PIERRE, SD - South Dakota Beef Industry Council (SDBIC) directors held their annual meeting in conjunction with the 51st annual BEEF Bowl on Saturday, September 16, 2017 at the SDSU Performing Arts Center in Brookings, SD. Directors received staff and committee updates, heard from SDSU faculty, filled two federation and one USMEF seat, and passed a $3.52 million-budget for the 2018 fiscal year. They also received updates from the Cattlemen's Beef Board (CBB), Federation of State Beef Councils, and Operating Committee members.
The state's beef council, which is responsible for collecting and administering the $1 beef checkoff on all cattle sold in South Dakota, is required to direct 50 cents of every dollar to the Cattlemen's Beef Board for programs on the national level. The SDBIC retains 50 cents, which directors can choose to invest in in-state programs and/or enhance national program investments.
SDBIC will be investing $101,000 of the in-state promotion budget into projects focused on reaching consumers as well as food influencers in the northeast region of the United States where consumers outnumber beef cattle 20 to 1. Remaining dollars will be used to fund in-state promotions and events that build beef demand.SDBIC directors also increased the dollars earmarked for research this coming year. The budget will support three research programs through South Dakota State University, involving food safety, beef quality, and human nutrition with beef. A total research budget of $183,634 will be invested.The consumer information budget was set at $233,510 and will fund social media outreach, foodservice and retail programs as well as Team BEEF and the FACS and ProStart Beef programs. Industry information will total approximately $51,660 with the producer communications budget set at $45,000. The total budget for in-state investments in 2018 will be approximately $1.2 million, with support for national beef promotion, research and education at $2.3 million.
Gary Deering, Hereford, SD presented a CBB operating committee report where a $38 million-dollar budget was set. Three outgoing board members were recognized during the meeting. John Symens, Amherst, SD; Ernie Mertz, Bowdle, SD; and Kari Sanders, Oral, SD were recognized for their dedicated service to the beef industry as SDBIC directors. Wayne Tupper, Kimball, SD was recognized as outgoing president, though he will continue to be a beef council board member. President- elect, Eric Sumption, of rural Frederick, SD will take over as president of the organization on October 1, 2017. The next quarterly board meeting is scheduled for December 11, 2017.
