the conduit that brings individual state beef coun-cils together nationally and produces partnerships that extend, broaden and strengthen the complete

beef checkoff effort. The 50-year milestone for the Federation gives us a chance to look

back at the 40+ year history of the WBC. In 1971, thanks to proactive cattlemen and women, the statute authorizing the Wyoming Beef Coun-cil was passed by the Wyoming Legislature. The intent was to provide Wyoming cattlemen with the authority to establish a self-financed program to help market, develop, maintain and expand state, national and foreign markets for beef and beef products. At the same time, state beef councils were popping up across the country; by the early 1970s, there were nearly two-dozen state beef councils in existence. In addi-tion, the Beef Industry Council (BIC) division of the National Live Stock and Meat Board had been operating since 1963.

One of our first expenditures was a $10,000 contribution to the National Live Stock and Meat Board for promotion of the beef industry. By early 1972, an in-state advertising program was developed and funding for the Wyoming Cow-Belles beef gift certificate program was approved. Soon after, Wyoming “dimes” were designated to BIC cooperative programs which purchased advertising in Reader’s Digest, Time, News-

week, Better Homes and Gardens and other popular publications, and contributions to the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) were made to develop foreign markets. In-state expenditures included support of FFA and 4-H, as well as radio advertising and work with grocery stores. The Wyoming Cow-Belles executed programs on behalf of the Council as part of their commitment to beef promotion. Other programs and administrative work were contracted through the Wyoming Stock Grow-ers Association and the Wyoming Department of Agriculture.

As the WBC became more organized and the beef industry more united on a national level, programs blossomed and outreach expanded. Programs were coordinated with other states and the BIC. The WBC divided its funds between in-state and out-of-state programs with the understanding that improvement in marketing conditions for cattle required increased demand for the end product in highly populated areas. Many other state beef councils were working toward the same goal but the industry was lacking a uniform structure that allowed these groups to work together efficiently.

This problem became painfully clear in 1973 when the beef boycott and wage and price controls devastated the market. With few resources and little coordination, cattlemen didn’t have the ability to fight back. The industry responded to the market crisis of the mid 1970s by success-fully ushering the first national checkoff bill through Congress. Although President Gerald Ford signed it into law in 1976, the program was never implemented as it failed to pass grassroots referenda.

In August 1980, national organizations including the National Cattle-men’s Association, BIC, American Farm Bureau Federation, Livestock

Marketing Association and several state organizations commissioned a study to determine if cattlemen wanted a nationally coordinated check-off and if so, how they wanted it to be structured. The research results were compiled and provided the blue-print for the 1985 Act. Eighty-four percent of cattle-men supported a national uniform checkoff that was collected on a per-head basis and they wanted resources to be funneled to expand the existing national and state efforts being conducted by state beef councils, the BIC and the USMEF. Cattlemen were also adamant that importers should pay as well since they would benefit from the program.

Armed with new information and a consensus from the industry, the National Cattlemen’s Association took the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 to Congress and it was passed as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. In 1986, the WBC became the Qualified State Beef Council in Wyoming and began collecting $1 per head as prescribed in the Act. Wyoming cattlemen were pioneers in starting a program that has become a resource across the country; a unified effort with more impact than any individual state could have alone due to the unification and cooperation between states. Good work Wyoming cattlemen, and happy 50th anniversary to the Federation of State Beef Councils!

Sources:1. Building the Beef Industry: A Century of Commitment, Charles E. Ball. 2. Beeferendum Experience: The Beef Industry’s Transition from a Defensive to an

Offensive Stance, Patricia Miller, DePaul University, circa 1982. 3. Growth of a Force, the 25 Year History of the Species Division of the National

Livestock and Meat Board, Fred Knopp.

STATE ANNUAL REPORT TWENTY TWELVE

WyomingBeef Council 1971

Established

Mayor Popham designated November 8-13, 1971 as American Beef Week in Sundance, WY. Mrs. Al Schelldorf, Wyoming Cow-Belles beef promotion chairman, and Mrs. Albert Proctor, Vice President of Crook County Cow-Belles, look on.

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Charles Kane, Jr. served on the first official WBC board from 1971-1977. Here he is sharing a beef coupon book with a consumer.

