June 28, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information contact:
Holly Martin, director of communications
816-383-5143
hmartin@angus.org
To view photo, click here. Individual headshots available upon request.
Cutline: Twenty-six American Angus Association® members from across the country attended the 2022 Beef Leaders Institute (BLI) June 13-17. BLI provides young Association members the opportunity to experience the beef value chain from pasture to plate.
Angus breeders engage in premiere education at Beef Leaders Institute (BLI)
Young Angus breeders gather for a week of producer education and development.
Twenty-six American Angus Association® members from across the country attended the 2022 Beef Leaders Institute (BLI) June 13-17. The annual event is hosted by the American Angus Association and funded by the Angus Foundation and Certified Angus Beef® brand (CAB®). BLI provides Association members the opportunity to experience the beef value chain from pasture to plate.
“We look forward to this event each year,” said Kara Lee, director of producer engagement for CAB®. “BLI provides a unique opportunity to explore all facets of the beef industry, while also learning from and forging connections with fellow attendees.”
Participants began the week at the American Angus Association in St. Joseph, Missouri. While at the breed’s headquarters, attendees met with staff to learn about the many departments and programs housed within the Association. Several Association employees offered insights, including Mark McCully, American Angus Association chief executive officer, Kelli Retallick-Riley, Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI®) president and Brett Spader, Angus MediaSM president.
Following their time in St. Joseph, attendees visited Tiffany Cattle Company in Herrington, Kansas. Here, Shane Tiffany, Tiffany Cattle Company co-owner, explained the intricacies of cattle feeding and marketing. Attendees learned how their decisions, specifically as seedstock producers, can influence cattle’s performance in the feedyard.
For the second portion of the trip, the group traveled to Ohio to continue studying the beef value chain. Participants explored the impact of genetics in the beef industry at Select Sires, and the role value-added products play in marketing CAB® at Hudson Meat Company. The final days of the experience were spent at the CAB® brand headquarters in Wooster, Ohio.
In Wooster, attendees were welcomed to The Culinary Center by John Stika, CAB® president. From a virtual packing plant tour to a hands-on beef fabrication demonstration in the meat lab, participants followed the entire process of putting a CAB® steak on the dinner table. During a week fully immersing themselves in the industry, the BLI class realized how the cattle they raise influence the industry well beyond their pasture.
“Educational opportunities like Beef Leaders Institute are incredibly valuable for our members,” said Jaclyn Upperman, Angus Foundation executive director. “We are proud to support programs that build strong leaders for the Angus breed.”
Providing continued education for the Angus membership is a priority for the Association. BLI is designed to provide members ages 25 to 45 with the resources to understand all segments of the beef industry. Attendees leave equipped as stronger, more effective leaders for the Angus breed and beef industry. For more information on BLI and applying to be part of the Class of 2023, visit www.angus.org/Event/BLIEntryForm. Look for the 2023 application to be available in early November.
— Written by Peyton Schmitt, Angus Communications
2022 Beef Leaders Institute Class
Daniel Adams, Union Spring, Ala.
Megan Ahearn, Wills Point, Texas
Nathan Baltrusch, Havre, Mont.
Bryce Barnett, Muscotah, Kan.
Kaitlynn Bolduc, Stavely, Alberta, Can.
Curtis Bryant, Stillwater, Okla.
Jeff Covell, Danville, Ky.
Brandon Creamer, Montrose, Colo.
Ben Crites, Paris, Ky.
Shawn Howell, Shelby, Ohio
Melissa Kenyon, Bellevue, Mich.
Margo Lehn, Long Pine, Neb.
Daniel McFarland, Baltimore, Md.
Lauren Mosher, Liscomb, Iowa
Kirsten Nickles, Wooster, Ohio
Luke Nord, Wolverton, Minn.
Lee Rincker. Savoy, Ill.
Jenessa Sawyer, Bassett, Neb.
Brett Sayre, Purdin, Mo.
TelRae Sherman, Mullen, Neb.
Justin Spengler, Jackson, Ohio
Casey Story, Flemingsburg, Ky.
Brooke Vincent, Moccasin, Mont.
Taylor Waugh, Goodhue, Minn.
Clay Williams, Bishop, Ga.
Jason ZumBrunnen, Lusk, Wyo.
About the Angus Foundation
Established as a 501(c)(3) organization in 1980, the Angus Foundation remains focused on its mission to support Angus education, youth, and research. The organization has distributed more than $3.9 million in youth scholarships since 1998 and has also invested more than $1.3 million in beef cattle research in the past decade.
For more information, contact the Angus Foundation at 816-383-5100.
ANGUS MEANS BUSINESS. The American Angus Association® is the nation’s largest beef breed organization, serving more than 25,000 members across the United States, Canada and several other countries. It’s home to an extensive breed registry that grows by more than 300,000 animals each year. The Association also provides programs and services to farmers, ranchers and others who rely on Angus to produce quality genetics for the beef industry and quality beef for consumers.
For more information about Angus cattle and the American Angus Association, visit www.angus.org.
