Beef Information Center Direction

[brian]

I am currently one of your representatives from Alberta on the Beef Information Center. We have recently decided to quit T.V. advertising and concentrate more of our energies towards new product development, food service, and retail initiatives. I would like to hear from anyone who has questions or opinions to our direction which may clarify things for the producers or help us as delegates in the direction in which we are headed.

[brian]

Who sponsors the Beef Information Centre and what does it do?

[brian]

The Beef Information Center (BIC) is your national promotion committee. It is sponsored by the Canadian cattle producer through your check-off dollars. Of the $1.50 soon to be $2.00 that you pay to the Alberta Cattle Commission $.90 goes to the BIC. Each province contributes a similar amount per head. The center is and has been responsible for all national generic beef advertising. Some of the campaigns from the past have been the olympic ones with Lloyd and Isabel, Mark Tewksbury, and the latest being the SAVOUR THE SIZZLE campaign. These themes have been used through magazines, media, and TV. The center is also responsible for dealing with the media in a public relations capacity, especially when it comes to trying to deal with health and nutrition issues. We are progressive in doing research along these lines to try and get beef into the spotlight as a healthy source of protein. BIC is also very active in the food service, Dealing with the retail marketers, and developing new products both value added and convenient lines. New product s are usually developed in conjunction with a processing company.

[brian]

The Beef Information Center (BIC) is your national promotion committee. It is sponsored by the Canadian cattle producer through your check-off dollars. Of the $1.50 soon to be $2.00 that you pay to the Alberta Cattle Commission $.90 goes to the BIC. Each province contributes a similar amount per head. The center is and has been responsible for all national generic beef advertising. Some of the campaigns from the past have been the olympic ones with Lloyd and Isabel, Mark Tewksbury, and the latest being the SAVOUR THE SIZZLE campaign. These themes have been used through magazines, media, and TV. The center is also responsible for dealing with the media in a public relations capacity, especially when it comes to trying to deal with health and nutrition issues. We are progressive in doing research along these lines to try and get beef into the spotlight as a healthy source of protein. BIC is also very active in the food service, Dealing with the retail marketers, and developing new products both value added and convenient lines. New product s are usually developed in conjunction with a processing company.

[brian]

The Beef Information Center (BIC) is your national promotion committee. It is sponsored by the Canadian cattle producer through your check-off dollars. Of the $1.50 soon to be $2.00 that you pay to the Alberta Cattle Commission $.90 goes to the BIC. Each province contributes a similar amount per head. The center is and has been responsible for all national generic beef advertising. Some of the campaigns from the past have been the olympic ones with Lloyd and Isabel, Mark Tewksbury, and the latest being the SAVOUR THE SIZZLE campaign. These themes have been used through magazines, media, and TV. The center is also responsible for dealing with the media in a public relations capacity, especially when it comes to trying to deal with health and nutrition issues. We are progressive in doing research along these lines to try and get beef into the spotl

[brian]

The Beef Information Center (BIC) is your national promotion committee. It is sponsored by the Canadian cattle producer through your check-off dollars. Of the $1.50 soon to be $2.00 that you pay to the Alberta Cattle Commission $.90 goes to the BIC. Each province contributes a similar amount per head. The center is and has been responsible for all national generic beef advertising. Some of the campaigns from the past have been the olympic ones with Lloyd and Isabel, Mark Tewksbury, and the latest being the SAVOUR THE SIZZLE campaign. These themes have been used through magazines, media, and TV. The center is also responsible for dealing with the media in a public relations capacity, especially when it comes to trying to deal with health and nutrition issues. We are progressive in doing research along these lines to try and get beef into the spotlight as a healthy source of protein. BIC is also very active in the food service, Dealing with the retail marketers, and developing new products both value added and convenient lines. New product s are usually developed in conjunction with a processing company. There are many other aspects of the BIC but this is a general overveiw. If you are interested visit their Web site at www.beefinfo.org . Last year the site won the top award for the best new web site by a food service in Canada. I hope this has answered some of your questions and if there is something more specific let me know.

[brian]

For more info on BIC, check out http://www.beefinfo.org/

[brian]

Do you know of a really good book or sight on raising cow/calves,finishing etc. I am currently comparing to sheep info & they have lots of good stuff. What I am trying to do is run a effecient herd. ie best conversion & taste it seems the market changes buyer to buyer seller to seller. We are currently exploring the shaver beef blend & the numbers do look pretty good compared to the 1600lb Charlais cow we have "roaming" around.

[sharron]

In Saskatchewan there is a Western Canada Feedlot Managment School on offer and this year it runs from August 4-6. You can find more information on the school by going to http://agri-infolink.com/scfa. There is a rather substantial information binder that comes with the course. A similar cow/calf school is in the works. Also there is the CCA's Good Production Practics binders (try the ACFA, ACC or CCA), the Feeder Assocations of Alberta