USask graduate advocates for the beef industry

“My goal is to contribute to feeding the world while being sustainable,” said Jessica Davey.

Davey holds many roles in the beef cattle sector. These include being a primary producer, an advocate who engages consumers about where their beef comes from, a leader for youth in agriculture, and a new graduate of the College of Agriculture and Bioresources (AgBio) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).

Davey will officially receive her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (major in Animal Science, minor in Agribusiness) at USask Fall Convocation on November 12.

“My experience at the University of Saskatchewan was life changing. I was able to further develop my passion, learn, develop new skills, and gain experience,” said Davey. “I was very involved with the College of Agriculture and Bioresources and the Agricultural Students Association and made lifelong connections in the agriculture industry.”

Davey maintained an extensive list of leadership roles in extracurricular agriculture activities on and off campus and earned 16 scholarships during her time as a USask student. One of these scholarships was the 4-H Canada Leadership Excellence Award of Distinction (LEAD) Scholar for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security. These awards are 4-H Canada’s most prestigious honour, recognizing outstanding youth members who demonstrate 4-H values in their everyday lives, have become exceptional leaders through their 4-H experience, and who share the best of themselves with their communities.

As a 4-H Canada LEAD Scholar, Davey led a student-raised beef initiative with Marquis Culinary Centre on the USask campus. This involved raising beef on her family farm, Rivendale Cattle Company, and selling it to USask for use at Marquis. She hosted a beef BBQ with Marquis during orientation week and spoke to students about farming and raising beef in Saskatchewan.

“It was a great opportunity for students to learn about where their food comes from and the story behind it,” said Davey.