93
Let’s hear the story of Nebraska, its communities, its number one industry Agriculture, and the people who make it happen. Sponsored by Nebraska's Law Firm® - Rembolt Ludtke.
93
Jaclyn Wilson - 5th Generation Nebraska Rancher, International Advocate for Agriculture and Beef Cattle Industry
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In this episode we visit with Jaclyn Wilson, a 5th generation Nebraska rancher who operates Wilson Flying Diamond Ranch and founded Flying Diamond Beef, a direct-to-consumer beef business with customers across the U.S. Jaclyn is one of the nation’s leaders in the promotion of agriculture and the beef cattle industry, travelling the country—and the world—sharing her knowledge and experience about the industry, sustainability and the use of cutting-edge technology in livestock production.
Nebraska. It's not just a place, but a way of life. It's 93 counties that are home to innovative individuals, caring communities, and a spirit that runs deeper than its perfect story. It's a story that could be told. Welcome to 93, the podcast.
SPEAKER_01Welcome to 93, the podcast, where we talk about Nebraska, its communities, its number one industry agriculture, and the people who make it happen. I'm Mark Folson, your host for today's episode, brought to you by Nebraska's law firm, Rembolt Lutke. Today we're going to talk to one of the nation's leaders in the promotion of agriculture and the beef cattle industry. She travels the country as well as the world, sharing her knowledge and experience about the beef cattle industry, sustainability, and the use of cutting-edge technology in livestock production. She also just happens to hail from Nebraska. Our guest is Jacqueline Wilson of Wilson Flying Diamond Ranch and founder of Flying Diamond Beef. Jacqueline, thanks for joining us.
SPEAKER_03Boy, that made me sound a lot more important than I am.
SPEAKER_01You are very important. In fact, why don't you give our listeners a little background on yourself?
SPEAKER_03Absolutely. Well, first off, thanks for the invite today. You know, I I just mentioned this to you, but I'll listen it to your listeners too. You know, I don't listen to a lot of podcasts, and I've been listening to 93, and it's been amazing to listen to some of the stories of people that I've known for years, and so kind of hearing their background and why they're in the industry and supporting AG. So super cool.
SPEAKER_01Would Bill Rishall be one of those?
SPEAKER_03Yes. Bill Rishel would be one. Don Caldwell would be one. Steve Gangwish, I mean, all these Jeff Yoast, all these guys and ladies that you've been interviewing. So such a neat, neat idea, neat concept. And I think it's great to get the word out there about some of the great innovations and everything going on in agriculture in the state. So I don't know why. I'm humbled to be here with that with that amazing crew that you've already interviewed. So thanks for the invite. And what a beautiful day. And and yeah, so a little bit of background. Um, like you said, Wilson Fleindimon Ranch, Flynn Diamond B from a rancher in the western part of the sand hills in in Nebraska, about a half hour northeast of a small town called Lakeside, Nebraska, population um unincorporated. But uh, I think at one time during World War II, they had, I think, around 5,000 people that lived there.
SPEAKER_01And in Lakeside? In Lakerside?
SPEAKER_03Yeah. So so that whole Highway Two corridor there between Alliance and Hyannis were some of the potash boom factories where, you know, World War II shut down a lot of the fertilizer plants that were an import of fertilizer. And so they were dredging up potash instead of utilized for fertilizer. And so there was like Hyannis and Lakeside and Ashby and Bangham were all boom towns. And you know, Lakeside had a hotel and a general store. And I mean, just it was amazing. The Harlem Gobetrotters played there in the in the high school. Yes, that's serious, all of this stuff. So a little bit different to go through now and kind of see just the ruins of things. But and I think that's kind of a testament to Western Nebraska in general. You know, I think it's ebbs and flows, and things so so many things change throughout this great state, you know. But one of the constants that we have is is we're producing great ag products for sure.
SPEAKER_01So um our podcast is named 93. Which county do you come from?
SPEAKER_03That would be Sheridan County.
SPEAKER_01What's the prefix for that license for 61.
SPEAKER_03And do you notice they don't give those those cards out anymore?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, they're trying to hide that. So all the people in Omaha and Lincoln who just want everyone to forget that we actually have those prefixes for the other counties.
SPEAKER_02That used to be the game, I think, when when we didn't have all the you know, the social media and the and the mobile devices is is you had that card in your in your vehicle and your parents would take you road trip in, and you'd be like, oh, let's play the license plate game.
SPEAKER_01But exactly. We need to we need to start that up again.
SPEAKER_02We do.
