Involve, Prepare, Educate: The Beef Industry Issues Course at Texas Tech University

While on faculty at South Dakota State University, I was tasked with developing a “Beef Industry Center of Excellence”, a concept derived to engage students seeking careers in the beef industry. I have taken many of the underlying principles of the Beef Industry Center of Excellence to develop a course in beef industry issues at Texas Tech University.

The beef industry of the future promises opportunity for those who seek it. Along with these opportunities are challenges to navigate as the industry faces changes in environmental, welfare and global trade issues, along with high production costs and competition for resources. The innovative Beef Industry Leaders Course through the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at Texas Tech University aims to prepare students for those opportunities and challenges.

Whether a student is pursuing a career in the beef industry or plans to carry on the legacy of a family farm or ranch operation, the Beef Industry Leaders Course is designed to help individuals gain the communication, critical thinking and networking skills to enable them to be successful in their future beef industry endeavors. Throughout this process, students will be trained to become advocates for animal agriculture.

Major objectives of the class are to expose students firsthand to issues facing the industry, to facilitate interaction with industry leaders, and to share the message of the beef industry with other audiences. Many of the issues that the industry faces are a result of consumer misinformation and lack of education; students in the class learn the facts about the issues and learn how to speak to non-agriculture audiences regarding these topics.

Engaging students with industry affiliates and leaders is achieved by taking the class to NCBA and Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers conventions. These opportunities are pivotal in providing students with firsthand perspectives of the roles that NCBA and state affiliates play in the industry as well as provide tremendous networking experiences. In addition to the networking that students are able to do while walking through the tradeshow at NCBA, meetings with industry affiliates are also set-up, in an effort to further the opportunities for interaction. Students agree that this is one of the most impactful aspects of the class.

To culminate the semester, in conjunction with Agriculture Awareness Week, students make a presentation to the College of Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources to advocate the beef industry. It is the goal that in future years, this presentation will expand to a broader audience.

Past students have indicated that: “The Beef Industry Issues Class offered us a truly unique experience to meet industry leaders, travel to conventions and to educate others about the current happenings in the beef industry. These opportunities would not have been available to me without this class and I thoroughly enjoyed the class” Tressa Lawrance, Senior in Agriculture Communications and Education from Buffalo, WY. Nellie Hill, a graduate student in Agriculture Communications also reflected on the class: “The class brought together many different perspectives on the beef cattle industry, allowing the content to create dynamic discussion about key issues. As an agriculture communications major, I enjoyed the opportunity to work with people outside of my department and share what we learned throughout the class through our presentation to the college.”

Throughout the semester, teamwork, critical thinking and communication skills are fostered among students in the course. Moreover, by attending state and national beef industry events, students are exposed firsthand to issues facing the industry – many of which are addressed throughout the course. Most importantly, the course aims to aid students in developing leadership skills and a network of personal connections with industry leaders, giving them resources to utilize as they return to a family farm or ranch or pursue careers within the beef industry – and inspiring them to support and serve in industry organizations in the future.

 

Meet YPC Member: Mandi Sawyer

BY MANDI SAWYER, YPC Communications 

I was born and raised in the rural High Desert region of Northern California, an area commonly referred to as “God’s Country.”  Nestled up in the mountains, my family owns a commercial cattle and purebred sheep operation near a small town called “Bieber.”  In addition to our beef herd, we also run a handful of milking shorthorn and other dairy influenced crossbred cows that are used to raise Holstein heifers for a nearby dairyman.  Our sheep are registered North Country Cheviots (remember the sheep from “Babe?” Yeah we breed those) which are an uncommon breed not only in California, but also in the country.  Every day, I am grateful for what I learned growing up on a ranch and I know that without the responsibility and work ethic instilled in me I wouldn’t be where I am today.  I have learned that if something is not going well, then I’m not working hard enough and I need to rethink the situation.  One of my favorite quotes to live by is “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity” so all I can do is prepare and be certain I will recognize the opportunity when it comes along.

Before graduating as Valedictorian from my high school, I was involved with 4-H, FFA, FHA, Student Council, Yearbook, High School Rodeo and basketball.  In almost every one of those I also held an officer position, so needless to say I like to be kept busy.  After graduation I began pursuing a degree in Animal Science from the University of California, Davis.  At first I was culture shocked having come from a small town school of 70 people to a University with 30,000 undergraduate students (with several thousand more for each professional school and not including Faculty and staff).  With the help of Aggie Ambassadors and the Young Cattlemen’s Association, I quickly found my niche and started trying to make a difference in the agriculture industry.

