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

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Smith 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, and wheat for feed and cash market.

Smith was active in 4-H, FFA, the Kentucky Junior Angus Association and the NJAA, exhibiting Angus cattle. He was vice president of his local FFA Chapter and represented the state of Kentucky in the National Junior Angus Showmanship Contest, in which he placed second. He graduated from Russell County High School and furthered his education in agriculture and animal science at Western Kentucky University.

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Smith purchased his own farmland at the age of 18 and began growing his own Angus herd. For 27 years he has successfully operated Smithland Angus Farm with his late father, Charles “Bud” Smith. Together they recently hosted their 25th annual bull and female sale, offering both registered and commercial breeders an opportunity to enhance their Angus genetics.

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Smith currently owns and manages 210 registered Angus cows and a small commercial herd for recips. He has improved their Angus herd through the use of Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR®) and the utilization of AI, ET, ultrasound and genomic information.

Smith has taken a leadership role in several local, regional and state organizations. He has served on the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) board, on the County Agricultural Improvement Program (CAIP) board, and as a past president of Russell County Cattlemen’s Association for several years.

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Smith has served as past president of the KAA and is currently serving on the board as vice president. He is a current board member and past president of Central Kentucky Angus Association, and he served on the NJAA Executive Committee in 2019. Smith was selected by the Angus Foundation to be the 2019 YCC recipient. He remains an active member of the NCBA. Since 1996, Henry has been selected as a voting delegate at the American Angus Association Annual Meeting.

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Smith has been recognized by the KAA as Performance Breeder and Herdsman of the Year. He serves on the board 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 the small and large farm operations along with the budgeting and financial constraints.

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In 1997 Henry married his wife, Melissa. They are the proud parents of two children, Bryanna and Blane. He and his family are active in showing their Angus cattle on a local, state and national level with emphasis placed on leadership opportunities like LEAD, agricultural development and serving.

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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. Although Smith has a strong love for the Angus breed, the main priority for his family is God.

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“If you keep God first, then everything else will follow,” he says.

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Smith 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. Committed to the advancement of this great breed, he strongly believes in giving back to the organization that has been so important to him and his family for five generations.

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Smith has spent his entire life, hands-on, raising and promoting Angus cattle along with serving agricultural organizations. Smith is patient, willing to listen and has a common sense approach in his thinking. He will always keep the membership’s (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.