Authored by: Valley Urricelqui
Reno Office summer intern, Valley Urricelqui is a Beef Ambassador. A “Beef Ambassador” promotes and helps shine a brighter light on the Beef Industry. A Beef Ambassador is a knowledgeable public figure of the Beef Industry that informs the public of the health benefits of beef as well as helps to gain support throughout the community.
In California, the Beef Ambassador program invites those across the state of California to compete and showcase their knowledge as an advocate for the beef industry for the coming year. Valley earned her place at the state competition as the 2018-2019 Shasta County Beef Ambassador. Contestants competed in four main events, including a mock interview, mock consumer demonstration, issue response and social media presence. These categories aim to evaluate contestants’ overall knowledge of the beef industry, agricultural issues, marketing, education and animal welfare.
In April 2018, Valley received the title of California State Beef Ambassador representing the North State. In this position she represents the State of California as a voice for the Beef Industry and is helping to spread positivity about the agriculture industry as a whole in efforts to gain more support from the public. Her goal is to present in elementary classrooms to educate our youth about where their food comes from, the hard work and processes necessary for raising livestock and producing food supplies, and the nutritional health benefits our food provides. Making the “farm-to-fork” connection is an important mission for Valley. Being named California Beef Ambassador has been a goal for Valley from a young age, and she aims to educate people within and outside of the agricultural industry.
As a California Beef Ambassador, Valley hopes to serve as a pillar for educating consumers. As a fifth-generation cattle rancher in Northeastern California, her roots run deep. “I want people to understand that you don’t have to have an agricultural background to support agriculture,” she said. “We are a dying breed and it’s more important now than ever for people to understand where their food comes from and that it is safe, wholesome and nutritious.”
As California Beef Ambassador, Valley will travel across the state to represent the beef industry in order to educate people on the nutritional, economic, and environmental benefits of beef. Valley will also take her knowledge and enthusiasm into the classroom and educate youth on the importance of the livestock industry. Her goal is to shine a brighter light on the beef industry.
Already this year Valley has attended the Mid-Year Cattleman’s meeting held in Redding CA, as well as some local county fairs spreading the good word about the beef industry and how to better promote the industry. At the Mid-Year meeting she presented to Cattlewomen on Social Media and how it can be used to promote ranching and farming operations as well as the agriculture industry as a whole. She shared examples as to how we can positively promote agriculture by using hashtags in posts. Valley taught ways for accessing online information more easily.
Today’s youth access social media more than any other age group, with more than 98% using social media on a daily basis. About 30% spend more than six hours a week on social media websites and apps. With these stats being so high it tells the agriculturalists that using social media to spread positive agriculture views is a must!
During her time as Beef Ambassador, Valley wants to attend as many events across the state as possible, and continue to present on matters related to the beef community and the agriculture industry. After this year, Valley plans to run for the National Beef Ambassador Team. If lucky enough to join this team, she will continue to promote the agriculture industry in a positive light across the Nation.