Sophomore year, I found myself living in a barn, caring for two purebred herds and a small feedlot in return for rent and with an officer position in a club with almost no members.  I had my work cut out for me.  With the help of a couple other driven new members we slowly built up membership by attending local and state events, making meetings more fun and hosting quarterly socials where the club fed potential new members delicious BBQ’d Tri-Tip from the school meat lab.  Slowly but surely members started showing up to socials, then meetings and events until soon we had a solid group to help plan and run the Little International Stock Show, spring AI clinic, 4-H Horse Day fundraiser, FFA field day and Picnic Day float and educational booth.  All of this success at the chapter level prompted me to apply for a Young Cattlemen’s Committee state office, at which point I became the 2011 publicity chair.  Through this position I was able to travel and help the association run a successful event.   I met more producers than I can count and participated in meetings regarding important state issues that demanded producers take time out of their busy schedules to fight for their right to keep doing what they love.  The association even helped me attend the 2012 Texas A&M Beef cattle short course and 2012 NCBA convention in Nashville (AKA the most amazing trip of my professional career thus far).

Sadly, I had to graduate and become “an adult” for some time. In December 2012, I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science from the number one ag school in the world and two days later, I was flown out to northwestern Iowa by Trans Ova Genetics to interview for a position as a calving herdsman. The next day, I was offered the job and lo and behold I now live in Sioux County Iowa where I work for the largest bovine genetics company in the world. As a calving herdsman I care for bred cows and assist in calving and processing calves to make sure a live calf can be delivered to the client.  I help calve out all In-Vitro, Embryo Transfer and Clone recipient cows so that the best genetics in the Dairy and Beef industries can be utilized for generations to come.  I never in a million years imagined moving to Iowa to pursue my passion for beef cattle, but then again I had never heard of Trans Ova until about a month before I was hired either.  Now that I’ve been here for six months I know I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.  I absolutely love my job, the people I work with and the company as a whole.  I never know what the day is going to bring: Will there be an emergency C-Section?  Will I need to pull a calf?  Will I have to haul 8 loads of open cows in a snow/ice/rain/thunderstorm? Will we have no calves at all?  Will we have 16 calves before 10 a.m.?  The truth is we never know and that is what makes it so exciting.  For this reason I am grateful I grew up on a ranch and took every opportunity to gain experience throughout college, because it gave me the capacity to take on any challenge I’m faced with.

I might not know how long I plan on staying at this job or Iowa in general (or why I moved out here from California, which literally ever single person I have met out here has asked) but I do know that I’m passionate about what I do and I get to participate in the industry I love with amazing people every day and get paid for it!  What more could I ask for?  For now all I know is that one day I would like to own my own ranch, maybe even the one I grew up on but until then I am going to learn all I can and make as many connections as possible so that when the time comes I will be ready for the challenge of running a successful operation.

 

NCBA Accepting Applications for Public Policy Internship

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) government affairs office in Washington, D.C., is accepting applications for a fall 2013 public policy internship. The deadline to submit an application for this opportunity is July 8, 2013.

“NCBA’s public policy internship gives college students a one-of-a-kind view into the policy making process in Washington, D.C., while helping them prepare to transition from college to career,” said NCBA Executive Director of Legislative Affairs Kristina Butts. “We are looking for college students with an interest in the beef industry, public policy and communications to help NCBA represent cattlemen and cattlewomen in Washington, D.C. The internship is designed to work closely with the lobbying team on Capitol Hill and assist with NCBA’s regulatory efforts.”

The full-time internship will begin Sept. 9, 2013, and end Dec. 13, 2013. To apply, interested college juniors, seniors or graduate students should submit the application, a college transcript, two letters of recommendation and a resume to internship@beef.org. More information and the internship application are available on NCBA’s website.

“This isn’t a ‘check-the-box’ style of internship. NCBA’s public policy interns work alongside NCBA staff on critical issues ranging from agriculture policy to trade, the environment and more.” Butts said. “If you or someone you know is interested in this opportunity, we encourage you to apply.”

“My internship provided me a unique viewpoint of the beef cattle industry, while also allowing me to interact with Congressmen, attend meetings on Capitol Hill and work with trade representatives. It was a crash course to working in D.C. and should be experienced by all college students.“

-Jeralyn Stephens, Spring 2011 Intern, Communications Coordinator for Beefmaster Breeders United