SAN ANTONIO, Tex. – Cattle producers Jared Brackett, Hugh Sanburg and Norman Voyles, Jr. are the new leaders of the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board (CBB). This officer team is responsible for guiding the national Beef Checkoff throughout 2020.
Brackett, Sanburg and Voyles were elected by their fellow Beef Board members during the 2020 Cattle Industry Convention in San Antonio on Friday, February 7, 2020. Brackett, the 2019 Vice Chair, will now serve as the CBB’s Chair, while Sanburg will transition from his role as the 2019 Secretary-Treasurer to become the 2020 Vice Chair. Voyles is the newest member of the officer team, taking on Sanburg’s former responsibilities as Secretary-Treasurer.
2020 Chairman Jared Brackett is a fifth-generation cow/calf producer from Filer, Idaho. Brackett is a Texas A & M alumni and diehard Aggie fan with a degree in agriculture economics. A past president of the Idaho Cattlemen’s Association, Brackett continues to serve on a number of other livestock committees and boards in addition to his responsibilities with the Beef Checkoff.
“The beef industry has been a part of my family’s livelihood for decades,” Brackett said. “While there’s no doubt that our industry has its own unique set of challenges, I believe that by working together, we can enact positive change that will continue to drive beef demand worldwide. During my tenure as the CBB’s Chair, I plan to collaborate with our officer team and the entire board to encourage checkoff advocacy and find new ways to move our industry forward.”
Vice Chair Hugh Sanburg hails from Eckert, Colo., where he and his brother are managing partners of their primarily horned Hereford cow-calf operation, accompanied by a Registered Hereford operation to complement the commercial herd. Sanburg graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a degree in mining engineering in 1983 before moving back to the home ranch in western Colorado. For the past 30-plus years, Sanburg has been an active member of the Colorado Farm Bureau serving on various boards. He is also a member of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and serves as chairman of the Gunnison Basin Roundtable.
Secretary-Treasurer Norman Voyles, Jr. owns and operates a seventh-generation grain and livestock farm near Martinsville, Ind. with his brother Jim and son Kyle. Voyles received a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Purdue University and a master’s degree in ruminant nutrition from the University of Nebraska. Voyles is a member of the Morgan County (Ind.) Beef Cattle Association and the Indiana Cattlemen’s Association. He’s a past member of the Farm Service Agency board of directors and the Morgan County Fair board.
“We’re extremely fortunate to have such a dedicated and experienced group leading the CBB throughout the coming year,” said Greg Hanes, CEO of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. “Not only are they cattle producers themselves, but they’ve also worked diligently on the beef industry’s behalf for many years. Jared, Hugh and Norman are fully aware of the challenges producers currently face, and they have what it takes to answer those challenges while also finding new opportunities. I have no doubt their leadership will help the Beef Checkoff achieve great success in 2020.”
To learn more about the Beef Checkoff and its programs, including promotion, research, foreign marketing, industry information, consumer information and safety, visit DrivingDemandForBeef.com.
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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.
