceptions about a heart-healthy diet is that beef must be eliminated. However, Penn State University researchers published the Checkoff-funded study Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD). This important study supports the claim that lean beef can be included in a heart-healthy diet. Beef and heart health can go hand-in-hand.
Cooked fresh meat is considered lean when it contains less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat and less than 95 mg of cholesterol per 100 grams (3 ½ oz) and per RACC (reference amount customarily consumed), which is 85 grams (3 oz). Over 60% of all beef whole muscle cuts at retail are considered lean.
Cuts with “loin” or “round” in the cut name is a way to ensure it is lean beef. Some of the top lean beef options are top sirloin steak, strip steak and 93% lean ground beef.
To promote and educate about lean beef’s potential role in a heart-healthy diet, the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) created a Checkoff-funded campaign that features 12 American Heart Association® certified lean beef recipes.
The main component of this campaign is providing cardiac rehabilitation centers, dietitians and various health professionals around Kansas and the Kansas City metro area USB drives containing those recipes and videos about them. Other information about lean beef in a heart-healthy diet is provided for health professionals and patients alike.
“Health professionals are highly trusted by their patients. So, this campaign not only brings about recognition of peer-reviewed beef research and lean beef in diets, but also fosters positive relationships between the Checkoff and the health professional community,” Stacey McClintock, National Nutrition and Health Committee member, says.
Additionally, an article written by Cheryl Mussatto, registered dietitian and author, about the benefits of lean beef has been published on different social channels including LinkedIn. The article also highlights what lean meat is and the different lean cuts of beef.
KBC also created different social media assets that will be shared across all platforms. This includes assets such as graphics for Pinterest to 15-second videos for YouTube ads. KBC already has started sharing information about the recipes over social channels, but they will promote them primarily in February - which is American Heart Month.
“It is vital for the Beef Checkoff to share factual, science-based research demonstrating beef can be part of a healthy and active lifestyle,” Scott Stebner, interim director of KBC, says. “Checkoff-funded efforts like this are an integral part to positively impacting beef demand through research, education, and promotion.”
The campaign includes social media assets and Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. branding so other state beef councils can promote and distribute the resources within their own states. Beef councils across the country have started ordering physical copies of the recipe cards. Over 16,000+ cards already have been ordered.
2022
6,000 Miles of Kansas Beef
Team Beef Kansas endurance team is a Checkoff-funded endurance running and biking team with over 400 members.
Over the course of 2022, Team Beef Kansas participated in 405 races totaling over 6,046 miles covered. The half-marathon was the most popular for the year, with the 13.1-mile distance covered 159 times. Next, 5Ks were raced 97 times, and the marathon distance was covered 33 times. Finally, 100+ miles were covered on 10 different occasions.
Despite all the different races and mileage covered, the team held strong to their unifying message: beef can be a part of and help a highly active and healthy lifestyle.
Team Beef members wear iconic red jerseys displaying the Team Beef Kansas name. This lets other race participants know what is fueling these athletes. It also allows Team Beef members to connect with one another.
“Being a cattle producer and an athlete, beef is not only a huge part of my lifestyle, but also the diet that fuels my body for my runs,” Janet Phillips, member of Team Beef Kansas, says. “I joined Team Beef to help promote something I love while doing something I love. Wearing my Team Beef jersey while at a race gives me the chance to promote beef as well as talk to other people about the benefits of beef in an active diet.”
The endurance community is not known for its warmth toward beef, so Team Beef Kansas helps spread awareness about the benefits of eating America’s #1 red meat.
Team Beef Kansas mostly ran around the Midwest, but people also were spotted in the red jerseys in London, South Africa and at the historic Boston Marathon.
THE KANSAS BEEF CHECKOFF PROVIDES NUTRITION EDUCATION THAT EXTENDS BEYOND STATE LINES.
In partnership with the Nebraska Beef Council (NBC), the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) extends funding for Nutrition Outreach to beef councils in states with some of the largest populations in the country. With this support, the California, New York, and Florida Beef councils can extend nutrition programs that highlight research-based information on beef’s role in a healthy, balanced diet to healthcare professionals.
