In the coming year, veal producers will focus beef checkoff dollars toward marketing more of their product into casual theme restaurants.  Michael Mosner of The Bronx, New York, is chairman of the Veal Committee.  He says there is a good reason for expanding veal out of just the white table cloth arena. 

Cut #1         :19          Outcue: "...try and eat veal."

According to Mosner, the Veal Committee has come up with a strategic plan to make the effort more effective.

Cut #2         :14          Outcue: "...table, so to speak.”

The objective is not to change the image of veal among consumers, but to hopefully expand it. 

Cut #3         :30          Outcue: "...a burger joint."

The new program will be an extension of, rather than a replacement for, the veal industry’s traditional marketing plan.

Cut #4         :19          Outcue: "...little different step."

The Veal Committee’s plan is under review this week by the Beef Promotion Operating Committee, which meets in Rapid City. If approved at by the Operating Committee, it must also be approved by USDA. 
  

The national Beef Checkoff Program is administered by the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, a group of 108 beef producers appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture.  They represent producers from coast-to-coast and volunteer their time to help identify programs that can help increase beef demand.  The checkoff was created in the 1985 Farm Bill, with oversight provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle and a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.