Beef Producers Elected to Oversee National & State Beef Checkoffs in Iowa

Contact: Chris Freland, Executive Director, Iowa Beef Industry Council, 515-296-2305

AMES, IA. – Beef producers from across Iowa elected, Dan Hanrahan and Corinne Rowe to serve as directors of the Executive Committee for Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC).  Hanrahan, a cow-calf producer from Cumming and Corinne Rowe, cow-calf producer from Dallas Center will join the IBIC Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is tasked with oversight of the $1.00-per-head National Beef Checkoff and the $0.50-per-head Iowa State Beef Checkoff Programs. The election was held at the Iowa Cattle Industry Leadership Summit on December 7, at the Prairie Meadows Convention Center in Altoona.

Beef producers were confirmed to the executive committee positions and the one-year members seated to the board of directors during the January 11, 2019 board meeting in Ames. Janine Moore, cow-calf producer from What Cheer, was appointed chairman of the IBIC Executive Committee. Executive Committee members confirmed include Kent Pruismann, Rock Valley, vice-chair; Tamara Heim, Logan, treasurer; Corinne Rowe, Dallas Center, secretary; Dan Hanrahan, Cumming, At-Large Director.

Other members serving include:  Mike Naig, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture; Joe Colletti, Interim Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University; Bill Goehring, Keosauqua Livestock Market, representing the Iowa Livestock Market Association; two producers appointed by the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association including Dave Rueber, Luxemburg; and Krista Frazee, Malvern.

The IBIC board consists of twenty-one members from the beef and dairy community to oversee beef checkoff programming and investments. Moore will lead the group of beef producers who oversee both National & State Beef Checkoff Programs in Iowa.

“My recent appointment as chairman provides the opportunity to ensure we are educating the next generation of producers and consumers about beef,” states Moore. “The ability to share the farmer story and dispel many myths that exist about beef production by inspiring consumer confidence in beef products is vital.  We have a mission to grow beef demand; it makes sense to place resources locally, domestically, and internationally to maximize the investment.”

IBIC welcomed new board members Scott Cherne and Jenni Birker to one-year appointments. Cherne is a seedstock and cow-calf producer from Guttenberg; Birker is a cow-calf producer from Garrison. Other producers serving one-year terms include: Alle Bailey, Diagonal; Mike Holden, Scranton; Mike Keuning, Monroe; Kent Musfeldt, Coon Rapids and Dainna Smith, Decorah.  Board members serving as national directors include: Scott McGregor, Nashua; Scott Niess, Osage; Dean Black, Somers; Steve Rehder, Hawarden; and Dan Hanrahan, Cumming.  Hanrahan serves on the executive committee in addition to his national director service role.

“A focus this year will be on reaching millennial consumers, health professionals, retailers and chefs sharing the benefits of beef and the beef industry. Iowa has 3 million consumers and 4 million head of cattle, our resources can be enhanced by investing a portion of funds outside of Iowa.  Activities in the coming year are focused on state to state partnerships in urban areas where the number of consumers exceed the number of cattle,” adds Moore.

For more information about the Beef Checkoff Program, contact the Iowa Beef Industry Council or visit www.iabeef.org.

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About the Iowa Beef Industry Council:  The Iowa Beef Industry Council is funded by the $1-per-head National Beef Checkoff Program and the $0.50-per-head Iowa State Beef Checkoff.  Checkoff dollars are invested in beef promotion, consumer information, research, industry information and foreign market development, all with the purpose of strengthening beef demand.  For more information, visit www.iabeef.org.