Meat Foundation

Beef board: the operating committee of the beef board contracts with the foundation to oversee and administer applied research related to the post-harvest safety of u.s. Beef products and disseminate the research and other scientific information to beef processors. Foundation activities provide practical, science-based research that can be used by in-plant personnel and others to ensure the safety of the supply. The foundation oversees a panel of industry and academic experts and practitioners to establish research priorities and evaluate proposals. Based upon their recommendations, research contracts are awarded based on merit and priority need. After the award, foundation staff closely monitor the research contracts to ensure timely and complete research work products are available for distribution to the industry. Dissemination of research results and other scientific information is also undertaken by foundation staff. The beef board reimburses the foundation for the direct costs of the research contracts and dissemination activities. In addition, administrative and management costs incurred by the foundation to administer the research and communication programs are also reimbursed. By law, the operating committee and the beef board contract with established national, nonprofit, industry-governed organizations like the foundation to implement programs of promotion, research, consumer information, industry information, foreign marketing and producer communications. Contractors are reimbursed only for the work they actually do for the beef board and are not allowed to make a profit from a checkoff contract. Checkoff funds cannot be used to influence government policy or action, including lobbying.

Scholarships: the meat foundation awards merit-based scholarships annually to recognize exceptional undergraduate and graduate students pursuing careers in the meat industry. Many scholarships are named after important industry icons; however, the board of directors may also award additional scholarships based on qualifications. The scholarship review committee reviews student applications and scores them using a weighted rubric. After the committee members complete the evaluation of their assigned student applications, they send the scores to the committee chair. The scholarships are awarded and students are either assigned a general merit scholarship or assigned a named scholarship. The foundation awards 21 students total $110,000 in 2024.

Foundation research: foundation research includes the costs incurred from contracted research projects. These projects are reviewed and recommended by the foundation's research advisory committee and approved by the foundation's board of directors.

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