The Idaho Beef Council’s newly elected executive committee includes chairman Steven Taylor of Jerome, vice chairman J.W. Wood of Parma and secretary-treasurer Jodie Mink of Cambridge.

Taylor represents the auction market. He is assistant manager of the Producers Livestock Marketing Association branch in Jerome. He is a former state brand inspector and grew up on a family farm in the Paul area.

The council is working on “several exciting projects, helping to tell the Idaho beef story,” Taylor said in a news release. Those efforts focus on sustainability, stewardship “and the great legacy our state has.”

The council is committed to the Beef Quality Assurance program, which emphasizes science-based production practices that target cattle well-being, beef quality and safety.

“I’m excited to see our BQA program expand and move forward, focusing on making it one of the premier programs in the nation and showing that Idaho cattle producers exemplify industry best practices,” Taylor said. That momentum helps in “instilling consumer confidence in the high-quality beef we produce.”

Other board priorities include telling stories about the state’s multi-generational ranch families and enhancing consumer knowledge about beef ranching, and encouraging advancements in research and innovation.

Wood, who represents the feeder segment, is a second-generation rancher and feedlot operator. He works with Agri Beef Co. as general manager of Boise Valley Feeders. He grew up on a cow/calf ranch near Paauilo, Hawaii.

Mink represents the cow/calf and cattlewomen producer segments. She grew up on a family farm and ranch in southern Idaho and is part of a fifth-generation ranching family. She worked for the University of Idaho for seven years before she moved with her husband and family to his family ranch.

She was a project manager for the state Rangeland Resource Commission, assisting with teacher workshops and special projects. She retired in 2021 from Cambridge School District as a teacher to work full-time at the ranch.

New board members are Hank Hafliger and Jared Brackett.

Hafliger, a dairy representative, operates Cedar Ridge Dairy in Filer with family members. He serves on the Idaho Dairymen’s Association board.

Brackett, also from Filer, is a past president of the Idaho Cattlemen’s Association. He has served in various leadership roles, including as chairman of the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board.

They succeed Don Gaalswyk and Ira Brackett, a 10-year member and former chairman. Their contributions “have been instrumental in shaping the council’s direction and success,” according to the release.

“The unwavering commitment to the prosperity of Idaho’s beef industry is something each board member brings to their role, and we appreciate the collaborative relationship the board has as we seize opportunities for growth and development,” CEO T.K. Kuwahara said.

The Boise-based marketing and research organization is funded by a $1.50-per-head assessment on the sale or harvest of cattle in the state. Idaho at the start of 2023 had 2.5 million head of cattle, according to the council.