The Wyoming

Beef Council (WBC)i s p r o u d t o b e par t o f the 50 year-o l d Fed er at io n o f S tate Beef C ounc i l s ,

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When we learn from the past, we build a foundation for the future. In fact, that’s

how progress is made.The national Beef Checkoff Program is a

good example. The current mandatory checkoff was initiated in the mid-1980s and can claim many successful programs. But it has its roots in demand-building efforts by the beef industry that began back in 1922, when agriculture’s fi rst checkoff effort was created in the National Live Stock and Meat Board. Adding to that foundation are state beef councils around the country, which were started as far back as the mid-1950s.

The fi rst checkoffs were voluntary and collected at processing facilities. The assess-ments on producers were 10 cents per train

carload – an amount that was matched by progressive processing companies that partic-ipated in the program.

At the time, most farmers were more diver-sifi ed than today, so Meat Board promotions initially focused on red meat (beef, pork, lamb and veal). However, in 1963 the organiza-tion created species divisions that would help provide additional focus to individual meats.

That’s when the Beef Industry Council (BIC) was formed, with guidance and support from state beef councils from around the country.

When the mandatory $1-per-head Beef Checkoff Program was instituted in 1986, beef producers were leery about creating an entirely new body that would duplicate work already being done by the BIC. That’s why the BIC was identifi ed in the Beef Promotion Order as the Federation of State Beef Councils, which would help identify programs to fund and represent Qualifi ed State Beef Councils at the national level. When the National Cattlemen’s Associ-

ation merged with the Meat Board in 1996, a Federation Division was created, making the new Feder-ation of State Beef Councils the successor to the BIC.

While improvements have been made along the way, many of the concepts and ideas established back in 1922, with additional focus in 1963, are intact in 2012. Today, the Federation remains dedicated to supporting the work of both state beef councils and the national Beef Checkoff Program through a trained staff committed to bene-fi ting producers through the latest in beef research, information and promotion.

History Creates Base for Proven Checkoff Program

W h a t ’ s I n a N a m e ? As you travel around the country, you will fi nd state beef commissions here, beef councils there,

beef boards in some and beef associations in others. You may wonder why different state beef promotion governing bodies are called by different names.

The easy – and accurate – answer is that the bodies are controlled by grassroots producers in each state, who establish all aspects of how beef promoting efforts will be run. Many of these organizations were created before the national Beef Checkoff Program was instituted in 1986.

Regardless of their name, beef promotion entities in 45 states are considered Qualifi ed State Beef Councils, and authorized by the USDA to collect the full $1-per-head national checkoff assessment, remit-ting half to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board for national and international promotions, as well as research and information programs. The other 50 cents remains under the control of the state’s board of directors for invest-ment in qualifi ed demand-building programs in-state or in national and international efforts.

It’s the producer’s choice. Individ-ual producers who get involved in all aspects of the decision-making process assure grassroots control – something all beef producers can

support.

Third Time is a Checkoff CharmThe Beef Checkoff Program passed by

producers in a 1988 referendum by an almost 4-1 margin wasn’t the fi rst beef industry effort to create a uniform national assessment for demand-building programs. In 1977, a program was proposed that would have assessed 2/10th of one percent of an animal’s value at slaughter to fund a top-down organization – with a minimal role for state beef councils. That idea was voted down by producers.

In 1980, a similar proposal was overwhelm-ingly defeated. After that defeat, the industry went back to the drawing board with a survey to determine what kind of program the majority of producers wanted.

The survey found that producers sought a program that was jointly controlled by a state and national effort; a program that utilized exist-ing organizations (like the BIC and United States Meat Export Federation) to conduct programs, without creating new or separate promotion or research organizations; and a program that used a method of collecting a set amount at the time of sale.

The $1-per-head assessment and the Beef Checkoff Program were the result. Surveys conducted on a regular basis by an indepen-dent research fi rm show that producers remain supportive of this effort. In the last survey conducted in July 2012, 74 percent of producers supported the beef checkoff, and eight of 10 said they thought the checkoff had helped contribute to a positive trend in beef demand.

