BEEF MONTH IS HERE
May has been declared National Beef Month, a celebration to kick off the unofficial summer grilling season and of course celebrate eating beef. The month-long festivities promote support of the beef industry and highlight the nutritional benefits of including beef in our diets and its important role on our dinner plates.
Every year we celebrate May Beef Month because we know the value of the product, and consumers do too. Beef continues to be a top protein choice among consumers, not only for its stellar taste, but also for protein richness and nutrient density. In addition, beef producers are pioneers in sustainability, and innovators too, from soil stewardship to the prioritization of animal welfare and beyond. This month we celebrate beef producers and their truly delicious product.
Here in Illinois, we’ve geared up to celebrate beef statewide through Checkoff promotions, digital marketing, and of course, Beef Eaters Club. May is host to so much - Mother’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, the (hopeful) turn to summer weather, many graduations and the end of the school year, just to name a few. These milestones, holidays, and gatherings are the perfect time to rip the cover off the grill and cook up the perfect cheeseburgers, dine out fiesta-style with tacos or celebrate with a steak. I used to envision May as bright, sunny and flowery, as a kid, and now all I imagine is a hot red-coaled charcoal grill and a tender, juicy steak. The task falls on us to share that same warm, fuzzy, feeling with consumers, which is where May Beef Month and other annual Checkoff promotions fall so perfectly into place. This year, we shared that same sense-evocating message across the state, targeting consumers in urban communities like Chicago, Springfield, Peoria and Bloomington, in a digital-out-of-home campaign. This campaign hit digital screens in transportation hubs, grocery stores,
entertainment centers and more, this May, reminding consumers of the variety and mouthwatering tastes of the state’s top protein choice - beef. Beyond our targeted campaigns, we’re sharing the story of beef in a variety of other ways. I’m sure you’ve by now received the May/June issue of Illinois Beef and have seen this year’s family recipe features. Magazine editor, Olivia Hoots, has worked hard on this project the last three years, and we wanted to give these recipes, and the families that shared them, yet another nod and expand the recipe collection beyond what’s featured in the recipe spread. Thus, we put the our Illinois Beef Family Recipe Collection online for anyone and everyone to have access to these amazing beef recipes! Check out the full collection of Illinois Beef’s Family Recipes, and feel free to share your own with us! Maybe it’ll be a featured recipe in the 2026 issue!
This year we brought back the Beef Eaters Club, encouraging folks to not only eat beef during the month of May, but also support their communities by dining out! To join the club, all you have to do is go out to any restaurant or food vendor in Illinois, purchase at least one beef item, and then send in your receipt or a copy of it to us here at the Illinois Beef Association office. Every person who sends in a receipt is entered to win one of 16prizes, and receives the annual Beef Eaters Club sticker. It’s not too late to join, so get out there and be sure to eat beef!
Beef Leadership Academy Applications
Illinois Beef Association is now accepting applications for the ‘25-’26 Beef Leadership Academy class. This program is for beef producers ages 22-40 interested in developing their leadership skills and knowledge of the beef industry. Apply online at IllinoisBeef.com.
IBA Annual Meeting & Awards Ceremony
Tuesday, June 3, 2025
Exposition Building | Illinois State Fairgrounds
Join us June 3 for Illinois Beef Association’s Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony! We will have three Cattlemen’s Education Series sessions, a variety of breakout sessions and now including three BQA Continuing Education sessions. Registration is $40 and includes lunch, all of the day’s activities, tradeshow, and a prime rib dinner. Register online at IllinoisBeef.com or call the office at (217) 787-4280
Stay up to date on all things beef with insightful information in each issue of the Cattle Concepts newsletter!
For advertising, or to have your information included, please contact devin@illinoisbeef.com
by Devin Bollman
Producer Events
Check out how our affiliate organizations are celebrating beef month
Heartland Beef Alliance Logan, Mason, Sangamon, Tazewell & Menard Counties
Heartland Beef Alliance placed a variety of radio advertisements in their local stations with May Beef Month messaging, as well as placed a digital billboard in Lincoln.
Knox County Cattlemen’s Association
Knox County Cattlemen’s hosted a Fareway and Online Consumer Engagement Beef Bundle Giveaway, and did a ground beef donation to the food pantry.
Egyptian Cattlemen’s Association Randolph, Perry & Jackson Counties
Egyptian Cattlemen’s Association publishes a variety of summer grilling season advertisements in the local County Journal.
Prairie Beef Association
Prairie Beef donated ground beef to their local food pantry.
Annie’s Cheesy Cowboy Soup
A recipe from our very own Programs and Services Manager, Annie Schoetmer, featured in this year’s Family Recipe Collection.
What you’ll need:
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 finely diced yellow onion
1 cup finely sliced carrots
2 medium, peeled & diced potatoes
6 cups chicken
Seasonings of
Directions: Brown ground beef and drain; sauté onions and carrots until golden; combine ground beef and vegetables in pot; stir in potatoes, chicken broth, Rotel tomatoes and corn, let simmer until potatoes are soft (30-45 minutes); place block of cream cheese and seasoning in pot and stir until well combined; stir in shredded cheese and remove heat.
Find more of Illinois Beef’ Family Recipes at IllinoisBeef.
