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Stepping Up to the Challenge
by K. C. Keffer and Brian Arnold
After a positive experience last spring in Des Moines, Iowa, the National Junior Swine Association held its second-annual NJSA National Youth Leadership Conference in Oklahoma City, Okla., May 15-18.
In the experience of a lifetime, 50 NJSA members from 15 states interacted with some of the industry’s most respected breeders, judges and swine enthusiasts. Participants were challenged to become leaders with integrity.
Rick Maloney with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture welcomed all members and guests and spoke of Oklahoma’s deep roots in agriculture. He encouraged youth to embrace diversity and think outside the box.
Throughout the conference, keynote speakers and panelists educated and enlightened NJSA members.
Step up. Engage those blades, sharpen that axe, be the sponge and expect the best.
This may sound like the plan of attack for cleaning an abandoned lot, but it’s not. Instead, these are four key elements of leadership according to Stewart and Casey Kennedy, NJSA National Youth Leadership Conference keynote speakers.
The Kennedys educated and entertained the group in four sessions during the four-day leadership event. The agricultural industry craves these premier speakers because of their knowledge and background in agriculture.
The Kennedys grew up with hogs, and both love to help others develop their leadership skills and reach their goals.
This passion inspired the Kennedys to create the “Your Next Speaker” company. Every year, 60 percent of their business is generated from youth organizations such as FFA, 4-H and junior livestock breed associations.
“Average is not an option to succeed today,” Stewart said. “You have to be willing to sacrifice and work hard.”
The Kennedys led the group through teamwork activities, character-building workshops and networking exercises.
Their point: Leaders aren’t leaders just because they want to be. They put forth effort and always strive to become better.
The Kennedys provided four easy steps to becoming a leader: engage those blades, sharpen that axe, be the sponge and expect the best.
Engage those blades. Leadership is about serving others, the Kennedys said.
As a leader, you go out and make it happen. With a long-term positive attitude, you will do the best, and in the end, have a larger following of people who trust and believe in you. Keep an eye on trust, because once you lose it, it’s hard to recapture it.
Commit to making things happen. Dedicate yourself to a cause or organization, and work actively to get positive results. Be competitive, yet willing to work with a group to better an entire organization, the Kennedys said.
“The NJSA members at this conference highly impressed us because they have such a high level of competition, but they can also work together for the good of the entire group,” Stewart said. “You will be hard pressed to find a more competitive and motivated group of young people.”
Sharpen that axe. Become a better person and leader by continuously learning. To sharpen the axe, learn daily from books, magazines, peers and mentors. Make lists, think on paper and do the worst task first. By doing this every situation can only be better. With knowledge and ambition you will sharpen others around you the Kennedys advised.
Make lists and brainstorm during tough situations, and you’ll understand what good can come out of letting ideas flow onto paper. Encourage your group to brainstorm so everyone can have input in situations.
Be the sponge. Surround yourself with motivation such as inspirational books and positive people.
Constantly soak up optimism and experiences, and come away from situations better off than when you started. See the benefits in every situation, and analyze what you should get out of time spent with others the Kenne dys taught.
They said to listen and learn every chance you get. In conversations, ask “W” questions: who, what, when, where and why. At the closing of every conversation, always validate, encourage or congratulate the speaker. Thus the speaker knows they had a captive audience, and you will walk away with more insight and knowledge.
Always focus on the speaker by making eye contact and by not being distracted by others around you. Listen closely and ask follow-up questions. Be an active participant in conversations by nodding your head, and respect the speaker by not interrupting.
Expect the best. Expect the best from yourself and others. Act enthusiastic about your causes and everyday life. Realize your potential and give more effort. Work harder. Think outside the box.
“Leaders acknowledge weakness and capitalize on strength,” Stewart said.
In life, many people make the mistake of focusing on the negative – the things they cannot do. As a real leader, you can see the other side of the coin.
Find someone better to fill in the areas where you lack. Let other people work where you are weak. Then, focus on using your natural talent.
Expect great results and get them. If you concentrate on failing, you often will.
The Kennedys believe the junior members of today are the leaders of tomorrow. They encouraged the group and provided excellent advice.
“I have heard Stewart speak dozens of times and he never gets old,” said Alyson Billey, an NJSA member from Sayre, Okla. “He always has a new message about how important leadership is.”
Leaders are the foundation of a great team. To become greater, leadership requires dedication. Dedicated leaders will engage those blades, sharpen that axe, be the sponge, and expect the best!
