The American CattleWoman - Summer 2023 Edition

Make A Difference

Pam Griffin, AZ | ANCW President

As of this writing, ANCW is about to head off to Washington, D.C. to visit with NCBA, then on to legislative appointments. There will be fourteen of us attending this year ’ s meetings. As we know, there are so many imperative issues to address. First, we will meet with NCBA to be apprised of upcoming and current issues. Last year, although the NCBA Legislative Day had been cancelled our Past President, Reba Mazak felt it was of importance for ANCW to have a presence on the legislative stage. It proved to be highly successful. With the percentages of women owned, operated, or managed agricultural businesses, we have a large voice In speaking with NCBA, they felt the same We have decided to continue the momentum and have a separate ANCW Legislative Day NCBA can hold up to 25 of us in their conference room, we have doubled our attendance from last year to this Our intentions are to continue to grow ANCW’s membership participation in this event every year

I would expect that WOTUS, Endangered Species Act, Environmental Protection Agency, and Federal Lands, among other issues, will be at the forefront along with the other pressing situations that may be rearing their heads NCBA is doing a wonderful job, and on top of communicating anything coming down the pipeline that we should be aware of prior to meeting our legislators. We are looking forward to reporting back to you on our trip to the Capitol. [cont'd]

IN THIS ISSUE

ANCW REGION REPORTS

2023 SUMMER BUSINESS MEETING DETAILS

WIRED EVENTS TAKE PLACE ACROSS THE U.S.

JR. CATTLEWOMAN

American National CattleWomen

Attn: Ashley Hughes PO Box 700038

St. Cloud, FL 34770

Email: businessmanager@ancw org

Volume LI | Issue II

April | May | June

Questions or Comments?

Contact the ANCW Public Relations Committee Chairman, Cheyenne Sparks at ancwnewsletter@gmail com

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THEAMERICANCATTLEWOMAN

American National CattleWomen Quarterly Newsletter

The American CattleWoman is published quarterly: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter The American CattleWoman is designed to promote and develop ANCW programs and membership It is a newsletter published to inform and serve the membership and to interest individuals in the American National CattleWomen, Inc association

ANCW Leadership LtR: Vice President Nikki Weston of Utah, President-Elect Ruth Coffey of Oklahoma, and President Pamela Griffin of Arizona.

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY!

Join online at wwwancworg/join-or-renew ANCW offers multiple levels of membership for all ages of CattleWomen

ANCW has State Affiliates from coast to coast! Go to ancworg to learn more about the CattleWomen in your state.

2023 ANCW Leadership

President: Pam Griffin - AZ

President-Elect: Ruth Coffey - OK

Vice President: Nikki Weston - UT

Recording Secretary: Leslee Lohrenz – MT

Business Manager: Ashley Hughes - FL

CFO: Melinda Sarman - NV

Past President: Reba Mazak - FL

Parliamentarian: Barbara Jackson - AZ

BOD Chair: Kady Porterfield - WA

Region I Director: Brenda Kocher - OH

Region II Director: Beth Barber Jones - TN

Region III Director: Debbie Chute – MN

Region IV Director: Ddee Haynes – OK

Region V Director: Katharine Bruce - OR

Region VI Director: Callie Martinez - CA

Region VII Director: Shirley Thompson – SD

All reports and written material are subject to editing American National CattleWomen (ISSN1042-5233) (USPS 315 470) is published quarterly by the American National CattleWomen, Inc All rights reserved, including the right to reproduction in whole or in part, without written permission Marketing postage paid at St Cloud, FL and additional mailing offices POSTMASTER: Send address changes to American National CattleWomen, Attn: Ashley HugHes, PO Box 700038, St Cloud, FL 34770

[continued from cover] The Executive Team had their Leadership Training in Denver, Colorado this year The first day was spent with an Executive Meeting We worked on our plans for the year and team building. This consisted of digging deep and considering our personality types, which allows us to communicate far more effectively, freely and hold ourselves accountable to one another on behalf of ANCW. It was important to us to hold our second day of training at the NCBA offices. What an excellent decision. We grew our partnerships, had free and open questions and conversations, and opened the door for the entire Executive Team to become more familiar with NCBA operations, staff and our shared goals and ideas.

I was back to the NCBA offices in Denver quickly. The ANCW President is part of the NCBA Executive Team in an ex-officio position. The meetings have been so informative and exciting. I'm

thankful I have the opportunity to serve We have regularly scheduled meetings throughout the year It’s always such a pleasure to be in the NCBA Offices

My travels continue throughout the year I have been to see the Alabama Cattlewomen and Cattlemen Such gracious hosts; the meetings were fantastic! I was also interviewed by Western Ag Network on behalf of ANCW The Alabama Cattlewomen have so many wonderful things going on Then I was off to Georgia, again, such a welcoming and gracious group They too have some very inspirational things going on I was asked to speak on behalf of ANCW at their Cattlemen’s and Cattlewomen’s luncheon, I heard that has never happened before, so it was truly an honor My next immediate trips are New Mexico and Florida. I always look forward to meeting with so many powerful and insightful women. Nikki, our Vice President will attend Colorado’s state meeting, as I had a conflict. I know she’s excited to be with them. I plan on being with the Colorado membership for their winter meeting, barring any conflict. There are many more trips scheduled for the fall and winter, I am so looking forward to them all.

We are absolutely thrilled that we have approximately a hundred new members since January! I know we are so tremendously excited. We do also have in the pipeline, three states that are reaching out to become active once again. I’m hearing news of new organizations being formed in a multitude of states, which is so motivational for us all. We are seeing our next generation forming and becoming more involved, what an amazing time to be part of ANCW where everyone has a shared voice Our membership is vital, and the officer team is so grateful and honored to serve you! Please reach out to any team member if there is anything we can do to help you!

We look forward to seeing you at Summer Convention in San Diego, California on July 23rd to 24th! We have some excellent speakers joining us, committee and region roundtables along with our business meetings.

We send prayers to you all, for kind weather, for success in every endeavor, for joy in your days and of course, fat sassy calves!

Remember, in all you do, you #makeadifference!

Pictured Right: ANCW President, Pam Griffin, traveled to Denver, CO for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association Executive Meeting in March 2023

2023 ANCW Summer Business Meeting Agenda

Manchester Grand Hyatt | San Diego, California

Sunday, July 23rd

p.m.

Opening Session

Welcome – ANCW President, Pam Griffin – AZ

Pledge/Prayer/Creed – ANCW President Elect, Ruth Coffey – OK

Introduction of Executive Committee & Announcements

p.m.

p.m. 2:45 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m.

ANCW Executive Committee Meeting

Break

ANCW Board of Directors Meeting

NCBA Update – Ethan Lane, VP of Government Affairs

Reception – Location TBD

Monday, July 24th 8:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m.

ANCW Committee Roundtables & Reports

ANCW Region Roundtables & Reports

a.m.

Break

Guest Speaker 1 – Kiah Twisselman Burchett, Coach Kiah

Break for Lunch

Guest Speaker 2 – Sarah Fallon, Wild West Advocacy

Panel Discussion with ANCW Executive Team

Adjourn

ANCW President Elect Report

Ruth Coffey, OK | ANCW President-Elect

I am excited to share the moments I have experienced since the last Newsletter as highlighted moments for me this year This spring, I have assisted with setting up and carrying out the last remnants of a region meeting, helped disabled members attend the region meeting, and enjoyed meal conversations with many of our members from Region VI through Region IV. I can’t thank each of the ladies enough from these regions, for the warm hospitality I was shown, and their beautiful kindness as they gave me a small picture of themselves to take home THANK YOU, Regions VI, V, and IV!!!

