Latest / CattleUSA Daily / 337: The Future of Beef Is in the Hands of the Next Generation with Wes Shaw

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337: The Future of Beef Is in the Hands of the Next Generation with Wes Shaw · CattleUSA Daily

0:00
We're welcoming West Shaw onto the podcast today, and Wes is
0:03
here to talk about policy work in DC and how that relates to us
0:08
as producers back home. And some disconnect that he has
0:11
experienced himself. And also just has a really
0:14
candid conversation about a young producer in agriculture
0:18
and how he is taking that into his future in policy work and
0:23
what he has had the privilege of working on, working with, and
0:26
just some general encouragement for producers across the nation.
0:30
We hop in today's podcast episode with Wes.
0:32
If you are watching on YouTube, make sure you hit that subscribe
0:34
button. You like this episode.
0:35
If you're watching on any of our other podcast platforms, make
0:38
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0:40
share it with a friend. If you enjoyed today's episode,
0:43
now without further ado, let's go ahead and hear from Wes Shaw.
0:50
Welcome to the Cattle USA Daily Podcast, your go to source for
0:54
the latest livestock markets, industry insights and the update
0:57
shaping agriculture today. I'm your host, Lauren Moylan, a
1:01
passionate advocate for agriculture, here to keep you
1:03
informed and connected. Now let's dive into today's
1:07
episode. Wes, welcome to the podcast.
1:13
I am so excited for today's conversation with you.
1:16
I would love it if you could just take it away, share a
1:19
little bit about yourself, your background, your family's
1:21
operation, and then also how you kind of got into policy work
1:25
within agriculture. Absolutely.
1:27
Well again, Lauren, like I said earlier, thank you so much for
1:30
having me on today. Took a little glance at y'all's
1:32
podcast and y'all see y'all are doing quite a quite a few good
1:35
things with it and love to see agriculture using new mediums
1:39
and communicating our stories essentially.
1:41
But yeah, as you said, my name is Wes Shaw.
1:44
I am a fifth generation cattle rancher from the rural Texas
1:47
Panhandle from our operation Shaw Lynn and Cattle is based in
1:50
McLean, TX and the surrounding counties and that we run about
1:55
1500 head of Red Angus, Charlotte Cross and yeah, just
1:59
been going and blowing here in rural West TX since about the
2:02
late 1800s and been passionate about agriculture my entire
2:06
life. Of course, growing up like many
2:08
rural students, I grew up in rural Texas Panhandle.
2:11
So for H and FFA were a big part of who I was and then currently
2:15
studying agricultural communications at Texas Tech
2:17
University hoping to get that degree and then move into policy
2:21
work. Policy is something that has
2:23
become a big interest in mind, though, Warren, since I was
2:26
younger, a lot younger than I am now.
2:28
I'm still a young guy myself, But I saw a need for people to
2:34
be able to accurately communicate to our elected
2:38
officials, whether it be in Washington or in Austin, about
2:41
the needs that agriculture is facing today and the challenges
2:43
that it has. And so have a little bit of
2:46
experience in that through organizations like Texas Farm
2:49
Bureau, Texas Southwest Calories Association and as well as
2:53
through AG Features of America, A great organization that I got
2:56
plugged into with tech last year.
2:58
And then also it was able to pass five months in turn in
3:02
Washington, DC with Chairman August Pfluger from Texas 11th
3:05
Congressional District in the Midlands, San Angelo and Killeen
3:08
area. But got to see policy in action.
3:11
There was actually on the floor or in the gallery whenever the
3:15
farm bill was passed a couple weeks ago.
3:16
So was very excited to get to see do that get done.
3:19
But yeah, it's a little bit about me.
3:20
Wonderful and that is such a little like fun thing to be able
3:25
to do something that we've been working on for so long being
3:28
able to be witness to the farm bill being passed and all of the
3:32
work that you guys and the team has done in Washington has just
3:36
been so fun to be able to sit back and watch.
