"With Vision, There is Progress"

California Beef Ambassadors

Kim Rounds, Nevada County native
selected as 2011-12 California Beef Ambassador

Sacramento, Calif. (April 12, 2011)—Youth spokespeople from throughout the state participated in the 2011 California Beef Ambassador Contest on April 9, 2011. The contest was organized by the California CattleWomen, Inc. (CCW) and California Beef Council (CBC) and hosted at California State University, Fresno. The purpose of the contest is to give California youth an opportunity to learn about the importance of the beef industry, hone their public speaking skills and ultimately become youth spokespeople for the beef industry. 

Kim Rounds, a native of Nevada County took home first place honors in the senior division (ages 17-20). She raises steers for the Nevada County Fair and is active in her high school Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter. Rounds plans to attend Colorado State University this fall, pursuing a degree in Equine Science. Katelynn Bradford, a senior at Livermore High School was recognized as runner-up in the contest. Bradford is currently the Livermore FFA Vice President and the California Nevada Junior Hereford Association President. She plans to attend Butte College in the fall, pursing an associate’s degree in agricultural science with a focus on crops. 

Rounds received a $400 cash prize and Bradford was awarded $300, sponsored by the CBC. As the winner of the senior division of the California Beef Ambassador Contest, Rounds will be competing in the National Beef Ambassador contest to be held in Wooster, Ohio this October. The top five contestants in the national competition become part of the National Beef Ambassador Team and will travel throughout the country in late 2011 and 2012 promoting beef and the beef industry.

Other contestants in the 2011 California Beef Ambassador Contest senior division include: Crystal Avila, Monterey County; Parker Crouse, Kern County; Miriam Cowley, Siskiyou County; Austin Fischer, Shasta County; Margarita Herrera, San Diego County; Walt Hoyt, Calaveras County; Haustin Morrison, San Luis Obispo County; Jake Pickering, Butte County; Stacy Stroing, Tehama County; and Katie Stroud, Modoc County.

Abigail Grisedale, a student at North High School in Kern County was the winner of the junior division (ages 14-16). She is active in her high school’s FFA chapter and varsity volleyball team. Nicole Cowley, a freshman at Yreka High School, who is active in the FFA chapter at her high school and will be showing a steer at the local county fair this summer, received runner-up honors in the junior division. Grisedale was awarded $200 for taking home first place honors and Cowley received $100 for being runner-up in the junior division.

Anne Marie Belden, Butte County; Bailey Brownfield, Tehama County; Cody Butterfield, Nevada County; Ben Clark, San Luis Obsipos County; Shannon Tower, Calaveras County also competed in the junior division contest.

At the conclusion of the competition, contestants received feedback from the competition’s judges, took part in a media training session conducted by the CBC and enjoyed lunch.

CCW Coordinator for this year’s California Beef Ambassador Contest was Sarah DeForest of Butte County. Judges were Amanda Barrett, 2007 national beef ambassador; Robert Britton, instructor at College of the Sequoias; Annette Levi, Ph.D., department chair of Agricultural Business at California State University, Fresno; Jimmy Maxey, owner of J&D Foodservice; Randy Perry, Ph.D., professor at California State University, Fresno; Katie Rodgers, director of public relations for the Fresno County Farm Bureau; and Peter Roney, producer, photographer and editor of the special projects division at CBS 13 in Sacramento.

While preparing for this national speaking competition, youth learn about the importance of the beef industry and beef as an agricultural product. The program highlights the positive impact the cattle industry has on our economy and families.  Trained youth ambassadors address industry issues and misconceptions, while they help educate peers, consumers and producers about food safety, nutrition and the beef checkoff program.  Please visit the National Beef Ambassador web site for full details.

Contestants participating in the National Beef Ambassador Competition presented a speech about the promotional aspects of beef, completed interviews with media and beef-industry representatives and attended a checkoff-funded educational workshop titled “Telling the Production Story.”  The workshop was sponsored by the Beef Checkoff Program. 

The California Beef Council (CBC) was established in 1954 to serve as the promotion, research, and education arm of the California beef industry, and is mandated by the California Food and Agricultural Code. The council is comprised of 42 members, who are appointed by the California Secretary of Agriculture. The council members set priorities for CBC and represent all segments of beef production within California including range cattle, dairy cattle, feedlots, packers/processors and the general public. For more information, visit www.calbeef.org.

In 1985, a national Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board (CBB), which oversees the national Beef Checkoff Program. Checkoff revenues may be used for promotion, education and research programs to improve the marketing climate for beef. The CBB’s 104 members are appointed by and held accountable to the Secretary of Agriculture. Board members represent all segments of the beef industry, including beef, veal and dairy producers, and importers. For more information, visit www.beefboard.org.