By Scout Nelson
The Kansas Beef Council (KBC) is expanding its impact in schools across the state by educating students, teachers, and school foodservice professionals about beef’s value in nutrition and cooking education.
During the 2024-25 school year, over 19,000 students in 147 middle and high schools across 48 Kansas counties took part in the Beef Certificate Program. This program supports family and consumer sciences (FCS) and ProStart classrooms with funding for beef purchases and provides lesson plans based on educational standards. Topics include selecting lean beef, cooking methods, nutrition, and beef production. These tools offer hands-on cooking lessons while teaching students about beef’s origin and its role in a healthy diet.
To make classroom learning even more valuable, KBC launched Beef Sustainability Readers that meet Next Generation Science Standards. These materials are used in STEM and family and consumer science classes and help students think critically about food systems and environmental impact.
“Together, these outreach efforts foster trust in beef by giving students and educators science-based information and real-world experience. Beef producers can take pride in knowing their investment is preparing today’s students to become tomorrow’s informed consumers and champions of beef.”
Beyond the classroom, KBC also supported foodservice professionals by sharing educational materials, including new school beef recipes. These resources were offered at the Heartland Farm to School Institute, a collaborative retreat for school nutrition leaders from Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.
Through these efforts, KBC builds trust in beef by providing science-backed knowledge and a real-world cooking experience. By supporting students, teachers, and foodservice leaders, KBC is helping prepare today’s learners to be informed consumers and future supporters of the beef industry.
Photo Credit:kansas-livestock-foundation
Categories: Kansas, Education, Livestock, Beef Cattle