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Meeting Demand with Better Beef

Fiscal Year closes strong for Certified Angus Beef.

by Kylee Kohls

November 3, 2021

Growth happens in small increments. When it comes to measuring success for Certified Angus Beef (CAB), it’s measured one pound at a time.

The second highest sales year on record, global sales totaled 1.215 billion pounds to end fiscal year 2021. Up 3.4% or 40 million pounds from 2020, this is the sixth consecutive year the brand surpassed one billion pounds of sales across 54 countries.

“This brand was built one pound at a time, one partner at a time, and we value them all, because it takes a community to move this brand forward and to make it work for everybody,” says John Stika, Certified Angus Beef president.

fiscal year

Better Beef, Better Cattle 

Both beef demand and Certified Angus Beef ® brand acceptance rates are at all-time highs, creating a formula for record-setting improvements.

“There are a lot of exciting and optimistic things when we look at the success and progress our partners have had this year,” Stika says. “Demand doesn’t solve all the problems we currently have in the beef industry, but it does underpin the foundation of success and recovery that many are experiencing in their business right now.”

Growth in demand requires more Angus cattle raised to the highest standards and cattlemen met the challenge. A record 36.8% of all Angus-influenced cattle met the brand’s 10 specifications in fiscal year 2021. That’s more than 5.9 million black cattle earning an average of $50 per head from CAB grid premiums. Each year, packers pay producers nearly $92 million for brand-qualifying cattle, or $1.7 million per week.

fiscal year

“This year proved that cattle producers are as focused as ever on meeting consumer expectations,” says Bruce Cobb, executive vice president of production, for the brand. “Through 2020, acceptance rates for the brand established new record benchmarks and that momentum carried through 2021 as producers continued to increase the production of certified carcasses.”

Bringing Home the Beef

It’s an entire community across the supply chain that moves CAB forward.

A stabilizing anchor for brand sales, retail proved extremely steady sales year-round. Shoppers looked for quality in the grocery store and kept cooking at home, even as pandemic mandates lifted.

Licensed partners held on to most of last year’s record-setting 602 million pounds, closing 2021 at 600 million pounds of sales.

“As we saw the foodservice and hospitality sector begin to open up, we were hoping the pent-up demand we had heard so much about would materialize. And it has,” Stika says. “Demand is strong for high-quality beef.”

Finishing the year up 13.3%, domestic foodservice brand partners recovered 43% of the 100 million pounds forfeited during the pandemic.

Canada and Japan remain at the top of international sales, playing a large role in the 7.8% year-over-year increase. The next four largest markets — South Korea, Mexico, Taiwan and Hong Kong — grew by an average of 10.6% last year, helping reclaim international business.

“We have continued to be extremely optimistic and believe that sales outside of the U.S. will only continue to grow and become healthier moving forward,” Stika says.

Value-added-product sales grew 23.5% in 2021, setting a record of 38.3 million pounds. Smoked brisket, fajita meat and fresh corned beef were a few of the top sellers as people looked for labor- and cost-saving solutions. Celebrating seven record months during the fiscal year, July took the top spot with four million pounds of value-added products sold.

Adding to the record-setting year, Certified Angus Beef ® brand Prime sales reached 37.3 million pounds for the first time, a 14.8% increase in 2021.

“Prime is a progressive growth opportunity as we continue to see quality resonate with more and more consumers domestically and around the globe,” Stika says.

Looking forward to 2022, he says he expects the brand to only get better, one pound at a time.

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CAB interns join for the summer

 

by Paige Holbrooks

June 25, 2021

Classroom knowledge is important, but cultivating skills happens through applied, hands-on learning. Two carnivore college students connect their passion and crafts this summer as Certified Angus Beef interns.

Paige Holbrooks, producer communications intern, is putting her learned skills to practice serving cattlemen.

Her upbringing on a cow-calf operation in West Texas makes pursuing an agricultural career natural for Holbrooks. The senior in agriculture media and communication at West Texas A&M University will create content for cattlemen, including social media posts, feature stories, website copy, photos and video.

“In high school, I participated in 4-H and FFA. I discovered sharing stories about agriculture was my calling,” Holbrooks says. “I didn’t know what that would look like then or that it would lead me to Ohio.”

While in college, she wrote for the Lamesa Press Reporter, a local paper near her hometown, and was a Texas Beef Council ambassador. These past experiences and her ranch background provide a solid foundation for Holbrooks to build on in sharing information for farmers and ranchers.

