Three Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) members will represent the state’s largest farm and ranch organization and Texas cattlemen and women on the Texas Beef Council and Beef Promotion and Research Council of Texas boards of directors.
TFB Vice President Michael White, Dan Shelton and Zachary Yanta will serve one-year terms.
Through their roles on the boards, they will help establish the budget and ultimately decide which demand-building programs receive funding collected under the national and state beef checkoff programs.
White, a fourth generation farmer and rancher in Wilbarger County, is in his second term and serves on the domestic marketing committee. This committee approves and evaluates checkoff-funded programs in retail and foodservice outreach, consumer marketing, media relations and nutrition and health outreach.
White grows wheat and cotton and raises commercial cattle. White and his wife, Susan, have two daughters and are active in their community. White also is a board member for the Wilbarger County Junior Livestock Show.
Shelton, who is in his fifth term, serves on the executive and the beef resources committee. As a member of this committee, Shelton approves and evaluates checkoff-funded beef quality assurance programs, producer communications, issues and reputation management, research projects and export programs conducted in partnership with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
A fourth generation farmer who resides in De Kalb, Shelton is a former TFB state director and serves on the livestock and forage committee for Bowie County Extension Service. Shelton is a former member of the advisory committee for the Office of the State Chemist in Texas. Shelton and his wife, Kay, have three children.
Yanta, who in his first term, serves on the beef resources committee. Yanta runs a cow-calf operation, stockers and fed cattle in the feedyard. He also grows corn, grain sorghum and cotton in Karnes County and the surrounding area, along with no-till cover crops, legumes and sesame. Yanta and his wife, Linda, reside in Runge and have two grown children, one grandson and one granddaughter.
Board members’ terms coincide with TBC’s fiscal year that began Oct. 1. Directors can serve up to six consecutive one-year terms on the checkoff boards. The board consists entirely of beef producers providing representation of the state through organization affiliation.