Raising The Steaks

Team ZIP and the 2008 Boston Marathon…

By: Michelle

With the sun shining and summer just weeks away, the athlete in me is itching to get out and stretch the legs. I’ve been busy playing and refereeing soccer games, but with the Utica “Boilermaker” 15k run coming up in July, I know I need to lace up my running shoes and start getting some miles under my belt. And with the recent trip back East for the 112th running of the Boston Marathon, I’ve never felt more inspired to get started. 

This year’s race had over 14,000 runners in it, with participants in their teens up to their 70’s. Individual runners were their for their own personal reasons but had one common goal of finishing the marathon with their heads held high.

The 2008 Boston Marathon Health and Fitness Expo was held April 18-20 at the Hynes Convention Center, where marathon runners and health-conscious consumer alike gathered to get the latest on how to keep their bodies in shape. Big-time athletic companies like Nike, Adidas, Reebok and Mizuno had some impressive interactive booths where one could go to see how they run via a video screen and a treadmill. There were also plenty of other booths with energy supplements, coming in the form of bars, chews, drinks and pills. But the booth that surprised a lot of people and was a big hit as far as taste goes was our beef booth.

Working with the Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative, Pennsylvania Beef Council and New York Beef Council; fellow ambassador Jennifer Rassler and I handed out samples and spoke with thousands of consumers at this wonderful event. For the consumers’ sampling pleasure, we had Roast Beef Veggie Wraps that tasted great and a copy of the recipe so that even the worst of cooks (me being at the top of the list) could prepare this dish in minutes. And for those who were willing to try their hand at some beef trivia, we had steak rub to give away as prizes. We also had several handouts with great recipes and even more on nutritional benefits for not only athletes but also for children, infants, expecting mothers and more.

We surprised a lot of people with how beneficial beef really is, especially when it comes to an athlete and demanding so much of your body. With a 3-ounce serving being packed full of nutrition, including protein, zinc, vitamins B6 and B12, iron and more; the only way to match that is with a man-made energy supplement. Plus I think (and I think that others would agree with me on this) that beef is probably the tastiest nutritional supplement you could take.

So besides our hard work at the booth, we had the opportunity to sample some tasty local food as well as visit the oldest fire house in the city, which just so happened to be right outside the convention center. The station has one engine (#33) and one ladder truck (#15) and each respond to about 4400 calls a year. The guys were wonderful and I did take them some wraps and steak rub so they could keep their energy up in keeping us safe.

So all in all it was a great trip and I’m more inspired than ever to get out there and start running. The runners’ stories, the individual consumers that we reached out to and the friendly people of Boston have left me feeling good about sharing the story of beef and running towards a great summer.

You Gotta Fight for Your Rights…

By: Michelle

Well maybe not literally fight, but definitely speak up for what you believe in and let people know how passionate you really are about it. The annual Spring Legislative Conference in Washington D.C. gives cattlemen and cattlewomen the opportunity to learn about legislative issues being discussed on the Hill and what they can do get their voice heard.

Yesterday we had the opportunity to hear from various speakers that work in different parts of the government here in the nation’s capital, including the Secretary of Agriculture from the USDA, Ed Schafer. After speaking and answering a few questions, we as a team had the opportunity to meet up with him outside the hall we were in and get a couple quick pictures as well as talk with him for a minute or two about what we were up to as National Beef Ambassadors.

In the afternoon we made a couple of agency visits, including the Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS), Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Here we got the “low-down” on what issues these agencies were dealing with that were directly affecting out industry. Experts from each agency talked with us and told what they were doing for us and we had an opportunity at the end of each session to ask questions, many of them focusing on issues affecting our respective states. So after yesterday’s full schedule of issues briefings, we were ready to take our case to the Hill and talk with our state legislators. Since each of us Beef Ambassadors come from different states, we said adieu and headed off with our fellow state cattlemen to talk to our local representatives.

I’m proud to say that California was well represented and had a strong delegation of about 25 people at the Capitol. We ended up spliting up into teams and each team visited 4-5 legislators to discuss the issues that were on our minds. I had the privelege of being with our California Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) President Bruce Hafenfeld, CCA Executive Vice President Matt Byrne, NCBA Region 6 Representative Rachel Aja and Young California Cattlemen’s President Ryan Nelson.

We had a dynamic team and we had the opportunity to talk with House Representatives Jim Costa, Devin Nunes, and Dan Lungren as well as our Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein. Here we discussed 5 main issues that affected our state and our livelihoods: Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with South Korea & Colombia, the Clean Water Act/Reformation Act, 2007 Farm Bill, Country of Origin Labeling (COOL), and where we stand in the Hallmark/Westland Beef Recall issue. All of the legislators were receptive to what we had to say and for the most part supported where we stand on these issues. After our meetings, we had a reception in one of the House of Representatives buildings inviting all legislators and their staff to come and mingle, relax, and munch on some tasty beef.

