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Kansas represented at 2009 Beef Leaders InstituteKansas Ron Hinrichsen, R & L Angus, Westmoreland; Steve Stratford, Stratford Seedstock, Pratt; and Jerry Theis, April Valley Farms, Leavenworth, represented Kansas as three of the 20 young members of the American Angus Association selected to participate in the 2009 class of the Beef Leaders Institute, May 31 to 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. All three Kansans agreed that meeting members from 15 other states and gathering information were highlights of the BLI. "BLI is a great opportunity to develop new friendships that hopefully become long-term," Theis says. "The 'chat sessions' in the evenings and daily conversations with other BLI members were opportunities to discuss current industry trends and new ideas with each other." Stratford said that he realized though we're all in the same industry--industry and Association decisions affect everyone differently. "BLI sure has opened my mind to the fact that we all have to look at the 'big picture' and our association and industry as a whole before we get upset or narrow minded about policy and decisions made." Hinrichsen says he left BLI as a more well-rounded beef producer and can be a better spokesperson for the industry having knowledge about the entire industry. "I have learned more about food processing, food service and ultimately the consumer." After an evening and morning of learning more about the American Angus Association and its entities--Angus Productions Inc., Angus Genetics Inc., the Angus Foundation and Certified Angus Beef 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 to 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 BLI, the Association or Angus Foundation, visit www.angus.org.
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