3:39
So as we kind of open up this conversation and you coming in
3:42
as a person that is a fifth generation rancher, someone who
3:46
grew up in just inundated in this world, like it is part of
3:50
your blood, sweat and soul is the agricultural community and
3:53
your passion for the beef industry is very apparent.
3:56
Can you talk a little bit about stepping into policy work as a
4:00
young individual and what that looks like?
4:02
You've obviously have a passion for the disconnect that was
4:05
there, but when you stepped in, did you still see that
4:08
disconnect? And then what has that process
4:10
really looked like for you over the previous months?
4:13
Yeah. I think stepping into DC was a
4:16
very different situation. The town that I grew up in has
4:19
600 people. DC is one of the largest
4:21
metropolitan areas in the country.
4:22
So you see that kind of a disconnect from rural America in
4:26
Washington sometimes. And I would definitely agree
4:28
with that. It really comes down to like
4:30
your member, for example, I work for Congressman and Kluger, he's
4:34
a great team around him. He has people who are passionate
4:36
about rural advocacy and rural interests and so can't speak
4:40
highly enough on his team for sure.
4:41
But whenever you look at the policy disconnect, sometimes
4:45
it's there. We have, I mean, rural members
4:48
are dwindling across the country.
4:50
You see these rural interest and things like that that aren't as
4:54
well versed on on the Hill sometimes.
4:57
Thankfully for the work of Congressman GT or Chairman GT
5:01
Thompson from Pennsylvania, who is the chair of the AG Committee
5:04
and the other Republican members of the committee, we were able
5:06
to get a farm bill pass through that committee and then
5:09
eventually under the House for where it received a bipartisan
5:11
support, which was a big thing that we like to see.
5:14
And whenever it comes to, yes, there's a little bit of a
5:17
disconnect between the members and rural interest, but they're
5:21
still understand like this is a priority for rural America is to
5:25
have legislation that allows for agriculture to continue to
5:29
expand on, which is something that I think is very needed
5:33
currently. Whenever we look back at the
5:34
founding of our nation, agriculture was the heart.
5:38
George Washington was a farmer. Thomas Jefferson was a farmer.
5:41
And so whenever you see the interest of rural agriculture
5:44
itself being lifted up in Congress, it's something that's
5:49
there is the disconnect, but it gives you hope for the future.
5:51
Absolutely. Does and it is a hefty job that
5:56
our congressmen and women and our senators take up
6:00
representing rural America in DC.
6:02
It is there's very few of us, but we have a really loud voice
6:06
and it's really encouraging to see that voice continue to be
6:09
heard. And even though there is that
6:10
disconnect, there is still hope within that and there are still
6:14
people there fighting the good fight.
6:17
And so a lot of the stuff that you you've been doing, you've
6:19
touched on the Farm Bill, you touched, I'm sure you've also
6:22
touched policy on New World screwworm.
6:25
You've done a lot of research on all of these things.
6:27
And as a young producer yourself, you are committing
6:30
yourself to staying involved in these conversations, whether
6:34
you're working in DC as an intern or whether you are back
6:37
home on your family's operation. Can you talk a little bit about
6:40
the importance of staying attentive as producers or as a
6:45
young individual in agriculture, to the policy being made around
6:48
these decisions? Think young producers like
6:51
myself and those that are coming up in rural America, it's vital
6:55
that we stay connected on these policy issues.
6:57
You see you mentioned earlier New World screwworm.
6:59
That's something that my dad and I talk about quite a lot.
7:02
We see this threat essentially to our way of life that has come
7:07
back again, whatever it was pretty much eliminated from the
7:10
US in the, but we're seeing it threatened on our knock on our
7:14
doorstep again. So policy areas like that are
7:17
vital that we stay connected with them.
7:19
As a rural young producer myself, I want for, I want for
7:23
people to understand that it's not just going to take one voice
7:26
to be there. It takes a large strong voice.
7:29
It takes an army of strong voices to let these policy areas
7:33
and issues be able to have that light shed on them.
