Nebraska corn-fed beef adds value to ‘center of plate’

Nebraska’s beef producers are the best in the world – and they are experts at converting Nebraska-produced commodities like corn and distillers grains into corn-fed beef that is featured at the center of the plate the world over, the Nebraska Corn Board said today.

The positive message from the Nebraska Corn Board ties in well to May being National Beef Month.

“Nebraska is well suited for beef production. We have the land, the corn, the ethanol co-product distillers grains and the processing infrastructure necessary to be a national and global leader,” said Dennis Gengenbach, vice chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board who is both a corn farmer and cow/calf producer. “It’s no wonder that you can find nutritious Nebraska beef featured on plates in homes and restaurants in dozens of countries around the world.”

This “center of plate” reputation goes along with the importance of Nebraska’s beef industry to the state’s economy – and the significant benefits of converting Nebraska corn and ethanol co-products like distillers grains into value-added beef. This is why the Nebraska Corn Board invests checkoff dollars into research and support for cattle production and into global market development programs that feature Nebraska beef.

Five of the nine farmer-directors that make up the Nebraska Corn Board also raise cattle. “We see the beef industry from many vantage points first hand, and we understand that working together to keep the cattle industry strong is one of the best ways to keep Nebraska strong, too,” Gengenbach said.

“There are a lot of advantages to transforming corn and the ethanol co-product distillers grains into a higher value product like corn-fed beef,” he said. “It provides positive economic activity that’s good for rural communities and the state as a whole. It’s to all our advantage to keep Nebraska beef at the center of the plate here at home and around the world.”

For more details on how the Corn Board supports the state's beef industry – including some $500,000 dollars invested annually into research and market development – click here.