Friday May 29, 2009
Yesterday was the first official day of the Young Cattlemen's Conference. Our day was filled with great speakers and a good start to getting to know one another!
This YCC is a year of many firsts in its 30 year history: - largest class with 54 doing the whole trip - the most women they've ever taken (14) :) which I'm excited to take part in that number -the most NCBA staff to ever attend including the new NCBA president Forrest Roberts is attending the entire trip with us! There are also two of the lobbyists and Dr. Parker all from DC along for the ride!
WSU has a strong representation of COUGS on the trip with Rod, myself, and Ian Murdock from the Oregon cattlemen's. Sabrina White of the Ponoholo Ranch in Hawaii is also on this trip. We have a couple of mutual friends and I was familiar with her ranch through experience with the Hawaii Co-op. We discovered we have both worked at the same guest ranch in Montana. In addition to those connections Dave Felumle from Ohio us friends with Jay Penick, my CEO at NW Farm Credit. I'm on my best behavior after learning that!:) Needless to say no matter how many miles or oceans separate us in this industry you will probably end up knowing someone or share a mutual friend wherever you go!
I have learned so much I am bursting to share it with everyone! A quick take home message for today is please show your support of the NCBA and their Political Action Committee. We are working hard to fight Humane Society of the United States who is doing everything in their power to shut down all animal agriculture in the United States. This group is not supporting local humane societies they are using funds to lobby and pass legislation to try and shut us down. The NCBA PAC is working hard to fight them but we need to support them financially to go up against HSUS hundreds of millions of dollars.
We are having a PAC auction the last night of our trip on a riverboat on the Potomac river! I would welcome any financial support so I can bid and support the PAC
Jenna :)
