For Immediate Release - by SOUTH DAKOTA STOCKGROWERS ASSOCIATION

August 1, 2008

For more information contact:

Tom Connelley , 605-892-0053

www.southdakotabeefman.com <http://www.southdakotabeefman.com/>

The Challenge – No Losers

Consumers were educated about Country of Origin Labeling, townspeople were united in fun and competition, and two lucky winners went home with a delicious freezer full of USA beef. The National Day of the American Cowboy Challenge was a contest between two towns – Stephenville, Texas and Oakdale, Calif., - that both claim to be the “Cowboy Capital of the World.” Citizens of both towns sold raffle tickets to one half of a USA beef carcass, donated by South Dakota Beefman Tom Connelley , Belle Fourche , S.D.

Connelley says there were many winners and no losers in this friendly competition that successfully promoted USA beef for America ’s ranchers and provided a new method of consumer education about Country of Origin Labeling. Plus, he says, $34,950 were raised through the sale of raffle tickets worldwide with the help of the Internet. “The funds will go to the towns to be used for promotion of cowboy heritage and related activities like youth rodeos,” said Connelley.

“I was thrilled that Oakdale and Stephenville were game for this new challenge,” said Connelley. Oakdale slipped by Stephenville to claim the title by just 153 tickets. South Dakota Beefman will present the Oakdale Cowboy Museum a trophy, giving them the title “Cowboy Capital” for the year. “Both towns worked very hard to sell tickets and had a great time competing for the title. Oakdale will enjoy their victory but I expect them to have to work even harder next year to defend their status. There are many “cowtowns” across America that I hope will plan to join the competition in future years.”

Connelley says the biggest winner in the challenge is the US cattle producer because as townspeople in the competing towns sold raffle tickets, they helped educate consumers about USA beef. “Country of Origin Labeling will be enacted on October 1, and it’s up to us, cattle producers, to reach out to consumers to tell them about it, and explain the benefits of buying USA beef!”

“There are many ways to promote one of the most delicious, safe and healthy foods in the world – USA beef - we are limited only by our imagination,” said Connelley, whose beef is synthetic hormone free, antibiotic free, natural beef, dry aged for tenderness. “You know the best by the taste,” he says.

Find Beefman and his USA beef on the web at www.southdakotabeefman.com <http://www.southdakotabeefman.com/> .

Organizations representing over 14,500 USA cattle producers helped make the challenge possible: South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, US Cattleman’s Association. , Montana Cattlemen’s Association, Independent Cattlemen of Texas, Kansas Cattlemen’s Association and Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska. Debruycker Charolais also sponsored the challenge.