Sandra Gruber is currently working on her Ph.D. program at the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University, where she also received her master's degree. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science from The Ohio State University. Sandra's research focuses on identifying factors that influence beef tenderness. Following completion of her graduate program, her goal is to actively contribute to the improvement of the beef industry by establishing an industry-recognized research program and have meaningful interaction with undergraduate students.

Dale Woerner is also a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University. He received both his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Animal Science from Texas Tech University. Dale's research interests include red meat quality, shelf-life stability, instrument prediction of red meat yields, and red meat safety. He recently led the team that developed the Beef Cutout Calculator, a web-based tool developed for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

W.D. Farr was president of the National Cattlemen's Association in 1970, and was the first president of the National Cattlemen's Foundation. His career in agriculture has spanned 75 years, including innovations in cattle feeding, uniform beef grading, water conservation and management, and banking and finance.

Response to the W.D. Farr Graduate Scholarship Program has been outstanding, with 29 applications from 16 universities across the country - including two international applicants. Contributions to the scholarship fund total over $200,000 with fundraising efforts pursuing additional dollars to support more young scholars in our industry.

�We are very pleased to honor W.D. Farr and his life's work in agriculture, while assisting young people who exemplify his drive and vision,� said Bob Josserand, chairman of the NCF Board of Trustees.