By Scout Nelson
The Kansas City area hosted the second seminar of the year for the Young Stockmen’s Academy (YSA) from May 5-7, 2025. Class members from across the state spent three days focused on learning about beef marketing, gaining insights into the cattle industry, and connecting with consumers.
Merck Animal Health, the exclusive sponsor of YSA, provided an in-depth look at the animal health industry. The class visited Merck’s Lawrence and Lenexa facilities, where staff discussed research on animal health products and provided a tour of one of their labs.
Participants also had the opportunity to see the company’s virtual fencing system and animal health monitoring systems in action during a ranch visit.
The YSA class also toured several local businesses, including Bichelmeyer Meats, Dairy Farmers of America, Golden Belt Beef, and National Beef Leathers. At each facility, staff shared insights on how their operations serve customers and members.
The participants also visited two Hy-Vee grocery store locations, where they prepared and served Kansas City strip steak samples while engaging with consumers about beef.
In addition, the class visited Whole Foods Market to learn about marketing protein to niche audiences. These experiences provided participants with valuable knowledge on how to market beef to various consumer segments and better understand the broader cattle industry.
The class will meet for their third session in September, continuing their journey to gain industry knowledge and connect with professionals in the field.
Photo Credit:kansas-livestock-foundation
Categories: Kansas, Business, Livestock, Beef Cattle, Dairy Cattle