The Region VI meeting was held in the beautiful farming valley of Fallon, Nevada which was encircled by colorful mountains I learned so much about the area and the fun ladies of Region VI Callie Martinez, Sandy Flack, and three year old Ainsley Martinez were my traveling companions from the airport to Fallon

I learned so much from the guest speakers and the ladies I was blessed to have conversations with The food that was served while I was there was just awesome! The WIRED program was a great experience. I noticed the best part about Fallon was the easy yard maintenance. Most yards were decorated with rocks & plants that do not need much water to survive. The backyard view of the mountains would put a smile on anyone ’ s face. Special thanks to Callie, Maddi, Melinda, Pam, & Nikki!

Next, I traveled to the Region V meeting in Denver Susie Magnuson and Kahla Mills were my angel escorts around town The meetings were held at the CSU Spur, located on the grounds of the newly refurbished Denver Stockyards The women representing Region V were amazing ladies The local chapters brought silent auction gifts that represented a small picture of the great places they had traveled from.

Pictured Top Right: CSU professor of animal sciences and renowned animal behaviorist, Temple Grandin

Pictured Middle Right: CattleWomen engaged in disucssion at the Region V meeting in Fallon, NV

PCaption

Pictured Bottom Right: Attendees at the Region VI Meeting in Denver, CO

(I was able to snag an auction item from the Routt County CattleWomen which just fit in my suitcase!) I met two ladies who had traveled by train to attend the meeting, they were so much fun The guest speakers were great, and the meetings were enlightening. The meals that were prepared were great! Our special steak dinner included a visit with, I like to say, Temple Grandin Unplugged. I had never seen Temple as engaged with her audience as she was that night! What a fun time! Special thanks to Karen, Kathleen, Katherine, Susie, and Kayla for this awesome weekend!

To wind up my region meeting experiences for this newsletter edition, I wound up at my stomping grounds, the Oklahoma City Stockyards. This meeting was well attended by the three states that Region IV is known for The Cattleman’s Steakhouse was the perfect fit for the meeting place It was fun getting acquainted with new faces, spending time with longtime friends, and enjoying the events that were planned for the weekend Representatives from each of our Region States brought door prize gifts which were a small picture of the states they represented I believe everyone enjoyed the food we devoured, the evening Canadian River boat cruise, and the WIRED event held at the Payne Ranch The weather for both days was amazing! Thanks to Cheyenne, Dedee, Tammi, Jill, and most importantly Kelly Payne for all that you did to complete the events for this last weekend.

Riley Domina Memorial Book Drive

Pam Griffin, AZ | ANCW President

On April 7, 2023, my great-granddaughter Riley Domina went to be with Jesus on Good Friday at the age of 4. I appreciate all of the kind words, prayers, and offers of assistance from everyone in ANCW. Something that has been proposed is an agricultural book drive in Riley's honor. As you know, youth was one item that was very important on our agenda this year, and I have been in discussion with the Education Committee to coordinate this With the future review and possible approval of the Executive Committee, and the gracious offer by Cheyenne Sparks to assist in setting up an Amazon list for members to be able to purchase and donate directly, we will be rolling out the book drive this fall

The mission of the book drive will be to get agricultural books in the hands of teachers, schools, libraries, and children that are in need of books to promote reading The Education Committee will be handling distribution Again, this will be submitted to the Executive Committee for review and potential approval first, and will be solely donation based We will be announcing details on how to participate in the coming months pending approval

Thank you all for your kind messages and prayers during this difficult time. They are very much appreciated.

Pictured Top: Oklahoma CattleWomen at the 2023 Region IV Meeting

Pictured Bottom: Ruth Coffey, ANCW PresidentElect at the Region IV Meeting

ANCW Vice President Report

Nikki Weston, UT | ANCW Vice President

TheAmericanNationalCattleWomenhavealonghistorywiththeAnimalAgricultureAlliance

TheAAAisanorganizationthatbringsproteinproducersandindustriesthatsupportprotein producerstoacommonforum Allproteinproducersareexperiencingsimilarsocialchallengesand AAAallowsusaplacetoworktogether ANCWisanaffiliateofAAAandthevicepresidentofANCW servesontheirBoardofDirectors

AAA’sMissionstatementis,“Wesafeguardthefutureofanimalagricultureanditsvaluetosociety bybridgingthecommunicationgapbetweenthefarmandfoodcommunities “TheAAAactually monitorsanimalrightsactivistactivitiesandsendsmembersalerts Forexample,thiswasanalert sentonMay9thof2023

AnimalrightsmarchplannedforSanDiego,California

OnMay13,SanDiegoVeganActivistsplantoholdtheSanDiegoAnimalRightsMarchat BalboaParkinSanDiego,CaliforniaTheeventisdesignedtopromoteveganism,endanimal “suffering,”andtopushforwhattheorganizersbelieveareanimalrightsAccordingtothe event'sFacebookpage,47peoplearegoingand114peopleareinterestedinattending

Theyalsoprovideresourcestoproducers,retailrestaurants,andinfluencerswithconcernsand issues Theycombatmisinformationonsocialmediaandtrainanimalagricultureadvocates

OneoftheAAAprogramsisCollegeAggiesOnline Itspurposeistoconnectcollegestudents fromacrossthecountrywhoarepassionateaboutsharingpositive,factualinformationaboutanimal agriculture Collegestudentscanreceivenineinteractiveandeducationalweeksofcontenttohelp thembecomeconfidentandeffectivecommunicatorsforagriculturewithguidancefromindustry andfarmermentors.Itisfreeofchargeandavailabletoanycollegestudent.

ThefollowingarehottopicsdiscussedattherecentAnimalAgAllianceSummitheldin WashingtonDCMay3rdand4th.Learnmorehere:https://animalagalliance.org/

The Right to Rescue. In Utah, activists broke onto a pig farm and stole piglets The activists were found not guilty because they were “rescuing the pigs”. This is a bad precedent for all animal Agriculture The Utah State Legislature took steps to close this loophole, but the activists consider it a win and are teaching this technique to be used in the future.

The Farm Bill. Animal rights groups such as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are actively lobbying on the Farm Bill to “build a more humane food system.” What they want to do is shut down all animal agriculture

Animal Welfare Certification Standard Pressure is building to create enforceable standards of animal welfare Each producer along the supply chain would receive a ranking of 1 through 5 on how the animals are treated at that facility This information would be publicly available and there is fear standards could be changed without the consent of those in the program

PHOTO BY MARTIN R SMITH

ANCW Education Committee

Debbie Torres, CA | Education Committee Chair

HeadingintoSummer

MakeadifferenceinyoursummerreadingCheckouttheBacktoBooksReadingListviaourANCW websitethroughoutthesummer.Wewillbeaddingnewreads.Checkoutourfeaturedreadeach month.

