President's Message

Why Angus Cattle?

It’s the beginning of the year, and once again I let my husband talk me into sitting in a deer stand tall enough to give me the heebie-jeebies, waiting on that big 10-point buck to come out that we see run by on the deer cameras, but can never actually see sittin’ in the woods….

This is boring! I don’t know why I let him talk me into this…

You know what’s not boring? Cows… cows are never boring. I can walk out at any point, call a few old show heifers’ names, and here they come a runnin’. Loyal creatures. Unlike the deer.

As I continue to sit here and think about why we deer hunt, it’s not to put the big deer antlers on the wall. People deer hunt for a mix of reasons, primarily for sustainable, healthy food and as a form of wildlife management to control deer populations that can damage forests and crops.

So what’s the foundation of our cattle herds at home on the farm or ranch? Why do we raise cattle? People raise cattle primarily for food, but also for byproducts and sustainable farming systems. Raising cattle offers economic benefits, provides self-sufficiency for food and can even serve as a source of income for farmers through various products and services.

Oh wait there’s one! One sec. Never mind, it’s a young button buck.

Back to it. Cattle offer agricultural and economic benefits such as income, nutrient cycling, pasture management and self-sufficiency by providing a direct, reliable source of high-quality food for families.

So why Angus cattle?

As stated on the American Angus Association’s website, “The Angus 190 Angus Journal March 2026 the Auxiliary sponsors several awards that recognize our youth for their outstanding work.” So again, why Angus cattle? Today, more than 80% of the cows in the United States are Angus- influenced and are valued not only for their maternal characteristics and growth potential, but also for their ability to produce high-quality, consistent meat for consumers. It’s no doubt that I am proud to be involved in the Angus breed, a volunteer for the NJAA, and a member of the American Angus Auxiliary. Oh wait! There it is! I gotta go! Until next time, breed has a storied history of providing the best possible cattle genetics to farmers and ranchers worldwide. Since 1873, people have looked to Angus to fulfill genetic requirements — calving ease, high growth, carcass value — that set the stage for a profitable cow herd.”

Established in 1883, the American Angus Association serves more than 22,000 members across the United States and Canada.

The Association offers its members vast resources for herd management, marketing and education; cattle registration; genetic analysis tools (expected progeny differences, or EPDs); the largest database; marketing support; and access to industry experts, educational platforms, and a strong network via events and local associations. Plus it offers significant youth development programs, such as the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA).

As stated on the American Angus Auxiliary website, "Beginning in 1952, members of the American Angus Auxiliary played an important role by working to promote our youth and the Angus industry, meet the challenges of today's society and work toward developing our Angus youth into tomorrow's leaders.”

The American Angus Auxiliary strongly believes in the importance of the educational contests at the National Junior Angus Show. To promote and support these contests, the Auxiliary sponsors several awards that recognize our youth for their outstanding work.”

So again, why Angus cattle?

Today, more than 80% of the cows in the United States are Angus- influenced and are valued not only for their maternal characteristics and growth potential, but also for their ability to produce high-quality, consistent meat for consumers.

It’s no doubt that I am proud to be involved in the Angus breed, a volunteer for the NJAA, and a member of the American Angus Auxiliary.

Oh wait! There it is! I gotta go! Until next time,

-Emma Collins Powell