CALF_News_August_September_2019

37 CALF News • August | September 2019 • www.calfnews.net Gary West 731-335-3023 Bryan Sundsbak 605-209-0559 IS YOUR SUMMER GRASS LOSING IT’S PUNCH? IT’S TIME TO THINK ABOUT PRE-WEANING NUTRITION! MLS #5 STRESS TUB ►Trace mineral, protein, and energy tub for young cattle during stress. ►Zinpro Availa®4 organic trace mineral package. ►Arm & Hammer Celmanax®SCP for e-coli and salmonella protection. MLS #1 HI PERFORMANCE ► Balanced concentration of vitamins, minerals, energy, and protein. ►For cattle needing both protein and mineral supplementation. ►Weatherproof, no waste supplement delivery system. Service • SaleS • partS Dodge City, Kan. 1501 South Second 800-280-7150 Scott City, Kan. 40 East Road 160 800-280-7251 Service on all mixers and electronic sales – all makes and models . Highest Standards in Product, Service & Customer Satisfaction! Strategically located in the heart of the cattle-feeding industry, we provide over 100 years of combined experience and knowledge. www.midwestmixer.com located in the Heartland for all Your cattle Feeding Needs. product liNeS Harsh • Kuhn Knight • Schuler Mfg. • Kirby Mfg. Scott City Parts 40 East Road 160 620-872-7007 In order to help promote beef in populated areas like New York or Mas- sachusetts, many states with high cattle numbers help fund beef councils in low- cattle, high-population regions. “Oklahoma is one of those states,” Coffey says.“Some of our checkoff money goes to the Northeast, which has about one-third of the nation’s population. We’re preaching to the choir here and in Texas or Kansas, but we need to reach consumers in the major metropolitan areas in states with low cattle numbers.” Many believe an increase in the national checkoff is needed, possibly $1 more per head. Low cattle prices and tight margins make it a tough sell. But the high return on investment makes it a measure that needs considering. “I’m not sure how much it should increase,” Coffey says,“but more money is needed to promote our product. Five years ago, a study showed that every dollar put into the checkoff provided what’s equal to $11.20 put back into the industry. Pro- ducers and feeders profited from it. “In 2018, for example, we sold about $8.3 million in beef to foreign countries. That amounted to about $320 per head in value for us producers. If I could get $11 back for every dollar I invested, I’d do it in a heartbeat. So it’s important to support the checkoff and the dollar amount that goes into it.” He says a new study is underway to measure the latest return on invest- ment (ROI).“I’m hopeful it’s higher than $11.20 in return for that $1 spent,” Coffey says.“I encourage producers to get engaged and get involved. We need to promote our product together. “Take the time to talk to people. Close to 98 percent of consumers don’t know about beef production. We need to educate them.” Coffey points out that more than 200,000 producers and feeders have gone through the Beef Quality Assur- ance program.“That’s proof there is a strong and growing commitment toward raising beef properly,” he says. “Consumers need to know how we care for our animals. They are our liveli- hood and animal welfare is essential to our success.” To learn more about the checkoff, visit https://www.beefboard.org . And, be sure to sign up for The Drive at https://www. beefboard.org/the-drive-sign-up-form/ .  CBB CHAIRMAN Continued from page 35 RIGHT: Chuck and Ruth love beef in the pasture and on the plate.