(Stillwater, Okla. – Dec. 22, 2009) There is no question that China’s beef sector is attracting the interest of investors and world beef exporters. After decades of low prices, Chinese live cattle prices of roughly $1 per pound are higher than those of even the United States.

China’s appetite for beef is growing at a long-term trend rate that is unparalleled by any other major consuming market. That is one reason that Oklahoma State University’s Dr. Brad Morgan, department of animal science meat scientist, recently traveled to all-corners of China and talked to several purchasing groups regarding the usefulness, high quality and safety associated with the current U.S. beef offering.

“China’s foodservice and restaurant sectors have expanded at a rate double than that of its already torrid GDP growth,” Morgan said. “One can find a plethora of new beef-focused restaurants, ranging from hot pot and Korean barbecue restaurants to the golden arches of McDonalds in primary cities like Beijing and Shanghai, which have 18 million people each, as well as smaller secondary cities as well.”

However, Morgan said China’s beef industry faces structural problems meeting the new demand. Household cow-calf operations and the small, but growing, feedlot industry remains in the hands of small households, whom in recent years have chosen to raise hogs and poultry rather than beef cattle. Cattle’s long production cycle and lean profits make investment unattractive.

“China’s ‘modern’ beef slaughter and processing industry, the majority of whose infrastructure is less than 10 years old, is squeezed between high cattle prices and demand constraints for most beef products,” Morgan said.

While in China, Morgan, with the cooperation of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, conducted a series of one-day workshops with several of the largest Chinese food importing and processing businesses that are beginning to utilize U.S. beef items into their operations.

One of the organizations was the COFCO Corporation, which is China’s largest diversified products and services supplier in agribusiness and food industry.

Morgan said this company is similar to Cargill or ConAgra in the U.S. in that they are not only in the meat processing business, but they are also leaders in the wine, hotel, snack food and canned food items manufacturing.

During the seminars, Morgan discussed the overview of the U.S. beef industry, the process associated with beef carcass grading, and the ongoing and future aspects associated with beef safety programs.

“I was amazed by their level of questions and their thirst for knowledge regarding the various aspects associated with the U.S. beef industry,” Morgan said.

In addition to these lectures, Morgan was one of two U.S. scientists asked to speak to 800 attendees from 18 countries during the inaugural Pacific Rim Conference, organized by the American Society of Animal Science and the Chinese Association of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine.

Morgan, who has conducted research or been a featured speaker in 30 different countries, said the conference was a first-time venture into international venues in hopes to bridge gaps and facilitate communication and information sharing between these existing memberships and this growing community of animal and meat scientists in China.

“Currently, the 1.3 billion Chinese are consuming 6 million tons of beef annually, of which they are only raising approximately 25 percent of their demand,” Morgan said. “We need them to understand U.S. beef and everything that is literally brings to their tables.”

(December 21, 2009   Stillwater, OK) – Women entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs are invited to attend the first annual Women Entrepreneurs Inspire Conference in Oklahoma City at the Cox Convention Center on March 30, 2010. A discounted $25 “stocking stuffer” registration fee for the event will be offered until Dec. 25, 2009.

The one-day WE Inspire conference will offer opportunities for participants to get inspired by successful women entrepreneurs from across the country, learn tools to help start and grow a business, discover ways to do business better and network with other women entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs. The event will be presented by the Riata Center for Entrepreneurship in the Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University.

“Our goal is to support women entrepreneurs in starting or growing businesses through role models, success stories, workshops by entrepreneurs and expertise from our entrepreneurship faculty,” said Nola Miyasaki, Riata Center executive director. “The WE Inspire conference is designed to help women find ways to do business better and to be successful in their entrepreneurial endeavors.”

The event will feature successful women entrepreneurs from California, Washington, D.C., and other parts of the United States. Cordia Harrington, founder of the Tennessee Bun Company, which is the largest bun producer in the United States and an exclusive vendor to McDonald’s, will serve as a keynote speaker. In addition, Amy Mitchell, partner and managing member of Riata Management in Oklahoma City will serve as honorary chairperson for the conference.

The WE Inspire conference also will feature breakout sessions, which are the hallmark of similar women’s entrepreneurship conferences presented by Miyasaki and OSU School of Entrepreneurship head Michael Morris at other university communities around the country. 

“The breakout sessions will be directed by OSU’s nationally recognized and accomplished entrepreneurship faculty, as well as successful entrepreneurs and subject matter experts who will talk about business plans, guerilla marketing, sales, legal issues, financing, accounting and numerous other issues facing women entrepreneurs today,” Morris said. “It’s a day packed with learning, inspiration and networking, and we anticipate that this will lead to other opportunities to provide year-round support to women entrepreneurs in Oklahoma.”

After December 25, the registration fee for the WE Inspire conference will be $35 for those who register before March 15. To register or for more information, call the Riata Center for Entrepreneurship at 405-744-7552 or visit www.weinspire.net. Companies interested in sponsorships or exhibit tables for the conference should call Riata Center assistant director Mary Means at 405-744-7871 or email her at mary.means@okstate.edu.

STILLWATER, Okla. (December 22, 2009) – Oklahoma State University President Burns Hargis met with more than 75 OSU alumni and fans in New York City on Monday.

“I am always delighted to meet with OSU’s wonderful alumni,” said Hargis. “We have many exciting things happening on campus and our students and faculty are doing great work. Attending events such as the one in New York City gives me the opportunity to discuss our many accomplishments and share memories with fellow Cowboys.”

The event was hosted by the New York City OSU Alumni Chapter at the Stillwater Bar & Grill, the Chapter’s official head quarters in the East Village. Owner Matthew Keane was presented with an official statement making the establishment an extension of the City of Stillwater, Okla. Former OSU basketball player and NBA All-Star, John Starks, was also in attendance.

“Our alumni are very enthusiastic and always enjoy hearing from the leader of their alma mater,” said Josh Pulver, OSU Alumni Association chapters director. “We look forward to having the president speak at more chapters across the country in the future.”

For more information about the OSU Alumni Association Chapters program, visit http://orangeconnection.org/chapters or contact Josh Pulver at 405.744.8717.