Young cattlemen and women participating in youth public speaking, marketing and quiz bowl contests were awarded for their successes in Nashville, Tenn., at the 2012 Cattle Industry Convention and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Trade Show. More than 220 young people participated in the annual youth program sponsored by Farm Credit.

Helping prepare young people for future leadership roles to move the needle on beef demand and protect the industry’s business environment is in alignment with the industry’s long range plan, said Jeffrey Mingus, an Arizona beef producer and co-chairman of the NCBA Youth Task Force.

The winner of the 2012 Youth Public Speaking, ages 15-19, and a scholarship was Chandler Mulvaney of Opelika and a senior at Beauregard High School.

The National Block and Bridle Club and the Young Beef Industry Congress met in conjunction with the 2012 Cattle Industry Convention, increasing the youth presence to more than 1,000, according to Lorie Liddicoat, manager of NCBA’s youth competition program.