2026 Convention Roundup: Convention Recap, Educational Content, Award Recipients, and More

Convention Recap

The 68th Annual Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association Convention & Trade Show is officially in the books! Cattle producers, industry partners and supporters from across Arkansas gathered August 6-8 in Fort Smith for three days of education, networking, association business and celebrating the people who make our cattle industry strong.

This year’s sold-out Trade Show featured more than 100 vendor booths, giving producers an opportunity to connect with businesses and organizations serving the cattle industry. We're grateful to the Premier Convention & Trade Show Sponsor River Valley Tractor.

Education remained at the heart of Convention. The Opening General Session featured a weather outlook from James Bryant and Zachary Hall with Arkansas Weather Network, followed by an update on New World screwworm from Arkansas State Veterinarian Dr. Andrew Fidler.

Cattlemen’s College sessions covered the ABCs of EPDs with Donnell Brown of R.A. Brown Ranch; food safety and labeling with Dr. Justin Ransom of USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service; Markets, Margins & Management with Dr. James Mitchell; ticks and other pests with Dr. Kirsten Midkiff; and a Beefing Up Your Social Media panel.

The weekend also included the ACA and Arkansas Cattlemen’s Foundation Benefit Auction, Quiz Bowl competition and finals, membership recruitment meeting, State Board and General Membership meetings, and plenty of opportunities for cattlemen and women to connect. We also recognized Perry County 4-H as the winning team from ACA’s inaugural Youth Stockmanship Contest.

Saturday evening’s Awards Banquet gave us the opportunity to celebrate some of the individuals and members whose work continues to strengthen ACA and Arkansas agriculture. This year, 26 county associations reached 105% of their previous year’s membership, 25 members earned Top Hand recognition and Maybelle Castera and Ron Carter joined the Century Recruiter Club for recruiting 100 or more ACA members.

Thank you does not seem adequate, but it’s a great place to start. We are grateful to every attendee, exhibitor, sponsor, speaker and volunteer who helped make the 2026 ACA Convention & Trade Show a success. A full Convention overview will be available in the September issue of Arkansas Cattle Business. Below, we’re proud to spotlight this year’s award and scholarship recipients.

Arkansas Cattlemen's Producer of the Year Recipient

The Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association named Chris Smith of Jay H Farms the 2026 Producer of the Year, recognizing his leadership, innovation, stewardship and dedication to advancing Arkansas’s cattle industry.

A first-generation farmer, Smith has built Jay H Farms alongside his wife, Nesha, and daughter, Jalyn, into a 2,300-acre cattle and hay operation in Romance. The family manages approximately 500 commercial cows and more than 75 registered Braunvieh females, with an emphasis on reproductive efficiency, herd health, artificial insemination, data-driven genetic selection and retained ownership.

The family’s annual Top of the Mountain Elite Sale has become a destination for producers seeking Braunvieh and Angus genetics. Beyond their own operation, the Smith family actively supports youth livestock programs, FFA, 4-H and their local community.

Smith has previously been recognized as the Braunvieh Association of America’s Commercial Breeder of the Year, while the family has earned White County Farm Family of the Year and East Central District Farm Family of the Year honors.

Producer Educator of the Year Recipient

The ACA honored Dr. Kirsten Midkiff as the 2026 Producer Educator of the Year for her commitment to providing Arkansas cattle producers with timely, science-based animal health education.

Over the past year, Midkiff traveled across Arkansas speaking at county cattlemen’s meetings and helping producers better understand emerging animal health concerns including the Asian longhorned tick, Theileria and New World screwworm. She also helped facilitate statewide webinars to ensure producers had access to accurate information as new concerns emerged.

Midkiff also played an integral role in ACA’s inaugural Youth Stockmanship Contest, teaching young exhibitors about safe animal handling, low-stress livestock handling and animal welfare. Her ability to make complex scientific information practical and understandable has made her an invaluable resource for Arkansas cattle producers.

Aubrey Blackmon Lifetime Service Award Recipient

The ACA presented Sam Cecil with the 2026 Aubrey Blackmon Lifetime Service Award, recognizing decades of service to the association and Arkansas cattle producers.

Cecil served for more than 15 years on the ACA Executive Committee as an Area Vice President, making it a priority to attend county meetings throughout his area and listen directly to local producers. Although he retired from the Executive Committee last year, he continues to attend meetings, volunteer and support ACA.

As Chair of the ACA Legislative and Policy Committee, Cecil has helped guide the association’s grassroots policy process. His service has also included more than 12 years on the Arkansas Beef Council following an appointment by the Governor and many years representing Arkansas through the United States Meat Export Federation.

