WBC approves funding requests for 2015
Casper – The Wyoming Beef Council (WBC) held a meeting to listen to funding requests and shape their marketing plan for the 2015 fiscal year. The meeting was held in Casper May 1-2.
Funding request projects the WBC approved varied from promotion, consumer and industry information and producer communications to international marketing and administration.
The total amount the WBC funded to projects amounted to a little under $81,000.
The WBC is a five-member board of cattlemen and cattlewomen who oversee the expenditure of beef checkoff dollars collected in Wyoming. Their main goal is to increase beef demand domestically and internationally in any way possible to benefit Wyoming farmers and ranchers.
Promotion
The WBC is focusing more on reaching the millennial audience, and with more web advertising, they are hoping to increase the amount of traffic to the WBC website.
To accomplish this, the WBC granted the funding request for the Wyoming Traveler’s Journal, an official publication of Wyoming Travel and Tourism.
“We can invite people to virtually visit Wyoming’s ranch lands and also direct them to Wyoming ranchers that we feature, as well as some of their favorite recipes,” commented Ann Wittman, executive director for the WBC.
“People who are interested in the cowboy culture and the ranching way of life are largely a millennial audience who reads this publication, and this hits our target audience,” replied Wittman.
Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine is another millennial-focused magazine, and the WBC granted a funding request from them, as well. The magazine will feature WBC advertising in their print publication and have an advertisement present on their website.
Ag in the Classroom
Wyoming Ag in the Classroom requested funds to continue their “Wyoming Grown” project and institute helping people understand the ranching lifestyle and the benefits of the beef industry with hands on experience.
“We want to highlight ranches and operations all across Wyoming and really give kids a face with a name and to actually see what they are doing,” described Jessie Dafoe, executive director of Wyoming Ag in the Classroom.
The anticipated participation for Ag in the Classroom’s institute this summer is between 40 to 50 participants.
Dafoe went on to mention that together the WBC and Wyoming Ag in the Classroom can have a great impact on meeting their goals and capitalize on ranching culture heritage, proactively educate influencers, provide recipes and also help educate health and nutrition.
Cattlewomen
The WBC granted funding requests from the Wyoming CattleWomen for their Beef Ambassador and “Grassroots” programs.
Beef ambassadors converse with the general public about beef. Three selected beef ambassadors travel throughout Wyoming, and one is sent to the national competition to compete and represent Wyoming.
WBC members encouraged beef ambassadors to broaden the scope of their program and to prepare messages specific to target audiences, as well as to incorporate the beef checkoff, what the checkoff dollars are used for and how they are beneficial for producers into their presentations.
The CattleWomen’s “Grassroots” program initiative funding request was granted, as well. The goal of the program is to reach millennials and to help them understand the value of beef and the value of having beef on their plates.
Advertising
WBC members granted a funding request from the Wyoming FFA Association to place four one-quarter-page advertisements in the FFA Times, as well as to have a booth and digital recognition at the Wyoming FFA Convention.
For communications, the WBC granted funding requests with the Northern Ag Network, DayWeather Network and the Wyoming Livestock Roundup to help reach a wider audience, let them know about the beef checkoff and to feature some of Wyoming’s ranchers.
To make sure the WBC is in statutory compliance, the board members also passed a motion to approve the funding request to perform an audit by the firm McGee, Hearne and Paiz, LLP.
International marketing
“The WBC has always been a very good supporter of international programs,” said Assistant Vice President of International Marketing with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Greg Hanes. “Even though Wyoming is the least populated state in the nation, Wyoming has really understood the importance of the global market and the impacts that it can bring.”
WBC members approved the funding request for the amount of $25,000 to the U.S. Meat Export Federation to help with the marketing efforts and promotion of U.S. beef in foreign countries, primarily in Japan.
“The activities and promotions that USMEF is doing will have a meaningful impact in the markets and do tie in with the WBC’s vision and mission statements,” commented Hanes. “They will also bring value back to producers in Wyoming with both the domestic and international markets.”
Madeline Robinson is editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup and can be reached at madeline@wylr.net.
