C4o—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 11,1981
Industry acts to improve beef program effectiveness
KANSAS CITY, Mo - Beef and
livestock industry leaders at
tending the National Beef Forum
decided on two steps aimed at
increasing industry unity and
effectiveness in carrying out short
and long range programs to im
prove profitability
The group at the event last
Saturday in Kansas City voted to
establish a steering committee
which will develop a long range
coordinated beef industry program
addressing all industry
problems and opportunities
A second motion, which focused
on promotion, called on all states
to implement by June, 1982,
previously announced goals for
increased funding of national
programs for beef promotion,
research and education
The forum, sponsored by the
National Cattlemen’s Assn and
the Beef Industry Council of the
Meat Board, attracted 175
representatives of 65 cattle, beef
promotion, packer, livestock
market and other organizations
Program participants, in addition
to NCA and BIC spokesmen, in
cluded officials of 35 state and
national organizations
A primary purpose of the
meeting was to achieve greater
unity and funding for beef market
development programs, but other
important industry problems also
were considered
There was discussion of special
promotions being conducted to
help in the current financial
squeeze; but most forum attention
went, as planned, to longer range
programs aimed at improving
profit opportunities
The steering committee, to be
named soon by NCA President
J W Swan and BIC Chairman
James Mullins, will have about 25
members It will include
representatives of state i attle
associations and state beef
councils, selected on a regional
basis It also will have a
representative of each of the
Cowßelles, Meat Export
Federation, purebred industry,
livestock marketers, farm groups,
meat packers, meat processors
and food distributors
Swan said the committee will
look at the total beef business, set
program priorities based on needs,
and recommend ways in which
funds provided by cattlemen and
others through dues as well as
state check-offs can be used
most effectively
The group will recommend a
unified total program, with
responsibilities assigned to those
organizations with the best ex
pertise to perform certain func
tions in the most cost-effective
way
The committee’s proposals for
action programs and funding will
be presented to cattlemen and
allied industries for their approval
and support
'Hie steering committee will
function as long as it is needed.
Swan said, but it is not considered
permanent.
“We are not creating a new
organization,” he said, “We are
just uniting what we already have
“If beef promotion were the only
problem facing the industry, an
over-all steering committee would
not be needed We already have the
BIC But industry problems are
much broader, and we must look at
all aspects of the beef business and
organizational performance
Cattlemen and others who are
asked to fund all these efforts
deserve more effective and more
efficient use of their dollars ”
Examples of issues, in addition
to promotion and public relations,
brought out by forum speakers
included diet-health, grading.
meat processing technology, and
production and distribution ef
ficiency
Areas which the steering
committee will look at are ex
pected to include (1) industry
structure and competitive
position; (2) product promotion,
advertising and education, (3)
industry public relations in
cluding counteracting anti-beef
propaganda, influencing the
“mfluencers” and working with
food editors and others in the
media, (4) new beef processing
and packaging technology; (5)
government affairs and reduction
of regulatory burdens; (6) con
sumer, nutrition and product
research; (7) production,
processing, economic and other
efficiency-improving research; (8)
other existing or new services.
The forum discussions reflected,
more than ever before, a deter
mination to increase funding for
national as well as state beef
promotion programs
The approved BIC goals for state
check-off programs, endorsed at
the forum, include-
—All states should move im
mediately to a minimum check-off
of 25 cents per head each time'
cattle or calves are sold, and work
toward a goal of $1 per head or
more.
—Each state should invest at
least 40% of its collections in
national programs coordinated by
the BIG. Beef surplus states are
encouraged to invest 60% in
national programs
—States are encouraged to
coordinate all promotion programs
through the BIG, in order to
eliminate duplication and assure
maximum effectiveness
“Ther6 was unanimous
agreement at the forum that the
industry should increase its sup
port of national market develop
ment programs,” Mullins said
“To help the state councils and
the BIG plan a long-range
marketing strategy for beef, we
have hired a marketing consulting
firm to help identify consumer
needs, guide development <j c
products meeting those needs anO
then communicate the fact that we
have desirable, valuable products
“Our marketing objectives must
be precise, attainable and
measurable Our ultimate goal, of
course, is greater profit op
portunities for all segments of the
beef industry ”
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