NCBA Bows Retail Beef Backer Awards Competition

DENVER - The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) based here, on behalf of the Beef Checkoff, unveiled its first national Retail Beef Backer Awards program, designed to award retailers who have demonstrated their commitment to outstanding beef marketing and merchandising programs.

Throughout the year, state beef councils and NCBA retail marketing managers will encourage supermarket retailers of all sizes and formats to enter the contest.

Winners will be selected in three categories:
* Independent: Fewer than 11 retail stores.
* Chain: 11+ stores. (Entries may be submitted as a company, banner or division.)
From applicants within these two categories, the judges will select a winner in the third category:
* Innovator: To be awarded for an innovative beef support program or product merchandising program that succeeded in increasing beef demand.

A committee made up of beef industry professionals will select the winners, which will be judged on the beef programs they offer that tie-in with beef checkoff-funded programs such as Easy Fresh Cooking labels, Beef Training Camp, Summer Grilling promotions, the Beef Value Cuts program and the on-pack nutrition labeling program.

Applicants will also be judged on retailer-originated beef promotions that focus on increasing beef demand among their customers. Such programs include outstanding beef promotions, co-marketing promotions, and customer education programs.

NCBA will announce winners at the 2008 Cattle Industry Annual Convention &Trade Show, Feb. 6-9, 2008 in Reno, Nev. The winners will receive an expenses-paid trip to the 2008 Cattle Industry Annual Convention & Trade Show, significant exposure in major trade publications, acknowledgement of their efforts among their peers and recognition at the 2008 Annual Meat Conference, said NCBA.

Winners will also receive a license to use the official 2007 Beef Backer Award logo as a sign of their retail accomplishments. The service mark is suitable for use in advertisements, POS displays and other promotional materials.

All submissions are due Oct. 31, 2007. Anyone (other than an NCBA employee) can nominate a participating retailer. Submission forms and contest rules are available at: http://www.BeefRetail.org/commBeefBacker.aspx.
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