Black Hills Stock Show, Cattle Industry Panel Bring Ranch Group Large Success

For Immediate Release: February 11, 2022

Contact: R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard

Phone: 406-252-2516; r-calfusa@r-calfusa.com

 

Click here to view photos from the Black Hills Stock Show.

 

Rapid City, S.Dak.- The Black Hills Stock Show has a history of being a largely successful event for R-CALF USA, and the 2022 event proved its success once again.

R-CALF USA and its South Dakota state affiliate, the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association (SDSGA), shared a booth over the course of the 10-day stock show as they have for the past 20 years.

The 64^th Annual Black Hills Stock Show allowed numerous R-CALF USA members and friends from South Dakota and surrounding states to gather at the booth. This included visits from South Dakota Senators Mike Rounds and John Thune, as well as members of the R-CALF USA Board of Directors and Committee Chairs: Brett Kenzy, President and Region III Director; Eric Nelson, Vice President and Region VII Director; Eric Gropper, Tribal Regions Director; Judy McCullough, Region II Director; Vaughn Meyer, SDSGA President and Checkoff Committee Chair; Kenny Fox, Animal ID Committee Chair; and Bill Kluck, Sheep Committee Chair.

“The stock show is such a great event to visit and connect with our members from across the Midwest – and even Washington! It gives us a fantastic opportunity to catch up and discuss the current issues of our industry,” said Kenzy.

“This was another exceptional year of cooperation between R-CALF USA and the Stockgrowers (SDSGA) in our booth at the stock show. The crowds were excellent, and we had a lot of really great conversations with cattle producers,” said Meyer.

Jaiden Moreland, R-CALF USA Marketing Coordinator, and Karina Jones, R-CALF USA Field Director, reported strong growth in membership and cattle industry relationships resulting from the event.

“The booth stayed busy all week and we were able to meet with so many Midwest cattle producers,” said Moreland. “We sold lots of memberships and saddle raffle tickets, but also saw lots of familiar faces and built some great new industry relationships!”

“The week at the stock show was tremendous. The conversations with the cattle producers were motivating and are what will drive us forward,” Jones said.

“Another highlight was having Senator Mike Rounds stop by our booth. My conversation with him left me confident that he is committed to seeing the American Beef Labeling Act over the finish line and into law!”

Early last week Jones represented R-CALF USA on the first-ever Black Hills Stock Show “Need for Unity in the Cattle Industry” panel alongside representatives from other cattle industry associations, an event that piqued the interest of many stock show goers, drawing a large crowd.

The panel spoke to current issues affecting the cattle industry including mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL), the Beef Checkoff, competition, and legislative activity as applied to each organization’s policy.

“Unity starts with having the courage to climb on a stage and stand by your group’s policy. We need to see a lot more of this,” said Kenzy.

“R-CALF presented itself extremely well in representing America’s family ranchers,” Meyer said. “It was great to see so many producers come out to participate.”

“The panel situations are a great opportunity to get the conversation out in the open. In fact, more of these scenarios need to take place across the country,” Jones said.

“No more closed-door meetings. Cattle producers don’t trust those secret meetings. If we are demanding transparency in our markets, we need to demand it from our cattle trade associations,” she said adding, “I challenge others to organize these producer panels in their area.”

The booth showcased the annual hand-made saddle by Baxter Badure, from Belvidere, S.Dak., and the saddle rack made by Leroy Wicks, from Dupree, S.Dak. The 2022 Saddle Raffle will take place at the R-CALF USA national convention Aug. 18 and 19 in Deadwood, S.Dak. Raffle tickets can be purchased at Fort Pierre Livestock Auction in Fort Pierre, S.Dak.; at the R-CALF USA national office at (406) 252-2516; or at the R-CALF USA national convention.

Members of the R-CALF USA Calendar Committee were also on hand selling brands and business card slots for the upcoming 2023 calendar fundraiser. Brand and business card spots are still available for purchase. Contact Theresa Fox at (605) 255-4614 or tkatherinefox@hotmail.com, or Delia Johnson at (605) 255-4697 or the7xranch@live.com for more information.

“R-CALF USA looks forward to the Black Hills Stock Show for years to come,” said Moreland. “Welcome to all of our new members, welcome back to all renewed members, and thank you to all those who supported R-CALF USA at the 2022 Black Hills Stock Show!”

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R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) is the largest producer-only cattle trade association in the United States. It is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. For more information, visit www.r-calfusa.com or call 406-252-2516.