The American Angus Association® concluded a successful fiscal year, filled with industry-leading advances, reflection on the breed’s U.S. history and camaraderie among its membership. As a whole, 2023 marked the ninth-consecutive year of more than 300,000 registrations, with an additional 138,377 transfers. Regular and junior memberships totaled 21,981.
“This year is a milestone year for the breed, being the 150th anniversary of Angus cattle arriving in America,” said Mark McCully, chief executive officer of the Association. “All those years later, Angus cattle and cattlemen are thriving, and we are encouraged by our strong year.”
With the 150th anniversary of Angus cattle in the United States also comes the 140th anniversary of the Association. Its subsidiaries, Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI®), Angus MediaSM, Certified Angus Beef and the Angus Foundation, also celebrated the kickoff or completion of major projects.
AGI® continued to put themselves at the forefront of their field, helping breeders achieve their goals and serving as a trusted industry source for advanced genetics solutions. In October, the Functional Longevity research EPD was released in an ongoing effort to improve the long-term success and profitability of herds. Also that month, AGI® was recognized on an international scale for its work on the World Angus Evaluation and its successful release. In another effort for continued improvement, AGI® processed an increased number of more than 200,000 genomic samples on behalf of the membership and saw a 4.7% increase in profile tests. With 206,956 additional genomic profiles now available for genetic evaluation, AGI® plans to continue the momentum in the new fiscal year.
Angus MediaSM recently welcomed Clay Zwilling as its new president. In the early months of his leadership, the Angus Journal ® ended the year with 13,000 subscriptions and the Angus Beef Bulletin ® has 65,000 readers. Throughout the year, they also developed 509 sale books and 201 brochures. The Angus MediaSM team continues to develop and enhance their products and publications – both for print and the digital landscape – while remaining at the top of their field.
Celebrating a 45-year anniversary, Certified Angus Beef sold 1.227 billion pounds of its branded beef with 18,000 licensed partners worldwide in more than 50 countries. Overcoming tight cattle supplies and record high prices, McCully said the brand continues to deliver on a promise of premium quality to consumers around the world.
During the fiscal year, the Angus family continued to pour their support into the Angus Foundation’s mission of education, youth and research. This year, 138 scholarships, totaling $350,625, were awarded to youth across the nation. Campaign initiatives including “A Legacy Built” and “Fund the Future” contributed to a total of $1.279 million in donations from more than 700 donors – 227 of which were new donors. The impact of these dollars will be felt for generations.
As the value of Angus cattle continues to rise, The Association has continued its Powered by AngusSM advertising campaign. Combatting “black-hided confusion,” the campaign illustrates the confidence cattlemen can put in the power of EPD data, documented pedigrees, and marketing programs with the purchase of registered Angus. Another nod to the power of verified genetics came as AngusLinkSM value-added programs experienced tremendous growth. After beginning its partnership with IMI Global, year-end enrollments reached 165,428 head of cattle with $17.8 million in premiums paid to producers this fiscal year.
To view the 2023 Angus Annual Report and to view the Association’s complete financial report, visit https://bit.ly/AngusAR23.
– Written by Katelyn Engel, Angus Communications
