News from the International Livestock Congress

Foundation Awards Student Travel Fellowships

Twenty-five students from around the world to take part in International Livestock Congress

(Houston, TX) – The International Stockmen’s Educational Foundation (ISEF), the managing body of the International Livestock Congress (ILC), has awarded 25 travel fellowships to students representing 15 universities and 6 countries who will travel to Houston to attend the ILC February 18-22.

Students, who must have been seniors or graduate students at their respective schools, were selected on the basis on their academic achievements, interest in beef or horse agriculture, leadership abilities and other service projects.

“The program began about five years ago to further increase the global influence of the Congress,” said ISEF Chairman and Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo” General Manager Dan Gattis. “The Congress already attracts world thought leaders in global agricultural and this program allows the Congress to take an active role in developing future thought leaders.”

Selected this year to represent the United States were Kristin Boroff of Cedar Hill, TX, and a senior at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX; Alicia (Shelli) Bowers of Purvis, MS, and a senior at Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS; Michelle Caldwell of Coolville, OH, and a senior at The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH; Julia Christopher of DeSoto, MO, and a senior at University of Missouri in Columbia, MO; Heather Depra of Wiley, CO, and a senior at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK; Adele Gelvin of Joes, CO, also a senior at OSU; Erin Griffin of Hamilton, OH, also a senior at Ohio State; Jill Kozminski of Dousman, WI and a senior at University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, WI; Elizabeth McFadin of Columbia, MO, and a PhD Candidate at the University of Missouri; Elizabeth Mosey of Spokane, WA, and a senior at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO; Britt Range, of Marissa, IL, also a senior at CSU; John Seal, of Mebane, NC,and a senior at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC; Melanie Starbuck, of Morgantown, WV, and a graduate student at West Virgnia University in Morgantown.

Representing the international academic community are Daniel Beebe of Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, and a senior at the University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury in New South Wales, Australia; James Bjorksten of Yeoval, New South Wales, also a senior at the University of Western Sydney; Jeremy Brown of Rockhaven, SK, and a senior at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatchewan, Canada; Katherine Jolly of Kellyville, New South Wales, also a senior at the University of Western Sydney; Scripnic Juri of Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, and a graduate student at the State Agriculture University of Moldova; Curtis Litun of Edmonton, Alberta, and a senior at the University of Alberta in Canada; Owen Nelsen of Whitecourt, Alberta, also a senior at the University of Alberta; Janine Nordal of Kipling, SK, also a senior at the University of Saskatchewan; Poasa Tabuaciri of Nausori, Fiji Islands, and a senior at the University of the South Pacific in Upolu, Western Samoa; Jamie Tudor of Beiseker, Alberta, also a senior at the University of Saskatchewan; Rafael Venegas of San Borja, Lima, and a senior at Agrarian National University La Molina in Lima, Peru; Dwight Williams of Sydenham, Spanish Town P.O., and a Graduate Student at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad.

The program, which is funded by the Show’s Educational Committee, provides for interaction between students, world agriculture leaders and producers. Students will be treated to a tour of Sam Houston Race Park, as well as the Show, and will then participate in meetings conducted by the ILC along with the International Meat Secretariat based on Paris, France.

“We had an exceptional group of students this year with a 300 percent increase in our international applicants,” said Dr. Ronnie Edwards, Associate Dean of Agriculture at Texas A&M University, who chaired the multi-national selection committee. “More than 65 students applied for the 25 positions.”

Registration Deadline Draws Near

February 1 marks last day to register for International Livestock Congress

(Houston, TX) – Interested persons still have time to register for the International Livestock Congress (ILC), which for the first time is a collaborative effort with the International Meat Secretariat (IMS), based in Paris, France.

The Congress, which takes place in Houston, Texas, February 19-22, begins with the IMS Marketing and Communications Workshop that provides for interesting and informative interaction between international red meat promotion groups. Speakers from nine countries will share their experiences in marketing red meat and in facing such challenges posed by outbreaks of hoof and mouth disease and “mad cow” disease.

