The 2017 Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board (CBB) Annual Report is now available to provide results of beef checkoff programs to the beef producers and importers who invest in the program.

Included in the annual report is a letter from CBB chairman Brett Morris and an overview of revenues and expenditures for fiscal 2017. In addition, there are summaries of results from each Beef Board budget category; these include promotion, research, consumer information, industry information, foreign marketing and producer communications.

The goal of the publication is to provide financial transparency to beef producers and importers who invest into the checkoff and disclosure about all that was accomplished with the funds received.

Morris said, “As a producer, I couldn’t have understood all the thought and process that goes into the consideration of every single dollar invested -- if not for this honor of being your chairman -- from the long hours invested into the Long Range Plan to the time our checkoff program committees spend scoring and analyzing every authorization request before it is brought before the Operating Committee for funding consideration.”

Some highlights in the report include the work the checkoff is doing with companies like Amazon Fresh to increase beef demand and how the Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner website reached the milestone of a million visitors during fiscal 2017.

The report shows that by providing content to Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, beef sales increased during a three-month pilot test. The checkoff worked with Amazon to refresh the Beef Category Page on the Amazon Fresh Prime platform.

“During the three-month period, Amazon utilized the checkoff ’s consumer videos, recipes and photography in a test to drive online steak, roast and rib sales. The program resulted in a 16% increase in beef units sold,” the report said.

Beef also continues to be a top choice for consumers, according to the report, which revealed that the semiannual checkoff-funded Consumer Beef Index found that three out every four consumers say beef is a top choice for dinner. In the spring 2017 wave of the study, 93% of more than 1,000 respondents said they eat beef at least monthly.

“Taste and the desire to eat more protein continue to drive beef consumption, while nutritional, production and price concerns lead to cutbacks in beef consumption,” the report said.

Morris said, “With every hurdle the checkoff meets, I am reminded of the importance of communication and transparency. I hope this annual report helps any producer who has ever wondered where their checkoff investment is used. We’ve revamped the layout, making the information easier to find and more interesting to read. Please click through and take in all the hard work of everyone who works to make your checkoff a success.”

A summarized version of the report is available here, with links to download the full report available within the summary.