Leaders Listen…Listeners Learn
Learners Grow…Growers Succeed
Success is Yours…Go Get It!
– Stewart and Casey Kennedy
Breeder’s panel. “If you stand in the middle of the road, you may get ran over.
“If you stand alongside the road, you will get passed by.”
Dr. Bob Hines shared this thought during the breeder’s panel, which included Hines, Galen McCune of Buffalo, Okla., and Joe Lancaster of Ada, Okla.
These men shared their experiences of breeding purebred swine and the joys and challenges of the industry.
Hines has been involved in the purebred swine industry for 73 years and said there is a place for purebreds in all aspects of the industry.
He attributes his involvement in the swine industry to his parents, who always encouraged him to do his best, and his uncle who helped him start in the swine industry. Hines helped his uncle deliver milk and was paid with dairy calves. Hines sold the calves and bought a Berkshire sow.
Hines started judging hogs in 1957 and ended his career last year.
He said the show pig industry has had a great impact on the swine industry as a whole.
“Kids say show pigs are not pork production,” Hines said. “Over one million hogs are shown each year. We need to realize we still are a vital part of the white meat industry.”
Galen McCune with Great Plains Genetics said he became involved in the swine industry through livestock judging in high school.
McCune stressed the importance of ethics, honesty and conviction that were instilled in him through his parents and his agriculture teacher, Dale DeWitt.
McCune said that learning the hard way can make one stronger.
“I don’t think any of us can become successful without failing first,” he said. “Don’t always go along with fads. Be a positive thinker, be open minded, and have a passion and a love for what you do.”
McCune also expressed the importance of listening to others.
“Many times, the most important experiences I would get out of a type conference happened in the late hours of the night while discussing hogs with other breeders,” he said. “These breeders influenced me and made me the person I am today.”
Joe Lancaster didn’t grow up in an environment with livestock but still developed a passion for agriculture and the swine industry.
“I was not exposed to agriculture until my freshman ag class,” he said. “From then on, I absolutely fell in love with FFA and vocational agriculture, and I participated in every aspect of it.”
Since 1982, Lancaster has made his living in the purebred swine industry. He admitted that he was a bit skeptical when he started out.
“Not having a background in purebred swine, I often wondered if I was capable of making it,” he said. “I always have enjoyed purebred genetics.”
Lancaster said he has witnessed many changes in the industry over the last 30 years. He encouraged members to keep open minds, but to have discipline and patience, and give things time to develop.
The breeder’s panel discussion sparked diverse questions. When asked about changes to their breeding programs in the last 15 years, all three breeders stressed the importance of maintaining a firm foundation in purebreds.
“The changes I have made are simple,” McCune explained. “The problems that we run into in the purebred business are because of fads.”
Lancaster said, “The majority of [the changes I’ve seen] have been the shift from family farmers to commercial farms. I feel that in a hog show, it is important that we should select hogs that can still survive in a commercial setting.”
When asked about advice for future producers, Lancaster said, “If you like it, you don’t need to be a producer. You have to love it.”
Hines added, “You have to have a passion for hogs and possess a tremendous work ethic to be a producer. Be goal-oriented and effective in your evaluation.”
To market, to market. On a dreary Oklahoma Friday, the NJSA enjoyed an all-access tour of the Oklahoma National Stockyards. Gathered in a sale ring, out of the rain, the group intently listened to the history behind the 93-year-old operation.
Located in the heart of cattle country, the Oklahoma National Stockyards (ONSY) has witnessed more than 1.02 million head of livestock pass under the entrance gates.
“This tour gave us a chance to see marketing in a venue that is unlike that which we regularly deal with, one that is unequal to none,” said Charles Covey, NJSA Board member.
Since its inception on October 3, 1910, the Stockyards has become the largest stocker/feeder cattle market in the world, selling more than half a million head of cattle annually.
Much of this success can be attributed to the location of the Stockyards – separating the cow-calf regions of the north and south and the wheat and grass country of the east and west stocker/feeder regions.
Tom Gilliam with the Stockman’s Livestock Order Buying Company led the tour of the Oklahoma National Stockyards and shared the history behind this agricultural landmark.
Gilliam has been involved with the Stockyards for more than 42 years, and he started a cattle-commission company. He was also part of a very historic Thursday in 1974, when three auctioneers at the Stockyards sold 21,000 head of cattle in 23? continuous hours.
