From the CEO
Colin Woodall
INVESTING IN BEEF’ S FUTURE
Cattle producers understand the importance of investing in the future. Whether it’ s improving genetics, protecting herd health or strengthening your operations, you know that longterm success requires a commitment to doing the work today that will pay dividends tomorrow. The same principle applies to the Beef Checkoff.
For nearly four decades, the Beef Checkoff has helped build consumer demand, strengthen confidence in our product and ensure beef remains the protein of choice for American families. Through investments in research, education and promotion, the Checkoff has helped create a marketplace where consumers recognize and appreciate the quality, nutritional value and great taste of beef. Today, that investment is as important as ever.
We are fortunate to be experiencing historically strong cattle prices and continued consumer demand for beef. But we cannot afford to assume that demand will take care of itself. Competition for the consumer’ s dollar is intense, and competing proteins are constantly working to capture market share. Maintaining beef’ s position requires sustained investment, innovation and a willingness to reach consumers in new ways. That’ s exactly what the Beef Checkoff is doing.
The iconic Beef. It’ s What’ s For Dinner. campaign continues to evolve, reaching consumers wherever they are, through streaming television, digital advertising, social media and partnerships that put beef front and center. Checkoff-funded advertising conducted by NCBA as a contractor to the Beef Checkoff keeps beef top of mind when families make purchasing decisions.
The Beef Checkoff is also reaching new audiences through innovative programs like Girls Who Grill, which connects lifestyle influencers with cattle producers and beef experts. What started as a single event has expanded into a program embraced by numerous state beef councils, creating new advocates who share their experiences with hundreds of thousands of consumers. Promotion is only part of the story. Behind those outreach efforts is the research that gives beef’ s story credibility and confidence.
Checkoff-funded research provides the scientific foundation that allows us to confidently tell beef’ s story. Recent
Through investments in research, education and promotion, the Checkoff has helped create a marketplace where consumers recognize and appreciate the quality, nutritional value and great taste of beef.
investments include groundbreaking work to update USDA’ s nutrient database with accurate information about today’ s beef supply. This research helps ensure that physicians, dietitians, researchers and consumers have reliable information about beef’ s nutritional benefits.
Additional research is advancing our understanding of beef safety, product quality and the role beef plays in a healthy diet. These investments may not generate the same attention as a national advertising campaign, but they are essential to protecting consumer confidence and strengthening beef’ s competitive position.
Education brings those efforts together. From providing healthcare professionals with credible nutrition information to working with retailers, restaurant operators and culinary influencers, Beef Checkoff programs help ensure the people influencing consumer decisions understand the value of beef. As a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, NCBA is proud to help carry out this important work. We also recognize that these dollars belong to cattle producers and must be invested responsibly, with measurable objectives, accountability and a clear focus on building demand.
The Beef Checkoff is not a substitute for good cattle markets, sound public policy or the hard work producers put into raising cattle. Nor can Beef Checkoff dollars be used to lobby or influence government policy. Its purpose is different, and equally important: to build and protect the demand that supports the value of the cattle we raise. The success we are seeing in today’ s marketplace reflects decades of investments by cattle producers, including their commitment to improving beef quality and supporting programs that strengthen consumer demand.
Now is not the time to take that success for granted. We need to continue investing in the research that establishes beef’ s value, the education that builds consumer trust and the promotion that keeps beef at the center of the plate.
The Beef Checkoff is an investment in our product, our customers and the future of our industry. It deserves our continued commitment because the next generation of cattle producers is counting on us to leave them a market as strong as the one we are working to build today.
6 NOVEMBER 2026 www. NCBA. org