The Iowa Beef Industry Council conducts its “May is Beef Month” promotion each year and is doing so again in 2019. “This campaign has a significant, positive impact for the state’s cattle industry,” says Chris Freland, executive director of IBIC. “It is very helpful for cattle producers and the rest of the state’s beef industry.”

Members of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and IBIC representatives came to the Iowa Capitol in Des Moines recently, as Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the official proclamation for 2019. “In recognition of the importance of Iowa’s beef industry to our state’s economy, I urge all citizens to appreciate the contributions Iowa’s beef industry continues to provide,” Reynolds said.

The proclamation points out that Iowa is a major beef producer with nearly 4 million head of cattle. Iowa’s beef industry contributes to the state’s economy by generating in excess of $6.3 billion annually and creating jobs for 32,317 Iowans.

Today's beef is a naturally nutrient-rich food, Reynolds said. It provides protein, iron, zinc and B vitamins, with more than 30 beef cuts that meet the government’s definition for “lean.”

“Iowa is a leader in the export of value-added ag products, shipping high-quality Iowa beef to other countries around the world,” Reynolds said. “There is an ever-increasing need for better understanding of the benefits the beef industry provides to all Iowans.”

Beef cattle on 28,000 Iowa farms

“Our cattle producers worked hard through a really tough winter this year,” Freland says. “They persevered and are putting quality beef on the table. We shared with the governor what’s happening in the beef cattle industry today. Iowa has 28,000 beef cattle producers and 1,300 dairy farms, which produce cattle that add to the beef supply. The cattle industry is big in Iowa.”

ICA and IBIC are sponsoring billboard campaigns across the state, ads in local newspapers and radio ads to promote beef to consumers. “We want people to eat beef not only during May but throughout the year,” Freland says. “We are dedicated to expanding the demand for beef.”

Iowa corn is an important and valuable feed for beef producers to raise highly marbled, high-quality beef sought after in the international market. “Here in Iowa we are good at raising quality beef,” Freland says. “Iowa beef grades higher than the national average for prime carcasses. That’s attributable to the grain system we have in place, along with structure, genetics and farm families making Iowa competitive in the beef supply chain.”

Watch ‘Face Behind Beef’

IBIC is launching an additional promotional effort this May. It’s a YouTube video called “The Face Behind Beef.” The first installment features the Lamoni Livestock Auction and Fisher Farms.

“Consumers want to know where their food comes from,” Freland says. “On our YouTube channel, and on Facebook and Twitter, we are talking to consumers about the beef supply chain. We will explain such topics as the marketing process, [and] how beef gets from the farm to the table.

“This first video of ‘The Face Behind Beef’ series features a farm family and how they send their cattle to market, beginning at Lamoni Livestock Auction in southern Iowa. It explains the steps, how beef gets from farm to consumers.”

Strong partnerships create stronger farms

Each year, nearly 13.5% of U.S. beef is exported to countries such as Japan, South Korea and Mexico; in the next 10 years that number is expected to double. In 2018 alone, red meat exports contributed nearly 40 cents to the value of a bushel of corn. These numbers are part of the reason why Iowa Corn, the Iowa Cattlemen's Association and the Iowa Beef Industry Council remain partners for Iowa farmers.

IBIC is dedicated to expanding consumer demand for beef, strengthening beef's position in the global marketplace, and improving producer profitability through education, promotion and research. Likewise, ICA is an organization of nearly 10,000 Iowa beef-producing families and associated companies, improving the future of Iowa's beef industry, primarily through legislative advocacy.

Each year, the Iowa Corn Promotion Board invests checkoff dollars in the U.S. Meat Export Federation to partner and promote corn-fed meat products around the world. USMEF is a nonprofit trade association working to create new opportunities and develop existing international markets for U.S. meat, creating more demand for U.S. meat products.

Source: IBIC, which is responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and its subsidiaries aren’t responsible for any content in this information asset.