Performance Beef 00:00
How do you manage data for your cattle business? Performance B eef is a comprehensive technology solution, integrating feed financial and health information into one easy to use platform. Here's how it's helped Chris Urbanek manage health data on his cattle operation,
Chris 00:17
"just keeping track of the drugs instantaneous. guys finish it to shoot, I can look it up at the office. Or if I'm at the house, I can look at it without having to call three people. I can see what cattle were doctored. If there was too many on one pan what's going on. We just got to be smarter with what we have."
Performance Beef 00:33
Performance Beef helps Chris record processing data, enter costs and track animal health history, all in real time at the chute. The mobile app also makes it easy to quickly log pasture and pin treatments on the go. Stop relying on pen and paper or complicated programs. Record data in real time with performance beat. Search performance brief online to request a demo and see how it can help simplify your business.
Shaye Koester 00:08
Hey, hey, it's Shaye Koester and I'm your host for the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast where we foster innovation and enthusiasm in the ranching industry through sharing the stories and practices of different ranchers and beef industry leaders. Be sure to be a greater part of this podcast and become involved on my social media pages. Follow @cattleconvos on Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok or Shaye Koester on LinkedIn to join the conversations around the challenges we face as ranchers and how we can overcome them. You can also find more information about this podcast all my episodes and how to partner with me on this show, by going to my website, casualcattleconversations.com. With that, thanks for tuning in, and let's see who our guest is today. Hey folks, thanks for tuning in for another episode of Casual Cattle Conversations. If you are returning welcome back and if you are new, welcome to the show. Be sure to follow @cattleconvos on social media so I can get to know you a little bit and learn how I can better serve you. Remember that this is more than a podcast. I have now introduced RancherMind events which are mastermind events for ranchers that give you the ability to improve your operation and lifestyle while taking an hour to share laugh and relax too. If you want these episodes and more information sent to your inbox, please be sure to go to casualcattleconversations.com/newsletter To have all information sent straight to you. With that, let's get on with the episode and listen to our guest, Chandler Mulvaney. Chandler is the director of grassroots advocacy and spokesperson development for NCBA. Today, we are going to visit with Chandler about how to become better advocates and what being an advocate for agriculture truly means. This episode will leave you with some action steps to get started with your journey as an advocate and help you understand which advocacy style may be best for you. With that, let's hear what Chandler has to share with us. With that, thank you for coming on the show today and so just to get started, would you please talk about your background in the beef industry?
Chandler Mulvaney 02:35
Yeah, I'd be happy to share yeah, thanks for having me on your podcast. It's definitely exciting to be here this afternoon. For those listening, my name is Chandler Mulvaney and I'm originally from a small town called Beauregard, Alabama. It's located just right outside of Auburn, Alabama, where the university is so if we've got any Auburn University graduates listening, then I'm sending you a warm War Eagle your way but I grew up on a small purebred polled Hereford cattle operation in Beauregard, Alabama, and very, very fortunate to be a part of that kind of club calf environment by selling and then raising our animals to then end up in kind of 4-H and FFA realms and throughout the southeast. So that's kind of how I got my start and was very fortunate to have a dad who, who's also a professor at Auburn, who kind of started my passion for animal science and talking about issues and the world of advocacy. So from a from a very early age, I was roaming the halls of Auburn University and I'm able to kind of get a larger grasp of of the agricultural and science world at that younger age.
Shaye Koester 03:51
Would you please talk today about what your current position is?
Chandler Mulvaney 03:55
I'd be happy to. So I recently started with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association has their director of grassroots advocacy and spokesperson development. And we like to give some really long and fancy titles here at NCBA. But I'm really excited to help lead our advocacy program. So primarily working with our Masters of Beef Advocacy program, and our advanced training for our what used to be called the Top of the Class program, working with our state partners. So those state beef councils, state affiliates, breed associations, and then any external partner so whether it's other commodity groups or trade associations, working with them on providing some sort of very general kind of starter beef advocacy training all the way to spending a lot of intimate time with some of those top level advocates who go on to represent National Cattlemen's Beef Association, either in person, media placements, could be online or on our own Cattlemen to Cattlemen show here in Denver.
Shaye Koester 05:03
Oh, that's awesome. Would you explain a little bit about what the MBA program is? I know I've gone through it, but some of our listeners probably haven't.