“I am confident that what I learn this summer will prepare me for any job I hold in the industry,” she says.

Holbrooks will graduate with her bachelor’s degree in Spring 2022 and plans to pursue a career in ag journalism.

Paige Holbrooks

Kalyn Blue

Kalyn Blue, digital marketing intern, is working to support the brand’s consumer communications team.

Blue attributes her passion for beef to tagging along with her dad and grandfather at an early age. Her farm experience led her to The Ohio State University where she is currently a junior studying agriculture communications and meat science.

“Coming from an agriculture background has led me to my passion, and I couldn’t see myself in any other field,” Blue says.

After serving as the Fulton County 4-H program assistant last summer and participating in 4-H and FFA throughout her youth, Blue will build on her past experiences while at the brand.

“I am looking forward to this opportunity of growth both personally and professionally while growing my network,” she says.

In her role, Blue will create content for the brand’s social platforms and develop skills in creative copywriting.

Blue plans to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in the spring of 2023 and hopes to find a job where she can continue to promote the quality products that the beef industry has to offer.

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Drought Impact and Cattle Industry Dynamics

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driving demand international

Driving Demand: International

Need for quality and volatility the only constants

By: Abbie Burnett

Selling U.S. beef to buyers in other countries means carefully maintained contacts and planning to avoid sea squalls. Adding COVID to that scene creates a perfect storm that can wreck the best plans.

For those skilled in navigating the waters, however, it’s just another day on the boat.

“We can’t control the wind, but we can control the sail,” says Gebran Charbine, Certified Angus Beef® (CAB®) vice president of international and multicultural brand marketing.

 Retail and foodservice lead brand sales, but international is the vital third leg in marketing. After a promising start to the fiscal year ended in September, sales in the last half fell steeply to land annual international sales down more than 22%. As the outlook brightened, December 2020 sales outside of the U.S. recovered to 14.7 million pounds (lb.), just 1 million short of December 2018—the strongest in the history of the brand—and a sign of hope on the horizon.

Effects varied by COVID impact and dependence on tourism. Taiwan, hardly impacted by the pandemic, had a 25.8% increase in CAB sales tonnage for the first part of the fiscal year, thanks in large part to retail demand there, too. But the Caribbean markets were hard hit and are off by that same 25.8%.  

For the first quarter of fiscal 2021, international sales were down just 7.2%.

Cody Jones, vice president of international, says the market is like the sun peeking out from behind those clouds.

“There are many areas still struggling, but we’re seeing improvement in both sales and optimism as we head towards summer,” he says.​

sushi international

Anchors down

Imagine counting on someone you never met, thousands of miles away, to supply your food every day.

That’s the picture Geof Bednar paints for building trust across borders. The brand’s director of business development—and former director of international going back to the days after bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crashed world trade in 2003—says it’s the main reason CAB made it back into those countries.

“Consumers were willing to give us another shot,” Bednar says.

Challenges then forced the brand to explore new markets and diversify offerings, moving even more beyond middle meats to the chuck and round.

“You reduce the risk by having more partners worldwide and spreading the value of the carcass among them,” Bednar explains.

Earning business is one thing, but keeping it is another. That takes communication to build a deep relationship with mutual trust, and a little luck. Even if the CAB team performs flawlessly, factors beyond their control may close the market to some country for a time. When they reopen, success depends on those previous relationships.

 The rollercoaster of 2020 reinforced for Jones the importance of partners who understand the brand.

“They’re telling us, ‘Yeah, we’re not downgrading at all. We think this is our chance to shine above the competition,’” he says.

That loyalty spreads from importers to their customers and consumers. It’s why Charbine aims to meet partners on their terms and their turf when possible.

“We want to build bigger tables,” he says. “It doesn’t matter what language you speak, what you think, who you worship, or what you do. We want to be there for you, period.”

It’s a tall order for a brand that spans 52 countries and 10 languages with just four international marketing managers. Yet they take it on every day, storms and all.

French Canadian

The Certified Angus Beef French Canadian logo.

Japanese

The Certified Angus Beef Japanese logo.

At the mercy

International presents the most growth opportunity of any CAB sales division, despite the volatility that comes with a million variables.

“We can see those things improve vastly or come apart in an instant,” Jones says.

