Beef Checkoff Questions And Answers
About ‘Consumer Confidence’
1) How has the Hallmark recall affected beef demand, consumer confidence?
Checkoff-funded consumer research has found consumer confidence has remained extremely high even during the Hallmark recall. This is no accident. Over the years, beef checkoff dollars have been invested in safety research, and in educational programs with packers, processors, grocers, and restaurant owners, and even in programs directed at consumers themselves. Consumer confidence is high in part because you and I have invested checkoff dollars in these programs.
2) What is the checkoff doing to ensure beef safety?
From stringent feeding guidelines to processing protocols, there are multiple safety hurdles in the beef production chain before our product arrives at our school, grocery stores or restaurants. And, beef producers understand that animal care and raising cattle go hand-in-hand. We know that giving animals the proper care, handling and nutrition they deserve is the right thing to do. We stand behind this principle with educational programs such as the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification program, which outlines the essential elements for cattle care on the farm.
3) What do we do to insure the safety of our imported products?
The Food Safety and Inspection Service takes enforcement actions to ensure that products that reach consumers are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled. FSIS inspects, monitors, and verifies the proper processing, handling, and labeling of meat and poultry products from the delivery of animals to the harvest facilities or packing plants until the products reach consumers.
4) Hormone/antibiotic-free beef gets a lot of publicity these days. What does CBB do to set the public straight about all beef being safe?
The beef checkoff promotes beef. As a matter of policy, it doesn’t promote one breed over another, nor one operational or “production” model over another. As the saying goes, “a rising tide lifts all boats.” So, an increase in demand for beef, in general, benefits all beef producers.
Funded by the Beef Checkoff.