MIRANDA REIMAN 

This is Miranda Reiman, with the Angus Journal team, and I sat down with Jonathan Perry, newly elected chairman of the American Angus Association Board of Directors to preview what’s ahead for the year. 

So, we have just wrapped up Angus Convention, and what’s the general feeling among membership? You’ve been out talking to members all weekend and how's everybody feeling?  

JONATHAN PERRY 
We had tremendous participation at this convention. We were commenting yesterday. I think it’s the largest crowd...I know it’s the largest crowd we’ve had in years, and the enthusiasm was phenomenal. Obviously, the market’s good outlook for Angus Genetics has never been better. We’re in a better place than we’ve ever been. Everybody knows we got to keep the pedal to the floor, but man, enthusiasm is amazing.  

REIMAN 
What are some of the things that this current board has worked on that you’re most proud of?  

PERRY: 
The current board’s done a lot of work. Obviously, we’re embracing the future. We’ve spent years chasing terminal traits, carcass...the end-product merit. But I think the real awareness that's been brought back to the board over maintaining the cow, maintaining the female that got us where we are, and keeping her functional, keeping longevity in her, keeping her sound. I think that’s one of the things that really excites me. I mean, we live in a world in our program where balance matters. We try to check every box, but if you don’t start with a cow and you don’t keep her sounding functional, we're in trouble long-term anyway. So that's one of the things that we’ve really put a lot of emphasis on from new EPD developments, new phenotype collections, things that we can do to try to bring more emphasis to longevity, stayability, the function of the cow. I think no matter where we go in target wise, we got to continue to come back to home base of what got us there.  

REIMAN 
Sure. And one of the things that was noted from stage is that one of our most valuable assets is the power of our database, and we've really seen members continue to embrace that, continue to submit phenotypic data and support that effort too.  

PERRY 
Right. I tell people all the time that St. Joe is a wonderful place to accumulate our data, to analyze our data and put it into tools. It comes back to us and makes us powerful, makes us viable, but we’re only as good as the data that comes in that door. And I think we got to continue to charge breeders to have a voice by turning in data. If we don’t collect phenotypes and we don’t put data in that door, then they can only work with what comes through the door.  

REIMAN 
Absolutely. So, we’ve talked a little bit about what's been done, but look into the future. What are some things that you’re thinking we’re going to be talking about in this coming year?  

PERRY 
I think we’ve got to continue to make the American Angus Association relevant to its breeders and its members. We’ve got to embrace the diversity. We’ve got to continue to create tools that touch every member. The diversity of our breeders and our breed is what is our greatest strength.    

We’ve got to continue to drive the message that we are maternal, we are calving ease, we are terminal, we are growth, and we’ve got an individual in the Angus cow and the Angus breed that can do all things. So, we’ve got to continue to create programs, tools, and directions to maintain the cow side of it, maintain the functionality of it, but continue to chase the upper ends of growth and power and performance and carcass traits. 

REIMAN 
Well, that's an awful tall order that you've got there. What makes you so optimistic that you can accomplish that?  

PERRY 
The staff and the board members all lead in the same direction, all have the same passion, all have the same goals in mind, and this membership needs to understand that inside the walls of that building in St. Joe, Missouri, is some of the greatest minds that this industry could ask for. We've got staff members that are experts in so many things, and it's our job as board members to give them charges and give them orders and take them in a direction. But the best thing to do is provide them the tools that they need and get out of their way and let them do what we hired them to do because they are talented.  

REIMAN 
Well, we're looking forward to working with you in the year to come, and thank you for taking the time to chat with me.  

PERRY 
Thank you so much. I’m looking forward to the year. Please have anybody reach out to me. If I can be of service or I can take members’ concerns or directions, please call me.  

REIMAN 
The January Angus Journal will be packed full of convention coverage. If you’re not a subscriber visit AngusJournal.net to learn more.