Johnny Smith, Region III Director
North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska

Johnny Smith passed away Saturday (May 7).  Johnny spent his every waking minute fighting to improve his beloved cattle industry and he was an unparalleled supporter of R-CALF USA.  Few leaders ever demonstrate the courage to stand rock-solid in the face of overwhelming opposition as did Johnny – on nearly a daily basis – to improve conditions for cattle ranchers and farmers in his own state of South Dakota and throughout the nation. Johnny will be sorely missed by all of us. We will provide more information as it becomes available.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Johnny, his family and his friends. 

The arrangements described below for Johnny have been confirmed.  Cards and Letters can be sent to: 

Johnny Smith Family
P.O. Box 336
Ft. Pierre, SD 57532 

Funeral Services are being handled by the Isburg Funeral Home:

Isburg Funeral Home
439 S Pierre St.
Pierre, SD  57501
605-224-8836

The arrangements for Johnny Smith include a prayer service at Fort Pierre Livestock Auction at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday and funeral services at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday at the Cases Tibbs Rodeo Center in Ft. Pierre.

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Johnny Smith of Fort Pierre, S.D., is best known for Fort Pierre Livestock Auction, along with his partners of 22 years, Dennis Hanson and Willy Cowan.  Smith was born in Presho and raised south of Fort Pierre, calling this area of South Dakota home.

Smith has been in the cattle business for over 40 years with two of his three brothers and also raises registered quarter horses.  Smith is past president of the South Dakota Livestock Auction Market Association and now serves on the Beef Industry Council.  He was active in supporting the cattle industry and fighting packer concentration long before R-CALF USA took up the fight, trying to keep producers on the land.  Back in 1994, when big business was eliminating his sale barn customers, he started talking on his market report radio program about the unfair practices in the livestock industry.  He was joined in exposing the bad players with Herman Schumacher, Leo McDonnell, Kathleen Kelley, and Mike Callicrate.  Smith was a main plaintiff in the Tyson v. Pickett case and exceeds most others in fundraising and adding members to R-CALF USA’s ranks.

Smith believes the most important thing for R-CALF USA to do now would be to keep the border closed to imports and use our beef to take care of our meat demands.

As a director, Smith would listen to members and help them to the best of his ability to promote the greatest industry in the world – the U.S. cattle industry.  Smith would work very hard for a fair playing field and promoting price discovery at its finest, and keep a fair and competitive market.

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                            This page was last updated on Wednesday, October 12, 2011.