CENTENNIAL, COLO. — National Beef Month, which takes place in May, is getting a celebratory boost by the beef checkoff’s sponsorship of a number of summer promotions.

In-store displays featuring an instant redeemable coupon for $2 off beef with the purchase of tortilla chips is being offered through a Cinco de Mayo promotion with Snyder’s Of Hanover Tortilla Chips. The Healthy Beef Salad promotion, with partners Alberto-Culver's Mrs. Dash and California Cheese, will offer 50 million coupons for beef savings in Sunday newspaper inserts on May 17.

"The great thing about these programs is that all of the coupon redemption costs are covered by promotional partners," said Margie Hande, Cattlemen’s Beef Board member, a cow-calf producer from Amidon, N.D., and vice-chair of the Joint Retail Committee. "Our checkoff investment as producers goes toward the creative development and media costs for advertising these promotions. On average, for every dollar we invest, our retail partners are putting in $5 to $10. That’s a sizeable return on investment."

May Beef Month will also include a beer and burger promotion with Kraft A.1. and Anheuser-Busch, which will continue through June. The checkoff will then partner with Sutter Home wine to promote the Build a Better Burger contest where contestants submit recipes for America’s best beef burger in competing for a $50,000 cash prize.

A new promotion with Hormel Food’s CHI CHI’s and Herdez brands started in April and will continue through July includes in-store displays with coupons for beef purchases.