SPEAKER_01So uh I've been to your ranch and I don't think words can accurately describe its beauty. Uh, you know, the the can you describe for our listeners, assuming they they have never been there, have never been to western Nebraska, what it looks like, the hills of grass, the spring, spring-fed lakes, everything that's there. Can you just describe uh what it looks like?
SPEAKER_03I don't know if I want to because I think that's one of the nice things about it's kind of like our hidden gym. But you know, that is one of the things that we talk about on the ranch, is is just we sometimes I think forget in our industry how wonderful the great state is, and especially the sand hills. And it's such a unique ecosystem. I think there's only one similar one in the entire world, and it's in Mongolia. And and you look at grasslands, and you know, it's it's funny we talk about grasslands, but I actually just came from a biome workshop that specifically focused on grasslands because I don't think they get the attention that some of the things do, like croplands or forest or Amazon or any of those big other topics we have. And we need to recognize that how vital grasslands are to our ecosystem. But you know, you you come onto a ranch and we've got a we've got a 10-mile driveway that's that's sometimes maintained. Depends on on who's bribing the the county guys to get down there to grade the road. But I mean, it's just it's the plant diversity is amazing, you know. I mean, it's it's I always describe that part of the sand hills as a unique part of the sand hills because it has so much surface water. We're we're really close to the Ogawa aquifer. I mean, there's places we can go out and dig a post hole and hit water, so we're very blessed in that aspect. Um, the wildlife component of it has been huge to our ranch program and ranch management for literally decades, you know, and and so we've got a thriving, thriving wildlife, sometimes too thriving wildlife system, you know, in terms of the birds and the deer and the beauty, but to be able to have those rolling hills and and I mean, you know, as much as we hear nowadays about activism and and shutting down and the cows are the problem and and and so forth and so forth, all these personal agendas, you know, at the end of the day, we can honestly say that we're trying to leave the land better than what we what we inherited, and and that's the continued goal for future generations. And and so, you know, the the key component of all of that is being able to share that too, you know. I mean, I'm glad you, you of course have been out there, you've seen it firsthand. But, you know, I mean, we've hosted visitors just this last year. I think we had visitors from, I don't know, 10, 12 different countries just out there seeing, seeing firsthand, you know, this ecosystem that is so unique and the perception that they have is is, you know, when the especially when I'm traveling overseas and talking to people, it's that we're all factory farms here in the US, and they don't understand that the majority of cattle comes from grass-based systems for at least the majority part of their life. And so being able to share that with people too is huge, is a huge part of our operation and our mindset, also.
SPEAKER_01So Flying Diamond, it's a pretty darn cool brand. It's on your cattle, it's on your product, it's all over the ranch. And if I'm not mistaken, you may even have a flying diamond tattoo, correct?
SPEAKER_02Shoot, I hope my parents aren't listening to this now. No, luckily they do no, and I was I that was a that was a college incident, and I was sober when I did that, just so everyone's well aware of that fact.
SPEAKER_01So, what's the history behind it?
SPEAKER_03So, so a really, really super cool story. It's actually one of the youngest brands that we have because we have brands that are registered. I I think our first brand was registered in 1888, 89. And we have some that were in 1912 and whatnot. This brand didn't come a little bit later. So the the story behind it, um, here, I know, I know your your listeners can't see this, but you see this ring. Yes. Okay, so it's just a really plain Jane ring with a flying diamond brand. But the story was is in Lakeside back during the booming days, there was a greasy spoon restaurant, and this guy named Keeley owned this restaurant, and he had this brand, and it came off of, oh, I forget, it was it was like a die. It was the design off of some kind of die cast that they had for something, and I don't remember the whole story there. But my grandfather would go in there often many, many times during the week, you know, and and try to convince Keely that he needed to sell him this brand. And Keely would continue to say, No, no, no, I'm not gonna sell the brand, not gonna sell the brand. So the way my grandmother told the story is is grandpa took my grandma there for one of their first dates, and Keeley pulled my grandpa aside at the end of the night and said, I'll make you a deal. You marry that woman, I'll give you the brand as a wedding present. Wow. So so grandma also said, so she's not never for sure if grandpa married her for her. He got the brand.
SPEAKER_01Got the brand.
SPEAKER_03But part of that was Keeley also had this ring, and so that was also something that he gave to Keeley.
SPEAKER_01So that ring dates back to what year?
SPEAKER_03Oh, I it's probably 19. Uh well, Keighley had it for a while, so I don't even know. Uh, probably 1920s, 1930s, somewhere in there. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01That's amazing.
SPEAKER_03And it it's definitely if people say what's your most prized possession, that would be it right there. That would be it.
