CONTACT:   Jackie Buehner             303-850-3442                j.buehner@beef.org

AMERICAN NATIONAL CATTLEWOMEN HONOR

OUTSTANDING CATTLEWOMAN OF THE YEAR

DENVER (February 8, 2007) - Paulette Keller of Lloyd, Mont., was named the 2006 Outstanding CattleWoman of the Year during the American National CattleWomen’s awards reception on February 1 at the Cattle Industry Annual Convention in Nashville. Bayer Animal Health sponsored the award.

Montana CattleWomen’s nomination for Paulette for Outstanding CattleWoman of the Year was nine pages long. She joined the American National CattleWomen in 1982 and has served on the ANCW Board of Directors and as Region V Education Committee chair. She also took the opportunity to participate in national events including recent promotion projects, National Beef Ambassador Program, National Beef Cook-Off, and ANCW’s annual meetings, summer conferences and regional meetings. For Montana CattleWomen, she has served in such leadership capacities as vice president, president elect and president, as well as serving in almost every committee position. According to Keller, “I feel like it’s my job to help promote my industry when the need calls, whether in the grocery store or in the schools.”

Perhaps because she is a former teacher and current teacher’s aide, education is Paulette’s passion when it comes to promoting beef. She also sees a definite need to share agricultural awareness with children. During a school nutrition program discussing all parts of a cheeseburger, Paulette was asked by an eight-year-old third grader, “Do you drink cow’s milk?”

Paulette answered, “yes I do, don’t you?”

The child said,  “No, I drink the milk from the store”.

Paulette also teaches young children a song she wrote called “Cheeseburgers” that includes exercise and movement.

“Often when I leave school, they are singing it in the halls,” she said. “So I try to try schedule my presentation late in the day to prevent too much disruption.”

She has actively supported the National Beef Ambassador Program both in Montana and participating in the national event.

When presenting programs to seniors, she focuses on new simple ideas and how to make beef tender. Paulette helped obtain a Montana Department of Agriculture grant for the successful “Crock of Beef” program that teaches cooking, food safety and nutrition to food stamp recipients in Montana.

Paulette is active in her community through 4H, homemakers club, and volunteering in the schools. She is also an election judge and fire department supporter. She and her husband Mike have two children and two grandchildren. They operate a cow/calf operation near Lloyd, in north-central Montana.

The Outstanding CattleWoman of the Year Award is given to a cattlewoman who has excelled at continued beef promotion on the local, state and national level, while contributing dedication, commitment and support to the American National CattleWomen, Inc.

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ANCW is a volunteer organization that is a voice for women who share a passion for the U. S. beef industry, and are supporting the beef industry through education and promotion.  Women who are interested in helping to promote the beef industry are welcome to join. Visit:  www.ancw.org