Zoetis Cattlemen's College at Montana Stockgrowers Convention
January 6, 2014 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
Share:

NCBA’s Cattlemen’s College Lineup Set for Feb. 3-4 in Nashville

Zoetis Cattlemen's College at Montana Stockgrowers ConventionAre you headed to Nashville for the 2014 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show? Be sure to look us up! Montana Stockgrowers will have a Trade Show booth and we’ll be there all week! Be sure to download the #CIC14 mobile app or join the Facebook event to stay on top of the events.

DENVER — Celebrating its 21st year, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) Cattlemen’s College has established a reputation as one of the most thorough cattle producer education programs in the nation. Sponsored by Zoetis Animal Health, the 2014 edition of Cattlemen’s College offers a wide range of informative, hands-on educational workshops designed for cattle operations of every size and sector.

The program will be held Feb. 3-4, 2014, in Nashville, Tenn., headlining the first day of activities at the 2014 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show. Early registration for Cattlemen’s College and the convention ends Jan. 10, 2014.

Cattlemen’s College workshops include an outstanding lineup of industry experts during the course of two jam-packed days. On Mon., Feb. 3, participants will first hear from Dr. Arne Anderson as he presents “Manners Matter: Keeping You and Your Cattle Alive and Well”. This first class is aimed at the “dos” and “don’ts” of processing cattle through a chute, with emphasis placed on safety and efficiency for both the cowboys and the cattle.

Following this presentation, Dr. Jerry Lipsey will demonstrate how to select replacement heifers for longevity in a presentation entitled “Can Visual Evaluation Foresee Differences in Fertility?”, and Dr. Kent Andersen will discuss the selection of replacement bulls for fertility.

On Monday evening, Cattlemen’s College participants will be treated to a reception sponsored by Certified Angus Beef. The reception will be an opportunity to visit with fellow cattlemen as well as the afternoon’s speakers.

Starting Tuesday morning at 7:00 am, Cattlemen’s College classes begin with a keynote address by Bob Langert, who is the corporate vice president, and leads corporate social responsibility & sustainability for McDonald’s Corporation. Langert will share McDonald’s overall sustainable supply chain vision and how beef fits in. As sustainability evolves, listen in to see how McDonald’s is working with various stakeholders, including all parts of the value chain, to collaborate on social and environmental opportunities and challenges.

Proceeding Langert’s address, five concurrent classroom sessions will begin at 8:15 am with each classroom having specific areas of emphasis including resource management, animal management, ranch management, finance and business and consumer relations.

“Cattlemen’s College gives producers an opportunity to hear from some of the leading experts in topics that impact their cattle operations every day, as well as the chance to interact with those experts and ask questions,” said NCBA Executive Director of Producer Education John Paterson. “Many of the presenters are legends in the beef industry, and the wide variety of classes offers something for every producer. We highly encourage cattlemen and women to take advantage of this informative and educational program.”

Registration for Cattlemen’s College includes all classes along with lunch on Feb. 4. This schedule allows cattlemen to attend up to five 45-minute workshops.

Cattlemen’s College registration information, as well as a complete schedule for the 2014 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show are available at www.beefusa.org.

Big Kenny of Big and Rich Thanks Farmers on Southwest Airlines flight to Nashville BNA
November 19, 2013 Comments are off Montana Stockgrowers Association
Share:

“Big” Supporter of Farmers & Ranchers

By Lauren Chase, Montana Stockgrowers Association

220px-Big_rich_sahrac_coverWhen I think of the Grammy Award-winning country band Big & Rich, I can’t help but sing-shout: “Save a horse, ride a cowboy!” This song is a feel-good, up-beat tune that is recognizable from when the first “dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-dum-daaaa” is sung. I can even remember it being one of the warm-up songs before my high school basketball game.

While this song is what most people associate with Big and Rich, this week, I got to see the band in a new light.

I was on a flight from Las Vegas to Nashville after Ryan and I presented at the Idaho Cattle Association’s Convention and Trade Show. It was my first experience flying Southwest Airlines and was still getting the hang of picking out your own seat. Naturally, only the middle seats were left when I boarded so I nestled between two guys, both jamming out with their expensive-looking headphones.

The man on my left leaned over and started talking to the man on my right, referencing last night’s concert. Intrigued, I asked: “Are you guys in a band?” The man on my left said, “Well, sort of. I’m the drummer for Big & Rich.”

“Oh, that’s cool,” I replied. We talked for a while about the pressures of being a professional musician and frankly, I now have a new-found respect for the music scene. That night in Nashville, he was supposed to learn an entire set-list of songs for a new country singer so he put his headphones on and started practicing his drumming. I then decided to start editing video from the Idaho Cattle Convention. A man across the aisle wearing bell-bottom jeans, a fitted corduroy jacket, a bandana and trucker’s cap that said “Electro Shine” on it leaned over and asked if those guys were being mean to me. I smiled and said, “No, everyone is getting along just fine. We’re all being creative!” He asked what I was working on and I explained that I work for the beef industry in promotions…thinking he would say some nicety and then turn back to his group. But his reply was shocking: “I LOVE CATTLE!”

Kenny and LaurenThat sparked further conversation about how his father runs a cattle farm in Virginia and how he loved growing up on the farm. The drummer whispered to me that this man was Kenny, the “Big” of Big & Rich. I felt dumb, but I was excited that I got to meet him!

As the flight went on, I showed him my coffee table book, Big Sky Boots…and he just loved it! We talked more about the cattle industry and how he does charity livestock auctioneering at the local sale barn. Kenny had questions about grazing, nutrition and profitably.  It was really refreshing to see someone who travels to many metropolitan cities and interacts with thousands of people, name off many breeds of cattle and be genuinely interested in learning more about the industry.

We de-planed at BNA and as a favor to cattlemen, he let me record the video below. Help me to thank Kenny (catch him on Twitter @BigKennyTV) for supporting America’s farmers and ranchers!