SPEAKER_01So, how many, how many generations has the ranch been in your family?
SPEAKER_03So I'm the I'm the fifth. I'm the fifth that's back. There is a sixth, they live in Omaha in Elkhorn, but yeah, I'm the fifth that's back on the ranch.
SPEAKER_01Oh, that's great. Say uh what breed of cattle do you typically raise, or has that changed over the years?
SPEAKER_03It has. So so we started. I well, we actually started back in Shorthorn in the late 1800s. Um that was kind of a new new concept for me when I was told that. And then in the 19, early 19s, we were Herford, you know, like everyone else was at that time. And then we just kind of progressed. 1970, we started getting red Angus. Um 1980, we brought some Sal Devon genetics in. They were an English breed and and we're doing a three-way composite there for a while. And then since then, uh, we're pretty heavy now, uh person, high percentage red Angus, but we're starting to get some cement tall bloodlines back in there. And then, so still commercial um operation here in the US, but I did I did get involved into the Uruguayan purebred business this year. So we'll see how that venture goes. And and so that's kind of an exciting time too. But um, and and kind of we cover all sectors. So, I mean, um, of course, consider ourselves cow calf. You know, I did some work on the purebred side over the years, um, have a background feedlot. I we also I market multiple ways, you know, do some direct direct to consumer, of course, and then we finish our own cattle too and send them to the big four. And so we're trying to be really flexible in in how we market our cattle based off of what the current market cycle is doing. So, so I think that's one of the things that I absolutely love about our operation is we're not we're not set in our ways that we're gonna do the same thing every year the exact same way because this is how it's always been done. We we constantly are looking for those niches and those efficiencies to continue to make our operation better. And and and I hate that word sustainable, but I mean it's it to this, it it plays into that because it's it's that's what's gonna be key in order to keep that ranch going for for many, many years to come.
SPEAKER_01What does sustainability mean to you? Everyone has, like you mentioned, has their own sort of definition. What what's it mean to you?
SPEAKER_03You know, I I get into that, I get into that topic and I guess that question quite a bit. And I think for me personally, it's just doing what we do on a daily basis. You know, it's it's focusing on our part, on the environment, on the well-being of the animal, on our own human well-being, which sometimes I think we in agriculture forget that human aspect concept of it. And then, and then making sure that we leave things better than what we what we got them as. And so sometimes, you know, um, there's there's even further components to it. It's it's being involved in the community, it's it's you know, making making the industry better too. It's it's all plays into that buzzword. And, you know, I think that buzzword has got both a it's it's both been positive and negatively received. You know, we still talk about sustainability now, now it's more they're pushing regenerative is is the new concept. But you know, there's so many of those things that that producers out there have been doing for years and years and years, and now they're finally giving them a word, and that's like, oh yeah, well, we've been doing that since before it was cool, you know. So, so I think it's great that a lot of entities and stuff are having the conversations, especially big industry, you know. I mean, when we when we look at the the supply chain, you know, the McDonald's and Costco's and on on all of those entities are starting to really push those those agendas, and so we just have to make sure that that we continue to preach. Well, yeah, but yeah, I we like we like where you're going with this, but you realize this is something that has always been in our repertoire of or our toolbox for for all these years anyway.
SPEAKER_01You earlier mentioned direct to consumer. Uh is that flying diamond beef?
SPEAKER_03It is, yeah.
SPEAKER_01How did you get into that?
