In the past 10 years, Iowa has constantly ranked in the top five of registrations, transfers and memberships. The association has made it a priority to help breeders promote Maine-Anjou cattle and improve the overall quality of the breed through several special programs. They have also put a strong emphasis in supporting the future generations of Maine-Anjou breeders.
Tom VanVliet, Otley, Iowa said he remembers the first years of the Iowa association.
“At the very beginning, it was very small,” he said. “We’d barely have enough people to get anything accomplished. It took a lot of donations and free will offerings from the members to make it survive, and today its grown into something that gives scholarship money away and has a very generous budget to work with.”
“The numbers have swelled. It’s grown from probably having 15 or 20 those first few years, to 120 at the banquet this year,” VanVliet added. The annual meeting of the Iowa association is a reflection of that growth. With total membership of 463, Iowa is ranked 3rd in adult membership and 2nd in junior membership.
Taken from “Small Steps Build Successful”
By Courtney Wimmer (courtesy of the Maine Anjou Voice)