The beef checkoff’s Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative hosted a “Meat Your Beef” channel influencer immersion event in Massachusetts on Oct. 27 for the corporate staff at C & S Wholesale Grocers, as well as meat department staff from a variety of independently owned and operated retail markets located in New England.
Fourteen attendees gathered in Hadley, Mass., for educational presentations prior to the farm tour. Christie Brown, Director of Promotions for the Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative, discussed the checkoff-funded beef and veal promotional opportunities, merchandising tools and staff training programs available to retailers. Dr. Mike Baker, Beef Cattle Extension Specialist at Cornell University, led a discussion about beef from pasture to plate and the differences of beef choices available to consumers today.
Photo at right: Darryl and Lucinda Williams of the Luther-Belden Dairy in Hatfield, Mass., explaining the various feedstuff fed to cattle.
The afternoon portion of the Meat Your Beef Immersion experience included a farm tour at Luther-Belden Dairy Farm, owned and operated by Darryl and Lucinda Williams of Hatfield, Mass. Luther-Belden is a 12th generation dairy farm and the Williams’ son, Jackson, will be the 13th generation to farm on the property. With the majority of attending retailers having little to no understanding of a dairy operation, the tour of the William’s family farm provided them with an opportunity to see a modern-day working dairy farm and learn how the beef, dairy and veal industries are intertwined. Lucinda was the Chairman of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board in 2009.
The afternoon concluded with an overview of the checkoff’s “Masters of Beef Advocacy” program. Attendees have until Dec. 30 to earn their MBA to be eligible for the internal incentive contest.
For more information about the beef checkoff’s“Meat Your Beef” events, contact Christie Brown cbrown@pabeef.org or visit the NEBPI’s“Northeast Loves Beef” Facebook page for photos and more event details.
For more information about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.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
