The Angus breed is stronger when everyone provides input, says Virginia breeder Chuck Grove.
He was elected vice president and vice chairman of the American Angus Association Board of Directors last week at the 138th Annual Convention of Delegates during Angus Convention Nov. 5-8 in Fort Worth, Texas.
“If the membership is not involved, then we're weaker,” Grove says. “So we need your ideas, your thoughts and your inputs.”
During the next year the Board will work to address the needs of Angus producers across the country.
“Technology is moving very rapidly, and it's our job to provide the membership with the tools to compete in the future, and at the same time, not leave any member behind,” he says.
Listen to the complete interview with Grove or read below.
MIRANDA REIMAN: We've just wrapped up the annual convention of delegates where Chuck Grove was just elected Vice President for the Association. Chuck, thanks for taking the time to visit with us.
CHUCK GROVE: You bet. Happy to do it.
REIMAN: Why don't maybe first give me just a recap of this weekend's events. What are some of the things that breeders were talking about and saying? What's kind of the feeling or the mood of the Association right now?
GROVE: Yeah. I think the membership, my feeling was that they're very satisfied and content with what's going on with their organization. I think there really is a reflection of the leadership provided by our different entities at the Association. And obviously that starts with Mark and then we go to John Stika, Brett Spader, Kelli Retallick and Thomas Marten.
And I think the membership feels good about where we are as an Association. They feel good about our leadership. They have embraced and like our regional managers and they're doing a great job. So I think the breed from a leadership standpoint has never been in any better shape than it is today.
REIMAN: We heard a lot about both opportunities and challenges. What opportunities do you think will be the most challenging to take hold of?
GROVE: Well, I think as we move forward, it's probably going to be the factors that are really outside of our control. Whether that's government intervention or as we talk about sustainability. Or the markets, as we know them today, how do we make a fair discovery price on cattle? So there's a lot of issues that are out there that maybe are going to affect Angus members, but are really out of our control.
REIMAN: How can individual Angus breeders ... what can they do as an individual Angus breeder to help strengthen the Association and Angus's position in the marketplace?
GROVE: Well first, I would encourage anyone and everyone to attend this convention and to nominate themselves to be a delegate and be part of the process of electing the directors of the Association and become involved. We're just like any other organization. If the membership is not involved, then we're weaker. And so we need your ideas, your thoughts and your inputs. And that's not just today, that's every day on the board. And become involved with the breed and the Association.
REIMAN: You've gotten the opportunity to serve with a great group of Angus breeders up there. What are you most proud of that you guys have accomplished, kind of during your time on the board?
GROVE: Well, I think the new dollar indexes and, yes, they may be tweaked in the future. But we finally got the indexes out there for the membership. I'm also very proud of the board that I've served on. That we work together. And that doesn't mean we're always unanimous in what we decide. But there's never been any hard feelings. Everybody still works together. And I'm very pleased with that.
In addition, again, I would reflect back on the leadership. I really feel we're in a good shape going forward with leadership from our staff.
REIMAN: Is there anything that I haven't asked you about? Either looking back over what's been accomplished or looking into the future that you'd like the membership to know about?
GROVE: Well, I just think the challenges that we're going to face in the future. Technology is moving very rapidly. And it's our job to provide the membership with the tools to compete in the future. And at the same time, not leave any member behind. Excuse me.
So, and that's a big challenge. We're a very diverse membership. Everyone, I think realizes that. We go from the junior member or the member that registers one head to those that register a thousand. And so we're serving a very diverse membership. But, the main thing we have to do is make sure that whatever we do, we keep the breed and the Association relevant to the cattle industry. And, as long as we keep that in mind. And, and specifically to the commercial cattle industry, I think we're in a good position.
REIMAN: Excellent. Thanks so much for your leadership and for sharing your thoughts with us today.