The beef industry reached more than 30,000 athletes, their friends and families attending the 2015 United Airlines NYC Half Marathon Health & Fitness Expo in Manhattan March 12-14, thanks to a first-time sponsorship by the national beef checkoff, in partnership with the New York and South Dakota beef councils.
(Photo at Right) – Team Beef runner, Gabriella Brockett of Spring, Texas, after the NYC Half Marathon.)
As part of its Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative, the checkoff set the stage for participation at the half marathon and expo in New York City by partnering with online retail giant Fresh Direct on a ‘healthy eating’ promotion featuring the top sirloin and tenderloin. The promotion included on-pack recipe and nutrition labels, sales on both beef cuts, checkoff recipes on the retailer’s blog and digital ads highlighting the lean beef cuts. Additionally, a $5-off coupon on purchase of fresh beef at Fresh Direct was distributed to race expo attendees.
State and national checkoff staff were joined by Demi Snider of Hardin County, Ohio, a member of the 2015 National Beef Ambassador Team, and Emily Line of Carlisle, Pa., a member of the Penn State Collegiate CattleWomen and a graduate of the checkoff’s “Millennial-2-Millennial” training program.
“In such a health-conscious city, it is very important to promote beef as a protein to runners, especially as an excellent recovery protein with necessary vitamins and nutrients such as zinc, iron and B vitamins,” Snider said after the event. “Educating athletes and having hands-on interactive beef activities at the race expo is important as we continue to reach a vast number of consumers and athletes and promote the essential nutrients beef provides before, during, and after the race.”
(Photo at Left (L to R) – Emily Line and Demi Snider leading the Team Beef cheering from Time Square in New York City)
Expo-goers interacted with checkoff staff through a spice-bar activity allowing them to make a sample of beef chili seasoning, courtesy of the New York Beef Industry Council. Participants were invited to share a photo of their beef chili creation as part of a post-event “Chill-Out” Instagram contest using #BeefFuelsNYC with their contest post for a chance to win a chili prize pack.
Nearly 20,000 runners completed the 13.1-mile distance, including Team Beef members from Texas, Pennsylvania and New York.
For more information about the beef checkoff, visit NEBPI or www.MyBeefCheckoff.com. For event photos, go to “Northeast Loves Beef” on Facebook and @NortheastBeef on Twitter..com.
UNDERSTANDING THE BEEF CHECKOFF PROGRAM
The Beef Checkoff Program was 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 may 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