Yesterday, I had the opportunity to take part in the Checkoff’s Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) Commencement Ceremony, where I was the afternoon speaker. My speech was titled, “Discovering the Power of Social Media,” and I challenged the graduates to use these online tools to share the agriculture story.

Troy and Stacy Hadrick, Advocates for Agriculture, also spoke during the morning session, as well as Daren Williams with the MBA program. Workshops included developing your elevator speech and drafting a letter to the editor or response comment in an online forum. Following the conclusion of the workshops, diplomas were passed out to all of the graduates, including myself!

700 people have completed the MBA course, which consists of six hour-long online courses, with exams and homework assignments. This is a great way to brush up on your beef industry factoids, so you’re ready to have a conversation with the next consumer you chat with. If you’re interested in participating in this program, link here for more information.