Checkoff Dollars Hard at Work Keeping Beef in the Center of the Grill

May 27, 2025

Another summer grilling season is officially here.

Cattlemen's Beef Board Chair, Ryan Moorhouse from Amarillo, Texas says beef checkoff dollars are hard at work making sure that beef is on the minds of consumers when they head to the meat case.

"It's the time of year when people get the grills out," said Moorhouse. "We just hope they choose beef to grill. It's a little high right now, price wise but for the most part, from everything we've seen from demand and, retail, advertising, it looks like beef is going to be, a top pick for grilling."

He says that through the years, the checkoff funded beef it's what's for dinner message has really resonated well with consumers.

"Absolutely," said Moorhouse. "One of the great, things that the checkoff dollars fund is the Beef-It's What's For Dinner program that NCBA operates. It's all about promoting beef demand and promote the beef being center of the plate. Memorial Day, it's actually second right behind 4th of July for the biggest grilling time of the year. So, it's definitely a target, for advertising and target, for using checkoff dollars to really point people to using beef." 

He says that checkoff dollars are also hard at work this year, reminding consumers of other delicious beef options at the meat case to encourage them to still buy beef despite the higher prices. 

"This year it's been a little bit of a challenge with the high prices of beef," said Moorhouse. "Supplies are low and obviously prices are high, but demand is still good and it looks great. So, this year, checkoff dollars are being used to promote other beef cuts instead of a ribeye or a New York strip steak, like hamburger products or skirt steaks and flank steaks to grill instead of the middle meats. We use checkoff dollars to direct consumers a different way so that they're still choosing beef, even though the prices are high."

For more information about the beef checkoff program including delicious beef recipes, visit www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com.

Source: Western Ag Network

Photo Credit: Jim Brickett