The Kentucky Angus Association (KAA) unanimously endorses Henry Smith of Russell Springs, Ky., as a candidate for the American Angus Association Board of Directors.

Henry is a fourth-generation Angus breeder who grew up on a diversified family farming operation located in south-central Kentucky. The farming operation consisted of a registered Angus herd, burley tobacco, corn, soybeans, wheat for feed and cash market.

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Growing up, Henry was active in 4-H, FFA, the Kentucky Junior Angus Association (KJAA) and the NJAA exhibiting Angus cattle. He graduated from Russell County High School and furthered his education in agriculture and animal science at Western Kentucky University. He purchased his own farmland at the age of 18 and began growing his own Angus herd. For 28 years, he has successfully operated Smithland Angus Farm with his late father, Charles “Bud” Smith.

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Smithland Angus recently hosted its 26th annual bull and female sale offering both purebred breeders along with commercial breeders an opportunity to enhance their Angus genetics. Henry currently owns and manages 225 registered Angus cows and a small commercial herd for recipients. Henry has improved their Angus herd through AHIR records, utilizing AI, ET, ultrasound and genomic information.

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Henry has taken a leadership role in several local, regional and state organizations. He has served on the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Board, County Agricultural Improvement Program (CAIP) board and as past president of the Russell County Cattlemen’s Association for several years. Henry is currently serving on the KAA board as president. He is a current board member and past president of the Central Kentucky Angus Association and served on the NJAA Executive Committee in 2019.

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Henry was sponsored by the Angus Foundation to attend the 2019 Young Cattlemen’s Conference. He remains an active member of the NCBA. Since 1996, Henry has been selected as a voting delegate at the Angus Convention. Henry has been recognized by KAA for Performance Breeder and Herdsman of the Year. Henry serves on the boards of directors for Kentucky Farm Bureau, First Bancorp, Inc. and First National Bank of Russell Springs, Ky.

With his involvement in small and large organizations, Henry understands the struggles of small and large farm operations along with the budgeting and financial constraints.

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Henry married his wife, Melissa, in 1997. They have two children, Bryanna, 17, and Blane, 14. Bryanna is serving as the vice president of the KJAA and board of directors for the Kentucky Junior Cattlemen’s Association. She represented Kentucky as a voting delegate at the NJAA and is currently the Kentucky Angus Queen. Bryanna is very involved in her high school FFA chapter as the president and serves as the vice president for the Lake Cumberland region. Blane is currently serving on the board of directors for KJAA and is starting his first year in FFA. Henry and his family are active in showing their Angus cattle on a local, state and national level with emphasis placed on the Leaders Engaged in Angus Development (LEAD) and Raising the Bar conferences, agricultural development and serving. He spends countless hours making an impression, teaching values of the family farm, hard work, and dedication to instill the love and passion of agriculture and the Angus breed into his children.

 

Henry believes in the power of the Angus cow to continue to be the foundation of the beef industry, for both the producer and consumer worldwide. Henry is committed to the advancement of this great breed and strongly believes in giving back to the organization that has been so important to him and his family for five generations. Henry has spent his entire life, hands on, raising and promoting Angus cattle; along with serving agricultural organizations.

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Henry is patient, willing to listen and has commonsense approach in his thinking. He will always keep the memberships’ (large and small) best interest in mind, all while striving to be very informed before making decisions. He says it would be a great honor to serve the Angus membership on the American Angus Association Board of Directors and humbly asks for your support.