I turned the first draft of the last chapter of my Master’s thesis in today! I’m sure I’ll share more about my thesis project with you as I get closer to defense time. My project focuses on how beef producers can effectively communicate with an urban public. For now, I’ll share one of my recommendations and a bit of my personal experience.

In my tactical recommendations for producers, I encourage them to advocate for agriculture in a variety of communication mediums – from printed letters to the editor and news media to the online environment and face-to-face communication. Social media in particular is a place I think is a good fit for “agvocacy” (agriculture + advocacy).

In my personal experience, social networking advocacy works. The Humane Society of the United States is an organization that – despite its misleading name – does not operate any animal shelters or spay and neuter clinics but does spend a considerable amount of its time and money lobbying against animal agriculture. From time to time, I utilize my personal Facebook page to share this with others. Below is a screen shot of an interaction where my friend Craig’s opinion of HSUS changed based on my Facebook advocacy. Craig is a law student specializing in administrative law with an interest in politics.  

I had a similiar interaction recently with my friend Tina, a Wichita nurse.

The Internet has been a buzz the last couple days with news that [yellow tail] wine donated $100,000 to HSUS. I’ve read about it in blog posts, on twitter, in Facebook updates and all over the agriculture media. YPC blogger Crystal Young wrote about it here in her personal blog. You can even watch Advocates for Agriculture’s Troy Hadrick dump his last bottle of Yellow Tail out on YouTube.

I’ve been very proud to see everyone’s quick reactions and [yellow tail] has taken notice. I’d love to see an environment where companies are afraid to donate to HSUS because of the backlash that follows.

If you’ve been paying attention to college basketball lately you know that my Alma Mater, Kansas State University, beat the No. 1 ranked Texas Longhorns.  A friend of mine attended the game and said she could see prominently in the crowd a K-State fan with a sign that said “Eat Beef, Go Cats!” She sent me this blurry picture, taken from her camera phone. The arrow is pointing to the sign.

I’m all for creative ways of getting the message across. Think of how many people would have seen this sign in Bramlage Coliseum that night.

Here’s another K-State sports sign that referenced Ag. This one is from football season. It’s a bit more controversial, taking a jab at ex University of Kansas football coach Mark Mangino at the same time.

I can see how some may take offense to the second sign, and I’m not trying to encourage poking fun at others. However, as long as people keep eating beef and cheering for the Cats, I’m happy.

EMAW (Every Man a Wildcat),

Chelsea

I made it to sunny San Antonio yesterday. I am attending Convention as a 2009 winner of the W.D. Farr Scholarship. Last night the other scholarship winner, Ryan Murphy, and I got to watch a live taping of Cattlemen to Cattlemen. Today we are helping with the Cattlemen’s College sessions. Listening to NCBA’s Colin Woodall talk about the changing political climate was very interesting. If you’re not caught up on the possibility of dust being regulated under the Clean Air Act or the Oberstar-Feingold proposal to remove the word “navigable” from the Clean Water Act please read up on them. Both are very scary possibilities that would be game changers for our industry.

More later,

Chelsea

This will be the first year that I can remember that I’ll miss the National Western Stock Show in Denver. I grew up showing there and have been back every year to enjoy great cattle and great people. But between starting my second semester of law school and working on finishing my Master’s thesis, it just wasn’t in the cards for this year. Two things will get me through this. First, the constant updates from friends and family who are at Stock Show. Second, the fact that I will see many of the same people soon at the Beef Industry Annual Convention in San Antonio.

Denver may be my favorite show but Annual Convention is probably my favorite beef industry event period. Every year I gain from participating in Cattlemen’s College, attending the General Sessions and talking with people in the trade show. Click here to take a peek at this year’s schedule. You’ll notice that the youth events introduced in Phoenix last year will make an appearance again.

I’m especially excited that this year’s convention is in San Antonio. I’ve been to NCBA Conventions in Denver, Phoenix, Reno and Nashville but this will be my first San Antonio convention. My only San Antonio experience to date was while on a college livestock-judging trip, so the fairgrounds and a cheap hotel are all I know of the city. The River Walk area in particular is supposed to be especially interesting and some friends and I have already found some restaurants and a piano bar online that looks like they’re worth a visit. 

Pack your bags and I’ll see you in San Antonio!

This is a picture of a statute outside a bank in Scott City, Kansas where my grandparents live. I think it’s a great representation of cattle producers and the connection they have with their livestock. It’s also a healthy reminder that this is how producers are still seen in the majority of people’s minds.

Sometimes we get caught up in the things said about our industry by activist groups like the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). No doubt, these groups pose very real threats. However, they are still a small number of people who make a lot of noise. An overwhelming 97.4 percent of Americans eat meat and farmers and ranchers are selected as trustworthy professions in opinion polls.

While there is a lot of work to do advocating for our industry keep in mind that we’re part of a noble profession in feeding Americans and people around the world and that most people are on our side.