Your $2 Ohio Beef Checkoff Update June 2018

The Ohio Beef Council (OBC) engages with Ohio's producers and consumers to strengthen the demand for beef with the goal of maintaining the profitability and growth of Ohio's beef industry.

Are you w ondering exactly how your dollars are being used? This newsletter highlights a few of the ways that your Checkoff dollars are working to help the beef industry.

Tasty-Style Steak Sauces:

A predominant trend in food is the ability to customize based on personal preference. Steak presents an interesting conundrum with this trend based on the price point. The Ohio Beef Council (OBC) created a tasty-style video featuring four easy-to-make sauces that can satisfy any party goers taste buds.

Four Sauces for Summer Grilling

These bright, colorful sauces have been formatted into a variety of lengths to maximize their effectiveness across several digital platforms. The videos have been viewed nearly 15,000 times in the first few weeks and will continue to be used during the grilling season.

Check out the sauce recipes here!

Trip to Asia Reveals Opportunities for US Beef:

Identifying opportunities to bring more US beef to Asia was the focus of cattle industry leaders on a recent trip with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Joan Ruskamp, chair of the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion board and a cattle producer from Nebraska, says that China and Japan have big differences and opportunities for increasing beef demand.

What was ironic to Ruskamp was that in Chinese supermarkets, the price per pound for low-end beef cuts was higher compared to prime steak. "We could increase the value of US beef carcasses by taking advantage of the Chinese affinity for variety meats such as tongue, tail and intestines," Ruskamp says.

Meanwhile, in Japan, high-quality US beef is becoming increasingly popular as consumers move from rich Wagu beef to prime US beef as a leaner choice."We need our checkoff program to fuel these types of relationships," Ruskamp says. "Because if we as producers aren't funding a system that builds relationships, who will do it?"

Click here for more about Ruskamp's trip in Asia and her perspective on the importance of the Beef Checkoff and USMEF programs to the US beef industry.

Cattlemen's Stewardship Review Highlights Industry Improvements :

A new report reaffirms what many producers already know. According to the Cattlemen's Stewardship Review, America's cattlemen and women are committed to raising beef responsibly. The beef checkoff-funded report highlights improvements in animal welfare, beef quality, sustainability and community involvement that lead to healthier animals, better beef, smarter resource use and stronger communities. While this may not be breaking news to producers, the results could help build consumer confidence in beef. NCBA, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, coordinated the survey and study, and is working to get the message out to consumers and influencers.

Beef Bologna Promotion Wins Big:

An NFL coach's love for bologna turned into a winning promotion for the Beef Checkoff Program, the Meat Institute and the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. The effort won a platinum Hermes Creative Award from the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals.

It all started late last season when the coach of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, Doug Marrone, told ESPN that bologna sandwiches were the secret behind his coaching success. Following the interview, the Beef Checkoff, the Meat Institute and the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council teamed up to send 100 logs of beef bologna to Jaguars players and coaches. The shipment generated more than 400 news stories reaching 350 million people.

Building Awareness for Beef Meal Kits:

To assist American Foods Group with building awareness of the chef-inspired beef meal kits launched in Walmart stores across the country, stop motion videos were shared on the Beef. It's What's For Dinner. Facebook property with paid boosting in 10 states. In addition, Walmart's Facebook property engaged with Beef. It's What's for Dinner resulting in over 197K video views and an overall increase of 11.38% in product movement after the boosted post. The meal kits are currently on rollback pricing at $12.98 in all states. American Foods Group and NCBA are continuing to partner on the potential development of meal kit line extensions for the fall.

Checkoff investments focus around several main priorities:

Research

Promotion

Foreign Marketing

Consumer Information

Industry Information

Producer Communication

Click here to learn more!

Do you have questions about your beef checkoff?

Feel free to ask questions or provide insight about what you what to be kept "posted" on by completing the "Contact Us" form on the Ohio Beef Council website.

Quick Links

Ohio Beef Council

Ohio Beef Council

10600 US Highway 42 | Marysville, OH 43040

614-873-6736 | www.ohiobeef.org