CONTACT: Melissa Slagle
303-867-6306
mslagle@beefboard.org
(Editor’s note: Artwork available upon
request.)
STEAKS SIGHTED RUNNING 26.2 MILES
THROUGH BOSTON
Witnesses claim Zinc, Iron, Protein
(ZIP) to be the healthy bandits.
(CENTENNIAL, Colo.) – During
the three days leading up to the
grueling 26.2-mile run
from rural Hopkinton to Boston, Mass.,
beef checkoff representatives
were making sure runners were well
equipped with the beef nutrition message
at the Sports & Fitness Expo. Boston
Marathon runners came to the Expo to
pick up their numbers and registration
packets -- an appropriate venue for beef
and an opportunity to speak to the
country and world’s most elite runners
about lean beef as fuel for active
bodies.
The Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative
(NEBPI) worked with the checkoff-funded
Beef and Veal Culinary Center to
demonstrate Roast Beef & Veggie Wraps, a
lean, portable and easy recipe, serving
just over 7,000 samples to marathon
runners. Through partners Johnnie’s
Foodmaster (who donated 200 pounds of
Certified Angus Beef roast beef), Dole,
Harbar Foods and Richelieu Foods, all
wrap ingredients were donated.
“Our efforts to spread the message about
the benefits of lean beef really hit
home with this active consumer
audience,” says Emilie Miller, Director
of Retail & Foodservice Relations for
the NEBPI. “We heard comments such as ‘I
was a vegetarian – up until an hour
ago!’, ‘You just saved a runner’s body.’
and ‘I learned so much and feel much
more confident about eating beef.’
Dedication begins on the farm with our
producers and this spring in Boston,
beef crossed the finish line a winner.”
Checkoff-funded National Beef
Ambassadors Jennifer Rassler and
Michelle Wiggley served samples and
interacted with booth visitors. They
were joined by Beef Ambassador Program
Manager Carol Abrahamzon;
Jean O’ Toole and Kara Behlke, New York
Beef Industry Council; Dan Connor,
Vermont Beef Industry Council; and
Emilie Miller and Carrie Bomgardner,
NEBPI.
Running for team BEEF with steak-adorned
jerseys were Ford Drummond, third
generation cow/calf and stocker operator
of Drummond Ranch in Pawhuska, Okla.,
and NCBA Executive Committee member;
Michelle Baade, Colo. (sister-in-law
of Kristy Lage, Cattlemen’s Beef Board
member and American National CattleWomen
president-elect); and Lucinda
Harnish, Penn. (daughter of Clayton
Harnish, veal representative to the
Federation of State Beef Councils in
Pennsylvania).
“The marathon was fun and challenging as
always, but Team ZIP (Zinc, Iron,
Protein) received a lot of positive
feedback from spectators and words of
encouragement along the way. Other
runners complimented me on the jersey
and my husband, Brad, also wore a Team
ZIP jersey as he cycled along the
course, providing some additional
exposure for our beef nutrition
message,” says Harnish. “I look forward
to wearing my ZIP jersey again this
summer at other running events to help
promote beef.”
For more information about checkoff-funded
efforts, visit
www.beefboard.org.
The Beef Checkoff Program was
established as part of the 1985 Farm
Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head
on the sale of live domestic and
imported cattle, in addition to a
comparable assessment on imported beef
and beef products. States retain up to
50 cents on the dollar and forward the
other 50 cents per head to the
Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research
Board, which administers the national
checkoff program, subject to USDA
approval.
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