D i d Y o u K n o w . . .• Becauseof its independentnature, theMeatBoardwasasked in the late

1920s to help develop criteria for a national beef grading system, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture would base its grading program on those standards;

• When it was determined in the 1970s that consumers were confused bydifferent names for the same cut of meat in different parts of the country, a Uniform Retail Meat Identity Standards program was created by the Meat Board that helped make cut names more uniform nationally;

• Inthe1960sand70s,theBICworkedeveryyearwiththeAmericanNationalCowBelles (now the American National CattleWomen) on a “Beef For Father’s Day” promotion across the country. Millions of consumers were reached through the campaigns;

• Television advertising was invented before the mandatory checkoff gotstarted. In fact, in 1965, 67 television advertisers used BIC-produced televi-sion spots in 98 consumer markets;

• AconsumerboycottofredmeatintheSpringof1973highlightedthevalueof a checkoff-based industry response to societal issues (and underscored the need for more resources). The industry joined forces in a “Beef Steak Strategy” through the BIC to reach out to consumers, helping educate them through media outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Time, Newsweek, and NBC-TV’s The Today Show.

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Getting a Grip On the FutureIt doesn’t take a crystal ball to know the beef industry has plenty of marketing changes in store over the next 50 years. Beef Checkoff

Market Research provides a glispes into the future as follows;

Cattlemen’s Beef BoardFiscal Year 2011 Expenditures

New merchandising options. One- or two-person households

now represent 62 percent of the total households in the U.S. Retailers are going to need plenty of merchandis-ing options as they reach out to these consumers. A recent beef checkoff study found strong consumer inter-est in packages of small, 4-5 ounce expertly trimmed steaks in the meat case.

Technology drives decision-making. Millennials – those 80 million

consumers born between about 1980 and 2000 – use social media to make many of their decisions, share infor-mation with friends, and to increase their knowledge base. Social media is becoming an important element of marketing and beef has to be a player in that arena.

Ethnic shifts change the marketing landscape.

Hispanics will grow from 16 to 30 percent of U.S. households from 2010 to 2050 and the percentage of Asian consumers in this country is expected to nearly double, from 5 to 9 percent. Not only will culinary tastes shift, but the beef industry must be able to meet the needs of increasingly diverse consumer palates.

More beef cuts for the budget-conscious. The beef industry has developed

several new beef cuts (Denver Cut, Flat Iron Steak) that have helped make steak-eating more affordable, and increased the value of the carcass to the beef industry. Today, about half of U.S. households are at low to moder-ate income levels and these consum-ers are typically higher frequency beef eaters. Innovation is needed to find affordable beef options for all income levels.

More convenient beef products. Nearly one-third of consumers think

40 minutes from start to table is too long to wait for their meals; 70 percent say an hour is too long. In addition, 70 percent of women now are working,

so convenience is paramount. While ground beef has been the “fall-back” product for the time-conscious; more convenient whole muscle cuts, includ-ing microwaveable roasts, could boost demand.

Turning “trust me” into more than a slogan. Scandals, product recalls, pyramid

schemes, bank meltdowns… it’s no wonder consumers today are cyni-cal. How does beef develop a trusting dialogue with those who are pessi-mistic but love our product? Connect-ing with consumers involves creating trust in how beef is produced and assurance that beef is a safe, whole-some and sustainable food.

Health care issues and societal choices sharpen the ‘good’ food vs. ‘bad’ food debate.

According to a recent report, if obesity rates continue on their current trajectories, by 2030, 13 states may have adult obesity rates above 60 percent, 39 states may have rates above 50 percent, and all 50 states may have rates above 44 percent. Employers are increasingly embracing wellness programs to foster healthier lifestyles, lower health care costs and reduce worker absenteeism.

The University of California, Davis Food Foresight trends analysis report states that food providers would be poised to capitalize on the newly appre-ciated health effects of high protein foods if they can show their products are indeed ‘muscle healthy’ – an aim of the checkoff’s nutrition research program.

SummaryIt has been said that the future is

what you make it. Obviously, no one can predict the future; however, it makes sense for the beef industry to take action today to manage what we see coming down the road tomorrow.

Promotion

Research

Consumer Information

Industry Information

Foreign Marketing

Producer Communication

Program Evaluation

Program Development

$18,497,850

$5,719,714

$4,513,478

$3,866,592

$6,129,529

$1,745,326

$131,674

$198,498

Total Program Expenses .............. $40,802,661

* Chart shows 2012 unaudited numbers.

