Beef Checkoff-funded Research Program

Mission Statement 

To be the trusted source for Checkoff-funded research on the safety, quality, nutrition, and sustainability of beef that contributes to consumer perception and demand. 

Overview 

Founded in 1898, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is the oldest and largest national organization representing U.S. beef cattle farmers and ranchers. NCBA serves the beef cattle industry through advocacy, education, and research, with a focus on supporting a resilient and responsible beef system that produces high-quality, nutrient-rich beef. 

As a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, a producer-funded program established by federal law, NCBA supports and invests in research across four primary areas: beef safety, sustainability, product quality, and human nutrition. This investment extends beyond funding investigator-led research to convening leading scientific experts, fostering collaboration, and contributing to the advancement of the evidence-based understanding of beef's role in health and wellbeing. 

Research supported by NCBA, on behalf of the Beef Checkoff, is guided by principles that promote scientific rigor, transparency, and investigator independence, including:   

1. An independent, external peer review process is used in the selection of scientific research. 
2. Investigators retain the freedom - and responsibility - to publish findings. 
3. All funding sources and affiliations are fully disclosed in publications and presentations. 
4. Investigators maintain control over study design, methodology, data, analysis, and interpretation. 
5. Funding is never contingent on anticipated research outcomes, rather is awarded based on scientific merit. 
6. Prospective registration of funded studies involving human nutrition is expected for rigor and transparency. 
7. Human research is conducted under the oversight and approval of an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or equivalent independent ethics committee, ensuring the protection of participant rights, safety, welfare, and informed consent. 
8. Animal research complies with Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) or equivalent standards. 

U.S. beef farmers and ranchers are committed to producing a safe, high-quality, nutrient-rich protein food, and in supporting research to help advance the understanding of beef’s role in healthy dietary patterns. By upholding these scientific principles, NCBA seeks to foster a transparent, rigorous, and credible scientific process. To learn more about our research programs, visit the different program pages.