Annual OCA Awards
OCA Award Nominations
NOMINATIONS DUE SEPTEMBER 1 AND ARE PRESENTED AT THE OCA ANNUAL MEETING & AWARDS BANQUET THE FOLLOWING JANUARY
The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) is seeking nominations for cattlemen across the Buckeye state excelling in their operations. There are seven distinguished awards available in the following categories: Environmental Stewardship, Commercial Producer, Young Cattleman, Seedstock Producer, Industry Service, Industry Excellence and Outstanding County. Nominations are due by September 1. Fellow industry leaders, county cattlemen’s associations, soil and water conservation districts and other local agricultural organizations are encouraged to nominate local cattlemen deserving of any of the above mentioned awards.
Award Categories
INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE AWARD
The Excellence Award is presented to beef producers who have worked over a period of years for the betterment of Ohio’s beef industry. Recipients are those that have contributed as a volunteer/leader to the success of the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association and/or through their individual cattle operations have been trailblazers for the beef industry creating new paths for other beef producers to follow.
INDUSTRY SERVICE AWARD
The Service Award is presented to those who have through their careers contributed to the betterment of Ohio’s beef industry. Recipients may or may not also be beef producers. The award is presented for efforts made outside, but complementary to beef production. Recipients of the award are selected based on actions they have taken through their career in academia, Extension, government, agri-business, etc. that have benefited the beef industry.
YOUNG CATTLEMAN OF THE YEAR
The Young Cattleman of the Year Award is presented to individuals or couples, typically under 40 years of age, who have demonstrated the initial stages of a successful beef operation and exhibited leadership potential. The recipient is also the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association’s automatic nominee (if available) to participate in the NCBA Young Cattlemen’s Conference.
OCA SEEDSTOCK PRODUCER OF THE YEAR AWARD
The Seedstock Producer of the Year Award is presented to Ohio farms who have demonstrated breeding success through their registered cattle operations. These farms utilize performance information and the latest technologies available to increase the predictability of the cattle they raise as breeding stock for others, in addition to maintaining a continued focus on meeting and exceeding the expectations of beef consumers.
COMMERCIAL CATTLEMAN OF THE YEAR
The Commercial Cattleman of the Year Award is presented to Ohio farms who have demonstrated success through their commercial cattle operations. These farms utilize performance information and the latest technologies available to increase the predictability of the cattle they raise, in addition to maintaining a continued focus on meeting and exceeding the expectations of beef consumers. The award is traditionally presented to cow-calf operations, but may also include feeders who feed the cattle they produce.
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARD
The Environmental Stewardship Award is presented to Ohio farms who have demonstrated a strong commitment to being good stewards of their land, water and air resources, as well as their livestock and operate their farms in a sustainable manner. Recipients implement beef practices to control water run-off, reduce damage in high-traffic feeding/watering areas, exercise good pasture management, preserve woodlands, and provide for wildlife. They often partner with government entities, such as Soil & Water Conservation Districts and the USDA NRCS to implement conservation measures.
OUTSTANDING COUNTY AWARD
The Outstanding County award is OCA's opportunity to recognize the outstanding achievement, industry education and consumer promotion efforts of counties from across the state. Activities, participation in OCA events, communication efforts, support of industry youth and a cohesive partnership are all areas of focus for award recognition.
2023 Award Winners
Environmental Stewardship Award
Commercial Cattleman of the Year
Fannin Ag of washington courthouse , Ohio
Sponsored by Burkman Nutrition & Unidted producers inc.
Industry Excellence Award
R&C Packing of Bidwell, Ohio
Sponsored by Gallia County Cattlemen's Association
Industry Service Award
United Producers, Inc. of Columbus, OHio
Sponsored by The hartford
Mike Bumgarner serves as CEO for United Producers, Inc. The company’s role in the livestock industry is to provide a service menu of solutions for livestock producers, whether it is marketing, credit, or risk management. As a cooperative with a farmer-led board of directors, United Producers, Inc. advocates for their members through all of their various issues and helps them to find solutions. Their main goal is to provide opportunities for producers, as well as remove obstacles that could potentially prohibit them from being able to be successful.
Outstanding County Award
Muskingum County Cattlemen's Association
Sponsored by Ohio Corn & Wheat
The Muskingum County Cattlemen’s Association is led by president Clay Scott. The county association focuses on youth development activities, as well as events that help promote their association and allow them to give back to their community. The events they host are led by board members and focus on the beef industry. Previous events hosted by the association include the Muskingum County Fall Classic show which would bring in around 150-200 head every year. At their county fair, they have a steak stand where they sell ribeyes and raise money to give back to the youth. They also cook at graduation parties and golf outings as another fundraiser for their association. This past year they partnered with OSU Extension on their Beef Tour Day and cooked lunch for participants during their BQA training.
Seedstock Producer of the Year
CedAR LANE FARMS of cedarville, Ohio
Sponsored by OHIO SHORTHORN BREEDERS' ASSOCIATION
Young Cattleman of the Year
IAN BRINKER of frazysburg, Ohio
Sponsored by uNITED pRODUCERS, iNC.