Chewing The Cud

Boots have been polished, bags have been packed, and cowboy hats have filtered into airport terminals across the nation as cattlemen and women “Rush to Reno”, to take in the 2008 Cattle Industry Annual Convention and Trade Show held Feb. 6-9 in Reno, Nev. Along with the thousands of cattle ranchers attending the event, five beef industry organizations will meet including: Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board (CBB), National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), American National Cattlewomen, Inc. (ANCW), Cattle-Fax, and National Cattlemen’s Foundation.

Among all of the cowboy hats and polished boots, five young beef enthusiasts embrace the chance to learn, interact, and enjoy the convention. These individuals can be distinguished in the massive crowd because of vibrant red shirts emblazoned with the word, “BEEF”, on their chest. Their smiles radiate, their enthusiasm seems to bubble from within, and their passion boils over in anticipation for the year that is ahead of them. Who are they? Enthusiasm packaged in a red shirt can only mean one thing, National Beef Ambassadors.

Sponsored by the American National Cattlewomen, Tyson Foods, and Beef Checkoff Dollars, the National Beef Ambassador team travels the country promoting the beef industry in the hopes of increasing the demand for beef and adding dollars to the pockets of America’s cattlemen and women.

Putting Enthusiasm to Work

Michelle Wiggley of Red Bluff, Calif., doesn’t seem like your typical ambassador. Raised on a small sheep and goat farm, Wiggley is a junior at California State University Chico studying graphic design and agriculture business. Wiggley, however, realized that her voice could be used to aid another aspect of agriculture.

“Since I come from a different background, I feel I can talk to consumers as a consumer myself,” said Wiggley, who hopes to use her art and business background to someday portray positive images about agriculture. “I hope to connect with consumers and tell them our side of the story. I know that whatever the team and I are doing, we are enthusiastic and excited to do it.”

At the 2008 Cattle Industry Annual Convention and Tradeshow, the ambassador team has their work cut out for them. Media training, blogging, attending meetings, speaking with groups, and learning about the industry will keep the team busy as the week progresses. Team members include Beth Wood, Wyo.; Michelle Wiggley, Calif.; Leticia Varelas, N.M.; Jennifer Rassler, Pa.; and Caitlin Williams, Ariz.

Telling the Agriculture Story

So how do five young girls begin the plight of telling the agriculture story? Aside from traveling to various trade shows and consumer events, the National Beef Ambassador Program (NBAP) begins the challenging task of educating consumers about beef online.

“Because this country is such a technology-rich society, we have realized the importance of finding our voice online,” said Wiggley. “ If we can reach out to consumers through blogging and online editorials, we can begin to tell our story and connect with our target audience through a fun media form.”

Carol Abrahamzon, NBAP Project Manager, leads the group throughout the course of the year. As a cattle rancher herself, she understands the importance of connecting the producer with the consumer by telling the agriculture story.

“The number one objective for this program is to increase the demand for beef,” said Abrahamzon, a Minnesota native who has managed the program for six years. “The ambassadors are excellent at educating the consumers on food safety, nutrition, and beef production.”

Mission Accomplished

As the 2008 Cattle Industry Annual Convention and Trade Show concludes, the National Beef Ambassadors will continue to fight for America’s cattlemen and women. Traveling to consumer events, writing letters to print media, blogging on the internet, and promoting agriculture to producers and consumers alike keep these students busy in their year of service for the beef industry.

“The entire convention has been great thus far, and I have been totally blown away by all of the many industry professionals in attendance,” said Wiggley. “Being involved in this program has given us the opportunity to understand the beef industry and meet all of the many people in it.”

There is no doubt that the infamous red shirt of a National Beef Ambassador comes with a guarantee of great things for the beef industry. The year has just begun, the goals have been set, and their dedication to beef promotion is evident to everyone they meet. With their talent, enthusiasm, and passion for the beef industry, the 2008 National Beef Ambassador team will undoubtedly accomplish huge strides in educating the consumer and increasing the demand for beef.

My dear friend Lauren Willette joins me to discuss her experiences at the 2008 Black Hills Stock Show and of her dreams for the future.

Have you ever thought about the definitive moment in life that solidified your passion for something? I was asked that question recently about the time in my life when I really found my passion for agriculture. What is passion anyway? According to Webster’s dictionary, passion can be defined as an intense, driving, empowering emotion towards something. For me, my passion rests in agriculture. As I think back to the many highlights of my childhood. There is one story that stirs strong emotions of intense passion and a drive to continue this love of agriculture. Let’s head back to 1994, and I’ll share my tale.

I was seven years old, and I loved living on a cattle ranch. There were so many adventures and explorations to conquer on a farm. I would climb hay bales, play with the barn cats, sing songs, tell stories, kiss the bulls, and chatter with my dad. Being outside meant fresh air and sunshine, livestock and my daddy, freedom and independence. I loved every minute of it.

