US Cattle Buyers Weekly editor and publisher, Steve Kay, who writes an exclusive monthly column for Beef Central, is one of six new inductees voted into the US Meat Industry Hall of Fame.

The inductees, announced last week, come from more than 75 nominations submitted by participants across all sectors of US red meat and poultry production, processing, marketing and academia.

Mr Kay, pictured left,  has written and published CBW since its inception in 1987 and writes for numerous other publications in the US, together with Beef Central.

This year’s other new members include Patrick Boyle, president and CEO of the American Meat Institute for 25 years; Zerle Carpenter, 35 years a Professor of Animal Science at Texas A&M University; Graeme Goodsir, writer, analyst and former Canadian meat industry executive; Melvin Hunt, a professor at Kansas State University’s Animal Science and Industry department since 1975; Jim Marsden, Regents Distinguished Professor of Food Safety and Security at Kansas State University.

The six will be inducted at a Sept 13 ceremony during the US National Meat Association’s annual conference in Charleston, South Carolina.

Last year, Steve Kay was saluted separately by the American Meat Institute for his distinguished career writing on the US beef industry.

The AMI bestowed its highest honour, the Industry Advancement Award, on Mr Kay during its International Production and Processing Exposition in Georgia. Each year the AMI recognises an organisation or individual whose contributions have positively impacted on the US industry.

Past recipients of the award have included a former Secretary of Agriculture, CEOs of respected companies and industry research organisations. This week’s award marks the first time a journalist has been the recipient.

Mr Kay was raised on a beef and dairy farm in New Zealand and is a 40-year veteran of daily newspaper, weekly magazine and newsletter journalism in three countries. He founded his authoritative US Cattle Buyers Weekly publication 26 years ago.

He has been a regular visitor to Australia over the past 20 years, making presentations at national red meat processor, lotfeeder and producer gatherings, and has provided valuable editorial guidance in the evolution of Beef Central over the past three years.

Click here to view Steve Kay’s most recent Beef Central column.