CALF_News_October_November_2020

23 CALF News • October | November 2020 • www.calfnews.net C huck Coffey, southern Okla- homa rancher and immediate past chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, was named the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) Cattleman of the Year during OCA’s 68 th annual convention in Tulsa. The convention had been scheduled for its regular July meeting in Norman. However, COVID-19 regulations set by Norman to limit group sizes forced OCA to find a new home, go virtual or cancel. They took the in-person-trail and trot- ted to Tulsa, sometimes tagged as Okla- homa’s “Cosmopolitan” city, as opposed to“Cowtown” for Oklahoma City. But with numerous productive ranchers in northeastern Oklahoma, the state’s beef producers and feeders felt right at home. OCA President Mike Weeks presided over the convention. He said the award caught Coffey off guard.“Chuck and his wife, Ruth, couldn’t attend the conven- tion but streamed it virtually,”Weeks said.“They were under the impression that they were getting recognized once more for the Leopold Conservation Award [they won earlier this year]. It’s an honor to be recognized by your peers and the emotion on the face of Chuck and Ruth was evident.” Coffey is a fifth-generation rancher. His family cattle operation, the Double C Cattle Company, is outside Springer. It includes a commercial cow-calf herd along with grazing stocker cattle. As CBB chair last year, Coffey had fun with the “Ask Chuck” Beef Checkoff program. Consumers could “Ask Chuck” about hundreds of tips on beef produc- tion, preparation and recipes through Alexa or other virtual devices. “I admire Chuck and his commitment to serving as an industry leader in many capacities,”Weeks said.“Oklahoma is cattle country and folks like Chuck are vital to the longevity of the beef industry. They make time to learn, lead and make a difference.” During the convention, Weeks was elected to serve the second year of his two-year term as OCA president. OCA members chose Byron Yeoman of Dover as president-elect. Jim Dismukes of Checotah was elected as Southeast District vice president and Zac Pogue of Duncan was elected as South-Central vice president. Kelton Arthur, a 12-year-old from Stillwater, was honored as the All- Around Junior Cattleman of the Year during the Annual Oklahoma Junior Cattlemen’s Association awards luncheon. In August, OCA held its 36 th annual Ranch Rodeo at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie. Twelve Oklahoma ranches competed. Proceeds went to the Okla- homa Children’s Hospital Foundation. Dietary Guidelines OCA was among other cattle groups that submit- ted comments on the con- troversial Scientific Report of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Com- mittee. OCA comments defended beef ’s role in a balanced and nutritious diet. They included three key points: “First, beef is a unique, dense source of key nutri- ents needed at all life stages, including early-year physical development. Beef is an excellent source of protein, vitamin B-12, zinc, selenium, niacin and vitamin B-6. Additionally, beef is a good source of the nutrients phosphorus, ribofla- vin, iron and choline. As the guidelines address life stage nutrition, beef fits well into all phases of growth and development. “Second, the dietary guidelines should avoid considerations that fall outside the nutrient scope such as sustainability of food supply and, in the case of animal proteins, management practices. While Oklahoma cattle producers welcome opportunities to highlight the wonderful environmental and animal management practices used to raise our wholesome beef, these topics fall well outside the boundaries of the parameters established by Congress for the Dietary Guidelines. “Finally, it is important to recognize the nutrient power of beef as compared to other protein sources. Many plant- based protein products require signifi- cant quantities of consumption to equal the nutrients found in lean beef, which leads to overconsumption of nutrients such as sodium because these products are so heavily processed in many cases. Beef is naturally nutrient dense, fitting very well into reasonable calorie-oriented diet considerations for all Americans.”  The Oklahoma Beef Council helps promote Sooner State beef. Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Convention TAKE ME BACK TO TULSA By Larry Stalcup Contributing Editor LEFT: Chuck Coffey, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association Cattleman of the Year. RIGHT: OCA President Mike Weeks. Photo courtesy OCA