The following is a review of topics discussed and action taken during the meeting of the Board of Directors held September 8-11, 2025, in St. Joseph, MO.

AMERICAN ANGUS ASSOCIATION

• Total assets at July 31, 2025 were $29,859,400, and consisted of current assets of $1,982,000, investments of $22,661,400, and fixed assets of $5,215,900. Current liabilities were $933,000 consisting of accounts payable, accounts payable intercompany, accrued liabilities, and deferred income. Long-term liabilities of $967,200 consisted of accrued health insurance benefits, and a forgivable economic development grant liability. Net income for the period ending July 31, 2025 was $1,976,600 of which $1,329,100 represents investment returns generated through the investment portfolio. The Association approved a balanced budget for fiscal year 2026.
  • Art Butler moved, seconded by Jerry Theis to accept the finance report. The motion passed unanimously.
  • Darrell Stevenson moved, seconded by Paul Bennett to approve a balanced budget for FY2026. The motion passed unanimously.

• The Board approved Committee reports as follows:
  • Breed Improvement Committee: motion by Smitty Lamb, second by Darrell Stevenson, unanimous approval.
  • Commercial Programs Committee: motion by John Dickinson, second by Darrell Stevenson, unanimous approval.
  • Communications and PR Committee: motion by Mark Ahearn, second by Roger Wann, unanimous approval.
  • Events and Junior Activities Committee: motion by Jerry Theis, second by Henry Smith, unanimous approval.
  • Finance and Planning Committee: motion by Darrell Stevenson, second by Art Butler, unanimous approval.
  • Member Services Committee: motion by Paul Bennett, second by Rob Adams, unanimous approval.
  • Research Priorities Committee: motion by Jim Brinkley, second by Smitty Lamb, unanimous approval.
• There were no recommendations from the nomination committees to fill at-large Board member and industry representative positions for current and upcoming vacancies.
• A member presentation was given.
• Smitty Lamb was elected to serve as the Association’s treasurer for 2026.
• The Board reviewed the new format for the 2025 Angus Convention.
• Smitty Lamb moved to accept the Long-Range Strategic Plan for 2026 -2028. Henry Smith seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
• The AAA genotype ownership policy and agreement background were reviewed.
• Annual reports on employee and board codes of conduct were presented with no issues identified.
• Jim Brinkley moved, seconded by Smitty Lamb, to approve the following four procedural documents for the Annual Convention of Delegates:
  1. Memo from the Board to delegates and alternate delegates
  2. Order of Business
  3. Convention Procedures
  4. Election Procedures

The motion was unanimously approved. The documents will be sent to delegates and alternate delegates prior to the Annual Convention of Delegates.

• Darrell Stevenson moved, seconded by Smitty Lamb, to nominate Jim Brinkley to serve as the Association’s president and chairman of the Board of Directors for 2026. The motion was unanimously approved.
• John Dickinson moved, seconded by Roger Wann, to nominate Darrell Stevenson to serve as the Association’s vice president and vice chairman of the Board of Directors for 2026. The motion was unanimously approved.
• President Perry appointed Jim Brinkley, Darrell Stevenson, and Smitty Lamb to serve as the Nominating Committee to propose slates of candidates for the Boards of Directors of the Angus Foundation, AGI, Angus Productions Inc., and CAB LLC, and the AAA committees.
• The NCBA summer business meeting report was given by those representing AAA.

BREED IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE

• The Data Driven Herd Recognition Program was released on August 7. The program was created to recognize herds that submit a variety of phenotypes. More feedback and discussion from members is anticipated.
• Teat size, udder suspension, and functional longevity production EPDs were released in May 2025. The committee shared feedback and questions from members on the new traits.
• Members requested a planned mating tool to calculate parent average EPDs from matings. The tool will be in Login and will include the projected inbreeding coefficient. Paul Bennett moved to proceed with the tool as presented, seconded by John Dickinson. Motion was approved unanimously.
• Staff reviewed the interim EPD calculations for growth and carcass traits, where a true interim value is calculated after phenotypes are submitted. This process was implemented when the genetic evaluation was completed every six months to provide interim values. With a weekly genetic evaluation, it was discussed if this process is required today. Darrell Stevenson moved to retire the overnight interim calculations for growth and carcass traits alongside the May 2026 genetic evaluation updates. Rob Adams seconded the motion. Motion was approved unanimously. 
• Staff presented considerations for Maternal Weaned Calf Value where the index is published although there is component traits of the index not printed. After committee discussion, no action was taken at this time, but the committee will continue to consider the topic in the future.
• Planned updates for the genetic evaluation in May 2026 including the annual updates such as the economic assumptions, breed averages, percentile tables, genetic trends, etc. and a Core update. The SNP effects and genomic scores will also be updated after the genetic evaluation updates are released. Staff also shared other research efforts for improvements of the genetic evaluation.
• Projects for the World Angus Evaluation that are being researched included adding docility records from the Canadian Angus Association, including Angus Australia to functional longevity and heifer pregnancy, and adding Red Angus Association of America to the foot score evaluation.

