94 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN January 2024 PEERS NBC PROJECTS AND HAPPENINGS ANN MARIE BOSSHAMER | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NEBRASKA BEEF COUNCIL Greetings to all and happy New Year! As we embark upon 2024, there are so many projects and programs happening here at the Nebraska Beef Council (NBC) it is hard to know exactly where to start. We are thrilled to be able to share some of the highlights and upcoming programming with you through the Nebraska Cattleman magazine. As many do with a new year, they reflect upon the past. It’s amazing to think that it’s been 20 years since the “cow that stole Christmas” was upon us. When we look back at this event and how it turned our world upside down in a matter of hours, it’s hard to imagine how we handled all the interviews, phone calls, consumer questions and more without social media and the capabilities of today. One thing is for sure, we prepared for the situation months and years in advance, which made for a rather seamless attack on the subject once it happened. Today, we continue to prepare for other issues just like bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and the one at the forefront is foot and mouth disease (FMD). The Beef Checkoff works to prepare for issues and crisis situations so when and if the time comes, our ability to address the topic at hand can be seamless. There are many meetings, plans and activities being worked on now for this topic so that we can manage this issue with professionalism, coordination and excellence. If you spent any time watching the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in December on the Cowboy Channel or RFD-TV, you may have seen a Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner commercial. The Nebraska, Texas and Oklahoma Beef Councils pooled our resources and, with the help of the Federation of State Beef Councils state services team, a commercial was shown during each broadcast of the NFR as well as some digital components. The NFR and western lifestyle is growing in popularity with the consumer audience, primarily because of the popular Yellowstone television series, which made it a great avenue for us to share the message about beef. We take pride in our producers who raise beef and wanted to showcase their commitment and dedication to a new audience. Also happening in 2024 is our NBC Board of Director elections. George Cooksley, Jeff Rudolph, Ivan Rush and Doug Temme will be terming off the board at the end of the year CONTINUED ON PAGE 96
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