Convention Recap
We are excited to announce that our 66th Annual Convention & Trade Show was a success! We had an educational and entertaining event with the opportunity to learn from industry experts, network with fellow producers, conduct ACA business, and recognize members.
Over 40 counties were recognized as 110% counties and over 30 members were inducted into the Top Hand Club. Our educational programs included a market and weather outlook, tick-borne diseases, improving cattle management, direct-to-consumer marketing, herd health, creating a century farm, and a producer profitability panel. These educational program presentations are available at the links below.
Thank you does not seem adequate, but it's a great place to start. We're grateful to every attendee, vendor, and sponsor for helping us make the ACA Convention a success! A full convention overview will be available in your September issue of the Arkansas Cattle Business magazine. Below is a spotlight of our award recipients.
Arkansas Cattlemen's Producer of the Year Recipient
The winner of this year’s inaugural Producer of the Year is Jim Moore of Moore Cattle Company, in Franklin County.
Jim has been a pivotal figure in the cattle industry, earning the prestigious 2017 CAB® Commitment to Excellence Award for Commercial Producers. He shared his expertise as a panelist at the American Angus Convention and as a speaker at various conferences, including the Arkansas River Valley Beef Conference and the Arkansas Extension Conference, where he discussed the use of DNA testing for replacement heifers. Jim has also hosted the Western Livestock Journal Osage Tour and the Arkansas Young Cattlemen's programs while serving on multiple fair boards and mentoring youth in sports and agriculture for over 30 years.
Producer Educator of the Year Recipient
Meg Harrington BS, CVT, VTS (PAIM) is a veterinary technician specialist who specializes in livestock consulting and production animal care for Nashville Animal Hospital located in Nashville, Arkansas.
Meg, her husband Cody, and daughter Hadley run a herd of registered SimAngus cattle on their ranch in Sheridan, AR. Meg has a strong desire to educate and develop herd health programs specific to the needs of their producers through risk assessment and disease surveillance, in addition to helping them see the economic benefit of utilizing certain products to boost production through weight gain, increased reproductive performance, and facilitate ways to decrease morbidity and mortality in high-risk cattle. Meg advocates for keeping production animals healthy, our food supply safe, and America fed.
Aubrey Blackmon Lifetime Service Award Recipient
This year's Aubrey Blackmon Lifetime Service Award winner was Ron Carter of Independence/Jackson Counties!
Ron has recruited thousands of members to join the Association and has been a Top Hand and Century Award recipient more than 20 times.
He has served at the county and state level as an officer and committee chair and raises cattle on land that has been in his family since 1852. Ron runs cattle on his family's original homesteaded farm and assists his sons with their operations. Most years, he bales around 2,000 round bales. Despite his busy schedule, Ron always finds time for family activities. He loves spending time at the lake and rarely misses his grandkids' ballgames or any event they are involved in.
County Officers' Guidebook
We are pleased to announce that we are creating a county officers' guidebook to help our counties better lead their associations. While we are still in the drafting stage, we encourage you to reach out to us and ask for a first draft copy and provide feedback on the information provided. The goal of these guidebooks is to share what has worked well for counties in the past and help answer and address common concerns and questions.
For more information or your draft copy call our office at 501-224-2114.
Cattlemen's Choice Replacement Heifer Pen Show
The purpose of the Cattlemen's Choice Replacement Heifer Pen Show is to highlight the very best of the Arkansas replacement cattle herd. This show is meant to encourage the livestock youth of Arkansas to be actively engaged in production practices of beef cattle husbandry and genetic evaluation and selection of quality replacement heifers.
Deadlines:
ACA Registration Deadline: Extended (Register here)
State Fair Entry Deadline: Early Fall
Both registrations must be completed to participate in the show. More information, details, and rules can be found on our website.
Final Membership Numbers for 2024 and Looking Forward to 2025 Membership Drive
The ACA ended the 2024 membership year with a net growth of 700 members, compared to 2023. We also had 43 county associations that reached 110% of last year's numbers and 30 members inducted into the Top Hand program. This is an exciting accomplishment and we want to continue that growth and excitement going into 2025.
Throughout the last year and a half, the Executive Committee tasked the Revenue Committee with looking at where the ACA was financially and finding ways to increase our stability and sustainability for the future. Action was taken at the 2024 General Membership Meeting, held in conjunction with the 66th Annual Convention & Trade Show, to increase the active membership price for 2025.
The membership voted to increase the active member dues to $100 with $15 going back to counties, along with adding a $50 collegiate level; they voted that these changes would take effect on August 1, 2024.
As the first active member dues increase in 15 years, it was not one that the membership made lightly, it has been debated and discussed throughout the last few months. There will be more information, including updated pamphlets, receipt books, and recruitment materials made available to you as soon as possible. We are grateful for every single person who attended the membership meeting and made their voice heard. That is the true purpose of a grassroots organization.
The ACA was started 65 years ago to help make sure cattle producers are successful and the ACA is working harder than ever to make sure your operation succeeds. Please know that you are a very important part of the ACA, and it is only with your continued help and support that your association will continue to be the bell cow for our industry.
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