Held in Denver in early February, the conference strives to educate the state’s future beef industry leaders and is appropriately aligned with Hanna‘s forward-thinking approach to industry challenges. The  KHCLC participants visit or speak with representatives from Colorado Serum Company, Purina Mills, Colorado Beef Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Cattle Fax, the Colorado General Assembly and take part in informative programs regarding cattle health presented by Schering-Plough.  Medved generously provides transportation throughout the three-day event.

Kirk Hanna, who died in December 1998 was regarded by many in the beef industry as a visionary. For more than 16 years he managed Hanna Ranches, Inc., the Fountain-area 400-head family ranch where he was born and raised. He served as CCA president from 1997-1998. During his tenure, he implemented special task forces to look into issues such as bio-technology and growth management.

Hanna was a past president of the Central Colorado Soil Conservation district and was actively engaged in soil conservation work. He also took a special interest in environmental issues, serving on the state’s Nature Conservancy board, the Society for Range Management and as co-founder of the Sangre de Cristo Chapter of the Sierra Club of Colorado. Hanna served on the National Cattlemen’s [Beef] Association environmental subcommittee and the subcommittee for non-point source pollution.

Hanna’s stewardship practices and innovative approaches were recognized with the Riparian Steward of the Year award in 1994 and Gov. Roy Romer’s 1996 Smart Growth and Development award. In 1993, Hanna and other CCA leaders developed the organization’s Resource Stewardship Code of Ethics. The code was later adopted by National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

For more information on CCA’s Kirk Hanna Cattlemen’s Leadership Conference, call the CCA office or e-mail heidi@coloradocattle.org 

KHCLC is sponsored by: