Where Would We Be Without the Beef Checkoff

Celebrating 40 Years of Driving Beef Demand

A lot has happened in the beef industry over the last 40 years. Back in the early 1980s, consumer confidence was slipping. Demand was declining. Cattle producers across the country knew something had to change.

That's why, in 1985, producers came together to build the Beef Checkoff, with the first Checkoff-funded work beginning in 1986. It wasn't easy, but it was necessary, and it still is. In 2026, as we celebrate 40 years of the Beef Checkoff, I'm thankful to those before us who built this program and encouraged by the work we continue to execute today.

As chair of the Cattlemen's Beef Board, I thought about what I would like producers and importers who invest in the Beef Checkoff to feel after reading this issue of The Drive, and that is proud. Proud of what we've built, but more importantly, grateful for the challenges we've helped to prevent by staying proactive and vigilant.

Because when you stop and ask, "Where would we be without the Checkoff?" - the answer becomes clear. We'd be facing a very different industry than the one we know today.

Then vs. Now

There was a time not so long ago when beef practically sold itself. Cattlemen and women focused on producing cattle, not marketing them. Promotion seemed like a luxury. Research was something other industries did. And quality control? That was the packer's problem.

But by the late 1970s and early 1980s, things started to change. Doctors, dietitians and opposing groups took aim at beef. And whether their claims were true or not didn't matter. Perception became reality. Beef consumption dropped, exports were nearly nonexistent and we were losing ground to competing proteins.

Today, we have a completely different story to tell. We're not just selling cattle; we're helping shape how beef is viewed in grocery stores, classrooms, export markets, doctors' offices and on digital screens. We're building relationships with health professionals, chefs and influencers who shape how people understand beef. And we're backing that story with science.

Where Would We Be Without It?

There are countless examples of how the Beef Checkoff has contributed to the growth, improvement and longevity of our industry. But when I really think about its value, these are the questions I come back to.

Where would we be if the Checkoff hadn't:

• Invested in research to extend beef's safe shelf life by reducing carcass bacteria and improving carcass quality through a national genetic evaluation program?
• Launched the iconic Beef. It's What's For Dinner. brand?
• Supported research to identify pathogens like E. coli O157:H7 - and develop the mechanisms to control them?
• Developed low-fat ground beef and other new products through groundbreaking Muscle Profiling Research, helping add value to underutilized cuts from the chuck and round?
• Conducted the National Beef Quality Audit, reshaping the industry's management mindset to improve product consistency and restore consumer demand?

Each of these investments significantly shifted the direction of our industry. And they were only made possible because producers came together to fund this program.

And the return? For every $1 invested in national Beef Checkoff demand-driving programs between 2019 and 2023, producers saw a return of $13.41 - a measurable impact that reflects increased domestic sales, export growth and stronger demand for U.S. beef.¹

A Program Built by and for Producers

The Beef Checkoff doesn't own cattle, beef products or packing plants and it cannot prevent cattle prices from falling. But it was never designed to do that. What it was designed to do and still does today is drive consumer beef demand.

It helps connect nutrition scientists with health professionals. It links safety researchers with processors. It aligns product developers with retailers. And it helps bring valuable market signals back to you and me - the producers.

The program is accountable. The USDA oversees it. Contractors are reimbursed on a cost-recovery basis. Financials are audited and public. Most importantly, it's driven by cattle producers like you - serving on the Cattlemen's Beef Board, overseeing budgets, reviewing projects and evaluating results. We're out feeding and treating cattle, too, but we volunteer some of our time to facilitate the Beef Checkoff, and we encourage all producers to get involved.

Looking Ahead

The Beef Checkoff doesn't solve every problem, and it never claimed to. But what it has done, for 40 years and counting, is give producers a voice in how beef is promoted, researched and defended. It's helped us play offense, not just defense.

As we look to the next 40 years, we know we'll face new challenges: shifting consumer expectations, global competition, misinformation and economic pressure. But if history is any indicator, we're ready, because of the strong Beef Checkoff program producers built.

And if you've ever wondered where we'd be without the Checkoff - I hope you agree: I'm glad we don't have to find out.