Article by Melinda Hart
The second annual Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association (TCA) and Tennessee Cattlemen’s Youth Association (TCYA) Youth Beef Industry Tour was held August 1-3, 2024. Sixteen Tennessee Cattlemen’s Youth Association members were selected through an application process to participate in the tour.
Again, this year, my goals for the tour were simple:
Provide participants with the opportunity to see unique aspects of the beef cattle industry.
Expose participants to potential education, internship, and career opportunities.
Encourage participants to engage in meaningful conversations with industry leaders.
Provide participants with the opportunity to create friendships with fellow cattle industry peers.
Encourage participants to set their own goals and step out of their comfort zone.
To say the least, the participants and the 2024 tour far exceeded the goals I set. The TCA/TCYA Youth Beef Industry Tour was a three-day tour across southern middle Tennessee and Alabama. The tour showcased every facet of the beef cattle industry and allowed participants to gain first-hand experience in areas of seedstock production, the agriculture equipment business, beef cattle reproduction, and more. Participants also got to explore different college and career avenues.
The tour kicked off at Deer Valley Farms in Fayetteville, TN. At Deer Valley, the participants learned all that goes into seedstock production from breeding decisions and nutrition to marketing and herd health. This quote from Deer Valley’s manager, JP Perry, best summarizes the group’s takeaway from the tour, “The number of us feeding the world gets smaller every day. The number of mouths we feed gets bigger every day. It is up to use to raise cattle to meet that demand.” The participants wrapped up day one by visiting TriGreen Equipment in Huntsville, AL and the Alabama State Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Hanceville, AL.
Day two was chockfull of networking and educational experiences. The group started the day at the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association where they had the opportunity to network with the Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Association junior board through ice breaker games, a scavenger hunt, and lunch. Another highlight of the tour was visiting Auburn University College of Agriculture. The participants got a thorough tour of the on-campus meat processing facility, research happening at the beef unit, the equestrian center, and the meat and nutrition labs.
Finally, on day three, the participants visited Lookout Mountain Genetics and Tennessee River Music in Fort Payne, AL. At Lookout Mountain, the participants learned how bulls are collected, and how semen is processed and stored. Tennessee River Music gave the participants another glimpse into what it takes to operate a successful seedstock operation.
As I have reflected on the trip and our experiences, I can’t help but wonder and envision where each participant might find themselves in the beef cattle industry in the future. If anything, the TCA/TCYA Youth Beef Industry Tour opened their eyes to the many careers within the beef cattle industry. Another aspect I have reflected upon is just how necessary fresh eyes, fresh ideas, new technology, and new methods are to this industry. That is where today’s youth fit into this. The world depends on the beef cattle industry to supply a nutritious protein source. All of these youth participants have a role in providing that.
Lastly, THANK YOU to the sponsors that made this tour possible: Tennessee Beef Foundation, Tennessee Beef Industry Council, Corteva Agriscience, Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, Alligare, Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association, Lincoln County Cattlemen’s Association, and Giles County Cattlemen’s Association.
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