Pat Shields Named Chairman of Texas Beef Council
Pat Shields, relationship manager at Capital Farm Credit, has been elected to serve Texas Beef Council (TBC) as chairman for the upcoming year. In this role, Shields will preside over board meetings and serve on the executive committee responsible for overseeing the Beef Checkoff program in Texas.
Shields began his career at Capital Farm Credit in 2012 and brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new leadership position. As a relationship manager in the commercial ag group at Capital Farm Credit, he has been actively involved in the agricultural industry for many years and co-chairs the Association’s Beef Industry Group. His deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by beef producers in Texas will be invaluable in leading TBC.
“I grew up in a farming, cattle and feedyard community in the Texas Panhandle,” said Shields. “From a young age I worked with cattle on wheat pasture and around the feedyard. I went to Texas A&M University and earned a degree in animal science.”
Shields paid his way through school, working daily at various local cattle auction barns and at the Texas A&M Vet School researching brucellosis and tending to cattle and bison.
“I later went to graduate school for feedyard management and decided to pivot to the livestock buying and marketing aspect of the cattle industry.”
With a lifetime of experience in the cattle industry, Shields values the trials and triumphs that shaped him into the industry professional he is today.
“I have a lifetime of experience in the cattle industry and to this day, the best pen of steers I ever fed lost me the most money. Those life lessons coupled with a formal cattle education have molded and shaped my career.”
“I also really enjoy the people in the industry,” he added.
In addition to his role at Capital Farm Credit, Shields has been actively involved in various industry organizations. He has served on the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo All Breeds Committee and the executive committee for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.
"I am honored to have been elected as the chairman of the Texas Beef Council," said Shields. "I look forward to working with the board of directors and the executive committee to further the mission of the Beef Checkoff in Texas and support the hardworking beef producers in our state."
TBC plays a crucial role in promoting the beef industry. Through its programs and initiatives, TBC aims to increase consumer demand for beef, enhance the industry’s image, and fund industry-leading beef safety, quality, and nutrition research.
As chairman, Shields will lead TBC in its efforts to strengthen the beef industry in Texas and ensure its long-term sustainability. His leadership and dedication to the industry make him well-suited for this new role in his career.
“Serving organizations in leadership roles is a way for me to give back to agriculture and, especially, to the beef industry. It’s a way for me to repay those individuals who have supported me throughout my career. I value being in groups of likeminded area farmers and ranchers that I can continue to learn from. My goal is to continue adding and gaining value from agricultural organizations within the industry and to make a positive impact for producers throughout Texas.”