NIAA Named Beef Checkoff Contractor

The National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) has again been selected as a contractor for The Cattlemen’s Beef Board. The Beef Promotion Operating Committee selected contractors and approved budgets for the 2021 fiscal year at their annual meeting earlier this fall.

Each year the Beef Checkoff budget is designated to programming that includes research, foreign marketing, industry information, consumer information and safety. NIAA proposed a plan that will allow farmers and ranchers to learn and engage on the importance of responsible antibiotic use in animal agriculture.

“Unfortunately, the responsible use of antibiotics in beef production is one of the most misunderstood topics in beef production,” said J.J. Jones, executive director of NIAA. “Farmers and ranchers are feeling the pressure of an ever-changing landscape of consumer demands. They are required to address the competing priorities of maintaining animal health and meeting the consumers’ pleas for “free from” labels.”

NIAA believes the future of animal antibiotic use will be shaped by consistent, effective communication about scientific collaboration between the animal agriculture sector and its allies in human and environmental health to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Through the approved Beef Checkoff programming, NIAA will create educational communication materials that farmers, ranchers and veterinarians can use on social media, lead a tour at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and host a beef producer roundtable following the 10th Antibiotic Symposium November 2-4, 2020.