Maureen Mai was born and raised in Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho—a town just 30 miles south of the Canadian border. She and her husband, Ryan, met during their time at University of Idaho, getting married soon after they graduated. They have been involved in almost all aspects of the cattle business, starting with buying and selling stocker calves, developing a feedlot, and leasing a set of commercial cows, all while continuing to grow the purebred herd she started in her early teen’s. Maureen, Ryan and their son Dillon are now focused on their purebred herd, selling their bulls each February in the Bulls of the Big Sky sale.

How are you involved in agriculture today? It certainly varies from the seasons, but driving tractors and working with cattle fall into all the seasons. I tend to fill in where it is needed, whether it be with the hay rakes, the big baler, as a fence builder, or a truck driver. I operate the combine during our grain harvest…but I am trying to retire from that since I am now more involved with our county fair and 4-H. I am a 4-H leader for the Beef projects. The cows need checked weekly at all their pastures in the summertime and they get fed daily when they aren’t on pasture the other six months of the year. I do the bookkeeping for our business as well as the Idaho and Montana Simmental Associations, and our Bulls of the Big Sky Sale group. So, unfortunately I have to sit behind the computer quite a bit as well.

How has your life been shaped by agriculture? Agriculture has shaped my life from the beginning. My parents had cattle since they were married. They also farmed hay and grains on a small basis and also were involved with the nursery industry for a while. I started 4-H as soon as possible with market steer and horse projects. When I was in high school I was selected to attend the ACT (Advancement for the Cattleman of Tomorrow) Program sponsored by the University of Idaho. After touring Idaho and seeing all of the possibilities and potential with agriculture, I knew I had no intentions of leaving it.

Who inspires you or serves as a mentor? Lots of people have inspired me and many have and do serve as mentors. In the beginning it was a family friend who drug me all across the country to cattle shows. She got me hooked on showing beyond the county level and being an important part of our breed association. All she ever asked is that I would do the same for someone sometime (I have since then hauled her granddaughters and several other kids a great many miles). Dr. Carl Hunt, retired Beef Nutrition Professor at U of I certainly inspired me to think “outside the box” whether it be for feeding/nutrition or profitability or general beef management. Marty Ropp with Allied Genetic Resources has mentored us into developing a pretty strong and competitive herd of Simmental cattle, which we sell to commercial cattlemen at our bull sale.

How do you provide encouragement to others? Providing encouragement to others???  My husband might say I yell really loud… but I try not to use that technique first. Especially with kids I try to help them achieve their goals by providing advice, pointing them to the right resources, and build their confidence as we go. I usually try to show them how to do something and then make them do it-—with supervision. It helps build their confidence and it teaches them to try new things. They usually end by saying, “that wasn’t so hard” or “that was really cool.”

If given the chance, what message about agriculture or the beef industry would you share with a large group of people? My message about the agriculture and beef industry is…it is SAFE, DELICIOUS and NUTRITIOUS. The farmers and ranchers of the U.S. get up early and stay up late to take care of their animals and crops to make a safe and delicious product for our consumers. It is often a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week, on call job to keep animals safe and harvest crops before bad weather. The dedicated 2 percent of the population commits their lives to put a safe product on the table for the other 98 percent.

What are you most thankful for? I am most thankful for my family and the ability to live the life we do. We work hard but it is so exciting every spring to see a new year of baby calves hit the ground and see if all of last year’s plans worked. I love the early mornings of spring when the green grass pops up as you go out to feed the cows. It is exciting to start the harvest to see how the crops do that you’ve watched grow all summer. Most of all my son gets to experience all these joys as well.

What is you favorite meal to cook yourself or for others? Cooking isn’t my favorite thing to do but it seems to be essential. My favorite quick dish and family favorite is the Black Bean Tamale Pie—it has a corn bread/sour cream crust with hamburger, black beans, corn and taco/fajita seasoning inside. It was a “Beef It’s Whats For Dinner” contest winner years ago.  If company is coming over though I do love to BBQ a good Tri-Tip and some sort of high-calorie loaded potatoes.

What is the first thing you do when you walk into a grocery store? The first thing I do when I walk into the grocery store is…remember I left my list at home!

What is your favorite childhood memory? My favorite childhood memories are usually related to horses and riding around the neighborhood with my friends. On our adventures we would stop and pick flowers for our moms—which were really weeds, but at the time we didn’t know that!

What is your favorite store to shop in? Favorite store to shop in is Costco and a Big R or D&B. If they don’t have it, we probably don’t really need it!