USDA Oversight

Administration

$211,064

$1,632,467

Total Expenses .............................. $42,646,192

Today, aggressive checkoff-funded programs are helping reach their

target audiences with positive messages about beef. These programs include…

N u t r i t i o n R e s e a r c h , such as the Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD) study that demonstrates eating lean beef every day can be good for heart health by improving cholesterol levels;

S a f e t y R e s e a r c h , which searches for solutions to industry safety challenges, or conducts programs like the Beef Industry Safety Summit, where the industry comes together to discuss progress made in beef safety and how the industry can further enhance its safety efforts;

H e a l t h P r o f e s s i o n a l E d u c a t i o n , which extends scientific research about beef nutrition to the country’s leading health professionals through organizations like the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics;

A d v e r t i s i n g , which takes advantage of consumer recognition of the checkoff’s “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner” campaign, including print, radio and online video advertising to draw attention to beef;

F o o d s e r v i c e P r o m o t i o n s , such as a new BEEFlexible for Food-service campaign to promote the value and versatility of steak, which motivates foodservice operators to offer beef on their menus;

R e t a i l R r o m o t i o n s , with a refreshed version of the BeefRetail.org website that makes it easier for retailers to access information in support of beef sales at the meat case;

I s s u e s M a n a g e m e n t , which helps protect the industry against unfounded attacks and provides accurate information on such is-sues as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). To help debunk myths about beef, a FactsAboutBeef.com website was created with information about animal care, the environment, nutrition and safe-ty;

B e e f Q u a l i t y A s s u r a n c e ( B Q A ) , where producers are encouraged to adhere to guidelines that encourage better beef production. Released in 2012, the 2011 National Beef Quality Audit provided more industry guideposts for improving the U.S. beef supply;

I n f o r m a t i o n , with booklets like Basics About Beef, a full color, 24-page booklet designed to help consumers get optimal value when buying beef;

V e a l P r o m o t i o n , with a Facebook summer grilling photo contest generating awareness of veal options and a Twitter handle posting local veal specials in retail and foodservice; and

I n t e r n a t i o n a l P r o m o t i o n s , which are helping raise awareness of beef’s value in dozens of countries around the world.

The Checkoff in 2012

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S t r e n g t h e n i n g t h e I m a g e o f B e e f a n d t h e B e e f I n d u s t r y

The WBC and Wyoming CattleWomen have enjoyed a long-stand-ing relationship built on the shared goal of increasing beef demand.

In FY2012, Wyoming checkoff dollars helped print Ag Bags used at grade school agriculture expos and community events through-out Wyoming. The WBC also earmarked funds to help county CattleWomen groups with their grassroots promotion and educa-tion programs which include in-store demonstrations, health fair booths, community events and numerous other activities. Groups in 19 counties utilized these funds. The Wyoming CattleWomen are strong supporters of the National

Beef Ambassador Program and the WBC provided checkoff dollars to host a state contest and send the Wyoming Beef Ambassador and Junior Beef Ambassador to the national contest in Ohio.

Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom (WAIC) recently celebrated its 25th anniversary and the WBC has been a supporter of the program since day one. Checkoff dollars helped WAIC with ten Ag Expos, highlight-ing information that youth need to know about beef and reaching out to teachers and other education professionals in Wyoming. The WBC also committed funds to the WAIC Country to Classroom publication. Two full pages of the newspaper were devoted to the beef industry in Wyoming and 28,000 copies were distributed to schools, public libraries and agri-culture and natural resource organizations. Other WAIC programs funded with FY2012 checkoff dollars included the Wyoming Agriculture and Natural Resource Science Institute, which provides teachers a hands-on agriculture experience and the statewide educational bookmark contest for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders.

Health professionals at the 2012 Wyoming Chronic Disease Confer-ence in Cheyenne, members of the Associated Nutrition & Food Service Professionals and cardiac rehabilitation patients, nurses, doctors and hospital administrators in Gillette were all recipients of information about beef’s heart healthy package of nutrients. The checkoff funded Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD) study gave WBC staff scientific facts to share with patients and caregivers about how consuming lean beef can improve heart health.

