BUNKHOUSE
LOCALLY-RAISED
PASSION FOR AG BRINGS YOUNG ADVOCATE HOME by CCA Office Administrator Morgan Lyman Growing up in rural Amador County, I acquired a deep passion for agriculture at a young age, in particular, the beef industry. I grew up immersed in understanding agriculture’s role in our society and the importance of every aspect of the industry. I was blessed with the opportunity to raise and show cattle at our county fair as a youth. Although I was involved in many other activities, including high school rodeo, my desire was to spend my time with cows. It was during this time that my passion grew and it became important to me to share why we do what we do. I was able to share about the beef industry through our local CattleWomen’s beef ambassador program. Through this, my love for cattle and the beef industry grew as I did as well. In 2017, I earned the opportunity to work with the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) as an intern. During my internship, I came to the realization that working for cattle producers was where I wanted to be. OCA provided many opportunities for me to grow as a young professional and gave me responsibilities that pushed my skill set. This experience solidified my desire to pursue a career in this industry promoting ranchers and their cattle. The Steer-A-Year (SAY) program is a student run activity at Oregon
State University (OSU) that provides a hands-on opportunity for students to learn about the management and care for cattle in a feedlot-type situation. In this unique situation, students can watch and care for the cattle from weaning through the slaughter and marketing process. I had the opportunity to be involved in this club throughout my time at OSU and served as the president my senior year. This leadership role challenged me to think outside the box and pushed me to develop relationship skills that have created a path for my future. During my time at OSU I developed acquaintances with some of Oregon’s cattlemen. Through these connections I was able to provide opportunities for club members to tour and learn about their operations. I believe it is important to see what a day in the life of a cattle producer looks like. Each operation is different and unique, which is a great way to learn about the different pieces that make up the industry. Listening to producers talk about the creative ideas that have made their operations work, and even their struggles, have opened my mind to see a broader picture of the industry as a whole. Some of my favorite memories are standing in a field listening to a rancher share his or her story and seeing the pride he has for his livestock. I have yet to meet a producer that doesn’t radiate
6 California Cattleman December 2019
MORGAN LYMAN with passion as they share about their operation. I graduated in June from OSU with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science with an emphasis in Leadership. Throughout my time at OSU, I pushed myself to be involved and gain as many experiences as I could in those four short years. Networking with people from the agriculture industry helped me gain a deeper understanding as to how my skills and strengths would fit into this industry once I graduated. I couldn’t feel more blessed to have this opportunity to represent the ranchers and producers in California in my new role with CCA. It is your stories that have pushed me to not give up on my dream to be involved with this association. I look forward to connecting with many of you in the future and cannot wait to see what we have in store as we work together.