Yesterday’s youth, tomorrow’s leaders

It’s an interesting thing being young. There’s much to see and learn and decipher, and sometimes it can be as challenging as it is exciting. One things for sure, though, it’s a whole lot of fun!

So along with snow and freezing temperatures, the first week of January brought some of the breed’s young leaders to Wooster for our annual Youth Leaders Orientation.

The way we see it at CAB, it’s an opportunity to engage and educate the next generation of influential cattlemen. Our staff in Ohio make sure our young people leave with a better understanding of the brand that supports the cattle they raise.

“We know that a lot of what we do at CAB is out of sight, out of mind for these young Angus breeders,” says fellow Black Ink teammate Kara Lee.

Of course it’s a world that brings value to what they do at home, but it’s pretty different from life on the ranch or at school.

Most groups who come into our Education & Culinary Center (ECC) know a decent amount about the food industry. Along with building on that knowledge, it’s the production story that we get to share.

The inverse is true for this group. That’s their business so we leave cattle alone for a few days. I know. I know that’s unrealistic. They’ll demand our attention at the worst and best of times!

I digress. So instead, we shine the spotlight on foodservice and brand marketing to reveal how a high-quality steak may leave their ranch as a steer and end up on a consumer’s plate.

We learn a lot from them, too.

Alex Rogen, Brandon, S.D., is a junior at South Dakota State University and has Angus production in his genes. Time in the show ring with steers and in the pasture with bulls led him to the pre-vet track. He’s also the National Junior Angus Association’s chairman of the board.

“The biggest takeaway was the affirmation that a quality product needs to be our key focus,” Alex said after joining the Wooster gang for a few days, “because without it, we don’t have a job that’s going to make us money. It was a good reminder, for me and others, that it’s not just the cattle industry, but the beef industry.”

Consumers have to want it and be willing to pay for it, he went on to say. Otherwise, beef may not be the protein of choice.

“To be able to go learn and share with people that there are specifications in place that can guarantee a consistent and reliable eating experience is honestly a privilege,” he said.

For those coming from a stock show background, Alex added, “It’s important to keep that terminal outlook on things. At the end of the day the cows are pretty, but they have to work and do good things for the consumer.”

If you’re interested in attending our 2017 Youth Leaders Orientation January 3-4, be on the lookout for applications this summer.

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