CreateaReadingChallenge

CreateaChallengewithlocalcommunitygroupssummerschoolclasses,communitycenters,YMCA, scouttroops,churchgroups-vacationbibleschooloryourlocallibrary.Whereeverkidscanbefound forsummereventsHowaboutcreatingaspecialreadingareawithinyourfairandexpodisplaysUse balesofhaytocreateseatingtogiveascheduledreadtimeduringthedayReadbooksabout ranchingandfarming.Youcouldevendressupasacharacterfromthechosenbook.Sharewithus yourarea ’seventsMakeitfuntoreadtogether–withfamilyorfriendsNeighborhoodreadsatan afternoonpicnicattheranchwithyourkids

ProjectAlert

BeefmanBrochuresarenotavailableduetoprintingscheduling.Wewillkeepyouinformedonthe progressofthenextprinting.Ournextorderswillhaveacostperbrochureincurredduetothe increasecostofprintingandmailing

MoovingForward

WecontinueforwardwithourprojectgoalsandhaveproposedsomenewprojectstotheBudget BoardforapprovalWewillkeepyouallinformedastothoseprojectsFoundagreatbook?Letus knowbye-mailingDebbiewithyoursuggestionsRemembertoincludethetitleandauthor LookingforwardtoourSanDiegoAdventure!Seeyouthere

GetMoovingtoReading

Region I Update

Brenda Kocher, OR | Region I Director

March 15- 19, 2023 Ohio CattleWomen had a booth at the Ohio Beef Expo The OCW sold beef items and worked membership for OCW and ANCW An Angus calf framed picture by F C Murphy was raffled off for any new membership purchased during the Beef Expo! Two ANCW memberships were purchased during the event

The OCW Treasure Dona Tullis and Brenda Kocher had the pleasure of representing OCW by attending an Evening of Gratitude event at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. OCW gives a yearly scholarship to a vet student. This year ’ s vet student scholarship went to Hunter Frobose.

Brenda went to the Ohio Cattlemen’s board meeting A together with our Ohio CattleWomen, Region 1 ANCW, an able to see what goes on at a Cattlemen’s Board meeting

On April 14, the Penn State Collegiate CattleWomen Clu Brenda had contacted Pennsylvania ANCW members, to s this event. Heidi Nicholas from Empire Livestock (Eastern States Livestock Auction Company) volunteered to attend this event. Here is her recap of the event: It was a nice event. The group did tours around the campus while handing out string cheese and beef sticks. I met several young women that are members of the organization, Taylor Garges, the president, has been involved in raising and showing sheep for many years. She is doing an internship with Purina this summer and hopes to work for the USDA in marketing after graduation. Alli Jobe from Westmoreland County is studying Animal Science with a minor in Ag Business. Her family raises beef cattle on their farm. Nina Coolidge is a gal stu teacher Her grandfather inspired her to become involve beautiful day at Penn State I picked up a few t-shirts an

Picture Top: OCW Treasurer Dona Tullis, Vet Scholarship recipient Hunter Frobose, OCW Vice President Brenda Kocher

Pictured Above: Meat-In-Day April 14, 2023 at Penn State Collegiate CattleWomen club

Pictured Left: Ohio CattleWomen booth at Ohio Beef Expo March 2023

Region II Update

Barbara Jones, TN | Region II Director

Springtime in Region II has started off with an abundance of early spring harvesting, row crop planting, and the much-appreciated grass to bale. In addition to the daily activities, the cattlewomen have been busy spreading the word of beef

The ladies in TN started the year with a successful fundraiser at the TN Cattlemen’s convention by raffling off a Henry 22 Rifle This was the inaugural year for this fundraiser, and it funded two scholarships During convention, TCWA sponsored the youth speech contest The division winner got to give their speech during the busines meeting Jennie Schutte Patrick, breast cancer survivor and farm mom, spoke to the group about

women ’ s health. Stephanie Nash, ag advocate, shared the many challenges facing the ag industry. TCWA attended the state FFA convention to spread awareness of the state organization to the youth

Florida Cattlewomen continued to do ranch tours around various parts of Florida This event gives exposure to the many facets of Florida agriculture FCW attended the “Boots on the Hill” annual event in which they served over 900 hamburgers to the legislatures The ladies also sponsored steak dinners for firefighters and county speech contest throughout the state Recently, the Executive Board participated in a leadership retreat at the Siboney Ranch in Okeechobee The 2023 FCW Beef Short Course was held in March with seven teams participating Physical competitions, lectures from Sarah Kreiger, and a delicious lunch provided by the Osceola Cattlewomen rounded out the event

Georgia Cattlewomen has elected new officers with Hailey Partian at the helm These ladies spent time spreading the word of beef during Ag Literacy week This leadership team has made a huge effort in providing educational workshops throughout the spring to assist in raising the education level on various agriculture topics. One example being spraying effectively and efficiently on the farm and pastures. In addition to all the social media post about beef, their leadership spent a day with 57 high school students teaching about milk. Beef sticks were left for snacks. GCWA also hosted ANCW President, Pam Griffin, at their annual convention back in March.

Alabama Cattlewomen have recently elected new officers with Henrietta Gibson as president During their convention, they hosted President Pam Griffin at the membership luncheon Recently, they awarded two scholarships The Louise Wilson Showmanship Scholarship went to Emma Wiggins and the Louise Wilson Academic and Leadership Scholarship went to Abbeigh Jo Gibson ACWA summer meeting and farm tour will be June 17, 2023.

The Region II meeting is set for the morning of June 10 via zoom. Details to follow.

Pictured Above: Florida CattleWomen Officers

Pictured Left: Florida CattleWomen Board of Directors

Region III Update

Debbie Chute, MN | Region III Director

Our ANCW Region III and VII meeting is coming up fast; June 23 and 24 in Watford City, North Dakota Emails and Facebook notices have been sent out to all ANCW Region III members. I am looking forward to the great speakers and events North Dakota CattleWomen have planned. ANCW President-elect Ruth Coffey will be joining us with an update. If you have not yet registered, please do so soon to help North Dakota CattleWomen plan accordingly.

There are two open ANCW committee positions that need new representatives elected at our region meeting. If you are interested in representing Region III on the ANCW Budget Committee or Membership Committee, please contact me prior to our region meeting

Registration and housing are open for 2023 ANCW and NCBA Summer Business Meetings

Dates and location are July 23 – 26 in San Diego, California ANCW meetings will be July 23 and July 24 Please plan to attend if possible

Finally, start making plans to attend the 2024 CattleCon in Orlando, Florida at the end of January. ANCW officers are working hard planning amazing speakers and events for our 2024 Annual Meeting! Registration will open August 15. As always, reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns at 218-330-0042 or dchute59@gmail.com.

2023 Region IV Meeting & WIRED Event

Ddee Haynes, OK | Region IV Director

On May 5th & 6th, 2023, the Oklahoma CattleWomen hosted the Region IV Meeting on Friday followed by a WIRED event on Saturday The Region IV meeting was held in the famous Oklahoma City Stockyards, Oklahoma City, OK

The morning consisted of an ANCW overview by Ruth Coffey, ANCW President elect, followed by State Presidents reports Reports were given by; Betty Garner, Arkansas, Cheyenne Sparks, Oklahoma, and Linda Thorman, who filled in for President Casey Matzke, Texas. Casey was unable to attend due to a family emergency.