What is something people might be surprised to know about you? We put up and delivered small bales to the local horse market before we moved to the big 3x4x8’ bales and entered the export market—some of our hay has gone to Korea, Japan (to feed their dairy cows and race horses), and Saudi Arabia (to feed their camels). We continue to custom bale thousands of tons of hay and straw each year.

What are a few of your hobbies? In our spare time, I enjoy boating with family on Lake Pend Oreille, riding our horses, attending to my yard of flowers, and snow skiing.

You can reach out to Maureen by emailing her at rymocattle@gmail.com.

Gretchen grew up on a farm and ranch in Emmett, Idaho. After graduating from college, Gretchen worked at Agri Beef Co. for the better half of a decade, before becoming the first-ever Executive Director for the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission (IRRC).

How are you involved in agriculture and/or beef industry today? My job entails promoting and educating the public about rangeland management, grazing issues, and livestock production. This includes designing, developing and implementing programs which lead to increased support for livestock grazing on public and private rangelands in Idaho. Partnering with other organizations, I have developed educational programs and curriculum for FFA, middle and high school science, elementary science, Idaho history booklets, and posters for the classroom. Promoting the importance of managed grazing of Idaho’s rangelands is a challenging, but rewarding venture. As an office of one, I collaborate with partners and volunteers who have the same passion for educating the future citizens about rangeland and livestock. In the last few years, the IRRC has produced more than 30 videos about ranchers doing positive things for wildlife, rangeland and the economy of Idaho on the Life on the Range website.

How has your life been shaped by agriculture and/or beef industry? I loved working on the ranch for my dad. As far back as I can remember, I would beg to go to the ranch with him. Working hard, being productive and efficient, and caring for the land and livestock has been engrained in my soul. While in college, I planned on becoming a CPA. After spending several years working as an accountant, I learned I needed to get outside and do more with the ranching community. Every step of my life has included the livestock industry in some way.

Who inspires you or serves as a mentor? My father and grandfather were both been instrumental to my knowledge and passion for the livestock industry. My grandfather, David Little, who passed in 2002, inspired me to change careers in 1997. A huge benefit of my job was that it allowed me to learn from my grandfather as an adult. He gave me both support and valuable advice when it came to politics, rangeland issues, and people. He was a master at seeing the big picture and looking for solutions. My father, Jim Little, has always been my mentor (whether he knows it or not). He leads by “doing” not just by “talking.” I am always challenged to be a better person by his example.

How do you provide encouragement to others? When I first started working for the IRRC, there were several “nay-sayers” who tried to discourage me in developing successful outreach and educational programs on rangeland. They said “nobody really cares about rangeland, but ranchers.” People from all walks of life love rangeland. Recreationists, wildlife enthusiasts, and nature lovers have become natural partners in areas that were never expected. I encourage people to be brave in their vision and to take a chance at making new partnerships. I encourage others to reach out to new allies and partners to find common goals and outcomes. Ranchers are a tiny fraction of the population and need the support of other rangeland users to continue to graze on public lands. I encourage anyone with a passion for the livestock industry to speak up and be proud. We need more spokespeople who will reach out and tell their story.

If given the chance, what message about agriculture or the beef industry would you share with a large group of people? I craft messages for specific audiences. The one thing I have found is that keeping it simple is very important. For the more urban audience, fostering an understanding that people who live on the land must take care of that land to survive both ecologically and economically. Ranches are long-term investments which can only improve with proper management. Rangelands are dynamic systems with impacts far beyond livestock grazing. Land management is essential for healthy landscapes for all users. Livestock grazing is an important part of rangeland management. Managing fuel loads, invasive weeds, and wildlife habitat with livestock is an effective tool. The hardest part of this message is the variations of rangeland types, historical impacts and other users. If you ask a scientist a question about rangeland management, their typical response is “it depends.” That doesn’t cut it for a majority of the public. They want simple and straight forward answers. With that said, it is critical that a basic understanding about the ecology of rangeland is provided at a young age so that citizens can decipher the dilemmas of the contemporary public land issues. Without an underlying knowledge (that most ranch kids have), their decisions will be based on misconceptions and myths.

What are you most thankful for? I am thankful for the opportunity to share my passion and stay involved in the livestock industry. Promoting and educating the public about the important work ranchers do every day is a gift that I never take for granted.

What is your favorite meal to cook yourself or for others? My favorite meal is a smoked tri-tip steak, green salad and homemade bread. It’s simple, easy and delicious!

What is the first thing you do when you walk into a grocery store? I check out the meat section. I love trying new cuts and seeing what customers are buying (or not). I often find great deals on new cuts because consumers don’t know how to cook them. It also is an opportunity to visit with other consumers.

