The Beef Checkoff is marking its 40th anniversary in 2026, celebrating decades of work to strengthen beef demand through research, promotion and education. Created at a time when consumer confidence and demand were declining, the program has played a significant role in improving beef safety, developing new products, enhancing quality and building the iconic "Beef. It's What's For Dinner." brand. Today, it continues to shape consumer perceptions and expand domestic and global demand, delivering a strong return on investment — $13.41 for every $1 invested from 2019–2023 — while giving producers a unified voice to proactively support and defend the industry in an evolving marketplace.
DENVER, March 20, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Much has happened in the beef industry over the past four decades. In the early 1980s, consumer confidence in beef was slipping, demand was declining. Something had to change.
That's why, in 1985, beef producers came together to build the Beef Checkoff, with the first Checkoff-funded work beginning in 1986. That same 1985 Farm Bill authorized the Cattlemen's Beef Board (CBB) to oversee the program, managing the mandatory $1-per-head assessment on cattle sales to fund research, promotion, and education aimed at increasing domestic and international beef demand.
In 2026, as the Beef Checkoff celebrates 40 years, there's reason to thank the producers who built the program and feel encouraged by the work it continues to execute.
"I want the producers and importers who invest in the Beef Checkoff to feel very proud of achieving this 40-year milestone," said Ryan Moorhouse, 2025 CBB chair. "Proud of what we've built, but more importantly, grateful for the challenges we've helped prevent by staying proactive and vigilant over the years."
The beef industry would look very different today if there was no Beef Checkoff. Not long ago, it seemed that beef practically sold itself. However, by the late 1970s and early 1980s, doctors, dietitians and opposing groups began viewing beef in a negative light. Beef consumption dropped, exports were nearly nonexistent, and beef was losing ground to competing proteins.
"Today, we have a completely different story to tell," Moorhouse said. "We're not just selling cattle; we're helping shape how beef is viewed in grocery stores, classrooms, export markets, doctors' offices and on digital screens. We're building relationships with health professionals, chefs and influencers who shape how people understand beef. And we're backing that story with science."
There are countless examples of how the Beef Checkoff has contributed to the growth, improvement and longevity of the beef industry. Consider if the Beef Checkoff had never:
- Invested in research to extend beef's safe shelf life by reducing carcass bacteria and improving carcass quality through a national genetic evaluation program.
- Launched the iconic Beef. It's What's For Dinner. brand.
- Supported research to identify pathogens like E. coli O157:H7 — and develop the mechanisms to control them.
- Developed low-fat ground beef and other new products through groundbreaking Muscle Profiling Research, helping add value to underutilized cuts from the chuck and round.
- Conducted the National Beef Quality Audit, reshaping the industry's management mindset to improve product consistency and restore consumer demand.
"Each of these investments significantly shifted the direction of the beef industry," Moorhouse said. "And these achievements were only made possible because producers came together to fund this program."
The results are clear. For every $1 invested in national Beef Checkoff demand-driving programs between 2019 and 2023, producers saw a return of $13.41 — a measurable impact that reflects increased domestic sales, export growth and stronger demand for U.S. beef.
The Beef Checkoff doesn't solve every beef industry problem, but what it has done, for 40 years and counting, is give producers a voice in how beef is promoted, researched and defended. It's helped the industry play offense, not just defense.
"As we look to the next 40 years, we'll face new challenges: shifting consumer expectations, global competition, misinformation and economic pressure," Moorhouse said. "But if history is any indicator, we're ready, because of the strong Beef Checkoff program producers built. If, you've ever wondered where we'd be without the Checkoff, I hope you agree—I'm glad we don't have to find out."
ABOUT THE BEEF CHECKOFF:
The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The Checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States may retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.
Media Contact
Lynette Von Minden, Cattlemen's Beef Board, 1 402-437-6457, [email protected], www.drivingdemandforbeef.com
SOURCE Cattlemen's Beef Board
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