While at the NCBA CattleCon this past February, I heard one of the speakers say, “Bovine are God’s favorite protein, so we are blessed.” It was one of those fun little quotes I wrote down, thinking I could use it as a photo caption or something one day. However, I’ve come back to the quote again and again, thinking about it more.
There are a lot of uncertainties in our industry and our world right now. And whether it’s from all the hard work you put in day in and day out, a little bit of luck or a whole lot of faith in God, things always seem to work themselves out. That doesn’t mean there won’t be hardships along the way, but in the end there is a reason we continue to raise cattle and carry on family legacies of being in the beef business.
Last month, I spent a few days in Madison, Wisconsin, as a member of the Wisconsin Beef Leadership Institute team. Our group of 10 enlisted in a yearlong program with quarterly workshops hosted by Wisconsin Beef Council and Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association. This first session was titled “Finding your voice.” Later ones included production tours and legislative work. The goal is to improve our communication skills, expand our industry knowledge, prepare us to educate others, respond to media requests and advocate for the cattle industry, extending the impact of both organizations as we share our expertise with our local communities.
We had two packed-full days of slaughter plant tours, learning how to cut carcasses, yield and quality grading – dusting off the cobwebs from my livestock evaluation team days – comparing native, dairy and beef-dairy cross carcasses (and taste testing them), hearing research, strengths development and media training.
For me, one of the most impactful sessions was the advocacy training. I know what you’re thinking, “Oh great, more ‘Gen Z’ talk on social media.” And that’s what I thought at first, too. However, it was so much more. We focused on how to tell our own story, and for someone who’s been telling everyone else’s story for so long, it was a bit of a mind shift – switching seats from interviewer to interviewee. We were encouraged to keep our story simple, visual and memorable, and to be vulnerable and willing to share ideas, passions and desired outcomes.
Advocacy isn’t just talking about yourself. It is supporting a cause, taking a stand for someone or something you believe in. Advocacy comes in all shapes and sizes. Most people advocate every day without knowing it, from posting on social media, working with community programs or sharing what you do with a stranger.
It’s taken me a long time to find where I fit in the industry. Sharing stories of the industry, for the industry, is where I fit. I felt renewed and excited leaving our first session, blessed to be a part of an industry where I’m able to share my passion for beef with so many of you. So grill up another hamburger and eat another steak during National Beef Month because we are truly blessed, indeed.