Rich in History .Edward Morris and Company created the Oklahoma National Stockyards three years after Oklahoma gained statehood. Built on 120 acres of land two miles from downtown Oklahoma City, the Stockyards provided 2,400 new jobs in a growing city of 60,000 people.
The Stockyards was initially created as an outlet for buying and selling livestock, where prices could be based on supply and demand. ONSY provided producers with pens, feed and water for 24 hours, in exchange for a yardage fee or a set service charge per head. All of these services are still in place today for producers who wish to sell their cattle at the Stockyards.
By 1915, Morris and two major packers, Wilson and Armour, had opened packing plants on the 120 acres to slaughter the hogs, cattle and sheep sold through the neighboring auction arena. These plants flourished until 1961, when they closed because of the high cost of upkeep and need for more modern equipment.
Millions of hogs, cattle and sheep were from sold through from 1910 to 1980 in the Livestock Exchange Building. In June of 1980, the Spanish-style, all-wood building burnt to the ground. An electrical short in the attic caused the blaze that destroyed one of Oklahoma City’s most historic landmarks.
Yet, the auctions continue.
The Oklahoma National Stockyards still functions today, with regular sales every Monday and Tuesday starting at 8 a.m. Groups can tour the auction facilities all day on Wednesday. For more information, visit www.onsy.com .
What’s winning worth? “A cadet does not lie, cheat or steal, or tolerate those who do.”
As Kim Brock, Stillwater, Okla., read these words to youth, it was apparent that the conference would soon take a serious turn and put members on the spot.
Without question, one of the most intense sessions of the leadership conference occurred when judges Kim Brock and Grant Grebner, and former Tulsa State Fair livestock director Barbara Wood took the stage.
Their goal was simple – show youth the impact of their decisions, and present them with solutions to ethical choices.
The ethics panel members explained that the problems we face are not only in the show pig industry, but also in life.
Barbara Wood said that at the 1995 Tulsa State Fair, 20 percent of 36 animals from three species tested positive for the use of clenbuterol.
“It is going to be up to us to maintain integrity in order to maintain a show industry,” Wood said.
Brock said that drug testing has helped eliminate cheating in the show ring since the mid 1990s. However, he also said many ways of cheating are more common today, and they are destroying the positive image of our show industry.
Darrell Anderson added during the discussion, “Integrity has and always will be the foundation of the purebred livestock industry. Where are we going to find young leaders who will move our industries in the right direction?”
To give youth direction, the panel put members in a variety of situations that tested their integrity and ultimately made them choose between right and wrong.
Scenarios ranged from falsifying papers and ages on breeding gilts to registering crossbred livestock, to using computer-enhanced images in magazines to sell semen on boars.
The panel also presented members with “Ways to Tell Right from Wrong.”
These included the following tests: The Test of Common Sense, The Test of Sportsmanship, the Test of Best Self, The Test of Publicity, The Test of Most Admired Personality and the Test of Foresight.
These tests offered questions to consider such as, “If I make this decision, what is the likely result?” “Is it good?” and “What I would want for myself and others?”
This discussion ultimately led to the many participants sharing views.
Eric Farrand with Pfizer Animal Health said, “We all know what the right thing to do is. The question that we are faced with when the time comes is, “What will our decisions be?’”
Through the ethics discussion, youth began to speak out about solutions to many daily problems.
Charles Covey said, “It is up to us to make a difference. As members of the NJSA, we have the ability to make a difference. It starts at home with us.”
Panel speaks on loving careers. The alternative careers panel said there is more to the swine industry than production.
Too often, they said, young people get discouraged when they are unable to join the family farm, and they choose a different career path, becoming completely removed from the swine industry.
Panelists Nicole Boettger, National Pork Board; Shaun Frichey, ADM Alliance Nutrition; Henry “Doc” Mappes, DVM; and Daryl Real, NSR Southwest fieldman encouraged juniors to seek careers that combine fun and love of the swine industry.
Panelists discussed the paths they chose in life and how they secured jobs they love.
Boettger said, “This is my dream job. No two days are the same at the office for me.”
This panel stressed there is nothing that participants cannot do. Everyday activities can provide experience in all areas of life. Being actively involved in groups, clubs and organizations allows people to sharpen their communication and people skills while creating extensive networks.
As a whole, the panel said 4-H and FFA helped develop them into the people they are today.
Mappes received his first Duroc gilt through an FFA-sponsored event. Boettger said FFA taught her about how far she could go because of the things she has done and the people she has met through the organization.
