MAINE-ANJOU Headquarters

M. BLAKE NELSON EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Greetings,

Summer has flown by and the state shows and fall sales are knocking at the door. The National Junior Heifer Show (NJHS) was a successful event due to the hard work of many, we had families and kids from over 27 states join us in Grand Island. This year we had 654 exhibitors entered with an unprecedented 320 being first time exhibitors. This event is one of the major highlights for the American Maine-Anjou Association (AMAA) each year. It supplies an educational opportunity for our future leaders and showcases some of the best cattle that Maine-Anjou has to offer.

The Maine-Anjou Herdsman Group had another phenomenal year raising money to support scholarships for our junior members. This group is led by Brett Carter and they have given over $215,000 in scholarships to AJMAA youth since 2012. Thank you to the Herdsmen and to all of you that have supported our youth! After leaving this event I feel both motivated and very blessed by the loyal members that have and are investing in our breed, thank you!

The momentum is strong, and I feel like the future is only getting brighter for Maine- Anjou. The interest continues to grow and cattleman are starting to investigate what we have to offer. The cattle business is poised to see prices at an all-time high and we all have to do our part in promoting this great breed. Our steadfast members, along with the many new faces at junior nationals, are a great sign for the breed. The marketing of your cattle and herd starts with you, but we also have resources here at the AMAA that can help you promote your programs. Feel free to contact Lindsey, Josh or myself if we can assist. We have prebuilt ads, literature and a promotional booth that can utlized at your local level if interested. I love this breed and promote it every day, but to truly be effective it takes all of us to spread the word and let folks know what the “Modern Maine-Anjou” has to offer. We have a strong foundation and it doesn’t matter what the needs are, we have cattle that can help any program. We have great cattle and let’s make sure our neighbors know that as well.

Upcoming Schedule of Events

It is time to start planning for are the Bright Lights Sale in Oklahoma City and the Power in the Pens in Denver. The sales have historically featured some of the very best herd sire prospects and females that our breeders have to offer. This is an excellent opportunity to market your program at the Super Bowl of livestock shows. The nomination forms will be available in the coming months and if you have any questions please contact us.

Our new genetic evaluation is finished and uploaded into Digital Beef. Please recognize there may be some changes on your animals EPDs, however, the percentile ranking should be very close to before, even if the numerical change is substantial. Take a look and if you have any questions or concerns please contact us at your convenience. The implementation of this technology will improve the accuracy of your animal’s genetic value and will be a great leap forward for the breed.

I would like to wrap up by thanking all the sponsors, volunteers, families and our staff that played a part in the Maine-Anjou National Junior Heifer Show! A special thank you to the Nebraska group for all of their work on this great event. We are blessed with the best, Lindsey and Rylee are great and have an unwavering commitment to our juniors! We truly have some of the most dedicated selfless people in the cattle business that support Maine-Anjou and its members. I wish the best of luck to you and your families at your respective county/state shows and your fall cattle sales.

Best Regards,

Blake MAINE-ANJOU Power without Sacrifice!