Monday, I asked all of you to
write your definitions for an American cowboy. This definition varied from one reader to the next, but they all had one thing in common: pride in American agriculture and dedication to get the job done right. That pride and dedication is a trait we share with America’s troops, who are working everyday to ensure our safety and protect our nation’s freedom, so that we can do our jobs as farmers and ranchers.
Even though our soldiers always remain in our hearts, it’s not often that we can thank our troops overseas for their hard work and sacrifice. Yet, there are opportunities all around us to do just that. A perfect opportunity is to support the All American Beef Battalion, a non-profit organization that began in August of 2007. This organization was started by Vietnam veteran and Kansas cattleman Bill Broadie, who wanted to extend his gratitude to today’s men and women soldiers through USDA Choice steak feeds across the country.
In its first year of serving juicy steaks to returning and deploying troops, Broadie and his crew have served over 10,000 steaks to service members and their families. Today, their organization continues to grow, and it’s all because of the generosity of individuals in the agriculture industry. Last week, Superior Livestock Auction and RFD-TV hosted a live benefit auction in a Labor Day airing. Several fantastic items were auctioned off including: a one week stay in Oahu, Hawaii, a three-day guided white tail deer hunt, a two-day feral hog hunt, a one-day feral hog hunt, a 2009 stock trailer, a George Strait authentic knife with sheath and a 2008 Honda Rancher 4X4 ATV.
I’m proud to say that supporters of this great organization helped to raise over $21,000 through this auction. This money will help the AABB fund their future events to continue to thank our nation’s soldiers. You may be a cowboy, you may be a soldier, or like Bill Broadie, you may be both--but at the end of the day, you all have my greatest respect and gratitude. Thank you for all that you do. God Bless the American rancher and the American soldier!
BEEF Daily Quick Fact: Since the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, over 600,000 people have given their lives to protect America’s freedom.
