Beef lovers, industry leaders, and advocates,
In the world today, especially the United States, there are options in everything. What car you want to drive, where you want to live, what you want to do for a living, and (more to the point of the story) what you eat. This final option is one that people make on a daily basis, and it has a far reaching impact, especially on the beef community. There seems to be a “choose your adventure story” leading to what you eat each day. The two biggest questions that consumers ask themselves when is comes to beef are “to eat beef, or not to eat beef” and if so “what kind of beef”? Both of these are very logical questions, especially to an uniformed consumer. If their main source of information is large, public media, eating beef seems to be getting scarier by the day, when in reality, it is getting safer and healthier everyday. The United States, and many other developed countries, have the luxury of being able to turn down a protein source such as beef. In my travels, I have found that people from countries outside of the US understand this idea, and leap at the opportunity to eat beef, and recognize it as an excellent source of protein and other essential nutrients. We as Americans have the option to turn down beef for “alternative protein sources”, none of which hold a candle to all that beef has to offer. It is easy for the uninformed consumer to make this decision without the proper information. This is where other consumers, beef lovers, and industry members have to step up and help inform those making this decision for the wrong reasons. The second big choice that consumers have to make is what kind of beef they want to eat. Do they want grain fed? Grass fed? Locally raised? Organic? Natural? Angus? Hereford? Dry Aged? Select, Choice, or Prime? And even more importantly which cut? One of the 29 Lean cuts, or not? It is easy, even for someone who knows beef inside and out (literally), to get lost at the beef counter. This is another place where people have to step up and help inform people on what it is they may be looking for in a cut of beef. As the beef industry knows, our goal is to keep people coming back. If someone makes the wrong choice and has a bad eating experience, will they come back to the beef counter again? Are we bombarding our consumers with too many options? We know that it is great to give people the option to choose, and for every producer to have a niche they can fill, but is there a possibility of too many options? I can’t say either way, because I know what I like, and I love knowing that there is a choice out there for EVERYONE, but it is something I often find myself wondering about. I would love feedback on this subject from anyone!

Leaving you with beef for thought
– Kim

Beef lovers, industry leaders, and advocates,
As a National Beef Ambassador (and I know this goes for all of us, past and present), we are often asked the question, “What is a Beef Ambassador?” Personally, this is a question that I love answering because there are so many things that I can say about who we are, why we do it, and what I love about it. First, I see a Beef Ambassador as the youth face of the industry. Our job is to function as a bridge between producers and consumers. Many of the members of the team come from a producer stand point, while others can see more easily through the eyes of the consumer. This is one of the many reasons why it is so great to have a team. This year we literally come from all over the country, each of us with our own individual background in the beef industry. This allows us to connect with consumers on every level possible, as we all can see someone’s point or question just a little differently. The events that we attend are designed for us to establish a connection with people who would, in any other circumstance, never come in contact with the beef industry outside of the meat counter at the market. This is something that we truly enjoy. As I stated in my blog, “A Blessed Paradigm”, we have to remove ourselves from who we are and see the world through that particular individual’s point of view. This is something that will never grow old for me. Like reading a great book, I get to forget about what exactly is going on in my life, and honestly see another view of the world. While it may seem like I am glorifying our job, I am an honest believer that what we do makes a difference, and that we are so incredibly lucky to be doing this for an entire year. The reason that we do it is not for the title or the scholarships (they are amazing, I’m not complaining!!), but really it is because this is what we desire to do, whether it is within an organization like National Cattlemen’s Beef Association or American National Cattlewomen, or whether we are talking to someone at the store from an honest producer stand point. I am a beef advocate, like so many of the people who I have come in contact with through the organization. We are all “Riding for the Brand”. So the real answer is how could I NOT be doing this, there is not an option of do or do not, there is only the option of how well I can function as an advocate for this industry. This wonderful industry and beef community is what I love the most. Through this, I have had experiences that I wouldn’t trade for the world, and my time is not even halfway though yet. I have had the chance to bond not only with the people that I have met promoting beef at various events, but also with my team. This time last year, I would not have believed that I could have developed such close friends so quickly, those friends being my lovely teammates from Texas, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. While the travel and people are great, I cannot forget to mention how much I love working with honestly curious individuals. Whether it is sharing with people how I grew up, or answering questions on beef quality and safety, I love what I do. Now this blog was a bit of a rant on why I love what I get to do, but this program cannot be praised enough. I know how incredibly fortunate I am, and I love sharing that with others. So thank you so much for helping make this possible for all of us Beef Ambassadors, past, present, and future; just by reading this, you are supporting what I absolutely love about my job. I hope that I helped clarify any questions on what we do, and if you have any more, you know how to get ahold of me. Thanks and goodnight!

