USMEF Honors Sen. Baucus, Troutman

USMEF honored strong meat industry advocates Thursday by awarding the Mansfield Award to U.S. Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and the Distinguished Service Award to Eddie Troutman, vice president of beef international and byproduct sales for Cargill. The awards ceremony took place at USMEF’s 35th Anniversary Strategic Planning Conference in Tucson.

The Mansfield Award, established in 1991 to honor the late Michael J. Mansfield, a former U.S. senator and longtime U.S. ambassador to Japan. Baucus was chosen for his ardent support of free trade and specifically for his leadership on congressional passage of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, which will provide enormous benefits to the U.S. meat industry and the entire U.S. economy.

Baucus was unable to attend the conference, but USMEF’s immediate past chairman and fellow Montanan Jim Peterson accepted the award on his behalf.

Troutman is a third-generation meat industry veteran with more than 36 years of experience. He has been actively involved on the international side of the business since 1990, and has served both on USMEF’s Executive Committee (1999-2001) and as chairman of the Exporter Committee.

Troutman graduated from Catawba College with a degree in business, but drew laughter from the audience Thursday when he described his academic “credentials.”

“I am proud to call myself Eddie Troutman, Ph.D.,” he said. “That stands for packing house degree.”

Members attending the awards luncheon were also honored by the presence of eight past USMEF chairmen who represent decades of leadership in meat production and international trade. USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng introduced them individually at the awards luncheon, highlighting their unique strengths and the powerful contributions each has made to USMEF and to U.S. agriculture.