Markie Hageman was selected as the 2021 Advocate of the Year for her success in creating social media content that highlights the benefits of beef production, the cattle industry, and what it’s like being a first-generation rancher. This award, given during the annual Cattlemen’s Convention and by the Beef Checkoff-funded Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) program, recognizes one outstanding beef advocate for their success in educating consumers about cattle and beef each year.
Growing up in Tulare, California, Hageman had dreams of attending the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) and wasn’t involved in production agriculture despite living in one of the most agriculturally abundant areas in the world. After her mother jokingly pointed out that she couldn’t take her horse to FIDM, which was located in the heart of Los Angeles, Hageman decided to change course into the ag industry and ended up graduating from Fort Hays State University with an agribusiness degree.
In 2016, she moved to Alabama with her mother and stepfather, where she was exposed to the industry through her stepfather’s cow-calf operation and their involvement in the local cattlemen’s association. As Hageman learned more about the industry and attended industry events with them, she says she felt a spark and found a purpose in the cattle industry she hadn’t felt in any other part of the ag industry. She learned of the misinformation that people shared about the beef industry wasn’t true, and she wanted to play a part in helping to dispel these misconceptions. The things she learned about the beef industry ultimately led to her starting her own herd.
Some of Hageman’s first learning experiences in the industry were becoming Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certified and completing the MBA program. “I credit the MBA and BQA programs for giving me the knowledge and tools I needed to learn and grow as a newcomer to the industry – and to eventually share my story as I progressed through Beef Checkoff-funded advocacy programs and training.”
Using tools and experience from that training, as well as her involvement in the College Aggies Online program from Animal Agriculture Allies, she took her advocacy to new heights with the creation of her social media pages under the name Girls Eat Beef Too. “I used social media for so long but never thought about advocating on it,” said Hageman. “Now I’ve been able to use the platform that I have being a first-generation, small rancher and turn that into a pretty good following.” As of today, she has more than 15,000 followers on Instagram and more than 6,000 on Facebook.
In her free time, Hageman writes and contributes to several Ag trade publications like My Job Depends On Ag, Ag Daily, and Western Ag Reporter.
In 2018, Hageman moved back to California where she bought her first set of cows a couple of years later. She now has her own herd made up of four cow-calf pairs and plans to start selling beef direct to consumer. Today, she lives in Hilmar with her fiancé and will participate in NCBA’s new Checkoff-funded Trailblazers program.
You can follow Markie Hageman on Facebook and Instagram at @girlseatbeeftoo.
About the Beef Checkoff
The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States may retain up to 50 cents on the dollar and forward the other 50 cents per head to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.
About NCBA, a Contractor to the Beef Checkoff
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program. The Beef Checkoff Program is administered by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, with oversight provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
About Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA)
The checkoff funded MBA program was launched by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the beef checkoff, in 2009. The program, with over 19,000 participants, is designed to equip advocates to engage in conversations with consumers about beef and how cattle are raised. Applications to participate can be found at MastersofBeefAdvocacy.com