– Always Ridin’ for the Brand!
Kim

Howdy y’all,

I’m so excited to write to you from the TSCRA/TCW convention in Fort Worth, TX.

With an exciting schedule ahead I thought I would share with y’all a little about today’s event. This afternoon I was given the privilege of graduating from the Masters of Beef Advocacy program. Teaching, encouraging, and inspiring, NCBA’s Darren Williams conducted the commencement ceremony filled with passionate beef advocates. With critical issues on the table such as “Pink Slime” and the new BOLD study there couldn’t be a better time to complete the MBA program. As advocates, not only should we stand on the pride of our beef community, but we need the backing of a solid education in what we are marketing.

So what is the MBA program?

The following is a description from Beef.org -

The MBA program is a self-directed online training program designed to equip beef producers and industry allies with the information they need to be everyday advocates for the beef industry. MBA candidates will be required to complete six courses in beef advocacy, including:
• Modern Beef Production – Sharing the many benefits of modern, efficient U.S. beef production
• Animal Care – Explaining our commitment to  raising healthy animals
• Beef Safety – Communicating why producing safe food for consumers is a top priority
• Beef Nutrition – Explaining how great-tasting beef strengthens and sustains our bodies
• Environmental Stewardship – Sharing how we’re protecting the environment for future generations
• The Beef Checkoff – Communicating the value of your investment in growing demand for beef

Following completion of these courses, each candidate will be invited to attend a “commencement” training session focusing on online advocacy (Facebook blogs), one-on-one conversations with consumers and working with the media.

How do I get started?

Check it out at: http://www.beef.org/mastersofbeefadvocacy.aspx

As I talked with people from every angle of this great industry including Texas Cattle Women, Cattlemen, Veterinarians, Beef Cattle Professors, Members of Breed Associations, and Producers, it is clear that this is a community of individuals, dedicated to celebrating our accomplishments and strategizing to improve even further. Join the MBA community! We’d love to see you on the Alumni site!

-Emily E. Jack

Beef lovers, industry leaders, and advocates,
I would like to continue on the idea of John’s blog “Always Improving”. I don’t think that we can honestly take too much time to commend American ranchers for all of the work that they put in to their operations. While many industries are super controlled by the government to become more efficient, ranchers are some of the few who volunteer to make their industry a better one. Don’t get me wrong, I know that there are plenty of regulations that help keep our industry running in line, but ranchers are constantly pushing to be more efficient and better at what they do. One of my favorite classes this semester is Food Animal 101, an overview of food animal production as a whole, so naturally a large part of our time is spent discussing the beef sector. Seeing the actual numbers that US ranchers put up really helps solidify just how well we are doing. The United States raises 7% of the world’s cattle, but produces 20% of the world’s beef and veal. That is a pretty impressive sign that we are quite efficient. One instance where ranchers are pushing to be better is in the area of breeds, specifically developing new ones. The Beefmaster, Limflex, Brangus, and Stabilizer are all examples of breeds developed by taking the great characteristics of multiple breeds and creating a better breed. Another way that ranchers are improving is using a bull that has feed efficiency numbers to it’s name. These are bulls that have been monitored on how much feed they consume, utilize, and waste. Using a bull that is “feed efficient” will produce calves that gain more weight on less feed. This is not only an efficient use of resources, but time and money as well. No one has asked ranchers to be more efficient, they are doing all of this without being told to by a rule book or a law. Someone can always argue taht this is simply a way for the rancher to make more money, and let’s be honest, it is, but it isn’t the sole purpose. Any rancher’s goals are to 1) Keep their business afloat, 2) To maintain the health and well being of their livestock, and 3) To make sure that this is a business that has a future. There is no future in wasting resources, and there is a future in constantly improving. Whether it be in quality of cattle or feed efficiency, ranchers are using less and less resources and yet are still constantly increasing the quality of beef that they “bring to the table”.

