MBA Alumni Site

For those of you who have finished the sixth lesson, you should have recieved an invitation to the MBA Alumni Site. The social networking site is going to be a great tool to connect people and ideas. I highly encourage everyone to sign up and check it out!

Race to the finish!

Everyone should have just received an email from Daren letting you know the last MBA course is published. The first person who attended the Manhattan training and finishes the course will be the first MBA graduate!

Also, here is an Abiline Reflector-Chronicle story that ran about the program earlier this week.

KS MBA training creates a buzz

I got an email from Daren early this morning saying he’s been flooded with emails from people interested in signing up for the MBA program, many of whom heard about the program as a result of the first class graduating here in Kansas.

The Beef Board sent out a press release about the first MBA graduation and KLA featured it in their weekly radio program. I’ve gotten word NCBA’s new Yong Producers Council (YPC) is getting a group together to train at summer conference and even received an email from a media person who wanted to take the program and possibly write an editorial over it.

LESSON 4 – BEEF NUTRITION

Another great course! Sometimes nutrition is hard to talk about because there are so many nutrients and numbers to remember. I think knowing that there are 29 cuts of lean beef is important. I’ll also never forget that beef has ZIP – Zinc, Iron and Protein.
One way I’ve seen work really well for the Kansas Beef Council and K-State’s Collegiate Cattlewomen is starting up conversations about beef nutrition while giving out beef samples at the grocery store or another event. I think health-related events like Relay for Life and Heart Walk are a great fit, and many communities host them.
What other tips do you have for talking to consumers about beef nutrition? Where have you done this in the past and how has it worked?

LESSON 3 – BEEF SAFETY

I was glad we had a course focusing on beef safety because this is something that is on the top of consumers’ minds. There’s a lot of confusion about beef safety, as we saw with the statistics that many people think FMD and BSE are related.

However, one thing I’ve found is, in addition to the key points talked about in the lesson, sharing with consumers that the beef you produce that ends up in the grocery store is the exact same beef you put on the table for your own family can be very persuasive. Often knowing that the product is so safe you trust it for your own loved ones will be the reassurance consumers need to continue feeding beef to their own families.

What do you think? How do you approach the topic of beef safety with consumers?

How To Become a Resource for Journalists

The following tips were provided in the resources in the upper right hand corner of lesson 3 and I think they’re great advice. As someone who studied journalism in college and has written for numerous publications, I see a lot of value in these tips, especially responding to journalists’ questions promptly and concisely. Also, journalists tend to turn to people they know for info. So, if you establish a relationship with a journalist, they’re likely to call you for info when a beef related story breaks.

Building solid relationships with your local media is one way to ensure consumers are hearing the real information. The best way to build a relationship with media is to ensure they see you as a resource they can turn to at any time. Below are five easy ways to make sure you remain a constant resource to your local media.

1) Know Your Local Media Outlets: Know what your media is talking about. Turn on your local news programs and read through your daily newspapers. Nearly every media outlet also has a Web site, so take a few minutes every day to familiarize yourself with the content.

2) Just Say Hello: There are always opportunities to build relationships with your local media, even if you don’t have a particular story in mind. If you’re at a local event and you see reporters from your local newspapers or television shows, go up and introduce yourself. Share a little bit about your operation, and, if appropriate, give them your contact information should they have questions in the future.

3) Response Time is Key: Print and television journalists operate on strict deadlines. If they contact you for a story, respond to them immediately – even if you ultimately decide not to participate in the story or provide information, it’s important that you let them know you received their inquiry.

4) Don’t Skirt the Question: Sometimes reporters will ask you questions which you aren’t comfortable answering. However, don’t ignore the question altogether. Rather, let them know that you aren’t able to provide that information and invite them to contact you in the future with other questions.

5) Be Organized and Concise: If you choose to provide information for a reporter, remember that because they are on strict deadlines, they don’t have time to sift through a lot of information. Instead of sending them an entire document to reference, identify and send the few quick points that will help their story.

LESSON 2 – ANIMAL CARE

I really enjoyed this lesson as I feel communicating with the public about animal welfare is an issue of increasing importance, especially with instances of abuse footage being captured and presented as common industry practices. I also thought the homework exercise was extremely practical. Next time you come across negative information about animal care you will already have a response ready. It’s also a good idea to send your comments into papers even if there hasn’t been any misinformation presented in the publication recently. That way you’re the one starting the conversation, rather than just playing defense.

What part of this lesson stuck out for you? Have you had experiences where you’ve seen animal care being misrepresented? Were you able to provide your side of the story as well?

LESSON 1 – MODERN BEEF PRODUCTION

I really enjoyed the focus of this first lesson on the main point that ALL beef choices are safe, wholesome and nutritious. I think sometimes individuals and companies get caught up in marketing their beef product in a way that may help it sell, but sheds a negative light on the industry as a whole. What are some ways you can frame the choice to consumers that lets them know that all of the choices provided, including conventionally raised beef, are responsible ones – there are just other options to purchase beef raised with alternative practices for a premium.

Also, what stood out in this lesson for you and how could you see yourself using the information as you advocate for beef?

Remember to RSVP for March 30

Our training with Daren Williams will be Monday, March 30 from noon to 5 pm in Weber Hall 146 on the K-State campus in Manhattan, KS. If you haven’t already, please email me at cgood@ksu.edu to let me know whether or not you can attend. Here is a schedule for that afternoon.

12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.     Lunch and Your Role as a Master Beef Advocate

Daren Williams, Executive Director, NCBA Communications MBA Dean of Students

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.     Lights, Camera, Action!

Answering tough questions in TV news interviews
Mock on-camera media interviews

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.  Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.

Delivering the keynote address to hungry consumers in your community

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.     Surfing, Chatting and Blogging

Being an advocate in the online environment
Posting comments in response to negative articles in online news sites

4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.     Commencement

Welcome!

Welcome to the Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) class being organized by K-State’s Beef Cattle Institute and the Kansas Beef Council! We will be the first class to graduate and are also the largest class signed up so far.

My name is Chelsea Good and I’m a graduate student at Kansas State who worked on organizing this group. I first became interested in beef advocacy while serving on the 2004 National Beef Ambassador team. My experience traveling the country working with producer and consumer groups opened my eyes to a need to connect the people and stories of producers to the beef consumers pick up at the grocery store. What motivated you to sign up for the Master of Beef Advocacy program? Post a comment below introducing yourself and letting everyone know why you wanted to get involved.