by Bailey Morrell, NJHA Communications Chair

Happy Beef Month NJHA! To each and every one of our members we appreciate you for being a part of our industry. Your dedication to raising cattle for the show ring, the feedlot and all other sectors of the industry is truly commendable. As we celebrate our industry during beef month I would like to tell you about one of my favorite opportunities the National Junior Hereford Association provides, the NJHA Fed Steer Shootout competition.

For those that have not heard of this program, you are missing out! The Fed Steer Shootout is a program where junior members from across the United States ship cattle to a central feedlot, the cattle are fed out there for harvest, while members work through carcass data and educational videos that highlight the feedlot industry. This program is one of the most real-world opportunities for our juniors and this year I am grateful to be a part of it.

Last December, I sent three Hereford steers to the HRC Feedlot in Scott City, Kansas to be fed out through the program. Five educational videos later and this program has taught me about livestock health, feedlot nutrition, risk management, implants, and beef promotion. I was also grateful to be able to attend the first annual NJHA Fed Steer Shootout Field Day not only as a representative for the NJHA Board of Directors, but also as a participant in the program. This day-long event included a mixer with over twenty junior members, a presentation from CattleFax, Dr. Bruns from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, a young professionals in the industry panel Q&A and a tour of HRC Feedyards where we saw our steers on feed. The day was not only filled with valuable information from our speakers, but also good conversation between juniors and adults who are working hard to understand and promote our industry.

My hope is that juniors were able to take home valuable information to their families, friends and communities sharing the good word about beef. I suggest that during this month of May, while we continue to celebrate Beef, invite your friends and family to join you for a supper that includes Certified Hereford Beef® (CHB). I admit I am not a great cook (for those who have tried my cooking you are well aware), but I would like to offer some of my favorite recipes that include CHB, and encourage you to share our industry in the form of meals and conversation. My top three recipes are: Confetti Beef Tacos, Ranch Burgers, and the Peppered Ribeye Roast and can all be found at certifiedherefordbeef.com

underneath the recipe tab along with many other delicious meals.

Happy Beef Month NJHA, keep spreading the good word about BEEF!