The_Ledger_Winter_2020

Telling the American Aberdeen Story

One association, seven states, thousands of miles and hundreds of interested cattle producers.

BY JESSIE TOPP-BECKER, MANAGING EDITOR I n November 2018, Dean Pike, American Aberdeen Association ® (AAA) representative, started attending state cattlemen’s conventions on behalf of the asso ciation. Pike presented the idea to the AAA Board of Directors last year as a creative way to promote the breed and reach commercial cattle producers. Over the last 12 months, he’s attended six state cattlemen’s association conventions, including the Kansas Cattlemen’s Association Convention, Wyoming Stock Growers Association Conven tion, Missouri Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show, Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association Convention and Trade Show, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association Annual Conven tion and Trade Show, and Idaho Cattle Association’s An nual Convention and Trade Show, and, most recently, the Range Beef Cow Symposium. “We really started with the idea of going to try to com municate with real commercial cattlemen about the breed and what the breed can contribute to the industry,” Pike explains. At each event, Pike focuses on three key messages. “The first thing we’re doing is telling people what Ameri can Aberdeens are. The next thing we’re doing is telling them what American Aberdeen cattle can contribute to the industry, and then we’re meeting individual people and talking about what the breed can do personally for them,” Pike explains. “Then we’re collecting names of producers who are interested in the breed and hopefully as time goes along, those people will begin to buy the cattle.” Pike has enjoyed the conversations he’s had with pro ducers, and says it has been a great opportunity to share the breed’s history as many of the people he visits with are unfamiliar with American Aberdeen cattle. In addition to visiting with people hearing about the breed for the first time, Pike has also had a lot of conversa tions with cattle producers who are very interested in what the breed could contribute to their programs.

directory. That’s a pretty valuable thing to be giving out to people.” As the association works to target commercial cattle men with its message of ef ficient, low-input cattle, Pike says attending these con ventions has opened doors to meaningful conversations and generated interest in the breed. Looking ahead, Pike would like to see the as sociation continue attending state cattlemen’s associa tion conventions, but would also like to have a presence at other industry events, perhaps even having a display of American Aber deen cattle on-site at select

Dean Pike, left, and Holly and Ran dy Prosise of Rainy Knob Ranch, Loudon, Tenn., at the American Ab erdeen Association ® booth at the Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association Convention and Trade Show.

events. He’s also encour aged existing American Aberdeen breeders to set up booths at cattle industry events in their local areas. “I’m encouraging breeders to go back to the conven tions with their own booths, so we’re not just hitting these events one time,” Pike says. “It takes more than just the effort of the association to promote the breed; it’s going to take breeders who are going to come back. “I think breeders can follow up at these events the fol lowing year and promote their own program and the breed as well,” he adds. And breeders are taking him up on his suggestion. In December, 2J Livestock and Deep Creek Seedstock attended the Wyoming Stock Growers Winter Roundup Convention and Trade Show, and Ron and Cindy Jackson Bluett of ‘Cross Creek Farms will be attending the 2020 Tennessee Cattlemen’s Convention and Trade Show in January. Whether it’s Pike or American Aberdeen breeders pro moting the breed at these events, it’s all about establish ing relationships. “You’re not going to crack the door open right away,” he says. “The way you’re going to get that done is talking to these people one-on-one, giving the breed a face, giving the breed a personality – that’s what sells these cattle. “It’s forming relationships with people and putting a face with the breed,” he adds. “That’s what’s going to be important for us to expand into the commercial industry is going out and meeting these commercial cattlemen. It’s not a fast process, but to me, it’s a great way for us to grow.” TL

Pike says attending these conventions has opened doors to meaningful conversations and generated interest in the breed.

“We have generated around 120 names from these con ventions of people who have signed up and expressed an interest in the breed,” he explains. “Some of these inter ested producers are big operators running more than 250 cows, and they’re looking for something different.” Anyone who stops by the booth has the opportunity to pick up a variety of breed informational materials, as well as the membership directory issue of The Ledger, which is the item Pike says is taken most frequently. “The magazine is an incredible tool,” he says. “If people are interested, they can read about the breed, how the breed started and what makes the breed important; and every breeder is in there because of the membership

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