Reports from region representatives of the Budget, Membership, Public Relations and Ways and Means Committee chairs were then heard. Following the reports, elections for upcoming open committee chairs was held. Pam Boothe (TX) was elected to the membership committee, Meg Stangl (OK) was elected to the budget committee, and Cheyenne Sparks (OK) was elected as the Region IV director. Ddee Haynes, current region IV director announced her decision to step down at the end of the year leaving one year of her two-year term open. Upon Sparks election, Ruth Coffey approved that Cheyenne would serve out the remaining year of 2024 from Hayne’s two-year term and then began her two-year term in 2025-2026. Cody Lewis, CKP Insurance, a region meeting sponsor, gave a presentation over their pasture rangeland forage program Followed by Greg Griffeth with Stockman-Oklahoma Livestock Marketing, who gave a short presentation discussing current issues with the cattle markets and the industry as a whole Stockman was the sponsor of the River Cruise, Region IV evening entertainment

During lunch, Heather Buckmaster, Oklahoma Beef Council, gave an update on what is happening with the beef checkoff and some of the new marketing campaigns in the works Following lunch, CattleWomen enjoyed a tour of the Oklahoma National Stockyards, Shorty’s Caboy Hattery, and Boxcar Wood The day ended with a River Cruise

Pictured Above: WIRED attendees practice ear implanting on real cattle ears provided by Merck Animal Health and Allflex Livestock Intelligence Pictured Left: Region IV Director, Ddee Haynes takes a picture of OCW Officers at the 2023 Region IV Meeting in OKC, OK

Saturday morning CattleWomen hit the road early to make the short trip to Mustang, OK, home of the Payne Ranch and Growing Paynes for the WIRED event After being welcomed to the ranch by owner, Kelli Payne, the CattleWomen started what would be a full day of learning through hands-on experience

First up was P&K Equipment, one of the largest John Deere dealers in several states. P&K talked about tractor safety and had two tractors, (a large one and small one) on site for members to drive. Up next, was Moly Manufacturing, Lorraine, KS. Owner, Jon Mollhagen along with sales representative Gene Dubas, demonstrated their hydraulic cattle chutes and working facilities. The demo demonstrated just how easy and safe it is to work cattle using only one or two people with their equipment.

Next up was Merck Animal Health and Allflex Livestock Intelligence. Merck representatives Jennie Hodgen and Hope Hancock, assisted by Jill Ginn, WIRED Co-Chair, offered three breakout hands-on training sessions Participants discussed DNA sampling, vaccinations, and implants

Multimin USA representative, Ddee Haynes gave a short presentation on using injectable trace minerals for immunity and reproduction While enjoying wonderful lunch, provided by Payne Ranch, KC Shepherd, Director of Farm and Ranch Programming, gave a fun and interactive workshop on media training and how to deal with different personalities Prior to the training, the group took a short quiz giving each individual their own personality profile It was amazing how accurate the results were!

Following lunch, Dr Rosslyn Biggs, Beef Cattle Extension Specialist, discussed animal disease and traceability using tags and record keeping. Dr. Biggs is a second-generation Veterinarian, following in the footsteps of her mother.

The group was then split into two breakout sessions. The first session was Backyard Butchery, a mobile processing unit. Owner and Entrepreneur, Tiffany Baxter, discussed how she will come to your ranch to process any animal that cannot be taken to a processing plant due to injury, lack of transportation and for animals that are unsafe for handling.

The second breakout session featured Rita Payne, owner of Growing Paynes. Rita grows vegetables and strawberries for consumers who enjoy coming out and picking what they want, all

PHOTO BY MARTIN R SMITH

Pictured Above: 80 CattleWomen from 4 states attended the 2023 Region IV Meeting & WIRED event in OK Pictured are WIRED attendees at host and sponsor, Growing Paynes and Payne Ranch of Mustang, OK

Region V Meeting Update

Debbi Anderson, CO | North Park CattleWomen President

It was a Rocky Mountain Rendezvous with ladies traveling from Montana, Oregon, Wyoming, and all parts of Colorado to meet in Denver All were road weary from traveling, but enjoyed catching up with each other or meeting for the first time at the evening mixer of food, drinks, and camaraderie.

Friday started with travel to the CSU SPUR campus on the National Western Stockshow grounds. Our first guest speaker, Dr. Jennifer Martin, Meat Specialist and Assistant Professor from Colorado State University, talked about meat production and safety in the modern era. She gave us an insightful look into what consumers want and expect from the beef industry. Meat safety and quality is what the consumer will pay for with their hard earned money. Dr. Martin explored the complex, interwoven, and ever-evolving pathways that influence the production of safe, sustainable, and high-quality meats, especially beef. She explained that all of the systems-based approach includes all facets of the process of getting our beef to the table It takes everyone and every step to get healthy, nutritious, and delicious beef to the consumers

Chef Jason then gave a demonstration on Beef and the Backyard Chef Jason is a partner of the Colorado Beef Council and ACE Hardware Stores He travels around the United States educating people on how to cook beef to get the ultimate eating experience with their grill or smoker He said pandemic and now eat at home more But, they he ultimate experience in eating it Most g beef, but all enjoyed Chef Jason’s tips and the

Up with Advocacy; which was a social media entitled it, “Buzzard’s Beat ” She continues with fessional career, via ranching and parenting Brandi ve communicators to consumers and how to build he shared that sometimes you will not be ading your news. The lifestyle of ranching, raising eautiful sceneries is something to talk about. She is a Colorado State University professor of st and autism activist. She gave reasons why our learning has been eliminated in some of our

Pictured Above: Chef Jason is a partner of the Colorado Beef Council and ACE Hardware Stores

Pictured Right Top: CattleWomen gathered to network and learn at the 2023 Region V Meeting in Denver, CO

Pictured Right Below: Dr Jennifer Martin, Meat Specialist and Assistant Professor from Colorado State University talked about meat production and safety in the modern era

Pictured Far Left: ANCW PresidentElect, Ruth Coffey, attended the 2023 Region V Meeting in Denver She spoke on her passions in the industry and the importance of ANCW

Pictured Left: Brandi BuzzardFrobose, talked about Amped Up with Advocacy, a social media workshop designed to help CattleWomen learn to be better advocates

ands or want to work in the g we need to have hands-on or us for teaching the beef tl ose techniques can be applied n, Some children can read or write W of what is expected of them is e a end getting her books to help c person. at treated with some building he tecture on the outside as well as the inside, along with creative in ou haven’t seen these facilities, you need to stop in They are much r all types of learning, from children to older CattleWomen In conjunction with the National Western Stockshow attendance, being able to utilize the knowledge the campus is teaching to young people, we are definitely going to leave you in the dust

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Region V had their business meeting, ladies committed to being on the board, were inspired by ANCW President Elect, Ruth Coffey from Oklahoma, and supported the silent auction, with proceeds to go to the Colorado CattleWomen to help pay for the expenses of the event One of the best success stories that I heard all weekend was of the caterer we had for our parting lunch meal Chef David, fed us the most amazing and delicious brisket His story warmed my heart more than the meal He had once been homeless and now has the “Scratch” catering business He learned how to bake from reading cookbooks at the Denver Public Library He wanted to learn to bake because his grandfather had a bakery once Chef David took what he learned, turned it into a thriving business so he could provide for himself and others. That is not any different than being a beef producer; we all know there are hard times, but we pick ourselves up from them and learn to survive and share our most delicious, wonderful product -- beef -- with the world.