7:37
And that's what we did with New World Screwer.
7:39
Again, whenever we think about policy areas across the nation,
7:43
we're going to have different policy issue areas in in Texas
7:46
than they are going to have with a beef producer in Nebraska.
7:49
However, whenever, for example, the Nebraska, whenever the
7:51
wildfires blew through Nebraska earlier this year, they made
7:54
their voices heard. They were like, no, we need
7:56
help. This is something that's is
7:58
affecting us. Nebraska has the largest beef
8:00
population in the country. We all have to admit that even
8:03
as a Texan, unfortunately, I will.
8:04
I'll give it to Nebraska on that.
8:06
They do beat us in the beef on speed up there, but we still got
8:10
them on Mama cast. So but you know, it's just
8:13
staying up to date on these issues is so important for the
8:17
next generation of producers. And I think we are doing a good
8:21
job with that. But as always, there's always
8:23
room for growth and staying connected, getting people to
8:27
places, whether it be through a fly into DC or through like for
8:31
example, Texas Farm Bureau has the Young farmer and Rancher
8:34
program where they bring groups where they bring these young
8:37
producers together. Do educate them on these policy
8:40
issue areas that are affecting rural America and allowing for
8:44
them to be the next generation of leaders, whether it be in
8:47
their local communities, in state government, or on a
8:49
national level. Absolutely.
8:51
And one of the biggest things that I have seen as far as
8:55
policy goes and staying involved in policy is that so often we
9:01
start having a conversation about something or ruffling our
9:04
tail feathers about things after decisions have already been
9:07
made. And all too often we sit back
9:11
and we're like, it's not an issue yet or we don't even hear
9:15
about it as rural Americans sometimes until those grassroots
9:19
initiatives really start ramping up.
9:21
And then sometimes it's too late.
9:24
And so can you talk a little bit more about the importance of
9:27
really staying involved in what is happening on the national
9:31
scale and making your voice heard there?
9:33
Yeah, absolutely. I'm going to go back to the farm
9:36
bill, what we did, what they did with the farm Bill this last
9:39
year, they brought in over 500 commodity groups and
9:41
organizations, whether it be the Texas Southwest cattle raisers
9:44
all the way to your American Sor Sorghum Council or things, any,
9:47
any group like that. And you're, they're having these
9:50
inputs brought in from each one of the states who is an
9:53
agricultural producer because every state has some form of
9:56
agricultural production in it. And so they're having these rule
9:59
voices heard and by doing steps like that and having a farm bill
10:03
that is done, made for and made for and by farmers and ranchers
10:07
across the country, that's something that's vital.
10:10
But staying up to date with agriculture itself and the
10:14
challenges that we're facing, it's going to be the make or
10:16
break of the industry itself. We see an encouragement of
10:19
urbanization into these rural sectors.
10:22
I mean, whatever Texas is having to pass a piece of legislation
10:25
to our state constitution that is a guaranteed right to farm
10:28
because urban centers like Bristow, who weren't urban
10:32
centers at one point but are now have merged into the Dallas Fort
10:35
Worth area. Whenever they're going in and
10:36
mowing down a crop or saying, no, your cattle can't be there,
10:40
they're producing a smell or something like that.
10:42
Whenever we're having to pass legislation to guarantee that,
10:45
that's going to start bringing some alarm bells, especially in
10:48
my opinion. I know I'm in the middle of
10:50
nowhere, Texas, but you know, it's just it's something that's
10:53
vital to the industry itself. Whenever we aren't actively
10:57
involved and being ahead of the game, instead of, like you said,
11:01
being reactionary, we have to be on the offense at all times.
11:04
We can't be defensive anymore. In the agriculture industry and
11:07
especially as cattle producers, we see these different avenues
11:11
that you know what, yeah, there's there's threats to the
11:14
industry. California's Prop 12 was
11:15
something that kind of raised the alarm bell with me
11:18
specifically, even though it affects one.
