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"The beef industry is my love and my life!"Editor's note: Kelli Loos makes it two weeks in a row as she writes this week's column about judging the National Beef Ambassador Contest. Does that statement match your beliefs? Have you ever said it out loud? Have you ever shared that sentiment over the microphone in front of a room full of people? Many of us are passionate about our way of life in agriculture, but how often do we share that passion with others--like-minded or otherwise? Last weekend in New Orleans, La., my final term as a judge for the 2008 National Beef Ambassador Contest, a young lady from Arizona stepped up to the microphone and shared those exact words with us. We were blown away. Not simply because she made the statement, but because you could hear it in her voice and see it in her eyes that she meant every word of it. And it came straight from her heart. Caitlin Williams, a sophomore from the University of Arizona, went on to win the title of 2008 Beef Ambassador and took home the prize money and top scholarship award. Sharing a place in the top five, who will travel the country in the coming year to promote beef, were Jennifer Rassler of Pennsylvania; Leticia Varelas of New Mexico; Michelle Wiggley of California; and Beth Wood of Wyoming. What an awesome group of young ladies. The sad thing is that only five of the twenty-one state representatives will get to serve the beef industry as a member of the National Team. From the field of high quality beef enthusiasts that gathered in New Orleans for this contest, at least two (if not three) teams of five could have easily been fielded to spread the good word about the nutritious benefits of beef to our consumers. A new component of the contest this year was a mock media interview, complete with cameras and a microphone. I don't believe there are many cattlemen who could handle the grilling these kids took, without wanting to plant a boot strategically in the interviewer's hind side. We may not feel comfortable in the hot seat, but let me tell you, these kids handled it very well. It's better we put a young, enthusiastic face in front of the camera to tell our story because they certainly have the power of persuasion. Consider, for a moment, the ability that these young people have to impact our industry. Sure, we can spend check-off dollars promoting meat to baby boomers, but how long will it be before they are pureeing their food and living on Ensure shakes? The peers of these young ambassadors, however, are another subject. These talented young leaders can and do affect both those of their own generation and the one younger than themselves. How many of you could blog about beef? How many of you even know what a blog is? (In case you are a little Internet savvy, check out the website of the National Beef Ambassadors at http://www.nationalbeefambassadors.org). These kids are using technologies we never dreamed of to connect to consumers in ways that we may not even understand, but we certainly need to consider worthy of our beef promotion funds. According to Carol Abrahamzon, program manager, during their 2007 term 28 ambassadors have created 102,979,814 earned television, radio, print and web impressions. They have spoken to 96,559 consumers and 9,106 producers at events across the nation, primarily in the very urban areas--Boston, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.--where most producers probably won't visit just to promote beef, but certainly regions that need our attention. Over 28 percent of the nation's population lives in the area between Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia, Pa., exactly where the ambassadors are working to promote our product. We can spend check-off dollars to tell producers how we are spending their check-off dollars to promote beef in our rural areas, but we are pretty much preaching to the choir. Why not up the ante to the National Beef Ambassador program and let the greatest, most passionate people in our industry travel the country promoting beef? They do so with enthusiasm, energy and a dedication to the way of life that they love so much. They want to guarantee that way of likfe will be there when they are ready to get back to the ranch. If we tripled the budget (currently a meager $28,000 for travel expenses), we could influence millions more consumers in a year and let them put a face on the people who raise their food. That is truly a long-term plan that will have a positive effect on millions: ranchers will maintain the life they love and have a market for their products and consumers will feed their families as much lean, safe and healthy beef as we can raise. If beef production, or any other agricultural endeavor, is your life and your love, spread the word and help find any way you can to support the programs that focus on the real future of our industry--our young leaders. Editor's note: Trent Loos is a sixth generation United States farmer, host of the daily radio show, Loos Tales, and founder of Faces of Agriculture, a non-profit organization putting the human element back into the production of food. Get more information at www.FacesOfAg.com, or e-mail Trent at trent@loostales.com. 10/29/07 Date: 10/25/07
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