Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation President Jeff Heldt presented awards to industry professionals at the NCF lunch program during the Nebraska Cattlemen Annual Convention and Trade Show in Kearney. The Friend of the Foundation award is presented annually to a person or business that has shared endless amounts of time, talent and treasure with the Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation. The 2016 Friend of the Foundation award was presented to Al and JoAnn Svajgr of Cozad.

The Nebraska Beef Industry Endowment provides grants to beef industry-related research or teaching positions at Nebraska postsecondary educational institutions. For 2016, the foundation awarded grants to Dennis Burson, meat and food safety specialist at UNL Extension; Jo Bek, professor of animal science at Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture; and Mike Roeber, ag instructor and livestock judging coach at Northeast Community College.

The Nebraska Range & Conservation Endowment was established in 2011 and provides grants to range management and conservation research or teaching positions at Nebraska postsecondary educational institutions. For 2016, the grant went to Doug Smith, chairman of Animal Science and Agriculture Education Division at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis.

Dry bean breeding specialist recognized by IANR
Carlos Urrea, associate professor and dry bean breeding specialist at the Panhandle Research and Extension Center, recently received the Omtvedt Innovation Award from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The award recognizes IANR faculty who demonstrate exceptional abilities and innovation. Urrea was recognized at an awards luncheon at Lincoln for his research and teaching activities.

Urrea's dry-bean breeding research program focuses on selecting plants that are multiple-disease-resistant and have desirable qualities related to water efficiency, minimum tillage and more upright architecture, allowing direct harvesting. He has developed germplasm for black beans, great northern beans, chickpeas, and great northern cultivars.

The Omtvedt Innovation Award is made possible by Leone and the late Neal Harlan in honor of Irv Omtvedt and his distinguished career at the University of Nebraska.

Nebraska Farm Bureau names 2017 Leadership Academy class
Nine farmers and ranchers from across Nebraska have been selected for Nebraska Farm Bureau’s 2017 Leadership Academy. The selected farmers and ranchers will begin a yearlong program Jan. 26-27 in Kearney. Academy members will participate in sessions focused on leadership skills, understanding the county, state and national structure of the Farm Bureau organization. The group will travel to Washington, D.C., in September for visits with Nebraska’s Congressional delegation and federal agency representatives.

The members of the 2017 Nebraska Farm Bureau Leadership Academy class are:
• Tom Waldo, a junior at UNL and a Saline County Farm Bureau member
• Cadrien Livingston, UNL student and Knox County Farm Bureau member
• Mark Lundeen of Axtell, Kearney/Franklin County Farm Bureau member
• Heath Reimers of Clarks, Merrick County Farm Bureau member
• William Lechtenberg of Spencer, Boyd County Farm Bureau member
• Kelsey Knigge of Broken Bow, Custer County Farm Bureau member
• Katherine Kubacki of Valentine, Cherry County Farm Bureau member
• Matthew Fiechnter of Stapleton, McPherson County Farm Bureau member
• Cale Pallas of Stromsburg, Polk County Farm Bureau member