A contagious passion for agriculture and a respect for the individuals involved motivate Amanda Nolz to tell her story. As a fifth generation rancher, she grew up on a Limousin cattle operation in southeastern South Dakota. After serving as the 2006 National Beef Ambassador, Amanda Nolz has grown into a strong youth voice in agriculture. Whether speaking with producers, educating consumers, or facing agriculture’s biggest adversaries, Amanda uses her energy and passion to tell the food production story.
With the help of agricultural activist Trent Loos, Amanda has extended her blog Chewing the Cud to the airwaves, which airs throughout the Midwest on Dakota Trails and Tales. She has been published in numerous agriculture journals and has traveled the country touting her message to different agricultural organizations. Amanda is a sophomore Ag Communications student at South Dakota State University and is spending the summer as an intern with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service in Washington D.C.Chewing the Cud Mission
Amanda realizes the challenges we face as an industry. At the age of 13, she was ashamed of her farm background and tried to hide it in order to fit in with her high school friends. She vowed to never return to agriculture. With the next generation leaving the farm to pursue higher paying jobs, Amanda hopes to revamp the heart of agriculture and inspire young people to continue the tradition of ranching.
Amanda also hopes to unearth the lies spread by environmentalists and animal rights activist groups that use multi-million dollar budgets to rally well-meaning citizens around a cause with the hidden agenda to eliminate animal agriculture in the United States. These organizations use propaganda to spread vegetarianism, lobbyists to sway legislation, and economic devises to slowly cripple America's farmers and ranchers.
With these and other challenges faces production agriculture, it is important for our voices to be heard. Together, we need to protect our future in food production by sharing the HEART of our story. Are you ready to join Amanda as a strong voice for agriculture?