California Beef Council
Funding support in 2022 helped provide continuing education opportunities such as a Beef Checkoff-sponsored session, an exhibit booth, and a farm-to-table dinner for the California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Conference. Attendees heard firsthand from a ranch family about sustainability efforts and the vital role beef farmers and ranchers provide towards supplying sustainable, and reliable beef products.
Additionally, California Beef Council nutrition outreach programs in 2022 increased the visibility of the Beef Checkoff in providing science-based information on beef's role in a healthy lifestyle for all ages. A sponsored session and exhibit at the California WIC (Women, Infant, and Children) Spring Conference brought health professionals an educational program on a common micronutrient deficiency, iron. The presentation examined how introducing foods like beef as a first complementary food can help prevent iron deficiency in infancy and early childhood.
New York Beef Council
The New York Beef Council (NYBC) hosted two sessions for New York’s WIC Virtual Annual Conference focused on incorporating beef into baby-led weaning and beef’s positive role in improving infant and toddler acceptance of new flavors and textures. A virtual lunch-and-learn with NY WIC dietitians, nurses and nutrition educators discussed the benefits of including beef as a first complementary food and as part of younger children’s diets included in the 2020 U.S Dietary Guidelines. Nutrition Outreach extension also goes beyond continuing education opportunities as the Beef Checkoff provided patient take-home resources for clinical sites and physicians’ offices on making every bite count for their infants and toddlers. NYBC sponsored a “Build Your Base” (BYB) booth at the NYS Athletic Association Annual Meeting, which was well-attended. The BYB program highlights beef’s positive nutritional value for fueling high school and college athletes. Beef educational materials and conversation on the Build Your Base program and the benefits it can provide athletic programs were shared. NYBC also engaged with future nutrition professionals by hosting two dietetic intern farm tours at Maple Acres Black Angus and SK Hereford in September. NYBC also engages with consumers through monthly social media throwdowns that create new recipes and connections with beef and nutrition plus added engagement and outreach with foodies and dietitians.
Florida Beef Council
Florida Beef Council (FBC) outreach in 2022 included engaging with registered dietitians at both the national Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) and the Today’s Dietitian Symposium in Orlando. Additionally, FBC provided beef jerky and educational resources during a meeting of the north district of the Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Lastly, FBC also hosted a ranch to ribeye tour with a handful of University of Central Florida football players and staff. Attendees learned about best practices in the beef industry and the leanest cuts of beef for cooking. Checkoff-funded state partnerships like these are essential to communicate accurate, science-based information about beef nutrition to key opinion influencers who live in states with high population densities.
KANSAS BEEF COUNCIL RUNS 12 CUTS OF CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN
The holidays can be stressful with all the preparation that can go into planning the perfect get-togethers and presents. That is why the Kansas Beef Council created the 12 Cuts of Christmas social media campaign to give consumers creative recipes that highlight beef’s versatility and satisfy an array of people.
Consumers are looking for recipes where they can get amazing taste no matter what cut they select. Therefore, the campaign featured 12 Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. recipes utilizing 12 beef cuts that vary in cost and versatility. The recipes included a cheesy beef artichoke dip and a classic rib roast. Content was distributed on Instagram and Facebook with links to the specific recipes on BeefItsWhatsforDinner.com.
KBC PARTNERS WITH OTHER STATE BEEF COUNCILS ON SUMMER GRILLING E-COMMERCE CAMPAIGN
A partnership between the Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska Beef Councils along with NCBA, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, produced $11.6 million in beef sales across the nation through a Checkoff-funded e-commerce campaign. The campaign ran from July to September with a focus on grilling. It also produced a $49.08 return on investment. This means for every $1 spent on the campaign, there was $49.08 of beef sales produced. The Kansas Beef Council plans on repeating this campaign again in 2023.
KANSAS BEEF AND K-STATE ATHLETICS TAILGATER OF THE GAME COMPETITION AND WINNER
The inaugural year of the Kansas Beef Council's "Tailgater of the Game" competition with K-State athletics football games showcased loyal fans and an incredibly versatile protein with unbeatable taste - beef. Weekly winning dishes highlighted this taste and versatility and included dishes like smoked brisket, steak and egg Benedict, BBQ flank steak, cowboy Philly Cheesesteaks, and an unbelievable tenderloin recipe.
