A beef industry executive called Tuesday on ranchers to use social media to boost beef’s image.
Speaking during Tuesday’s opening session of the Idaho Cattle Association Summer Round-Up in Twin Falls, Rick Stott encouraged those who raise beef for a living to tout the product’s benefits on Facebook.
"We need to be engaged with social media," said Stott, the executive vice president of business development for Agri Beef Co. in Boise.
Industry representatives must educate the public about beef’s nutritional benefits "and how much we care for our animals," he said.
In an interview, Stott said such actions are critical for the industry’s continued success, especially now that beef consumption in the U.S. is declining.
"Today, the world isn’t friendly to our product like it was in the 1950s," Stott said. "Not every dinner today is steak and potatoes."
During Tuesday’s talk, he offered the example of the Humane Society of the United States, which he recalled calling "a scumbag organization" in testimony before Congress.
Stott said during the interview that he should not have described HSUS the way he did when appearing before Congress. However, he insists the group is out to bring down the beef industry.
"Their goal is to end animal agriculture in the U.S.," Stott said.
Fortunately, he said, the international market for beef is lucrative. That results in part from a declining supply of beef worldwide as more agricultural land is used for other purposes that feed more people, he said.
Stott suggested that ranchers work to give their beef a special brand, one that will resonate with consumers. He described U.S. beef with its USDA certification as a brand that is unmatched throughout the world.
Safeway has found marketing success for its "Rancher’s Reserve" brand by promising a refund for any cut of beef a customer didn’t like, he said.
"A brand is a contract with the customer," Stott said.
He’s not worried about a long-term increase in the retail price of beef, saying people will pay for "a memorable eating experience."
"Gas has gone above $3 a gallon, but people are still driving," Stott said.
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