Agricultural News
CBB Chair Chuck Coffey Explains the Who, Why, Where and How of the Beef Checkoff's Strategic Plan
Fri, 26 Jul 2019 11:23:12 CDT
Domestic beef demand continues to maintain its recent strength, even as the US beef cattle herd expanding. Chuck Coffey, a beef producer from Davis, Okla. and chairman of the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion Board, says a lot of the Beef Checkoff dollars being invested domestically to promote beef are being used to target mothers from the Millennial Generation. In a recent conversation with Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays at the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Convention, he explained why that has become the focus of the Checkoff's strategic plan and the tactics being used to reach that particular demographic.
"That's the largest percentage of our population and those are our next generations - we want them to understand we have a very sustainable product that's very nutritious and one of the most preferred proteins in the world," Coffey said. "So, we try to create things that are innovative and new for this newer Millennial generation to have an easier time fixing and preparing beef."
Here in the digital age of information, though, traditional means of marketing are simply not as effective as they once were. The target demographic is now one that has grown up around computers and modern technology, paying less attention to print and basic television, opting instead to gather information digitally via social media, the internet and with the added convenience in many cases through the use of their smartphone. In addition, today's consumers are also more socially conscious, wanting to know more specific aspects about the products they buy - things like where and how it is produced. To meet all these consumer wants, Coffey says the Checkoff has invested in programs such as 'Chuck Knows Beef,' an artificial intelligence bot that can engage with consumers interactively in variety of ways and teach or share with them desired information from how beef is produced to how to prepare and cook it. Not only does this system deliver consumers the information they are asking for, it does it in an extremely cost-efficient way, allowing the Checkoff a fiscally responsible option to effectively carry out its business. This is important from a stakeholder perspective. Coffey says producers these days often are not exposed to the Checkoff's marketing campaigns like they were in the past. That is because the CBB has directed those promotional dollars to more densely populated urban areas and to digital outlets rather than traditional media where they can get "the most bang for their buck."
"We kind of 30 years ago ignored the social aspects (of sustainability)," Coffey said, remarking that producers have always focused more on the environmental and economic aspects of sustainability. "But people today want to know where their products are coming from. They want us to be transparent and they want to know we're raising animals in a humane way and that the product is safe. As far as I know, I don't think there is another product out there that does a better job than the beef industry as far as safety, nutrition and human health is concerned- So, we try to explain how and why we move those dollars where they go."
Listen to Coffey and Hays' full discussion over the Beef Checkoff's domestic strategic plan, on today's Beef Buzz.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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