DeAnne Maples of Florida Beef Council: Women Who Move The City
Meet DeAnne Maples, Director of Beef Marketing and Promotion.
DEANNE MAPLES
Director of Beef Marketing and Promotion | Florida Beef Council
DeAnne Maples considers herself to be among the lucky. “I love what I do,” says Maples. “I work for the best people – beef farmers and ranchers. Cattle ranching is Florida’s oldest industry and I’m honored to play a role in sharing that story.”
Born and raised in New Smyrna Beach, Central Florida has always been home for DeAnne, and raising and showing cattle was a large part of her young life. She is a graduate of the University of Central Florida. Her passion
for agriculture led her to the Florida Beef Council where she serves as a spokesperson for Florida’s 15,000 beef producers, and oversees the marketing and promotion of beef, on their behalf, through the management of the Beef Checkoff , a national producer funded program established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill.
“Home to 1.6M head of cattle, some of America’s largest cattle ranches are in the sunshine state,” says Maples. “People always seem surprised when I say that, but it’s true. It is a longstanding tradition that began in 1521 when Spanish explorers brought the first cattle to North America and landed in what is now Florida. Those cattle, whose descendants still roam ranch lands across our state, marked the beginning of the cattle industry in the United States. And the beginning of the cowboy.”
DeAnne enjoys the everchanging landscape of her office. Some days fi nd her training chefs or educating physicians about beef’s nutrition, versatility, and sustainability, while other days are spent on ranches introducing new friends to the beauty of Florida’s open spaces where cattle freely graze, and wildlife coexist. DeAnne enjoys mentoring young people pursuing careers in agriculture and serves on the Florida Agriculture in the Classroom board. She is also a member of Florida CattleWomen. While she does enjoy her career and many volunteer activities, DeAnne’s favorite role is being a mother to her three cool kids – two sons and one daughter – who jokingly refer to their mom as the “beef queen.” “We all have a good laugh each time they say that, but I do hope my children will make a career out of something they enjoy just as I’ve been able to do,” says Maples. “It’s a great feeling to work at something you believe in.”