SPEAKER_03Oh my goodness. Well, I don't know how long you never told me how long you want to be here today. So, but the background of flying diamond beef is is pretty is is an interesting one. And I I do like to tell this story because it's I think it definitely plays into a lot of a lot of what we see in the industry as a whole. So it came about, um, it came about actually probably over a decade plus ago. And my bested friend and I were were talking about investing in a small packing plant at that time, and and you know, we had ran the numbers over and over and were talking about doing our own branded line at that point, and it just it didn't work out. And so I ended up having the opportunity came up to do a different venture instead, and I took that direction. And then um, that was a that was a recent business that I I had for about 10 years, and um it was a different ranch, it was 70 miles away. You you were part of you, you know part of that venture too. Correct, yeah. That's I think that's actually how we first met originally was through that. Um and so I was I was managing my cow herd there, and I was still managing my dad's part of the cow herd at the home place and back and forth every day, and I was burnout. And so I had brought in a a business partner. She was a lady from actually she hailed from Colorado, um, worked as an OBGYN nurse and absolutely loved the beef cattle industry. And so I had a mutual friend reach out and say, This gal is interested in getting involved in the industry. How do I get her involved? And I said, Well, here, send her out. You know, let's let's get her exposed to some of these things that we're doing. And she fell in love with it. And so that relationship continued to grow. And in about two and a half years after we first met, I offered her a partnership into that business. And and so she leased that part of the business from me. And I was continuing to help out up there as needed, but that way I could focus more on everything that was going on at the home place. And in those discussions that we were having, she had a very big part of the medical field down in Colorado, was looking for that, looking, wanting to know where their food came from. And and she's like, We have we have the resources here to do this, and what do you think? And I said, Well, you know, we've talked about this previously. I think it's a wonderful idea. And so she had, she was phenomenal at the marketing and the and the advertising and whatnot. And I kind of I had the production side covered, and so we we kind of put our heads together and we're like, we need one more person. And so I brought in my best friend on that, who you also know, and and and we um she had the background in the feedlot and and kind of the merchandising area. So we had the perfect, the perfect team. And I think that first year we did about 60 head, just that first year alone, and that was right as COVID hit. And so we couldn't have hit that at a more perfect time. And the thing that COVID did is it even pushed us a little faster just because we already had like our test, our test processing stuff set up, and then all of a sudden, here, here we had this vision that we were going to be marking to these upper middle class that was going to be mostly front range of Colorado focused, and now we have people asking us if they could use food stamps to purchase product because the supply chain was completely interrupted because of COVID. So, so it it had a lot of growth potential. There was so much growth potential there. And then unfortunately, um the my business partner and and two out of the three businesses I had, she was killed in an ATV accident. And it shook, of course, everything up. And and so, you know, I think I think that's one of the things that is so important in agriculture is it's it's your ability to pivot and it's it's the ability to take some of those traumatic things and try to make the best possible, you know, most positive thing that you can out of it. And so so the family decided they didn't want to be involved in the beef side of that. And so um I ended up a couple, it was about two-year process, but ended up bringing it all in-house now on the ranch. And so even to storage everything we have there on the ranch, and so it's not it's not a part of the business, especially right now with the market cycle that I'm pushing to grow. But what it's done is it's done a couple of things. Um, the first is it's it's made me a lot smarter producer. And and the reason I say that is because before I was always looking at an at a four-legged critter as I was always looking at the animal from the outside in. And now I'm having to look from the beef business from the inside out. And and so it's given me, it's it's given me some some great knowledge on things that I could implement or change, um, whether it be in my feeding and my genetics, you know, how I how I raise an animal, you know, the the animal welfare component of that, you know, low-stress cattle handling, all of those components of that. It's it's made me smarter in that area. The second thing that it's done is it's really built a consumer base. Um actually, just I it was two weeks ago we sold to our 50th state. We've been waiting for Hawaii for quite a while and finally Hawaii pulled through. So, you know, I mean, that's really cool that we've been able to reach out to consumers, uh, most of which have never set foot on a ranch or might be a couple generations removed from AG. And so having them have an email or a phone number, and they have both. They have my personal cell phone, they have my personal email that they can reach out. So, for instance, you know, when when things like mRNA vaccines became such a news topic issue and there was so much misinformation out there, my email was flooded from our customer base saying, can you explain this? Is this an issue? What's going on? And and they actually were asking a a real life producer that was living it day in and day out, what we do in our operation. And so being able to share some of our story and our protocols and and whatnot with consumers is huge. But the message that we really try to push, and it's very important, and this is also what I tell my crew too, is we never want to say our our product is better than somebody else's. You know, we we do this our way, but there's very there's a number of other producers that do it the exact same way. So we're not pushing a grass-finished agenda, we're not pushing uh a hormone-free or antibiotic-free agenda or buy from us direct instead of buying in a grocery store. That's not our purpose. We just want to completely give that consumer someplace they can go with a person that they can trust, that they feel that they can ask about where did our food come from? And and what what care and love and everything went into producing this. And we can say, this is what we did, and we're not doing anything different than so many thousands of other producers across the country are doing.
SPEAKER_01So you mentioned a few females, including yourself, involved in these ventures. Have you faced any difficulties being a female on ag?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah. Um, oh boy.
SPEAKER_01Um And do you think those are unique to ag or is that or is ag a better place for a female to have opportunities that maybe other industries those would not exist?