Following the workshop will be the ILC’s Beef Forum and Ranch Horse 101 sections. Dr. Larry Corah, formerly of Kansas State University and Vice President of the Supply Development Branch of Certified Angus Beef, will serve as the headline speaker. With a program theme of “Surviving and Thriving in the Next Decade,” Dr. Corah will focus his presentation on achieving profitability in a dynamic beef industry, including issues to be addressed by cow/calf producers, feedlot operators, packers and supermarket operators.

Craig Haythorn, president of Haythorn Land & Cattle Co. of Arthur, Nebraska, will highlight a list of leading horse experts during the Ranch Horse 101 session of the International Livestock Congress. Haythorn, along with wife Jody, will share their techniques for marketing and promoting the ranch horse that they have perfected over more than a decade. In addition, will be a panel discussion regarding ranch horse competitions to include American Quarter Horse Association Director of Shows Charlie Hemphill, Working Ranch Cowboys Association Vice President Gary Morton, North American Equine Ranching Information Executive Director Norm Luba and Richard Morgan of the University of Louisville School of Equine Business. Other topics include the prevention and recovery of stolen horses presented by Jody Henderson of Texas Southwestern Cattle Raisers, a look at alternative ranch income sources by Dr. Craig Brubaker of Time Walker Ranch and a horse safety demonstration by James Davison of Fredericksburg, Texas.

The International Livestock Congress will be held February 19-22, 2002 at the Warwick Park Plaza Hotel in Houston, Texas, during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. For more information or to register, go to www.livestockcongress.com or call Julie Kimball, Executive Director at (817) 367-6563.

International Livestock Congress Launches Bilingual Web Site

Meeting information now available on line in Spanish

(Houston, TX) – The International Livestock Congress recently added a another element to its new website by providing all information in Spanish. The original site, located at www.livestockcongress.com, was launched earlier this year.

“Clearly with the Livestock Congress’ international influence, it was important that the site be available in more than one language,” said Dan Gattis, Chairman of the International Stockmen’s Educational Foundation (ISEF), the managing body of the Congress. “Providing the site in Spanish was a logical first step to adding other languages as we do have a large constituency of Spanish-speaking beef and horse producers who look to the ISEF and the Congress for information.”

The Spanish site contains all elements of the original site, including registration information for the 2002 Congress, which takes place in Houston, Texas, February 19-22, at the Warwick Park Plaza Hotel. The deadline for registration is February 1 and interested persons can register by going to www.livestockcongress.com and clicking on “registration,” or by calling ISEF Executive Director Julie Kimball at (817) 367-6563.

Steve Harper Named to ISEF Board

HEB Grocery Company executive joins international agriculture group

(Houston, TX) – Steve Harper, Group Vice President of Fresh Merchandising, Procurement & Product Development for Meat, Seafood, Bakery, Deli, Produce and Floral at H-E-B Grocery Company in San Antonio, Texas, has been named to a one-year term on the International Stockmen’s Educational Foundation (ISEF) Board of Directors.

“We are very pleased to have Steve join our organization,” said ISEF Chairman Dan Gattis. “Our board is designed to represent a diversity of professionals in the livestock agriculture industry and certainly one of the most important is retail outlets who reach the consumer directly.”

Steve came to H-E-B, which has more than 280 stores in Texas, Louisiana and Mexico, in June of 1993 as the Vice President of Meat and Seafood. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Meat Sales and Marketing for Lucky Stores, South California Division of American Stores, where for seven years where he was responsible for 242 stores. During his tenure with Lucky Stores, he also served as the Gemco Division Meat Specialist for the Northern and Southern Divisions, California, Arizona and Nevada, and as Lucky Meat Specialist for Arizona, Nevada and Texas.

Steve has worked in the meat industry for 42 years, and has been a Meat Department Manager in over 20 stores and progressed through different levels including Store Manager