NEW ORLEANS (Feb. 3, 2023) – Producers, advocates, students and organizations representing the best of the beef industry were recognized through a variety of scholarship and award programs during the annual Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show, held Feb. 1-3, 2023, in New Orleans.
2022 Environmental Stewardship Award Program Regional Winners
The Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP), which annually recognizes outstanding stewardship practices and conservation achievements of cattle producers, honored seven regional winners, including:
ESAP is generously sponsored by companies and federal agencies who share the cattle industry’s commitment to caring for the environment and protecting natural resources. Sponsors including U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Corteva Agriscience, McDonald’s, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partner with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) to promote environmental stewardship throughout the beef supply chain.
Beef Quality Assurance Awards
The National Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Awards, funded in part by the Beef Checkoff program and sponsored by Cargill, annually recognize outstanding beef and dairy producers, marketers and educators. Winners not only demonstrate high-quality animal care and handling principles as part of their day-to-day operations but also express a strong desire to continually improve their operations through BQA.
The 2023 honorees include Cow-Calf Award winner Wilson Flying Diamond Ranch, Nebraska; Dairy FARM Award recipient Temme Agribusiness, Nebraska; Feedyard Award winner Darr Feedlot, Nebraska; Educator Award recipient Dr. Tom Noffsinger, Nebraska; and the Marketer Award presented to Fresno Livestock Commission, California.
W.D. Farr Scholarships
Colorado State University graduate students Ashley Schilling of Timnath, Colorado, and Lane Giess, of Pierz, Minnesota, were each awarded a $15,000 W.D. Farr Scholarship by the National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF). The annual W.D. Farr Scholarship program, established by the NCF in 2007, recognizes outstanding graduate students who plan to pursue careers furthering the beef industry. Schilling and Giess were selected from 21 applicants based on their academic achievements, leadership and commitment to the advancement of the beef industry.
CME Group Beef Industry Scholarships
Ten students pursuing careers in the beef industry were awarded $1,500 scholarships by the National Cattlemen’s Foundation. The CME Group Beef Industry Scholarship program recognizes talented and thoughtful students emerging as industry leaders. The 2023 CME Group Beef Industry Scholarship recipients include:
Masters of Beef Advocacy Program Advocate of the Year
Tucker Brown of Throckmorton, Texas, was honored as the 2022 Advocate of the Year for his creative use of storytelling across social media platforms, along with continuing his family’s legacy as a sixth-generation cattle rancher. This award, given annually by the NCBA’s Beef Checkoff-funded Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) program, recognizes an outstanding beef advocate for success in engaging consumers who want to learn more about beef and raising cattle.
Trailblazers
The Trailblazers program, funded by the Beef Checkoff, was established in 2021 to identify, train, equip and empower the next generation of advocates in the beef community. Over the course of a year-long program, 10 elite advocates develop the necessary tools to facilitate quality conversations and help safeguard the work of producers, ranchers and cattle farmers across the United States.
The 2022 Trailblazers include Kacy Atkinson, Wyoming; Jonathan Black, West Virginia; Brianna Buseman, Nebraska; Haley Ammann-Ekstrom, Minnesota; Markie Hageman-Jones, California; Marya Haverkamp, Kansas; Natalie Jones, Nebraska; Shaye Koester, North Dakota; Sebastian Mejia Turcios, California; and Jaclyn Wilson, Nebraska.