The four-member panel said they envied NJSA members because of the opportunities membership provides.
The panelists said they see a strong and bright future for graduates in agricultural-related careers. They noted the industry is becoming more technologically advanced.
Mappes said he predicts changes in the animal-health field, envisioning more veterinarians specializing in one species because that, he says, is where the money will be.
The panel said one way to keep up on technology and gain experience is to complete an internship. Students should also be active in extra-curricular activities while they are young, so that future employers will acknowledge their abilities and dedication.
“Always keep your options open,” Real said. “It will make you more marketable.”
Express Ranches. NJSA members boarded the buses Saturday afternoon to see Express Ranches of Yukon, Okla.
For those who had heard of the heritage and beauty of the operation, or had seen the “EX” brand on quality show cattle, it was a dream come true. As the ranch came into view through the countryside, there was a hush amongst the members. At the top of the hill sat the mansion of Robert Funk, owner of Express Ranches, which overlooked the surrounding pastures and ranch headquarters.
Express Ranches focuses much of its emphasis on the production of Angus and Limousin cattle for all facets of cattle production.
They market 800 Angus bulls annually, and to commercial producers, Express sells about 1,200 Angus and Limousin bulls yearly. This fall, Express will sell about 700 Angus cows over 2 years old during their production sale.
Realizing the value for youth livestock involvement, Express has developed a program to give back to those who purchase show heifers from them.
The Express Ranches scholarship program has awarded more than $650,000 in scholarships to juniors who have been successful with Express cattle.
Express Ranches Vice President, Dr. John Edwards, guided NJSA members around the ranch, which also includes attractions other than cattle.
The Express Clydesdale stables house the members of the show wagon and stagecoach team.
Under the direction of Doug Sauter, coach of the Oklahoma City Blazers hockey team, the show team makes 70 promotional appearances a year, including appearances in the Fiesta Bowl Parade and recently, the inauguration of the Cincinnati Reds’ new baseball stadium.
None of the horses are raised at the farm. But the Express team is unique – the team is black and white, an uncommon characteristic of Clydesdale horses.
The tour of Express Ranches allowed members to see the importance of having a dream and turning it into a reality.
A goal-setting experience. In the junior board’s workshop on setting goals, Board member Charles Covey defined the lack of goals as a pitcher without a catcher, batter or fielders.
Without them, the pitcher does not know his full potential. He doesn’t know if he is throwing strikes, how fast he is pitching or if he is reaching his goals.
NJSA members were challenged to write down their goals. The NJSA Board encouraged participants to reach higher and stretch themselves as they work toward them.
In a board-breaking exercise, members wrote goals and obstacles on a board. Then, they were taught to focus, breathe and gather power to break through the board and their obstacles.
Wravenna Phipps, NJSA member from Kearney, Neb., demonstrated how to break the board into two pieces.
“You have to use the ball of your hand, keeping it as a slight fist,” she said. “Do not slap the board or it will not break.”
Juniors busted through their limitations and were left with only goals.
Participants took home their broken boards as reminders of their goals.
The NJSA Board also challenged participants to ponder their goals. What is the potential of your goals? Are they attainable?
Covey and Genter urged members to stretch themselves when reaching for their goals. They encouraged members to set high goals to reach their full potential as leaders.
If the pitcher had a complete team, no one would wonder if he reached his full potential. His team would be there for him, just like the NJSA Board members strive to be there for their members.
The ABCs of mentoring. Good mentors often share many desirable characteristics, causing people to trust and believe in them.
NJSA members learned about these characteristics during the workshop, “The ABC’s of Mentoring.” NJSA Board members Aaron Cobb, Brad Coffman and Molly McCormick asked juniors to describe the characteristics of a good mentor.
Hope Ballman from Leitchfield, Ky., said, “A mentor is someone who can be looked up to and gives useful advice.”
Katey Brattain, a NJSA member from Greencastle, Ind., added, “Mentors are compassionate and caring.”
The NJSA Board encouraged the youth to mentor younger kids in the NJSA. “Being here shows that you are willing to be leaders, and the younger members notice this,” said NJSA Director Brad Coffman.
One major key to effective mentoring is knowing the difference between positive and negative reinforcement, and knowing how to effectively reinforce ideas to others.
To learn this, the groups created a map of a maze made of chairs strategically placed around the room. Two volunteers who did not see the map ran the maze with direction from the group.