SPEAKER_03There that's a that's a extremely loaded question. You know, extremely loaded question. And I and I think the answer to that would be all somebody needs to do is follow me on social media for a day. And and because I number one, I hate social media, um, you know, but it's but you're on it. I know, unfortunately. And there's many days I wish I wasn't, but you know, it's an important part of our business. And and the the remarks, I I know just just yesterday there was a tweet talking about my face, you know, and and and and commenting on, I think I forget what the whole tweet was, but you know, and I think that that's really degrading overall to the industry. Um yes, I understand I'm a single female. Um, I run a business. My my business model I know is a little bit different because of the fact that I do I do find a personal agenda that's very important to me. And that's telling the beef story, not only in our own country, but across the world and and building those relationships. And I know not everyone understands that, you know, um they don't understand what it takes in our operation for me to be able to be gone and and what components that I've had to build in place to make that happen. And and so, so I think when people don't understand you, and and for the most part, I'm very I'm very fortunate in the fact that those that actually know me or that I've met firsthand might have a different opinion than sometimes some of the things that I that I read about myself that I'm like, oh. Oh, I didn't know that. That's interesting. But I mean, and I think that's that's what's really discouraging for me at the end of the day, is that those same people out there, and there's there's a lot of them that are in agriculture. I shouldn't say a lot because it's really just only small tiny nucleus that, you know, are just the ones that continue to beat the same drum over and over. But they've got to have wives or they've got to have daughters and or nieces or, you know, other females that they know in their life that that they want to get involved in ag. And it's it's degrading that this is the treatment that people get sometimes, you know, and it it's it's disappointing to me. And so instead, what it does is it makes me more determined, you know, to go out to talk to these wonderful university students that are coming in to host female interns, to host female international students, because I want them to look at our industry and be like, there is a place for me in our industry, you know, whether it be, whether it be as a wife, a bookkeeper, or running the operation, you know, there there needs to be a place. And and we need to just quit this infighting amongst producers. You know, I say time and time again, it's not gonna be government or all these other things that are gonna bring the industry down. It's gonna be this producer infighting. And the thing is, is you might not agree with what I have to say or who I represent. And surprisingly, a lot of people don't actually really know what I truly, my true thoughts are. Um, they usually try to put words in my mouth and stuff. But at the end of the day, you don't you don't have to listen to what I have to say, but because I'm gonna stay in my lane, you can stay in your lane. And I know that's that's blunt, but sometimes it's just really people, this is this is what we're dealing with with the industry right now.
SPEAKER_01So I'm not surprised that you take those negative comments and those slights and turn them into fuel for the fire that fires you in this business. I that that doesn't surprise me one bit. So again, sorry that you have to go through that, but uh you're you have been amazingly successful on so many levels, and perhaps that's some of the fuel you're you're trying to show them whatever silly thoughts they have, uh they're wrong, and watch me.
SPEAKER_03Well, I I appreciate that. And you know, it's it's never to me, it's never been about a personal agenda. You know, I don't, I don't, I mean, and and anybody out there on social media that can see that, I don't go in it for the followers or the or the notoriety, you know, every interview or podcast, I've never reached out, you know. I don't, I don't say, hey, I'm a speaker, come invite me. That's not that's not not my agenda. You know, my agenda is is if you want me to come talk about some certain topics in agriculture, I'd love to, you know, I'd love to have those conversations, but you know, we really need to focus on making the industry stronger as a whole. That's that's what's gonna keep us survivable for many, many years. But but we got to get rid of this pettiness bull crap. It's it's old.
SPEAKER_01So you've been involved in countless local, state, and national organizations in the beef industry. Why have you been involved and what what benefits have you seen?
