MOBeef Update

I have the pleasure of serving as one of the advisor’s for the Mizzou Collegiate CattleWomen, a group of young ladies at the University of Missouri who are dedicated to promoting the beef industry. The speaker last night was Dr. Anna Ball, a professor in the Agriculture Education Department at the University of Missouri.

She pointed out to the ladies that students involved in agriculture had two major differences from many other students. The first was leadership. Leadership is integrated into many aspects of the rural lifestyle. Most who grew up on farms incorporated 4-H or FFA into part of their daily lives. She also encouraged the girls to use those leadership skills to “witness” (like those who witness their faith) for agriculture. With less than 2% of the American population having any sort of a farm background, there are more questions than ever about our lifestyle and choices. It is our responsibility to tell our own story about producing food and fiber for the World. One way the beef checkoff does that is through the website www.beeffrompasturetoplate.com.

The second difference Dr. Ball pointed out to the Collegiate CattleWomen was the fact that agriculturists have always understood that they are involved in something bigger than themselves. To be a part of the industry that produces food and fiber requires team work, integrity and responsibility- every single day. It reminded me of the days that I had to feed the cows before school, break ice in the pond so the cows could drink, clean stalls before I could meet my friends at the high school football games or skip the swimming parties to mow hay in the summer so the cows could eat during the winter. Don’t feel sorry for me- I cherish those memories. Every time the “Saturday Morning Oldies” come on the local country station, I smile- thinking of the good times Dad and I had on the farm- working to produce a high quality, wholesome and safe product for dinner tables across the globe.

Want to know more about the Mizzou Collegiate CattleWomen? Here’s a link to their website: http://www.mocattle.org/CCW/MCCWindex.htm