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When I wrote my first President’s letter of the year to membership I spoke of change. When I wrote it, that letter I had no idea of the number of changes coming at us. At the time we were facing increasing input cost and a slight erosion in demand for beef. Now is the year is coming to a close more changes have come. Record fuel, feed and fertilizer rocked us this spring and summer. No falling commodity prices are lowering the return we receive this fall and winter on commercial calves, replacement females and bulls as herds shrink. Then in September we learned of a genetic defect that affects a number of the popular sires in our breed.
Restating my comments from February, how we deal with change or don’t deal with it, will make an impact on all our Angus herds.
I want to congratulate Tom Huls and his committee for getting our “Share the Success” sale restated after taking a year off. We also have a new national officer from our ranks – Michelle Rieff was elected the new President of the American Angus Auxillary. The accolades keep coming, Haley Rieff was awarded the Barbara Smalstig Outstanding Leadership Award.
If you have not visited our website lately, www.arkangus.com, do so. It is updated and now has classified ads. If you want to place one, contact Camille Alstadt.
I look forward to seeing each of you at the Annual Arkansas Angus Association Meeting followed by our Awards Banquet on Saturday, January 10th in Fort Smith. Contact Steve Flickinger for reservations. He has arranged a great meal and speakers. Remember to come for the meeting as we will be electing officers and directors.
Sincerely,
H. Lawson Hembree |