Chandler Mulvaney 05:12
Yes, no, I'd be happy to. So the Masters of Beef Advocacy or the MBA program started in 2009. And today, we have a little over 19,000 graduates from across the United States. I believe, Texas, Iowa and Nebraska are actually our top three states with the most amount of graduates. So if you're listening in from Nebraska, then you can take pride in knowing you're right there at the top. But it was a program started initially to provide not only just a basic awareness of the advocacy to consumers, but also provide that education and information to our producers about how cattle are raised the different types of environments that cattle are raised in throughout the United States. And then just gain that information regarding how to talk to consumers and share information in sound bites, so 25 to 30 seconds, that really helped create those meaningful and impactful conversations. So over the past 10 plus years, it's been updated several times. And right now we have what's called MBA next gen. So if you've taken one of the previous MBA certifications, and haven't heard of MBA next gen, then you can go out and get recertified. A lot of information is just simply updated with the latest USDA, as well as NCBA talking points regarding beef production, climate change, environmental sustainability, the various topics that are discussed in the MBA next gen modules.
Shaye Koester 06:55
Well, awesome, thank you for explaining more of that. I know, I've gone through it like, twice, like once in junior high. And then like, once when I got into college, and I enjoyed it both times. So I got a lot out of it.
Chandler Mulvaney 07:07
Good, good. Yeah, it's it's definitely something I think, you know, if you were to take it every every three or four years, then it's going to be outdated. So it's, it's a good timing for you to kind of keep that in your back pocket and use it as a resource. And you can always go in and review the information that's in the MBA next gen.
Shaye Koester 07:24
Absolutely. So as we're talking about advocacy, that's something we're really seeing a lot of on social media, we look at these social media influencers and a lot of people who are spreading the message there, which is an awesome way to reach broad audiences. However, social media is not the best method for everyone. So what does advocacy look like outside of the social media space?
Chandler Mulvaney 07:48
Yeah, that's, that's a phenomenal question. And it's something that we talk a lot talk about a lot during our in person trainings with state level advocates and those community based advocates within the beef community. So you're exactly right, Shaye, you know, advocacy looks incredibly different from your position to where I'm at, in my season of life, to a producer that might be managing a couple 100 acres or 1000 acres. So it's important to acknowledge that just understand that, you know, hey, advocacy is different. And actually, during our advocacy trainings that I conduct at either a national or state level, kind of one of my favorite questions to ask either in a group or individual activity is, you know, what does advocacy look like to you? And oftentimes, it's, it's really interesting to kind of hear the different responses, especially in today's climate, now getting everything from, oh, you know, advocacy looks like activists, you know, holding signs and marching for a cause. To, you know, advocacy looks like writing a blog or sharing your message in an online format, or making a series of posts on Instagram for, you know, maybe it's counteracting some misinformation online. So it's really interesting just to see the different perspectives and the different lenses in which people view advocacy. So it's important for us to just say, hey, you know, advocacy is different. And I love using my form of advocacy as someone who represents cattle producers across the country, to go out and start those conversations with them and really reinvigorate and emphasize those starting points for producers.
Shaye Koester 09:36
So, as you have these conversations and train producers, what would you say are some of the challenges producers face with starting these conversations?
Chandler Mulvaney 09:46
Yeah, that's a that is a tough question to answer for sure. I really don't think there's there's one specific silver bullet to starting those conversations. Overcoming that challenge. There's actually a quote that I heard recently from, from Norman Webb, who kind of in the academic world founded the theory of the depth of knowledge. And he says, we don't need to teach people more things, we need to teach people deeper things. And so I think when it comes to the world of advocacy, we oftentimes forget that there's a lot of information out there. And there's a lot of starting points that you as a producer, or as a college student, or whatever stage of life, you're in that, that really, if you kind of throw a dart at the board, we can probably make an educated guess and say, this is going to be where I'm going to start. And this is, this is going to have impact for me, and probably be right. And so focusing in on, on where you can deepen your knowledge and grow yourself in that kind of sphere of influence that you have as an advocate. So whatever community you are ingrained in focusing on that community, deepening your knowledge, and then starting to slowly expand that knowledge to other communities, is just a really important starting place. And for a lot of our advocates at the state level, who haven't even completed their Masters of Beef Advocacy, or might be in college and looking for that next opportunity, they're really biggest thing is just, it's just starting and taking that first step. Because once you do that, it might take some time, but you're actually going to have a little bit of traction, and it's going to be easier to take that next step.
Shaye Koester 11:36
Oh, absolutely and that kind of goes with anything, whether that's business or advocacy, or any new talent or skill you're going to develop, you have to start with, well pick what you want to start with, and then start first
Chandler Mulvaney 11:48
I agree. Yeah, and keep that momentum going. Yep.
