The Long Range Plan established by the beef industry in 2000 to increase demand saw significant success.  It’s hoped that a new plan currently being written by a beef industry group will have similar success, says the chief operating officer of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board.  According to Monte Reese, the people constructing the plan represent – and are gathering input from – a cross-section of the industry.

Cut #1         :33          Outcue: "...asked to approve it."

Reese says he expects the new plan to be as aggressive as the one developed in the year 2000.

Cut #2         :25          Outcue: "...increase in the future."

Reese believes it’s critical to get at beef demand’s core.

Cut #3         :20          Outcue: "...three ounce serving."

There’s an overriding issue that needs to be addressed, Reese says.

Cut #4         :19          Outcue: "...better profit opportunities."

The Long Range Plan is an element of the Beef Board’s effort to stimulate growth in beef demand through the $1-per-head Beef Checkoff Program.  Beef producer members of the Beef Board administer the program, with oversight provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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.