Helping Hands
Promoting beef to strangers is not an easy job, especially if you are a young lady somewhat new to the business. But to my surprise, I found some young ladies doing just that and a lot more.
For years, women involved in ranching or producing beef have been on the front lines in promoting beef, along with raising it. Most women involved, I always thought, were the innovators. Basically, if there was a problem, they thought of ways to solve it, and then they did it.
In Wyoming, as across the nation, women involved in producing and promoting beef are doing a great job, and we don’t thank them enough. Those of us men recognize that our “better halves” are just better salespeople than we are. Promoting beef must just come naturally to the female side. They do it so easy. President Trump should have had a member of the Wyoming CattleWomen at his side when he talked to the Chinese Premier on importing American beef into China. It would have been a slam dunk for American beef.
A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to visit with the Natrona County Cow-Belles. This group of ladies, besides having placed some great signs along the highways leading into Natrona County, work with their daughters and other young ladies, known as the Royal Court, to promote beef at various events, such as the College National Finals Rodeo. They have handouts on beef that help, but it is really their knowledge about beef and their confidence in going up to total strangers and introducing themselves to talk about beef that makes it successful.
Their moms and other Cow-Belles have spent time practicing with the young ladies on what to say and how to say it on speaking on beef issues. I would imagine the hard part is getting someone to stop and listen to them, but they are all dressed so nice and are so polite, they’ve won that battle.
Someday, I hope to see some of these young ladies in a leadership role with state and national cattle
women’s organizations and more importantly, state and national beef organizations. They are earning their stripes and we need to thank them and those who support them.
Around this time of the year, we at the Roundup are getting the word out for people to send in nominations and applications for the 2017 Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame Award. We all know someone or a couple who needs to be honored for their work in agriculture. They are down every road. Those nominated will be ranked by three judges from around the state. Our judges are independent and do not know who else is scoring applications. Then, I will tally up the rankings and the top persons or couples will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Nominees who are not selected will be eligible for two additional years.
Those chosen will be honored at the 2017 Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame Picnic on the evening of Aug. 16 during the Wyoming State Fair. The picnic, sponsored again by Wyoming Farm Credit Services of America, Cargill/Vigortone and the Wyoming Livestock Roundup, will be held at Riverside Park in Douglas. Sens. Mike Enzi and John Barrasso (both R-Wyo.) will present the awards. The application deadline is June 12th. The nomination application, along with a list of past awardees, are on the Roundup website or give us a call at the Roundup office and we will get them to you. It is a great way to recognize family, friends, or neighbors and business partners the way they so richly deserve. Thank you.
