BIF Awards

Beef Improvement Federation Awards

ASA’s Lane Giess Receives Baker/Cundiff Award

The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) presented a Baker/Cundiff Award to Lane Giess, ASA director of Commercial and Nontraditional Data Programs, on June 3 during the group’s annual symposium in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Matt Perrier, past president of BIF, presents ASA’s Lane Giess with the Baker/Cundiff Award. The annual Frank Baker/Larry Cundiff Beef Improvement Essay Contest for graduate students provides an opportunity to recognize outstanding student research and competitive writing in honor of Frank Baker and Larry Cundiff. Giess is working on his doctorate at Colorado State University. His essay was titled “High-impact data programs: A framework for expanded opportunities in genetic evaluation.” Historically, winning essays are selected and published in the annual BIF Research Symposium and Annual Meeting Proceedings. This year the winning essay is posted to the BIF website BIFSymposium.com. Giess will receive a $1,000 scholarship. Baker is widely recognized as the founding father of BIF. He played a key leadership role in helping establish BIF in 1968 while he was chairman of the Department of Animal Science at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Cundiff retired after 40 years as a research geneticist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service. He was the research leader of the genetics and breeding research unit at the US Meat Animal Research Center from 1976 until 2005. Cundiff not only designed, conducted, and published some of the most important beef breeding research of the 20th century, but also led in the transfer of new technology to the beef industry through his continued work in BIF and presentations made across the nation and around the world.

BIF Recognizes Industry Leaders

Dr. Milt Thomas; BIF Continuing Service Award. Dr. Jared Decker; BIF Continuing Service Award. Josh White; BIF Continuing Service Award.

Dr. Bob Hough; BIF Pioneer Award.

BIF Recognizes Industry Leaders

A number of scientists, researchers, and industry professionals, many with ties to the American Simmental Association, were recognized at the Beef Improvement Federation’s (BIF) annual research symposium in Las Cruces, New Mexico, held in June. Dr. Milt Thomas, who served on the Advisory Board of the USDA-NIFA project for the Genomic Study of Heat Tolerance in Beef Cattle, and helped develop the BIF guidelines for Pulmonary Arterial Pressure (PAP) measurement, received the Continuing Service Award. Dr. Jared Decker, who has varied involvement in genomic research, was also presented a Continuing Service Award. Josh White, NCBA senior executive director of Producer Education and Sustainability and member of the BIF Board of Directors, received a Continuing Service Award. Dr. Bob Hough, historian, industry leader, and author of Simmental’s American Journey, received a Pioneer Award. Bobby Rankin, New Mexico State University professor who helped livestock producers use systematic selection and crossbreeding for animals better suited to the Southwest, also received a Pioneer Award. Dr. B. Lynn Gordon, who has dedicated her career to fostering beef

Trina and Bruce Davis, Dr. Rankin’s daughter and son-inlaw, with the BIF Pioneer Award.

Dr. B Lynn Gordon; BIF Ambassador Award.

improvement through her roles working with breed and state associations, the Extension service, as a freelance writer, and most recently as an agricultural leadership and marketing consultant, received the BIF Ambassador Award. Gordon’s father was one of the founding members of Bar 5 Simmental in Canada. n

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