Trade tops the list.

Free trade agreements like those spanning North America or the Dominican Republic and some of Central America offer tremendous opportunities. There’s no tax on beef going into the Dominican Republic, so it’s a top 10 country for CAB and a critical destination for U.S. beef in general.

Conversely, at the end of January, CAB and U.S. beef were cut out of Ecuador because of new government requirements.

“We push as hard as we can, but we can only do so much with unfavorable government policies,” Jones says. “There’s never a dull moment.”

Trade agreements also provide domestic safeguards.

The U.S.-Japan trade agreement gives U.S. beef a favorable tariff relative to Australia, up to an annual cap. At that point, the rate jumps from 25.8% tariff up to 38.5% in a penalty month, a disincentive to more U.S. imports that protects Japan’s beef industry.

“We have a lot of markets we can steadily sell beef to year in and year out,” Jones says. “Our top 10 countries typically stay our top 10 countries, but even within them, the trade agreements can change from year to year.”

CAB is also at the mercy of a country’s dollar valuation. A stronger U.S. dollar, makes beef more expensive for customers, and a weaker dollar typically adds up to more sales.  

Sometimes the conditions just flat don’t work. Then the strategy is to wait for better circumstances and help partners innovate with new cuts and value-added products.

Navigable waters

Some obstacles can’t be avoided, but with a little navigation, many can. Each country is profoundly different.

The new U.S.-China Phase 1 Agreement offers immense opportunity for U.S. beef packers and exporters, but it takes learning how the Chinese buy, sell, store and trade beef.

In South America, a short-distance delivery could come in an unrefridgerated box, mounted on a scooter.

“CAB saved Atlantic”

Atlantic Foodservice had a booming business, until they didn’t.

When COVID hit the South American country of Colombia in March 2020, the distributor was selling to retailers and restaurants as a center-of-the-plate specialist, but not direct to consumer. The following month, their CAB sales fell to just 5% of April 2019.

In 11 days, Atlantic built an online store to sell directly to consumers.

Efraín Ramírez, Atlantic’s CAB brand specialist, remembers a lot of sleepless nights. The website required brand awareness, so despite lack of formal training, Ramírez became an online self-styled meat coach known as “Señor Beefra,” or @Sr.Beefra.

Colombians are used to heavily-seasoned Bos Indicus-influenced beef, but thousands of visitors to Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and TikTok logged in to watch live videos on seasoning, handling and cooking techniques for the premium quality Northern brand.

After each video, Atlantic’s sales for that product would spike, Ramírez says, noting his company became synonymous with Certified Angus Beef in the process.

His job performance is measured on repurchasing behavior. It’s easy, “because the product is so consistent, it always works,” he explains. “It’s always flavorful. It’s always tender. It’s always juicy and our customers notice that.”

By June, Atlantic’s sales improved enough to hold its position and keep more than 350 employees on the job.

“Certified Angus Beef saved Atlantic,” Ramírez says. “Without CAB, I think this company might not be alive right now.”

international

CAB Spanish website

international

CAB Japanese website

international

CAB Chinese website

It can take up to two months to get frozen beef product to the Middle East.

There are few cut shops internationally, which creates logistical challenges. Each new market means new partners, with different circumstances.

“The opportunities are endless in terms of demand, but maybe it isn’t being met today because someone just hasn’t thought about how to deliver the product to the customer,” Jones says, noting it’s a balance. “We may not be ready in a country yet because we’re waiting on improvements of their food safety processes, refrigeration or cold storage.”

Timing is imperative. In the U.S., retail and foodservice plan months in advance for holidays and ad placements, but international requires even more time. It’s still expensive to ship large amounts of beef, but exporters are consolidating other proteins and groceries to increase efficiency. Such flexibility will grow as shipping technology evolves.

On the horizon

International demand is driven by CAB’s reputation.

Jones asks each new potential customer why they call and he says the answer is inevitable: “Well, you guys are the best. It’s the quality. I need the best quality product to stand out from the rest of the competition because people recognize the brand.”

Whether it’s Latin America, the Middle East, Asia or the Caribbean, the message is the same and it is growing.

Four of CAB’s top 10 countries are in Asia. By 2030, 40% of the world’s GDP is expected to be represented by that region, thanks to a surging middle class.

CAB makes up a quarter of all U.S. beef headed into the Middle East, and at times the brand has been more than half of U.S. beef’s marketshare in Kuwait.