COMMERCIAL PROGRAMS COMMITTEE

• Total head enrolled in AngusLink are projected to be up by about 4% this year compared to last fiscal. Additionally, the number of GMS only enrolled cattle continues to show significant growth up 17%.
• The committee reviewed the summer video sale season. While overall numbers were down, the number of cattle enrolled in AngusLink was up slightly. Of all the cattle offered by the major video companies 6.5% were AngusLink cattle. Superior’s Video Royale sale in Winnemucca led the way with 16.5% of the total offering being enrolled in Anguslink. Western Video’s Silver Legacy Sale also saw significant growth in market share with 11.3% of the offering being enrolled in AngusLink 
• The committee also reviewed the marketing program that was conducted throughout the summer, including our promotional partnership efforts with IMI global. The improvements to the sale pages on the website, new video content, and the new and improved email blast to potential buyers were discussed. Additionally, the GMS percentile ranking resource was discussed.
• Individual sale data was discussed, despite historically high prices, cattle enrolled in AngusLink saw historically high premiums as well. It is estimated that the overall premium for AngusLink cattle will exceed $20/cwt for the first time ever and exceed $120/head. Final premium data will be summarized at end of fiscal year.
• The final discussion points were focused on plans for the fall and looking forward to the next fiscal year. In the next fiscal year, we will exceed over 1 million cattle enrolled in AngusVerified and total premiums for cattle enrolled in AngusLink should exceed $100 million.

COMMUNICATIONS AND PR COMMITTEE

• The committee reviewed the current public relations plan and discussed strategies for the promotion of additional member education and resources.
• Staff shared the newest update to the Powered by Angus National Ad campaign. The campaign will reinforce the advantages of using registered Angus cattle for the commercial cattleman. In addition, it will tie to Angus Advantages and link to that section of the website.
• The analytics report from the Association’s social media pages over the last 12-month period was reviewed. Year-over-year interactions and reach have grown steadily from this same time last year.
• The committee reviewed a preview of the updates planned for the Angus mobile App to be launched in the next fiscal year.

EVENTS AND JUNIOR ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE

• From feedback received, committee added a senior calf division for steer shows that fall in the months of January 1-May 31. Mark Ahearn made the motion, second by Ron Hinrichsen. Motion passed unanimously.
• Staff presented rule change suggestions for the General Show Rules which included removing the maximum number of owned heifers and steers an exhibitor can show, and the transfer/retransfer rule.
  • Mark Ahearn made the motion, second by Henry Smith, to approve the rule changes that will go into effect in January 2026. Motion passed unanimously.
• Committee reviewed submitted judge’s applications for the 2026-2027 Judges List. Motion to approve the 2026-2027 Judges List was made by Ron Hinrichsen and seconded by Mark Johnson. Motion passed unanimously.
• Ron Hinrichsen made a motion, seconded by Mark Ahearn, to approve the suggested judges from the Western States for the Western Regional Junior Angus Show. Motion passed unanimously.
• Motion to approve the Western Regional Junior Angus Show PGS judge was made by Henry Smith and seconded by Ron Hinrichsen. Motion passed unanimously.
• The committee nominated Phenotype and Genotype judges for both the Cattlemen’s Congress and National Western Open Show Phenotype and Genotype Shows. Mark Johnson made a motion, second by Ron Hinrichsen, to approve the nominated slate of judges. Motion passed unanimously.
• The committee reviewed two letters from members – one regarding potential improvements to the NJAS and one regarding the Herdsman of the Year award. The committee discussed the suggestions and will consider the feedback in future planning and decisions.