11:20
What's to say that they can't put in something like that for
11:22
cattle itself? That's something that is we have
11:25
to be be proactive about and it's something that AG producers
11:30
young and old need to be better. Yeah, absolutely.
11:33
So as a young producer having these conversations, do you feel
11:36
like there is more or less disconnect between young
11:41
producers and what's happening on Capitol Hill?
11:44
Like is there an age thing with this kind of trend that you're
11:46
seeing? Is there encouragement that
11:48
we're seeing in these younger producers?
11:50
Kind of from that perspective, what are you really seeing as
11:53
far as disconnected connect goes?
11:55
That's a good question. I'm going to say it's kind of a
11:57
mix of both. It depends on where you're at.
12:00
For one thing, I know I don't know anybody from where I'm
12:03
from. It's wanting to go talk in
12:04
Washington. It's just something, it's a wave
12:07
that we are in rural communities.
12:09
We like to stick to ourselves and the only gossip that we like
12:11
to hear about is what's going on down the street, not what's
12:13
going on in Washington, Capitol Hill, but it's something that
12:16
needs to be addressed for sure. I think that our cattle industry
12:20
is specifically is doing a good job in getting these connections
12:23
built with these younger producers like myself and our
12:26
elected officials and the people who are actually making the
12:29
decision in those offices are the staffers.
12:31
The staffers are a big deal. I know a lot of people want to
12:34
meet with a congressman whenever you go to Washington or your
12:36
local representative whenever you're in Austin.
12:38
But meeting with the staffers just is important because if
12:40
you're not being able to push tell your story to these
12:43
staffers, they're not going to tell that story to their boss
12:46
and tell them, you know what, this is something you need to
12:47
vote for. And we kind of saw that with the
12:49
farm bill. We saw cattle ranchers come into
12:52
these offices and talk a lot with staffers.
12:54
And it's something that's very important.
12:56
And it's a younger generation as well that's doing this now,
12:58
which is very encouraging for me to see.
13:00
And also, yeah, it's looking good there.
13:04
But yes, I think an age thing is an issue that we're seeing, of
13:07
course, national age of the cattle farmer or ranchers on the
13:10
rise continually each year because we're not seeing the
13:13
affordability come into it again.
13:15
But I am seeing hope and a light at the end of the tunnel that
13:17
there is going to be a next generation that is willing to
13:20
step up and get a bat for agriculture itself.
13:23
Well, when we're having conversations with people like
13:25
you, it makes me very, very optimistic for the future of
13:29
agriculture because your passion and what you've done thus far
13:33
really goes to a test to that. And back to what you said
13:36
earlier about staffers, I always tell people I'm like, if you are
13:40
calling your congressman, congresswoman, your senators,
13:43
anyone representing you, whether it's on a state level or on a
13:46
national level, and you get the phone answered by a staffer.
13:51
And they're like, I can have this conversation with you, have
13:54
that conversation with that staffer because nine times out
13:57
of 10, they're actually driving more decisions as a team then
14:01
your actual representative are themselves.
14:04
And if honestly, you will be able to hold a staffer on the
14:07
phone for a solid 15 to 30 minutes where you get your
14:09
congressman on the phone and you have maybe 3 minutes of that
14:13
conversation, right? And so it is always one of those
14:16
things like, yes, make your voice be heard.
14:18
Understand that you have the ability to have a relationship
14:22
with your team in Washington DC that is representing you and
14:25
representing cattle country. But it is the full team, not
14:29
just the one elected official that is really making these
14:32
decisions and driving the speed of DC and everything that's
14:36
happening there. So you made such a great point
14:38
there that I just really wanted to drive home with people
14:41
because so often it's like, well, I'd like to talk to the
14:43
person representing me and that's all good and well.
14:46
But at the same time there's there's a whole team behind them
14:49
too that is more than willing to hear that.
