June 9, 2009

 

For More Information Contact:

Shelia Stannard at 816-383-5152 or sstannard@angus.org

 

 

Davis Holder Attends 2009 Beef Leaders Institute

 

            Davis Holder, Barren River, Gamaliel, Ky., was one of 20 young members of the American Angus Association® selected to participate in the 2009 class of Beef Leaders Institute (BLI), May 31-June 3.  BLI is designed to cultivate leaders in the beef industry while enhancing understanding of the total beef production system.  This is the second year for BLI, sponsored by the Angus Foundation.

            Holder enjoyed the opportunity to be in the Association offices and seeing the feedyards, and will take all the information he learned at BLI back to his state association. 

            “I learned a wealth of knowledge about the beef industry, and the facts I learned will need to be shared with others,” Holder says.  “I have been considering placing cattle in a feedyard, so the information gained at Gregory (Feedlots) helps me make some plans for down the road.”

            After an evening and morning of learning more about the American Angus Association and its entities—Angus Productions Inc. (API), Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI), the Angus Foundation and Certified Angus Beef (CAB) LLC—the group loaded a bus and headed north, where they spent two days on tours.  Tour locations included Tyson’s beef processing plant, Dakota City, Neb.; Whole Foods Market, Omaha, Neb.; Gregory Feedlots Inc., Tabor, Iowa; Cargill’s Further Processing Facility, Nebraska City, Neb.; SYSCO Lincoln, Lincoln, Neb.; the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, Neb.; and Gottsch Cattle Company, Red Cloud, Neb.

            Engaging case studies were lead by industry experts in the areas of consumerism and cattle feeding.  Tom Field, executive director of producer education for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, challenged the beef producers to become more aware of what the average consumer faces at the meat counter by assigning them a beef purchasing project prior to BLI.  Each producer had to purchase a cut of beef, evaluate the meat counter and beef packaging and prepare the beef. 

            Tom Brink, senior vice president and chief risk officer for JBS Five Rivers Cattle Feeding, discussed breaking even and capturing the most profit while feeding cattle and walked the group through several marketing grids. 

            In addition, Mark Allan, associate director, global technical services with Pfizer Animal Genetics, presented information on the future of genomic enabled selection in the beef industry. 

            BLI is an annual event designed for American Angus Association members 25-45 years of age.  It is limited to 20 participants to allow for tours and discussion, and is based on application.  For more information about the BLI, the Association or Angus Foundation, visit www.angus.org.

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