Still, brand integrity is top priority.

“We’re not going to enter countries just to enter countries,” Jones says. “But we’ll go anywhere if we can get with the right partner who is going to get behind the quality of the brand and who can really be our representative in a marketplace.”

Jones says the greatest short-term challenge is getting to the key retail managers and restaurateurs. With a greater audience and the onset of COVID, video conferences and virtual education for partners is vital..

“Whatever the method, pre- or post-COVID, our job is to help our partners promote the brand, drive demand toward the logo and seek any opportunities we can,” Jones says.

Building bigger boats

International begins domestically, Charbine says.

In America, growing ethnic and cultural diversity has changed CAB marketing and has also lent insight into how the product is marketed around the world.

“We do a great job talking to the 57% U.S. majority, and by all means let’s not stop,” he says. “But how do we target the 43%? How can multicultural audiences connect and feel like this brand is for them?”

It starts from scratch but requires several methods. Some that work domestically don’t translate internationally. It’s a constant process of transcreation, or adaptation while maintaining intent, style, tone and context.

CAB launched websites in Spanish and Japanese, and a Chinese version is on the way. Brand logos have been adapted for Japanese, Chinese and French-Canadian consumers.

Most recently, the team conducted Instagram “Live” programs with international partners and brand ambassadors, and there’s also a CAB Spanish Instagram channel in the works.

Charbine says each export market has different needs. Selling in Canada means highlighting sustainability messages. While the American rancher resonates with consumers in Japan, other Asian and Middle Eastern markets first emphasize specifications and brand quality. Smaller kitchens and even different utentils provide unique needs.

“It’s a different approach country by country,” Charbine explains. “As we enter and develop new markets, we’re going to learn more, seek out and ask more. At the end of the day, aren’t we all together at the same table?”

It’s a shared experience cattlemen help build, one high-quality carcass at a time.

“Anything that the producer does,” he says, “affects not just people in the United States or Canada, but on a global scale.”​

This story originally ran in the April 2021 Angus Journal.

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Adding up pennies

Free CAB webinar on dynamics of profitability

by Morgan Boecker

February 24, 2021

You get paid by the pound for your cattle, but the total figures in much more than weight. Join the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand on March 11 to find out why a premium carcass is worth more, and how those signals get back to you.

The “Discovering True Carcass Value Webinar” will explore cutout values and how CAB carcasses add value beyond Choice.

Certified Angus Beef is all about marketing the entire carcass to drive more value back to the Angus breed,” says Diana Clark, meat scientist for the brand. “It’s not just a middle meat program.”

CAB qualification starts at the packing plant, where a black hide is required. Eligible steers and heifers may have no other color behind the shoulder, above the flanks or breaking the midline, excluding the tail. After the hide is removed, carcasses must pass 10 science-based specifications to be accepted into the brand.

At wholesale, Choice carcasses earn a hefty premium over Select, though it’s less for end meats. The webinar will show real examples with current beef prices of where CAB adds still more premium value across more wholesale cuts.

“Price matters in relation to proportion,” says Paul Dykstra, the brand’s assistant director of supply management and analysis. Though higher-priced, a tenderloin’s mass may not generate a large premium. But because the round is heavy, even a 5-cent premium will add up.

“Every cut is affected,” Clark says. “I love seeing this in popular barbecue items like brisket.”

A typically lower quality, cheap cut instantly becomes premium once qualified for CAB. That lets more segments of the food industry grab hold of premium value.

“The brand interacts with the entire beef community, from producers to packers, distributors, foodservice and retail partners,” she says. “Utilizing the entire carcass and not just middle meats is how we give a little more to everyone.”

Join Clark and Dykstra for a virtual visit to the meat lab and see where true value comes from. Register for free at www.cabcattle.com/webinars.

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the faces of A Rare Breed

“A Rare Breed: Legacies of Excellence” launches Jan. 3

December 28, 2020

Land and cattle, equipment and buildings–they’ve all been passed along in cattle families throughout history. There’s the worn notice of a bull sale tucked up in the barn rafters or the century-old fishing cabins by the river. Those mean something to the people who’ve held onto them across decades, but the most important “thing” passed on from one generation to the next isn’t a thing at all. It’s the legacy of excellence.

