CBB Cattlemen Beef Promotion and Research Boar : Meet Anne Anderson – Cattlemen’s Beef Board Chair

Contact: Melissa Jackson, 308-697-3486; [e-mail]

Date: Friday, January 29, 2016

Click here to download the full audio file.

Suggested Lead: Cow-calf and stocker operator Anne Anderson from Austin, Texas, was elected by fellow Cattlemen's Beef Board (CBB) members to serve as CBB chairman in 2016. The vote came during the 2016 Cattle Industry Annual Convention in San Diego, Calif. We asked Anderson what she hopes to accomplish in her year as CBB chair.

Anderson 1: 'So one of my goals is that our members have a higher level of involvement. And with a higher level of involvement comes a higher level of commitment, and with a higher level of commitment, we just have more support in the country, and a greater knowledge of what's going on because people talk about it more at the coffee shop. So that the leadership that is provided is in accordance to the spirit of the checkoff.' (:24 seconds)

We also asked what Anderson sees as one of the biggest challenges facing the checkoff, and the industry.

Anderson 2: 'Spending shrinking dollars in the most effective way, is a tough challenge, if it involves change. We've gradually made some of those changes, but one of the challenges we continually face is getting the most return on investment (ROI). Research seems to say that the opportunity for growth is to maintain the market we have and open markets in the global market. But the opportunity for growth in the domestic market is not as great especially in light of prices and everything going on.' (:40 seconds)

We asked what Anderson would like every investor to know about their Beef Checkoff Program.

Anderson 3: 'That the producers who are making decisions are making wise decisions. They are spending the time to be informed, they're spending the time to read and study and think. And assurances that they're getting the very most for their dollar that's possible. And that the producers making those decisions. It is a producer-driven checkoff and producers are making those decisions, not staff. That's the message I want every producer to know - because I want them to trust the checkoff, be positive to the checkoff, and trust the producers that they're making the very best decisions possible.' (:39 seconds)

Reporting for the beef checkoff, I'm Melissa Jackson. For more about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.

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 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.