TOPEKA, Kan. — Members of the Kansas beef industry participated in an advanced beef advocacy workshop March 13-14 in Topeka. The checkoff-funded training, organized by the Kansas Beef Council (KBC) and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), was designed to equip attendees with the tools and experience to effectively engage consumers and media.
The average U.S. consumer is hungry for information about their food and the production practices that go into bringing a healthy, nutritious product to the dinner table. Most millennials are at least two generations removed from the farm or ranch, yet they are actively seeking information about how their food is raised. While there are many sources of information, research suggests consumers place high trust in farmers and ranchers. The inherent problem, however, is connecting consumers with producers. In order to help bridge this divide, cattle producers and others in agriculture are connecting with consumers to tell real-life stories about how beef gets from pasture gate to dinner plate.
During the Kansas Top of the Class training hosted by KBC, Ryan Goodman, director of grassroots advocacy and spokesperson training for NCBA, led several sessions targeted at helping participants better understand the importance of industry outreach, honing advocacy efforts and refining interview skills. White City rancher Debbie Lyons-Blythe was on the program to help participants learn how to answer difficult questions asked by consumers. In addition, KBC Director of Nutrition Abby Heidari, RDN, LD, provided in-depth training on the nutritional advantages of including lean beef in a balanced diet and how to communicate those benefits to consumers.
“It (the workshop) was full of great information,” said attendee Janet Phillips, a farmer and rancher from Cherryvale. “I’ve been to so many trainings over the last 10 years and this is the first time I came out of one where I truly felt like I learned new information and was a lot more equipped than before.”
For more information about the Kansas Beef Council, contact KBC at (785) 273-5225 or go to www.kansasbeef.org. You can also visit www.BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com and sign up for Beef So Simple, a weekly newsletter of beef recipes for all seasons and reasons.
— Kansas Beef Council
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