Shaye Koester 11:52
So how would you describe effective advocating? Because there are multiple methods that can all be effective. But what are maybe a better question is what's ineffective when it comes to advocating? Or what should we not do?
Chandler Mulvaney 12:09
Yeah, that's a that's a really important question and one that I don't think we talked about enough. One of my favorite quotes that I oftentimes share in our trainings and just in kind of one off conversations with individuals who are are looking to get started in their advocacy journey. It's really focused on asking the right questions and focusing on the person at the opposite end of the table or the other side of the conversation. And so the quote is, "It's not their job to understand you, it's your job to understand them." And so if we really put our focus and our energy on understanding the people who are there willing to have a conversation with us, that oftentimes we're going to have a greater opportunity to impact the movable middle. So those are the people that are people who haven't really made up their mind or finalize their perception of their belief on a particular matter. So specific to the beef community, those are the people that we can influence their buying habits or their purchasing habits at the grocery store. And in turn, potentially have them share some of their success stories or for their insights as advocates in a different community or different walks of life, about the fan and all the benefits it provides. So I really think it's important for us to put that focus on the person on the other side of that conversation. And so when we ask the right questions, we're building an environment of trust, where we're showing that we care, and we're showing that we're capable and not just being one sided in our conversation, and solely talking about all the great things that are impactful things that you've done as a producer or a member of the beef community. And so oftentimes, it's important for us to recognize that emotions and that connection with people make more of an impact than just sharing sheer facts, or your knowledge or information with someone. So start with asking the right questions, and I really think that'll help create some really meaningful conversations.
Shaye Koester 14:21
Certainly, it's all about being interested in not interesting. So do you have like three to five best practices you'd be willing to share when it comes to advocating?
Chandler Mulvaney 14:35
Yes, you know, I think if you were probably asked me on a different day, I might have a different answer. So there's, there's a lot of really great tips for getting started on your advocacy journey. A few that I'll share for today, as you go out and start crafting that message. I really like to think about you as an advocate and asking the write questions. So if you have a journal or you have a notebook that you'd like to spend some time writing some thoughts in, or maybe it's a Google document, just ask yourself some of the following questions, you know, What story do I have to tell as an advocate? Go ahead and answer that question. And then ask yourself another and what gaps or opportunities exist within my own community to make an impact? And those two questions can really help you answer just some of the basic opportunities that exist the basic audiences that are available to you even in your own backyard. So if you haven't started advocating, I highly encourage that you go out and find that audience most most often your family and friends and, and share your kind of elevator speech or your initial story as an advocate with those audiences and get some really critical feedback on what you could change what you can improve, and then go back to the drawing board. And so as you continue developing your story, it's important for you to kind of talk into lists and talk in some bullet points. And so we oftentimes share that it's important for you to make things memorable and make your messages memorable. And so last week, I was actually at the annual NCBA convention and tradeshow in Nashville and I hosted a panel with two really amazing individuals Kiah Twissleman, otherwise known as coach Kiah and then Courtney De Hoff, who is a founder of the fancy lady cowgirl movement. So we were on the trade show floor, and we're sharing these really great messages. And they're talking about their advocacy journey. And Courtney made a comment that I thought was really, really impactful. And she said, when you're starting as an advocate, it's important for you to make your mess your message. And so even if your life is a little bit messy, right now, think about those just really impactful, personal, authentic stories that you have to share, just start crafting them out on a piece of paper. So I think it's important for you to just really understand what audience you're sharing that message with. And like Courtney said, make your mess your message.
Shaye Koester 17:20
Yes, Courtney has been on the show before. So she does outstanding job advocating as well as Kiah.I follow her a little bit too. They are both outstanding individuals.
Chandler Mulvaney 17:31
Yes, they are awesome to follow and always posting some inspirational content. So go give them a follow.
Shaye Koester 17:37
Yes, very good at the connecting point, or the connection method?
Chandler Mulvaney 17:41
Definitely, I agree.
Shaye Koester 17:43
So you've probably talked about it a little bit, and you have touched on it in other questions, but what would you say would be the main thing that we as ranchers need to improve when it comes to advocating?
