August Roundup: Convention, Advocacy & a Busy Month for Arkansas Cattle Producers

August was a big month for the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association. We welcomed cattle producers from across the state to Fort Smith for our 68th Annual Convention & Trade Show, celebrated outstanding members and industry leaders, took important policy conversations directly to the farm and continued advocating for Arkansas cattle producers as new federal actions raised concerns about the cattle market.

Here’s a look at what happened across ACA this month.

68th Annual ACA Convention & Trade Show

The 68th Annual Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association Convention & Trade Show brought cattle producers, industry partners and supporters together in Fort Smith August 7-8 for two days of education, networking, association business and celebrating Arkansas agriculture.

Our sold-out Trade Show featured more than 100 vendor booths, giving producers the opportunity to connect directly with businesses and organizations serving the cattle industry.

Education remained a major focus throughout Convention. The Opening General Session included a weather outlook from James Bryant with Arkansas Weather Network and an update on New World screwworm from Arkansas State Veterinarian Dr. Andrew Fidler.

Cattlemen’s College continued throughout the weekend with sessions covering cattle markets, genetics and EPDs, animal health, food safety and labeling, ticks and pests, social media and more.

Convention also gave members an opportunity to conduct the business of the Association through State Board and General Membership meetings, participate in our membership recruitment discussion, support the ACA and Arkansas Cattlemen’s Foundation Benefit Auction and spend time connecting with cattle producers.

Thank you to every attendee, sponsor, exhibitor, speaker and volunteer who helped make Convention possible. Most importantly, thank you to our members for continuing to show up and invest in the future of ACA. Read the full convention roundup here.

Celebrating Our Members

Saturday evening's Awards Banquet gave ACA the opportunity to recognize individuals and county associations whose work strengthened the Association and Arkansas's cattle industry over the past year. Read the full award winner bios at the links below.

2026 ACA Award Recipients included:

• Producer of the Year: Chris Smith, Jay H Farms

• Producer Educator of the Year: Dr. Kirsten Midkiff

• Aubrey Blackmon Lifetime Service Award: Sam Cecil

• President's Award: Maybelle Castera

  
  

ACA also recognized 26 county associations that reached 105% of their previous year's membership, along with 25 Top Hand recruiters and a new group of Lifetime Members.

Maybelle Castera and Ron Carter also joined ACA's Century Recruiter Club after each recruiting 100 or more ACA members.

It was a fitting way to celebrate another membership year and the members who continue to grow ACA from the county level up.

Federal Beef Import Announcement Raises Concerns

Just weeks after Convention, federal cattle policy moved quickly back to the forefront.

On August 21, President Donald Trump announced plans to temporarily allow up to 300,000 metric tons of additional product for ground beef to enter the United States without the out-of-quota tariff as part of an effort to reduce ground beef prices for consumers.

The administration followed the announcement with an August 26 proclamation temporarily expanding the tariff-rate quota for lean beef trimmings. The additional volume will be divided into three monthly tranches of 100,000 metric tons beginning September 1.

ACA understands the pressure higher food prices place on consumers. However, increasing lower-priced imports at a time when American cattle producers are finally experiencing strong cattle prices raises significant concerns.

Today's cattle prices are the result of years of drought, increased production costs, herd liquidation and historically tight cattle supplies. Rebuilding the U.S. cattle herd will take time, and producers need market signals that encourage them to retain females and make the investments necessary to expand domestic production.

ACA will continue monitoring implementation of the announcement and advocating for policies that support both a strong domestic cattle industry and a reliable beef supply for consumers.

Taking Policy Conversations to the Farm

One of the best ways to help policymakers understand cattle production is to get them out of the office and onto an operation.

This month, staff from Senator John Boozman's office and the Senate Agriculture Committee, Senator Tom Cotton's office and Congressman Rick Crawford's office joined ACA for a visit to ACA member Rock Creek Angus in Paragould.

The group toured the operation, learned more about its cattle and management practices and discussed the policy issues facing producers.

The timing made the visit particularly valuable. Conversations included the administration's recent beef import announcement, cattle markets and other federal policies affecting producers.

Farm tours like this give congressional staff an opportunity to see firsthand how decisions made in Washington translate to the farm gate. They also give producers an opportunity to explain what they are seeing, what is working and where policy can create unintended consequences.

Thank you to Rock Creek Angus for opening its gates and helping tell the story of Arkansas cattle production.

Farm Bill Work Continues

The farm tour also provided an opportunity to continue conversations surrounding the next Farm Bill.

Senator Boozman, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, continues to lead that work, but the path forward remains uncertain. In the committee’s most recent consideration of the bill, final passage failed on a 10-11 vote. Committee Democrats opposed the bill, citing concerns with the nutrition title, including disagreement over how much additional time states should receive to improve SNAP error rates.

Because Senators Mitch McConnell and Tommy Tuberville were not present for the final vote, their proxy votes in support of the bill could not count toward final passage. Chairman Boozman recessed the committee rather than adjourn, preserving the opportunity to bring members back and hold another final passage vote.

At this point, the next steps and timing remain fluid.

For cattle producers, the Farm Bill touches everything from conservation and risk-management programs to animal disease preparedness, research and other programs that support the long-term stability of agriculture. ACA will continue working with Arkansas's congressional delegation and our national partners to make sure Arkansas cattle producers have a voice as negotiations continue.

Looking Ahead

Convention may have dominated August, but it also demonstrated why the work that happens throughout the rest of the year matters.

We bring producers together to learn and build relationships. We recognize and develop leaders. We educate the next generation. And when policy decisions are being made, we work to make sure Arkansas cattle producers have a seat at the table.

Thank you to everyone who helped make August a successful month for ACA. We are proud of what we accomplished together and look forward to carrying that momentum into the fall.