Colorado Beef Council Names Gregory Bloom New Executive Director 

Replaces Fred Lombardi, who retires June 30

Gregory Bloom has been named executive director of the Colorado Beef Council, effective June 1. Bloom, a 25-year beef industry veteran, replaces Fred Lombardi, who is retiring June 30 after 19 years with the organization.

"I'm excited about this opportunity to serve the great beef producing families and other beef industry stakeholders in Colorado, who feed consumers not only in our state but across the nation and the world," says Bloom. "I intend to use my experience on both the meat plant and consumer sides of the beef industry to help our industry better promote, educate and advance the understanding of beef, including its nutritional value, new beef cuts and unique ways of cooking it."

Bloom is a Colorado native who grew up on a farm near Brighton. His passion during his career selling beef, has been in educating consumers, chefs, retail meat cutters and food service sales representatives - especially on understanding beef cuts and how best to prepare them.

He spent two years during high school and college as an exchange student in Japan. Upon graduation from the University of Southern California, Bloom worked for a Japanese-owned beef processor in Denver selling and promoting beef to retail and foodservice customers in the United States and abroad. He has been active in the industry offering insight through seminars, his website and blog, and is the author of "Lost Lessons from Life on the Farm."

Bloom's wife, Christy, is a registered nurse, and they live with their four children in Douglas County, Colo., on a small ranch where they grow table food, ride horses and raise bees.

The Colorado Beef Council is instrumental in providing funding for the Colorado Beef Quality Assurance program. Colorado BQA looks forward to future collaboration with Bloom as he steps into his new role as CBC's Executive Director.

Colorado BQA, Industry Groups to Host Market Cow Seminar for Dairy Producers

Colorado dairy producers are invited to join the Colorado Livestock Association’s Dairy Council, Colorado Beef Quality Assurance, Colorado State University Department of Animal Sciences and Western Dairy Association on July 19 to gain first-hand knowledge about market cow carcass value and quality from the largest market cow packer in the U.S., JBS USA. The program will provide an opportunity for learning and discussion about improving the value of market cows entering the beef supply chain.

The day-long workshop, hosted by JBS USA in Greeley, Colo., will provide practical insight on increasing the value potential for market dairy cows. Beef is an important by-product of the dairy industry with market dairy cows supplying roughly 10 percent of U.S. beef and dairy producers relying on the sale of market cows for up to 15 percent of their annual income. It’s increasingly important for dairy producers to consider all of the efficiencies that their cows have to offer including their value to the beef industry.

Beginning at 8:30 a.m. on July 19, workshop participants will have the option to tour JBS’s beef plant. The unique program agenda will then focus on the ever-increasing importance of dairy beef in Colorado’s beef industry and across the country. Topics of discussion will include how market dairy carcasses are used, JBS’ approach to procurement and pricing of market dairy cows, milk processing and dairy beef growth in Colorado, updates to quality assurance programs and more.

Dairy producers throughout the region are encouraged to attend this exclusive event. Lunch and dinner will be provided. For more information and to RSVP, please contact Libby Bigler at 970-491-2333; libby.bigler@colostate.edu or visit the Colorado Beef Quality Assurance website at http://www.cobqa.org/. RSVPs are needed no later than July 1, 2016.

Assessing the New Consumer and the Trust Metric

From Beef Issues Quarterly - Shawn Darcy, Nikki Richardson

Consumers have instant access to a wide variety of resources including information on how cattle are raised for food. This access has created a dynamic in the purchase decision paradigm with consumers, where many are considering factors that focus on transparency in addition to price, convenience and taste.

There is a strong interest and concern around how animals are raised for food, yet most consumers have little to no knowledge about the topic. With the proper tools, the beef community can become part of this conversation and help shape consumer perceptions with the evolving consumer. Read more ...

5 packer concerns about show steers & how 4-H families can help

From BEEF Daily Blog - Amanda Radke

Summer is here, kids are out of school, and if they participate in 4-H, FFA or junior breed association activities, chances are they’ve been busy this month washing, leading and working on their show calves in preparation for upcoming shows.

I love the life lessons that kids learn from showing cattle; however, with the intense competition also comes those parents and kids who might be willing to step over the line of integrity in order to win.

This is not only wrong, but it’s unacceptable when it comes time to slaughter these market beef animals. At the end of the day, we are teaching kids to raise a safe, nutritious beef product, and that should always be at the forefront of parents’ mind and be kept at a higher priority than winning and losing. Read more...

New Colorado BQA Certified Producers