CALF News Aug./Sept 2018

35 CALF News • August | September 2018 • www.calfnews.net The worlds fastest on site BVD-PI test for cattle producers * *BVD-PIMicrowellELISAtest Test on site, results in30min CST-QuickTest Call or visit us online today! CST Central States Testing TEST BETTER. FASTER. SMARTER. 620.675.8640 www.cstbvd.com dustin@cstbvd.com messages can be one click away from being seen by hundreds and thousands of consumers when shared by a food blogger who picks up our social media posts. We also help producers improve their operations by promoting the Beef Quality Assurance program.” A recent campaign centered on finding the “Best New York Burger.” “New York burger lovers submitted over 400 nominations to find the Best NY Burger,” O’Toole says.“Nomi- nations were accepted through our NYBC’s Facebook and Instagram as well as on www.fortheloveofnybeef.com. Burger fans were then asked once again to vote for their favorite burger, limit- ing the competition to the final four contestants.” The winner was Ale & Angus Pub in Syracuse.“The winner was announced in May, Beef Month in New York State,” O’Toole says.“The council had held the best-burger contest years ago but was stopped when funding was scarce. But we got more funding this year. And in the age of social media, the contest really exploded.” What the Truck? Following the best-burger contest, NYBC rolled out its Best Beef Food Truck contest. One event, broadcast Facebook Live by O’Toole, carried the tag,“What the Truck?” The catch phrase was put together by a snarky group of radio stations in the Utica area in Upstate New York. “Food trucks are extremely popular in New York and elsewhere,” O’Toole says. “We feel this is a good way to promote them and the great beef recipes they provide.” O’Toole was raised in Wiscon- sin, but not on a dairy farm. She attended Arizona State University where she studied marketing. After getting married, she worked as food services director at the Boy Scouts of America Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, N.M. She eventually wound up in New York and landed the NYBC position. “We depend on the checkoff to fund our beef promotion campaigns,” O’Toole says.“To help us educate consumers across the state, including those in New York City, state beef councils in Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Iowa send us a portion of their funds. With their contributions, we’re able to support a dietician who works with food service throughout the state.” Kriese says O’Toole and NYBC are helping illustrate how checkoff dollars and promotion of agriculture benefit Continued on page 36  producers, who are seeing tight profit margins and even heavy losses if they’re dairy producers. “The dairy industry here and else- where is in tough shape,” he says.“There is a surplus of milk on the market. Many small dairies are closing in our part of the country, and we are seeing a lot of cull cows coming into the market.” New York is the nation’s third larg- est dairy state, behind California and New York Beef Council’s summer promotion is looking for the state’s Best Beef Food Truck. John Kriese likes the future of beef production in New York State.