speaker bios (more coming later)

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Pork Rhyne, "The Pork Evangelist,” is known across the country and overseas in East Africa for his work as an international livestock educator and local foods marketing expert. He has dedicated his life to training and educating experienced and beginner farmers, primarily on small-scale livestock production, business, and marketing. Pork Rhyne has been featured on ABC's Localish, PBS-NC's Resilient Agriculture, Mother Earth News, Homesteaders of America, and The Livestock Conservancy's Marketing Monday.

Bob is a professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University.  He teaches courses in Meat Science, Meat Processing and Food Safety. He is also a member of the Center for Meat Safety & Quality conducting research to address national and global issues.   He recently oversaw design and construction of the JBS Global Food Innovation Center at CSU.  

In 2016, Delmore was recognized by the National Provisioner magazine and named to their list of “25 Future Icons of the Meat Industry.”

Manny is an animal science professor at Mesalands Community College and formerly a NMSU Extension Beef Specialist for 15 years. He  is a 4th generation cattle rancher and also has a cattle management  consulting business. He raises and direct markets grassfed cattle under the brand Trilogy Beef. Winner of the 2022 Certified Angus Beef Sustainability Award.

Sam is the CEO and Principal Consultant of 5th Quarter Foods, a regenerative food systems consulting firm specializing in sustainable meat. In 2012, she completed a whole-animal butchery apprenticeship at Fleishers Craft Butchery, the company widely credited with reviving the American neighborhood butcher shop and championing contemporary standards of social and environmental responsibility. Sam eventually led Fleishers locations as the company's COO and CEO, overseeing five retail shops, two cafés, a wholesale business, a USDA processing facility, and a butchery training school. 

Montana Branded Inc is a retail beef business located in Westby, MT. It is owned and operated by Josh and Maggie Johnson. They specialize in raising single sourced beef from birth to processing. They offer individual cuts of retail beef that are all USDA certified. Their beef is grass fed/grain finished right here in Montana on their family ranch. They are the 4th generation to own and operate their ranch and take great pride in producing a premium quality product.

Matt  is an Extension Associate at Cornell University. Matt has over 20  years’ experience serving farms through Cornell Cooperative Extension,  non-profits, and consulting. Specializing in market strategy, Matt works  with a diverse mix of produce and livestock farmers  and food businesses. Career highlights include developing the Marketing  Channel Assessment Tool for produce growers and the Cornell Meat Price  Calculator. 

Nathan is an instructor and PhD. candidate in the Dept. of  Animal and Rangeland Sciences at Oregon State University. 

Additionally, Nathan manages the Clark Meat Science Center, the Department’s USDA-inspected meat science laboratory. The meat lab serves to facilitate the teaching of meat science principles to students and workshop attendees, engage in meats-related research projects, and meat product development.

Rebecca is an Extension Specialist and Director of the Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network, housed at Oregon State University. She has a master's degree in International  Agricultural Development from the University of California-Davis and  was formerly co-owner of TLC Ranch, a mid-scale organic pastured poultry  and livestock enterprise in California. She is author of The New Livestock Farmer: The Business of Raising and Selling Ethical Meat (2015).