Using Cattle Clinics to Create Informed Constituents
Telling the beef story is often associated with being a social media influencer or selling beef directly to consumers. These advocacy avenues are effective, but not for everyone. It’s important that beef producers and supporters find ways to share the beef story that compliments their own skillset and lifestyle. Cheramie Viator sets an example for cattle producers everywhere when it comes to advocating for our industry and creating informed constituents for generations to come with her program – Not Your Ordinary Cattle Clinic.
Cheramie’s roots run deep in agriculture. She grew up showing cattle in South Louisiana and didn’t wait to make her own mark in the beef industry. On a dare she took an internship in Washington DC which eventually turned into one of her first jobs. This experience opened her eyes to how the people in agriculture interact with society and how little society understands about agriculture. “What I learned is that DC is run by a bunch of 20-year-olds. Yes, you have congressmen and senators, but the true legs making things happen are a much younger generation who don't have true life working experience especially when it comes to agriculture,” said Cheramie. She carried this experience with her throughout her other jobs at Camp Couly Ranch and Silver Spur Ranches but it didn’t fully come into play at a greater scale until she moved back to Texas to work for Westway Feeds and ranch on her own. “When I came back to Texas, I was placed in the middle of a metropolitan area. It was a huge awakening, but I also connected the dots between my passion for the beef industry, DC experiences, and all the major stock shows and an abundance of FFA chapters near me. I had a huge potential audience that could be tapped into to promote the beef industry,” said Cheramie. This sparked the fire for her to start Not Your Ordinary Cattle Clinic.
Cheramie knew from prior work experiences that she liked working with youth and had a knack for teaching in a fun way. She took what she was good at – showmanship and teaching – and used this as the vehicle to get youth together to learn not only how to be better showmen but also about management practices, genetics, consumer concerns and communication. She said, “They're not just showing a heifer or steer. They're either going to be a consumer down the road, a decision maker in their household or perhaps they'll go back into agriculture as a beef producer. However, there’s more that won’t stay in the industry than those who will and I want to make sure that we are instilling in them some of the positives that we do in the beef industry.” One core component of what Cheramie teaches is for each person to learn five facts about beef or beef production so that they are better equipped and comfortable having conversations about beef.
While Cheramie focuses on teaching youth, the skillset of communicating about beef is important for all ages to have. It’s more than ensuring consumers that the product is healthy and safe. It’s about creating informed voters and leaders too. “As an industry, we have to recognize that we can't keep talking inward. We must talk to consumers and potential consumers on the coasts and in metropolitan areas, because ultimately, that's where the voting constituency is. If we don’t win those votes, agriculture as we know it today won’t be here in 5, 10 or 15 years down the road,” said Cheramie. Remember you don’t have to be an expert in it all. You simply have to be willing to listen and share the truth about the beef industry with others. Focus on the conversation more than the conversion.
As you carry on your day-to-day lives on the ranch, remember to speak up when you get the chance and be proactive about sharing your story. If one person like Cheramie can make a big difference, imagine the impact of all of us using our own talents to create informed producers, consumers and constituents.