Rick Bloom of Wichita, Kansas, brought home the winning recipe by serving up an awe-inspiring, spit-roasted beef tenderloin for his tailgate party.
The 1991 K-State graduate of the college of engineering has attended nearly every game since graduating and can be found serving food and beverages to loyal K-State fans at his RV22 parking lot.
Bloom's hospitality and relationship with the student body has made himself somewhat of an attraction on game day, and during the K-State / OSU game, he chose to place beef center stage and won big. Rick, congratulations on winning "Tailgater of the Game"!
Read more about Rick and his K-State story! Read more about Rick and his K-State story here!
KBC SPONSORS TWO KANSAS DIETETIC INTERN NUTRITION COMMUNICATION TRAININGS
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) recently hosted nutrition communications training workshops for students enrolled in dietetic internship programs at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) in Kansas City and Kansas State University in Manhattan. More than 30 dietetic interns and faculty members participated in the events.
These checkoff-funded sessions are designed to provide accurate, peer-reviewed scientific research and practical experience with beef to aspiring professionals who will reach thousands of consumers and clients during their careers.
The trainings started with Abby Heidari, registered dietitian and KBC Director of Nutrition, presenting about the health benefits of beef. Then, local Kansas producers shared their operations’ stories and explained the different sectors of the cattle industry. Participants at the KUMC workshop had the opportunity to learn from beef ranchers Wrenn and Arturo Pacheco while KSU interns heard from Isaac and Jill Carr, from Wabaunsee and Geary counties, respectively.
Melissa Joy Dobbins, registered dietitian and owner of Sound Bites, taught how to effectively communicate nutrition information with media outlets. Dobbins has extensive experience in showcasing nutrition through cooking demonstrations on news stations. She also has worked to help dispel misinformation about the cattle industry within the health and nutrition arena. The participants ended the day presenting their own nutritious meals that included beef sirloin.
These trainings allowed students to apply evidence-based guidelines as they practiced delivering science-based protein recommendations in a variety of potential settings, including one-on-one patient counseling and cooking demonstrations.
“Dietitians are people’s go-to source for nutrition and beef production information, and we want to make sure they feel confident to answer any question,” Heidari said. “I wish I would have had these trainings when I was going through school and my internship.”
This was the 11th year for checkoff-funded dietitian training sessions in Kansas.
KBC USES CONSUMER PREFERENCES TO PROMOTE BEEF
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) is committed to reaching consumer audiences effectively and efficiently to increase beef demand in Kansas.
To make that possible, KBC routinely collects market research throughout the state to create checkoff-funded dashboards that use the results from questionnaires various consumers complete about their protein preferences and beef perceptions. KBC’s most recent dashboards included a sample size of 150 people in Kansas and 150 people in the Kansas City area. The questionnaires were taken during the month of August, and respondents were between 18 and 65 years old.
The results show 75% of Kansans and 72% of consumers within the Kansas City metro area have a positive perception of beef. However, those percentages drop down to only 42% and 35%, respectively, when asked about cattle raised specifically for food.
Around 84% of Kansans and 79% of Kansas City residents eat beef weekly. Only 3% of Kansans eat beef less than weekly, but 5% of Kansas City residents never eat beef.
There are three main considerations Kansas consumers have when selecting which protein to purchase and eat: taste, value and safety.
Over 80% of Kansans and Kansas City residents believe beef is great tasting and good for many types of meals. Just 63% of respondents said they believe beef is safe to eat. Consumers stated in the questionnaire that access to quick, easy and healthy recipes could encourage them to increase their beef consumption.
Product packaging is where Kansas consumers primarily get their information about beef nutrition, but Pinterest and influencers are where they look for recipes and information about how cattle are raised. Other social media sites are used to find similar information.
“These dashboards help us understand our local Kansas consumer audiences better, so we can build beef demand,” Kevin Thielen, KBC executive director, said. “Our producers trust that we use their dollar well, and we take every opportunity to do exactly that.”