SPEAKER_03So so it goes back, you know, it goes back to I I really like to think it starts kind of in the childhood, you know. I mean, my parents were involved in different entities. Um, my mom was, you know, involved in extension, um, church, my dad was involved on a national cattle board, you know, and and so I always kind of saw that servant leadership um being portrayed. You know, I grew up, um, you know, I went to a one-room schoolhouse. I was usually the only kid in my class. And so, so, you know, by the time I went to high school and I boarded away from school, um, you know, away from the ranch, and and I was pretty much involved in every activity there was. And I think I think a lot of it had to do put was coming from the parental push, you know, to just get involved, do more, be more, always, always continue to try to improve. And so, so after after I attended school at the university and and went back to the ranch, and that was in 2002, one of the things was is that I made it known when I came back that I I want to be back, but I want to continue to be involved in the industry and I want to educate and I want to go to conferences and I want to learn and blah, blah, blah. And and there was a lot, there was a lot that went with that. Cause I remember going to some of those first conferences, and I would be like, Oh, that's a great idea. I should take that back home. And I'd go home and I'd tell dad, and he goes, Your grandfather and I tried that 40 years ago, and this and this, and this is what happened, you know. And but then it just continued to morph into something bigger. And I really found out that there was a real need for producers, especially, to be able to tell their story. And I I know that that's kind of has taken a sometimes a negative turn over the years of we need to tell our story, we need to tell a story. But the thing is, is that we really do. And and you know, what I have found out is that there's so many great associations out there. And and and whether they're in agriculture or not, but they're all related somehow to agriculture and they're all dependable on agriculture. If it's nothing more, it's for the food that they eat and the food that they share their family. And so we need to make sure that that is continuable for many, many years. And so that was kind of the whole consensus of getting involved in in some of these groups, and then it's just continued to grow. You know, I found out areas that I was really passionate about. Um I love policy development. Um, I love somebody talking or calling me and saying, hey, I have this problem. And I'm like, hey, this actually makes a lot of sense. Let's see if we can find a solution to this, or I, or I know somebody that might be able to help with that. And and you know, those, those were the fuel that kept me going throughout the years. And so yeah, it's been it's been really neat. Now, now, fortunately, you know, I've I'm involved in just a couple small groups here and there, you know, and I can kind of pick and choose where I want to throw my throw my passion at. And and I think that's really important too. But it it's for me, it's not just ag, you know. I'm I'm finding out that sometimes there's other groups, you know. I serve, I currently serve on our state humanities board and council. And at one time I was the only ag person on there in a in an ag state on a 40-person board, but being able to share just that information. And now, you know, we've had two humanities events out at the ranch for the board. And so there's been people that have never set foot on the ranch that set literally set foot on a ranch for their first time because they came out to our ranch and had that invite. And so that's really cool to see, you know, and and now they go back and they tell their friends and and it's a it then we start getting a different agenda, you know. It's not the cows are killing the world or ranchers are destroying everything. No, it's a I've been on a ranch, I've seen it firsthand, I might start eating beef more beef now, you know. So so I it's it's important, you know, it's important for me. It's not everybody's personal agenda to get involved, you know, but but that's something that an area that has been very important to me. And I'm very, very, very fortunate that I have the support of my parents and my crew that I can get involved when I when I feel like there's a need to get involved.
SPEAKER_01You're hard to keep up with. You travel a ton. On average, how many miles do you put on your truck in a given year?
SPEAKER_03Well, well, see, it's it's it's kind of it's kind of deceiving because I mean it's just a 72-mile round trip just to get to town to get a gallon of milk and back, you know. So I mean, it's a little bit deceiving. I actually just got this kind of new vehicle downstairs, and I think it's a month old and already got 5,000 miles on it, you know. But it's had a couple big trips here and there. But and I think that's another component too, you know, is the travel piece of it is it's it's one of those things that people go, Well, where are you at this week, or where are you going on this week, or or you know, or you're overseas here, and it's like, yeah, but you chased your kids around, or yeah, you did this and this, or yeah, you might have gone home and watched TV all night or something, you know. And I I think that's just one of the things people don't realize is the thing with travel that I've really realized in our operation, and the thing with me being gone at times is it's made us a better operation. And it's not for the fact, oh my gosh, she's not there, you know, but it's it's been for the fact that we've really had to focus on being efficient, being organized, being making sure that everyone on our ranch knows how to do every job. Um, and it's it's the fact that, you know, I'm not, if if I'm not there, things are gonna continue on, you know, but it's also me being very conscientious of those times that I'm gone. You know, I do say no quite a bit too. I'm learning, I'm learning more and more of the time to say no. But I mean, I'm not gonna be gone during these months or I'm not gonna be gone through these events. But, you know, when I get home from this event, I'm gonna be doing this and this for the next couple of days before the next one. And and so it's it's really, really made I feel our operation run more efficient than we ever have before, just because we've become more focused on those things that are important to all of us. And it's not just me, you know. I I volunteer, I travel, you know, I've got I've got a great, a great couple that work for me. Um, he helps out on the ranch, she helps out on the beef business part-time, and and you know, they have their priorities too. And it's making sure that, you know, they're gone this week on a baby moon, which is super exciting. And but if they have other passions that they're passionate about, we need to make sure and work around their passions. Same with my dad, you know, he loves to do certain things too, or and most of the time his just our focus on work or staying home and not having to do anything sometimes. But, you know, we we have to be cognizant of everybody that's on that core team. And then and then at times of the year, you know, we throw in you or interns and utilize those too and just kind of help with that further education development, but it also we don't need interns year-round because that's not necessary in our business. So it's it's a really interesting business model that I feel that we've developed and and really been able to to kind of ebb and flow to just have that great balance um on how we think as people, but then also you know, what's beneficial to our ranch and our operation too.
SPEAKER_01Have you kept track of the number of countries you've gone to uh to to further the mission of uh United States beef, but also to talk about the industry that you love so much about?
