Checkoff Launches 'Explore Beef Experience' Program

By CnAgri2012-10-11 19:36:26 Print

Building on the success of last year's event in Nebraska, the beef checkoff, in partnership with the Kansas Beef Council, Nebraska Beef Council, New Mexico Beef Council, and Washington State Beef Commission, recently hosted six "Explore Beef Experience" work days at feedlots and cow/calf operations.

The program brought together industry representatives, veterinarians, producers and influencers who spent time working with producers, asking questions and getting their boots dirty in an effort to help them better understand modern cattle production and everyday life on a farm.

"The impact of these events extends far past just the day on the farm," says Joe Guthrie, cow/calf producer from Dublin, Va., and chair of the checkoff's Joint Issues Management Subcommittee. "For instance, one attendee is now a panelist at a sustainability summit; attendees from Hyatt hotels invited a producer to attend a meeting with their chefs, helping them see how animal care and beef sustainability fit within Hyatt's recently announced global food/beverage philosophy."

Participants included a variety of experts across the fields of nutrition, food safety, culinary, environment, animal welfare and food security.