CALIFORNIA CATTLE COUNCIL

NEW OPPORTUNITIES ON THE HORIZON

CATTLE COUNCIL WORKING FOR THE GOOD OF ALL CATTLE PRODUCERS

by California Cattle Council Executive Director Justin Oldfield

As we ring in the New Year, it’s wonderful to see green grass, stock ponds that are beginning to fill and a spirit of optimism. We don’t yet know what this spring will bring in terms of moisture, however it’s a comfort to know that 2021 ended with several significant storms that brought our parched state some well needed rain.

The year 2021 concluded the California Cattle Council’s second full year in operation. The Council has been extremely active working on your behalf, but we’ve certainly not been immune to the challenges we’ve all faced during the pandemic. That said, we’ve worked through those challenges to put projects in place that you can be proud of and fulfill the mission of what producers expected from us when voting to support the Cattle Council in 2019.

After all, the Cattle Council is your organization. Funds collected and dispersed signify your investment, and it is the job of your peers represented on the board and myself to ensure funds are managed and spent judiciously and responsibly. We take great pride in the responsible management of your investment which was confirmed by the thorough financial audit that was approved and released for your review on our website earlier this year. 2021 also ushered in success on issues that are important to you and California cattle producers. Working with key partners like CCA, the Cattle Council has been actively part of the effort to change the narrative on grazing, prescribed fire and other forest management tools that seek to deter catastrophic wildfire. The Cattle Council launched a robust and comprehensive public affairs campaign in the spring and again in the fall calling attention to the role grazing and prescribed fire play in reducing fuels, promoting fire resilient landscapes and improving the overall health of our range and forest lands. You may have heard the campaign on the radio or seen the ads or videos online and on social media. If you didn’t see the ads, rest assured the Cattle Council spent significant resources behind the campaign. Ranchers are not our targeted audiences. Our resources are directed to bringing the important messages embedded in our campaigns to Californians that need to hear the message the most.

That said, it’s also important you understand where your money is being spent. The ongoing pandemic has made it difficult to bring updates to you in person at local county meetings or industry events. To ensure you stay informed, the Cattle Council revamped our website this year to include information about our campaigns, projects, research, etc. all in a central location so you can stay up-todate on our work and your investment. You can also sign up to receive a monthly newsletter that is put out by the Council via email.

In addition to wildfire, the Council launched campaigns on taxes, the drought, climate and funded a series of research projects that directly benefit cattle producers. Building working partnerships also remains a fundamental objective for the Cattle Council. For example, the Cattle Council partnered with the Cattlemen’s Foundation to bring you the Rancher Technical Assistance Program. Funding by the Cattle Council also made it possible the Cattlemen’s Foundation to hire a policy advocate to represent you directly on key regulatory issues that impact your bottom line.

Projects administered through key partnerships allow the Cattle Council to keep administrative costs to a minimum which was a promise made during the campaign and one we’ve kept. The Cattle Council ensures project objectives are met by our partners and measure the success of the work that was completed to determine the possibility for future funding. In other words, our partners are equally held to a high standard with regards to the use of Council funds. Your expectation for the Cattle Council to perform always remains at the top of our minds.

I’m excited for what 2022 will bring for the Cattle Council. As always, all our meetings are open to the public and are posted on our website. We encourage your attendance and participation so please join us. It’s my hope to see you on the road or at a local meeting soon! Happy New Year!

CCW, cbc recognize 2021 walt rodman award winners

The California CattleWomen, Inc., and California Beef Council are were proud of all the beef promotion work that has been done by units over the past year and after a less than usual event in 2020, made sure the 2021 award-winners go the fanfare they were due in want to recognizing the annual Walt Rodman Award recipients.

The Walt Rodman Award is given annually to CCW units who demonstrate exemptional projects for beef promotion in their local communities.

For the 2021 Walt Rodman competition, there were three winners based on unit membership, three runners-up and five honorable mentions. The California Beef Council sponsors the annual competition as a way to honor and highlight the excellent beef promotion work done by California CattleWomen units on a local level throughout the year. Now in its 40th year, the contest is named after Walt Rodman, one of the CBC’s first executive directors, and is designed to reward the efforts of CattleWomen to share the beef community’s story in creative and unique ways. Each year, the CCW units put their imaginations to work to come up with some truly inspirational beef promotion projects. This year was no exception.

First place winners receive $400 from the CBC, runners-up receive $200 and honorable mentions receive $50. Congratulations to this year’s winners!

WINNERS 1-49 members

1st Place: Shasta County CattleWomen 2nd Place: San Joaquin-Stanislaus CattleWomen

50-69 members

1st Place: Tulare County CattleWomen 2nd Place: Lassen County CattleWomen

70 or more members

1st Place: Tehama County CattleWomen 2nd Place: Siskiyou County CattleWomen

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Following the unique challenges of year of 2020 CCW members were truly ready for 2021 and came out swinging on behalf of the common passion they all share – beef promotion. These challenging times for our organization have also been of a great learning time for our members. 2021 was another historic year for CCW as another unit was formed from the eastern side of the Sierras. The Inyo/ Mono Cattlewomen bring CCW to a total of 31 units statewide.

The annual Powder River Raffle was a great success for the counties and the California CattleWomen. The winner of the Powder River Raffle was JJ Hawkins of Fiddletown. The ticket sales continue to increase as the fundraiser grows each year. A big thank you goes to Cody Hayes, Matt Johnson and the Powder River team. An extended thank you goes to the following dealers: JSC; Evan’s Feed & Livestock Inc.,: Higby’s Country Feed; Hawes Ranch & Farm Supply, Inc., – Red Bluff; and Conlin Supply.

The state membership contest awards were sponsored by John and Dee Lacey of Lacey Livestock. The contest is based on those membership collected during the fiscal year November 1-October 31. Other awards given in 2021 are listed to the right.

2021 Ag In The Classroom Contests All Star Reader

1st place - Jeri Roen, Inyo/Mono CattleWomen; 2nd place - Caroline Luiz, Siskiyou CattleWomen

Ag Star Six groups met with students either virtually or in person in 2021 - reaching over 18,000 students! 1st place - San Joaquin-Stanislaus CattleWomen 2nd place - Mid Valley Cowbelles 3rd place - Amador/Sacramento/El Dorado CattleWomen Elanco Beef Promotion Awards

1st place: Tulare CattleWomen 2nd place: San Joaquin-Stanislaus CattleWomen 3rd place: Siskiyou County CattleWomen 2021 Scrapbook Awards

Unit Overall Elanco Beef Promotion & ED. Book (under 50 members) 1st place: San Joaquin-Stanislaus CattleWomen 2nd place: Placer-Nevada CattleWomen

Unit Overall Elanco Beef Promotion & ED. Book ( 51 to 100 members) San Diego County CowBelles Unit Overall Elanco Beef Promotion & ED. Book (over 101 members) 1st place - Siskiyou County Cattlewomen 2nd place - San Luis Obispo County Cattlewomen

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Unit Publicity Tools - Newsletter 1st place - Tehama County CattleWomen 2nd place -Siskiyou County CattleWomen

Member Entries: 1st place - Cattlewomen Scrapbook Layout "Anatomy of A Scholarship Barn Quilt 2003" - Dee Killam, Placer-Nevada CattleWomen

Membership Awards

(sponsored by John & Dee Lacey) Units 1-50 members: Madera CattleWomen Unit 51-100 members: Alameda CattleWomen Unit 101-150 members: Santa Barbara CattleWomen Unit 151+ members: Siskiyou CattleWomen