Thurs., Jan 02 03 -- Producers Lead Strong Retail Effort for Beef

Suggested Lead:

Cattle producers are helping assure that the beef product that starts on their ranches is aggressively marketed in supermarkets.  Through the beef checkoff, these producers have developed a successful program to improve retail marketing of beef, according to National Cattlemen’s Beef Association vice president for Global Marketing Mark Thomas.

Cut #1    :25       Outcue: "...out head and shoulders."

According to Thomas, it’s producers who control the direction and weight of the retail effort.

Cut #2    :29       Outcue: "...the rudder of the ship."

Thomas says there’s a straightforward strategy behind the retail programs.

Cut #3    :09       Outcue: "...who pay the checkoff."

Among the retail efforts is a Summer Grilling campaign that this past year touched millions of consumers through 6,000 grocery stores across the United States.  Supplemented by consumer radio advertising, the campaign was successful in increasing the amount of beef featuring and pounds of beef sold by and through supermarkets.