Opportunities for Young Producers
Panel describes opportunities and challenges for beef industry’s young producers.
BILOXI, Miss. (June 9, 2015) — The inaugural Young Producers Symposium at the 2015 Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Annual Convention in Biloxi, Miss., June 9, was designed to encourage new faces to attend the convention, explained Marty Ropp, CEO of Allied Genetic Resources. Ropp moderated a panel consisting of Clint Berry, commercial marketing and seedstock procurement specialist for Allied Genetics Resources; Joe Epperly, assistant executive director for the North American Limousin Foundation; and Garrett Thomas, seedstock marketing specialist for Allied Genetic Resources.
Marty Ropp moderated a panel consisting of Clint Berry, commercial marketing and seedstock procurement specialist for Allied Genetics Resources; Joe Epperly, assistant executive director for the North American Limousin Foundation; and Garrett Thomas, seedstock marketing specialist for Allied Genetic Resources.
Berry remarked on how much changes in the beef industry and how things stay the same. Opportunities and challenges will always be available, but the circumstances change. It used to be common knowledge that an off-the-farm job was necessary to be viable in the beef industry. The opportunity now exists to make a living just from a ranch, but he admitted the production model has changed to do so.
Flexibility is needed to expand a beef enterprise, Berry emphasized. The No. 1 limiting factor to beef expansion, he said, is labor. That is a great opportunity for the younger generation to learn multiple things.
“There has never been a better time to be in agriculture, because there are very few people who can do it,” Berry offered. “We have to tackle opportunities with flexibility and openness our forefathers never had to face before.”
Epperly said that the wealth of new technological tools available is accelerating so quickly that it is hard to tell where they might lead. However, the challenge is to adapt the science to the ranch level appropriately. He warned that many breeders want to use a piece of a tool instead of the whole thing.
Additionally, Epperly suggested young producers need to learn to manage the gamut of data available and leverage it throughout the supply chain to answer challenges.
Thomas highlighted that opportunities in marketing are available through data management and adapting to new technology. There is no doubt that there is a great deal of money in the beef business, but more money equals more competition. Small breeders need to think outside of the box to operate as larger breeders, whether through cooperatives or just being willing to try new things.
He likened marketing a Cadillac vehicle vs. a Chevrolet vehicle. Once people get to experience the higher-quality option, they don’t want to go back, so he urged breeders to keep adding value and quality to their operations.
All panelists agreed that strong relationships are integral to succeeding in the beef business. Berry noted that BIF is a network of cooperating competitors to increase the value of the whole industry. As business gets tougher, breeders must do new things to grow. Networking is essential for growth.
The 2015 BIF Annual Convention was hosted by Mississippi State University and the Mississippi Extension Service June 9-12 at the Beau Rivage Casino and Hotel in Biloxi. The Angus Journal and LiveAuctions.tv provide comprehensive online coverage of the event at www.BIFconference.com. Visit the Newsroom for summaries, proceedings, PowerPoints and audio of the sessions; the Awards page for announcements of award winners; and the Photos page for photo galleries of the tour stops.
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