(MARYSVILLE, Ohio) – Ohio beef producers and industry leaders met to develop policy, award scholarships, learn about consumer preferences and demands, and celebrate the many achievements of cattlemen at the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet, Jan. 11, 2020, at the Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center in Lewis Center, Ohio.
More than 300 people attended the event. In addition to the annual meeting and evening banquet, there were progressive meetings and several youth opportunities throughout the day. Sponsors who contributed to the event’s success include Alltech, Murphy Tractor & Equipment Company, Linde’s Livestock Photos, Heartland Bank, Ohio Association of Meat Processors, Saunders Insurance, and CompManagement.
The day featured youth opportunities sponsored by Linde’s
Livestock Photos, including the Youth Beef Quiz Bowl and a beef quality
assurance session. Nearly 30 youth participated in the quiz bowl. The winners
were as follows: 1st place - Barn Burners: Austin Sutherly, Carly
Sanders, Sydney Sanders, and Tyler Michael, 2nd place - Bovine
Brainiacs Aly Simpson, Jacob LeBrun, Asa Minton, and Tatumn Poff, 3rd
place - Cow Punchers: Lara Rittenhouse, Lexi Rittenhouse, Dawson Osborn, and
Wyatt Osborn, 4th place - Clark County Cavaliers: Tyler Novak, Matt
Hamilton, Madison Boules, Brock Fox, and 5th place- Team 3: Tyler
Legge Bobo, Lily Dennis, Courtney Hamilton, and Paige Phillips.
28 scholarships were presented to outstanding youth
during the Ohio Cattlemen’s Foundation annual meeting. Mary Baker, Wayne
County; Dalton Black, Adams County; Kady Davis, Carroll County; Josh Dickson,
Licking County; Abbiegail Greer, Stark County; Lana Grover, Highland County;
Sarah Jarvis, Columbiana County; Kinley Kreis, Muskingum County; Danielle
Leeper, Union County; Meredith Oglesby, Highland County; McKayla Raines, Adams
County and Evan Smith, Fairfield County, received the $1,000 Cattlemen’s Gala
scholarship, funded by the 2019 event.
Allison Davis, Carroll County; Keri Felumlee, Licking County; Luke McKee, Knox County and Hannah Sykes, Ross County were awarded $1,000 Tagged for Greatness Scholarships, which are funded with the sales of the Ohio Beef license plate. Taylor Ayars, Madison County; Andrea Esselburn, Wayne County; Nolan Newman, Adams County and Katelyn Summe, Butler County, each received a $1,000 Cattlemen’s Country Club Scholarship, which was funded by the putt-putt course at the 2019 Ohio State Fair. Desirae Logsdon, Fairfield County, was awarded the $1,000 Noah Cox Memorial Scholarship. Sarah Millikan, Henry County, was awarded the $1,000 William Cleland Memorial scholarship. Chelsea Graham, Licking County, was award the $1,000 Julie Regula Memorial Scholarship. Caroline Blay, Portage County, was awarded the Saltwell Expo scholarship, funded by the Saltwell Western Store and Ohio Beef Expo, that will be presented at the 2020 Ohio Beef Expo in March.
Abbygail Pitstick, Kady Davis, and Chelsea Graham were awarded scholarships from the Ohio CattleWomen.
During the annual meeting, Ohio cattlemen heard from Ethan
Lane, Vice President of Government Affairs with the National Cattlemen’s Beef
Association (NCBA) and Janelle Mead, CEO of the Ohio Federation of Soil and
Water Conservation Districts. Pam Haley, an OCA Board of Directors member from
West Salem, Ohio, coordinated the policy development portion of the meeting.
These resolutions covered a broad range including cattle health and well-being,
property rights, environmental management, and membership.
In addition, OCA’s Membership Committee recognized the
members of OCA’s Top Hand Recruiting Club. Purina Animal Nutrition and Quality
Liquid Feed sponsored the awards. The top OCA membership recruiter for 2019 was
Frank Phelps, Logan County, with 30 new members.
During a luncheon, attendees had the opportunity to
listen to Mark Gardiner, president of Gardiner Angus Ranch in Ashland, Kansas. OCA
members and guests gathered in the evening for the banquet to celebrate another
successful year. NCBA’s Lane emphasized the importance of OCA and NCBA
membership while discussing the work being done toward trade deals. The banquet
concluded with OCA presenting seven prestigious awards to deserving cattlemen
and supporters of Ohio’s beef industry.
Fred Voge and Voge Farms, West Alexandria, Ohio – Commercial Producer of the Year; Haley Farms, West Salem, Ohio – Seedstock Producers of the Year; Luke Vollborn, Bidwell, Ohio – Young Cattleman of the Year; Heffelfinger Meats, Jeromesville, Ohio – Industry Service; ST Genetics, South Charleston, Ohio – Environmental Stewardship; Roger Thompson, New Albany, Ohio – Industry Excellence; and Shelby County Cattlemen’s Association- Outstanding County Association.
Awards in these categories were sponsored by the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, Farm and Dairy, Ohio Farmer, Ohio’s Country Journal, In Ohio Country Today and Brownfield Ag News, respectively.
Award videos were sponsored by Centerra Cooperative, Crawford County Cattlemen’s Association, Burkmann Nutrition, Ohio Angus Association, Ohio Corn Marketing Program, Ohio Beef Council, Union Stock Yards, and Muskingum Livestock Sales Company.
Click here for individual press releases and award winner videos.
The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association is a non-profit membership organization that represents the business interests and way of life important to farm families that raise cattle. It serves as the voice and issues manager for all of Ohio’s beef cattle business including cattle breeders, producers and feeders. It is the beef industry’s grassroots policy development organization and is an affiliate of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association strives to maintain profitability and growth of Ohio's beef industry, while providing consumers with safe and wholesome beef.