Cattle Industry Leaders Honored at Red Angus Association of America Annual Convention

DENVER  – Honoring producers for their service, loyalty and dedication to the Red Angus breed has long been the tradition of the annual awards banquet held on the final evening of the National Red Angus Convention. The 66th installation of this prestigious event took place at the Grand Harbor Resort in Dubuque, Iowa, on Sept. 13, 2019, and delivered upon the promise to recognize remarkable producers for excellence in their field. The awards banquet and meal, featuring steaks from Meyer Natural Angus, highlighted businesses, industry supporters and ranches that rise to the top of the breed.

 

The John V. Robbins Distinguished Service Award is presented to Red Angus members who have contributed time and talents to enhance the services provided by the Red Angus Association of America. This year’s recipient, Kim Ford, has consistently served as a leader in the Red Angus breed. She has served on multiple committees, as well as the RAAA board of director’s president, where she worked tirelessly with her fellow breeders and board members to continually improve the breed and Association. Her faith, resilience and poise are just a few of the many features that have earned her the respect of so many across the Red Angus breed and the beef industry. 

 

Mia Gibson, Elgin, Iowa, was awarded the Outstanding Junior Award. Mia is an active JRA member on both the state and national stage – she is currently the Iowa Junior Red Angus president as well as a Junior Red Angus Association of America board member. Gibson’s commitment to learning and leadership has driven her to multiple individual contest titles at the JRA Round-Up event, yet she never hesitates to help other young leaders improve their skills as well. Gibson is an excellent example of the type of young person that junior livestock programs can take pride in. 

 

The Industry Service Award is reserved for an industry stakeholder or member of the academic community who has helped RAAA achieve excellence in the beef industry. This year’s recipient, Clint Berry, has been a strong and powerful influence for Red Angus for more than two decades, all by choice. He first got involved as a commercial producer and then took the step to seedstock producer. Over the next several years he worked on the marketing team for the RAAA and helped grow the breed through increased awareness. While no longer employed at RAAA, he still supports the breed in his role with Superior Livestock where he helps Red Angus producers market their calves. Throughout his involvement in the Red Angus breed he has touched nearly every segment – marketing, production, shows, sales and advertising – and in doing so, has left a valuable impact that has been unmatched. 

 

The Advocate of the Year Award is presented to a special Red Angus member or commercial producer who exemplifies passion for the Red Angus breed to producers, industry stakeholders and consumers. This year’s recipient, Dr. Gene Rouse, professor emeritus of animal science at Iowa State University and owner of Rouse Red Angus, has been passionately representing both the Red Angus breed and the beef industry for four decades. Rouse is well known for his attention to producing high quality cattle that are easy-fleshing and high marbling while maximizing the birth-to-yearling spread. Rouse is proud to share the positive attributes of Red Angus with his beef industry peers, as well as his university colleagues and students. 

 

 

The Red Angus Association of America serves the beef industry by enhancing and promoting the measurable advantages of Red Angus and Red Angus-influenced cattle. The RAAA provides commercial producers with objectively described cattle by implementing new technologies and utilizing scientifically sound principles that quantify traits of economic importance to beef producers in all segments of the beef industry. For more information, visit www.RedAngus.org.