Last Saturday at the 2012 Cattlemen's Convention and Trade Show in Nashville, Tenn., it was determined that Wesley Grau will continue to serve the cattle industry as chairman of the Cattlemen's Beef Board. About six months ago, Grau as chairman-elect became acting chairman for the remainder of the year and is now serving his term as the Cattlemen's Beef Board chairman. He says the last six months has been interesting to say the least.

"But the neat thing about it is that as many diverse opinions as there are, there's a lot of common ground in agriculture," Grau said. "We've been able to bring those common interests together and expand upon them and things are running along fairly well."  

A cow-calf and seedstock producer from Grady, New Mexico, Grau and his brother, Lane, operate Grau Charolais Ranch, where their primary business is genetics. The operation markets its cattle all across the United States, Canada and eight states in Mexico.

Grau considers the beef checkoff a key part of the industry's success. He says that when you consider there are about 22 times more mouths to feed outside the U.S. as there are inside our borders, the value of those marketing efforts in 80 countries around the world really hits home for him.

"We've got to remember the good things our checkoff does, researching and promoting the nutritional benefits of beef to today's consumer, about our more than 29 lean cuts of beef, and about the fact that beef is one of the best brain nutrients that we have," Grau said. "It's a challenge, especially mentally, for me to "keep all the guns" pointed in the same direction. From that we'll get our common ground and move forward from there."

To watch Grau discuss his goals for CBB in 2012 and some of the issues that will require attention in the coming year, use the video player on this page.