BOARD OF DIRECTOR CANDIDATES
BOARD OF DIRECTORS CANDIDATES AT LARGE
AT LARGE:
Josh Walker
Josh Walker grew up in Southwest Arkansas in a rural town of 120 people. During high school, he found his love for cattle when his parents purchased his first commercial Brangus females in 1992. In ninth grade, he began showing a Red Brangus bull and heifer. That year he invested his life savings of $5/week allowances into two Red Brangus females at a local dispersal sale. And just like that, he was in the purebred Red Brangus business. Upon graduation, he attended the University of Arkansas where he received his bachelor’s degree in animal science and a minor in agricultural business. Next, he moved on to Colorado State University for a master’s and doctorate in biomedical sciences. Dr. Walker specializes in reproductive physiology and has applied his degree into the specific field of bovine reproduction. He has worked with Ovagenix, Flying Cow Genetics, Reprologix, and Gen Plus. His company, Red Bud Genetics, assists customers with artificial insemination, reproductive ultrasound, in vivo embryo collection, embryo transfer, ovum pick up, and in vitro fertilization. During the past 27 years, Red Bud Farms has continued to grow with the help of his family. Walker and his wife, Jennifer, own and operate the ranch with their four children, Molly, Joshua, Natalie, and Julie. Red Bud Farms is one of the larger purebred operations in the state of Arkansas. “While we started with two females; we currently have 500 registered Angus, Brangus, Red Brangus, Ultrablack, and Ultrared females,” he explains. His marketing cooperative
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November 2021
BEN LOMOND, ARKANSAS
stretches from Kansas into Texas and currently markets progeny from around 1,000 head of registered females. Walker consistently works to improve the genetics of his own herd. By using production-driven genetics he is able to help his customers with their operations and continually push to make the cattle better. He accepted the nomination for the board in order to become more intricately involved in the business and operation of the Brangus breed. Walker has always had a passion for meeting new people and visiting with ranchers to learn about their operations. He especially likes to analyze the things he learns, challenging himself and others to think outside of their comfort zone to determine if opportunities in business can increase the bottom line. Through his travels and work experience, he has had the opportunity to work with some of the industry’s best operations in a variety of breeds. Walker states, “Every operation I have visited or worked with has exposed me to new ideas and methodologies. I feel that we as Brangus breeders have a unique opportunity to show the world what our cattle can do from ranch to rail. We have a place in the industry as a major provider of genetics for commercial producers and, ultimately, consumer products.” In addition, he believes with passion that we have an amazing product to offer our customers and knows we can truly improve their operations. If elected, he looks forward to representing his fellow Brangus enthusiasts and assisting with the business of promoting our cattle, managing our data, and working together as breeders to select the strategic direction for the future of our breed.
