Beef PR Reaches Newspaper Food Pages, Magazines Across Country

DALLAS (July 25, 2003) – Beef recipes are showing up in more magazines and newspapers as a result of public relations efforts conducted through the beef checkoff.  These efforts are conducted on behalf of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and state beef council by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).

Results of the Food Communications public relations program were provided to cattlemen at the 2003 Cattle Industry Summer Conference in Dallas July 22-26.

For the first eight months of fiscal year 2003, efforts to enhance beef’s appearance in print have resulted in placements in publications with combined circulation of 1.1 billion consumers.  This includes more than 3,000 placements in newspapers with circulation of 222 million – an increase of 23 percent from a year earlier, and about 1,200 placements in magazines with circulation of 883 million – up 43 percent from this time last year.

For instance, Bon Appetit put beef on the cover of its 9^th annual Barbecue issue, while Cooking Light had a cover story on the best burgers.  Parents magazine had an extensive “Grill Happy” feature that included a side-bar on the checkoff-inspired Flat Iron steak, calling it “the new steak sensation.” 

Better Homes and Gardens created a “Cooking with Ground Beef” cookbook digest, with easy ground beef recipes for stews, casseroles and more.  Many of the major magazine placements were the result of desk-side visits sponsored by the beef checkoff.

Consumer handouts, radio and television efforts have also had an impact.  Tens of thousands of checkoff-funded recipe cards have been made available at major supermarkets, while more than 14 million consumers heard information about beef through a nationwide radio tour.  A Public Service Announcement was also produced for the grilling season, and has been seen by nearly 12 million viewers.  And a BeefItsWhatsForDinner Web site has generated additional consumer traffic to beef information.

“Combined with our advertising and research efforts, the statistics would suggest these checkoff-funded programs result in greater consumer awareness of our product,” according to Nelson Curry, a Kentucky beef producer, Cattlemen’s Beef Board vice chairman and chair of the Joint Public Opinion and Issues Management Group.  “When consumers see and hear more about beef, we think they are more eager to purchase it.  Increasing demand is what our checkoff program is all about.”

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Beef industry promotion, information and research projects are funded in part by beef producers through their $1-per-head checkoff program and are managed for the Cattlemen's Beef Board and state beef councils by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. The national beef checkoff is administered by the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board, subject to USDA approval. This 108-member board is appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to oversee the collection of the $1-per-head checkoff, certify state beef councils, implement the provisions of the Federal Order establishing the checkoff and evaluate the effectiveness of checkoff programs.