KBC used this information when navigating their fall social media campaign. The campaign featured 10 fall soups – all featuring beef. The campaign used targeted ads on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok. The content was seen over 750,000 times and had over 160,000 engagements.
KBC Partners with Jack bobo and don close on virtual webinars
The Kansas Beef Council hosted two Checkoff-funded webinars during the week of October 17. The first was “Can Animal Agriculture Save the World?” with the Nature Conservancy’s Jack Bobo on October 20. Then, American AgCredit’s Don Close presented to the staff and executive committees of the Kansas, Nebraska and Texas beef councils on October 23. His presentation focused on cattle and beef industry market outlooks.
Animal Agriculture Saves the World
Bobo presented to 38 participants from multiple states across the nation for one hour, while White City rancher Debbie Lyons-Blythe helped moderate. Bobo is the director of global food and water policy at The Nature Conservancy. He previously served as the chief executive officer of Futurity, a food foresight company, and wrote the book, “Why Smart People Make Bad Food Choices.”
Bobo started his presentation by highlighting the importance of investing in agriculture and how every $1 invested in the industry results in a $1.43 return on investment.
He also posed the question that if our current food system is considered broken, then when in history has it not been. He went onto to explain that our food system is good and getting better, but it is not improving as fast as we need.
During the presentation, Bobo discussed how producers can best connect with the general consumer audience. “Consumers have never cared more – nor known less – how their food is produced,” he said.
Both producers and consumers are encouraged to move their language from “should” to “could” when communicating with the other. However, Bobo explained, science tells us what producers could do, but the public tells us what we should do.
Finally, Bobo explained that producers sharing the “why” behind their operations is the most impactful when creating trusting relationships with consumer audiences.
“Beating people up with science hardly does anything,” he said.
Watch Bobo’s presentation here.
Market Updates and Outlooks
Don Close, began his presentation, “U.S. Beef and Cattle Outlook”, by discussing some current global agriculture and beef industry problems. Canada is starting to experience some of the drought conditions that American producers have had for the past few years. Then, India is experiencing foot-and-mouth disease and lumpy skin disease outbreaks. He emphasized every producer in a major cattle-producing country currently is experiencing something unusual.
The main portion of Close’s presentation focused on domestic supply and consumer demand.
Herd liquidation will continue until drought conditions improve, which is not projected to happen until 2025 or later. He then went on to explain how the Angus on Holstein crossbreds have helped improve the quality of American-raised beef without increasing the number of total head.
“We don’t have more cattle, the cattle just look different,” Close said.
Close stated that data shows total U.S. beef exports are up 5.5 to 6% YTD. U.S. beef exports to China are up 33% from last year. However, there is some concern with relying on China as a major beef importer due to unstable economic and political conditions.
Finally, Close mentioned how during the pandemic, beef retailers and processors had to pivot most of their beef supply meant for restaurants and wholesale to beef cuts suitable for the grocery store. This change allowed consumers to try high Choice and Prime beef in the convenience of their own homes.
Ultimately, consumer audiences now have a large demand for premium-cut beef to be served at home.
“This is a game changer,” Close said. Consumer perceptions of beef overall have been relatively positive, and they do view beef as a healthy option to include in their diets.
KBC Participates in partnerships in action conference with ncba, 30 other state beef council
Staff from the Kansas Beef Council recently attended the annual Partnerships in Action (PIA) conference, Oct. 12-14, to learn about national Beef Checkoff programs and network with different state beef councils.
More than 80 state staff from 30 state beef councils participated in the event, which was held near Denver in the offices of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. Attending KBC staff was Scott Stebner, Abby Heidari and Grace Jacobson.
Topics of discussion over the three days included 2023 program strategy, current consumer trends and preferences, and an overview of upcoming Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. promotions. Attendees also selected from various breakout sessions to receive training in different areas more specific to their individual positions.
“This was a great opportunity to meet with the other state beef councils and NCBA,” Abby Heidari, KBC director of nutrition, says. “PIA allows all of us to not only network but to brainstorm and discuss partnerships to help promote beef around the country.”
The PIA conference is Checkoff-funded and coordinated by the Federation of State Beef Councils, which is supported by, and provides support to, state beef councils across the country including the Kansas Beef Council. The Federation, which celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2023, was established by grassroots producers as a more concerted and focused effort to conduct national beef research and promotion programs.
