S.D. BEEF PRODUCERS RETURN FROM DENVER

  PIERRE (July 26, 2007)—Miller cattle producer Roger Gerdes was one of the cattle producers in Denver in mid-July selecting new print advertisements aimed at persuading U.S. consumers to choose beef.

            Gerdes’ input at the recent Cattle Industry Summer Conference is just one example of the important role South Dakotans played at the meeting where more than 800 cattle producers from across the country came to participate.

              “ South Dakota had a strong voice at the national meeting,” says Barry Jennings, executive director of the South Dakota Beef Industry Council (SDBIC). Gerdes, the organization’s president, agrees. “We have members who hold some pretty important positions,” says Gerdes. They include Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) Director Ed Blair , Vale, chairman of the Joint International Markets Committee, and Federation of Beef Council’s Becky Walth , Glenham, who heads the Joint Human Nutrition Research Committee.

            Gerdes, who sits on the Joint Advertising Committee, like the others representing South Dakota, used their time at the Summer Conference to plan and set 2008 budgets for their specific areas of the Beef Checkoff Program. He says the new print advertisements selected by the Advertising Committee will be unveiled in 2008, along with an accompanying radio campaign.

            According to Gerdes, leaders were challenged this year with fewer dollars in which to promote, educate or conduct research designed to build beef demand.

            “There are simply fewer beef numbers,” says Gerdes, explaining that the industry has been impacted by the drought across a good portion of the cattle-producing area. He said that even though there will be fewer dollars to work with in the next year, producer leaders continue to invest those dollars wisely and efficiently to build beef demand. However, he adds that leaders today are also dealing with the realities of inflation. In today’s economy, it takes $1.90 to purchase what the $1-per-head checkoff could when it was passed in 1986.

            In addition to committee meetings, Jennings says the Summer Conference included the first-ever joint meeting between the Beef Checkoff Program and the National Dairy Council (NDC).  “It was a great opportunity to look at how we can work together to promote the nutritional benefits of both beef and dairy,” says Jennings .

            Another highlight, he says, included the announcement that the industry will introduce a new line of beef value cuts fabricated from the beef chuck roll in 2008. “Rolling out these value cuts will help us increase beef demand and improve the producers’ bottom line,” says Jennings .

            In addition to Gerdes, Blair and Walth, other South Dakota producers attending the Summer Cattle Conference were: CBB directors Merrill Karlen , Reliance, Myron Williams , Wall, and Alan Walth, Glenham; Federation members Mike Stahly, Cavour, and Nancy Montross, DeSmet. SDBIC Vice President Bob Fortune, Belvidere , and Dr. Amanda Weaver, researcher at South Dakota State University , also attended.

The SDBIC collects and administers the $1 Beef Checkoff on cattle sold in South Dakota . Checkoff dollars are utilized strictly for promotion, education or research programs. Fifty cents of every dollar is directed to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board for programs on the national level. The SDBIC retains 50 cents, which is invested in additional national programs or in-state programs.

The SDBIC is comprised of three representatives from eight agricultural organizations: SD Beef Breeds Council, SD Cattlemen’s Association, SD Cattlemen’s Auxiliary, SD CattleWomen, SD Farm Bureau Federation, SD Farmers Union, SD Livestock Auction Market Association, and SD Stockgrowers Association.