By Betty Jo Gigot Publisher
As you can tell from the columns in this issue, the newly announced changes to the food pyramid – namely it’s been inverted – caught the attention of CALF News writers. It certainly got mine since that has been a thorn in my side for all my years reporting and participating in the beef business. Upside down is just right.
Like columnist Blaine Davis put it – “It made me grin”– when he quoted the White House recommending that people “Eat real food.” Columnist Jim Whitt agrees as he recounts the history of the Beef Checkoff’s aggressive ad campaigns through the years. Also be sure to read about his decision not to be a Vegan Creator Con Board member.
In her Prime Points column, Megan Webb discusses what changes these new dietary guidelines will bring for our operations. All in all, it is about time the government admitted what we have all known for years – beef is at the top of the menu in the United States and will stay there.
Chris McClure brings us back to earth with his All In column “Old Cowboys and Nursing Homes” and, as usual, Canadian Will Verboven catches us up on business up north. He says that Canadian crops were well above average across much of the prairie, so there is plenty of barley for feedlot operators, but he looks at the coming year with a critical eye. There is concern about the renewal of the free trade agreement, while for us there’s concern about the future of processing facilities with the downturn in cattle numbers.
”Where’s the Exceptional Beef” is a treat this time. James Coope shares about his visit to Iceland and the steak he found there. He didn’t mention that “surf and turf” in Iceland is whale and horse. He did text me after he got there to say, after looking at the menu, they were out of horse.
This time of year, the feeding industry turns to the Cattle Feeder’s Hall of Fame (CFHOF) honorees during the celebration at the Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville. It’s hard to believe how the program has progressed from a few hundred people in a hotel dining room in Denver to an event that is sold out three months ahead for hundreds celebrating the cattle feeding industry and its leaders. This year’s inductees are Kent Bamford and Bob Foote. The Industry Leadership Award went to Greg Hernderson, and the Armendariz Distinguished Service Award went to Rick Hibler. CALF News congratulates them all.
If you didn’t vote for the 2027 CFHOF nominees at CattleCon, be sure to visit the Cattle Feeder’s Hall of Fame website and vote. This year’s Hall of Fame slate includes Joel Jarrigan, Kirk Olson, Tom Basabe, Jordan Levi and Michael Smith. Industry Leadership nominees are Chub Klein, Pete Anderson and Temple Grandin. As usual, there is a very deserving slate of nominees.
By the time you read this we will just be getting back from the CattleCon, and I hope we got to see you at meetings or in our booth at the trade show.
We live in interesting times and have a lot to discuss about the future of the industry. Our job here is to try to help you stay up with it all and, hopefully, offer a little levity to your day. Keep the faith.
