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Ranchers See the Big Picture

An ambitious group of Angus breeders, from across the globe, attended the 2025 Beef Leaders Institute, spending a week learning about the beef supply chain.

The topic of the week was  “from pasture to plate"  as 23 Angus breeders left their cattle operations to spend five days looking at the big picture of the cattle industry as part of the annual Beef Leaders Institute (BLI), hosted by the American Angus Association^® in collaboration with Certified Angus Beef and the Angus Foundation.

Closing the gap between producer and consumer can seem like a daunting task. However, BLI aims to help bridge the gap between producer to consumer by immersing attendees in all aspects of the beef industry. Each year participants leave with a better understanding of how their operations and efforts help deliver high-quality beef to families’ tables across the globe.

“It was a great experience to be able to see the whole industry,” said Kelsey Stabler, BLI 2025 attendee. “So much of our time is spent out in the field. It was nice to finally see on such a large scale, the pasture to plate process.”

Stabler is a fifth-generation farmer in Montgomery County, Maryland. Stabler works alongside her family on their 2,500-acre farm as they grow corn, soybeans and wheat and raise 120 Angus cows.  Montgomery Country is located just one county north of Washington, D.C., providing Stabler with the opportunity to connect with consumers. Her family hosts many tour groups to learn about farming and cattle.

The BLI group began their journey at the Association’s headquarters. The week kicked off with a welcome and discission surrounding industry trends and topics. Attendees learned what opportunities and services are available to them as members of the Association, no matter the size of their herd. 

The group then set out on a cross-country trek across six states, making stops along the way at Tyson Fresh Meats beef packing plant in Dakota City, Nebraska and Sioux City, Iowa; Weborg Feeding Co. LLC in Pender, Nebraska; Buckhead Meat and Seafood in Northwood, Ohio near Toledo; STgenetics in Tiffin, Ohio; and a Meijer retail store in Wooster, Ohio. Their final destination, the Certified Angus Beef headquarters – also located in Wooster, Ohio – put its final touches on the group’s snapshot of the beef industry.

While the knowledge and insights gained were plentiful, attendees were able to see each aspect of the industry from a hands-on, up-close perspective. The relationships and connections formed from a week on the road were priceless. 

Reflecting on tour stops, Stabler said, “To be able to make those connections with people who are out there, promoting us and helping us get to that next level of what we do for a living every day is just invaluable, and I can’t thank them enough.”

The 2025 group represented farmers and ranchers from across the globe with representatives from 15 states, two Canadian provinences and even one attendee from Australia. While attendees spent long hours on the bus traveling between their destinations on their tour of the beef industry, they had time to create lasting friendships. 

“These are relationships that we will take into the rest of our lives,” Stabler said.
Each BLI attendee brought a unique perspective and background to the group. Some came from generational operations or are owners of genetics and reproduction companies, and others run farm-to-table beef programs. All provided unique insights into their experience in sectors of the industry. 

“I think the best thing has been getting to know other breeders and the different challenges that others face,” said Allison Dubs, a third-generation Angus breeder from Montana. “We have a huge variety of different producers on the trip, so everything from seedstock to small processors; so it’s been really cool to see how the Angus breed and Certified Angus Beef^® brand intertwine together between different people.”

The annual event is hosted by the American Angus Association in collaboration with Certified Angus Beef brand and the Angus Foundation. Programs like BLI exemplify the current leaders within the Angus breed, along with showcasing the bright future ahead.

While this year’s attendees have returned to their operations, they arrive home with more than just knowledge of the pasture to plate chain, but the security in knowing that they have gained friendships within the Angus family that will last a lifetime. While they spent the week painting a beautiful picture of the beef industry, it’s this network, these connections and friendships that show the heart of the cattle industry.

Beef Leaders Institute Class of 2025: 

• Jamie Wolf, South Dakota
• Seth Christensen, Idaho
• Hank Wonnenberg, South Dakota
• Hays Gottwald, Virginia
• Kelsey Stabler, Maryland
• Ethan Tanner, Virginia
• Zach Moffitt, North Carolina
• David Knighton, Georgia
• Brandon Richard, North Dakota
• Avery James DeMello, Montana
• Curt Houk, Iowa
• Kenadee Barnitz-Merrick, Missouri
• Jake Phillips, Australia
• Nathan Isakson, Missouri
• Alli Hall, Ohio
• Maguire Blair, Canada
• Zach Clodfelter, Texas
• Allison Dubs, Montana
• Matthew Deacon, Virginia
• Bailey Quam Schultz, Wisconsin
• Dakota Townsend, Canada
• Jarod Creasy, Georgia
• Reid McGuire, Alabama

Programs like BLI are built to showcase and connect current leaders within the Angus breed. Applications for the 2026 Beef Leaders Institute will open in late fall to Association members ages 25-45

Source: American Angus Association