This Sunday, Jan. 3, a five-part mini-documentary series, “A Rare Breed: Legacies of Excellence” will launch on the Certified Angus Beef ® brand Cattleman Connection YouTube channel. A new segment will premiere at 6 p.m. CST each Sunday night in January.

Follow along as these short video features detail registered breeders, commercial cattlemen and cattle feeders from Oregon to Texas. Get a glimpse of their family life and their cattle philosophy, and get ideas for your own operation.

“As we sit across kitchen tables or ride along in pickups with some really good cattlemen and women all over the country, we’re often thinking, ‘I wish everyone could see this or hear that.’ This series is a way to give folks a more in-depth look at all that we learn when we’re on location,” says Miranda Reiman, director of producer communications for the brand. “We get to know their history, their cattle and their drive, and we hope others will find them to be as inspiring and entertaining as we did.”

These producers know that doing the best is not only a worthy goal, it’s also the most profitable, and thus the most sustainable, she says. “And that will be their legacy.”

To watch this series unfold, follow the CAB Cattleman Connection channels on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube, or visit the A Rare Breed webpage. The full schedule is:

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cab barn

Nominate quality cattlemen for CAB awards by Jan. 17

by Miranda Reiman

December 23, 2020

The best cattle feeders and ranchers live up to a code of excellence every day, one based on a solid foundation of economics, ethics and sustainability. They work for their families and everyone in the supply chain right on to consumers who appreciate the best.

They’re not in it for accolades, but you know who they are and we need your help on their behalf. Their passion, drive and ability to create more top-quality beef lifts all of us and merits wider notice.

Nominations are open until Jan. 17 for the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand supply development awards.

“Each year, during our Annual Conference in September, we recognize those who exemplify our mission on their operations,” says Kara Lee, assistant director of producer engagement. “It’s a chance to both thank them for their dedication and also introduce partners across the beef business to cattlemen and women who supply this brand.”

family in pickup bed

Commitment to Excellence nominees are being sought in three areas: commercial, seedstock and feedyard.

Consideration is given to a producer’s direct effect on the supply of high-quality cattle for CAB, and may include everything from the big picture to genetics, management practices, marketing strategies, customer service and CAB acceptance rate.

Award winners will be invited to accept the honor at the 2021 CAB Annual Conference, set for September 22 to 24 in Marco Island, Florida.

“It’s a chance for producers to meet people from all areas of the beef industry—chefs, distributors, retailers, and more. It gives them a new perspective on the brand and the people involved in it,” Lee says.

Visit www.cabcattle.com/nominate, to nominate someone today.

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Annual Conference live Meat Speak

Jan. 31 deadline for CAB Colvin Scholarship

by Morgan Marley Boecker

December 16, 2020

Sometimes all a person needs is a little boost, a reassuring message: “You’ve got this.”

Since 1999, the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand has provided that by awarding $289,500 to 86 Colvin Scholarship recipients. In 2020, 10 students earned their shares of $42,000, but each year that number seems to grow.

The fund honors Louis M. “Mick” Colvin, CAB co-founder and executive director for its first 22 years, for his vision and tireless efforts to help the brand become reality. It was established after his retirement to carry on the legacy of achieving dreams and inspiring others.

Applications are open until January 31, 2021 for students pursuing a degree in meat science, animal science, economics, marketing, business, communications or other beef-related fields.

To apply, visit the brand’s careers webpage and click on 2021 Colvin Scholarship links under “Open Positions, Scholarships and Seminar Opportunities.”

Mick Colvin 2020

At least five sophomore, juniors or seniors will be awarded a scholarship next spring. Applicants must submit transcripts along with two letters of recommendation and two essays. An essay of up to 1,000 words should detail how CAB can ensure its reputation in the competitive market for branded Angus beef, with a second essay of up to 500 words explaining their career path.

Graduate-level scholarships are available to those pursuing research on the advancement of high-quality beef production and increasing beef demand. Graduate applicants should also submit a report outlining the details of their research.

First-place undergraduate and graduate winners will receive $7,500 and an all-expense-paid trip to the 2021 CAB Annual Conference in Marco Island, Fla., where they can connect with the brand’s partners in production, packing, retail and foodservice. A golf tournament and auction at the event provide funding for the scholarships, with totals regularly setting new records.

scholarship winners and colvins, mick colvin, colvin scholarship winners

Selected by the Colvin Scholarship Fund Committee, applicants are judged on their activities, scholastic achievement, communication skills and reference materials. Applicants will be selected to win their share of $50,000, and winners will be notified in March.