One volunteer received only positive reinforcement, while one received only negative feedback.
“I quit,” said Zach Brockhaus from Tuttle, Okla., who received only negative feedback. “I couldn’t do it with everyone just yelling at me.”
The negative reinforcement gave the the results the NJSA Board desired – negative reinforcement is not constructive.
There are many ways to obtain results from an individual or group. But the best way is to possess a positive self image and to pass along positive messages.
In the fastest-growing youth organization in the nation, there is no room for negative attitudes. The NJSA has many positive attributes – you can’t help but be enthused.
The NJSA Board encouraged attendees to become mentors. The challenge: Help a younger member wash a gilt in Louisville. Give your e-mail address to a kid from a different state. Help people in need, because someone helped you once, too.
Gain the competitive edge. NJSA Board members Wrex Phipps, Jake Grass and Bryan Rodibaugh helped members polish their table manners, professional appearances and first impressions.
Phipps stressed the importance of table manners in formal and casual dining settings.
Phipps said that table manners and being professional at the table applies to many areas of life.
Rodibaugh stressed the importance of making a lasting first impression, and how proper body language can be an advantage.
“Presentation and appearance are key elements to making a solid first impression,” he said. “You should always be confident in how you present yourself.”
Grass showed members how to market themselves in a job interview by researching potential employers and making a positive impression.
Phipps, Grass and Rodibaugh encouraged members to have confidence and pursue their goals.
Antibiotic resistance. Eric Farrand is a man in charge – of four million hogs. Farrand is a Purdue University graduate currently working as a swine territory manager for Pfizer, Inc.
Farrand explained why the junior swine industry is under the microscope by the general public – antibiotic use.
“Your organization is on the heartbeat of production,” Farrand said. “One million show pigs are put into the food chain at the conclusion of every show season.”
Packers are worried about the care of the pigs before, during and after the show, Farrand said. A small, but growing portion of the general public believes that the antibiotics administered to livestock could cause an antibiotic resistance in humans.
Farrand said an antibiotic is used to treat bacteria by either reducing its growth or killing it entirely. Antibiotic resistance happens when a bacteria mutates and does not respond to antibiotics.
But a very complex process must occur in livestock in order for this resistance to take effect in humans, he said.
There is no data or scientific evidence linking the use of antibiotics in meat animals with human antibiotic resistance.
It is highly unlikely that products administered to animals will compromise the efficiency of antibiotics administered to humans. However, product build-up and residue is a problem when medicines are not administered properly.
It is crucial to only use animal health products approved by the FDA for swine – the label must be followed exactly. Any deviation from the swine label is a violation of the law, unless directed by a veterinarian with working knowledge of the herd Farrand said.
To prevent this, every producer should have an animal-health program for their herd. A health program will not ensure food safety. However, using approved products according to the label is the only way to ensure safe pork products.
Consult a veterinarian to create a health program. Your plan should be easy to follow and should not create an unnecessary financial burden, Farrand said. The veterinarian should confirm and diagnose the disease challenges in your herd.
Consumers have the final say about food safety. Informed producers must make educated decisions to dispel the myth of antibiotic resistance.
Mentoring panel. Darrell Anderson, NSR executive director; Jennifer Shike NSR director of junior activities; and Katrina Waters, former NJSA Board member and past Seedstock EDGE intern encouraged youth to develop mentoring relationships and challenged them to identify mentors in their lives.
Anderson described the rewarding relationship he had with his FFA and 4-H mentor and high-school livestock judging team coach, Gene Rowse.
Anderson said he also takes interest in other people’s mentor choices.
“When identifying a mentor, I often ask people what kind of people they look up to,” he said.
“I feel this tells a lot about an individual and their values.”
Shike says she developed a relationship with one of her greatest mentors, Susan Grebner, while at Black Hawk East College. This relationship opened doors to opportunities including summer internships with the NSR and Angus Journal .
“She provided me with the confidence to help me become who I wanted to be,” she said.
Waters said she met her mentor, Russ Baize, when she was a junior in high school at the Fort Worth Stock Show.
Although Waters did not have an extensive livestock background, Baize made a conscious effort to help Katrina develop in the show circuit.
“He never treated me as if I wasn’t as intelligent as everyone else,” she said. “He’s been like another dad to me.”
Anderson encouraged youth to become mentors, not just role models.
“The difference in a role model and a mentor is the fact that a mentor develops a one-on-one relationship with the individual, which ultimately makes the difference in the end,” he said.
