After spending a week at the 2009 Cattle Industry Convention, I’m pretty excited about the new focus on the youth in agriculture. 2008 NCBA President Andy Groseta was incredibly driven to invest in the cattle industry’s youth, and he accomplished those goals in three ways: NCBA’s Young Producers Council (YPC) and NCBA Youth Public Speaking Contest and the Team Marketing Contest.
The average age of an NCBA member is 60 years old, and Groseta thinks now is the time to engage in the beef industry and make an investment in the future of this industry. During the YPC meeting, Dustin Dean from Texas was named as the chairman, and Steve Yardley from Utah was elected the vice chairman. Committee chairs were elected for various positions to sit in during meetings and serve as YPC’s vote. Without a doubt, the meeting was charged with energy and passion as young people stood up to give speeches. There is a definite need for a voice in this generation, and I think NCBA nailed it right on the head with this one.
In addition, the public speaking and team marketing contests were a great way to take advantage of our generation’s competitive edge. 18 contestants, ages 9-19 were involved in the speaking portion. I listened in on the 10 and under division of the public speaking contest, and I was thoroughly impressed with the topics including: the benefits of the beef checkoff, antibiotics, downer cattle and the life of a rancher. One little boy from New Mexico got up and said, “The best part in the life of the rancher is riding in the pastures with my dad; the worst part is scooping all the crap.” Too cute for words!
My hat goes off to the NCBA leadership for investing in agriculture’s youth. Congrats to the young people for taking part in these growing organizations and contests.
This is rodeo action at its best. It’s the 
It looks like there’s new life being breathed into the 
Childress, TX is home to one great photographer and that would be Russell Graves, 
I know that a lot of AgWired fans are pro photographers themselves or at least have a real interest in taking pictures so I hope you’ll really enjoy getting to know Russell and listening to our conversation about his work. Russell also teaches high school ag technology classes. He has a passion for his home state and looks at his work as a way to chronicle the rural lifestyle he grew up in so that current and future generations will still be able to enjoy it captured in pictures. If you take time to look through his pictures I’m sure you’ll see many that will make you think, “I’ve seen that same picture before (in your own life).” He could probably live anywhere he wants but he chooses to raise his children in a country environment and I applaud him for that decision.
When you think of Texas, you think cowboys and cattle but . . . 
Meet Russell Graves, 
