NCBA and Masters of Beef Advocacy announces 2018 Advocate of the year

Growing up on a northeast Nebraska feedyard, Drieling found her life-long love of the beef industry early in life, setting her up for a future in cattle management and eventually advocacy.

Through her advocacy efforts, Drieling discovered her passion of photography and writing, which led to starting her blog, Faith Family & Beef. The blog, along with presence on several social media platforms, serves as Drieling’s way of connecting, teaching and inspiring readers by sharing her journey of bringing up a family, while raising beef cattle in the sandhills of Nebraska.

While Drieling started blogging in 2014, her advocacy began in 2009 when she was one of the original participants in the Masters of Beef Advocacy program. Since that time, she has elevated her status as an influencer and beef advocate by becoming part of the MBA Top of the Class, a program designed to equip advocates with the training, knowledge and experience to advance their advocacy efforts and be a spokesperson for the industry.

Drieling sets a positive example for other beef advocates by sharing her journey in ways that connect with people outside of her immediate beef community. Alongside sharing experiences from ranch life, her advocacy efforts often include mouth-watering and beautifully photographed beef recipes and important food safety tips as well as valuable information about beef’s sustainability.

When challenged on her perspectives of beef by consumers who think differently, she responds gracefully, showing respect for differing viewpoints and relying on her firsthand experiences in ranching to share her understanding of the topic. 

Drieling uses her unique perspective as an opportunity to reach other mothers and beef consumers, even in urban settings. She does so by participating in consumer influencer events across the country, such as this year’s Blog Brulee, an event designed to provide education and professional development to health, food and registered dietitian bloggers.

In addition to connecting with consumers through advocacy, Drieling has made large impacts in the beef community by tackling hard topics such as antibiotic and growth hormone use, sustainability and other questions consumers have about raising beef. She continually gives back by encouraging fellow beef advocates and sharing her experiences to help others.

As a person who tells the beef story with honesty and transparency through her online platforms to connect with beef consumers, Drieling exemplifies what it means to be the advocate of the year.

Follow Terryn Drieling’s advocacy efforts online at FaithFamilyAndBeef.com or on social media as @FaithFamilyAndBeef. Drieling will be recognized as Advocate of the Year during the 2019 Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans.

About the Beef Checkoff
The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States may retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.

About NCBA, a Contractor to the Beef Checkoff
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program. The Beef Checkoff Program is administered by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, with oversight provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

About Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA)
The checkoff funded MBA program was launched by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the beef checkoff, in 2009. The program, with over 19,000 participants, is designed to equip advocates to engage in conversations with consumers about beef and how cattle are raised. Applications to participate can be found at MastersofBeefAdvocacy.com