SPEAKER_03Oh no, I guess I haven't counted in a while, but I bet I bet it's over oh 30, you know. Um, and and when I say that, it's it's the players, you know, it's the players in the beef industry. And and most of them I've been, you know, it's a couple of those I've been to multiple times, like you know, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil. Um, you know, I'm going back to Uruguay here in a in a little over a month.
SPEAKER_01You mentioned Uruguay earlier. You said you're into Uruguay cattle. I am. So is that is there a specific breed that they have down there? Or tell us what's going on there. If you if you can share.
SPEAKER_03No, absolutely. I'd love to. So so I I was very uninformed um on Uruguay livestock here until this last this last fall. Um, so I so I was really fortunate in 2024 and I got a Nuffield scholarship. And there's uh Nutfield is an international program that started in 1947 over in the UK. And and what it does is it focuses on um agriculture education. And so what you do is if you're chosen for it, you get a scholarship and you pick a research topic. And my my research is focusing on beef cattle traceability. Um, and then you spend uh anywhere from 12 to 14 weeks doing international travel. Five of that is a five weeks of that is a mandatory global focused program that literally sends you around the world studying agriculture. And then the other seven weeks, you you have to come up with your own study program where you're where you're working on this research topic. Um, there's been 21 scholars total from the US, counting the five that were from 2004. So it's been a really, really neat honor to be part of that program. And and so, with part of that, um, there was also a conference coming up that I wanted to attend down in Uruguay, and so went down there for for a little over two weeks to Uruguay and Argentina, and absolutely fell in love with the beef industry in Uruguay.
SPEAKER_01And what's unique about it?
SPEAKER_03Oh man. So to give you an example, what's really unique about it is it's it's almost two cattle breeds, Angus and Hereford. And and the the US and Australia are the only two countries in the world that actually split black and red Angus, but you know, countries like Uruguay, Angus is one breed. And and so the because of the fact that there's such a focus on those two cattle breeds, the genetics, in my opinion, are are really impressive. And they have a grass-based system, you know, where they're where there's still a majority of Uruguayans finish out those cattle in a on a grass-finished system. They are getting more and more feedlots all the time, and they're learning that grain-based system. And and what is also really fascinating about it is they have the number one traceability program in the world, and they can track everything from under, um, it has to be tagged prior to six months of age, all the way to a box, an independent box. So, what has that done to their market? So, so right during the BSE or Mad Cow days, you know, Uruguay decided to implement that mandatory program. The US had that come up in that conversation, and then at the last minute, they chose not to. Um, but Uruguay did. And at that point, 15% of product from Uruguay was being exported. Since that time, 85% of their product now is exported. But what's fascinating is they've taken a lot of US genetics, um, you know, both on the Angus and on the Hereford side, and they've adapted them to their environment down there. And and so for me to go in and see some of their genetics was was extremely impressive for me. And so I ended up somehow getting into a embryo deal down there and partnering in. But the the also the unique part is I can't bring those embryos into the US because of some of the FMD rules and regs. Um and and so, you know, it's a it's a great concept to be able to just say, okay, well, let's let's look at what what we're going to, how we're going to develop, you know, the the red Angus breed is is on the on is almost on a straight trajectory there in Uruguay and see if we can get involved with that and maybe in the future have the potential to get some of those genetics that are really focused on a specific environment, maybe up into the US, you know, into my area. And and so I think overall the the overall like the the takeaway for me at the end of the day is that we're all interconnected in the in the ag industry, in the beef industry. And so sometimes in my travels, it it blows my mind some of the amazing things that I see that other countries are doing that maybe are not being incorporated yet into the US or have, but not to the extent that other countries are doing. And and then, you know, having those discussions. Well, are their genetics better or are our genetics better? Is their beef better, is our beef better? But then at the end of the day, you know, really realizing and recognizing the great things that we in the US do do in the beef industry, and that's we're efficient. You know, that is one thing that we do incredibly well. But there's a lot of countries out there that are really starting to come up and catch up to us in terms of genetics, in terms of feeding efficiency, um, in terms of being able to tell their story and not having some of those, some some of those holdups that they've had previously. And so we always need to be cautiously aware of what those other entities are doing. So we make sure that at the end of the day, the beef that we raise here in the US, you know, whether, whether it's beef from the US or beef that might be, might be processed here from Canada or Mexico or whomever, you know, is is still is still at the top of the menu.