MEMBER SERVICES COMMITTEE

• Changes made to the Breeders Reference Guide to coincide with Article II Section 2.7 Affiliate Memberships.
  • Rule 406: Transfers by Affidavit
    • In case of neglect or refusal of a member or nonmember affiliate member of the Association to apply for transfer of registration, transfer may be recorded, if approved by the Association’s Chief Executive Officer, on the basis of the transferee’s affidavit setting forth the facts and sworn to or affirmed before a Notary Public. Each such affidavit must be accompanied by proof of sale and payment in full of the purchase price of the animal or by evidence of an agreement to sell, purchase or transfer including the terms and conditions of service, if any, in the case of females.
  • Rule 805: Alteration of Conformation and Structure by Use of Prohibited Substance or Unethical Fitting
    • Each member exhibitor or member owner is prohibited from altering the conformation or the structure of an animal by injection or internal or external administration of any Prohibited Substance or by involvement in an Unethical Fitting. The member exhibitor and/or member owner is responsible for the acts of any nonmember fitter found to have altered an animal in violation of these Rules or the Rules and Regulations of any Association-approved livestock show.
  • Rule 1303: Failure of Nonmembers or Affiliate Members to Comply 
    • The failure of any nonmembers or affiliate members to comply with the Rules of this Association shall be grounds for prohibiting such individuals from participation in any event or program sanctioned, funded, or authorized by the Association or taking any other action, which, in its discretion, the Board of Directors may take.
    • Motion made by Smitty Lamb to accept proposed changes to the Breeders Reference Guide. Seconded by Henry Smith.  Motion passed unanimously.
• Delegate summary for 2025. 2,315 ballots were eligible to be counted. 293 delegates were elected with 244 alternate delegates for the Annual Convention of Delegates.
• Continued progress of adding additional value to the membership of the American Angus Association in the form of member rewards.
• Member Services Departmental updates included recent improvements in processing and turnaround times. As of July 25, 2025, any data processed on Friday is now available for members to review and continue their workflow on Saturday.
• Angus Information Management Software (AIMS) software update was released on July 9, 2025, that includes EPD’s/Genomic ranks, additional visibility with validations and improvements to the update/install process. A YouTube series on AIMS topics is now available on the Angus YouTube channel. The tutorial video highlights a wide array of topics for the users of AIMS.

FINANCE AND PLANNING

• Staff presented a financial report. Total assets on the consolidated financial report are $100,772,500, consisting of current assets of $20,770,500, investments of $64,834,000, property and equipment of $14,905,100 and non-current assets of $262,900. Current liabilities are $5,422,300 consisting of accounts payable, accrued liabilities, and deferred income. Long-term liabilities of $2,120,900 consist of deferred compensation, accrued health insurance benefits, and a forgivable economic development grant liability. Consolidated Net income for the period ending July 31, 2025 is $12,954,500. Investment portfolio returns account for $3,217,500 of the $12,954,500 bottom line.
• Projections of the financial results for the fiscal year that will end September 30, 2025, were presented for the American Angus Association (Association), its subsidiaries and affiliate. Each entity is forecasting the fiscal year to end with a positive net income.
• Staff presented the proposed budget for the Association for fiscal year (FY) 2026 which has projected operating revenue of $16,710,300, expenses of $16,630,800, and non-operating adjustments of ($40,000). The budgeted net gain for the year is $39,500 after non-operating adjustments. The number of registrations budgeted is 305,000. Other core revenue sources are budgeted flat to current year forecast. Investment income of $660,000 is budgeted. This represents a 3% return on investments. Fees received by the Association from its subsidiaries are budgeted at $3,789,400. The proposed budget includes provisions for capital expenditures of $630,000.
  • Alan Mead moved, and Paul Bennett seconded a motion to recommend adoption of the 2026 budget to the full board of the American Angus Association. The motion passed unanimously.

ANGUS FOUNDATION

• Total assets at July 31, 2025 were $33,521,700, and consisted of current assets of $5,357,000, investments of $28,114,800, and non-current assets of $50,000. Current liabilities were $95,100 consisting of accounts payable, accounts payable intercompany, and accrued liabilities. Long-term liabilities of $29,200 consisted of accrued health insurance benefits. Net income for the period ending July 31, 2025 was $5,911,700 of which $1,070,600 represents investment returns generated through the investment portfolio. The Foundation approved an unrestricted balanced budget for fiscal year 2026.
  • Mark Ahearn moved, seconded by John Dickinson, that the August financial report be approved. Motion passed unanimously.
  • Tom McGinnis moved, seconded by Alan Mead to approve a balanced unrestricted budget for the fiscal year 2026. Motion passed unanimously.
• Scholarship application and processes were reviewed extensively at member letter request.
• Tom McGinnis moved, seconded by Darla Eggers to approve the 2026-2028 Long Range Strategic Plan for the Angus Foundation. Motion passed unanimously.
• The board reviewed fundraising activities from current fiscal year and discussed future plans for the heifer package, sale of pregnancies and Cattlemen’s Congress event.

ANGUS GENETICS INC.

