Nebraska’s Beef Industry Scholars program is unique, because it provides a minor for University of Nebraska agriculture students in an effort to promote beef education and research. According to Matt Spangler, UNL Extension beef genetics specialist, 79 students have completed the program since its inception in 2007.

PROMOTING THE INDUSTRY: Nebraska’s unique Beef Industry Scholars program is aimed at preparing students entering varied careers to promote beef education and research.

In the first year, 16 students were enrolled. The 2016 freshmen class had 34 students enrolled, making it the largest class so far. “These scholars help us promote and support our industry by learning, disseminating and contributing science-based knowledge,” Spangler told producers at the Nebraska Cattlemen midyear convention in Broken Bow this summer. “Growth is a good thing,” Spangler said. But that means more financial support will be needed down the road.

It all started with a $500 donation from Nebraska Cattlemen and $500 from the Nebraska Beef Council. From that original $1,000, the program has grown to an annual budget of about $14,000, Spangler said. There are 70 students enrolled in the entire four-year program this year. Funding sources include the Nebraska Cattlemen Research and Education Foundation, a beef promotion grant through Nebraska Beef Council, a rural rehabilitation grant through the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and private donations. In addition to program support NC Research and Education Foundation also provides three scholarships per class to sophomores, juniors and seniors.

“The program began as a four-year certificate program and has operated that way until this fall when it became a minor,” Spangler said. “This minor is available to any College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources student.”

The program is an interesting mix of in-class study and internships that offer experiences out in the real world. According to Spangler, students can choose internships from varied industry aspects that might include cow-calf or feedlot-based internships, but it might also include internships related to policy, marketing, environmental regulation or sales, just to name a few. “We do not confine the beef industry complex to only those that produce cattle,” Spangler said. “Among the course requirements, students must take an industry issues course that is centered on early discussion of industry issues that serves as an introduction to researching issues and how to debate the pros and cons of different sides of these issues.”

Spangler said that students also take part in a four- to five-day study tour, focusing on the breadth of the beef industry complex. They participate in a practicum that includes discussion of why we use technology in the fed cattle and packing sectors, including pre- and postharvest food safety. Students at the senior level plan and conduct a beef industry summit that requires in-depth discussions of issues and identifying topics for the annual Nebraska Cattlemen/ NBIS Beef Summit on campus. Senior students must also take part in an industry policy centric course that includes a trip to the annual National Cattlemen’s Beef Association convention.

Spangler said that NBIS graduates take varied career paths that might include returning to the farm and ranch, ag banking, commodity brokers, veterinary school, law school, advertising and high school agriculture education.

You can learn more about the program by emailing Spangler at [email protected] or by visiting the Nebraska Beef Industry Scholars wep page.