National Beef Month celebrated

May is National Beef Month, a month-long celebration to kick off the unofficial start of summer grilling season and of course promote America’s favorite protein -- beef.

National Beef Month festivities promote the cattle industry and highlight the nutritional benefits of including beef in our diets and its important role on our dinner plates. 

Every year the Illinois Beef Association celebrates 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 products.

Illinois Beef Association is inviting consumers to join in the celebration of May as National Beef Month by encouraging them to join the Beef Eaters Club, which is as easy and enjoyable as choosing to order beef when you go out to eat. Dine out at any Illinois restaurant during the month of May and order at least one beef item, then send in a copy of your receipt along with your name, phone number, email address and mailing address to the Illinois Beef Association to join the club and get the perks. Beef Eaters Club members can submit one receipt per day in May, for a total of 31 receipts. We are giving away a variety of prizes! Every club member gets the annual sticker, and each receipt submitted earns an entry into the drawing of one of sixteen prizes. Follow along on our IBA social media channels or visit our website www.illinoisbeef.com for more information about Beef Eaters Club and to stay in the loop as we announce some of these prizes!

Many local beef organizations utilize grant dollars from IBA to celebrate May Beef Month in their communities. Some groups, like Heartland Beef Alliance, Tri-County Cattlemen’s Association, and a few others have found success with billboard marketing campaigns promoting beef. Others, like Egyptian County Cattlemen’s Association, do printed ads in their local newspaper. We also have several groups that do in-person events, where they educate consumers and promote beef recipes, and IBA helps provide some of those education resources. 

Statewide, IBA has worked with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association on a digital marketing campaign targeting shoppers inside grocery stores, transportation hubs, event centers, and similar venues in Chicago and other downstate areas. This campaign will run the length of May with messages centered around summer grilling and the bold beef flavor that consumers love about our product. As we continue the celebrating of beef all month long, the Illinois Beef Association aims to promote beef as a nutritious and versatile protein, engage with consumers across the state, and of course - eat beef! 

As we continue the celebrating of beef all month long, the Illinois Beef Association aims to promote beef as a nutritious and versatile protein, engage with consumers across the state, and of course - eat beef.