Pictured are (front row, L to R) James Brack, Moscow; Teagan Sturdy-Milliken, Lyndon; Taylee Velasquez, Hugoton; Sierra Cargill, Medicine Lodge; MaKala Fitzsimmons, Cunningham; Brooke Falk, Harveyville; Baylee Shultz, Berryton; Adalaide Kline, Colby; Hannah Grund, Wallace; Skye Schumaker, Pratt; Justine Johns, Minneapolis; (back row, L to R) Quinton Porter, Hays; Brady McComb, Pratt; Shane Flach, Manhattan; Nick Nowak, Ellis; Gatlin Clawson, Meade; Nick Higgason, Olmitz; Jack Roenne, Great Bend; Luke Kaiser, Grinnell; and Casey Giffing, Ulysses.
(TOPEKA) – The 2026 Kansas Livestock Association (KLA) Young Stockmen’s Academy (YSA) met in the Kansas City area May 4-6 for their second seminar of the year. Class members from across the state spent three days learning more about the beef retail and foodservice industries and connecting with consumers.
Merck Animal Health, the exclusive YSA sponsor, hosted the class at their facilities in Lawrence, De Soto and Lenexa. Class members were taken on tours of the company’s lab and research farm and heard from staff about the animal health industry.
Bichelmeyer Meats, Sysco and Walmart Manufacturing hosted the group for tours of their facilities and spoke about how their respective businesses meet the needs of customers. The class also spent time at two Hy-Vee grocery store locations preparing and serving Kansas City strip steak samples while engaging with consumers about beef. Before heading to the grocery stores, Kansas Beef Council Director of Nutrition Abby Heidari visited with YSA members about connecting with consumers and promoting beef as part of a healthy lifestyle. The class went to Whole Foods Market and Fareway Meat Market as well, where they learned more about marketing protein to niche audiences. The Kansas City BBQ Store and Jack Stack Barbecue’s Lenexa location also invited YSA members in for a glimpse into how they prepare beef, both for personal consumption as well as for consumers.
Members of the 2026 YSA class are James Brack, Moscow; Sierra Cargill, Medicine Lodge; Gatlin Clawson, Meade; Brooke Falk, Harveyville; MaKala Fitzsimmons, Cunningham; Shane Flach, Manhattan; Casey Giffing, Ulysses; Hannah Grund, Wallace; Nick Higgason, Olmitz; Justine Johns, Minneapolis; Luke Kaiser, Grinnell; Adalaide Kline, Colby; Brady McComb, Pratt; Nick Nowak, Ellis; Quinton Porter, Hays; Jack Roenne, Great Bend; Skye Schumaker, Pratt; Baylee Shultz, Berryton; Teagan Sturdy-Milliken, Lyndon; and Taylee Velasquez, Hugoton.
YSA members will meet for their third gathering, a tour of central and western Kansas beef and dairy operations, in mid-September.
KLA is a trade organization representing the state’s livestock business on legislative, regulatory and industry issues at both the state and federal levels. The association’s work is funded through voluntary dues dollars paid by its more than 5,500 members
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