Beef’s Future Depends on Demand

In the beef business, demand means everything, and I see how this is true firsthand every single day.

My husband and I started selling beef directly to consumers after a surprising conversation at a class on how to grow our business. A neighbor said he’d lived in our valley for nearly 60 years and had never been able to buy half of a beef from any ranchers he knew. I told him I’d sell him one that very day. 

Since 2019, we’ve built Bingham Beef into a business selling everything from shares to individual cuts. We serve a local loyal base in North Powder, Ore. and reach more distant customers through our online store. 

What makes our operation unique isn’t just the beef – it’s the relationships. 

I enjoy talking with customers, answering their questions and even sharing recipes.

I also represent Oregon as a producer on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) and serve on the Beef Checkoff’s Domestic Marketing Committee, which oversees checkoff-funded programs promoting beef in the U.S. 

Serving on this committee has reinforced what I already know from my own experience – strong demand doesn’t just happen. It’s built through effort, investment and consistency. 

And, contrary to what some producers may believe, demand and consumption aren’t the same thing.

Consumption is simply how much beef people eat. Demand reflects how much they want to buy – even if prices climb. 

For example, U.S. per-person beef disappearance was estimated at about 59 pounds in 2024, and it’s holding steady in 2025. This is remarkable when prices are at record highs. Ground beef alone topped $6.12 per pound in the summer of 2025.

As ranchers, we’re great at producing top-quality beef, but producing it isn’t enough. If consumers don’t know why they should choose beef – or trust it – we could be left with freezers full of great meat no one wants.

This is where the Beef Checkoff can be so important. 

The checkoff’s mission is simple – to drive demand for beef through promotion, research, education and innovation – all funded by producers and importers. Many producers prefer to focus on genetics and herd health rather than marketing, so checkoff contractors are on the front lines creating demand for the nutrient-rich product we raise. 

The “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner.” brand reminds consumers why they love beef and keeps it top of mind.

However, promotional campaigns can’t do it all. Programs like Beef Quality Assurance help producers improve practices like injection-site techniques which boost per-head value while demonstrating how much ranchers truly care about quality and safety. 

This builds consumer trust, which also drives demand.

At Bingham Beef, our customers are increasingly aware of different cuts of beef thanks to the checkoff’s efforts. Even when food prices rise, I see customers staying loyal to beef. This is demand in action, and it’s exactly what the checkoff strives to sustain.

This is also how the checkoff’s work connects directly to my business. 

When customers ask about beef’s role in a healthy diet, I can point to checkoff-funded research. When they wonder about sustainability, I can share the educational materials developed thanks to the checkoff. 

The more consumers see beef positioned positively and confidently, the more likely they are to choose it – whether from me, their grocery store or a restaurant.

Some producers say they don’t see returns from their checkoff investments in their bank accounts. 

I understand it can be difficult to see the connection between a national ad campaign or a nutritional research study to the check we get for our calves, but those investments are helping keep beef in the spotlight, earning trust and loyalty from consumers. 

Even with tight cattle supplies and rising costs, U.S. consumers aren’t backing off of beef. Per capita consumption is still high, even as prices continue to climb. 

This kind of stability signals just how much consumers value and enjoy beef, and it doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of steady checkoff efforts to keep demand strong across the board. 

I challenge those who are curious about the Beef Checkoff’s value to learn more about what the checkoff is doing to keep beef at the center of the plate. 

Wendy Bingham is a CBB member and co-owner of Bingham Beef, located in North Powder, Ore. This opinion column was originally published by the Beef Checkoff on Sept. 29.