Chandler Mulvaney 17:57
Yeah, I think it really goes back to just asking the right questions. And so you know, I think a good spokesperson, that good advocate for the agricultural community really embodies kind of that selfless nature. And sometimes that's really difficult in our kind of, you know, gratifying world and online world that we live in, where everything is instantaneous, and based off of likes, and comments and shares. But if you're asking the right questions, to me, that shows that, again, you care about who's on the opposite end of the table. And that you care about their issues and what they're concerned about, and why they're even there in the first place asking you the question. So first of all, I think we need to, we need to reach across the table and reach across that divide and look for opportunities in our own community to share just the simple messages that we have as a producer, as a rancher or as a college student about her story. And again, I think that will showcase it's us embracing that ideology, that it's it's our job to understand them and to connect with people who are maybe a little bit concerned about how we raise our animals in a confined space, or the the types of feed stuffs that we're actually feeding our animals on a daily basis. And that, in turn, is that beef safe to feed my family. So once we want to make those connections in your everyday walk of life, it's important for you to actually start showing up. And so I think, you ask the right questions, you show that you've cared. And then once you're given that platform or that opportunity, even in your own community that you start showing up that maybe it's school board meetings, or maybe your district FFA chapter is having a meeting and they're electing officers and you have an opportunity to go share your message. Don't overlook that opportunity to impact youth or young professionals in your community. And then seek out those chances to, to expand your influence. So I love getting involved with like a chamber of commerce, or going and making a presentation with your county commissioners, because those people who have much higher level of influence in your own community, they're the ones that are making policy or really impacting change on a daily basis of what kids are eating in schools, what's being taught schools to the information that's being disseminated to those people that are moving into your community. So the more that you can access those those multiple touch points, I think those are those are oftentimes overlooked opportunities that we have not done a good enough job within agriculture community.
Shaye Koester 20:54
Well, thank you for sharing those tips. And bringing that to light. I think it is important, like you said, to reach out to, you know, whether it is like county commissioners or those people making policy, sometimes maybe forget about those individuals, and just how influential they may be.
21:11
Yeah, most definitely. And it's, it's amazing, you know, really, once you start to kind of take a step back, and you look at the communities that you're involved in, it amazes me Shaye, how I heard it last week, I think you're oftentimes just like, six times removed from knowing someone, either in the community over or maybe your neighboring states. And that same kind of application applies to other communities. So food, nutrition, or health, and being a strong advocate for the beef community, can also mean that you can be a strong advocate for some of those partnering communities as well.
Shaye Koester 21:51
Yeah, I mean, it's a big world, but it's a small world, that degree of separation really isn't that large, especially if you look at your Midwest states. That's a lot smaller there. And the beef industry as well. It's very interconnected. So with that, is there anything you are excited about in the advocacy space, like in the future wise, or just currently?
Chandler Mulvaney 22:11
Yeah, great question. You know, it's really tough to say I think advocacy is always shifting, and it's changing on a daily basis. So I always love just constantly educating and informing myself on you know, what are the latest, you know, whether it's a challenge online or new platforms. And as you begin your advocacy journey, or as you're continuing to sustain those conversations, you know, maybe as a top advocate in your own state, it's important to remember that advocacy is something that requires patience and practice. And so I didn't mention this earlier, but I kind of wanted to circle back around. I hope that's okay. But I'll make it all connect. It's so important for us to remember that advocacy requires practice and patience. And so I'm really excited for those of you that are starting or have already started, just remember that if you're starting a new platform, or you've maybe kind of hit a wall on an existing platform, maybe it's a podcast or Instagram, just keep sharing, be strategic in what you're sharing. And again, thinking those those lists and making your messages memorable. And eventually, you'll kind of crack through. You'll make that impact or cross that threshold of where you know, you start to gain a little bit more traction or followers. So it's important just to be patient, and it's not going to happen overnight, or maybe even in the course of the year. And so just remember that advocacy is always shifting. And so for me, it's exciting to see those kind of emerging advocates and seeing my opportunity working for National Cattlemen's has a chance to be a resource and serve the needs of our producers who are wanting to get engaged in those conversations, both online and in person. And then I'm really excited for for kind of expanding our partnerships and for leveraging our platform here at National Cattlemen as the leading voice for cattle producers across the country, so we've got some programs in work, I can't really share a whole lot right now. But we're excited to launch those in the coming year and really expand not only what we've continued to do over the past decade working with the Masters of Beef Advocacy program, but continue to just again, leverage our opportunities and make sure that we're offering the best advocacy programs for our producers and for consumers as well.
Shaye Koester 24:49
Well, awesome. So as we kind of wrap up the interview, you've obviously talked about the Masters of Beef Advocacy program as a resource, but are there any other resources that you'd really like to share to for these listeners, if they're interested in improving their advocacy.