Closer to home, Cecil has served in nearly every officer position within the Pope County Cattlemen’s Association, remained active in Farm Bureau leadership and served his local county fair. His legacy within ACA is one of humility, servant leadership and a willingness to do whatever is needed to support cattle producers.

President's Award Recipient

Maybelle Castera received the 2026 Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association President’s Award, presented every other year to recognize a member whose service, leadership and dedication have made a lasting impact on the association.

From serving her country in the United States military to building an Angus operation alongside her family, Castera has built a life around service. Within ACA, she has served as a county officer, recruited members, mentored fellow producers and volunteered wherever needed. Her membership recruitment efforts earned her recognition in both the Top Hand Club and Century Recruiter Club.Castera has also completed both the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Leadership Class and Arkansas Cattlemen’s Graduate Course, represented Arkansas cattle producers in Washington, D.C., and returned to serve as Chair of the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Leadership Class.

Scholarship Recipients

Arkansas Cattlemen’s Scholarships

• Anna Sweat – Hempstead County

• Luke DeSalvo – Conway County

Adam McClung/Farm Credit Leadership Scholarships

• Grace Gunther

• Sara Hinson

  
  

Adam McClung Family & Friends Cattlemen’s Legacy Scholarship

• Kyle Foster

Arkansas CattleWomen’s Scholarships

• Carson Pettz

• Sara Kate Davis

• Rebekah Pendergraft

• Mylee Parker

  
  

Arkansas Cattlemen’s Foundation Scholarships

• Rose Gunther

• Reese Mitchell

• Lucas Miners

Top Hand Awards

The ACA recognizes those members who have recruited 30 or more renewed members or 15 new members over the course of the membership drive. The honoring of our Top Hand members has become a time-honored tradition. This year’s top hand awards are sponsored by long-time ACA supporter Preferred Livestock Products. We appreciate their generosity.

• Ben DeSalvo

• Brent Cooper

• Clark Burton

• Dale Logan

• Don Hubbell

• Earl Crumpler

• Geoff Norred

• Ginger Morris

• Isaiah Dark

• John Armstrong

• Katherine Ann Teeter

• Kim Huffman

• Mary Hamilton

• Matt Carter

• Max Nutt

• Maybelle Castera

• Michael Knox

• Michael Looper

• Michael Watkins

• Mike Bradshaw

• Ron Carter

• Rustin McCormick

• Steve Young

• Tony Kuczynski

• Vicky Wright

County Award Winners

A record 26 county associations reached 105% of their previous year’s membership, qualifying for a share of ACA’s $5,000 membership incentive. Calhoun County finished with the highest percentage and earned an additional $500.

• Arkansas State University

• Ashley County

• Baxter County

• Bradley County

• Calhoun County

• Clay County

• Cleveland County

• Columbia County

• Crawford County

• Franklin County

• Garland County

• Greene County

• Lincoln County

• Little River County

• Logan County

• Madison County

• Marion County

• Newton County

• Northwest Arkansas Association

• Ouachita County

• Ozark Association

• Red River Association

• Saline County

• Sebastian County

• University of Arkansas at Monticello

• White County

New Lifetime Members

ACA also recognized members who made a lifetime commitment to supporting the association and Arkansas’s cattle industry.

• Caleb Plyler

• Clint Young

• Nicole Young

• Ruthie Heiser

• Scott Sullivan

• Stephanie Stockwell

• Steve Butler

• Alexis Billings

• Allison Holland

• Chelsey Kimbrough

• Curtis Moore

• Donny Covey

• Fredric Simon

• Garland Baker

• Greg Pillow

• Jevon Baker

• John Stowers

• Kenneth Noisewater

• Mitchell Cook

• Rhonda “Tink” Albright

• Terris Matthews

• Tully Caddel

Thank you for a great convention!

Thank you to everyone who helped make the 68th Annual Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association Convention & Trade Show a success!

From our attendees and members to our sponsors, exhibitors, speakers and volunteers, this event would not be possible without your support. Whether you joined us for educational sessions, visited the Trade Show, participated in ACA business, sponsored an event, shared your expertise or simply spent the weekend connecting with fellow cattle producers, we are grateful you chose to be part of Convention.

A special thank you goes to our sponsors and exhibitors whose continued investment allows us to provide valuable education, advocacy and leadership opportunities for Arkansas cattle producers throughout the year.

Most importantly, thank you to our members. Your involvement, support and commitment are what make the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association strong.

We appreciate everyone who joined us in Fort Smith and helped make the 68th Annual Convention one to remember. We look forward to seeing you next year!