Thankful for All We Have

By Matt Woolfolk

Back in August, I wrote about how quickly time would fly this fall.  Sure enough, it doesn’t seem like it should be Thanksgiving time already.  We as Beefmaster cattlemen have an awful lot to be thankful for in 2015, including:

1. A strong bull market. Even though the 2015 commercial cattle market may not be quite as strong as 2014, bull sales have remained strong and demand is growing.  The market will continue to remain strong for high-quality Beefmaster bulls that will work well for the commercial cattleman.  It’s our job as breeders to keep the knife sharp while we keep trying to breed good commercial bulls.
2. A fantastic future. You’ve heard me talk before about how strong the Beefmaster presence is at major stock shows across Texas and the Southeast.  The show ring competition is fierce, as the quality runs deep in the Beefmaster ring.  If you’re impressed by the talent in the show ring, you’ll be even more impressed by the young people on the halter.  There are a large number of future leaders involved in our breed.  They’re smart, hard-working, and will be a positive asset to our breed and our industry going forward.  I talk about the junior program a lot, but it’s because I know how important these programs are to young people who are interested and want to stay involved in agriculture.
3. A dedicated membership. Everywhere I have traveled this fall, the pulse of the membership has been upbeat and looking towards the future for their individual operations, as well as our breed.  It’s invigorating to work with a group of people who want to see the breed grow and continue to get better.  There’s no time like the present to start taking the steps towards the next level. This was evident at BBU Convention, where those who attended left with new information and a spark to improve their operations.   Lots of hard work has gone into events to promote our breed to others, with many field days held across the country this past year.  Those events wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of BBU members.
4. An effective leadership team. Whether it’s at the local or national level, there are a great number of people willing to take responsibility and lead within this organization.  It’s much easier to sit back and let someone else take the reins.  That’s why I applaud those who are willing to step up and put forth the extra effort to help the organization in leadership roles.

I hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving with your family.  Take time to enjoy a nice steak during the holiday festivities, along with your traditional turkey dinner!