2005 News Archive
Beef Ambassador Program Receives Foundation Grant
Contact: Carol Abrahamzon (507) 724-3905 cabrahmzon@beef.org
DENVER (March 14, 2005) - American National CattleWomen Foundation, Inc. has received a private foundation grant of $5,000 to assist selected National Beef Ambassadors in developing leadership skills. These skills are, in turn, used to champion good nutrition, beef’s role in a healthy diet, and other positive attributes of beef to peer and consumer audiences.
The National Beef Ambassador Program is funded in part by the national beef checkoff, which is administered by the Cattlemen's Beef Board. The American National CattleWomen, Inc. (ANCW) coordinates the National Beef Ambassador Program with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA). Both ANCW and NCBA serve as contractors for the Beef Board for checkoff-funded programs.
The $5,000 grant was received from private foundation, which prefers not to be named. The foundation provides resources to charitable organizations to enhance agriculture and rural communities. The grant will help allow youth beef ambassadors to attend the Cattle Industry Spring Conference in Washington, D.C., as part of their leadership training. As part of the conference, participants will also have the opportunity to observe and experience federal government operations.
“The ANCW Foundation is extremely honored to receive this grant on behalf of the National Beef Ambassadors Program,” said Marlene Strickland, ANCW president. “It is important to provide young people with the leadership skills that allow them to connect with consumers and be effective advocates for the beef industry. Grants such as this certainly enhance that opportunity.”
This is the second major grant received this year by the ANCW Foundation on behalf of the National Beef Ambassadors Program. In January 2005, the foundation received $25,000 from the Shared SolutionsSM Agricultural Contributions program, an initiative of the Altria Group, Inc.
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The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The Checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administer the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.
The American National CattleWomen, Inc., is a trade association of America's affiliated CattleWomen, with the primary focus of promotion and consumer education regarding beef as a safe and nutritious food,
and the production of beef cattle as an industry.