Kris and I had a meeting in Arlington, Texas. We've been to lots of places in Texas, but we haven't been here!
This was for our annual national milk meeting. The official name of it is the NDB/NMPF/UDIA Joint Annual Meeting, which I have to copy and paste even though Kris and I calculated that we have been going to this meeting since 2012. We've gone to it as the Outstanding Young Dairy Cooperators, the Young Farmer Chair Couple, Kris as a board member for MMPA, UDIM, UDIA treasurer, and at this meeting he was elected as vice chair of the United Dairy Industry Association, the national board of farmers that makes decisions on how the national dairy checkoff promotion money is used. There were 750 people at this meeting, made up of dairy farmers and industry supporters.
Our meeting was at Loews Hotel, which is a cool area surrounded by three sports stadiums. We ate out the first night with United Dairy Industry of Michigan people, and the second night at Piccolo Mondo with our Michigan Milk Producers Association crew. The meeting also has a dairy bar, and I overate in general. But enjoyed it!
Our meeting was really interesting. Here are some quotes I wrote down:
- If you want to get the job done, ask the busiest person you know and they'll get it done.
- When you're producing the most nutritious product in the world, it's something to be proud of.
- You don't want to pull them back, you want to draw them back. Go out and live your life, and there's an opportunity for you to come back if you want it.
- The most important crop you raise is your kids.
- If the government gets out the way, we can feed the world.
- Each farmer feeds 166 people worldwide.
- Instead of spreading ourselves like very poorly buttered bread...
- Consumers are drunk on protein right now, and I am happy to serve them until they get cut off.
- Cows are the most studied animal on the planet, and we have millions of records on their production and health traits.
A trait farmers have is that when I talk to them, they proudly show me pictures of their children and grandchildren. That's just the kind of guys farmers are.
After the meeting Kris and I had a few hours before we left, so we ubered to Fort Worth to the Stockyards.
We arrived just in time for the longhorn parade! That's just what it sounds like - they parade the longhorns down the street, while people on horses ride behind them.
Other activities in town:
- I got to sit on a real longhorn, which was totally worth it seeing as how I've gotten this far in life and have never ridden cattle before.
- We went to Billy Bob's, a huge place with lots of people line dancing and bull riding - very cool and Texan
- Weird stores with taxidermied animals like a raccoon playing the accordion and dead cow rugs
- Good-smelling boot and western clothing stores
- Second Rodeo, a nice outdoor place with music
It was a great stop! I was not dressed in the right costume for this activity. I definitely should have worn a cute western outfit with boots, and there were many opportunities to buy an outfit at one of the many stores, but I resisted.
Texas was fun - again! Yee haw!
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