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tants, influencers, etc., the backbone is and remains the membership as a whole. When decisions are made, it must be made with the intention that it posi tively helps the association as a whole, with no weight placed on whether or not it benefits the few. Simultaneously we must remember why we are here. We are all a part of SGBI because we love these red-hided cattle. We love the industry that we are in at large and what it represents, and we are doing business and associating ourselves with like-minded people. For the breed to grow and flourish we must remember not only to strive for progress but also reach out among one another for friendship and fellowship. Lucky for us, we have some of the best people I know within our membership, and the future remains bright for Santa Gertrudis.

Trail Talk EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT By Webb D. Fields (361) 592-9357 | wfields@santagertrudis.com

A full plate does not seem like the right term for this time of year – school, sports, work, cattle sales, cattle shows, etc. You name it and the list just seems to get longer. For Santa Gertrudis Breeders International (SGBI), this is no different. The SGBI Board of Directors continues to be active in just wanting to communicate more among themselves. After a goal set this spring not only to have more interaction among the board but also relay that information back to mem bership more aggressively, the board continues to meet frequently to ensure goals are being set and deadlines are met. At the same time, it has been fun to see the committees continuing to be active, allowing for more feedback and activity among those members who might not be on the board, but who have great ideas and want to have involvement within the breed. After much discussion, the board of directors has determined that, because SGBI is an association run by its mem bership, the members have the right to data and information that they collected on their herd. As a result of this deci sion and requests we have received, SGBI has shared performance and DNA information back with members who have submitted those requests. We continue to work openly alongside our members to fulfill any requests we receive that allows you, as a member, to better quantify quality within your herd and market that quality. If you ever have a request or feel that we could potentially provide something for you to better your operation, just let us know. We have also recently added to the SGBI staff. Kristy Gonzalez joined our office this past month. Kristy is work ing on a part-time basis, filling in some of the gaps left by Diana’s retirement. While Diana continues to help on a part-time basis, having Kristy in the office allows us to operate at capacity. She is already proving of value, and I am excited to have her on the team. As this is the membership issue, a few thoughts come to mind. Without

its members, SGBI would not exist. More than 70 years of like-minded people getting together and developing relationships over a breed of cattle is really the backbone of our association. Like any well-run association, rules and structure must be implemented and changed from time to time as the need arises and needs of the membership change. While there must be leader ship, a board of directors, staff, consul

1. Maintains the registry of Santa Gertrudis cattle. 2. Hosts events to create opportunities for breeders to network and grow their businesses. 3. Promotes the long-term profitability of Santa Gertrudis influence within the beef industry through print advertising, social media, etc. 4. Fosters relationships with academia to develop breed-specific research and educational outreach opportunities. 5. Strengthens information and data sharing alliances with beef industry stakeholders that will create demand for Santa Gertrudis and Santa Gertrudis-influenced cattle. (Read about the latest endeavor on page 44.) 6. Provides management and decision-making tools to identify and replicate economically relevant traits that strengthen the breed’s genetic package. 7. Adopts technologies that better position members to meet anticipated demand for high-quality cattle. 8. Operates with a sound financial strategy to ensure long-term association viability. 9. Improves member and customer profitability, sustainability and satisfaction. 10. Places an emphasis on junior member learning opportunities with a focus on commercial beef production. 10 Reasons SGBI Is a Valuable Tool

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SANTA GERTRUDIS USA