In 1994, my grandpa had a bottle calf. He told me that if I fed that bottle calf every single day and raised it until he was big and strong, he would give me his very best open heifer. I had always wanted my very own heifer, so I took the deal. Everyday after that, I went outside with my bottle of milk and fed my baby calf. Once he was grown and weaned like all of the other calves, Grandpa gave me my first Limousin heifer, 510C. I named her Breanna. She was the greatest in my eyes!

Breanna later had her first calf, a bull. His name was Jack, and I was absolutely smitten with him. Luckily, Jack was good enough to sell at the Black Hills Stock Show. Everyday after school, I would help my dad work on Jack and another bull, Jake. As an independent little tyke, I insisted that I do everything with Jack. I fed him, brushed him, and led him around every night in the barn.

In February, my parents and I made the journey to the Black Hills Stock Show in Rapid City, South Dakota with our bulls, Jack and Jake. I felt like such a big kid. I was seven years old and going to sell my first bull at a real cattle show. I was so proud of Jack, and I couldn’t wait to lead him around in the ring to show him off.

Except, what I didn’t realize, was that I was only seven years old. In reality, this was my parents’ business, and I was just the little kid. My determination and independence didn’t understand this concept when my parents told me that they would show Jack in the show and sale. I could only watch. I was devastated, but looking back now, I can understand my parents’ wisdom.

As Jack led through the ring during the sale, I could hear the cries from the auction as the bids came in. The ring men raised their hands while the auctioneer sang his song as the bids climbed higher and higher. Finally, Jack sold. My parents were excited, and I was so proud of my little bull. Then it hit me: Jack was sold. He wouldn’t be coming home with me in the trailer. He wouldn’t be in the barn to play with when I got home. We wouldn’t run to the fence to sniff my hand or lick my coat. Jack would leave with a stranger from Wyoming, and I would never see him again.

As we said goodbye to Jack before leaving our adventure at the Black Hills Stock Show, I cried and gave my friend a big hug around his neck. My mom took a picture, and that picture shows a very, very sad little girl. The lesson I learned that day was that agriculture isn’t for the weak. It takes sacrifice and heart; it takes determination and dedication. Most of all, passion makes a true agriculturalist successful.

I realized my passion for the beef industry that day. Since that sad day in 1994, I have sold my fair share of bulls. I have learned that agriculture is a business; however, it is also a love affair. No one gets involved in agriculture purely for the profit. In my experience, most in agriculture continue this lifestyle because of their passion. Passion should be the driving force in anything we choose to do. What better passion can someone have then to work hard to feed and clothe the world? God bless the American farmer and rancher!

The phone rang as I sat at my desk in my small apartment at South Dakota State University. Glad to take a break from my Spanish studies, I answered the call with a casual, “Hola.” The other end of the line exploded.

“Mandy, Mandy! This is Buddy Bear,” said my eleven year old sister, Kaley, excitedly trying to catch her breath, “I sold my first bull. It’s Nelly’s baby, but he’s big now. Some man came to buy him today, and Daddy and I sold him! I bet you don’t have all your bulls sold do you?”

No, I don’t. Could use that cash for college, too. Nelly was Kaley’s first show heifer, and if you couldn’t tell, Kaley was pretty darn excited to share the news of the sale with me.

My Dad stole the phone at that point, and filled me in on all the details of yet, another bull sale. Last week, I wrote about the first bull sale I made when I was seven years old, and call me nostalgic, but there is nothing more exciting than to see a 47-year old man as excited about being in the agriculture industry as an eleven year old little girl.

A love for agriculture runs in the veins. It’s something that lies within, and something I’m so proud to share with my family. When I’m at school studying hard, I know it’s for a good reason: someday my hard work will lead me back to the farm I love.

I guess that is why my friends are a lot like me. They are hard workers, they are dreamers, they are planners, and they are goal setters. They never settle for less than their best, and they push me to continue to pursue a career in agriculture.

That’s where my friend Lauren comes in. Like me, she is a Limousin breeder working to graduate from college, earn a good job, and continue to raise the cattle that she loves. Sometimes I’ll visit her apartment and find her asleep on the keyboard of her computer. With her cattle genetic printouts scattered on the floor, a genetics text book open at her side, and her check book opened and balanced, her goals and her passions clearly coincide.

Lauren works at a local feed lot to earn money for college and to learn more about production practices. She is an animal science major and hopes to sell feed upon graduation. Most importantly, she has begun to purchase her family’s farm and hopes to continue the tradition of agriculture that has been in her family for generations.