Night Everyone
– Kim

Hey Ya’ll I’ve missed my BEEF friends!!

I do apologize for my long absence on the site. School’s had me bogged down with homework and I haven’t had the time to get my blogs posted in enough time. I know this was a couple blog posts ago but, Kim shared with the rest of you all how sustainable beef and other agriculture industries are. Not only do we want to produce more food with less land, but we want to continue to make sure we’re treating the environment such as the land and soil with the utmost respect in order to continue our way of life with farming. It’s important to understand how our actions affect one another and even if you aren’t a farmer yourself, you can still help our fight in making the environment sustainable for future generations. Although our blog primarily relates to beef nutrition and education of how cattle are raised, let’s think out of the box for a

moment and really appreciate the value of a simple piece of “dirt”.  “Dirt” or soil as most of us agricultural farmers and ranchers like to call it is the origin at which all life stems from. Our food is grown within, buildings are built upon it, it’s a natural air conditioner for the earth, and we are essential comprised of the very beings of this soil. Our beloved BEEF is one of those beings that depends on the quality of soil in order to produce a nice delicious and juicy steak. We as human beings cannot break down cellulose, a major building block in many plants.. Our bodies are just not designed to eat bland foods (: ! So we’ve worked out a deal with the thousands of cattle across the nation and for an exchange of free roaming privileges in our nation’s finest fields we’ve asked cattle to use their super complex stomach to break down the cellulose that our mere human bodies just can’t seem to digest like glucose.

For some, it may be shocking that something as simple as dirt has an effect on how our cattle are raised, but it’s the simple truth. Cattle are grazed on 2/3 of land in the United States that isn’t suitable for raising crops. Although these areas may not be suitable for crops to be grown due to the location of fields such as mountains, it is still important to make sure that we as a nation think of our actions and what the effects can result in either by soil quality or the quality of the grazing area for our cattle.  Did you know that cattle ranchers and farmers have a strong passion for the land? Over the last several years the NCBA has handed out several land stewardship awards to ranches and farms all across the United State for their participation in making the resources such as soil, rich and healthy for generations to come. Even if you don’t come from a farming background, you can help in this movement to make sustainability well known by following land management practices yourself. Recycle anytime you can whether that’s at work, school, and when you’re at home. The next time you’re about to throw out your leftovers, try starting a compost pile to use on your next garden project as fertilizer. By using organic matter such as compost, you are actually contributing to the soil and resupplying what you might have taken out nutritionally. Overtime the compost will start to decompose and organic matter will start to form and layer over the earth just like any other natural cycle.

Be sure to also visit explorebeef.org  and discover how farmers and ranchers all over the United States are giving back to the soil and making great beef in the process!

Please stop by to visit http://pathtosustainableliving.com/2012/sustainable-soil-management-practices-for-the-garden/ and find ways of contributing back to mother nature through soil and compost.

With a Cattle Calling,

Arika

One thing that I think is cool about beef cattle and the people who raise them is all of the new ways we are constantly improving.  This comes from things such as better using our resources to communicating better with our customers. This past week I was visiting Wulf Limousin a local beef farm and felt there were some cool innovations they were doing that I wanted to share. The first thing was something that I am very interested in and that is renewable energy. As we know cattle are already unique in the fact that they turn unusable grass into a delicious food but now the manure they leave behind is also valuable. Using methane digesters it is now possible to harvest the natural energy from the manure and turn it into electricity. The manure can also then be used as fertilizer to grow the crops as well as in some cases be dried down and used as potting soil or a soft bedding for the cattle. This is just another way that technology is helping us improve our practices and care better for the land and the planet.

Another innovation that I think is very cool was this family’s effort to start agri-tourism on their farm. Although while I was there this was still in the planning stage they hope to work with other types of farms in the area such as dairy, swine and poultry as well as crops to show those interested where their food comes from. They also the past couple of years have set up a small setting with many species showing what a farm was like in the early 1900’s to show the progress we have made. I would strongly encourage anyone who is interested in where there food comes from to find a farm to tour and see for yourself the great things that beef producers are doing today.

