The following are excerpted from the Hereford World article introducing the candidates for the American Hereford Association board: (see whole article here)
Dave Bielema
Michigan Hereford breeder Dave Bielema got his start in the Hereford business when his daughters began showing 4-H cattle.
Today, Grand Meadows Farm, Ada, has grown to 50 registered Hereford spring calving cows along with a dozen fall-calving recipient cows. A family operation, with no outside help, the Bielemas transfer about 30 embryos per year and have a strong AI program.
In 2009, Dave started Great Lakes Hereford Beef (GLHB) to pool Michigan Hereford-influenced feeder calves and to provide price support by selling cattle to feedlots on a grid and to offer an entry point for Michigan cattle into the Certified Hereford Beef (CHB) program. GLHB purchases the feeder calves from local breeders, and after a short backgrounding period, the cattle are hauled to a Kansas feedlot. GLHB retains half ownership and at harvest collects carcass data, which is provided back to the breeders.
The Bielemas also have a produce farm that direct markets locally grown produce to more than 100 customers. Dave is a member, as well as a previous board member, of the Michigan Hereford Association. He is also currently serving on the AHA online systems development testing committee.
Along with managing the farm- related businesses, Dave is an orthopaedic surgeon and a partner in Orthopaedic Ventures LLC.
He is and has been a member of various hospital and orthopaedic boards and committees. He’s also a partner in LFP Ventures LLC (a real estate company) and owner of Pink Truck LLC.