CHECKOFF-FUNDED EFFORT PROVIDES PUSH TO POPULAR AND UNDERUTILIZED BEEF CUTS

DENVER (July 29,1998) - Three checkoff-funded campaigns are generating publicity for both popular and underutilized beef cuts and is reaching millions of consumers with useful product information. The checkoff-funded campaigns, coordinated by the Food Communications Department of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), target newspaper, magazine and national wire service food editors and writers with recipes and preparation ideas to use in informing their readers.

The effort focuses on taste and convenience, and capitalizes on national and state beef council communications capabilities. While deskside briefings, phone calls, editorial releases, recipe brochures and prepared editorial pages create interest among national magazines and major daily newspapers, state beef council efforts help reach regional and local newspapers with circulations of 50,000 and under. To date the campaigns have generated positive beef placements in publications with a combined circulation of more than 719 million.

The three initiative targets are:

• Moist heat cookery (braising and stewing), promoting the cooking of beef cuts from the chuck and round to create tender, delicious beef eating experiences. Showing that these cuts can be economical, lean and tasty, the efforts have netted 2,726 newspaper and magazine placements nationwide for a combined circulation of 233.6 million.
• Ground beef, demonstrating the ease and versatility of this beef product, still one of the most popular and economical for today’s families. To date, there have been 1,376 placements of ground beef information in publications with combined circulation of 220 million.
• Beef roasts, replacing turkey and ham for the holidays. Showing that oven roasts are as easy as 1-2-3 to prepare, impressive to serve and fabulous to eat, the campaign also illustrates how roast leftovers can also be used in sandwiches, salads and quick soups. There have been 1,564 beef roast placements nationwide for a combined circulation of 132.3 million.

According to Marlys Bielunski, NCBA director of food communications, these campaigns are well used, but are not often well recognized for where they originated. "A state or national organization’s name or logo will rarely appear on news articles that we initiated, and that’s by design," said Bielunski. "The increased credibility and reach created through these programs make the loss of recognition worth it."

--NCBA--

Consumer marketing programs are funded through the national beef checkoff, which is administered by the Beef Board. This 111-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.

Initiated in 1898, NCBA is the marketing organization and trade association for America’s one million cattle ranchers and farmers. With offices in Denver, Chicago and Washington D.C., NCBA is a consumer-focused, producer-directed organization representing the largest segment of the nation’s food and fiber industry.