Don’t be surprised to encounter a friendly face at the meat counter of your local grocery store eager to talk to you about beef. Ranchers in BC are making their consumers a priority by investing in this new, interactive consumer education program called Behind the Beef.
Over the next three years, Behind the Beef will have people in grocery store meat departments, throughout the province that are knowledgeable about both beef and ranching. These “Beef Educators” are there to help answer questions about how cattle are raised and assist customers with beef selection and preparation. Behind the Beef’s goal is to have 5,000 in-store events over the next three years.
Behind the Beef is giving customers easy access to information about their beef, where it comes from and how to select and cook a product that will live up to their expectations. “The goal is to help consumers have a great beef eating experience at home,” says Kevin Boon, BCCA General Manager. “Having someone help you select the most appropriate cut of beef for the dish you are preparing can save you time and money and most of all make you want to enjoy beef more often," explains Boon.
Changes in society have affected the connection consumers have with food producers, and with each generation the public gets farther removed from on-farm agriculture. Gone are the days of the local butcher who could give consumers advice, and also diminishing is the cooking knowledge and experience of previous generations. Behind the Beef aims to fill these voids by working closely with grocery stores and meat department staff to help customers get the best eating experience from beef.
Several large grocery retailers have enrolled with Behind the Beef and are enthusiastic about the program, “It has been truly AWESOME,” says Ken Clark General Manager Fresh Merchandising for Overwaitea Food Group. Shoppers are also seeing the value of the program. “Very helpful and very knowledgeable,” said one Safeway shopper in regards to a Beef Educator, “I was able to sample some beef while they helped me choose the right cut of beef and even gave me a great recipe to try.”
The Federal and Provincial Government has provided additional funding to meet the growing demand for Behind the Beef. Currently there are 16 Beef Educators servicing the following areas: Victoria & Vancouver Island, Vancouver & the Lower Mainland, Merritt, Kamloops, Kelowna, Vernon, Salmon Arm, Williams Lake, Quesnel, Prince George, Smithers and the Peace area. The majority of Beef Educators have a background in agriculture and/or meat cutting, and all have completed a mandatory Beef 101 Training to ensure they are providing consumers with accurate information.
We invite you to visit Behind the Beef in your area and talk with one of our knowledgeable Beef Educators. A detailed schedule of Behind the Beef events can be found by visiting www.behindthebeef.ca
Source: British Columbia Cattlemen's Association