Welcome

Welcome to the Summer 2019 edition of Protein Producers. Congratulations to owners, managers, and caregivers for continual focus through an exhaustive winter and spring season. Never take for granted how unselfish our teams are during times of adversity. We are blessed to work with dedicated heroes who do what needs to be done regardless of the consequences.

Thank you to the PAC education committee of Dr. Kip Lukasiewicz, Dr. Corbin Stevens, Dr. Dan Thomson, Dr. Shane Terrell, Dr. Randall Spare, and Lisa Taylor for organizing a successful PAC Industry Summit held April 24, 2019, in Manhattan, Kansas. The focus of the meeting was rural workforce development, and we were honored with more than 170 attendees including producers, pharmaceutical representatives, students, government officials, and industry leaders. The Upson Lecture preceded the Summit Meeting on the evening of April 23. Sam Cossio, General Manager of Easterday Ranches, presented his story outlining the amazing opportunities available in American agriculture. At the PAC Industry Summit, Dr. Corbin Stevens and Russell Plaschka from the Kansas Department of Agriculture presented an overview of the current rural workforce. Dr. Randall Spare discussed rural veterinary shortages and opportunities. Brian Vulgamore of Vulgamore Family Farms shared his ideas and experiences on recruiting employees and creating powerful teams. Lieutenant General Mike Dodson (US Army, Retired) explained The Save Farm program designed to give our veterans opportunities in agriculture. It was an honor to listen to Mark Nutsch, former Major and Commander ODA-595, share “12 Strong: An Extraordinary Mission of Commitment, Purpose, Heroism and Hope”. Twelve Americans participated in a mission to attack the Taliban immediately following the 9/11 catastrophe and successfully formed strong coalitions that liberated an Afghanistan city. This amazing story of how so few can accomplish so much in some ways parallels the story of American agriculture. Dr. Dan Thomson did a great job of moderating a panel of successful Hispanic contributors to American agriculture. Jose Valles, Socorro Martinez, Siddartha Torres, and Sam Cossio shared their stories of challenges and success in the beef industry.

The PAC team also organized a workshop on April 25 in Arapahoe, Nebraska. Sam Cossio and his management team from Easterday Ranches discussed effective workplace leadership concepts that result in extraordinary teams. More than 40 PAC customers, supervisors, and team members shared issues, challenges, and solutions during roundtable discussions.

On behalf of the PAC team, I want to thank our sponsors for the opportunity to provide education and inspiration. Most importantly, thanks to Lisa Taylor, Brandi Bain, and Kelly Terrell for their expertise and dedication. Thank you to everyone that took time to attend during this busy season.

Watch for information on our PAC Caregiver Enrichment Summit Series. This summer, we will have afternoon meetings for caregiver teams discussing BRD management, stockmanship, hospital management, feed delivery, leadership, and team building concepts. Meetings will be held in Great Bend, Kansas, on Tuesday, July 16; in Garden City, Kansas, on Thursday, July 18; and in Kearney, Nebraska, on Wednesday, August 28. Our goal is share education and a chance for teams to form new ideas.

Enjoy this edition of the Protein Producers magazine. This publication is an exciting way to touch base with our customers in addition to our regular visits.

Dr. Tom Noffsinger