Plans are under way for MCA's Young Cattlemen's Conference on April 10, 11, & 12 in Jackson. Nominations are being taken now for producers, ages 25 to 45, who want to learn more about the beef industry and the issues facing it.

Funded by the Mississippi Cattlemen's Foundation, the conference provides attendees a view of the issues facing the beef industry from legislative matters to the challenges facing our channel marketing partners who deliver beef to the consumer.

Arriving on Thursday evening, April 10th and finish by noon Saturday, YCC will be a worthwhile event for anyone interested in the cattle business.

County associations are encouraged to nominate one of their young cattlemen to help develop leaders for the coming years.

Robert Pegues was named Outstanding Allied Industry Council member at this year's convention. Pegues represents Pfizer Animal Health and has been a longtime supporter of cattlemen's county and state activities.

Coming just two days after the passing of his wife, Sally, R.O. Buckley died Monday, February 18 at his home in Starkville. He was 90. 

For 27 years, he served as a livestock specialist with the Animal Husbandry Dept. at Miss. State University. Mr. Buckley served MCA as Executive Vice President on two occasions, first from 1970 to 72 and again from 1977 to 1986.

A charter member of both the Cattlemen's Foundation and the Sale of Junior Champions Promotion Committee, he continued to serve on the board of both organizations until his death.

How well do you know your checkoff? Without prompting, 87 percent had heard of the program, and 68 percent consider themselves somewhat or very well informed, according to a recent study by Aspen Media & Market Research, Boulder, Colo. In total, random telephone interviews were conducted with a representative sample of 1,225 beef and dairy producers nationwide between Dec. 27, 2007 and Jan. 10, 2008 to determine their awareness of, attitudes toward, and concerns about the Beef Checkoff Program.

The study found that producers continue to have very favorable attitudes toward the beef checkoff program. Currently 7 in 10 approve of the program. The results have been similar over time. In the past five years, approval rates have ranged between 68 percent and 73 percent. Producers' support for the checkoff program has been consistent over the years - during the past decade, a majority always have approved of it, with positive ratings of 60 percent or more.  

Knowledge and education about the beef checkoff continue to be predictors of favorability toward it. Producers who are "very" or "somewhat" well informed are more likely to approve of the checkoff, particularly among those who say they are very well informed. Among this group, 79 percent approve of the program (48 percent of them strongly), while only 14 percent disapprove.

John Crouch, chief executive officer of the world's largest beef breed registry and a pioneer in the performance movement, has announced his intention to retire from the American Angus Association later in the year. Crouch has served 34 years with the association.