14:51
For sure. And it it can even be an intern
14:53
that'll pass it along to the staffers as somebody who lived
14:55
that life. But yeah, it's always a good,
14:57
good time there in DC and whenever you're hanging, hanging
15:00
out and talking with the boss or talking with the staffers and
15:03
just they have people there for a reason.
15:06
And the people every. I always say there's a you have
15:08
a purpose in life, and that purpose can be to answer that
15:12
phone and talk to John Brown from walks to Hatchie, Texas,
15:17
who's a cattle producer and just wants to wants to tell you about
15:20
what he thinks about something that's going on in his local
15:23
community. You never know what's going to.
15:24
Happen. Yeah, you truly don't.
15:25
And so one of the big things that you did when you were in DC
15:29
and then continue to do is you walk in kind of two different
15:32
lights. You walk in a producer hat, but
15:34
then you're also in your policy hat and being the voice for your
15:38
family's operation, but also just involved in those
15:41
decisions, in that research, things like that that you're
15:44
continuing to do as you develop into your career in your future.
15:47
And those two circles can sometimes get a little divided.
15:51
I have witnessed it myself that we like to be comfortable as
15:55
humans naturally. And so we're naturally going to
15:57
surround ourselves with people that make us comfortable and not
16:01
always with challenging things or divisive things.
16:04
And so sometimes our circles can be a little divided and we don't
16:08
see a ton of that. What do you think that a main
16:11
reason for that disconnect is? And then how are you kind of
16:13
encouraging people within agriculture to bridge that
16:17
disconnect of continuing to get involved and specifically not
16:22
necessarily involved at the DC level, but involved in their
16:25
communities as far as policy goes?
16:28
Yeah, I mean, policy starts in the community, policy starts
16:31
there and the disconnect is something that isn't is an issue
16:34
you see today. People aren't knowing what's
16:37
going on in DCA lot of times, but by having those community
16:40
advocates out there, it's very encouraging to see that there is
16:44
a group of people that is still interested in this and still
16:47
wants what's best for, as you said earlier, the entire
16:49
community. Whenever you think about it, you
16:52
have your like you said, I have my DC hat and I have my policy
16:54
hat or in my AG hat. It's very, it's a very hard
16:57
balance trying to keep those two circles together.
17:00
You know, you have your friendships there and you're
17:03
always like, you know what, let's just you have to be bold.
17:06
I think it's something that's very important, bold in those
17:08
conversations with both groups. And sometimes you just got to
17:11
bring those groups together and be like, you know what this is?
17:13
Y'all are going to hash this out.
17:14
You're going to hash out your beliefs and your things you
17:16
don't agree on. And at the end of the day, you
17:17
can shake hands at the end after the meeting and just go go force
17:21
with your day. And hopefully you've made
17:22
progress there and built that relationship in the a sense of
17:25
kind of camaraderie because we're all and we're all looking
17:28
what's for what's best for the country itself.
17:31
And that's something that a lot of people don't understand
17:33
sometimes with DC and they think it's just special interest
17:36
groups. But now you have men and women
17:39
working there and, and also in your rural communities that are
17:42
wanting the best for the nation as a whole.
17:45
Bridging that disconnect and that kind of misunderstanding
17:48
between the two is something that's very important.
17:49
Personally, like I said, I like to bring those two groups
17:52
together and whether it's over a bowl of chili without beans
17:55
because it's Texas and we don't do that at my house.
17:57
And just be like, you know what? Let's just let's sit down and
18:00
let's just have an honest conversation with each with each
18:02
other. And that's something that's very
18:04
important and something that we like to have whenever I'm back
18:07
in Lubbock with my 2 little groups friends that I like to
18:10
run around with. Because you're right, there is
18:12
there's a group of producer friends and there's a group of
18:13
policy friends. And you know, you just got to
18:16
bring them together sometimes. That way they can they can
18:18
understand the differences between the two and have a
18:21
better sense of all right, XY and Z is going to be best for
18:25
this group. XY and Z is going to be best for
18:26
this group. Let's find something in the
18:28
middle that's going to be in a fit.
