Beef Checkoff Names PA Sweepstakes Winner

The beef checkoff, through the Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative, has announced the winner of its “Livin’ Lean. Lovin’ Beef.” sweepstakes.

Karen Pudliner of Charleroi, Pa., will receive a $250 spa gift card and a $250 grocery shopping spree to Redner’s Warehouse Markets.

The New Year’s beef promotion drew 42,795 visits by 13,980 unique visitors to www.LeanBeefSweepstakes.com for information about beef nutrition, and Pudliner’s entry was one of 37,631 sweepstakes entries total, representing increases of 87 percent, 81 percent and 47 percent, respectively, over 2012 participation levels.

The campaign ran in 111 supermarkets in the Northeast from Jan. 9 through March 29, during which 745 consumers signed up to start receiving the checkoff’s “Beef So Simple” e-newsletter – up 79 percent from 2012 sign-ups during the campaign.

By registering online, Pudliner was able to learn about the more than 29 different cuts of beef that qualify as "lean" according to USDA standards, as well as utilize six lean beef recipes. “My favorite cut of beef is the filet cooked on the grill," she said. "My husband and son also smoke beef in a smoker."

Gary O’Brien, VP of perishable operations for Reading, Pa.-based Redner’s, said consumers need to understand the value beef has as a protein source. "The on-pack nutritional program in conjunction with the marketing strategies the beef checkoff provides helps send a strong message telling the story about the importance of beef in our diet," he said.

Redner’s also awarded the grand-prize winner of the “Back to School with Beef” promotion last fall. “These programs bring attention to the meat case and help drive incremental and impulse sales with dynamic marketing and education," O'Brien said.

Established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill, the Beef Checkoff Program 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.