Chandler Mulvaney 25:07
Most definitely, I would always love to share some resources. So I know Shaye just mentioned the Masters of Beef Advocacy as a great tool. Again, just a quick recap, you can find all the information on the MBA program at MBA.beeflearningcenter.org and I highly encourage you to complete that you can really do it in the course of an afternoon. It's a five module course, each module is about 30 minutes, and then you get tested for what you learned and what was brought to your attention through that module. So that's a great starting point for any producer, any consumer who has questions about, excuse me, maybe a gap in your knowledge about the beef community and if you've completed your MBA, what better than that, to share that as a resource within your own communities. So that's a great way to start sharing some conversations on your favorite social media platform, maybe create a series of videos or posts online and sharing that as a resource and the benefit that have brought you as an advocate within the ag community. Another couple of quick resources, BQA or beef quality assurance, if you're involved in the cattle producing community, or even if you're a transporter, or if you were going to grocery stores a butcher, any anyone that has a touch point to really that that supply chain or the American beef supply, I highly encourage you to go ahead and obtain that BQA certification. It's a little bit longer than MBA. But it's a it's such a phenomenal program. And since 1991, I believe there's been over 300,000 certifications. And it's really one of the strongest programs that have come about as a result of the Beef Checkoff and a success of the work that we've done here at National Cattlemen. So, go out, get certified in both your MBA and your BQA. And then if you're a college student, or even an aspiring advocate. Another great program that is a partner of ours is through the Animal Ag Alliance and they have two programs that I have actually been involved with, and now kind of serve as a mentor. So that that's kind of cool, coming full circle, that they have their college Aggies online, which is actually getting started, I believe applications are open up until the first part of September. So if you're a college student, and you're looking for that chance to really cultivate those conversations, build a presence online, there's really no better place than to start there and engage with your peers in a really healthy environment. And then taking it one step further is that that animal ag alliance program, and it's such a plethora of opportunities and resources of information. And that that program is actually sponsored by Zoetis. It does require a fee. But if you're looking to kind of take that next step, it's it's a great place to start. And it's definitely helped me as well in my position.
Shaye Koester 28:16
So awesome. That kind of concludes everything I really wanted to ask you and have you share on the show. But if you have anything else that you would like to add feel free to do so.
Chandler Mulvaney 28:28
Yeah, I guess it's been an absolute pleasure. As I told Shaye earlier, a little bit tired running on empty. I just came back from Nashville. We had a great week at the annual NCBA convention and trade show. And then before that had a couple of trainings with some of our state Beef Council partners. So we've been running around like crazy this past month. But I would like to share Shaye it's really important for those of you listening that if you're kind of questioning where to start and how to take that first step. By all means, contact me or contact your state Beef Council or cattlemen association. Oftentimes, people such as yourself that might be listening and want to get started never actually follow through with calling their state cattlemen, their state Beef Council and not enough people call and just ask, hey, I'm interested in learning or engaging more as an advocate. How can I best serve my state cattlemen's association? And I guarantee if you do that, you're probably going to get a very welcomed response. And people are actually going to want to maybe put you in a newspaper article or help out with a letter to the editor campaign or have you come on and do a podcast show like like Shaye and I are doing today. So I highly encourage that you just contact those individuals at your respective state. And if they don't reach back out to you that by all means I'm going to drop my email, you can contact me at cmulvaney@beef.org. And I'd be happy to put you in touch with somebody at your state level or community level, or even here at NCBA. And make sure that you have the resources you need, just to get started sharing what's most important to you?
Shaye Koester 30:27
Well, awesome, thank you for sharing that. And to any listeners out there, you can go ahead and reach out to me too, if you want that sent to you as well. But with that, that kind of concludes everything today. So thank you, Chandler.
Chandler Mulvaney 30:41
Thank you so much, Shaye.
Shaye Koester 30:43
And that's a wrap on that one. Remember to take action and tell the story of our industry whenever you can. It is truly up to us. If you have further questions about advocacy, do not hesitate to reach out to me via email or social media. With that, remember to follow @cattleconvos on social media, sign up for the newsletter and be a part of my next RancherMind event. You can find more information on that by following me on social media. I do have a little bit in the show notes as well. But I mostly use my social media to get things across to you. With that, take care and have a great day
Performance Beef 00:00
How do you manage data for your cattle business? Pen and paper are complicated programs. There's an easier way here how Performance Beef has helped Greg Williams simplify his cattle operation.
Greg Williams 00:12
"Before I switched to Performance Beef, it was an absolute circus. It was a cobbled a pen and paper. Didn't know where I was setting, Mess. I know on a day in day out basis, what my breakeven is how many cattle I've lost, what my feed cost is. On a daily basis. I know I print that report page and I know exactly where I'm setting that day."
Performance Beef 00:38
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Greg Williams 00:45
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Performance Beef 00:54
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