18:29
Ever. You know, Wes, I was really
18:30
starting to like you and tell you said meat soup.
18:33
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but all you're eating is meat soup if
18:37
you're having chili without beans.
18:39
Listen, I'm a cattle producer. I don't grow beans.
18:41
You know, that's fair, that's fair.
18:43
We'll, we'll just agree to disagree on this and.
18:47
I'll make you my chili, you can make you make yours, and then
18:50
we'll decide what's best. Now, I did put rice in mine at
18:52
the end of the day, but you know, it's pretty good.
18:55
You put rice in your chili, but you won't put beans in it.
18:58
It's after I cook it, after I cook the rice in the chili
19:01
separate. If I want some rice, I do that.
19:03
I know it's different but. It's OK.
19:05
It's OK. I'll let it.
19:06
I'll let it go. We have, we have cinnamon rolls
19:08
with our chili here in Kansas. So yeah, don't knock it till you
19:13
try it. It's the best thing ever.
19:14
Your life will be changed. Maybe you need some cinnamon
19:16
rolls with your rice. And your life will be forever
19:19
changed. We'll think about.
19:23
Well, on a conversation of being a young person that is really
19:28
trying to take this next step forward in your career as far as
19:31
policy work goes, as far as representing rural America goes.
19:34
I do want to take a second to talk about your internship
19:37
program and how that kind of developed you as a person and
19:41
how that really ignited your passion for what you're
19:45
continuing to do in your local community.
19:47
Yeah, for sure. So as I said earlier, I got a
19:50
text on summer break right now and back at home on the ranch
19:55
and helping out here as best as I can.
19:57
We've been branding cabs all week.
19:59
So that's been a good joy. But our government internship
20:02
program with Texas Tech is second to none.
20:04
I would, I would probably say some people down in College
20:07
Station might argue that, but you know what?
20:08
We'll again, we'll disagree. But yes.
20:11
So our Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and
20:13
Natural Resources at Texas Tech has a long standing tradition of
20:17
wanting for agriculture advocates to be in Washington,
20:20
DC. Currently we've been sending 3
20:22
interns in the fall, spring or summer each.
20:25
So each time there is a Davis College and AG representation or
20:28
Texas Tech in Washington DC. But yeah, that program is
20:32
allowed for a lot of students to find their next job opportunity.
20:35
I'm I know quite a few of the House AG staffers or Texas Tech
20:38
Davis in college past interns, 1 of Congressman Pflueger's his
20:42
press secretary actually was a Davis college student in AG Comm
20:45
as well, which I'm like, heck yes, we like to see that.
20:48
But yeah, you just see people all over the place.
20:51
Now Texas Tech has become pretty much ADC is another mini Texas
20:55
Tech alumni center, it seems like and where they just come
20:58
together and you know what, we're going to have a good time
21:00
and then talk on AG or whatever's going on.
21:03
But yes, the government internship program though for
21:05
through the Davis College and Texas Tech allowed me to see
21:09
that yes, this is something I want to pursue in the future.
21:11
Policy is something that's very close to my heart.
21:14
I mean, it really ignited that flame.
21:16
I did AI back in high school. I did some policy work as well
21:19
with through a competitively through the UIL series and
21:23
congressional debate and got to debate in Austin and do stuff
21:26
like that. But you that really kind of
21:28
ignited the flame that the DC experience.
21:31
I'm an interning with Congressman Fluter's office
21:34
would truly allow for me to see that this is something I want to
21:37
pursue in the future. This is something that is a
21:39
necessary thing for me to do because there isn't very many
21:42
people out in rural America anymore who are wanting to come
21:45
out here and do that work in DC or Austin or even your local
21:48
community government in your Dist, whether it be in your
21:51
district, your congressman's district office, as a county
21:54
clerk or as a commissioner here in Texas, you don't see very
21:57
many people doing that. But that's something that I've
22:00
done this very vital to the success in the livelihood of
22:03
rural America. Absolutely.
