Beef Checkoff Program Receives Regional Communications Awards

The programs, campaigns and publications honored at the NAMA banquet were funded by America’s beef  producers through the national Beef Checkoff Program. They were coordinated on behalf of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and state beef councils by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).  The NCBA serves as one of the Beef Board’s contractors for checkoff-funded programs.

“It is very exciting to see that an organization such as NAMA recognizes the quality and effectiveness of the communication and education efforts funded by the beef checkoff,” said Cattlemen’s Beef Board Chairman Nelson Curry, a Kentucky cattle producer. “These programs were selected from many outstanding entries from the agricultural sector, so the Beef Checkoff Program can feel very honored by these awards.”

Two programs received “Best of Show” recognition from NAMA. “Protecting the U.S. from BSE” was honored in the public relations category, while “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner”®  was selected as the top advertising campaign.

“For producers, BSE education and prevention have been utmost priorities, so it is gratifying to see those efforts recognized. We also continue to be extremely pleased with the effectiveness and enduring success of the ‘Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner.’ campaign,” Curry said. “I can’t think of two better choices for Best of Show.”

Many producers have cited checkoff-funded BSE education efforts as a key to maintaining consumer confidence in beef after the only confirmed case of BSE in the U.S. in 2003.Research shows that “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner” is now recognizable to 88 percent of American consumers, and many consider the campaign to a major catalyst through which Beef Checkoff Program dollars have driven consumer demand for beef to record levels. Recent data show almost a 20 percent increase in beef demand among U.S. consumers since 1988.

The following checkoff-funded programs were also honored by NAMA:

2004 Summer Media Tours with Beef Board Leadership      Merit Award, Media Relations

Ag Media Editors Research and Development Session        Merit Award, Events

2003 Beef Board Annual Report                                             Merit Award, Company Publications                                                                

Having been honored as Best of Show or merit winners at the regional level, all programs listed are now eligible to advance to judging for NAMA’s national awards given later this year. 

###

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 administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval. The checkoff assessment became mandatory when the program was approved by 79 percent of producers in a 1988 national referendum vote. Checkoff revenues may be used for promotion, education and research programs to improve the marketing climate for beef.

Producer-directed and consumer-focused, the NCBA is the trade association of America’s cattle farmers and ranchers, and the marketing organization for the largest segment of the nation’s food and fiber industry.