Thirteen Iowa businesses found a tasteful way to support Iowa's beef producers through the purchase of beef certificates. These 13 supporters make up the 2010 Iowa Beef Industry Council's "Five-Thousand Club." The club was created by the Iowa Beef Industry Council to recognize companies and organizations that purchase more than $5,000 in beef certificates annually.

"Beef gift certificates are a win-win-win," says Dan Cook, a beef producer from New Providence and chairman of IBIC. "The companies are buying a gift that's easy to give and appreciated by the recipient. The recipient has a delicious gift that's also flexible - it can be redeemed anywhere beef is sold for the type of beef he or she wants. And finally, the beef industry benefits by having consumers choose beef at the meat case and their favorite restaurants."

Organizations and firms are members of "Five Thousand Club"

Two new members were added to the club in 2010: Crop Production Services, Breda and Gengler Feed Services, Remsen.  Eleven businesses were repeat members of the Five-Thousand Club, they are: Cargill, Eddyville; Farm Bureau Offices; Hawley Insurance, Vail; Henningsen Construction, Atlantic; Innovative Ag Services, Monticello; Prairie Knolls Country Club, New Sharon; Rice Lake Country Club, Lake Mills; Seedorff Masonry, Strawberry Point; Tech Mix, Stewart, MN; Valley Vet Clinic, SC, Seymour, WI and Winnebago Co-op Telephone, Lake Mills.

Beef gift certificates come in $5, $10, $20 and $25 denominations and are sold throughout the year by the IBIC. Beef certificates are good for the purchase of beef only and are redeemable at any grocery store, meat locker or restaurant that accepts checks. They can and have been used throughout the United States.  Merchants treat a beef certificate like any other check and process it through their local bank. To find out more visit www.iabeef.org.