It was both a privilege and a tremendous learning opportunity to join about 50 other Americans attending the 2025 World Angus Forum. Between the tours, expo and official Forum meeting, the combined event brought together more than 3,000 Angus enthusiasts from 26 different countries. 

I returned home with a renewed sense of excitement in what we do — not just as stewards of the Angus breed in the United States, but as part of a dynamic, interconnected global community.

The World Angus Forum is hosted every four years. This year’s event was hosted by Angus Australia and was an incredible example of collaboration on the part of its staff and breeders. Australia was set to host the Forum back in 2021, but with the COVID pandemic, the event was pushed to 2025. 

Essentially the Australian leadership had been planning this event for more than seven years, and that planning and preparation certainly showed.From the ranch and tour visits before and after the Forum to the Forum presentations themselves, it was clear while the terrain and climates may vary, Angus breeders worldwide share common goals: genetic advancement of the Angus breed and profitability through quality beef production.

As a part of the Forum there is a youth competition. This year, we were proud to have a team of four outstanding young Angus breeders represent the United States and compete against 11 other teams from across the world. There was plenty of friendly competition in stockmanship, debate, judging, showing and other contests, but the real value was the incredible network and friendships those 48 youth formed. I suspect they will last a lifetime.  

Touring operations in Australia, we got to see some excellent Angus cattle. There was a strong emphasis on feet, structure and functionality as the Australian terrain is big and their cattle need to cover lots of country. Similar to the United States, we saw different environments and markets shape differences in breeding philosophy. Even with that diversity, it was impressive to see the strong influence of U.S. genetics in the Australian herds we toured. 

The Forum was a showcase of big ideas and global thinking. There was particular interest in both the World Angus Evaluation and the Certified Angus Beef^® brand, and our team was invited to give presentations on both. Other topics on the agenda ranged from reproductive technologies, sustainability efforts, genetic advancements and feed efficiency.

This global experience certainly brought home the responsibility we carry at the American Angus Association. Our breeders and Association are looked to as leaders — whether in genetic evaluation, breeding strategies or branded beef. With leadership comes the opportunity, and obligation, to continue to make progress for the world. 

Looking ahead, we are excited the United States will be hosting the World Angus Forum in 2029. It will be a great opportunity to promote our Angus genetics to markets already investing in U.S. genetics, along with so many of the growing markets where Angus is becoming more popular. No decisions have been made about specific dates or locations, but stay tuned as those plans come together. 

In closing, I want to thank our hosts in Australia and the many international colleagues who made the Forum so impactful. It was a great display of Angus cattle, an incredible opportunity for Angus fellowship, and a reminder we don’t have a monopoly on enthusiasm for good Angus cattle.