YCC primes next generation of producers
Since 1980, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has hosted the Young Cattlemen’s Conference (YCC) annually as an avenue for young producers to learn about the beef industry, network with fellow cattlemen and develop leadership skills vital to the industry’s continued success.
Cattle producers from across the U.S. between the ages of 25 to 50 apply or are nominated by affiliated organizations to attend the conference each summer.
The 2025 YCC, held May 29 through June 6, brought together a class of 60 young producers from across the U.S.
The tour began in Colorado and included stops in Nebraska, Iowa and Ohio before concluding in Washington, D.C., where attendees met with government representatives face-to-face about issues surrounding the beef industry in each of their respective states.
2025 conference highlights
Wyoming Livestock Roundup Field Services Representative Calli Williams attended the 2025 YCC on behalf of the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association (SDCA).
Williams lives near Mitchell, S.D., where she serves as the SDCA’s vice president of membership in addition to managing TW Angus, a first-generation cattle operation, with her husband Tate and two young sons Jack and Tommy.
Williams notes the YCC was the “trip of a lifetime” where she forged meaningful connections while learning about the cattle industry and developing advocacy and leadership skills that will aid her in the future.
“Going into the YCC, I was a little hesitant because it’s hard to leave home for so long when you have kids, cattle and work,” Williams says. “But now it’s something I will highly suggest to anyone considering it – especially if their state program or organization funds it.”
“The tours, trainings and Congressional meetings were all incredible, and the networking gained was outstanding,” she continues.
Tours and trainings
The YCC included several tours of industry offices and producer facilities, including a behind-the-scenes look at operations at the NCBA headquarters in Denver, Colo., as well as a visit to the Certified Angus Beef Headquarters and Culinary Center in Wooster, Ohio.
The group also toured industry production sites, including a division of Five Rivers Cattle Feeding – the nation’s largest cattle feeding company – in Colorado and a Tyson Beef Packing Plant in Nebraska.
Williams notes the exchange of knowledge at each tour stop went far beyond the initial presentations due to the range of questions posed by members of the YCC from different backgrounds.
“We had people from so many sectors – ruminant nutritionists, geneticists, representatives from the American Angus Association, NCBA employees, etc. – so the questions were really good everywhere we went,” Williams says.
Diversity of experience also helped enhance leadership trainings held throughout the YCC, aimed at identifying personal strengths and developing confident communication strategies.
“We were all able to combine different strengths to meet a common goal as a team while also learning more about ourselves and our leadership strengths in the process,” Williams says.
Williams highlights the workshops as some of her favorite aspects of the YCC, crediting the experience of seeing classmates “stepping out of their comfort zones and putting in the work to become better spokespersons” for the cattle industry as being particularly motivating.
She also notes the “eye-opening” experience of talking with producers from other states about local challenges like predator control, weather conditions and ongoing battles with government representatives, adding to her ability to be a better all-around advocate for the beef industry.
Time on the Hill
NCBA’s emphasis on leadership development is a hallmark of the YCC and serves attendees particularly well throughout the final leg of the trip.
The Washington, D.C. portion of the YCC provides a platform for attendees to advocate for agriculture by bringing personal insights as producers to conversations about policy.
“NCBA staff kept saying, ‘You are the experts in your industry.’ They just wanted to help polish us and prepare us to be spokespersons,” Williams recalls.
The Washington, D.C. portion began with a full day of briefing and interview preparation before coming face-to-face with representatives. Williams notes her conversations with South Dakota representatives went well due to the state’s ag-forward focus, but there were many who weren’t as lucky.
Williams says she returned from the trip with a new perspective on politics, including a stronger understanding of how to advocate for agriculture on multiple stages.
“It showed me the importance of speaking up, and it definitely changed my perspective on what we can be doing from home,” Williams says.
She also emphasizes the strength found in a newfound network of young producers shaping the future of the beef industry.
“The YCC Class of 2025 are optimistic, driven, goal-oriented individuals focused on continuing to improve and serve the beef industry as producers and powerful advocates,” Williams says. “I am thankful to have gained friends and allies who cover the entirety of the U.S. over the course of this journey.”
Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