We thank all of the contributors that made this event possible along with the committee for Region V. A big thank you to our sponsors: Rocky Mountain Financial, The Feed Bunk, Bunkhouse Burgers, Ag Risk Advisors, Farm Credit of Southern Colorado along with Colorado Beef Council. Washington State, Oregon, and Wyoming CattleWomen along with Routt County CattleWomen provided funds to help put on the Region V. Also, all of the affiliates that provided items for the silent action! Thank you, Thank you.

It was a great time with great food, friendships made and the next Region V will be in Montana in 2024

Anyone interested in joining Colorado CattleWomen go to; coloradocattlewomen org and for the American National Cattle Women; ancw org Both of these organizations are a great way to support our beef industry along with being your advocate for current issues

Region V Update

Katharine Bruce, OR | Region V Director

WehadawonderfulRegionVrendezvousinDenverColoradoApril20-22 Wewereblessedto hearfromMeatSpecialistDr JenniferMartin,ChefJasonwithBeefandtheBackYard,Brandi FrobosewithAmpedupwithAdvocacy,andDr TempleGrandin,CSUprofessorofAnimalScience andrenownedanimalbehavioristandautismactivist Wehadawonderfultimelistening,learning, andgrowinginbeefadvocacy!

StateReports:

Oregon–SusanBunchPresident.Oregoniscelebratingtheir70thanniversary.Theyarestressingthe MasterofBeefAdvocacyprogramforalltheirmembers.TheycontinuetobeinvolvedwithAgFest andreach22,000-25,000attendees.Theywillbesponsoringa“ranchrun”inJune.“Beefit’smore thanwhat’sfordinner.”

Colorado–KarenSmithPresident TheNationalWesternStockShowremainsthelargestpromotion Theattendancein2023was710,000 MuchtimehasbeenspentintheplanningoftheRegionV meeting.ThechallengehasbeenthattheCCWwebsitewashackedandheldforransom.The Coloradowildragshavesoldverywell.TheExecutivecommitteeissettingupacommitteetoover seetheHeatherHaysStinnettScholarship.

Wyoming–KimDesInfantsPresident Bigprojectisdesigningandputtingupbillboardsacrossthe state TheplanistoplaceoneonI80atRawlins,oneonI25atCasper,andoneonI90atSheridan TheywillbeservingamealtoBicycleofHopeinWheatlandthissummer Thisgroupisraising awarenessforpeoplewithdisabilitiesbycyclingacrossthecountry

Washington-KadyPorterfieldPresident CattlewomenaroundWashingtonhavehadaverybusy springwithhostingeventboothsandtheircountyfairskickingoff.Oneofthebiggesteventsyetwas theannualBeefDayontheHillwheretheyteamedupwiththecattlementoservetastytri-tipsliders tostatelegislatorsattheCapitolBuildinginOlympia.TheyarenowpreparingfortheirBEEFStrong promotionwheretheyhandoutlocalbeefjerkytobicycleracersattheFlyingWheelsraceinSeattle.

Montana – Suzy Bohleen Proxy

The Montana CattleWomen have a very good working relationship with their beef council They have an Ag Day coming up at the Gallatin County Fair promoting Ag education. They also have another education opportunity in the fall, The Nile The Region V meeting will be held in Montana in 2024. The plan is to hold in either Helena or Great Falls May 31-June 1

During our recent regional meeting, held in Denver, Colorado, the following representatives were elected to ANCW Committees

Public Relations – Kelsi Gambill MT

Membership – Vikki Taylor MT

Ways and Means – Brooke Boyes MT

Budget – Tani Miller WY

Katharine Bruce was re-elected to serve as Region V Director.

PHOTO BY MARTIN R SMITH

Pictured: Washington CattleWomen from Thurston County attend the Beef Day on the Hill event at the Capitol along with one of their junior members that proudly wore her "Beef It's What's For Dinner" hat

Region VI Meeting

Callie Martinez, CA | Region VI Director

The American National CattleWomen Region VI Meeting met in Fallon, Nevada over March 23-25 at the Rafter 3C Event Center Region VI covers the following states: Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah This region meeting was hosted by California, and the WIRED Program was hosted by Nevada CattleWomen The region meeting kicked off on Thursday, March 23 with a media training and hands on learning activity facilitated by Chandler Mulvaney, Director Grassroots Advocacy & Spokesperson Development, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Chandler got us all thinking with his opening of “Today is Going to Be a Day You’ll Never Forget,” From here he gave us three words to remember: simple, visual: every opportunity, blank canvas, and memorable. Chandler had us work through a Getting Started: Advocacy 101 activity, and encouraged us to share with others. We also

need to remember what makes a good story? We need to keep in mind what we want them to know? How we want them to feel? Then lastly, what do I want them to do?

We were honored to have the American National CattleWomen President Elect Ruth Coffey, from Oklahoma, come out and participate in our meeting She is a fifth generation cattle rancher and runs a ranch operation with her husband, Chuck Coffey, former Chair of the Certified Beef Board She is passionate about our industry and definitely encouraged new members to get involved by volunteering to serve on a committee.

Thursday afternoon, we had two excellent Ag Education speakers. Denise Stewardson, Utah State University Extension, shared about the excellent variety of online resources in regards to STEM Education which can be used across the United States. All of the lesson plans are online. She makes a tab specifically for every program that she presents at. Barb Downey, Downey Ranch, Inc. gave a fantastic presentation on cattle reproduction, and how we can incorporate this into classroom visits or field days. The more hands on learning in the lessons, the better.

All in attendance also had the opportunity to hear about Livestock Risk Protection and Fire Insurance for Grassland, from Quinn Briggs and Britany Creamer, of Wraith, Scarlett, and Randolph. It was very neat to hear that over half of the agents at WSR, are involved with production agriculture. They gave an excellent presentation on livestock risk protection which is fixed when you purchase a contract, no margin calls and no upfront costs! It was highly recommended to just complete the application as it is free The Grassland Fire Protection deadline is June 1, with a 15-day lag time, then you are covered throughout the year The following lands are eligible: deeded, leased, BLM, forest

Pictured Above: The Elko Co CattleWomen were set up at the 2023 Region VI Meeting held at the 3C Arena in NV

Pictured Right: CattleWomen gathered at the 3C Arena in NV for the 2023 Region VI Meeting

service, and state leases.

Also, be sure to insure all or part of your ground, as the payments are based on acres burnt.