It’s in those moments, where exhaustion seems to pull at your soul and you feel too tired to continue the hard work it takes to reach your goals, when I have to think of Kaley. The youth and passion emanates from within. She doesn’t see the challenges and struggles it takes to continue the farm and ranch tradition. She doesn’t see the bills and the heartaches. She doesn’t see the ups and downs.

Then I look at my dad. He’s seen it all. He has felt the joys and pains of being a cattle rancher, and he still loves it. It’s in that realization that no matter how difficult and challenging production agriculture may seem, if it’s in your blood and if it’s truly a passion, there is nothing else in the world a person should do. With calving season just around the corner, I look forward to a renewed passion for the agriculture industry that I love. I hope you will look at yourself and find that same love for agriculture that lies within you. After all, there is nothing better than a good hard days work doing the one thing you love: agriculture.

The headlines have flashed with news about the largest beef recall in history. After California based packing plant, Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. voluntarily recalled about 143 million pounds of raw and frozen beef products on Feb. 17. USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) made the announcement that the products were unfit for human consumption because some of the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection.

With all of the hype about this colossal recall, the media has been buzzing nonstop about the safety and health of the beef supply. However, consumers have no reason to worry about the safety of the United States’ beef supply. In fact, this is a critical time for cattle producers to stand up and promote the safety and wholesomeness of the beef products they produce.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) Vice President of Public Opinion and Issues Management, Kendal Frazier stresses the safety of the beef supply. Frazier works to ensure consumer confidence and offers his insight on this historic recall.

The headlines have flashed with news about the largest beef recall in history. After California based packing plant, Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Co. voluntarily recalled about 143 million pounds of raw and frozen beef products on Feb. 4, 2008. USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) made the announcement of the Class II recall that the products were unfit for human consumption because some of the cattle did not receive complete and proper inspection.

With all of the hype about this colossal recall, the media has been buzzing nonstop about the safety and health of the beef supply. However, consumers have no reason to worry about the safety of the United States’ beef supply. In fact, this is a critical time for cattle producers to stand up and promote the safety and wholesomeness of the beef products they produce.

What Went Wrong

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) caught footage of the mistreatment of cattle at the Chino-based packing plant via videotape. Notably, HSUS is one of the largest leading animal rights groups with the main mission of abolishing animal agriculture. As a result of the video, USDA conducted an investigation of the plant and discovered that the plant was not in compliance with USDA FSIS rules and regulations, allowing non-ambulatory cattle to be harvested for human consumption without ante mortem inspection.

“It’s important to note that this recall is not about whether the beef was safe or not; its about how the cattle were handled and treated outside of the packing plant, said Kendal Frazier of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA), “We strongly condemn what happened at the packing plant. Every cattlemen that viewed the footage has been appalled about how the cattle were treated at that plant. This is not what really happens in beef production system in United States.”

So what is the media sensationalizing about? Is this really a food safety concern for consumers?

“As far as food safety goes, the media never fails to point out issues such as BSE,” said Frazier who serves as NCBA’s Vice President of Public Opinion and Issues Management. “The reason we have the safest beef in the world is that the United States has a set of interlocking firewalls to ensure that BSE never enters the food supply. For example, any specified risk material of a beef carcass is not allowed into the beef supply.”

What the Industry is doing right

“Plants must follow a set of regulations and statutes on the humane treatment of animals, and this plant was not in compliance with these regulations,” said Dr. Richard Raymond, USDA Undersecretary of Food Safety; “We suspended inspection promptly after inspection. The non-ambulatory cattle seen in the video unlikely entered the food supply.”

Through evidence obtained by Food Safety Inspection Service, the establishment did not consistently contact the FSIS public health veterinarian in situations in which cattle become non-ambulatory after passing ante-mortem inspection, which is not compliant with FSIS regulations.

“I can confidently say there is a low risk of a food safety scare for the beef supply in this isolated incident,” said Raymond. “It’s important to remember that this is a Class II recall, meaning there is a remote possibility for an adverse health effect through the consumption of this product. I would feed the recalled beef to my family, with confidence.”
Producers Need to Take Action

With the media presenting a hoard of misconceptions and assumptions relating to the general wholesomeness and safety of the United States’ beef supply, it is critical to recognize this situation as an isolated incident. As consumers try to sort through the fact and fiction of the news’ headlines presented by the lobbying giant, HSUS, it is crucial for American cattle ranchers to stand up and tell the agriculture production story.

With a doubt, cattle producers should follow best animal husbandry practices to ensure the integrity of the beef supply. In addition, producers should take the opportunity to explain and provide an accurate outlet for information to consumers concerned about the safety off the beef supply, as well as the welfare of the cattle harvested. As the entire beef industry chain strives to provide a safe, wholesome and nutritious product, consumers should feel confident and secure in the decision to continue to incorporate beef into a balanced diet.