Five young women were chosen to serve as Minnesota beef ambassadors for the next year.

Rachael Dose, Arlington, was named lead senior ambassador at the Minnesota Beef Expo Oct.22, held on the state fairgrounds in St. Paul. Alicia Holtz, Little Falls; Raija Gustin, Atkin; and Sarah Fisher, Trimont, were selected to serve as senior ambassadors. Amelia Tersteeg, Bird Island, was named junior ambassador.

The Minnesota Beef Ambassador program is a project of the Minnesota CattleWomen’s Association with funding support from the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association and the Minnesota Beef Council. The program encourages young participants to promote beef and farming to consumers as they develop skills of leadership, communication and confidence. Applicants are judged on beef knowledge at mock events with media and consumers.

Scholarships are awarded to the winners: $750 for the lead senior ambassador, $500 for senior ambassadors, and $200 for the junior ambassador.

Dose, an honor roll junior at Sibley East High School, is active in leadership roles in 4-H and FFA. She has served in various club officer positions at county and local levels, and participates in beef cattle showing and livestock judging. On her family’s Hereford beef farm, Dose is livestock manager and oversees daily chores, rotational grazing and animal care. Her parents are Allan and Joleen Dose.

Holtz is active in 4-H and FFA in beef and sheep production and in various leadership roles. She also serves as the current U.S. Junior Targhee Sheep Association ambassador. Her parents are John and Missy Holtz.

Gustin is involved with 4-H, FFA and the Central Minnesota Cattlemen’s Association, where she serves as current beef princess at the latter organization. She owns and operates the Perfect Storm Cattle Co., raising and showing registered Shorthorn and Hereford cattle. Her parents are TJ and Tiffany Gustin.

Fisher, a senior at Martin County West High School, is active in FFA and 4-H, and served as a state 4-H Agriculture Ambassador. She works on her family’s commercial feedlot and row crop farm. Her parents are Scott and Jessica Fisher.

Tersteeg is active in 4-H, FFA, the Minnesota Junior Shorthorn Association and the Minnesota CattleWomen’s Association. She enjoys showing cattle at local state and national events, including the Shorthorn Junior Nationals. Her parents are Samantha and Sky Schweiss and Cody and Melanie Nelson.

Minnesota Beef Expo

The Minnesota Beef Expo has celebrated the Midwest beef industry since 2000. Held annually over an October weekend on the state fairgrounds, the expo welcomes farmers, exhibitors and the public to attend educational opportunities, cattle shows and sales and youth events.

According to Blaire Huneke, agriculture communications supervisor for the Minnesota State Fair and Minnesota Beef Expo, total attendance is hard to pinpoint since the event is free. However, hard numbers are available based on number of animals and exhibitors involved over the weekend.

Huneke shared that exhibitors brought 1,020 animals; of the number, 962 cattle were in the junior show. There were 443 participants in showmanship; 16 Knowledge Bowl teams; 52 entries in the first-ever photography contest; 12 fitting contest teams; and 77 lots in the cattle sale.

Another highlight of expo is the Minnesota Youth Beef Experience Program (MYPEP). Since 2004, dozens of beef heifers have been awarded to youth across the Midwest, thanks to generous donations by cattle producers across the region. MYBEP winners are responsible for raising, breeding and maintaining complete records on care of their heifers, while providing monthly progress reports to the original owner and the Minnesota Beef Expo. MYBEP recipients must commit to participating at the expo in the following year. Breeders who donated heifers also serve as mentors to MYBEP youth and help guide them through their first year as cattle owners.

The 2022 MYPEP heifer receipts and donors were:

Results of all 2022 expo events are available at mnbeefexpo.com/2022-results.