Carlson Receives DSA

TUSCON, AZ., November 6 — Nebraska’s Director of Agriculture Merlyn Carlson accepted the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Distinguished Service Award for a lifetime of contributions to U.S. red meat industry exports today. USMEF Chairman Philip Wolfstein of PM Global presented Carlson with the award at the USMEF Board of Directors Strategic Planning and Marketing Conference here.

“I’m very proud to be associated with USMEF,” Carlson said as he accepted the award. “I have the deepest admiration for the integrity and world-class effort put forth by USMEF international directors.

“We’ve had challenges in the past, and we’ve met them by all seven USMEF sectors pulling together,” Carlson added.

Carlson was USMEF chairman in 2000 after serving on the USMEF board of directors, beef committee and executive committee. As chairman of the Nebraska Beef Council, Carlson spearheaded the group’s funding of USMEF and its growing commitment to beef exports. In his role as Nebraska’s director of agriculture, Carlson continues his work with USMEF, fostering the expansion of established and developing international markets for  U.S. red meat.

Carlson is a past president both of Nebraska Cattlemen and the National Cattlemen's Association, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s predecessor organization. He also spent four years on the board of governors of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.  

Since 1991, USMEF has presented the Distinguished Service Award to outstanding figures in the red meat industry who exemplify the exceptional, individual dedication responsible for the federation’s success.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the  U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn, sorghum and soybean checkoff programs.

— USMEF —