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SPECIAL EDITION!

The Tour

The 2023 GRSB Communicators Summit started with an incredible day and a fantastic start with a tour of the Imperial Valley, home to California's earliest agricultural drainage success story.

Note: Click on photo to open a larger version.

Our first stop was at Mesquite Cattle Feeders. They raise cattle in the Imperial Valley where they have adapted their operations to handle the desert climate they reside in. Most notably, they select animals that perform better in the high heat conditions including Wagyu, Holteins (a byproduct of dairy production) and beef on dairy crosses. Joe Dan Cameron led the tour and discussed animal health, shade, water, challenges with e. Coli, and Colorado river water rights.

For our second stop we headed to UC Desert Research and Extension Center where Dr. Richard Zinn and Dr. Jim Oltjen gave two incredible presentations. We then took a tour, led by Brooke Latack, of the center. She discussed producer facing communications, research and extension efforts related to heat stress and water, cattle call podcast/ newsletter, and the farm smart program. Brooke had done a phenomenal job of leveraging podcasts, newsletters and workshops to help communicate critical research findings to producers in the Imperial Valley.

The last and final stop was 4J Horse & Livestock cow/calf operation. We learned about the incredible work San Diego rancher, John Austel, has been doing in partnership with the San Diego Regional Conservation District, US Fish and Wildlife and UC Berkeley. Through his prescribed grazing plan, John has been able to help demonstrate the important role well managed grazing plans (and cattle!) can play in restoring wildlife habitat and helping to reduce the impacts of wildfire.

Dr. Frank Mitloehner
UC Davis CLEAR Center 

Special thanks to Dr. Frank Mitloehner, UC Davis CLEAR Center (@ucdavisclearand Dr. Jim Oltjen, UC Davis Beef Extension Specialist, for presenting 'on the go' and keeping us entertained while we traveled.

Dr. Mitloehner discussed his experience as a science communicator and the nuances around the topics of beef sustainability and greenhouse gas measurements.

The Communicators Summit

Communicating Progress on Identified Sustainability Goals 

Communicators Summit Moderator Samantha Werth, panelists Wayne Morgan, Corporate Vice President/President Protein Products and Operations, Golden State Food; Alex Bjork, Sr. Director, Private Sector Engagement at World Wildlife Fund; and Luiza Bruscato, Executive Director, Brazilian Roundtable on Sustainable Livestock.

 

Communicating Beef Sustainability on the World Stage: Engagement and Successes 

GRSB Executive Director Ruaraidh Petre, GRSB President Ian McConnel, North American Meat Institute's Eric Mittenthal, Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef / Tri-L Ranch and GRSB Vice President Bob Lowe

 

Working Groups

Nature Positive Working Group

GRSB’s Director for Latin American, Josefina Eisele, reviewed potential projects for GRSB to address with the GRSB Nature Positive Production Working Group during the last day of the meetings. 

Climate Working Group

The importance of collaboration and cooperation with the various stakeholders in the beef value chain is emphasized by Samantha Werth, Executive Director of the U. S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef / Senior Director of Sustainability, NCBA

Members of GRSB’s Climate Working Group discussed the organization’s role in the development and measurement of relevant climate and GHG goals.

GRSB Secretary/Treasurer Justin Sherrard, Robobank, reporting on next steps needed to measure and report climate progress. move to climate working group

National Roundtables

National Roundtable members of GRSB took time after the Communicators Summit to discuss and exchange ideas on what they have achieved in relation to Global Goals of sustainability in climate, land use and animal welfare.

GRSB Board and Staff wish to recognize Amie Peck and Andrea White for their commitment and efforts in helping to coordinate the 2023 GRSB Communicators Summit & Meetings

Amie Peck
Stakeholder Engagement Manager for the Canadian Cattle Association

Andrea White
Director
Marketing & Stakeholder Relations,
CRSB

Board of Directors Fall Meeting

Click on image above for a panoramic video view of the GRSB Board of Directors Fall Meeting on Instagram.

Thank you to our Communicator's Summit Tour Sponsors:

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