The beef checkoff is partnering with the Farm to School Network for Farm to School Month, and the “Explore Beef” theme day is October 30.
Farm to School connects schools (K-12) and local farms with the objectives of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, providing agriculture, health and nutrition education opportunities, and supporting local and regional farmers.
The theme day encourages both consumers and farmers alike to “Explore Beef” with local students or family members by finding a farmer or rancher who can come speak in their classroom, or directing them to the checkoff’ Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner website or Cow-Chow interactive game about what cattle eat.
“We want farmers and ranchers across the U.S. to get involved on October 30th in a variety of ways, whether it be giving a presentation at their child’s school, or sending Tweets to their followers, or by posting on Facebook,” says Debbie Lyons-Blythe, Kansas rancher and the checkoff’s Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) graduate. “It’s a great way to answer specific questions about how cattle are raised, explain how cattlemen and women care for the environment, and connect those who are interested in learning more about the families who raise beef.”
Through this partnership, the beef checkoff will also have a guest blog entry on the 30th from Lyons-Blythe. She why she thinks it’s important for school children to be connected to where their food comes from, why she likes to share her story about how her family raises beef, and the importance of beef as part of a healthy diet.
For more information about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.
The Beef Checkoff Programwas 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.
Source: The Beef Checkoff Program