Continuing Service Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Angie Stump Denton, Beef Improvement Federation Communication Coordinator, angiedenton@ksu.edu or 785-562-6197
June 5, 2017
Spangler Presented Continuing Service Award
ATHENS, Ga. – The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) presented Matt Spangler, Lincoln, Nebraska, a BIF Continuing Service Award June 2 during the group’s annual meeting and symposium in Athens, Georgia.
Matt Spangler, associate professor and extension beef genetics specialist at the University of Nebraska, was presented the Beef Improvement Federation Continuing Service Award. Also pictured is Marty Ropp, 2016-17 BIF president. Spangler was honored June 2 at the organization’s 49th annual convention in Athens, Georgia.
Continuing Service Award winners have made major contributions to the BIF organization. This includes serving on the board of directors, speaking at BIF conventions, working on BIF guidelines and other behind-the-scenes activities. As BIF is a volunteer organization, it is this contribution of time and passion for the beef cattle industry that moves BIF forward.
Spangler grew up on a diversified crop and livestock farm in Kansas. He received his bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University, a master’s degree from Iowa State University and his doctorate from the University of Georgia. He is currently an associate professor and extension beef genetics specialist at the University of Nebraska.
He works as part of a team with colleagues at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) at Clay Center, Neb., to improve genetic/genomic selection tools and methods and is currently part of an effort funded by the USDA to develop genomic predictors for feed efficiency in beef cattle.
His nationally recognized extension program has resulted in 19 extension publications and industry reports, as well as 220 invited presentations at state, regional, national or international meetings. He has also authored or co-authored 20 peer-reviewed journal articles, 35 meeting proceedings, 46 abstracts and five book chapters.
More than 350 beef producers, academia and industry representatives were in attendance at the organization’s 49th annual convention. BIF’s mission is to help improve the industry by promoting greater acceptance of beef cattle performance evaluation.
For more information about this year’s symposium, including additional award winners and coverage of meeting and tours, visit www.BIFconference.com. For more information about BIF, visit www.Beefimprovement.org.
The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) is an organization dedicated to coordinating all segments of the beef industry — from researchers and producers to retailers — in an effort to improve the efficiency, profitability and sustainability of beef production. The organization was initiated almost 70 years ago to encourage the use of objective measurements to evaluate beef cattle. Continuing the tradition, BIF is now the clearinghouse for developing standardized programs and methodologies for recording of performance data for all traits, from birth weights to carcass traits. Its three-leaf-clover logo symbolizes the link between industry, extension and research.
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Matt Spangler, associate professor and extension beef genetics specialist at the University of Nebraska, was presented the Beef Improvement Federation Continuing Service Award. Also pictured is Marty Ropp, 2016-17 BIF president. Spangler was honored June 2 at the organization’s 49th annual convention in Athens, Georgia.
