Sheldon, Iowa — Sheldon Livestock Sales, Inc. was recognized and awarded at the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association’s Leadership Summit held earlier this month.
The award Sheldon Livestock received was directly linked to Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) and the beef industry’s commitment to increasing consumer confidence. BQA (www.bqa.org) is a national program dedicated to increasing consumer confidence by ensuring proper cattle handling and management techniques within every segment of the beef industry.
Award recipients were selected based on leadership in the beef industry, their commitment to sharing what BQA stands for and how the individual or business puts BQA principles into action in their own farm or business.
Sheldon Livestock Sales was presented the BQA Marketer of the Year Award. The business is a staunch supporter of the BQA program and has been proactive in working alongside Beth Doran, Beef Program Specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, to help increase producer awareness and accessibility to the BQA program.
Doran says Sheldon Livestock Sales has been an asset in helping producers to get the right BQA information at the right place and the right time. She says Sheldon Livestock understands the importance of proper animal husbandry and are committed to increasing consumer confidence in beef. Sheldon Livestock Sales was also one of the first barns to develop and host Iowa Cattlemen’s Association preconditioned feeder calf sales, a program which they still show strong support for and which is extremely successful in Northwest Iowa, according to Dorn.
In addition, Steve Rehder of Hawarden received the BQA Feedlot Award from the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association.
Rehder has served as president of the Sioux County Cattlemen’s Association multiple times, assists with planning the annual Feedlot Forum and co-chaired the Sioux County Carcass Contest for more than 10 years. He also currently serves on the Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Federation of State Beef Councils, while farming and operating a feedlot near Hawarden.
