8 NATIONAL CATTLEMEN
T H E
www.BeefUSA.org
F E D E R A T I O N
O F
STATE BEEF COUNCILS
Building beef demand by inspiring, unifying and supporting an effective state/national checkoff partnership.
Helping Identify the US Beef Consumer
Identifying who the beef consumer is and what they want is important to deciding how to spend beef checkoff dollars. The national Consumer Beef Index (CBI) helps the industry do that, according to John Lundeen, senior executive director of market research for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program. It can’t explain everything about every consumer in every part of the country, however. In fact, when staff and boards at state beef councils look at the national numbers they may wonder whether the picture represents their own beef consumers. Nationally, the checkoff-funded CBI was started in 2006 as a data-driven performance measure to meet a Long Range Plan goal for a mechanism to track goals. It has continued on a bi-annual basis through 2015, with a combined national database of more than 19,500 consumers aged 13-65. But by itself the research doesn’t distinguish between consumers geographically. That’s why since 2007 states have been allowed to customize that index to determine how their consumers differ from national scores. Some state beef councils have responded very well to the information, which they can purchase at-cost. “It does help us in directing our program,” according to Linda Bebee, vice president of domestic marketing for the Texas Beef Council. “Obviously, our total program isn’t based on [the CBI], but it is interesting to see. “It’s always hard to get state-specific information,” Bebee says. “We wonder if Texas consumers are different than those in other parts of the country. Are they different from those on the coasts? Are they different from those in the rest of the Beef Belt? Answers to those kinds of comparisons are good to know.” “We wanted to see how we compared to the rest of the world,” says John Freitag, executive director of the Wisconsin Beef Council. “We also wanted a benchmark from which we could build some programs. The
CBI gave our programs some direction and things to focus on.” Patti Brumbach, executive director of the Washington State Beef Commission, agrees. “It’s a very important part of our marketing plan,” she says. “We use it both as a benchmark and to evaluate our programs.” Not all states have the consumer population that makes it cost-effective to conduct individual state CBIs. Ann Marie Bosshamer, executive director of the Nebraska Beef Council, says her organization joined forces with councils in Missouri, Kansas and Iowa to acquire data that would help them in their marketing plans. “It’s definitely a valuable tool for us,” adds Bosshamer. “It shows us what the consumers know, and what they don’t know. It’s something we need to continue.” According to Brumbach, CBI information is crucial third-party research. “Being involved in the CBI allows us to see the consumer objectively, and plan and act accordingly,” she says. “It’s important to remember that understanding the consumer is foundational for us,” she says. “If we don’t understand the consumer, we’re out of business.”
Tomorrow’s chefs students would not have an opportunity for a got a taste of today’s “live” experience with beef cattle in the field. beef industry in Georgia “Bringing future culinary students to recently when the Georgia farm and livestock operations gives them Beef Board (GBB) a firsthand look at the cattle business in conducted a series of culinary student farm Georgia, and develops a better understanding tours in the state. The three 2015 tours, made of where beef products begin in the industry possible through a grant from the Federation and where they end,” according to Bentley. Initiative Fund, exposed about 50 young “Student participation and excitement was culinary students to a firsthand experience of a good indicator that this partnership was how cattle are cared for on the farm. successful.” The tours, a collaborative effort between the GBB and the staff at Helms College Culinary Institute, generated positive feedback from the students and their instructors, according to Will Bentley, GBB executive vice president. Without this Will Bentley, GBB/Georgia Cattlemen’s Association executive vice president, explains project, he said, cattle raising practices to participants of a culinary student farm tour late last year. most of these
Building a Plan
Hanson, Effertz Elected to Federation Leadership Positions
There are numerous information sources from which state beef councils can get consumer and market research on which to build their marketing plans. Much of that research can be found at the beef checkoff-funded www.beefresearch. org, including information on trends, millennials, consumer insights, product, cattle raising perceptions, and much more. In addition to the Consumer Beef Index, this extensive research creates a foundation from which state beef councils can create strong, focused
Two Federation Directors Honored Dawn Caldwell and Tod Fleming were honored at the Federation Forum Jan. 28 for their service to the Federation as members of the NCBA Executive Committee from 2013-2016. Caldwell (Nebraska) served as a Region VII Vice President while Fleming (Wisconsin) served as Region III Vice President. Presenting the honors was former Federation Chair Jennifer Houston (left).
2016 Initiative Fund Grants Announced
The Federation Executive Committee approved six grants to five state beef councils worth $55,400 through its Federation Initiative Fund program at its meeting in San Diego. The state beef councils and respective awards are: • Indiana Beef Council – $2,200 to continue their Team BEEF program; • Michigan Beef Industry Commission – $4,700 to conduct a family mealtime event with a retail partner; • New York Beef Council – $18,000 to execute a social media strategy focused on millennial consumers; • Ohio Beef Council – $5,000 to
Culinary Students Get Taste of Beef Industry
implement a beef culinary experience in partnership with the Texas Beef Council; and • Pennsylvania Beef Council – two grants: $20,000 to execute a grilling promotion using an on-line coupon service, and $5,500 to partner with the Pennsylvania Dietetics Association at their annual meeting. The Federation Initiative Fund has awarded about $2.4 million to 22 states conducting more than 195 programs since it was started in 2006. Additional projects will be considered at the 2016 Summer Meeting in Denver.
Steve Hanson, a cow/calf operator from As chairman of the Federation, Elsie, Neb., was elected Federation chairman Hanson will serve as vice chair of the Beef during the 2016 Cattle Industry Convention Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC). and NCBA Trade Show in San Diego, Calif., Effertz will also serve on that committee. in late January. Elected vice chairman of In addition to Hanson and Effertz, the Federation was Jerry Effertz, a cow/calf other Federation members of the BPOC operator from Velva, N.D. for 2016 are Austin Brown III (Texas), Hanson and his wife, Susan, operate Brent Buckley (Hawaii), Clay Burtrum a family farm and ranch in southwest (Oklahoma), Dawn Caldwell (Nebraska), Nebraska with their son, Nick, the fifth Gary Deering (South Dakota), Barb generation on the farm, feeding out Downey (Kansas), Scott McGregor (Iowa) calves they raise with grain grown on and Kristin Larson (Montana). The CBB their operation. Hanson has been very also appoints 10 members to the BPOC. active in both state and national industry Newly named to the Federation organizations, serving on the checkoff ’s Advisory Council, made up of state beef Freedom to Operate Committee, Global council executives who provide insight Growth Committee and Evaluation to leadership into state issues, were Committee. He has served as the chairman Bill Dale (California), Karin Schaefer of the Nebraska Beef Council, and on (Minnesota) and Richard Wortham numerous local church and school boards. (Texas). Others on the committee are Hanson had previously served as the Patti Brumbach (Washington, chair), Federation’s vice chairman. Valerie Bass (Tennessee, past chair), Effertz and his wife, Norma, operate George Quackenbush (Michigan, vice Black Butte Acres Limousin Ranch, chair), Chaley Harney (Montana), Nancy raising seedstock Limousin cattle and Jo Bateman (North Dakota), Ann Marie backgrounding feeder calves. To educate Bosshamer (Nebraska) and Bridget people about the cattle business and Bingham (Pennsylvania). stewardship of the land, they also operate Black Butte Adventures, which includes hiking and biking trails as well as farm tours. Effertz, the third generation of his family to own and operate their farm and ranch, also served in leadership positions in state and national beef industry organizations, including the North Dakota Beef Commission, U.S. Meat Export Federation, and several beef checkoff Steve Hanson (left) and Jerry Effertz will lead the Federation of State Beef committees. Councils in 2016.