A WR….
Featuring:
Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association
By Kacy Atkinson
The Rundown
Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association
-Founded in 1977
-1,200 total membership
-Focus-government relations, policy development and producer education
-Ashley Kohls, Executive Director
www.mnsca.org
Interview with Ashley Kohls
WR What’s a brief history of your organization?
AK Originally we were two separate organizations in Minnesota; one that represented cattle feeders and the other representing cow/calf and seedstock operations. In the 1970’s, they got together and decided that they could be more efficient and accomplish more if they joined forces and worked together. In 1977, we became the trusted voice of Minnesota’s beef industry we are today.
WR What’s a really interesting point about MSCA?
AK It’s the culture here in Minnesota to wear baseball caps instead of cowboy hats. Often, we’ll have national leadership come to our state meetings and events and remark that it doesn’t feel like a cattlemen’s event without a cowboy hat in the room, but we just don’t wear them here. This has sparked conversations to let them know that a cowboy on a horse wearing a hat doesn’t represent all the cattlemen in the nation. Hopefully we’ll start seeing more pictures of ranchers in baseball caps leaning on a fence!
WR What’s one of MSCA’s greatest accomplishments?
AK Every summer we hold a Cattlemen’s Beef Tour. We work with the different local associations around the state and hold it in a different location each year. We have between 850-1200 people attend each summer. It gives us the opportunity to show our communities who we are and what we do as cattlemen, so they have a better understanding of our business. It’s a great opportunity to get people together, including our government agencies and politicians, so they can see firsthand how important our job is. This coming summer will be our 38th beef tour.
WR What’s one thing you hope to see done during your time with MSCA?
AK I’m always thinking about leadership development. We are continually discussing how to formalize that process and create something that works for us. We want to see our younger cattlemen involved now, because they are our future leaders. We want to avoid leaving them with that “deer in the headlights” feeling when they begin to take on leadership roles. Working to figure out a program that will provide them with development opportunities to help them is definitely on my radar, we just need to figure out how that looks and what fits for our organization.
WR What would you say to someone thinking about joining MSCA?
AK We are the only organization in Minnesota representing beef and cattle producers. It will cost you $50 to join. Most cattlemen can’t drive to St. Paul for $50 and have a continual voice with our state politicians to help them understand what they do and why they do it. But that’s what we are doing for our producers. We are providing a voice and education to those that are running our state – and we need everyone’s voice so we know what to tell them.
WR encourages producers to have a voice by being active and involved in an association that aligns with your needs and ideals.