More than 350 dietitians, Women, Infants and Children (WIC) educa-tors and other health professionals received the WBC Nutrition News. It provided information about the BOLD study, the types of beef available to them in today’s markets, and the nutrient and fatty acid profiles of the best tasting protein available: beef.

Telling the story of how beef is raised is an important part of strength-ening the image of beef, and no one can tell the story better than the people raising it. The Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) program equips beef producers to tell their story in presentations to schools, churches, civic groups, through local media and in the “virtual” world of the Inter-net. The WBC hosted an MBA class in early 2012 where 12 Wyoming ranchers received in-depth training about how and when to engage with consumers about the beef industry.

The Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Program is the vehicle used in Wyoming to provide farmers and ranchers with sound guidelines for cattle production. The program is designed to ensure quality and consis-tency to the consumer, resulting in increased consumer confidence and producer profitability. The Wyoming BQA program currently has 280 certified producers and 54 certified trainers.

Ever since 1971, the WBC has encouraged junior high and high school students to learn more about the production of quality beef animals by supporting FFA and 4-H. Checkoff dollars provided awards and funds to offset travel expenses for state teams to compete nationally.

I m p r o v i n g D o m e s t i c C o n s u m e r P r e f e r e n c e f o r B e e fThe WBC committed funds in FY2012 to advertising in print publications

to reach consumers throughout Wyoming. Advertisements in Casper, Cheyenne, Gillette and Laramie newspapers reached 90,000 people with positive beef production messages. Consumers who subscribe to Wyoming Rural Electric News or picked up a Wyoming Lifestyle maga-zine saw half-page, full-color advertisements touting the wholesomeness and value of beef.

To reach consumers where they purchase beef, the WBC provided nationally produced point of sale items to Wyoming Nash Finch and Associated Food stores for the summer grilling and Christmas seasons. Wyoming retail meat managers also received the Beef Bulletin from the WBC to keep them up-to-date on important information.

The WBC was present at two Taste of Home Cooking Schools and the Wyoming Women’s Expo in Casper, reaching more than 2,000 Wyoming consumers. Booths featured beef recipe brochures and fact sheets such as “Today’s Beef Choices” and the “Beef Made Easy” cuts chart. More than 80 fitness centers and State of Wyoming Wellness Coordinators received information emphasizing beef’s nutrient powerhouse through handouts such as “Beef Nutrients”, “Fitness Connection”, “Choices of Beef” and “My Plate” tear sheets.

Improving consumers’ preference for beef also means using Wyoming checkoff dollars to fund national and international marketing programs through the Federation of State Beef Councils and the USMEF. Continu-ing the tradition begun in 1971, the WBC used FY2012 checkoff funds to contribute $105,000 to national promotion, research and education programs through the Federation of State Beef Councils and $43,000 to international marketing programs conducted by USMEF.

I m p r o v i n g I n d u s t r y T r u s t , O p e n n e s s a n d R e l a t i o n s h i p s

Ensuring that beef checkoff investors in Wyoming know how their dollars are spent is an important part of our work. To that end, an annual report such as this one is sent to every beef producer in Wyoming and two additional newsletters give ranchers updates on WBC activities, expenditures and information about both the state and national checkoff. In addition, information about the beef checkoff is printed monthly in the Wyoming Livestock Roundup and broadcast throughout the year on both the DayWeather Radio Network and Northern Ag Network to help reach cattlemen with information about Wyoming checkoff expenditures.

Wyoming Beef CouncilA u d i t e d F i n a n c i a l s S t a t e m e n tCash Balance July 1, 2011 .............................................................................. $341,262Total Cash Receipts ...................................................................................... $1,032,784 Total ........................................................................................................... $1,374,046

Program Expenses: National & International ..................................................................$680,393 (70%) Administration .................................................................................$103,014 (10%) Producer Communications ..................................................................$43,150 (5%) Collections Compliance ......................................................................$34,980 (5%) Comsumer Information .......................................................................$33,784 (4%) Promotion ...........................................................................................$30,528 (3%) Industry Information ............................................................................$30,029 (3%)

Total Expenses: ............................................................................................. $955,878

Total .............................................................................................................. $418,168

WBC member Dianne Kirkbride and executive director Ann Wittmann partic-ipated in a televised panel discussion about the Federation of State Beef Councils that aired in May on RFD-TV.

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