For 42 years, the brand has remained dedicated to adding value to Angus cattle by providing a consistent high-quality eating experience. Based in Wooster, Ohio, CAB annually sells more than a billion pounds of the best beef worldwide through a network of 19,000 licensed partners.

To learn more, visit https://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/press/colvin/.

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As drought conditions persist across much of cattle country, farmers and ranchers are at a pivotal juncture in the cattle industry’s landscape. What impact does this prolonged dry spell have on the nation’s herd numbers? When will heifer retention begin? How will industry dynamics influence the spring bull sale season?

Not perfect, but working to get better

“We always strive for that perfect animal. We won’t get there, but that doesn’t stop us from trying.”

When interviewing a seasoned cattleman this summer, I quickly jotted down that phrase, but then he paused half a beat and said something that really resonated with me: “I shouldn’t say ‘perfect animal,’ because we’re not in the business of just producing one.”

That’s how it is with this ag communications gig. I don’t set out to write one knockout story and the let the rest just settle in mediocrity. I hope I’m continually hitting the mark, and raising that bar a little higher each time.

I know it takes constant work to keep after that goal, in the same way that you don’t just “hit the target” with your herd one year and then coast.

I can’t pick a favorite child and in my work, I can’t pick a favorite story I got to tell. But each year, just like hundreds of other ag communicators across the country, I’m asked to select my “best of” to turn in for professional critiques and contests for both the Livestock Publications Council (LPC) and Ag Communicators Network.

producer communications team
(left) Morgan Boecker, Nicole Erceg, Abbie Burnett, Miranda Reiman, Steve Suther

I flip through year-old magazines and remember the stories behind the stories. I see the ranch kids I wish my own would have a chance to meet, and I remember jokes told around a supper table. I think of cows getting out during a photoshoot, and of some of the very best people who took time out of their day to let me in on a little bit of their life.

Reviewing a year’s worth of work reminds me not only why I do it, but who I write for.

Typically we learn the results of all that reminiscing (and subsequent contest entering) at the Ag Media Summit each summer. Well, as you might expect in 2020, that conference was first delayed and then moved to virtual. Instead of gathering with colleagues and friends across the industry to hear the results, we gathered via Zoom last month.

The CAB Cattleman Connection team heard its name called more than once in the virtual ceremonies, and each time came a sense of personal accomplishment, but even better: confirmation that we’re getting better at our craft. I hope that means we’re doing a better job for you.

Here’s a roundup of the honors:

LPC Contest:

  • Excellence in Writing: Miranda Reiman
  • Excellence in Photography: Abbie Burnett (see photos at the end of this post)
  • Marketing Article: Third place Miranda Reiman, “Beyond the logo
  • Commentary/Essay:
  • General Excellence: Story Package: Miranda Reiman, based on this story.

Best of the Bunch photos:

Livestock scenic: 2nd place Morgan Boecker

Morgan Ranches scenic

Livestock People: 1st place Miranda Reiman

dalebanks perrier seedstock commitment to excellence

Livestock: 2nd place Abbie Burnett

bull between trees

Ag Communicators Network Contest:

The greater Team Angus communications group also had its share of wins, perhaps the most collective across the board ever for the breed, or at least for quite some time. We’re not just committed here at CAB—it’s the whole Angus team that joins in sharing news, inspiration and education, with a little bit of entertainment thrown in, too.

Although a celebratory toast with friends on award banquet night sure would have been nice (I miss seeing my people!), I decided that quiet little recognition was just about right.

Because we don’t do it for the awards, after all. We do it for you.

Thanks for trusting us to tell your stories.

Miranda

Enjoy these photos which helped Abbie win the “Excellence in Photography” award.

bull between trees

About the author: Miranda Reiman

I love this life. Things that top my list? God, my family, rural life, agriculture and working for the brand. I’m officially the director of producer communications, which basically means I get to learn from lots of smart people and pass that information along to other smart people: YOU. I’m fortunate to work with producers and others in the beef community from my Nebraska-based home office here in the heart of cattle country. (One other delicious job perk? Any time we meet, there’s sure to be good beef involved.) 