Research shows ending U.S. Beef trade could be a catastrophe for the industry
A recent Checkoff- funded report revealed economic disaster would be the end result if all U.S. beef trade was eliminated. The report was authored by agricultural economists Glynn Tonsor of Kansas State University and Derrell Peel from Oklahoma State University. The report was commissioned by the Kansas Beef Council, Oklahoma Beef Council and Texas Beef Council.
According to the report, if both U.S. beef exports and imports declined by just 10%, prices and quantities of feeder cattle and fed cattle would fall significantly. Cumulatively, a 10% reduction in beef trade over 10 years would create a loss of $12.9 billion to those selling feeder cattle and $6.8 billion to fed cattle sellers. A scenario where 100% of U.S. beef trade was lost would suggest a catastrophic impact, broadly approximated in the report to cost those selling feeder cattle $129 billion and fed cattle $68 billion, leading to a significantly smaller industry.
The authors also calculated the impact on individual states. In the case of a 10% decrease in U.S. beef trade, Kansans selling feeder cattle would experience a $611 million loss and those selling fed cattle would see a $1.22 billion loss. If completely eliminated, feeder cattle sellers in Kansas could stand to lose $9.1 billion over a 10-year period.
Additionally, the report outlines why the U.S. exports and imports beef and provides a review of historical beef trade data. The authors highlight that implied trade prices clearly show the U.S. receives a higher dollar-per-pound value for exports than it pays for imports. From 2016 through 2020, the U.S. average annual unprepared beef exports were 2.05 billion pounds, which had an export value of $6.4 billion and an implied export price of $3.13/lb. Conversely, the average annual unprepared beef imports for that same time were 2.30 billion pounds, with an import value of $5.8 billion and an implied import price of $2.52/lb. The authors state in the report these statistics “clearly indicate participation in the global market provides a net economic gain.”
KBC and BIWFD release summer campaign results
The leaves officially have started changing colors. That means summer is over. With that, the Kansas Beef Council and Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner have released the results of their summer grilling campaign on the Sam’s Club website that ran from May 25 to July 3.
It previously was expected that the checkoff-funded campaign would reach 43 million impressions nationwide; however, it exceeded expectations by generating 90.4 million impressions and 71,700 clicks. In Kansas, the campaign produced 713,285 impressions, which led to a 19.5% sales lift.
Nationally, the campaign produced a 16.05% sales lift and a $27.45 return-on-ad-spend (ROAS). Kansas produced a $23.16 ROAS.
The most popular products bought online during the campaign were ground beef variations, rib eye steak and strip steak. There was more variety with in-store purchases with tenderloin filet and beef round being two of the top five products bought.
Master food volunteers become confident cooking with beef
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) provided a training session titled “Confident Cooking with Beef” on September 21 for Johnson County K-State Research and Extension Master Food Volunteers at the K-State Olathe Campus. Abby Heidari, director of nutrition, focused on beef nutrition and cooking techniques. In addition to also sharing recipes, Heidari answered questions and clarified misconceptions by sharing science-based information about beef production, its role in a balanced diet and sustainability.
Checkoff-funded resources were shared with the attendees, who will volunteer 40+ hours each during the next year through community nutrition and cooking classes that support the research-based mission of K-State Research and Extension.
Kbc goes to the association for healthcare foodservice annual conference
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) connected with over 500 hospital and senior dining foodservice food management professionals at the Association for Healthcare Foodservice annual conference in Scottsdale, AZ on August 10. A Beef Checkoff-sponsored networking table provided the landscape to showcase beef nutrition resources and answer any questions about beef from attendees. Patti Dollarhide, KBC nutrition program consultant, bridged the gap by featuring science-based beef nutrition and production information and highlighting audience-focused beef cut and menu inspiration resources. A new foodservice webpage was made to give these foodservice decision-makers with resources to effectively build trust in beef for future menu planning.
