Ruston Daily Leader

Louisiana Represented in 2014 Beef Leaders Institute

During the seventh-annual Beef Leaders Institute (BLI), Lee Robbins, Ruston, La. experienced all aspects of the beef industry – from feedlot to retailer. Ruston joined a group of 20 Angus enthusiasts from 16 states who participated in this year’s BLI, held June 23-26 by the American Angus Association®. 

“It’s great being here in the Midwest- there is high quality beef,” says Kurt Brockhaus, center of the plate specialist and product manager for beef, pork, and seafood as Sysco-Lincoln. “So when we brought in Certified Angus Beef eight years ago, it was an easy transition to start talking about the higher quality beef we have and we enjoyed teaching other Angus breeders about Sysco as a part of BLI”Made possible by funds from the Angus Foundation, BLI participants began their experience with an in-depth tour of the Association headquarters in Saint Joseph, Mo. While there, they heard about the variety of ways the Association works for its nearly 25,000 members.

Throughout BLI travels, participants also visited Gregory Feedlot, Tabor, Iowa; TansOva, reproductive technology firm, Sioux Center, Iowa; Tyson, beef processing plant, Dakota City, Neb.; Sysco, food distributor, Lincoln, Neb.; GeneSeek, agricultural biotechnology, Lincoln, Neb.; and Boehringer Ingelheim, pharmaceutical company, St. Joseph, Mo. Tom Brink, of Five Rivers Ranch Cattle Feeding — the world's largest cattle feeding entity, also gave a presentation to the group offering an industry perspective about feeders and consumers.

The 2014 Beef Leadership Institute participants were Kevin Arntzen, Hilger, Mont.; Brian Brockman, Brookfield, Mo.; Bryson Byergo, County Club, Mo.; Jim Collins, Juliette, Ga.; J. Oliver Irons, Lewisburg, W.Va.; Jeremy Johnson, Egeland, N.D.; Neil Johnson, Pipestone, Minn.; Mark Larranaga, Albuquerque, N.M.; Elaine Martin, Ashland, Kan.; Vasco Beheregary Neto, Sun Prairie, Wis.; Nathan Noah, Cambridge, Idaho; Keela Retallick, Morro Bay, Calif.; Lee Robbins, Ruston, La.; Miguel Salazar, Espanola, N.M.; Lindsay Sankey, Economy, Ind.; Randy Smoot, Campbellsville, Ky.; Kenny and Misty Stauffer, Harrisburg, Neb.; Dale Vitt, Fairview, Mont.; and John Wessel, Garber, Iowa.

For more information about the American Angus Association or the Beef Leaders Institute, visit www.angus.org or call 816-383-5100

American Angus Association