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Progress from small steps

Progress from small steps

Every day is a chance to learn and get better. Thousands of others like my new friends in Alabama are taking steps to meet the shifts in consumer demand, and to know more. Small steps in the right direction can start now. Even if it’s just recording a snapshot of where you are today, a benchmark for tomorrow.

Not perfect, but working to get better

Not perfect, but working to get better

The CAB Cattleman Connection team heard its name called more than once in the virtual ceremonies, and each time came a sense of personal accomplishment, but even better: confirmation that we’re getting better at our craft. I hope that means we’re doing a better job for you.

Beefed up findings

Beefed up findings

Frank Mitloehner presents his findings on the animal ag sector’s impact on global warming. He explains how cattle counterbalance other fossil fuel sectors, proving that cattle are a solution and not a threat.

Todd and Katlenia Vejraska

Come what may

When storms roll in, CAB’s Rural Relief Fund looks to support ag community

by Morgan Marley Boecker

November 24, 2020

Making a living from the land means nothing is assured.

 “You can’t fight with Mother Nature,” said Iowa farmer Ken Hartzell. “The best you can do is work with her.”

That’s as true in Iowa as it is in Washington. It’s been true for generations and it’s certainly been true in 2020.

Sunday, September 6, 2020: Cold Springs Fire in Washington

It was just a normal day.

Todd Vejraska was at home with his family one minute, then he was running out the door toward the fire the next.

“That was the last time I was home for 24 hours,” the Washington rancher recalled.

The Cold Springs Fire headed straight for cows with newborn calves, so Vejraska tried to get ahead to open gates and give his cattle any chance to escape.

“I’ve been a fire fighter, I’ve been on a hotshot crew, I’ve done other things,” he said. “This wasn’t something you normally see. It was really bad.”

It blew across the land with enough ferocity to engulf an entire field in one pass.

At 2:30 a.m., he tried texting his wife Katlenia that he was okay but when he looked up, the fire was running across the front of his pickup.

Cold Springs fire heading towards hay stacks

Just south in Brewster, Wash., Dale Smith fought the same fire. 

With the help of neighboring ranches and local communities, they brought nearly 600 cows home, but not unscathed. That many more died in the fire or had to be put down.

He lost all of his fences and 90% of his hay stocks, but they salvaged part of the corrals and their home.

“I don’t want it to be a pity party,” Smith said. “This is what we want to do. This is what could happen to anybody else if ranching is what they really want to do.”

It’s an entire community—bull customers, neighbors and plain good people—helping them find that forgotten strength that surfaces after disaster strikes.

“We want to be in the cattle business, that’s all we’ve ever done,” Smith said. “We’re just trying to weather the storm.”

burned fences

Monday, August 10, 2020: Derecho blows through Iowa 

Thunderstorms are common in the Midwest, but this one was unique.

On August 10, a “derecho” tore its way across Iowa, causing damage for hundreds of miles. It was a rare phenomenon that brings heavy rain and hurricane-force winds.

Lee Crock rode out the storm in his pickup in Mechanicsville, watching trees and limbs fall across the bank parking lot. Until he got a call from his daughter saying, “You need to come home.”

It was less than an hour from the time the storm started until he pulled into his drive. Buildings were gone, roofs were missing and for the first time in 50 years, the barnyard looked different.

“In 45 minutes, we lost a million dollars,” Crock said.

Equipment was damaged, trees had fallen on nearly every structure, and grain bins were blown away. The hog barn, paid off less than a month before, was lifted off its foundation.

derecho damage at Crock's

Ken Hartzell, Moscow, Iowa, was putting away a halter when one gust of wind peeled off the roof above him like a bandage.

He waited, but when the wind didn’t subside he ran to the house, pelted by gravel, pebbles and sand the whole way.

That week, high school football teams canceled practice to help senior citizens pick up their yards, while firemen hauled water to livestock.

“I am one of the lucky ones,” he said, noting the everyone was safe and no cattle were hurt. “Someone said farming isn’t for the faint of heart. Well they’re right because you never know what Mother Nature’s gonna throw at you.”

As they assessed damage and cleared debris, Crock’s perspective shifted to the future.

“When you can kind of start over,” he said, “how do you plan for the next generation, and what do they want to do?”

Ken Hartzell's derecho barn damage
Ken Hartzell barn roof laying on grass

A way to help

Every year, farmers and ranchers somewhere get knocked down by natural disasters, and communities always seem to come together. But that often leaves people from across the U.S. wondering: “How can we help?”