22:05
I could not agree more in everything that you said there.
22:09
And so many colleges have really similar programs.
22:12
And you know, although you will walk around DC and you'll see a
22:15
bunch of Aggie rings or a bunch of Texas Tech alums like, well,
22:19
there, there is a little bit of a Texas cult going on in DC
22:22
right now. So I have a call out to all of
22:24
our other cattle representing states to get our butts up
22:28
there, get our stuff figured out.
22:30
Well, please don't throw us in the cult, cult cult group.
22:33
I know Tech does our rings as well, but let's throw us in
22:36
there with the whole group. We're we're very, we get along.
22:40
We're cordial. You're very inclusive.
22:42
We're very we're very we like all the Texas schools now.
22:45
Austin can sometimes the UT guys can count, sometimes get on
22:48
their nerves, but we'll let them pass.
22:50
They have they have a good music festival and things like that.
22:52
So we'll let them slide sometimes because, you know,
22:55
Lovek loves her live music as well.
22:56
But yeah, now good, good group of Texas people down there.
22:59
I mean, we have 58 offices, so you got to have as many Texas
23:02
people in DC as you possibly can, so.
23:05
Absolutely. I could not agree more.
23:07
Well, as far as like just, there's so many young producers
23:10
that listen to this podcast West and there are a lot that are
23:14
like, yes, I want to be involved in AG.
23:16
I was raised in it, maybe I was raised adjunctly to it, and I
23:20
want to be involved in agriculture, but I don't
23:22
necessarily know what my groove is, where my fit is, where that
23:26
puzzle piece really lies perfectly for me.
23:28
What is your advice for those individuals that are kind of
23:32
trying to figure out where they fit in the future of
23:34
agriculture? Yeah, well, you're young and I'm
23:37
young, so we all have an advantage there.
23:39
We're young and we we can, we can.
23:42
Our 20s are where we can kind of explore different areas and see
23:45
what we really like to do. I think an internship is a great
23:49
opportunity to do that. I know Davis College actually is
23:52
expanding our internship program.
23:53
We're going to be sending 5 from now on up to DC and then also
23:57
going to be starting a permanent fellowship program as well where
24:00
we'll have one of my very good friends actually is going to be
24:03
the fellow for the our first inaugural fellowship member for
24:07
Davis College and Texas Tech in DC, but it's going to be a year
24:11
just working in DCI. Think she's going to be placed
24:14
with USDA's rural like the rural advocacy area there, but it
24:18
could be anywhere from the trade representative's office to the
24:21
Capitol Hill House AG Committee, centered AG committee.
24:24
It's just anywhere they we can find for you.
24:27
But essentially, yeah, take an internship, go to DC, don't, as
24:30
you said earlier, don't knock it till you try it.
24:32
You never know what's going to happen.
24:34
That's what an internship is for.
24:35
And again, if you're looking for something, if you're wanting to
24:38
say kind of more local, TSCRA in Texas does internships.
24:41
The Texas Beef Council is at a great opportunity.
24:43
Although it's not policy work, it's still understanding what
24:46
producers and consumers are needing here in Texas and across
24:49
the nation in CBA. There's all these organizations
24:52
that are looking for people, for young individuals to take the
24:55
reins and say, you know what, let's go, let's find this, this
24:59
NAP, this niche that we need to be serving on.
25:02
This niche industry with cattle ranching and agriculture as a
25:05
whole itself that needs loud voices in DC and Austin and also
25:09
in your local communities because without it, we're a
25:12
dying breed. Agriculture is shrinking, means
25:15
we're less now. I used to say we were 2% of the
25:18
population. It's about 1.5% of the
25:19
population now here in the United States because we're
25:22
seeing large swaths of young producers not come back to the
25:25
ranch. I mean, it's something that's
25:27
definitely something that needs to be addressed, whether that be
25:29
policy wise or just and in general just encouraging young
25:33
men and women to take up agriculture itself and be the
25:36
people who feed, fuel and feed and fueled our growing nation on
25:41
our growing world. Absolutely.