What are your guilty pleasures in life? When I can find time, my favorite thing to do is ride my horse in the foothills near our home. Getting out on the range restores my soul, clears my mind, and invigorates my creative juices.

What are some of your favorite pastimes and/or hobbies?  My other passion is my kids and youth sports. Both my boys were active in sports in school. My husband is a principal and coach. I enjoy going to the games, helping in any way I can, and supporting the teams. My youngest son has been lucky to continue to play football at the University of Idaho. Attending his games has made the transition to “empty nest” much easier.

You can follow Gretchen personally on Instagram and Twitter. The Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission, and Life on the Range, can also be followed on Facebook and Twitter.

Diana Graning was raised on northcentral Idaho’s Camas Prairie. A graduate of the University of Idaho, Diana majored in Animal Science Production, putting her degree to work as a Feed Consultant for a local Ag Co-Op. Recently Diana made the decision to leave her job, so she could focus on her family and their cows. Diana and her husband, Cody, have a little girl named Mesa Rose, and are expecting another little girl arriving at the end of January!

How are you involved in agriculture today? My family and I ranch, as well as operate our own custom spraying and fertilizer business, specifically for crop fields.

How has your life been shaped by agriculture? My life has been shaped positively by agriculture in the way of learning core life values such as work ethic, treating others and animals fairly and the value of a dollar.

Who inspires you or serves as a mentor? I’m inspired by all women in agriculture!

How do you provide encouragement to others? I love sending cards in the mail, or utilizing social media to share a quick message to someone I’m thinking about.

If given the chance, what message about agriculture or the beef industry would you share with a large group of people? I would most like to share the message that as rancher, we treat our animals the very best we can, not only because of financial impact, but because care for all ranch/farm animals. There is so much misconstrued information about livestock coming from “factories” i.e. “Factory farms.” This is nothing even remotely similar between a farm/ranch and a factory. I think this is one of the common myths that bothers me the most.

What are you most thankful for? I am very thankful that I was born and raised in agriculture! I’m even more thankful for the opportunity to continue living this lifestyle and to be able to raise my children the same way I was brought up!

What is your favorite meal to cook yourself or for others? Anyone in my house knows that answer would be spaghetti! It’s easy to make, especially in large quantities, and we never seem to get tired of it.

What are a few of your guilty pleasures? Although I don’t get to watch a lot of TV, I have to say when given the choice to something completely on my own time, especially if its dark outside I really enjoy a good TV show series or a movie. Some of my favorites are Big Bang Theory, Brady Bunch and movies are of course any horse show (Seabiscuit, Secretariat…love them all), Ms. Congeniality or most all Sandra Bullock movies.

What’s your favorite store to shop in? Any farm/ranch store that has TACK! I also enjoy Old Navy for clothes shopping for the family. It’s inexpensive, offers simple styles, and good quality.

What’s the first thing you do when to get to the grocery store? Well first thing is to grab a cart and check my list if I didn’t leave it at home or in the pickup. My favorite isle is the laundry soap isle. It just smells SO good!

Be sure to stay in touch with Diana on Facebook!

Day 4: Women in Ag: Julie Kerner
Day 3: Women in Ag: Megan Satterwhite
Day 2: Women in Ag: Celia Gould
Day 1: Women in Ag: Robin Lufkin

 

Megan lives with her husband and three sons on a multi-generational cow-calf ranch in south central Idaho. Megan serves as the ICW Representative to the ICA board of directors. In her spare time, she enjoys working and playing with her family, reading, gardening, fishing and watching her sons play football.

How are you involved in agriculture today? I work as an agriculture research technician in the soil science division for University of Idaho Extension. When I am not working in town I help my husband, Kabel, on the family ranching operation.

How has your life been shaped by agriculture? I grew-up on a small farming/cattle operation and developed a love for the land and animals at a young age. My passion for agriculture continued into college as I pursued an Agricultural Science degree. Yeah, I know it’s weird, but I enjoy working long hours outside, and getting dirty!

Who inspires you or serves as a mentor? There have been several individuals who have inspired and encouraged me throughout my life, but my daily motivation is to be a better person today than I was yesterday.

How do you provide encouragement to others? One way I offer encouragement to my children is to live by example, although that is not always easy. Oftentimes when a close friend needs encouragement and I don’t have the right words to say I will refer to scripture, some of my favorites include Proverbs 3:5-6 and Isaiah 40:31.

