DENVER – Animal-handling expert Temple Grandin was awarded the National Cattlemen's Beef Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award on July 31 at the Cattle Industry Summer Conference in Denver, Colo. Grandin is a world-renowned designer of livestock handling facilities, a professor of animal science at Colorado State University and one of the world's most-functioning autistics.

The HBO production titled “Temple Grandin” on her life allowed her to make many appearances in Hollywood. She said the public's curiosity about livestock handling is an opportunity for ranchers to tell their story.


"Through my public appearances for this movie, I have been in Hollywood on several occasions,” she said. “You would be surprised how interested people are in what ranchers do and how they handle and take care of their animals. This tells me we need to do a better job communicating to the public about how we take care of and manage our livestock."

Grandin has revolutionized the way U.S. cattle producers handle livestock, said Tom Field, N.C.B.A. executive director of producer education.

"Temple reminds us that the American dream is still alive," Field said. "She has reminded the world that one person really can make a difference. Beyond this industry, she has given renewed hope to autistics around the globe."