14 NATIONAL CATTLEMEN
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STATE BEEF COUNCILS
Building beef demand by inspiring, unifying and supporting an effective state/national checkoff partnership.
Profile: Arkansas Beef Council
Batter Up! Beef Steps Up to the Plate in Arkansas
Sports are big in Arkansas, and the Arkansas Beef Council is capitalizing on their popularity to reach many beef-eating sports fans in the state. This is the third year the ABC has partnered with the Arkansas Travelers AA minor league baseball club in Little Rock for both season-long and Beef Night promotions at the ballpark. For the entire 70-game season the Beef Its What’s For Dinner logo is prominently displayed in the batter’s circles on each side of the field and baseball-themed ads are placed in game programs, according to Travis Justice, ABC executive director. New this year is the addition of a “mister” where fans can cool off and view beef signage inviting them to text and receive a response for beef recipes and serving ideas. Beef Night
at the Ballpark features stadium announcements and a display table for distribution of promotional items to fans. The baseball promotion has been extended this year to include the state’s other minor league team, The Northwest Arkansas Naturals in Springdale. Combined, these two ballpark promotions will reach more than 700,000 baseball (and beef) fans this summer. “Sports marketing in our state is a huge business, whether it’s pro baseball, college football or any number of high school sports,” according to Justice. “We have been excited to position beef in various publications and sports venues to reach the fan base for these various sports.”
Near the on-deck circle are (from left) Travis Justice, ABC executive director; Nate Hyatt, Trav’s All-Star pitcher; Donette Spann, ABC promotions coordinator; and Dr. Tom Troxel, associate head of the University of Arkansas Animal Science Department.
Arkansas Beef Council Facts:
Baseball fans walk right through beef reminders as they travel around the ballpark.
The Tennessee Beef Industry Council is celebrating Tennessee Beef Month in July with a campaign that includes banners to be used at livestock markets to showcase beef checkoff efforts for producers, as well as in consumer settings, such as Beef Night at the Ballpark with the Nashville Sounds minor league baseball team. Look in an upcoming National Cattlemen issue for more information on state beef month efforts across the country.
Established: 1983 Board members: Seven, nominated by Arkansas cattle industry organizations and appointed by the governor of Arkansas
Consumers in Iowa were reached more than a half million times during Iowa’s May Beef Month and part of June Steak Month through digital beef billboards in the Des Moines metro area. The billboards, made possible through a collaborative effort of five county cattlemen’s associations, the Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Beef Checkoff Program, used larger-than-life, mouthwatering photos to entice consumers to choose beef for their grills. Each billboard reached almost 130,000 consumers each week during the four-week campaign. It’s the fifth consecutive year the digital bill
Ohio Brochure Puts Face on Beef Industry The Ohio Beef Council is distributing a 12-page booklet to consumers that puts a friendly-but-authoritative face on the Ohio beef industry. The full-color brochure features profiles of producers who represent each segment of the beef industry, including cow-calf, weaning, stocker, feeder, dairy, packers and retail. The booklet also provides easy recipes, fun facts about the industry, grilling steps, tips for determining steak doneness and links to resources on further information about the industry, including the OBC and Beef It’s What’s For Dinner websites. The booklet is being distributed at fairs and other locations where OBC staff has opportunities to visit face-to-face with consumers. “The reaction to the publication has been outstanding,” according to Emily
Jackson, OBC director of public relations and consumer marketing. “We let consumers know ‘these are the farmers behind Ohio beef.’ We feel a great sense of pride being able to showcase Ohio’s beef farmers to the public – we are proud of them and want everyone to know.” The publication was produced by OBC with assistance from the Federation design and communications team.
MEET THE PRODUCER
The Rittenhouse Family Cow-Calf | New Carlisle, Ohio
No family better exemplifies the spirit of the Ohio beef community than tenhouse family of New Carlisle in West Central Ohio. Scott and Sasha the Ritthree children, Lara, Lexi and Rylan, raise mama cows, supplying calvesand their for feeding and breeding stock to other cattle producers.
COW-CALF
Our Industry
Cows are bred and calves are born and raised every year on cow-calf farms and ranches, spending time grazing on grass pastures within sight of their mothers. Cow-calf producers raise mama cows to raise calves that will be sold to other producers as breeding stock, or as feeder cattle. COW - Sexually mature female bovine animal that has usually produced a calf. CALF - Young male or female bovine animal under 1 year of age. HEIFER - Young female bovine cow prior to the time that she has produced her first calf.
Cover and inside profile page from the Ohio Beef Council booklet.
In addition to making key marketing, feeding and haying decisions, Scott also works outside the farm at a local livestock auction market. Sasha, meanwhile, stays very busy with family as well as the farm’s record keeping, cattle vaccinating and breeding decisions. She finds the work fun and rewarding. Having the chance to be outside healthy calves in the pasture carries its own challenges, of course. Whenwith the and cows are having trouble calving, the cattle farmer is that animal’s it’s cold There are no clocks or calendars for the animals; their needs come first, lifeline. no questions asked. Scott and Sasha have had the farm, which was purchased by Sasha’s grandparents, since they got married and started a cattle herd in 2004. Sasha’s mom grew the farm – as did Sasha. Now their children are involved on the same land, up on getting to know the satisfaction of animal care and livestock production. It’s a family operation – as are most cattle businesses. But the Rittenhouses love the opportunity to work together all day long, taking care of the animals and the land. It’s something Scott and Sasha hope to pass on to their children. It gives them a sense of pride to know their children are being raised in animal agriculture. Yes, it’s hard work, and Scott and Sasha know it. And there are no shortcuts. Being in the business means being responsible and doing what is best for the cattle. This goes equally for the environment. Sasha and Scott know if they pay proper respect to the land and water, they’ll be available tomorrow and for future generations. They’ll need the land and resources tomorrow. The next generation will need them, too.