Rethink the Ranch

Masters of Beef Advocacy

Masters of Beef Advocacy is your go-to program for training and resources to be a strong advocate for the beef community. This free, self-guided online course provides farmers, ranchers, service providers, consumers, and all members of the beef community the tools and resources to become a beef advocate and answer tough questions about beef and raising cattle.

Earn Your MBA

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Join more than 30,000 members of the beef community in this advocacy program! The checkoff-funded Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) course consists of five lessons in beef advocacy, including:

  • The Beef Community Project - Context of raising beef from pasture to plate focusing on the community of people involved throughout the beef lifecycle.
  • Raising Cattle on Grass - An introduction to the first step in the beef lifecycle and the many benefits of raising cattle on our country’s vast grass pasture resources.
  • Life in the Feedyard - A discussion on the role of feedyards, including animal care, nutrition and environmental stewardship, at this important step in the beef lifecycle.
  • From Cattle to Beef - An in-depth look at the slaughter process and the humane handling and safety measures in place at today’s beef processing facilities.
  • Beef. It's What's For Dinner. - A primer on choosing and cooking the right cuts of beef and the important role of beef in a healthful diet.

The online lessons address environmental sustainability, beef nutrition, animal welfare and beef safety while taking advocates through the beef lifecycle, from pasture to plate. The course also offers historical context on the evolution of the U.S. beef industry from the time the first cattle were brought to North America to today.

Upon completion of five interactive online lessons, advocates will be equipped with the communication skills and information to be confident in sharing beef stories on social media and in our communities to help others better understand how cattle are raised and how beef belongs as part of healthy, sustainable diets.

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BQA - Cow Calf

Infographic Library

These popular checkoff-funded infographics help tell beef's story from pasture to plate. From the nutritional profile of beef, choices at the meat case, and the beef lifecycle.

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Masters of Beef Advocacy in the news

Masters of Beef Advocacy program reaches 20,000 graduates

The Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) program managed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, hit 20,000 graduates this week. Created in 2009, the MBA program is a free, self-guided online course that provides members of the beef community – from farmers and ranchers to students, supply chain members and consumers – with the tools and resources needed to become a strong advocate for the beef community.

Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. launches “MBA NextGen”

The Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) program managed by National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, launched updated advocacy training modules – MBA NextGen. MBA NextGen updates the popular MBA training modules making it easier than ever for a new generation of farmers and ranchers to share their story and advocate knowledgeably for the beef industry. Updated information and resources to help answer consumer questions are all accessible with the click of a mouse.