by Bryan Salvage,editor
The National Live Stock and Meat Board is expected to consolidate with the National Cattlemen's Association to create the new National Cattlemen's Beef Association on Feb. 1.
The Meat Board will not simply disappear, but it will cease to exist as we know it today (see "Letters" on page 6 and an exclusive interview with Meat Board President John Huston on page 22).
Fulfilling a need
Back in February 1919, Thomas E. Wilson, president of Wilson & Co., suggested something unique for the times: an organization where red meat producers and packers could work together on mutual problems. The idea evolved into the creation of the National Live Stock and Meat Board.
"I think we have many problems to solve, and I think we can better solve them together," Wilson said during an industry meeting. His line of thinking was right on target then-and still is.
Industry insiders have told Meat Marketing & Technology that the Meat Board has earned a reputation for having one of the finest market research programs ever developed by a commodity organization.
One of its strongest points was that it wasn't a species-specific organization. The creation of its Deli Prepared Meats Committee, for example, was an attempt to determine trends in the multi-species deli department-a department once described as the supermarket's black hole (because of lack of deli market information.)
But nothing stays the same. Today, 82 percent of the Meat Board's staff hours are spent solely on beef projects and 95 percent of its total income comes from the beef segment of the industry.
Some industry insiders have voiced concerns about the fate of the Meat Board's multi-species projects once the merger becomes official.
Deven Scott, executive vice president of the National Association of Meat Purveyors, told MM&T: "We have worked closely with the Meat Board over the years. They have done an outstanding job. We're [NAMP] in the meat business here. We're concerned because the Meat Board was the one industry [organization] you could go to that was also in the meat - not species- business."
AMI President J. Patrick Boyle told MM&T that since producers tend to be species-specific, from the producer's standpoint it makes "perfect sense to go with species-specific organizations."
But he adds: "As you go further along in the packing and processing chain, multi-species organizations will continue to have a future. In terms of projects any organization at one time may have conducted, if [the projects] have merit other organizations or private-sector interests will find a way to continue to offer those projects-and maybe even stumble on a way to improve them."
Where do we go from here?
When I asked Meat Board President John Huston if he had any concerns about the continuation of multi-species meat marketing, research and promotion projects once the Meat Board consolidates with NCA, he said: "If we review the pork, lamb and beef industries' long-range plans, one of the common phrases you hear in each is 'we must be a more consumer- and market-driven industry.' If that's true, then we must seek ways to work together in those areas that make market sense for us to work as a meat industry. I'm very optimistic this will happen."
Here's hoping John is Right.