25:43
So as you look at the future of agriculture W, what gives you
25:47
just the most optimism for the next generation and just the
25:51
future of agriculture in general?
25:52
I would say we are. Gen.
25:54
Z itself is a very confident generation.
25:57
We're very confident in our abilities.
25:58
We know what we can and can't do, and we know we're willing to
26:01
reach out and ask people for help.
26:03
I think that's something that's very important for us.
26:06
I love my dad and my granddad a lot, but sometimes they're a
26:08
little bit more stubborn to ask for help and things like that.
26:11
But I think that's something that's going to benefit our the
26:14
younger generation more in the future.
26:16
And there's also there is an interest, there is an interest
26:19
in continuing to pursue agriculture to pursue this, this
26:23
noble passion that has been a quarterstone of our nation since
26:27
the founding of the Republic of the American Republic.
26:29
Here in the United States, we are a leading producer in
26:33
agricultural commodities across our across our growing world.
26:37
And it's something that we maintain for sure.
26:39
The advancements in our technological sector are
26:42
allowing for agriculture to be more productive.
26:44
I know right now in Texas, we're a massive drought where I'm
26:47
from. But you're seeing these
26:49
technologies, whether it be through vertical integration and
26:52
things like that in agriculture, you just see I'm in integrating
26:57
technology into operations. You see this advancement in
27:01
production and it's something that's giving a lot of light and
27:04
a lot of optimism for that. I know we farm as well on our
27:07
operation. My uncle can turn on the Pivot
27:09
office phone now. And so just that integration
27:12
into the technological sector is something that's going to
27:15
benefit benefit us in the future for sure.
27:17
It's a very exciting time to be a part of agriculture and to be
27:22
a part of that future. And I personally am very excited
27:26
if we have people like you representing us in all of those
27:29
sectors. So thank you for all that you
27:30
are doing and just your passion for Agriculture West.
27:33
This has been such a wonderful conversation and as we wrap it
27:36
up, is there anything else that you would like to say or leave
27:39
with our audience members today? Don't be scared to do it.
27:42
I know moving to DC for a lot of rural Americans is a daunting
27:46
task, but once you're there, you'll find that DC is a lot
27:50
like a small town Everybody knows everybody.
27:53
You find your people and you know that everything's going
27:56
around at 1,000,000 miles an hour sometimes, but it's all
27:58
right and there's. There is hope for agriculture in
28:01
the future. I think what we're seeing is
28:03
that our our elected officials know that agriculture is
28:06
struggling right now. Cattle is one of the only areas
28:09
in the sector that is in the green essentially.
28:11
But we're still seeing American production is declining.
28:14
We see our national cattle herd declining, and we got passed in
28:17
total beef production, which is something we need to address,
28:19
got passed by Brazil this last year.
28:21
But it's something that we need to address as an as an industry
28:24
and as a country itself that we want to be #1 America is the
28:27
best nation in the world. And we're proud to be here, and
28:29
we're proud to be American and we're proud to be American
28:31
producers. And so by allowing for American
28:34
products to be the number one thing that's going to take
28:38
American Americans, next generation of young producers
28:41
like myself and advocates like you, Lauren, taking on the reins
28:45
of these operations and saying, you know what, Let's go kick
28:48
some butt and kick agriculture into the next, into the
28:51
stratosphere and let it grow and be the best that it can be.
28:54
I couldn't have said it better myself.
28:57
Wes, thank you so much for your time today, for your passion,
29:01
everything else that you have come on to just candidly share
29:04
with us today. I really appreciate it.
29:06
And to all of you audience members, thanks for listening to
29:09
another episode of the Cattle USA Daily Podcast.
29:11
I will have all of Wes's information linked down below.
29:14
And thank you once again for listening.
29:16
We'll see you all next time. Have a good one you guys.