So far the conference has been a huge success and I know I’ve certainly learned a lot. We’ve got another full day tomorrow so I will try to keep you all updated on what’s going on. I’m trying to update my photo album as I go, so keep checking back for new photos from the experience!

Friendships and Personal Beliefs…

By: Michelle

When it comes to personal beliefs and passions, how far are you willing to go to let people know how you truly feel about something? And does it matter who the audience is? I had these questions rolling through my mind when I was talking with one of my best friends the other day regarding our recent beef promotion and needless to say we didn’t see eye-to-eye on this particular issue. She is a long-time vegetarian and recently became a vegan for multiple reasons. Here’s what she had to say in a recent post on Facebook in response to the promotion info I was sending to everyone:

“Originally I went vegetarian and then vegan for the health benefits. Plant food based diets are naturally low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and you can get all the nutrients your body needs from plant foods and some planning. It’s also been shown that plant based diets can help control diabetes, reduce the risk of heart disease, and may help prevent certain kinds of cancer.”

After I started learning more about the way our food is produced, I’ve realized that it’s wrong for us to confine, mutilate, torture, and kill animals so that we can eat their corpses. Diets based on meat and dairy are also less sustainable, with the amount of land, water, grain, and waste the industries consume and produce. Meat and dairy are also very expensive to produce, though with government subsides we don’t see the majority of that cost as consumers. Slaughterhouse workers and their families suffer higher rates of drug and alcohol abuse and domestic abuse, leading myself and many to belief that violence breeds violence.

Looking at everything, I couldn’t continue supporting the meat/dairy industries. I’m not on a mission to clear every plate in the world of animal products or a crazy PETA protester, but I personally can’t stomach the idea of consuming flesh or secretions any more…”

This of course caught my attention and I know I want to say something reflecting my beliefs and passions, but how do you say it? Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and decisions in the choices, but when something as precious as one’s friendship hangs in the balance, what course of action do you take?

She had the same sort of dilemma running through her mind and asked her peers on LiveJournal what to do. You can view the entire thread here, but here’s the question she posed to her peers:

“What do you do when one of your best friends comes up with and promotes this, a contest to support and promote the beef industry? We have been friends for years, and since becoming vegetarian (and now making the switch to vegan), I’ve just tried to ignore the fact that she is the Beef Ambassador for California, but seeing this just makes me physically ill. I’m not one to push my morals and beliefs on other people, preferring to give information when asked for it, and I don’t want to say anything that will ruin our friendship, but I don’t feel that I can sit back and say nothing at all.

And please, no advice saying to forget her, or to spam her with pictures of slaughtered animals until she cries, etc. I’d like whatever action I take to be non-confrontational and more conducive to conversation and information-sharing.”

She had several responses, most of them constructive and what she was looking for, but there were some that got a little too personal:

“Wow, your friend is promoting violence! I hope you handle it okay. I for one, couldn’t have a friend like that…”

“There’s really a Beef Ambassador for California? The term “Beef Ambassador” makes me laugh…”

So first and foremost, before I get down to the “meat and potatoes” here, I want to tell my friend that I appreciate the fact that you stand firm by your beliefs and are still open to others opinions. While I may not agree with your views, I still love and respect you and hope that we are still friends despite our differences. What I have to say hopefully will give you an idea of where I stand and specifically addresses the comments your peers posted, not yours.

 So here it goes…

Being a beef ambassador has a lot of different responsibilities and I knew that when I first got involved. Being a representative of an industry as huge as the beef industry is no job that can be taken lightly, and I’m proud to represent a wonderful group of individuals. I don’t think of it as being a “laughable” matter because what I do along with the rest of the Beef Ambassador team is crucial to getting our story out there. We provide a voice for those who work hard to bring a high-quality, delicious product to your table and educate you, the consumer, about what goes on in our world.

My ag-business teacher once said that, “If you want to get into a high-risk profession where your future is dependent upon the appetite of others, than agriculture is it.” I can’t agree with her more on this statement, simply because we are dealing with food for the masses, and that’s what less than 5% of the U.S. population is doing for the rest of the states, along with providing for the global market. That’s why U.S. beef has had a long tradition of excellence not only in the U.S., but also on the international front. And that reputation of excellence comes from quality control measures taken at multiple levels in the beef production process, allowing you the consumer to take comfort in enjoying beef.

