‘Where’s the Beef?’ program expands outreach to direct beef sales industry

When producers in Ochiltree County were interested in beginning direct-to-consumer beef sales, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent Scott Strawn reached out to colleagues to gather the information potential business owners needed to be successful.

That was the beginning of the award-winning “Where’s the Beef?: Economic and Legal Considerations for Direct Beef Sales” program, created in 2020. The program continues to expand, now offering videos, as the creators strive to help producers hear firsthand about the industry.

“In today’s market, it’s important for producers to be flexible in their marketing strategies, to create more opportunities for profit and options for risk mitigation,” said Tiffany Lashmet, J.D., AgriLife Extension agricultural law specialist and associate professor in the Texas A&M Department of Agricultural Economics, Amarillo. 

Lashmet said while there was a lot of marketing information about telling your story, building a brand and such, there was a real lack of information related to legal issues for direct beef sellers. There was very little information on what types of licenses might be required or what type of insurance someone should carry. It was this information the Where’s the Beef? program set out to address.

Helping producers manage risks

Lashmet and other AgriLife Extension specialists focus on helping producers navigate regulatory compliance, legal liability and other potential risks associated with direct-to-consumer beef sales.

“We created this program because AgriLife Extension, with experts in so many relevant topic areas, is uniquely situated to help people who are considering direct beef sales,” she said. “We have animal scientists who can talk about the various cuts and beef quality, we have economists who can help with considerations like pricing and budgeting, and we have an ag lawyer who can help folks navigate the required licensing and legal considerations for their business.”

Lashmet and Justin Benavidez, Ph.D., then an AgriLife Extension economist, Amarillo, and Strawn developed the program with funding provided by the Southern Extension Risk Management Education Center.

Expanding the course offerings with videos

The Where’s the Beef? program began as an in-person course. More than 700 people have attended workshops on topics such as labeling, licensing, budgeting, price-setting, risk management, storage and shipment.

But one of the participants’ favorite parts of the course is always a producer panel, where they have the chance to hear from people involved in direct beef sales every day, Lashmet said.

“Because of the popularity of the panel, we decided to seek additional funding to conduct interviews with numerous people from all facets of the direct beef industry and to share these interviews with the public,” she said.

The video interviews provide participants with more knowledge on entering and succeeding in the direct-to-consumer beef sales market. They include producers with direct beef sales businesses, a packing plant owner who works directly with beef sellers and customers, and the state regulation and licensing agency for these businesses.

These videos can help educate producers on topics including how to start a business, the types of software and equipment businesses are using, common mistakes direct sellers make, tips to ensure regulatory and licensing compliance, lessons our interviewees learned the hard way, marketing strategies and more, Lashmet said.

The advantage of the video series, she said, is that anyone can watch them online, even if they can’t find an in-person event to attend.

Outreach through multiple venues

Lashmet said the team, which includes Casey Matzke, a project manager in the Department of Agricultural Economics, and Lacrecia Garza, an administrative associate at the Amarillo center, continues to look for ways to expand the outreach of the unique program.

“Our Where’s the Beef? resources are truly one-of-a-kind,” Lashmet said. “I am not aware of any other resources focused on the legal and economic issues of direct beef sales like we have done.  From our handbook to our in-person course to these videos and the forthcoming online course, we provide practical, accessible knowledge to people interested in selling their beef directly to the consumer.”

More information about the program and all the resources is available on Lashmet’s Texas Agriculture Law blog.