Saturday, March 28, 1998

Beef industry getting to the meat of promotion

By J.T. Smith / Abilene Reporter-News

Kikkoman Corp. and the beef checkoff program combined efforts nationwide to distribute beef recipes to 25,000 various supermarkets nationwide -- including 1,100 stores in Texas -- during March.

The beef checkoff program of $1 per head was used to help fund the "Lean 'N Easy" campaign throughout the month.

This effort promoted cuts from the round and loin as "lean, easy and delicious."

Meanwhile -- beyond promotion -- research work also is being done to make beef even safer through the checkoff program.

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) said checkoff dollars will supplement a $50 million plan to eliminate the public health risk of E. coli and other food-borne pathogens.

Private industry and state and federal governments also will provide funds for this safety work.

In addition, a Texas Beef Council (TBC) partnership with three Texas exporting companies in 1997 generated a 241 percent increase in pounds of beef sold monthly to Mexico. Value increased 181 percent monthly.

Both checkoff dollars and partners' funds helped make the program possible.

Checkoff-funded information on beef's nutrition and safety also went to thousands of visitors at Texas stock shows this winter. More than 5,000 checkoff-funded recipe brochures were distributed in Fort Worth and 10,000 in San Antonio.

At the recent 1998 Houston Livestock Show, some 72,000 consumers visited TBC's exhibit and received beef information.

Beef Cattle Short Course

A Beef Cattle Shortcourse will be conducted on three consecutive Monday nights in Abilene -- April 6, 13, and 20.

All three sessions begin at 7 p.m. at the Taylor County Extension Center now located at its new home on the grounds of the Taylor County Expo Center.

The seminars are a joint effort of Extension offices in Brown, Callahan, Jones, Shackelford, Nolan, Fisher and Taylor counties.

At the April 6 session, Dr. Ron Gill, Texas A&M Extension livestock specialist, will talk about "Beef Cattle Reproductive Managment." Stan Bevers, an A&M economist, will follow with "The Computer & the Cowboy."

For the April 13 session, Dr. Steve Hammack will discuss "Nutritional Management for the Beef Herd." Hammack is a well known Extension beef cattle specialist with headquarters at Stephenville. A familiar face to folks of the Big Country, Dr. Hammack is a frequent judge at many of the cattle shows of the West Texas Fair.

On April 20, Dr. Allan McGinty, Extension range specialist, San Angelo, will discuss "Range and Pasture Management." Rocky Vinson, Shackelford County Extension agent, Albany, will tell about "Rigging Your 4-Wheeler for Brush Control."

Registration for all three sessions is $20 which includes meals.

If you would rather opt to attend just one night's session, the cost is just $10.

Participants are encouraged to pre-register, if possible, by calling their local Extension Service office in their county, or by calling the Taylor County Extension Service office at (915) 674-1321.

Gary Bomar, Taylor County ag agent, notes that this will help his office get an idea of how big a crowd they will need to accommodate.