WESTMORELAND, N.Y. — The New York Beef Council was pleased to welcome twenty eight beef community members to Syracuse on Saturday, December 9th for a full-day beef advocacy training aimed at providing attendees with the tools and tips necessary to increase outreach efforts throughout the next year.
The Beef Corp Training, funded by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Federation Fund, included sessions on in-person, written, and online advocacy approaches. New York Beef Council staff was joined by Ryan Goodman, Director, Grassroots Advocacy and Spokesperson Development, NCBA and Julie Berry Communications Manager, Pro-Dairy to deliver interactive sessions challenging attendees to push outside of their comfort zones.
One attendee summarized their day by saying, “The NYS Beef Corp Training brought agvocacy to the forefront of the participants’ minds. NYBC and NCBA had a robust training agenda and both brought strong points to the day. Participant left with speaking, writing, and listening skills that will help each participant become stronger Agvocates.”
At the conclusion of the day attendees were challenged to outline their own personal advocacy goals for the coming year. These goals included letter writing, farm tour planning, and engagement with both their local community and greater, online community. “It is important for the members of the beef community to step forward and share their story, it is essential that our consumers, policy makers, and all those who are beef community members, understand the truth about beef production and rural life, shared Katherine Brosnan, Director of Industry Relations and Consumer Promotions at NYBC.
“This was a very educational training that pushed me to the edge of my comfort zone but yet gave me the tools and the knowledge to think differently about advocating for the future,” Doug Giles, Walbridge Farms, Millbrook, NY. Throughout 2018 NYBC staff will track and support Beef Corp attendee’s as they work towards achieving their goals. 93% of attendees indicated that they are very likely to recommend this training to other beef community members.
—New York Beef Council