NETBIO Awards Scholarships

NETBIO scholarship winners and CEO

Cattle producers and buyers attending the Northeast Texas Beef Improvement Organization (NETBIO) cattle sale at the Sulphur Springs Livestock Auction Friday witnessed the presentation of college scholarships to students majoring in agriculture.

NETBIO awards these scholarships each year to young college students from the Northeast Texas area that are interested in completing their degrees and returning to practice their agriculture-related trades. The scholarships were established in Veterinarian J. D. Norris and cattleman Jim Jacobs names, both of whom were instrumental in organizing NETBIO.

NETBIO CEO Kregg Slakey presented the $1,500 scholarships and introduced the recipients to the livestock sale audience. Slakey is the new CEO, just taking over this month from retiring CEO Dwyatt Bell, who has held the office since NETBIO was established in 1996.
Receiving the J.D. Norris scholarship was Lauren Labay of Altair, Texas, a first-year student in the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Receiving the Jim Jacobs NETBIO scholarships were Haley Byrd of Daingerfield, a sophomore Ag Leadership and Communications major at Texas A&M-Commerce; Kelley Smith of Sulphur Springs, who is seeking a Master’s Degree in Ag Science from A&M-Commerce; and Ann-Marie Robinson of Seagoville, working on her masters in agriculture at A&M-Commerce.

Slakey said NETBIO members are proud of the young people seeking agriculture degrees and glad that through these scholarships NETBIO members/producers can help them attain their dream.

NETBIO was organized to promote pre-conditioned stocker and feeder calf production and to hold sales offering producers the opportunity to sell their cattle in truckload lots. Eight sales are held each year in Sulphur Springs.

To receive a brochure and additional information about the organization and upcoming sales, call 903-885-2455.