By Katie Martin – Smith County Extension Agent 
Smith County Cattlemen’s member and former President, Jake McCaleb, recently had the opportunity to take part in an exciting opportunity to strengthen his knowledge and build connections in the beef industry. Through an application and voting process, Jake was selected to be one of 25 participants from across North America to attend the Beef Leaders Institute. This educational program is hosted by the American Angus Association and focuses on the ranch-to-table movement of Certified Angus Beef.
Beef Leaders Institute started with a visit to the American Angus Association Headquarters in St. Joseph, Missouri. The group then traveled to six states visiting everything from a feed yard in Nebraska to ST Genetics to see some of the top Angus bulls in the country. Participants finished the week at the Certified Angus Beef Headquarters in Ohio where they toured the culinary center and participated in a team cooking competition.
McCaleb expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to attend the Beef Leaders Institute and was especially appreciative after seeing all the links in our food chain. After attending this educational experience he was amazed, stating, “So many cattle are needed to feed this country and the world. Every producer, from a small cattleman in Smith County, TN to a large rancher in Texas, we are all important and necessary.” Most of all, Jake appreciated the opportunity to meet new people who shared his passion for the cattle industry while learning what their struggles and successes looked like in their part of the world. “Networking with cattlemen and cattlewomen from across North America was invaluable,” he said. “I am honored to have had the chance to participate and bring back new knowledge and connections to Smith County.”
We are proud of Jake for taking part in this awesome opportunity, and encourage all of our Smith County producers to get involved in continuing education through UT Extension, breed associations, or other agricultural organizations!
For more information about other agriculture-related topics, contact the UT Extension office at 615-735-2900. 