Our region VI business meeting took place on the afternoon of March 23 and was facilitate by ANCW Vice President Nikki Weston, Utah The first item of business was the election of ANCW Region VI Director, which was held by Callie Martinez prior to the meeting, and following the election Callie will serve for two years Nikki also went over all of the foundation chairs, as we needed to replace the open position on the membership committee Jeri Roen, California CattleWomen President, was nominated and accepted We also filled positions on Ways and Means, as Callie was serving on the committee Annalyn Settlemyer agreed to serve

A big thank you goes out to all of our meeting sponsors: The following companies were Silver level sponsors: Alltech; Animal Health Express; Arizona State CowBelles,Inc.; California Beef Council; California Cattlemen’s Association; CKP; Lamar & Melanie

Agribusiness Solutions; and Zoetis. The Platinum Sponsor was Wraith, Scarlett, and Randolph. Also, thank you to the WIRED Sponsors: Adode Insurance; AgriWebb; Allflex & Merck Animal Health; American Ag Credit; CKP Insurance; DATAMARS Livestock; Frank Turner & Sons Farms; Molly MFG,Inc. – Silencer; Multi Min; The Nevada Rancher; WSR Insurance; and Zoetis Thank you to our coffee sponsor Cattlemen’s Kona Gold

Region VI Update

Callie Martinez, CA | Region VI Director

Arizona: The Arizona CattleWomen just wrapped up the Influencer Tour, and it was very well attended. Their annual meeting is in July, when they elect officers. Arizona is entering the slower time of year in their state.

California: They are getting ready for the Mid Year Meeting which is held in conjunction with CCA, in Paso Robles on June 20-21. This meeting will have two breakout sessions for the cattlewomen to discuss new state fundraiser ideas, as we are no longer doing our Annual Panel Raffle Fundraiser with Powder River The other breakout session will be to discuss the Department of Justice requirements and regulations that our organization now has to follow The other big events are the Mule Days in Bishop, CA from May 23-28 The states newest unit is in Inyo-Mono so they handle the booth space at Mule Days

New Mexico: It is also their slow time, so not a lot going on The state will meet again June 5, and will start working on Region VI details for 2024 at that time

Nevada: They have also started their down time of the year They are moving forward with their youth BQA Program

Utah: They are gearing up for their Farm Field Days The new team for Beef Ambassadors was just brought on They are working with their beef council for new swag The county fairs start in July, and they will draw on local members to help at the events at the fairs

Region VII Update

Shirley Thompson, SD | Region VII Director

The North Dakota CattleWomen will be hosting the Region 3/7 meeting in conjunction with their annual state convention The event will take place in historic Watford City, North Dakota on June 23rd and 24th Registration for the event is available at www ndcattlewomen org

The ladies of North Dakota have had a busy May including their annual Be Beef Strong 5K event and reading some great beef themed books! The South Dakota Cattlewomen encouraged all to celebrate May Beef month with their annual photo contest. They are also seeking applicants for the South Dakota Cattlewomen’s Next Generation Scholarship.

The South Dakota Cattlemen’s Auxiliary is making plans to support the Sioux Empire Fair later this summer and are looking forward to spending some quality time sharing information and recipes with many people from the more urban area of the state.

The Nebraska Cattlewomen will be hosting their annual Beef Ambassador Competition and Advocacy training event on June 7th in North Platte, Nebraska This event will provide an opportunity for beef industry leaders to sharpen their advocacy skills and strengthen their knowledge of the key issues facing the beef industry in Nebraska

Ways and Means Committee

Connie Ahlgren, MT | Ways & Means Committee Chair

The committee met by zoom meeting on March 15th, 2023. We sent two requests to the executive committee for approval to act on for the website sale items One being an 18x22 inch sign with ANCW’s logo, at the bottom of it reads “Beef Advocating for over 70 years ” The Mid-state signs company in Winifred MT, who do our “Beef its what’s for dinner” signs, will let us order these with the same format and price as the beef sign No set up cost

This sign has been approved by the executive committee, we should see it soon on our website as well as our Facebook page Be sure to get your order in! It'll be $60 plus shipping and handling Coming soon are some nice leather gloves, with the ANCW logo on them as well. The details of ordering, along with shipping and handling are still being worked out. We have a few ANCW scarves left to sell, quite a few went on our Mother’s Day push, so we will evaluate and see if we should order more.

We are still looking for sponsorships for ANCW programs so if you know of anyone interested, please check out our website sponsor information to help guide prospects.

Ladies, Let's Get Loud!

Hailey Partain, GA | PR Region II Rep

With National Women’s Day coming up on August 9th, I have been doing some “fun fact” research on women. Did you know that a group of women is commonly referred to as a gaggle of women? If you look up the definition of gaggle, you might get something that says “ a disorderly or noisy group of people ” I agree that when a group of us ladies get together, we can get pretty noisy at times, but I wouldn’t necessarily portray that as a negative thing Yes, a group can often get loud due to multiple conservations going on at one time, but a group can also get loud because everyone is excited and passionate about one common goal As cattlewomen, I encourage all of you to get NOISY, get LOUD, TURN some heads, get folks ATTENTION! We want producers and consumers to know what the cattle industry is, where it came from, and where it’s going We want people to know that Florida Cattlewomen have a beef ambassador program for youth ages 8-20, which gives them the opportunity to advocate for the beef industry. We want people to know that the

Georgia Cattlewomen are hosting free educational webinars focusing on adult farmer education. We want to spread the word about all the good things cattlewomen are doing across the Region II area, and across the nation Our purpose as cattlewomen is to educate, promote, and protect the cattle industry Let’s get LOUD about it!

California CattleWomen Update

Jeri Roen, CA | CCW President

Webeganthe2023yearoffwithourAnnualSpringMeetinginVisaliaCalifornia,wherewe startedoffwiththeCaliforniaStateTreasurerFionaMa,CPAwhoisachampion,foragriculture Then wepresentedbothsidesofthemarketingcattlebyfeaturingCindyTews,co-ownerofFresno LivestockCommissionLLC,NCBA2023BQAMarketeroftheYear,CaliforniaBeefCouncilChairman, andCCWmemberwhospokeaboutherandherfather'soperation,andhowtheyhandleall livestockusingBQAstandards OurnextspeakerwasCelesteSentrini,co-owneroftheSettriniRanch inSalinas,California,beefpromotionforTurlockLivestockAuction,andspeaker/advocateforbeef andagriculture Shegaveallofinsightsonhowtotellourstoryandfilledallofuswithenthusiasm forwhatwedo

OurfourthspeakerwasJohnRogers,co-ownerandfounderofWesternVideoMarket.Hehadour raptattentionwhilehesharedthestoryofitsinception,andalsosharedthepositiveaspectsof marketingcattleinthismanner.OurfinalspeakerswerefromTheCaliforniaBeefCouncil;KoriDover withFoodandNutritionOutreachandMakenzieNeveswhoisthemanagerofProducerEducation andEngagement.Bothofthesewomenwereloadedwithinformationthatwewillbeusingto educateourconsumersaboutthenutritionalvaluesofbeeffrominfantstotheelderly!

Anothersuccessfulportionoftheeventwasapresentationoffourstations,whereattendees dividedintogroupsandspent10minutesateachstation ThestationincludedanANCW informational,presentedbyCallieMartinezandCherylFoster;abeefbrochureproducedbytheInyoMonoCountyCattleWomenBeefPromotionCommitteeLauraTalbotchairman,JeriRoen,and YvetteHannon-Rossi;historiccattledriveconceptusedwithyouthpresentedbyMelanieFowleNelson;andthefourthstationwasonhowtopresentaneffectivecattlewomenboothpromoting beefbyDebbieTorresandChristineSnyder

TheeveningculminatedinasteakdinnerwithguestspeakerCaliforniaStateSenatorShannon Grove,whoisalsoaCaliforniacattlewomanwithKernCountyCowbelles Shecharmedusallwith forthrightspeechaboutCaliforniaandournation'spresentstateofaffairs Allandall,wehadawell attended,wellreceived2023SpringMeeting.

