At the 2024 CattleCon held in Orlando, Florida, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays had the chance to talk with beef advocate and sixth-generation cattle rancher from Throckmorton, Texas, Tucker Brown.
Our coverage from the 2024 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in Orlando is being powered by Farm Data Services of Stillwater.
Brown is part of the second group of Trailblazers, a program developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, that takes advocacy to an unprecedented level by giving participants the tools and training they need to promote beef to new audiences while addressing and correcting myths.
“Really, what I see it as is a response team,” Brown said. “A response team for the beef industry, for NCBA, and for the cattle industry as a whole for when there are questions for the consumers, we have a team ready to answer that and to be able to reach the number of people we can reach quickly.”
As social media plays a large role in promoting and defending beef to various audiences, Brown said part of the program includes social media training to teach participants how to post and use the correct terminology.
Brown said he believes social media allows consumers to put a face to the beef industry, which helps to build trust. Another advantage of social media, Brown said, is the ability to reach millions of consumers and teach them things about the beef industry they would have never known.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so I really appreciate the vision that NCBA has with this,” Brown said.
Brown said growing up on his family’s ranch helped him to learn what the cattle industry is all about, but he still believes there is always more to learn.
“I also do want to connect with the consumer,” Brown said. “If we don’t tell our story, somebody else will. I want to do my part in telling my story from a place that is true and authentic. I think people want today where there are more fake things in front of us than ever. We yearn for that authenticity and truth. I love sharing that.”
As Brown has grown up knowing the importance of keeping the ranch in the family and the family in the ranch, he said he is grateful for the chance to combine opportunities in ranching and technology for added success.
“I am really thankful that they do appreciate and understand the importance of continuing to move forward, and where we can combine technology and tradition is where success is,” Brown said.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR at the top of the story for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
