New northwest Iowa beef specialist brings experience and enthusiasm to the job
8/6/26
AMES, Iowa – As the incoming extension beef specialist in northwest Iowa, Lauryn Smidt was ready to start meeting with people and learning the ropes of this new-to-her position. She probably didn’t realize how true that would be. Her July 13 start date was right in the middle of county fair season, and she spent much of the first few weeks visiting the fairs in her area and meeting extension staff and volunteers at each one.
Smidt is based in the Sioux County Iowa State University Extension and Outreach county office in Orange City, and looks forward to working with producers and the beef community. She said her research and educational background will benefit her program here.
“I completed my B.S. in Animal Science at North Dakota State University and my M.S. in Ruminant Nutrition at the University of Nebraska—Lincoln,” she said. “At Nebraska, I was trained in feedlot nutrition and assisted with many different research projects at their large research feedlot. Those opportunities with finishing, growing, and grazing projects help me better understand the various aspects that go into getting the animal to its final finishing phase.”
Her personal experience adds another dimension to her qualifications and led to her interest in Extension work.
“I am originally from Pipestone, MN and grew up on a small farm, where my family has a commercial cow-calf operation and a small feedlot of beef x dairy steers,” she said. “I was heavily involved in my family's operation, and I showed steers and dairy heifers in 4-H and was also involved in FFA.”
Smidt said she enjoys getting out and talking to producers and helping them learn how they can improve their operation, and she looks forward to even more interaction with those in her area
“As a beef specialist, I help deliver research-based education by putting on different conferences throughout the year,” she said. “I’ll also collaborate with different members of the community or extension in my area to promote engagement and answer any questions someone might have.”
You can reach Smidt by email at lsmidt@iastate.edu, cell phone at 507-215-6132, or through the Sioux County office phone at 712-737-4230.
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The Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University was established in 1996 with the goal of supporting the growth and vitality of the state’s beef cattle industry. It comprises faculty and staff from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and College of Veterinary Medicine, and works to develop and deliver the latest research-based information regarding the beef cattle industry. For more information about IBC, visit www.iowabeefcenter.org.
Contact:
Lauryn Smidt, ISU Extension and Outreach beef specialist, 507-215-6132, lsmidt@iastate.edu
