NMSU student named to 2016 National Beef Ambassador Team

NMSU student named to 2016 National Beef Ambassador Team DATE: 10/12/2015 WRITER: Kristie Garcia, 575-646-4211, kmgarcia@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Lauren Schlothauer, laurenss@nmsu.edu CONTACT: Shelly Hathorn, 505-334-9496, shporter@nmsu.edu If you are not familiar with beef nutrition, New Mexico State University student Lauren Schlothauer may be the person to educate you. Schlothauer was named to the 2016 National Beef Ambassador Team in September. Five young adults, ages 17 to 21, were selected based on their performance at the National Beef Ambassador competition in Denver. “It’s quite a privilege, as there were 21 other contestants,” Schlothauer said. “I met every one of the contestants, so to be selected is an honor.” National team members were judged on four categories: consumer promotion, media interview, issues response pertaining to a news release about beef and an interview highlighting an educational presentation with youth. Schlothauer is joined by four other team members from Arizona, Arkansas, Nebraska and Tennessee. As part of the competition, she answered questions such as, “Does beef cause cancer?” and “Can you safely prepare a beef meal in 30 minutes?” To reach the national competition, she first had to compete at the state level in April in conjunction with the New Mexico Future Farmers of America career development events at NMSU. Shelly Hathorn, director of the San Juan County Extension Office and the state beef ambassador chair, said Schlothauer will make an outstanding national beef ambassador. “Lauren very much wants to look at all aspects of agriculture,” Hathorn said. “Looking at agriculture as a whole, she wants to share the correct knowledge with the public. She’s already met with the four other national team members and is networking and planning things on a national level. “She’s involved with sharing information on social media, she attended the U.S. Dairy Consortium in Clovis this past summer, and she serves as an ambassador for the College of ACES.” Schlothauer will spend the next year serving as a spokesperson for the beef industry. She is required to take the lead on monthly outreach events on a larger scale. Such events may include giving a presentation at a school, distributing information at a well-attended community event or taking part in media interviews. She also hopes to visit Certified Angus Beef, travel to Denver for training, attend the 2015 Annual Cattle Industry Convention in San Diego and work with the legislature in Washington, D.C. A Las Cruces native, Schlothauer is studying agricultural communications with a minor in livestock production in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Her love of the industry comes from her family. “While I did not personally grow up on a ranch, I want to continue the legacy of my grandfather and great-grandfather who both ranched,” Schlothauer said. “I’m so drawn to the ag industry, and I can use my talents in communications to make an impact, answer questions, take photos and write.” She is a junior but has big plans for the future. “I’d like to stay in the region and do consumer outreach for the beef and dairy industry,” she said. “I’d like to expand my Dare to Cultivate blog and perhaps run a photography business. I hope to always have the privilege of being a voice in the agriculture community.” The American National CattleWomen, Inc. manages the National Beef Ambassador Program, while the New Mexico CowBelle organization oversees the state beef ambassadors.