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CATTLEMEN’S COLUMN
CALIFORNIA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION
FAMILIAR FACE WITH NEW FOCUS REMINDS WE ARE STRONGER AS ONE
by CCA Second Vice President Sheila Bowen
It is a tremendous honor to serve as a second vice president in the California Cattlemen’s Association. I’d like to introduce myself to those of you I ‘ve not yet had the pleasure of meeting. My name is Sheila Bowen. My husband, Jeff, and I live on the Carver Bowen Ranch near Glennville, in Kern County. We met at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, when we were both ag management majors. Jeff and his sister, Cindy, manage the ranch which is a cow/calf operation headquartered in the foothills of the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains. We have four children: Pascoe Bowen (Kelly), Meghan Dresselhaus (Dan), Alicia Niesen (Justin) and Matthew Bowen (Leanne). In addition to our children and their spouses, we are blessed to have 12 grandkids that represent the 7th generation of California cowboys and cowgirls in our family tree.
“We’re Stronger Together,” could be the tagline for why I got involved in the various associations, organizations and councils in which I have served. Growing up in a family of seven kids, we all worked together on our family’s farm/ranch to get the work done. We were taught to respect, support and encouraged each other in work and in play. The idea of working together to accomplish a task was a seed that was planted at an early age. Working cattle and growing crops was a family affair that mixed work and fun to get the job done. Cooperating, learning from each other and working as a team is what led to success at the end of the day.
The same could be said for our industry. We have a number of organizations that work on behalf of cattle producers to insure that we continue to be successful. I am a member of local, state and national cattlewomen organizations. In 2015-2016 it was my great honor to serve as president of the California CattleWomen. CCW has the largest membership of any state cattlewomen organization in the nation. Our members are some of the finest women I know. As a member of American National CattleWomen, I am finishing up my second year as the chair of the board of directors. This organization has afforded me the opportunity to meet women ranchers from across the United States who are smart, hardworking and are passionate advocates for the cattle industry.
In 2017 I began serving as an alternate on the California Beef Council and sit on the board as a voting member today. Attending these meetings has given me an appreciation for all that is accomplished when we pool our dollars and set to work promoting our product. Together we accomplish so much good, none of which one rancher, feeder or dairyman could do alone.
As an alternate on the California Cattle Council (CCC), I have expanded my knowledge and skill set. This council tackles issues in ways that others cannot. It has hit the ground running despite it’s first year of operation coinciding with a pandemic. The accomplishments of the CCC have already been impactful.
The cattle ranchers I know love working outdoors while caring for the livestock and providing for their families. They appreciate each season, and each new crop of calves. Ranchers tackle the challenges they face and do not shirk from their duties.
There are times when we need to band together to face those challenges because we are stronger together and when we stand together we stand a chance.
I look forward to serving on the CCA Officer team, digging deeper into issues that affect producers, learning from our membership and offering my perspectives. May the new year be prosperous and full of blessings for you and your families.
SERVING CALIFORNIA BEEF PRODUCERS SINCE 1917
Bolded names and businesses in editorial represent only current members of the California Cattlmen’s Association or California CattleWomen, Inc. For questions about your membership status, contact the CCA office at (916) 444-0845. The California Cattleman (Publication #8-3600) is published monthly except July/August is combined by the California Cattlemen’s Association, 1221 H Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, for $20/year, or as part of the annual membership dues. All material and photos within may not be reproduced without permission from publisher. Periodical postage paid at Jefferson, Mo. Publication # 8-3600 National Advertising Group: The Cattle Connection/The Powell Group, 4162-B Carmichael Ct, Montgomery, AL 36106, (334) 271-6100. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: California Cattleman, 1221 H Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
JANUARY 2022
Volume 105, Issue 1
PERSPECTIVES
CATTLEMEN’S COLUMN
Working together
YOUR DUES DOLLARS AT WORK
2021 convention brings ranch management policies
PROGRESSIVE PRODUCER
Vernal pools are proof of beef's benefits
VET VIEWS
Hoof care from the ground up NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Who made the naughty list
CALIFORNIA CATTLE COUNCIL
Happy to help in the year ahead
BEEF AT HOME AND ABROAD
2021 was big year for beef
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SPECIAL FEATURES
105th CCA & CCW Convention Sustainability in a land-loving industry Producers of the year Hereford genetics in demand Red Angus deemed equal to Angus Red Bluff tradition continues 2021 scholarship winners 14 20 22 36 40 42 54
READER SERVICES
In Memory Buyer’s guide Ad Index 70 72 78
ON THE COVER
With the sun rising on a new year, CCA staff and officers are looking ahead to new challenges, new priorities and most of all new opportunities to advocate for all the benefits beef producers bring to the Golden State. This cover photo was taken by Anna Kucherova.
UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS
JAN. 25-29 RED BLUFF BULL & GELDING SALE
Red Bluff
FEB. 1-3 CATTLE INDUSTRY CONVENTION
Houston, Texas
FEB. 5 KLAMATH FALLS BULL SALE
Klamath Falls, Ore.
To list your group’s events here, contact the CCA office at (916) 444-0845 or e-mail magazine@calcattlemen.org.
For more than 100 years, the California Cattlemen's Association has been led by cattle producers who are dedicated to their lifestyle and to protecting it. Year after year, the leadership team at CCA has worked tirelessly to represent their fellow cattlemen and women. They travel thousands of miles up and down the state to gain perspective from local ranchers and from Sacramento to Washington, D.C., with CCA staff to lobby on behalf of the beef production community.
Together with CCA legislative staff members Billy Gatlin and Kirk Wilbur the officer team will work to formulate a game plan on how to further CCA policy and tackle the top concerns CCA members shared at the annual CCA & CCW Convetion.
With the arrival of a new calendar year, in long-standing tradition, CCA is also ringing in 2022 with a new - but not entirely different - leadership team.
At the 105th CCA & CCW Convention in Reno, Nev., John Hammon of Exeter, exited his two-year term as a second vice president and was replaced by Kern County's Sheila Bowen, Glennvillle. Bowen comes to CCA's leadership team with a great deal of experience. Not only is she ranch-raised and lives and breathes commercial cattle production, she is also past president of the the California CattleWomen, Inc., and has roles with both the California Beef Council and California Cattle Council so she is well versed on all degrees of cattle production matters.
While Bowen's election to the officer team is the only substancial change, the new year will likely bring a whole new set of challenges for very experienced offices and staff to navigate.
In his third year as a CCA officer, President Tony Toso is looking foward to completing the second half of his presidency and seeing through to completion the priorities he originally set for the organization when his tenure as the association's leader began -- namely fire suppression and mitigation. "I am very proud of the progress we have been able to make on the topic of fire. As an issue that plagues our state and our lifestyle decade after decade, I think we are finally helping lawmakers and the public see the disastrous policies that have led to mismanaged public lands in every part of our state," Toso said. "We still have a long way to go and I hope by the end of 2022 we can see as much progress on important issues as we did in 2021."
Thanks to the dedication of a long-time, committed staff and equally dedicated officers from various parts of the state, CCA operates like a well-oiled machine with each person involved having a specific area of expertise. As such, 2022 is shaping up to be productive on many fronts.
Should you wish to contact any of the leadership team or CCA staff to share your input on the direction of the beef industry or your association, your outreach is always welcomed.
2022 CCA OFFICERS
CCA PRESIDENT Tony Toso
cottoncrk@aol.com (209) 988-4468
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Steve Arnold
pozovalley@aol.com (805) 235-7840
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Trevor Freitas
trevor@mendescalfranch.com (559) 805-5431
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Sheila Bowen
sbowen1958@earthlink.net (661) 201-5572
TREASURER Beverly Bigger brbigger@sbcglobal.net (805) 340-3755
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In Memoriam: Murray Keeler Aug. 8, 1947-Oct. 18, 2020
Murray's daughter, Amanda, and the rest of his family continue to use TopLine bulls.