KBC LAUNCHES BACK-TO-SCHOOL RECIPE CAMPAIGN
School is back in session and with that come school sports, extracurricular activities and a fast-paced schedule that can make even the simplest of dinners seem daunting. To help families navigate this busy season and choose beef as their go-to protein of choice, the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) compiled a list of 27 recipes perfect for hectic weeknights and discerning taste buds.
The Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. recipes have big flavor and nutrition, but little prep time and include dishes such as lasagna, pot roast and BBQ mango short ribs that the whole family will love.
The checkoff-funded back-to-school campaign is being promoted on -digital platforms commonly frequented by mothers with school-aged children, such as Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Advertisements began in early August and already have sent thousands of consumers to KansasBeef.org.
“The essential nutrients found in beef – like protein, iron, zinc and B vitamins – provide growing bodies and minds with the fuel they need to be successful in and out of the classroom,” Abby Heidari, KBC director of nutrition, said.
All the back-to-school recipes can be viewed here.
Get beef into your local schools
Now that it is officially August, the back-to-school season has begun. During this time, teachers are collecting supplies to ensure a productive and fulfilling educational year.The Beef Certificate Program helps teachers bring beef into the classroom. The Beef Certificate Program (BCP) is a Beef Checkoff-funded reimbursement program through the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) that helps provide high-quality beef in classrooms. BCP is offered to Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) and ProStart programs for use in classes and teaching labs.
In the 2021-2022 academic year, 101 Kansas high schools and middle schools across 44 counties participated in BCP. This resulted in more than 15,000 students being reached through the program.
“This program helps ensure that students learn accurate information about beef’s role in a healthy and balanced diet while providing teachers the resources they need to succeed in the classroom,” Abby Heidari, KBC director of nutrition, said.
BCP includes multiple resources outside of beef reimbursement for teachers. These resources include lessons about the beef cycle, sustainability, beef in the diet and many more. The lessons are designed for FCS programs; however, they all include STEM ties to help teachers make connections across curriculum.
Teachers who participate in BCP also have the potential to gain continuing education hours through the Raw Truth About Beef curriculum.
Here is where you can find more information about BCP, and here is where more information about beef in schools can be found.
Kansas beef council starts slow cooker summer campaign
Summer typically consists of block parties, family get-togethers and vacations. For consumers, this calls for easy-to-make meals for large groups. The slow cooker is seen as the perfect way to make tasty meals without spending hours in the kitchen. The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) has pioneered a slow cooker summer recipe campaign funded by the Beef Checkoff to meet these consumer demands and trends. This campaign is an integrated social media campaign utilizing Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and TikTok to reach different demographics. All content was produced by KBC staff.
The recipes include a sweet onion pepper sandwich, whiskey molasses shredded beef sliders, BBQ brisket, tangy BBQ beef sandwiches and beef tacos. These recipes feature more affordable cuts of beef, so consumers do not have to sacrifice taste due to cost. The campaign also provides suggestions for possible cut swaps.
Whiskey molasses shredded beef sliders were the first recipe posted at the end of June. KBC Director of Nutrition Abby Heidari kicked off the campaign with an appearance on KSNT. The campaign includes promoted posts and targeted ads. KBC targeted posts currently are performing better than industry averages.
The remaining recipes will be posted throughout the rest of the summer months. Check out the Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. website for the recipes. Then, find the videos on YouTube here.
KANSAS BEEF COUNCIL SHOWCASES SUMMER SLOW COOKER RECIPES
Abby Heidari, registered dietitian and Kansas Beef Council (KBC) Director of Nutrition, appeared on KSNT’s morning segment to share a nutritious and affordable beef recipe on June 30. KSNT is an NBC affiliate based in Topeka, Kansas that covers local news in northeast Kansas.
Heidari shared a Slow-Cooker Whiskey Molasses Shredded Beef recipe that provides a delicious and economical way to feed family and friends during the Independence Day weekend. Along with being affordable, the recipe is easy to make and allows consumers more time with family and less time worrying about the food.
“This was a great way to start our summer slow cooker series,” Heidari said. “These recipes are nutritious, easy to make and most importantly delicious.”
To address possible price changes or shortages, Heidari suggests alternative cuts consumers can use to get a similar result. For example, the top round or shoulder roast are also economical cuts of beef that can be swapped in for the same taste.
