With the encouragement and support of numerous fellow members, Paul Bennett of Knoll Crest Farm (KCF) in Red House, Va., has declared his candidacy for the American Angus Association Board of Directors.

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Bennett and his wife, Tracy, have been married for 37 years and have two children, Scott and Sarah. Tracy enjoyed a career in Victim Advocacy in Campbell County, Va., prior to becoming a full-time mother and volunteer. Scott serves as director of congressional relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation in Washington, D.C., where he is actively engaged in federal agricultural policy development. Sarah Grigg serves as Finished Goods Order Distribution Coordinator for Moore and Giles, a specialty leather products company and son-in-law, Matt Grigg, is a portfolio manager with Poe and Cronk Real Estate Group.

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Knoll Crest Farm, Inc. is now a fourth-generation seedstock operation, with Bennett’s grandfather, Paul D. Bennett, establishing a registered Hereford cow herd in 1944. Father, James Bennett, became full-time manager at age 17 and is credited with numerous innovations in beef cattle genetic evaluation. He served as president of both the Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) and American Polled Hereford Association. Today, Knoll Crest is operated by the team of brothers Jim, Brian and Paul, along with Paul’s nephew, Dalton.

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A lifetime cattleman, Bennett was active in his high school FFA and was first-runner-up in the National Prepared Public Speaking contest with his speech, “Beef, An Unsure Situation.” Graduating from Virginia Tech (VT) with a degree in animal science, he was active in the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and was a member of Gary Minish’s last livestock judging team at VT.

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He has served as a board member of the Virginia Angus Association, president of the Virginia Cattlemen’s Association, president of the Virginia Beef Cattle Improvement Association, board member of the National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium, board member and Secretary of Southside Electric Cooperative, and president of the BIF.

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He received the BIF Continuing Service Award and was a 2020 recipient of BIF’s Pioneer Award. Bennett has officiated numerous livestock judging contests, including the National Collegiate, FFA and 4-H contests. He has served as a judge of the Angus and Hereford Pen and Carload shows at the National Western Stock Show (NWSS).

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The Bennett family of KCF was honored to donate the 2020 Angus Foundation heifer. KCF Miss Y75 G730 sold to 44 Farms for $65,000. Continued support of Angus youth programs will be a top priority of the Bennett family.

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The Knoll Crest cow herd produced 39 Pathfinder® dams in 2021, the most of any herd east of the Mississippi River. The focal point of the KCF breeding program is to generate 400 high-quality, balanced bulls annually to supply the commercial beef industry. Customer service is a pinnacle priority, and much time is spent dealing with customer success opportunities and issues. The Knoll Crest brand has placed more than 100 sires in major artificial insemination (AI) studs.

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If elected, Bennett will be honored to share his enthusiasm, experience and understanding of the Angus breed and industry. He pledges to be highly engaged, a forward thinker, transparent and unbiased as a board member who carefully considers the needs of all American Angus Association members.