New Program Seeks to Unify Beef Industry, Build Community of Brand Ambassadors
By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com
Canada’s beef industry plans to create a beef ambassador community with the introduction of a Beef Advocacy program, to be launched early in 2014.
Annemarie Pedersen, director and head of industry communications for Canadian Beef Inc., said the program is designed for beef producers to help them talk to the media.
“We’re aiming for a mid to late January or February launch,” said Pedersen.
The program was created in partnership with the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency (ALMA), the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA), and Canadian Beef Inc. The goal of the advocacy program is to create a network of beef ambassadors who will help deliver accurate information about the beef industry to the public.
Modeled after the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (U.S.) Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) program, the Canadian version will be open to the public, feature two levels, and be accessible on various media platforms and devices.
“We wanted to expand on the MBA program and decided to build it [Beef Advocacy Canada] into two levels,” said Pedersen. “If you want to be a beef advocate graduate you have to do both levels,” she said.
The best part is that it’s free to participate, and it’s been designed with the end user in mind, the on-the-go cattle producer. “We have an audio component so that you can either read through the chapter or you can listen to it,” explains Pedersen.
The content can be accessed on an iPad, Smartphone or computer, and takes into consideration limitations such as high-speed Internet access.
In addition to the program’s accessibility features, time commitment was also a factor which was taken into consideration. Pedersen says that at most it will take about two to three hours to complete.
Both level one and level two have five chapter components, which will touch on various aspects of the beef industry. “The five chapters go from gate-to-plate,” explains Pedersen.
Here are the five units and topics:
- Chapter 1 – “The Industry”
- Chapter 2 – “Cattle Production”
- Chapter 3 – “Beef Production”
- Chapter 4 – “The Environment”
- Chapter 5 – “Your Beef”
After each chapter, there will be true/false or multiple-choice questions. In order to pass each section, participants must score at least 80 per cent on the unit quizzes.
“Once you’ve passed level one, you can apply to level two to become a beef advocate,” said Pedersen.
Level two participants will be handpicked, and will be required to undergo a vetting process before advancing onto the next level.
“We want to make sure that we are getting the right people and that they are people in the beef industry who have the best of intentions,” explains Pedersen. “Obviously we know that there are people out there who are looking for ways to tell the story about us for us,” she said.
It’s anticipated that a graduation ceremony will be held twice a year, which will likely take place at the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association annual meeting in March, and again at the Canadian Beef Inc.’s annual gathering in September.
Beef advocacy graduates will be given media training and will become part of an elite group of trained ambassadors, equipped to tackle consumer questions relating to beef.
A pilot program was launched in December, involving the Cattlemen’s Young Leaders Program (CYL), who are acting as testers before it is officially rolled out next year.
“We see CYL as one of our key users,” said Pedersen. “They are amazingly connected…we want them to become real strong advocates for the industry,” she said.
Other target groups include industry partners, government agencies and breed associations to name a few.
Pedersen’s message for beef producers, “you don’t have to be engaged on social media to be an advocate for our industry…if you are looking for a little bit more confidence in telling the story of the entire industry then this may be a good fit for you,” she said.
Editor’s note: Farms.com would like to thank Annemarie Pedersen for the in person interview, and tour of Canadian Beef Inc.’s Calgary, AB office. We look forward to covering the launch of the program again in the New Year.
(Pictured above is the logo for Beef Advocacy Canada).