In fall 2019, the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand created the Rural Relief Fund as a way to rally their community to provide support.

Today, every penny of the sales of its coffee table book, “Sheltering Generations–The American Barn,” support the fund. The book uncovers the role of the American barn through its large photographic spreads and stories of 40 Angus families from across the United States.

To purchase “Sheltering Generations” for $19.95, or directly donate to the Rural Relief Fund, go to shop.certifiedangusbeef.com.

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brand specifications evolve, spec change

VanStavern remembered with meat science “mentorship”

by Crystal Meier

November 11, 2020

It was an Elvis moment for Diana Clark: the chance to meet a legend in her field of meat science.

The University of Illinois graduate shared an elevator ride and introductions with Bobby “Dr. Bob” VanStavern.

“He pushed for the focus on quality,” Clark says. Leaner beef was the 1970s trend but “he knew what good quality beef was.”

The Ohio State University (OSU) Extension professor linked cattle production to quality on the plate. He taught students and pros, mentored both and wrote instructional guides, always looking to make beef better for each link in the value chain. Uniting all those needs raised challenges, but it would pay in time.

That road began when Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand cofounder Mick Colvin entered VanStavern’s office in August 1977, seeking science-based criteria to incentivize higher quality beef for consumers. The details were already in a desk drawer, leading to the brand’s retail launch the next year.

Mentoring still

In meat science as in life, The OSU legend was a listener and champion of others, an unwavering rock with a warm presence. Last February, he passed away at 90.

To honor his friendly leadership style, the brand helped launch an American Meat Science Association (AMSA) Development Council “mentorship” in 2020. Each year, one student who presents beef-quality research at the AMSA Reciprocal Meat Conference will receive a scholarship in his honor, funded by those VanStavern mentored. The first $1,000 recipient will be chosen next year.

Dr. Bob mentorship

“I think it’s fitting to honor Dr. Bob in this way,” says fellow meat scientist and CAB President John Stika. “Dr. Bob believed the data he collected and in the power of a better eating experience, and that’s why research is such a rock-solid part of our specifications still today. He helped so many people—students, colleagues and producers to consumers—be more successful.”

The OSU legend consulted for the first premium branded beef program for 25 years, on the team with Colvin, meat packers, processors, distributors, retailers and chefs. He nurtured and encouraged. He visited their businesses and crafted “Science Behind the Sizzle” training much like Clark presents today.

More than 19,000 partners market the brand in 52 countries now, delivering 6.3 billion servings annually.

“Things Dr. Bob advocated for seem commonplace today, because 40 years later, other programs and breeds are touting quality in the marketplace,” Stika adds. “Because of his solid opinion and willingness to defend it, there’s an entire industry today that gets it.”

Living legacy

John Grimes was one of the students and colleagues VanStavern touched.

Starting in 1979, Grimes went on to work alongside his mentor in Ohio State Extension.

“Bobby was always a students’ professor, like a players’ coach,” Grimes says. “He really cared about his students, wanted you to learn, and was passionate about meat science and what he did for Certified Angus Beef.”

Dr. Bob mentorship

Grimes served as 2020 chairman of the brand’s board of directors. Retired from Extension, he still raises Angus cattle with his wife, Joanie, in Hillsboro, Ohio. It’s easy to see the call for higher quality beef has grown much bigger than one individual.

“The continued success of the Certified Angus Beef brand documents the need for farmers and ranchers to pay attention to carcass traits,” Grimes adds. “As demand grows, it’s our obligation to continue growing beef cattle to meet consumer needs.”

As for Clark, she and husband Daniel are meat scientists for the brand now, spending their days in the meat lab, on Zoom, researching and at seminars talking with partners, compounding a legacy of success.

“He set the foundation and pointed us in the best direction,” Clark says. “We have the best beef out there. We continue honoring him by challenging ourselves to always make it better.”

Stika’s advice for students: “Believe the data, be persistent, and then share your beliefs with conviction. Dr. Bob always did.”

The West Virginia native earned his bachelor’s from West Virginia University before advanced degrees from OSU. He served two years in the Air Force and earned the rank of Captain before returning to OSU for his Ph.D. in 1960. VanStavern was a beloved family man, noted researcher, speaker and leader in AMSA and other organizations.

Contributions to the mentor scholarship program are made available through AMSA.

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