Beef Improvement Federation
Ochsner Presented BIF Ambassador Award
The Beef Improvement Federation ( BIF ) presented Kevin Ochsner , Kersey , Colo ., the BIF Ambassador Award June 2 during the group ’ s annual meeting and symposium in Athens , Georgia . This award is given annually by BIF to a member of the media for his or her efforts in spreading the news of BIF and its principles to a larger audience .
Ochsner was raised on an irrigated farm and registered cattle operation near Fort Collins , Colorado . He attended Colorado State University and graduated with a bachelor ’ s degree in agribusiness . During his undergraduate studies , Ochsner was a member of the CSU livestock judging team , earning high individual honors at the National Intercollegiate Livestock Judging Contest . He was actively involved in FFA , serving as a national FFA officer in 1987-1988 . In 1997 , Kevin earned his master ’ s degree in management from the Krannert School of Business at Purdue University .
He spent more than two decades working for the Indianapolis-based consulting firm Adayana Agribusiness Group Inc . before founding his own consulting practice , Agcellerate LLC . During the past 26 years , he has provided strategic planning , marketing consulting , sales / management training and keynote speaking services to some of the country ’ s largest animal health , crop protection , seed , feed and farm machinery companies and agricultural organizations .
“ It ’ s difficult to measure the impact Kevin has had over the years behind the scenes , helping improve beef-related organizations , but that is not the primary reason he was nominated for this award ,” said Josh White , BIF award committee chair and National Cattlemen ’ s Beef
Kevin Ochsner , Kersey , Colorado , was presented the Beef Improvement Federation Ambassador Award June 2 at the organization ’ s 49th annual convention in Athens , Georgia . Pictured are ( from left ) Marty Ropp , 2016-2017 BIF president ; Kevin Ochsner ; Josh White , National Cattlemen ’ s Beef Association executive director of producer education ; and Donnell Brown , 2017-2018 BIF president .
Association ( NCBA ) executive director of producer education . “ The role Kevin is known best for began in 2009 , when he mastered the teleprompter and became host of NCBA ’ s Cattlemen to Cattlemen TV show , seen weekly on RFD-TV . In his role as host , Kevin advocates for beef cattle improvement through 30 original shows each year reaching more than 540,000 unique viewers annually .”
Ochsner ; his wife , Julie ; and their three children , Caitlyn , Ashlyn and Collin , make their home in the small agricultural community of Kersey , Colorado , 60 miles northeast of Denver . Together they manage their herd of 125 registered Limousin and Lim-Flex cows and produce irrigated corn , alfalfa and grass hay along the South Platte River . In addition to marketing bulls to commercial cowcalf operations , Ochsner ’ s family also operates Ochsner Tenderlean Beef , a small branded-beef company that markets beef directly to consumers along the Front Range of Colorado .
More than 350 beef producers , academia and industry representatives were in attendance at BIF ’ s 49th annual convention . The organization ’ s mission is to help improve the industry by promoting greater acceptance of beef cattle performance evaluation .
For more information about this year ’ s symposium , including additional award winners and coverage of meeting and tours , visit www . BIFconference . com . For more information about BIF , visit www . BeefImprovement . org . I
14 | AUGUST 2017