Applications to attend the Young Cattlemen’s Conference due Feb. 15

Applications to attend the Young Cattlemen’s Conference due Feb. 15

This year, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) will hold its 30th Young Cattlemen’s Conference (YCC) for a limited number of young industry leaders, June 2-11, 2010.

MSGA’s Research, Education and Endowment Foundation (REEF) will nominate one person between the ages of 25 and 50 to attend the conference. REEF will pay the full cost of the program and provide $500 for travel costs.

The YCC program is considered to be the cornerstone of leadership training efforts within the cattle industry. The conference and tour’s primary objective is to develop leadership qualities in young cattlemen and expose them to all aspects of the beef industry. The tour helps young leaders understand all areas of our industry, ranging from industry structure to issues management, from production research to marketing.

Last year’s tour began in Denver with a comprehensive overview of the industry. The group took an in-depth look at many of the issues affecting our industry and what NCBA is doing to address these issues on behalf of its members. They received a comprehensive view of market information from Cattle-Fax. The group then traveled to western Kansas to visit various cattle producing operations in the area. From there, the group traveled to Sioux City, Nebraska to tour Tyson Fresh Meats, one of the largest beef packing and processing plants in the world. Tyson hosted the group and shared their views of the beef industry from a processor standpoint. Chicago was the next destination. There the group visited the Chicago Board of Trade and the Bruss Company, a large meat purveyor. The participants then traveled to the nation’s Capitol where they had a chance to meet with their respective congressmen and senators. The group also visited with a number of regulatory agencies that make decisions affecting agriculture.

Application forms are available on the MSGA website, www.mtbeef.org, or by calling (406) 442-3420. Applications are due February 15. You must be a member of MSGA and NCBA to attend.