SPEAKER_01So what do you see as the biggest challenges for the beef cattle industry in the United States now and maybe a few years down the road?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I think there's there's gonna be a couple. What's gonna be really fascinating is what this current administration does on trade policy. You know, um, the previous admin administration, I I just finished up my my term as chair of international trade for NCBA and and we were stagnant um in trade, you know, and and you it doesn't take a rocket scientist to look at the data and see where imports and exports are. I mean, that uh that's simple math there. And and so it's very discouraging me as a producer, you know, to not see that we're having we're having new trade agreements or new trade promotion, especially of US product. And and what I mean by US product is is, you know, we we do not have a a clear labeling system of of what really is product of the US. And I think that needs to have some clarification. Um, but I still believe that you know, there's a lot of opportunities for producers out there to label product um voluntarily on a on a level that they can. And those are the those are the things that our you know, our export markets are wanting is they want to know where that product comes from too. And so I'm I'm I don't know what the new administration's gonna need to do yet on trade policy, especially when you look at Canada and Mexico and how they fit in and the cattle that move across the border are such an important piece of all three countries, you know, beef supply chain. But then also, um, I think what keeps me up at night is is disease. Um, avian flu, you know, I um I'm not gonna get into to that too much, but I I'm really concerned that that's gonna be another COVID coming, you know, and I think that there might be some irrational decisions that are made in that that maybe aren't scientifically based, but I also don't think we understand enough of it yet to to really grasp the the impact that it could have on our industries. Um, but then there's always the challenge of something like an FMD outbreak or foot and mouth disease, you know, coming in from another country. And that's that's one of the things I think that concerns me the most, especially in my travels, is, you know, I've started to see how lax our borders have got at our ports or our airports. You know, I mean, there used to be a time I used to come back into the US and they would disinfect my shoes and they would scrub the bottom of my shoes down. And now they don't even ask the question if I've been on a farm or ranch. And I remember I was just in the Philippines on this last year, and I was in a in a pen with a couple hogs that were running around. And this was not by choice that I was in this pen, mind you. But I mean, and they have they have swine flu, you know, and I'm just they're like, you know, I'm sorry, it wasn't the Philippines, it was Vietnam, I think it was.
SPEAKER_01Well, when you go to so many countries, it's hard to keep them uh straight.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, but I mean the fact of the matter is, is I'm thinking in the back of my mind, I'm gonna have to burn these when I get, you know, before I take them back to the US. And and you know, and not a lot of tourists have that, have that knowledge to understand that the dangers that are there. So, so that is the things that keep me up at night because of the fact that, you know, some some one little simple oops could shut down our entire supply chain. And not only that, but our perception with our trading partners, you know, we saw that with bird flu and and Colombia. You know, it here here it's in the dairy industry and Colombia shut us down on beef imports. And it's like, wait a second here, you know. So so we've got to be really conscientious to some of those other things. Of course, rules and regulations are always a big thing. You know, um, supply costs are huge, um, you know, land grabs are big. I mean, there's so many topics that that I try not to think too much about because literally I would I would every single hair on my head would be great. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So, Jacqueline, one thing that we ask all of our guests, you get one word and only one word that describes this great place in which we live, and which you ranch, in which again you've done amazing things for the cattle industry, the state of Nebraska. What's your one word that describes Nebraska?
SPEAKER_03And one word. Um, it's home.
SPEAKER_01Do you want to explain?
SPEAKER_03I I mean, I think that's that's pretty self-explanatory, you know, because no matter no matter where I've traveled in the world or or what operations I've been on or you know, or what touristy things you're doing or whatnot. And at the end of the day, no matter, no matter what, every time I pull down that driveway, it you just take a big load off and you just it's it's home. And it you're you don't realize really how blessed a person is until they see what's going on in the rest of the country or the rest of the world. But you know, and being able to share that with family and and my dad, especially, you know, my we're we're business partners, and and you know, he's also my best friend, and and so I'm I'm so blessed to be able to do what I do on a daily basis and and yet continue to to get out there and and share all the great things that we're in. the industry are doing but but you know I I can't do it alone and and I I feel like I I I don't by any means there's so many great other there's so many many other people that do but it's it's so important to to at the end of the day still realize that you always have a place to call home.
SPEAKER_01Jacqueline thanks for joining us today we're so very grateful that you would share your insight with our listeners. If you enjoyed this episode uh consider sharing it with family and friends heck uh even share with people you don't even know because I'm confident they will learn something because I know I certainly did as well. Please keep listening to 93 the podcast as we release additional episodes on Nebraska. It's great communities. Nebraska's number one industry agriculture and the folks who make it happen.
SPEAKER_00Thanks. This has been 93 the podcast sponsored by Nebraska's law firm Rembolt Ludke
