|
CHEYENNE, Wyo (Apr. 28, 2025) – The Wyoming Beef Council (WBC) appointed two new directors to the Federation of State Beef Councils. Kacy Atkinson from Garrett, WY and Scott Lake from Laramie, WY were appointed to three-year terms beginning immediately.
Created in 1963, the Federation of State Beef Councils represents 43 Qualified State Beef
Councils and is committed to its vision, which is to build beef demand by inspiring, unifying and
supporting an effective and coordinated state and national Checkoff partnership. State beef
councils voluntarily invest in the Federation to enhance the national Checkoff investment and leverage producer dollars through a coordinated partnership. Housed at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, the Federation is a grassroots organization run by producers from across the country.
Kacy Atkinson, along with her father Jim, is the ownder of a cattle ranch near Garrett, WY that has been in the Atkinson family since the 1880's. Kacy returned to the ranch nine years ago after the tragic and unexpected loss of her brother, who was managing the ranch at the time. Kacy is the fifth generation of the Atkinson family to run this remote ranch in the far northern tip of Albany County. The ranch is 40 miles from the nearest pavement and when Kacy gives you directions she says "Drive to the middle of nowhere, and my house will be 10 miles past that." Prior to returning to the ranch Kacy worked in education and extension.
Kacy has a substantial communications and education background, and has worked for many years as a spokesperson and advocate for the beef industry. In addition to ranching, Kacy also runs a speaking and beef advocacy business, 10 Miles Past Nowhere, and is the past host of an award winning radio program in northern Colorado. She has been a speaker at many events across the country, has participated in numerous podcasts and has written multiple articles as an advocate for the beef industry. She was in the first class of the Beef Checkoff Trailblazers program.
Scott Lake has a cow/calf operation in Laramie that produces both range cattle and show cattle. Lake grew up working with his grandfather on his cattle operation in northern Nevada. He graduated from the University of Wyoming (UW) with a Ph.D in beef cattle nutrition and spent some time on the faculty at Purdue University before coming back to Laramie. Lake is a University of Wyoming Animal Science Professor and a Beef Extension Specialist.
Lake has served as a member and vice-chair of the Wyoming Beef Council for the last 5 years and as a Wyoming Director to the United States Meat Export Federation for the last six years. Lake was selected last February to serve on the national Beef Promotion Operating Committee and has served on this committee twice prior. The Beef Promotion Operating Committee consists of ten members from the Federation of State Beef Councils and 10 members from the Cattlemen's Beef Board and is responsible for the final determination of how beef checkoff dollars will be expended.
Kacy Atkinson and Scott Lake are great examples of the grass-roots, producer-led philosophy of the Beef Checkoff. If you are interested in serving on the Wyoming Beef Council please visit WyBeef.com or email Ann Wittmann for more information.
 
|