Other events this year include Ag Day at the Capital, Earth Day Celebrations, community events, stores, Farm Bureau, dinners, and other annual events. Every unit amazes me with the various events they put on to rally for Beef! Our upcoming events include Mule Days in Bishop California that usually is host to thirty-five thousand people, and Farm to Fork, with the normal attendees of close to two-thousand.

Also, in June we have our annual mid-year meeting in Paso Robles, California in conjunction with the California Cattlemen

As the California CattleWomen, Inc President, my goals are for each unit to appreciate, deliberate, anticipate, and radiate as they go forward in 2023 With eighteen-hundred strong we are able to tell all the positive aspects of BEEF, from how we raise them, market them, their nutritional value, and how cattle ranchers are the ORIGINAL STEWARDS OF THE LAND!

PHOTO BY MARTIN R SMITH

Pictured Above: Sheryl Smith , Malorie Walker and Rielle Waters Santinelli handing out Beef Sticks and flyers at the California State Capital

ANCW Foundation Report

Kristy Lage, NE | ANCW Foundation President

The American National CattleWomen Foundation received the most applications, over previous years, for the $1000 Legacy Scholarships! All of them were outstanding. The selection committee was challenged to choose just two! We are honored and proud to have such amazing young ladies dedicated to the agriculture industry and ANCW.

We are excited to announce that the 2023 recipients are Peyton Chandley of Lake Wales, Florida and Jewel Thompson of Opelika, Alabama!

Peyton Chandley is the granddaughter of ANCW Member, Marcia Lightsey She is an Agricultural Education and Communications Major with a specialization in Leadership and is also minoring in Agribusiness at the University of Florida

When asked why she should be chosen for this scholarship Peyton said, "My family has deep roots in American cattle ranching, with myself being the eighth generation of beef production in Florida Agriculture is where I know my occupation will reside, and bridging the gap between producers and consumers is on my agenda "

Jewel Thompson is the daughter of ANCW Member, Holli Thompson She is currently studying Agriculture Education at Clarendon College.

When asked about her aspirations, Jewel said, "There are over 10,000 open Ag Teacher positions across the nation. That is 10,000 opportunities to influence the next generation of industry leaders."

The foundation is also sponsoring our President-Elect, Ruth Coffey to attend the YCC tour in June

May is Beef Month!

CattleWomen celebrate BEEF Month with posts, promotions and proclamations!

In her BEEF Day proclamation, South Dakota Gov Kristi Noem told the crowd of South Dakota Junior Beef Ambassadors that it is now mandatory for everyone in South Dakota to eat a double cheeseburger every day in the month of May!

San Diego County Cowbelles received a Proclamation for National Beef Month from San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson, representing District 2

Pasco County CattleWomen celebrated National Beef Month by sharing the story of beef with Wesley Chapel High School in FL

Florida Cattlewomen joined the Sumter County Farm Bureau at the BOCC meeting to accept a Beef Month

The Vermilion Parish Cattlewomen, Lillie Thibodeaux, and 4-H beef exhibitors, Isaac Duhon, Summit Saltzman, and Isabella Choate received a Beef Proclamation on May 17th

Oklahoma Junior CattleWoman, Laramie Sparks, talks beef with legislators at OK Beef Day at the Capitol

The Missouri CattleWomen celebrated Beef Month with a booth at Missouri Beef Days!

Agricultural Literacy Educating America from the Ground Up

Rosemary Gustafson, MN | PR Region III Rep.

As CattleWomen, we have always focused on educating Educating ourselves, educating others about the beef industry, and educating consumers about the beef they purchase Now more than ever, agricultural literacy is crucial We’ve all heard the statistic that most citizens today are three generations removed from the farm That means Americans are agriculturally illiterate - they don't know where their food comes from They don't understand the importance of agriculture and agricultural research or why money needs to be spent to maintain our agricultural infrastructure

Recently, I was visiting with ANCW & MN CattleWoman member Ann Marie Ward, Executive Director of Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc Foundation While lining up an ag event for our local Farm Bureau Ag Day Breakfast, I expressed how difficult it was finding relevant, fun ways to engage and educate youth She encouraged me to investigate the National Ag in the Classroom (NAITC) website (https://agclassroom.org//), and encouraged all cattlewomen members to utilize both the National & State level curriculums in outreach efforts.

PHOTO BY MARTIN R SMITH

Ag in the Classroom…Not just for “classrooms”. When we think of educating, we immediately think of school. We imagine individuals who have spent years in college earning degrees in education or their subject area. However, so much of life’s teaching moments happen outside of the school walls. In fact, some of the most effective and passionate educators are those who do not have a formal degree. Homeschooling parents and volunteers are educators. Their passion and dedication to a topic can make a significant impact on those they work with. Ultimately, what matters most is a person's ability to connect with others and inspire them to learn.

Many of today’s youth are involved in extracurricular activities, such as 4-H, Scouts, and FFA. Consider reaching out to these advisors to share the available resources in NAITC They may find materials to use for a certain badge or project area Materials from

NAITC could pair nicely with their message and offer additional resources that they may not have previously had access to Talking Beef National Ag in the Classroom supports state programs, such as farm-to-school type nutrition programs, by providing a network that seeks to improve agricultural literacy among PreK-12 teachers and their students Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) programs apply authentic, agricultural-based content as the context to teach core curriculum concepts in science, social studies, language arts and nutrition Encourage any teachers you know to embed agriculture into their classrooms! I encourage each of you to explore the NAITC website There are areas for both teachers and youth to explore. The curriculums are easy to search; searching by “Beef” pulls up 17 ready to use lesson plans, with companion kits, maps, books, movies and posters!

During my conversation with Ann Marie, she stressed that the projects are engaging, realistic, and affordable. They are ready to use and are “kitchen pantry friendly”. Most materials that accompany the curriculum, can be found in your cupboards at home. Ann Marie is fro the Bemidji, MN area and previously served as a Youth Development H Program Coordinator. Her background as an educational consultan with PBS gives her a great foundation for understanding and promoting agriculture Our goal as ag advocates is to have our youth understand how the agricultural industry works – not just where food comes from, but who grows it, agriculture’s effect on the economy, environment, technology, lifestyle and its relationship to livestock An Marie’s final take away on NAITC? “Don’t reinvent the wheel – we have all these wheels – help us keep them moving!”

Pictured: Ag in the Classroom Foundation Executive Director, Ann Marie Ward

Women In Agriculture - A Growing Force in Ranching

Burt Rutherford | Contributing Editor, CALF and Working Ranch

More than half of farms and ranches in the U.S. are owned or operated by women. are trained in Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) and can become BQA certified.

