SG_USA_May_2019

GLOBAL OPPORTUNITY WHY IT MATTERS

By Lisa Bard, Editor

SANTA GERTRUDIS WORLD CONGRESS 2019

Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt of the presenta- tion given at the recent SGBI Annual Meeting in San Antonio. F or those of you who do not know me, I am not a global traveler. I’m happy to roam the forests and mountains throughout the Rocky Mountain region on foot, horseback, skis or a mountain bike, but traveling abroad is not my end goal. Maybe it’s because I feel there is so much to see and explore close to home or maybe it is because I like what is familiar. Or maybe it’s just because I hate wasting time in an airplane. Regardless, I understand and appreciate that exposure to different ways of doing things, different perspectives, differ- ent cultures and different environments is good for a person – professionally and personally. Knowing what is beyond my little corner of the world not only makes me a more open and experienced person, but it helps me do my job better. Without exposure to new and different things, I fear I would become stagnant and stop growing. When I was in college, I was fortunate to be exposed to a group of Australian cattle producers who were traveling through the United States. For years, we hosted a few of them in our home for the time they were visiting Fort Collins, Colo., and I eventually ended up working for AgriTours Australia as their North American tour coordinator for a few years. While I ultimately visited cattle operations in Australia and New Zealand, my exposure to the cattlemen and women who came to the United States during those years was a personal and professional highlight. I still don’t crave travel abroad, but I have never stopped enjoying visiting with, sharing a few days or a meal with, or hosting fellow cattle producers from other places. I ALWAYS come away from those experiences with a heightened appre- ciation for our industry, a new perspective on cattle produc- tion or knowledge that cannot be gained any other way than by engaging with a counterpart from somewhere else. More than a year ago, SGBI stepped up to host Santa Gertrudis World Congress 2019. At times, I am sure that those on the planning committee have had fleeting thoughts of “sure sounded like a good idea at the time.” Through their hard work and diligent planning, this global event is posed to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all involved. For those who don’t like to travel abroad, World Congress is an incredible opportunity to see remarkable cattle operations and environments here in the United States. It’s also an incred- ible opportunity to interact with cattle producers from all over the world who share your passion for agriculture, stewardship,

rural life and your beloved Santa Gertrudis cattle. We antici- pate registrants from Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Para- guay, South Africa, Kenya, Brazil, Costa Rica, Honduras and others. Be sure to join us for some or all of World Congress! The “Growing Globally Strategic Planning Session” will be exciting! This session will be facilitated by Ryan Rhoades, Ph.D., Extension beef specialist and associate professor in the Department of Animal Science at Colorado State Uni- versity. Rhoades was an associate professor at Texas A&M University-Kingsville for six years and is a graduate of the

For those who don ’ t like to travel abroad, World Congress is an incredible opportunity to see remarkable cattle operations and environments here in the United States.

King Ranch Institute of Ranch Management. He will lead delegates through an exercise that will include a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis that will result in a vision for Santa Gertrudis global growth and a mission statement that will support that vision. This session will be instrumental in developing a global plan, simi- lar to the 2013-2017 SGBI Road Map. A Beef 706 Session at Texas A&M in College Station will focus on “Using Genetic Selection Tools for Improved Car- cass Quality.” Using results from the Beef Checkoff-funded Beef Quality Audit, this workshop will give attendees insight on how Santa Gertrudis cattle perform relative to carcass quality and how selection tools can be used for improvement. These two portions of World Congress will give SGBI and its members the opportunity to showcase the huge strides U.S. Santa Gertrudis breeders have made in the past 10 years. The ranch stops will allow all to see Santa Gertrudis cattle performing in a wide array of environments and under a variety of management schemes. Interaction with a global Santa Gertrudis community and the opportunity to be part of not only this historic event but part of shaping the future of where the Santa Gertrudis breed goes over the coming generations is an opportunity you will not want to miss. The itinerary is packed, the ranch visits are phenomenal, the personal time allotted and the social activities planned promise to be fun and entertaining. However, the greatest gain you will receive from participating in Santa Gertrudis World Congress 2019 is meeting like-minded people from other places who share your commitment to and love of Santa Gertrudis cattle that are Data Driven and Profit Proven . For more information, visit www.SantaGertrudisWC2019.com. Check the site for partial and day registrations, beginning May 15! These registrations will be tailored for U.S. partici- pants who cannot attend the entire Congress.

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SANTA GERTRUDIS USA