Cow Calf update: Cow and calf are doing well! the calf had to be treated for the disease scours this week however the treatment has brought his health right back to normal and he is growing faster than ever.

Howdy y’all,

It’s been a while, but I’m back and excited about today’s topic. Ag week is just around the corner and people everywhere will be in conscious appreciation of the role agriculture plays in their lives. Thankful for soft and  cheap clothes made of cotton, grateful for that crisp and sweet apple they bite down on as they run out the door, and over joyed by that delicious, safe, and healthy steak dinner they sit down to as a family, individuals everywhere will be celebrating Ag which touches their lives each day. But how do they know the steak they are eating is safe? Why are they comfortable feeding it to their family’s? This leads us in to our topic for the day:

Consumer Information through the Beef Checkoff

In a world where the average American spends 13hrs on the internet each week, this has been named the “information age”. We are not content with broad opinions anymore. We expect to be convinced by facts, studies and scientific findings. The key to this cycle functioning are the researchers, companies, organizations, and ranchers willing to stand behind what they are marketing, who believe that science will back them up. This is precisely the job of the Beef Checkoff Consumer Information teams.

Have you heard of the 29 lean cuts of beef?

Did you see information about the new BOLD study?

Did you realize that BEEF can help lower bad cholesterol?

Want to learn more? http://www.explorebeef.org/

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, the Beef Checkoff has achieved its goal in the mission to stand as a pillar supporting hardworking cattle ranchers and the product they produce. Gaining strength through scientific studies, the Beef Checkoff Consumer Information sector is successful, and an asset to not only the producer, but the consumer, offering hard facts and enabling informed decisions. Proud, and standing on hard truth, this is our Beef Checkoff.

Get excited for a recent study titled: Beef Checkoff Announces Landmark Sustainability Project

http://www.beefboard.org/news/111102SustainabilityStudyRelease.asp

Thanks and Gig’em

Beef lovers, industry leaders, and advocates,
As ranchers and agriculturalists, we have learned the amazing power of “buzzwords”. These are words that we use in the media and when talking to consumers to help clarify and support what ever topic we are discussing. One of these words that has been used extensively is “sustainability”. “Sustainability” is a word that helps let the consumer know that what we do is good for the environment, our business, and the future of agriculture. The funny thing about this word in particular is that to a rancher it means “exactly what I do and have been doing for as long as I can remember”. Our use of this word sometimes leads consumers to believe that not all farming and ranching practices are sustainable, when in reality, sustainable business equals good business. For example, yesterday in my Farm Animal Science class, we had a large agriculture employer come in and make a presentation about their company. They covered the extent of the internships that they offered and the large amount of acreage and cattle that they own. When they opened the floor for questions, one young lady asked “Do you offer internships in sustainable ranching practices?” The look on the presenter’s face was priceless. He took a long pause with a confused look on his face, then replied “Uh……no. Everything that we do is sustainable. If it were not, we would not still be running the same ranches that we started so many years ago. So no, we do not offer internships in sustainability, but if you intern with us, you will learn how to work on a “sustainable” operation.” I could have hugged him, because isn’t that the truth? While the idea of sustainability is no doubt important for consumers to understand, they need to realize that it is not limited to the few that call their operation “sustainable”. Ranchers have to work with conservation groups to manage the wildlife and with Public Land Management to keep track of species of animals and plants. Not only that, but they also have to manage their land themselves to make sure that it will be functional for the future of their family and their business. They rotate pastures, irrigate, feed hay, and manage water systems to be sure that their ranch will be productive for a long time ot come. Every rancher knows this, whether they chose to use this buzzword or not, and its time that every consumer knows it as well.

Good Night,
— Kim

Every state fair or large cattle show I go to I always seem to get the same question time and time again. “Why are all of these cattle tied up here? What are they doing with them?” So I am going to take the opportunity to clear the air on what all of this cattle show business is all about! This weekend I showed at the Alpha Gamma Rho Presidential steer and heifer show here at my home school of South Dakota State. This is a small regional show put on by members of the fraternity that allows youth from the South Dakota and surrounding states to get out and show off their cattle projects. I was fortunate enough to have champion Limousin heifer so all and all it was a good weekend! But let’s get started on the process of what all these 4-Hers and FFA kids do the whole year to get there cattle ready for state fair.

