Agricultural News
Consumer-Driven Demand Creates New Era in Agricultural Diversity
Tue, 21 Apr 2015 15:51:56 CDT
The rise in consumer-driven demand for specialized products might concern traditional beef producers, but not for Dr. Lowell Catlett. He is the Dean of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State University. Catlett said it's a way to attract more beef-eaters by giving them options.
"The beauty of agriculture these days is that we do have organic and natural and sustainable, whatever words you want to call it, that can exist side by side with very efficient operations and so we've got agriculture that has lots of diversity in it," Catlett said.
Above all else, consumers are driven to labels and brands they associate with quality and that presents even more opportunity to expand market share of trusted names like Certified Angus Beef.
"If you continue to add value, either in real terms or perception terms to the market place, because when people get a little bit more money they value their leisure time and they become more selfish, and brand names take on a whole new meaning in a world that is more affluent," Catlett said. "So, if Certified Angus Beef has a great reputation as being tender and healthy and all of those kinds of things, then I will buy it in a more affluent world versus what's this brand, I don't know."
This is a new era for agriculture, but Catlett said the opportunity has never been greater.
"It is what the customer wants," he said. "We have never had that in history in agriculture because it was basically trying to get you calories. Now it's what kind of calories do I want and I will pay for it."
In fact, millennials are eating more beef than previous generations, supporting even more growth opportunities for cattlemen.
"They are basically finding out that most of the bad press that came out about beef and cholesterol and red meat was just that, it wasn't backed up by good science and they are basically saying, hey, it tastes good," Catlett said. "I kind of like it and they aren't afraid to eat it."
Consumers are using their dollars to voice their demands and producers must respond, he said.
This video news is provided by Certified Angus Beef LLC and the American Angus Association.
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