Inspiring Young Angus Leader

One of my favorite aspects of my job as an ag reporter is interviewing inspiring young people who are involved in the ag industry. While at the National Junior Angus Association’s LEAD conference last week, I had the opportunity to meet and visit with NJAA retiring Board Member and Vice Chair Shane Kerner. Shane is a Weiser, Idaho native and she shares what she gained by her experience as one of the 12 NJAA board members.
Kerner: “Oh I can’t even come up with a list. It’s just been the most amazing experience. I feel so blessed to be a part of it. The impact that these kids have made on myself — just leaving college is just it is something that you can’t have from anywhere else. It has been so cool to travel around the country and meet the kids, and see what they are like, and hear their stories. It has really helped me to develop leadership skills and things that I take to any career I like. Also just how to be a better leader and advocate for our industry.”
She explains how she got her start in the Angus business.
Kerner: “We run commercial cattle and then we have a feedlot as well. I started with 4-H and love it. Took out a youth loan, and went and ran some grass calves, threw them in the feedlot and paid everything off — that was a good experience in itself. And I went out and bought my first Angus heifer and it just grew from there. I have a small herd. I run about 20 of my own but they help pay for out of state tuition."
Kerner just graduated from Kansas State University and majored in animal science production.