AMERICA’S CATTLEMEN INVITE KIDS TO NEW BURGER TOWN WEBSITE

CHICAGO (October 5, 1998) - A modern way to grab the attention of kids is through the Internet. Thanks to their beef checkoff, America’s cattlemen are doing just that, with a new interactive Website called Burger Town.

Launched September 25, the new interactive site, www.burgertown.com, provides important and interesting information about beef through a variety of fun and educational beef activities for kids. These activities were designed to increase demand for beef among children.

"Educating children about good nutrition and the importance of maintaining a balanced diet, which includes the appropriate amount of beef, is a main priority of America’s beef producers," said Trudy Carey, a beef producer from Brandon, Fla. and chairman of the beef industry’s Education sub-committee. "Burger Town is an exciting and informative way for kids to gain important information — and have fun doing it."

For example, Burger Town has a feature allowing kids to submit their favorite beef recipes in hopes of having their recipe featured in Burger Town the following month. Each month, 10 recipes are selected and posted on the site. Kids whose recipes are chosen receive cash points that are redeemable for prizes.

Burger Town also offers a beef trivia quiz with constantly updated questions about topics such as nutrition and beef production. After taking the quiz, Burger Town visitors can see immediately how their answers measure up.

Nutrition information regarding lean beef cuts is provided in the Burger Town site, as are specifics regarding food safety, such as the importance of proper refrigeration and keeping surfaces and utensils clean. Also included is a special section on fitness and the importance of regular physical activity for children.

The site is accessible through www.beef.org, the beef industry’s general Website. Beef.org contains a wide range of facts and information for both industry and consumer audiences.

Burger Town and other important education 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.

-- NCBA --

Initiated in 1898, NCBA is the marketing organization and trade association for America’s one million cattle farmers and ranchers. 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.