• Total assets at July 31, 2025 were $2,826,300, and consisted of current assets of $1,472,700, investments 0f $1,316,600, fixed assets of $38,100, and non-current assets with a credit balance of $1,100. Current liabilities were $1,376,800 consisting of accounts payable, accounts payable intercompany, and accrued liabilities. Long-term liabilities of $23,300 consisted of accrued health insurance benefits. Net income for the period ending July 31, 2025 was $521,200 of which $83,900 represents investment returns generated through the investment portfolio. Angus Genetics Inc approved a balanced budget for fiscal year 2026.
  • Paul Bennett, seconded by Darrell Stevenson to accept the finance report. The motion passed unanimously.
  • Smitty Lamb moved, seconded by Rob Adams to approve a balanced budget for FY2026. The motion passed unanimously.
• The AGI Board and staff reviewed key accomplishments from FY2025, including a nearly 20% increase in GeneMAX sales following the addition of $Values, the release of the ImAGIne White Paper, and the delivery of three new EPDs along with updated $Values to the American Angus Association.
• The AGI Board and staff have begun a 3-year strategic planning process, with a goal of final approval at the June 2026 board meeting. This plan is essential as AGI prepares for the future of beef genetics in a rapidly evolving landscape. More data is being collected and analyzed outside of traditional breed associations. To continue supporting Angus breeders effectively, AGI needs to ensure they’re providing the best tools, data, research, and expertise available. This strategic plan will help chart that course, so the team can continue to deliver value to Angus members and the entire beef industry.
• Highlighted research and project updates included continued progress on capturing commercial beef industry data building on the ongoing partnership with the University of Illinois, focused on data collection and index validation. Additional highlights covered the heart health initiative, methane and efficiency research, and results from the AGI customer service survey.

ANGUS PRODUCTIONS INC.

• Total assets at July 31, 2025 were $3,170,300, and consisted of current assets of $1,566,300, investments of $1,096,000, fixed assets of $293,900, and non-current assets of $214,100. Current liabilities were $1,518,900 consisting of accounts payable, accounts payable intercompany, accrued liabilities, and deferred income.  Long-term liabilities of $291,100 consisted of accrued health insurance benefits. Net income for the period ending July 31, 2025 was $227,100 of which $77,800 represents investment returns generated through the investment portfolio. Angus Productions Inc. approved a balanced budget for fiscal year 2026.
  • Mark Ahearn moved, seconded by Art Butler to accept the FY 2025 financial report. Motion passed unanimously.
  • Mark Ahearn moved, seconded by Ron Hinrichsen, to approve the FY 2026 balanced budget. Motion passed unanimously.
• John Dickinson moved that Angus Media offer through Pasture to Publish parental average EPD values on embryos and pregnancies, where each lot is denoted with “Parental Avg EPD.” The sale book must also contain a definition of parental average EPD. Art Butler seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
• The launch of the inaugural Angus Bull Book was announced.
  • Included with Oct issue of AJ
  • Posted on-line
  • Copies available at Convention, Cattlemen’s Congress, and National Western as long as supply lasts

CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF LLC

• Total assets at July 31, 2025 were $31,744,500, and consisted of current assets of $10,742,100, investments of $11,645,200, and fixed assets of $9,357,200. Current liabilities were $1,848,100 consisting of accounts payable, accounts payable intercompany, and accrued liabilities. Long-term liabilities of $810,100 consisted of accrued health insurance benefits. Net income for the period ending July 31, 2025 was $4,317,800 of which $622,000 represents investment returns generated through the investment portfolio. Certified Angus Beef approved a balanced budget for fiscal year 2026.
  • Jim Brinkley moved to approve the financial report. The motion was seconded by Roger Wann and passed unanimously.
  • Charles Mogck moved, seconded by Rob Shuey to approve the FY 2026 balanced budget. Motion passed unanimously.
• Sales: Fiscal year-end sales were projected at 1.231 billion pounds – an estimated decline of merely 9 million pounds (0.7%) compared to prior year. While retail sales increased 0.9%, both foodservice and international sales experienced declines of 0.7% and 8.8%, respectively. Value-added products and Certified Angus Beef^® Prime sale posted record years.
• Supply: While overall fed cattle harvest is expected to decline 3.4% for the fiscal year, total Certified Angus Beef^® carcasses will be down only 2.8% boosted by strong acceptance rates up almost 1ppt to 38.1%.
• Targeting the Brand: Certified Angus Beef and AGI communicated the results of a recent collaborative analysis investigating the correlation of Marbling EPD and $G to Certified Angus Beef^® Prime acceptance rate. It was the consensus of the Board to communicate the results to the membership through educational resources as part of the current Targeting the Brand program while not creating a specific Certified Angus Beef^® Prime Targeting the Brand logo and designation.
• Production: In line with prior Board direction, efforts continue to move forward with licensing beef packing and fabrication facilities in Uruguay and exploring opportunities in New Zealand. Both remain contingent upon all potential entities involved demonstrating compliance with all quality standards and program requirements which exclude the sale of product into the U.S. and Canada and focus sales into international markets currently inaccessible or dramatically underpenetrated by the brand’s North American suppliers.

NEXT REGULAR BOARD MEETINGS

October 30 & November 2, 2025, Kansas City, Missouri  

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