If USDA statistics don’t tell the story of the changing demographics in ranching, a glance into a ranch office, calving pasture or cattle industry meeting surely will Indeed, women are becoming more and more prominen in ranching and farming from chuteside to board room That’s the emphasis behind an innovative and unique rancher education series called WIRED Women Involve in Ranching Education and Development. The brainchild of the American National CattleWomen (ANCW) and sponsored by Merck Animal Health and its Allflex portfo the events offer women hands-on training including vaccination, implanting, ear tagging and proper animal handling and chute procedures. In addition, participants

“We see that women in agriculture are getting more involved in leadership roles on ranches and farms, and we give them the tools they need in a comfortable situation to learn and go back to their farms and ranches and be the leaders in those positions,” said Reba Mazak, a fifth-generation ranch owner in Bushnell, Florida, and past ANCW president

“It’s important for us, as cattle women, to be knowledgeable and go into our communities as leaders,” Mazak said “And some of us have the responsibility for our cattle ranches, and not only do we want it to be safe for ourselves, but I have two daughters and they have sons So we represent the fifth, sixth and seventh generations of cattle producers and we want to continue that in our family And there’s no way to do that if we don’t continue to educate ourselves and have the tools to make the right decisions ”

That’s where WIRED events, in their fourth year in 2023, are unique “Having an opportunity to do hands-on training is limited,” said Tammi Didlot, a ranch owner in southwest Oklahoma, past ANCW president and WIRED co-chair “Hands-on training gives us a comfort level to gain the confidence and experience to do things that we can go home and put into practice ”

Networking and mentoring also are priceless. “It gives us an opportunity to share experiences had a lot of young collegiate cattle women here. They can e who they can gain knowledge from as they grow, ” Didlot

between generations is remarkable. Hodgen, senior account k Animal Health, grew up on a ranch and is involved in a t’s amazing to watch people who have been involved in the industry helping those who are just getting started,” she said “And those getting started have asked questions and presented ideas that some of us who have been in it forever have not even thought about The back and forth at these events is unparalleled ”

Kate Asmus, a master’s candidate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, was one of the collegiate women who attended a recent WIRED meeting “I came to this event to learn how to improve my family’s ranching operation, specifically with our animal handling,” Asmus said. “We can always continue to improve animal welfare and health. I’m always interested in learning how I can improve myself."

Photography by: Kristen Schurr Photography

Pictured Far Left: WIRED Sponsor, Moly Manufacturing provided a Silencer Chute for the WIRED event in NE

Pictured Left: Merck Animal Health led hands-on trainings for cattle health including vaccine handling Pictured Below: Animal behaviorist and CSU Professor, Temple Grandin, leads a demonstration on how to properly handle cattle when utilizing a chute system

That’s Austin Woltermath’s takeaway from the event He’s the Allflex sales representative for Nebraska and other states and demonstrated ear tags and EIDs, or electronic animal identification devices.

“This put meat on the bones,” he said. As he interacted with the participants, he was gratified to see smiles as inexperienced participants learned how to correctly place a plastic ear tag and an EID, as well as collect an Allflex Tissue Sampling Unit (TSU) used in DNA analysis.

“Even though they may not have known one another, when we were conversing back and forth or somebody would ask a question, either someone would help me answer it or they would bounce ideas off each other.” And, for the most part, the women weren’t shy about jumping in and trying out the various production practices themselves, he says.

Women Rising

According to data from the 2017 Census of Agriculture (the latest data available; 2022 census data has not been released as of this writing), there were 1 1 million farms with one or more female producers responsible for making decisions about the farm’s operation That’s 56 percent of total U S farms

While the 2017 census data didn’t differentiate between crop farms and ranches, it did indicate that of the $148 billion in ag products sold by female-operated farms, 51 percent or around $75 billi f l f li t k d li t k d t

Oklahoma Beef Advocate Contest

Cheyenne Sparks, OK | OCW President

Another spring brings another fresh crop of Beef Advocates! The Oklahoma Beef Advocate Contest was held on April 14, 2023 at OKC West Livestock Market in El Reno, OK in conjunction with the Commercial Cattle Grading Contest. The OK Beef Advocate Contest was created to provide opportunities to beef industry advocates interested in bridging the gap between the farm and the fork. Ddee Haynes & Tammi Didlot have chaired this event for several years, and I am incredibly thankful for their passion for nurturing the next generation of beef advocates.

The contest is split into two age divisions: Juniors (5th-8th grade) & Seniors (9th-12th grade). The 2023 Senior Division Winners are: First Place, Morley Griffith of Shawnee, Second Place, Bridger Arrington of Mulhall and Third Place, Maysen Garrett of Crescent.

The 2023 Junior Division Winners are: First Place, Kade Henrichs of Okarche, Second Place, Taylor Wilson of Bartlesville, OK and Third Place, Garrett Schoonover of Mulhall. The top three competitors in each division were awarded scholarships and the first-place winners will receive custom Oklahoma Beef Advocate jackets I hope you will join me in congratulating these amazing young beef advocates on a job well done!

Even though there were a select few winners, it was made clear that any student that stepped out of their comfort zone and into the advocacy roles was a winner just for participating! I am already looking forward to next year ’ s event and the return of some familiar faces Students do not need to have competed in speech or advocacy competitions prior to attending They can find resource materials as well as a beef advocate training video featuring 2021 ANCW Collegiate Beef Advocate Member,

Carli Eubank

Of all our resources, children are by far our most valuable resource Our youth are our future leaders, producers, AND consumers I highly recommend any cattlemen or cattlewomen to encourage their kids, grandkids, nieces/nephews, etc to learn about beef advocacy You can find information about our state program as well as the ANCW Collegiate program on our website: okcattlewomen.org.

Please join me in thanking OKC West and the Oklahoma Beef Council for sponsoring this event! We would also like to express our appreciation to all our judges and volunteers that helped this year. Thank you for your dedication to the youth of the beef & blessings.

Pictured Above: 2023 OK Beef Advocate Senior Winners LtoR - 3rd Place, Maysen Garrett, 2nd Place, Bridger Arrington & 1st Place, Morley Griffith

Pictured Top Right: 2023 OK Beef Advocate Junior Winners LtoR2nd Place, Taylor Wilson, 3rd Place, Garrett Schoonover and 1st Place, Kade Henrichs

Pictured Bottom Right: 2023 OK Beef Advocate Contestants

Collegiate CattleWomen

Collegiate CattleWomen celebrate the end of the school year with beef awards and events!

of Kansas State University celebrate the end of the school year

SU Collegiate CattleWomen of North Dakota State University hosted a 5K to raise money to provide protein for the Goods for the Herd pantry

Gator Collegiate CattleWomen of the University of Florida received honors at the UF/IFAS Animal Sciences Awards Ceremony

The Auburn Collegiate Cattlemen and CattleWomen of Auburn University named Ashley Woodyard as the Cattlewoman Of The Year at their end of the year awards presentation

The Collegiate CattleWomen of Montana State University took a ranch tour of Green Mountain Red Angus to learn about their business operations

The Penn State Collegiate Cattlewomen of Penn State University hosted an ice cream social to celebrate their last meeting of the year

The Oklahoma Collegiate CattleWomen of Oklahoma State University hosted the Mizzou Collegiate Cattlewomen of the University of Missouri on tours of the OSU Purebred Beef Center, Ferguson Family Dairy Farm, and Food and Agricultural Products Center

JUNIOR CATTLEWOMAN SPOTLIGHT

Jolee Meiers | Texas | 13 Years Old

ton, Tx after forcing her mom into labor ’t want to miss out on all the fun they Ethan, couldn’t get her off their tails She s train cutting horses and work cattle, en for much of her life, starting with the nty local She loves everything about the g with her mom, Sharon, to he learned the importance of telling her aurie Gates Beef is in her blood and she’s body the environment and to her family h