08/20/2025
📢 Introducing the August Herd Pick: Ben Sellmeyer of Maroa, Illinois! 📢
🌟 Ben attended his first NJAS in Des Moines, Iowa, in 2017. “It was fun and definitely a memorable experience.”
🌟 His favorite contest? The Chef Challenge cooking contest in Grand Island. “I made tri-tip tacos with corn salsa. It was really fun—a different contest that didn’t necessarily require a team and was easy to prepare. Throughout the week, I practiced, and everyone in the aisle tried it out and liked it. It was definitely a rare opportunity!”
🌟 Ben has attended both LEAD and Raising the Bar conferences. His favorite trip so far was Raising the Bar in March 2024, where the NJAA visited Five Rivers Feeding and CSU, exploring PAP testing and the JBS Global Food Innovation Center.
🌟 What Ben enjoys most about the NJAA is the people. “Whenever you go to a show run by the NJAA, everything goes smoothly, and everyone is welcoming. You see people you know, and there’s always a contest going on if you want to participate.”
🌟 While he doesn’t have one specific mentor, Ben credits a large group of supportive people who’ve helped him and his brothers over the years.
🌟 His advice to new NJAA members? “Don’t take advice from someone you wouldn’t want to grow up to be.”
🌟 Fun Fact: Ben’s birthday is 7/7/07
đź‘Ź Congratulations, Ben!
