Angus Journal

FEB 2017

The Angus Journal® is a monthly magazine known for in-depth coverage of American Angus Association® programs and services; the Angus business; herd management; and advertising reflecting genetics and herd philosophies.

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February 2017 n ANGUSJournal n 259 A Lone Star state of mind The week started in Amarillo, Texas, where participants took an in-depth look at the beef cattle life cycle. Kara Lee, CAB supply programs manager, says the Texas Panhandle provided a unique opportunity to show the class every facet of the beef community in one outing. "We had the opportunity to visit with seedstock producers, who explained the decisions they make in terms of genetics and how that impacts consumer eating quality. We can visit the feedyards responsible for managing those cattle right up to their end point, and then have the opportunity to tour the packing plant that ultimately puts that beef in the box for the customer," she says. In just two days' time, they visited the Bradley 3 Ranch, Amarillo Livestock Auction, Randall County Feedyard and Tyson Amarillo. Lee says while the language barrier and cultural differences can bring challenges to events like this, the class was not that different from its domestic counterparts. "We're all people who care about where our food comes from, how it tastes, and that it's good for us," Lee says. "They have the same questions that anybody would. They want to make sure the animals are treated well, and meet the people who are responsible for their care. There's some personal connection for them, too — everybody loves getting their picture taken with the guy in the cowboy hat. At the end of the day, it's very cool for them to have the chance to meet the cattlemen and women who are putting meat on the plate." Back at HQ Mid-week, the class travelled to Wooster, Ohio, where presentations focused on beef fabrication, learning beef cuts, how to use the knowledge they gained to overcome sales objections and the many marketing resources available through the brand. Geof Bednar, CAB international director, says having distributor partners engage at the corporate campus provides an experience that greatly increases their understanding of the resources that are developed to empower them within their markets. "This ultimately allows our brand partners to head back home better prepared and confident to successfully be a restaurant's first choice as a supplier of food products and specifically the Certified Angus Beef brand," Bednar says. He says this year's class was not only talented, but extremely passionate about what they do. Each was eager to learn, and their enthusiasm was contagious. As a result, the event was a rousing success. "All left with new friendships and a renewed understanding that their contribution is meaningful," Bednar says. Stika agrees. "It makes the world smaller," he says. "When you start meeting people from different parts of the world, it makes it a lot smaller. It's easier to collaborate with people you've met. It's easier to understand perspectives when you've visited directly with them. Those are all the ancillary things that come along with an educational program like we had in the International Masters of Brand Advantages program." Stika says that while U.S. cattlemen tend to think of Japan or Mexico or Kuwait as export markets, we need to think of them differently. "What comes out of an event like this," Stika says, "is we're reminded not to think of Japan as a market that is a long way away, but instead as a group of people we have relationships with. People who value the same things about quality beef that we do. The same goes for Mexico, Kuwait and every other country. International markets are full of people, just like domestic markets are." He says it's about finding the things that put us on the same page and that get us pulling in the same direction. "That's no different than what we do in Des Moines, L.A., New York or Houston," Stika says. "It takes a little more logistic planning to make it happen, but the approach is the same. The relationships you create are the same; some of them just require an interpreter." Editor's Note: Owner of Cactus Flower Communications, Katrina Huffstutler is a freelance writer from Electra, Texas. This story was written on behalf of Certified Angus Beef LLC. @ Geof Bednar, CAB international director, says having distributor partners engage at the corpo- rate campus provides an experience that greatly increases their understanding of the resources that are developed to empower them within their markets.

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