By: Shayla Terry

Brantley High School junior Cameron Catrett stopped by the Luverne Rotary Club’s weekly meeting recently to discuss her leadership duties with Future Farmers of America.

Catrett currently serves as FFA’s South District president and the Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s president.

October was beef month. Catrett explained to Rotarians what that entailed.

“We’re educated on how cows are raised from state to state,” she said.

“Nutrition is a factor, and there are a lot of cattle shows.”

With fall being a big time for festivals, Catrett says she has been able to participate in a lot of cattle showing.

“On a typical show weekend, we get there and get them settled,” she said.

“The next day the alarm will goes off at 3 a.m. Then, we get them out and begin classes.”

Recently, she was named the Champion Senior Showman. The honor has given her the opportunity to assist others with their showmanship as well.

With many negative views on the beef industry, the Catrett family works hard to educate others about their labor of love.

“There’s a lot of misconceptions about the beef industry,” Catrett said.

“We need more people like me, my mom and my dad to tell people about how we raise cows. Many kids don’t understand where their food comes from. There is a huge disconnect between the generations.”

Junior Cattle and FFA have afforded Catrett the opportunity to do a lot of travel nationwide.

“This past week, I got back from Indianapolis, Indiana, for the National FFA Convention,” she said.

“This summer, we went to St. Paul, Minnesota, for Junior Nationals to Montgomery, to South Carolina.”

Catrett’s mother, Ashley, says that Cameron has a busy schedule, but it is rewarding.

“She is the youngest state president that the organization has had,” her mother said.

“I think it makes it a little tougher on her, but the people she is around are second to none.”