My show heifer for this year at the AGR Presidential Steer show in Brookings SD.

Step 1: Picking a calf.

In this step the up in coming cattle rancher will go visit a ranch (or if fortunate enough their own herd) and pick out there calf for the year. This is typically done in the early fall right before weaning.

Step 2: Getting to know each other.

Once the young 4Her has gone and brought the calf home they need to get to know each other and this takes a lot of time. During this time the calf will calm down and become more comfortable with you. Also during this time you can halter break your calf and teach it to lead.

Step 3: Getting ready for the show.

Once you have your calf trained well it’s time to grab a brush and get to work. To get ready for the show you need to have your calf looking like a winner. To do this you spend a little time every day brushing, blow drying and combing their hair in an upright and forward motion. This makes their hair look all full and fluffy.

Step 4: Going to the show.

This is the step that is most visible to the public and is to me is the most fun. You get a chance to show off the hard day to day work that you have put in with your animal. There are typically contest such as interviews on what you have learned through the years as well as showmanship where they see how well you are able to communicate with your animal and set them up to look the best they can. There is also the actual show where the judge will evaluate your animal as to how close it is to idea. Some of the things they are looking for are how muscular they are, How structurally sound they are as well as in some cases how attractive they are.

This is the simple overview of what all goes into those 4-H projects you may see at your local county or state fairs. But always feel free to ask any of these kids questions they are all very proud of their projects and would be happy to tell you about them!

Cow Calf update #2: Cow and calf are both doing well and enjoying the dry outdoors before this snow storm hits tomorrow. Luckily there is a barn nearby for shelter.

The other day, I happened to be on Facebook scrolling through the millions of posts left by my fellow friends and one post seemed to catch my eye. Now, I have to tell you in order for a post to catch my eye it normally is a controversial topic, a pretty awesome photography or a post that is absolutely hilarious that I just have to stare at it for a half an hour. This post, was a very thought provoking video that addressed veganism. The epic debate to eat or not eat meat, that tis the question! Ladies and gentlemen, I know most of our readers are lovers of the gentle cow and love its delicious steak sirloins, new york strips and filet minion s, but most college students my age beg to differ this opinion. College is a time where we’re able to discover who we are as a person and figure out our moral values. Not only do we learn to do laundry and do the daily tasks to function, but we are also left to feed ourselves nutritious meals on a daily basis! I know Mom constantly called me asking, “Honey, are you eating okay? Getting your three meals a day? You’re not starving are you???”  I swear, parents think we’re in capable of feeding our own bodies, but I digress. With feeding ourselves each and every day, we are given options on which to choose from and sometimes even influenced by fellow students on what we eat during our meals.

Recently, through the network of Facebook  I discovered a video titled “ The Vegetarian Myth”.  As I sat hovered over my computer I first started to wonder whether this woman in the video was in support of veganism or whether she was presenting facts that being a vegan really isn’t that healthy for you. I realized after about a minute that this woman was trying to prove that becoming vegan isn’t always the best choice. Author Lierre Keith of: “The Vegetarian Myth” talks on this youtube video of how most of society and our culture has been lead astray when it comes to the facts about nutrition and how beneficial being a vegan is. In reality, it all comes down to how much and what kinds of nutrients your body needs to be healthy and strong.  The most valuable nutrients that our bodies need for proper function such as fats: vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin E which are fat soluble nutrients that you can’t find in vegetables , only in meats such as BEEF! You cannot simply avoid these nutrients ot

herwise you will die without them. Not to mention our brains are made up of almost 80% of fat. With a vegan diet most consume too much sugar. This gives your body too much blood glucose which is an overload of insulin.   Many vegans are led to believe that they can make up for the nutrients that they cannot get from eating meat  by eating some other type of supplement for that nutrient, but it simply is not possible.  Lierre Keith believed this myth for 20 years of eating the vegan w

ay, until she noticed why her health collapsed. It is important to know the facts about such diets before you implement them on your own bodies. Even if you eat one 3 ounce serving of beef you’re supply your body with essential nutrients such as zinc, iron, and protein which make your mind and body stronger. It is proven that iron from meat can be absorbed easier by our bodies than from any other nutrient food. I recommend those of you reading my article today check out this video and share with other the vegetarian myth.

Click this link to view the video