In addition to this recipe, Heidari also shared how consumers can find lean cuts of beef at the grocery store. “Many of America’s favorite cuts of beef are considered lean and they may not even know it,” she says. “If it has the word round or loin in the cut name, it’s lean.”
This Checkoff-funded programing is the beginning of an integrated marketing plan in an effort to increase beef demand. This plan includes utilizing streaming TV, radio and social media platforms to share KBC’s messaging.
This year KBC-created and promoted content has been viewed currently over 18 million times in 2022.
View the Slow-Cooker Whiskey Molasses Shredded Beef Sliders recipes here.
Kbc Promotes beef's unique nutrient profile to health professionals
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) recently partnered with the Kansas Nutrition Council (KNC) to provide a presentation that reached 60 registered dietitians and public health nutritionists at their Annual Conference in Manhattan, KS. The checkoff-sponsored session titled “School-aged Child Nutrition Guidelines: Broad Implications from Small Changes” was presented by Texas-based registered dietitian Hawley Poinsett. As a weight management dietitian, and founder CEO of Let’s Love Food Again®, Poinsett discussed the new 2020-2025 dietary guidelines, their impact on school-aged children and how to identify nutrients of concern. While many children do not have access to nutritious meals at home, it’s critical for school lunches to provide enough nutrients to support their growing brains and bodies. Poinsett noted that adolescents are often under-consuming many nutrients found in beef, such as high-quality protein, iron, zinc, choline and vitamins B6 and B12. Poinsett encouraged attendees to make menu-planning decisions grounded in science and the well-established nutritional needs of youth. During the conference, KBC staff provided attendees with Beef Checkoff resources including six standardized beef school recipes. Including lean meats, like beef, within school meals ensures kids get the nutrients they need during critical stages of growth and development.
Kansas Beef Council showcases "beef in the early years" at pediatrician conference
Kansas Beef Council (KBC) director of nutrition, Abby Heidari, connected with pediatricians at the Kansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics spring conference in Overland Park, Kansas. The outreach, funded by the Beef Checkoff, advanced awareness that beef is a nutritious, complementary first food for babies starting at around six months of age and continuing throughout childhood. Physicians attending the conference learned about beef’s role in early child development and how parents can include beef as a first complementary food. Essential programming like this is part of a broader effort by KBC to offer health professionals science-based resources demonstrating how beef can be part of a healthy, balanced diet.
In addition to this in-conference event, KBC has collaborated with several states to produce short informational videos educating parents about the benefits of beef as a first complementary food.
Learn more about the checkoff-funded Beef in the Early Years program
short nutrition videos reach consumers in multiple states
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) collaborated with the Nebraska, Oklahoma and California beef councils to create over 40 nutrition videos to publish on YouTube, social media and other video-centric platforms reaching urban consumers. The videos highlight the health benefits of including beef in the diet, show parents how beef complements a balanced diet for growing children, and provide adults with these KBC-produced videos will allow other states, especially ones with high urban populations, to push out content effectively without the large costs associated with producing video content. Within Kansas, the videos are already performing well as they are advertised on YouTube and social media platforms like TikTok.
kbc advertisements showcase beef during Olympic programming
While winter athletes from around the globe converge onto the slopes and ice rinks of Beijing to compete for the podium at the 2022 Winter Olympics, consumers back in Kansas are seeing over 80 checkoff-funded television advertisements featuring the King of Protein, beef.
The programming, which airs from February 4 to February 20, features Kansas Beef Council’s (KBC) “One Simple Ingredient” campaign. The 30-second advertisement showcases youth athletes fueling their potential with beef, a delicious protein with 10 essential nutrients and just one simple ingredient, something alternative proteins simply cannot provide.
The campaign is estimated to generate over one million views through popular daytime, Olympic Zone, and PrimeTime Olympic coverage on NBC and affiliate stations throughout Kansas.
In addition to these broadcast segments, KBC has started the year advocating for the benefits of including beef in a healthy and active lifestyle and providing simple and delicious recipes for consumers. Content produced and disseminated by KBC has been seen over 3 million times in the first 5 weeks of 2022.
