It’s the 25th anniversary of that iconic brand: Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. And as your beef checkoff is re-introducing consumers to beef with a re-designed website, it’s also going one step further and introducing them to the real ranchers and farmers and their real stories about how they produce beef. In other words, we’re introducing them to you!

You see, sometimes people assume that their beef comes from a nameless, faceless entity. But we – and you – know that couldn’t be further from the truth. So, this summer, a camera crew travelled 3,800 miles across the U.S., visiting six different cattle operations in four states to gather what they needed to tell your story. They captured more than 100 hours of video, as well as photos and audio. From that material came a campaign called Rethink the Ranch, and it highlights the humanity behind beef production; to connect consumers to the process AND the people!

We want consumers to rethink everything that goes into beef production.

For example, let’s just focus on the care that’s given to cattle. Based on consumer research, we know that your consumers want to know more about sustainable farming and ranching, and the day-to-day details of animal care.

Cody Easterday, one of the beef producers featured in the video, operates feedlots in eastern Washington. He knows how important it is to have the beef checkoff communicating his story to consumers.

“The checkoff is a conduit between us and the consumer,” says Cody. “It provides the education we need to produce the product that the consumer wants.”

Your checkoff is telling people all that goes into raising cattle on a farm or ranch. It’s about the hard work and the long hours you and your family invest in your livelihood – the advanced technology you are using to raise the best beef in the world.

According to Elaine Utesch from the Triple U Ranch in Washta, Iowa, this a story worth telling.

“As a producer, it’s my responsibility to let people know that farms like ours is where their food is coming from,” says Elaine. “And the beef checkoff lets consumers know that their food is produced using sustainable, environmental practices.”

In other words, we’re telling them a cattle ranching story they’ve probably never heard – or seen – before and we think that’s good news worth sharing with everyone.

So, take some time to look at the redesigned BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com website and stay up-to-date on what your checkoff investment is doing for you at MyBeefCheckoff.com.