Commitment, complexity, flexibility and sternness are all features you will find in a beef cattle farmer. American cattle farmers are working harder today than ever to be successful in their industry, and it does not come easy. The devotion is met with long hours, rain when you don’t need it and drought when do. Broken fences, leaky barn roofs, breech calves, and flat tractor tires are nails found in the road of cattle farming.
Union County is full of luscious land and rolling hills with farms in every hollow. Local beef producers work hard to ensure they are using best practices and staying up to date on current methods and recommendations. Many producers have taken advantage of furthering their knowledge by becoming Master Beef Producers.
The Master Beef Program is designed to educate farmers and provide them with critical information to help them become successful Tennessee cow/calf producers and to be the best producers in the country.
Recently a group of fifteen farmers completed their Master Beef Certification working with the University of Tennessee Extension in Maynardville. The participants were required to attend two daylong class sessions to be eligible to graduate.
The first step is enrolling into the Beef Quality Assurance Certificate Program. According to the Tennessee Beef Council, more than 85 percent of beef produced in the United States comes from a farmer or rancher who has been BQA certified, going along with their slogan, “the right way is the only way.”
Enrollees could choose to attend one of two field days; Ag in the Foothills in Walland, Tenn., or Northeast Tennessee Beef Expo in Greeneville. Along with the field day, a course was held in Maynardville at the extension office on October 25.
The day kicked off with a presentation by Union County Extension Agent Shannon DeWitt about Beef End Product. Next, Dr. John Gibbons from Lincoln Memorial University's College of Veterinary Medicine presented to the class about Herd Health and its importance to overall productiveness with some helpful take-home tips for the group to implement in their own operations. Loudon County Extension Agent John Goddard taught a class about hay production and ways to make sure you are at top quality when it comes to harvesting your forages.
After lunch, Cailynn Purea with Tennessee Department of Agriculture discussed the Tennessee Ag Enhancement Program, explaining some changes that were recently made, additions to programs, deadlines and requirements for those applying. The MBP class does make these producers eligible for up to 50 percent cost share for most of the TAEP programs. Afterwards, Claiborne County Extension Agent Tom Rison, spoke to the group about weed control and the importance it has to the overall operation.
Lastly, before the graduation ceremony, Union County’s Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent, Alyshia Victoria, presented about the importance of beef in the diet and food safety, and had a grilling demonstration providing samples of a number of beef steak cuts to the group.
Union County has issued 149 Master Beef Producer Certificates to producers to date. The MBPP is a continuing education course that must be completed every three years in order for producers to remain eligible to participate in the Tennessee Agriculture Enhancement Program. Congratulations to these devoted individuals, as their dedication is appreciated in the Tennessee beef industry.