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North Dakota Beef Ambassador: Bailey Dockter

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your background in the beef industry.

I am from the rural area of Medina, North Dakota. I grew up on a beef operation that focused on commercial and purebred Gelbvieh cattle. My parents and three other siblings have a 300 head operation, with each of my siblings having their own cows. Our ranch also has an annual production sale in February where we sell approximately 60 lots of purebred Gelbvieh bulls and heifers. My family also shows in local and national cattle shows.



2. Why did you want to be a beef ambassador?

The beef industry has always been a passion of mine. When the opportunity came up that would allow me to promote the industry, I readily agreed!



3. What did you do to prepare?

I went through the Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) Program that is offered to the beef ambassadors. I also did the Beef Quality Assurance program. I also attended the North Dakota Cattlewomen’s convention this past June.

4. What do you enjoy about being an ambassador?

I enjoy being able to communicate with the general public to promote the beef industry. So many people aren’t educated about where their food comes from or they have questions. I love being one of the voices to inform them.

5. What do you think should be the top priorities of people in the beef industry going forward?

I believe that we need to promote beef as a healthy food. Beef is packed full of 10 essential nutrients, including protein and iron. The beef industry also needs to be communicating and telling our story. Social media like Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc. can be used to connect to the public.

6. What challenges do you think the industry needs to be prepared for?

Right now, a huge challenge for the beef industry, and any livestock industry for that matter, is animal agriculture. Organizations around the world try to exploit animal agriculture falsely and discourage the public from using or consuming animal products. People involved in animal agriculture are the only ones who will be able to prove to consumers that we need animal agriculture to survive.

7. What are your future plans?

I will be graduating in May from North Dakota State University with a degree in Animal Science. I hope to get a job after graduation dealing with agriculture; possibly in extension education. However, my dream job would be having my own livestock marketing business. I also plan on continuing to grow my herd of Gelbvieh cattle.