If given the chance, what message about agriculture or the beef industry would you share with a large group of people? Animal agriculture is essential to the welfare of America as well as the rest of the world. Not only does animal agriculture provide food for an ever-growing world population, it is a strong component to our economy. Livestock producers also maintain and enhance millions of acres of public lands and supply consumers with necessary and valuable byproducts.

What are you most thankful for? Weekends! And of course, my family!

What is your favorite meal to cook yourself or for others? I enjoy cooking anything that does not require a ton of clean-up afterwards! My favorite would be soup/stews with homemade bread.

What is the first thing you do when you walk into a grocery store? Cringe! I really hate grocery shopping.

What are some of your favorite pastimes and/or hobbies? When I have free time I like to read and garden. And I love watching my boys and nephews play football.

Favorite place to visit? The Oregon coast; it is so peaceful and relaxing.

 

Celia Gould was appointed Director of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture in January 2007, the first female to hold the position. She is also the owner/operator of a third generation ranching and farming operation, G+ Ranches of Buhl, Idaho. G+ Ranches raises Black Angus and Angus-Wagyu cattle. Celia is a graduate of Buhl High School and holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Boise State University. Celia spent 16 years in the Idaho House of Representatives, where she served on the Agricultural Affairs, Education, and Revenue and Taxation committees, in addition to serving as the Chairman of the Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee.

 How are you involved in agriculture and/or the beef industry today?

• Owner/operator of third-generation cattle ranch
• Director of the Idaho State Dept. of Agriculture for nearly nine years
• Proud inductee into the Southern Idaho Livestock Hall of Fame
• Member of Idaho Cattle Association
• Chairman of National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Natural Resources & Environment Committee

How has your life been shaped by agriculture? Agriculture has been my life-long passion, and it has shaped nearly every facet of my life. Throughout my career, the lessons I learned on the ranch have enabled and defined me. In agriculture, we know that the work day doesn’t start at 8 and end at 5. We also know that agriculture is woven into every fiber of our daily lives, not just when we sit down to the dinner table. Those experiences taught me about hard work, community, kindness, leadership and sometimes shear doggedness.

Who inspires you or serves as a mentor? When I was young, I interned for former Speaker of the Idaho House of Representatives Thomas Stivers. During his chairmanship of the House Judiciary and Rules committee, he allowed me incredible opportunities that weren’t normally afforded to interns. I am very grateful for that experience; it piqued my interest in public service and put me on my career path. For the last 25 years, my husband Bruce has always been my sounding board and mentor. That doesn’t mean I always take his advice, but I greatly respect his opinion, knowledge and integrity.

How do you provide encouragement to others? I believe strongly in the power of mentorship and being generous with your time, expertise and praise. It’s no secret that the average age of a person involved in agriculture is going up. It’s incumbent on industry veterans to do whatever we can to engender an environment of mentorship and teaching that encourages young people to stay in agriculture. In that vein, keeping my door open to young people has been a priority. My work with the Idaho FFA Foundation has been particularly important and rewarding.

If given the chance, what message about agriculture or the beef industry would you share with a large group of people? My main message is simple: The future of the beef industry—and all of agriculture—is incredibly bright. During the recession, agriculture was Idaho’s strongest industry. We are the lifeblood of every community in this state, and somehow we always survive the ups and downs of markets and changing public opinion. More than that, ranchers aren’t relics of the past. I look forward to seeing the incredible advancements that beef industry will continue to make while holding on to our best traditions and time-honored way of life.

 What are you most thankful for? Very soon, I will get to welcome our son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren back to the ranch. They are both Captains in the Marine Corp and while I am extremely proud of their service to our country nothing brings me more joy than knowing that the fourth generation of our family will be building a life on the ranch.

What is your favorite meal to cook yourself or for others? Anything with beef, but tri-tip seems to be my go-to meal. It’s incredibly versatile and delicious. Whether it is for the branding crew or a week night after work, tri-tip is always a hit and incredibly easy to prepare.

What is the first thing you do when you walk into a grocery store? Check out the meat counter. When I was a kid my family owned a butcher shop in Buhl. To this day I love to see a beautiful, well-stocked meat counter.

What is your favorite childhood memory? My favorite childhood memory was going to the Saturday livestock sale with my Grandfather.  Sometimes I would take my best friend and sometimes after the sale my Grandpa would take us to the local pool hall for a cherry coke. That was living large!

What are your guilty pleasures in life? My guilty pleasures in life always involve food. I simply love to eat. I believe I developed this love of food from all the delicious variety of
home-grown and home-cooked meals prepared for our family as I grew up.

Day 1: Women in Ag, Idaho CattleWomen Chair, Robin Lufkin