Young people with a background in the agricultural industry are constantly praised for their leadership skills in many academic and professional environments. These individuals often take leadership roles in the industry years later through organizations like the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and breed association junior programs.
The Full Value Chain: NCBA’s YCC Experience
NCBA offers a unique event for young cattle producers and industry professionals between the ages of 25 and 50 who have leadership potential and a commitment to the cattle industry. Participants are nominated either by their state affiliate association or by their beef industry breed affiliate. Attendees come from across the country and represent a wide variety of backgrounds and operations — cow-calf producers, feeders, seedstock operators, veterinarians, allied industry professionals and others connected to the beef business.
“The Young Cattlemen’s Conference program is really about developing the next generation of state association and breed affiliate leaders for the industry,” says John Robinson, NCBA senior vice president, membership, communications and events. “It was developed to expose emerging industry leaders to the full beef value chain, and so this program provides participants with more than just a full understanding of how NCBA works, but also the entire industry, from beginning to end. We also help participants with hard skills like leadership development, media engagement, spokesperson development and a full day of issues preparation in Washington, D.C.”
The conference begins in Denver, Colo. where participants learn more about the work being done by NCBA and the Beef Checkoff. While there, they also participate in leadership and spokesperson training and visit businesses connected to the industry, such as Five River’s Kuner Feedlot and Greeley Hat Works.
From there, the group travels to Sioux City, Iowa, to visit a Tyson processing facility and Empirical Foods before traveling to Wooster, Ohio, to spend a day with Certified Angus Beef to get a better understanding of how beef is being marketed by industry partners, particularly at the retail and restaurant sectors.
The tour concludes in Washington, D.C., where participants receive an in-depth policy briefing from NCBA’s team before going to Congress to lobby their state and national policy priorities to their elected officials.
“The Washington portion of the trip is especially important because it helps participants understand how public policy impacts producers back home,” Robinson says. “They get to see advocacy in action and learn how grassroots engagement influences decisions on issues like animal health, trade, tax policy, sustainability and regulatory reform. Every stop is intentional. The idea is to help participants understand how interconnected the industry really is.
“We want attendees to leave with a full appreciation of both the broad perspective of the industry, but also how every skill and issue is linked together so they understand the important role that they play in identifying solutions down the road,” Robinson continues. “Attendees also consistently say they appreciate seeing parts of the industry they may never have experienced otherwise. A cow-calf producer may never have toured a large processing facility. Someone working in retail may never have spent time in a feedyard. YCC gives people a chance to better understand one another and appreciate the role every segment plays.”
Building Leaders Young
The National Junior Hereford Association offers two events for its members — Faces of Leadership and Building on Leadership Development (BOLD). Lauren Gatz, NJHA leadership chair, attended her first Faces of Leadership at a young age.
“One of the conferences I attended was held in California, which exposed me to areas of agriculture I was not as familiar with, like almond and fruit farming. At that age, I also really valued the network I started building with other junior members from across the country,” Gatz says. “Faces of Leadership was one of my first opportunities to interact more personally with members of the NJHA Board, and I think that really inspired me to pursue leadership opportunities of my own within the organization. It has been very full-circle now getting to help put on these conferences as a junior board member.”
Gatz is a recent graduate from Kansas State University, and while fulfilling her duties as a NJHA Board Director, she also works as the communications coordinator for the American Royal in Kansas City.
“I think both conferences have been instrumental in my success in my current role at the American Royal. The foundation I built in communication, teamwork and working with others has helped me a lot in my day-to-day responsibilities,” Gatz adds.
American International Junior Charolais Association President Ethan Shoemake found many of his leadership and organizational skills were developed in planning the association’s CharFocus conference.
“I was in charge of logistics; setting up tours, building a schedule, contacting speakers,” Shoemake says. “It was a cool experience to see all of that come together and those are skills I will take with me in the future. It for sure has got me out of my comfort zone in a lot of different ways.”
Helping facilitate CharFocus for many years, Shoemake enjoys helping youth build relationships with others that have similar interests.
“There’s a lot of social time built into CharFocus and that’s been something that we really wanted to make sure was a priority,” he says. “A lot of these friendships are long distance but bringing all of them together, they’re able to make those memories with their friends.”
The National Junior Angus Association offers two annual events, Leaders Engaged in Angus Development (LEAD) and Raising The Bar. Ava Leibfried, NJAA board chairman, says her favorite part of both conferences is the relationships she’s built through attending.
“You are surrounded by young people from all across the country who may have different backgrounds, operations, and experiences. Still, all share a common passion for agriculture and the Angus breed,” Leibfried says. “These events help young people realize there is a place for them in agriculture and give them the confidence to pursue it.”
Directory: Leading Development Opportunities in Beef
Most breed associations offer a conference or convention for members to interact, discuss industry policy and continue improving association programs to support members’ needs. Reach out to board directors and regional representatives of your local, state and national beef organizations for leadership opportunities in your area.
Here is a list of opportunities to consider:
The Young Cattlemen’s Conference (YCC) - National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
Ages 25-50
Nomination from state affiliate association or by their beef industry breed affiliate
Attendees come from across the country and represent a wide variety of backgrounds and operations — cow-calf producers, feeders, seedstock operators, veterinarians, allied industry professionals and others connected to the beef business.
Leaders Engaged in Angus Development (LEAD) - National Junior Angus Association
Junior members
$250
Designed to expose junior Angus members to the broader agriculture and Angus industries while also developing leadership and character. The event is held in different states and parts of the country each year to showcase what agriculture looks like and how Angus cattle can thrive in different environments.
Raising the Bar - National Junior Angus Association
High school students and older
$150
A three-day event focused on secondary education, agriculture and leadership opportunities. The program is centered around a land grant university, the academic program, clubs and organizations, and athletics. Raising the Bar is limited to 50 junior members to create a more intimate, small group setting.
Faces of Leadership – National Junior Hereford Association
Junior members
$500
Focuses on equipping junior members with the skills they need to become successful leaders within the agriculture industry and beyond. The conference brings together a larger group of junior members from across the country and exposes them to motivational speakers, industry professionals and hands-on leadership experiences.
Building on Leadership Development (BOLD) – National Junior Hereford Association
Ages 18-21
An elite leadership conference hosted by the National Junior Hereford Association and offered to just 20 juniors each spring through an application and selection process.
CharFocus – American International Junior Charolais Association
Ages 14-21
Members $250 • Non-members $300
For youth who want to grow as leaders, expand their knowledge, and build lasting friendships. This event is open to AIJCA members and non-members.
Beef Leaders Institute - Angus Foundation and Certified Angus Beef
AAA members ages 25-45
Limited to 20 attendees
SimGenetics Training for Young Leaders and Entrepreneurs (STYLE) - American Simmental Association
Ages 25-45
Limited to 25 participants
The Summit IGS Youth Leadership Conference (hosted jointly with the Chianina, Shorthorn, Gelbvieh, Simmental and Limousin breed associations)
Ages 14-21
$300
