Consumers like beef on their plates

An all-encompassing effort keeps beef at the center of a consumer’s plate, according to several industry experts.

During a recent Beef Quality Assurance training session, cattle operators received information that reinforced that view. Presenters said that beef is a well thought of nutritional product by consumers who also value stewardship.

Kirsten Nickles, a sustainability and animal care scientist with Certified Angus Beef, described consumer expectations during the event as part of the organization’s Feeding Quality Forum on Aug. 20-21. She is pictured above.

Working with change

In her overview, she said consumers have changed their lifestyles and expectations over the past two generations. Today’s consumers ask more questions and want more answers than their predecessors, she said.

Consumers want their beef to taste good and be fresh, surveys indicate, and both are long-time traits, Nickles said. Newer surveys indicate that consumers also want to see animals humanely raised and want to understand the impact cattle production has on the environment.

The Beef Quality Assurance program checks all the boxes, she said, because cattle producers agree that those desires are important, too.

Certified Angus Beef was formed in the 1980s, and, since its inception, it has directly led to the sale of more than 1.2 billion pounds of beef over the past 45 years, Nickles said, adding that the meat is sold around the world.

Success story

Tom Jones, owner and manager of Hy-Plains Feedyard LLC, west of Montezuma, Kansas, where the BQA session took place, said BQA and Certified Angus Beef are success stories for the livestock industry. “We need every part of the beef industry to be profitable, and there is a lot that goes into it to make it successful,” he said.

The programs give cattle producers—regardless if they are cow-calf, backgrounders or feeders—agreed upon benchmarks. What he enjoys is having all the parties in one room to discuss opportunities and challenges.

He credited Certified Angus Beef for its work and influence that has brought added value to cattle producers.

BQA has played a part in building confidence and a positive perception in the marketplace, Nickles said, and that has paid dividends with increasing interest in partnerships. About a year ago, Sysco and Certified Angus Beef joined forces, and they support farmers and ranchers daily, she said. Sysco is a food distributor that works with restaurants, healthcare, educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home. The two organizations share mutual goals of promoting animal welfare and sustainability.

As part of her presentation, Nickles showed misleading headlines on a screen, and she said producers can use those talking points to share good news about the care of livestock.

Veterinarians A.J. Tarpoff and Bob Smith extensively discussed livestock care at the Hy-Plains Feedyard research center. The presentation was geared toward feedyard operators, but it offered insight for others in the beef chain. Tarpoff is Kansas State University’s beef Extension veterinarian. Smith is a veterinarian with Veterinary Research and Consulting Service in Hays.

At the end of the session, participants answered written questions and later were emailed a certificate of completion. From June 2023 to July 1, 2024, about 1,600 producers have received certification, Nickles said.

Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].