June 10, 2010
Welcome to the U.S. Department of Agriculture! Anyone know what APHIS stands for? It stands for Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. In a four hour period we heard five different speakers. These speakers tried to explain to us what is happening with the beef industry from their prospective. One thing I found very discouraging and frustrating is that the scientific information supplied by the agriculture industry to our government officials is not used unless "asked" for! I'm not sure what that means to you but to me it means "our voice is not being heard as loud as it should!" Looks like we have one more project to work on folks!
The next stop was the Canadian Embassy for lunch and to hear from Canada and Ireland on their prospective of the trade relationships between them and the U.S. We need to continue to facilitate the relationships we have with Ireland and Canada. Trade is a two way conversation and we must continue to work together.
Our last night together we each had to tell what the trip meant to each of us. While everyone had a favorite stop each and every delegate said the best part of the trip was the friendships that were made. I almost feel like I am leaving my family. After 10 days of eating three meals together, jumping off and on of buses and planes, attending meetings and touring all the various facilities you really get to know and love one another. This YCC trip has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had.
One last wish I have for all my fellow YCCers is this—I wish you all enough. Enough laughter, tears, good times and hard times to make your lives memorable and wonderful! Until we meet again, may God Bless each and everyone of you!
Special thanks to ANCW members for allowing me to represent our organization. I would also like to say a big thank you to my employer the High Plains Journal for helping finance part of my way and for allowing me the time off. And thank you to my friend and co-worker Deb for taking care of my accounts while I was on this trip.
At the end of each YCC tour a chairman is elected to travel with the 2011 class. Our new chairman is JJ Goicoechea from Nevada. Congratulations JJ you will do a great job!
Ddee Haynes
Ddee Haynes is one of the 2010 Young Cattlemens Conference participants. Ddee has been involved with the Oklahoma CattleWomen for over 15 years and has served numerous roles including President of the Oklahoma CattleWomen (2005-2007) and was the Outstanding Cattlewoman of the year in 2007. She is also involved with the American National CattleWomen and is currently serving her second term as the Region IV Director. Ddee’s agriculture background includes cattle and hay production as well as raising and training working and rodeo horses. She graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1988 and is currently a Marketing Consultant for the High Plains Journal. Her territory includes parts of Texas and Oklahoma. Ddee resides in Weatherford, Oklahoma with her husband, Mitchell. Mitchell is co-owner of Cattleac Cattle Equipment, Inc. which specializes in custom built cattle hydraulic equipment as well as rodeo equipment. Ddee and Mitchell have three children; Melissa age 21, a 2010 graduate of Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Joe age 12, a fifth grader and Hattie age 7, a first grader who plans on going to college after second grade.
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