For one to say that these ranchers who work so hard are ones to promote violence is totally absurd. I come from a ranching background and while I’ve never raised cattle, I can tell you that violence is not something that was instilled in me while growing up. Cattle ranchers are stewards of the land and give back to that land as much if not more than what they take from it. There are countless ways that cattle grazing alone benefits U.S. grazing lands that would otherwise be useless for human consumption.

Besides caring for the land they use, cattle ranchers pour every ounce of passion they have into caring for their cattle. From waking up at the crack of dawn everyday and working hard until the sun goes down (and sometimes even later), being a cattle rancher is no easy job. It’s much more than a job, and it doesn’t pay by the hour, making it a job that requires determination and passion for what you’re doing.

So I guess what I’m saying is to not be too quick to judge who we are, because we are much more than cattle ranchers and contributors to the agriculture industry. We are human beings just like yourselves, with emotions, determination, and compassion for everything that we do. My job as a beef ambassador is to inform the public of what the beef industry is all about and the decision making is ultimately up to you. What you decide is yours to choose, but I encourage you to make a well-informed decision and know both sides of the story. If you would like more information about any part of the beef industry, I recommend any of the following sites below:

Beef from Pasture to Plate - a site that goes over the entire beef production process and provides factsheets on environmental impacts, economic contributions and more.

Beef it’s What’s for Dinner - provides nutritional information as well as several recipes that are quick and easy.

Passing the Torch…

By: Michelle

Last night was the 2008 Tehama County Beef Ambassador competition, where a year ago I was a nervous wreck wondering why exactly I was applying for this job. A couple of the local CattleWomen told me about the contest a month before and said I should go for it. I thought it was funny that they were asking me of all people to go for this, considering I raised sheep and goats. But I did it, I prepared a speech and answered a few questions and after sweating bullets standing in front of this group of CattleWomen, I got the job. So after a whirlwind year of fun and exciting experiences, here I was back where this all began.

I arrived at the contest location and saw the prospective competitor sitting in the back of the room, shuffling through notecards and biting her nails with fervor. I couldn’t help but relate to how she felt, probably sitting there wondering how exactly this all was going to work. We were asked to sit down for dinner with the contest following afterwards, so I found the same seat I sat in last year. It felt so different sitting there now that the year is over. It was a kind of calming, comforting, and humbling to think how far I’ve come over the course of this year.

After dinner and before the contest was to begin, the CattleWomen asked me to sort of recap on the year and give some advice to the new ambassador. The first thing I said and what I think the important part of my message was that I wouldn’t have made it without the help of the CattleWomen that were there that night, as well as the ones all across the nation that are fighting for our industry every day. The CattleWomen are the backbone of our industry as wives, mothers, grandmothers, ranchers, and without them the industry would crumble. These ladies are there for you whenever you may need help and only want the very best for you. I’m proud to represent such a wonderful industry and to come from a county where our CattleWomen are as strong and supportive as these ladies are. If there’s only one thing that our new ambassador can take from this, let it be that she knows of how much these ladies love and care about this industry and the people within it and only want her to succeed.

So, needless to say, the torch has been passed and we have our new 2008-09 Tehama County Beef Ambassador, Rochelle Borror. I’ve been fortunate to have known her for a long time and I know she’s got a great year ahead of her. I hope to support her right along with my fellow CattleWomen and give back to a program that has given so much to me.

This is your orientation…

By: Michelle

I just returned from the largest annual gathering of some of the greatest members of the cattle industry, ranging from cow-calf producers to large-scale retail corporations. From February 4th to the 9th, Reno, NV hosted approximately 5,000 delegates from all across the nation. The 2008 Cattle Industry Annual Convention and Trade Show is where all parts of the cattle industry come together to mix and mingle, share new ideas, and most importantly, celebrate the very thing that we all work so hard to produce: BEEF!

This convention was the first time that the entire National Beef Ambassador Team got to be together. Since our year has just begun, this convention provided an opportunity for us to learn from our industry’s leaders in workshops and forums covering a wide variety of topics, including brand assurance and premise identification. We even got to work one-on-one with Daren Williams, director of the Checkoff funded Spokespersons Training Program, trying our hand at a mock media interview on camera. We also had the opportunity to talk with other delegates at the convention and learn about the role they play in our grand industry. By the end of the week, we were even taking part in media interviews and sharing the story of beef with the masses.

While this week was full of great learning experiences and networking opportunities, the most important thing that happened there is something much simpler. At the beginning of the week, there were 5 National Beef Ambassadors at the convention. When the week was done, it was the National Beef Ambassador Team that people saw. Whether we were together in a forum or just sitting around a table enjoying a meal, each moment within this entire experience brought us closer together. Each and every one of these gals are amazing and I feel blessed to be a part of this amazing team. Here’s to the beginning of an amazing year and the memories to be made!