Harsh Realities

10600 U.S. Highway 42 Marysville, Ohio 43040 Phone 614-873-6736 • Fax 614-873-6835 www.ohiocattle.org cattle@ohiocattle.org

Editor Elizabeth Harsh

Managing Editor Hanna Fosbrink

Ohio Cattleman magazine (USPA: 020-968, ISSN: 1543-0588) is published six times per year: Winter issue, mailed in January; Expo preview issue, mailed in February; Spring issue, mailed in April; Summer issue, mailed in July; Early Fall issue, mailed in September; and Late Fall issue, mailed in October; for $15 a year to OCA members only. It is dedicated to reporting facts about Ohio’s cattle including marketing, production and legislative news. All editorial and advertising material is screened to meet rigid standards, but publisher assumes no responsibility for accuracy or validity of claims. All rights reserved. Circulation for the issue is 3,086.

Published at Minster, Ohio 45865 by the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association, 10600 US Highway 42, Marysville, Ohio 43040. Periodical postage paid at Marysville, Ohio and at additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Ohio Cattleman, 10600 US Highway 42, Marysville, Ohio 43040. CHANGING YOUR ADDRESS: Please send old as well as new address to Ohio Cattleman, 10600 US Highway 42, Marysville, Ohio 43040.

Advertising

To schedule advertising write to: Ohio Cattleman, 10600 US Highway 42, Marysville, Ohio 43040, or call 614-873-6736. All advertising material for the Late Fall Issue must be received by Sept. 7, 2022. Ohio Cattleman Advertising Rates

Full Page $460 2/3 Page $345 1/2 Page $260 1/3 Page $175 1/4 Page $145 1/8 Page $105 Business Card $65 Classified Ad $50 Four Color $270 One Additional Color $90

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OCA Staff

Elizabeth Harsh Executive Director Ron Windnagel Director of Accounting & Operations Hanna Fosbrink Manager of Communications & Managing Editor Tiffany Arnett Office & Project Manager Luke McKee Manager of Member Services Kelly Keirn Manager of Consumer Programs & Digital Marketing Karigan Blue BEST Program Coordinator

Good distractions

By Elizabeth Harsh, Ohio Cattleman Editor

Finishing up the magazine early this morning, I was distracted by the sound of the plane engine revving in the field beside our house as the crop duster flew fungicide on our corn. By the sound of it, I was pretty sure the plane was going to join me in the house for coffee before the process was completed. A few weeks earlier the same process took place in the corn field by the OCA office. The time difference in fungicide applications further illustrates this year’s wide variation in crop maturity and quality even within townships across the state. Still, Ohio’s frustration with the variation in crops and rainfall are minor compared to the drought conditions many cattle families are experiencing in the west.

Economists say that year-to-date beef cow slaughter is up 14% and from our peak high numbers in 2018, beef cows are down 6.3% at present. Furthermore, if the 90-day outlook holds true the U.S. could lose another million beef cows this year. The tightening supplies of cattle at all levels will translate into significantly higher prices throughout the supply chain. Even with higher input costs, cattle prices should still out-pace and lead to improved industry profitability. Higher priced calves will bring some relief to cow-calf producers who have experienced tight margins for the last six years.

Information like this and more was shared during the recent Young Cattlemen’s Conference (YCC) leadership program hosted by the Ohio Cattlemen’s Foundation and several important sponsoring partners. OCA worked hard to make this year’s conference take place after the pandemic forced its hiatus. Congratulations to the group of young people involved in Ohio’s cattle industry who prioritized their time to participate in this year’s YCC program.

July and August are already extremely busy months for OCA. New staff, a full-on state fair, new steak barn partners, a Gala fundraiser and so on, made it a struggle to get it all to happen, yet events like YCC are so rewarding. It is always energizing to host YCC and each time I know I learn more than I teach. These young adults are talented, enthusiastic and represent the next generation of beef cattle industry leaders. They left the office as YCC wrapped up volunteering to serve on OCA committees and eager to advocate on behalf of the cattle industry.

We can all take a lesson in enthusiasm from them. One of the best quotes from a YCC speaker was “you can pay your dues to a membership organization and if you do nothing, you’ll get mostly nothing in return. It is when you get involved that you get so much in return.”

And while the crop-dusting plane may be done for the day, the sound of the tractor tedding hay right outside my window is causing all kinds of distractions, so I’ll end with this. To the YCCers and the many other young leaders across OCA, continue to show up and participate. You are the future of OCA. We are thankful for you and on most days, thankful to have an office with corn and hay fields surrounding it.