Nebraska Rancher Steve Hanson Elected Chair of USMEF

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Steve Hanson, a rancher and cattle feeder from Elsie, Nebraska, was elected chair of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) at the organization's Strategic Planning Conference in Tucson, Arizona on Friday.

In remarks to attendees, Hanson said a priority will be to highlight the partnerships with the various checkoffs that support the work of USMEF around the globe. And he touted the strength that comes from the unified work of all the various sectors of the red meat industry that are involved in USMEF.

Hanson succeeds Randy Spronk, a hog producer and grain farmer from Minnesota.

Other officers elected to leadership roles at USMEF include:

Jay Theiler, USMEF chair-elect, is executive vice president of corporate affairs for Agri Beef Co., a diversified business with operations in every step of the beef supply chain including ranching, cattle feeding, cattle nutrition and beef processing. He is a past director of the Idaho Beef Council and has served on the Beef Industry Long Range Plan Task Force.

Dave Bruntz, USMEF's vice chair is president of Bruntz Farming & Feeding in southeastern Nebraska, where he raises irrigated corn and soybeans and feeds cattle. Dave served on Nebraska Corn Board for nine years, with three of those years as chairman. He is also a past president of Nebraska Cattlemen and served as the regional vice president of NCBA.

The newest USMEF officer is Secretary-Treasurer Darin Parker, director of Salt Lake City-based exporter/distributor PMI Foods.

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