SUMMER MEETING BRINGS REUNION by CCA Communications Director Katie Roberti More than two years since the last CCA/CCW Midyear Meeting happened in Rancho Murieta, the annual event was finally able to be held once again this year in person. On August 25 and 26, cattlemen and women from across the state met in Paso Robles to partake in the event. Although the meeting was held in the latter part of summer instead of its usual occurrence in June, the opportunity to gather as membership was more than welcomed. Hosted at the Paso Robles Inn, over the two days CCA and CCW business was conducted, guest speakers provided updates on a variety of issues—including carbon markets, price discovery, cattle health, sustainability and more—and funds were raised for CCA’s Political Action Committee (Cattle-PAC). The sections below provide a brief recap of news and policy discussions from the meetings and highlight the success of the 2021 Cattle-PAC Dinner Dance and Auction. Meeting Brings Big Announcements Following a morning of board meetings for CCA affiliates and committees—including the California Cattlemen’s Foundation, Cattle-PAC, Allied Industry Council and the California Beef Cattle Improvement Association—the General Session was the official welcome for all CCA and CCW attendees. After a brief welcome from CCA President Tony Toso, Toso, Hornitos, the microphone was passed to CCA Executive Vice President Billy Gatlin to provide introductions of CCA staff and updates. Several big announcements came from the staff update, including the introduction of two new members of the CCA office’s team. Earlier this summer, Katherine Dickinson joined the CCA staff as the office’s Administrative Assistant. As the first point of contact for incoming calls to the CCA office, Dickinson's introduction at the meeting provides a face to the name for members who have called or will eventually call the office and speak with her. In addition to managing the office phone, Dickinson now handles all selenium bolus and Anaplasmosis orders that come into the office. She is also helping coordinate tour meeting dates with local associations and processing membership renewals. At the Midyear Meeting, it was also announced that Ryan Donahue had joined CCA's staff. With a restaurant and foodservice industry background, Donahue brings a unique perspective on reaching new audiences. Donahue is working alongside CCA’s communication efforts to further expand the tools and messages used to carry out the Association’s mission. (Read more about Donahue’s background and journey to joining CCA’s staff by reading his Bunkhouse column in this issue.) 16 California Cattleman October 2021
One of the communications tools Donahue is already assisting with is the production of CCA’s new podcast, Sorting Pen: The California Cattleman Podcast. Podcast. The podcast was launched just before the Midyear Meeting and was further highlighted at the event. As of press time, the podcast now has five episodes published. New episodes are being released every other Monday, consisting of a discussion with CCA leadership and experts on issues specific to ranching and producing beef in California. To tune into the podcast, listeners can visit calcattlemen.org/podcast and listen via their web browser at no cost and without having to sign up for an account or download software. Episodes are also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts. The California Cattlemen’s Foundation (CCF) also brought some big news to the Midyear Meeting, announcing that CCF has hired its first employee. In July, Victoria Rodriguez was named CCF's Public Policy Advocate. Through this role, made possible by support from the California Cattle Council, Rodriguez is now working to educate state and federal policymakers about the environmental benefits, nutritional contributions and ...CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
