News Release

(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) – Missouri cattle producer Jim McCann, from Miller, Mo., was recognized by Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce at the 45th Missouri Governor’s Conference on Agriculture with the 2014 Missouri Beef Cattle Legacy Award, recognizing him for leadership in Missouri’s beef cattle industry. McCann is leading the charge with Missouri’s largest and longest operating beef cattle organization as president of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. His work with the Cattlemen’s Association allows him to travel the state working to build, strengthen and advocate for the beef industry. 

During the awards banquet Saturday evening, Missouri’s Director of Agriculture Richard Fordyce recognized McCann with this year’s top cattle honors in front of hundreds in attendance.

“The Missouri cattle industry continues to be a success story for our state time and time again,” said Director Fordyce. “It’s examples like Jim McCann who are bringing together cattlemen across our state to move the needle in agriculture.”

As Missouri’s Cattle Legacy Award recipient, Jim McCann, owner of Shining Cross Farm, LLC, was recognized for his outstanding contributions to Missouri agriculture. McCann has been a longtime member of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association where he is a leader on the National Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Program and sits on the BQA advisory board.

McCann’s farm backgrounds steers, taking them to 9-weights on fescue-based pastures and grain supplementation, and runs a small cowherd. McCann and his wife, Linda, and their children, hold regular management meetings to make family business decisions. The McCann family includes Travis McCann and Jason McCann, who served as President of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, and Monica Chute.

Missouri’s Beef Cattle Legacy Award was recognized alongside Legacy Awards in Soybean, Corn, Pork, Poultry, Forestry, Dairy, Rice and Cotton, the Missouri Farm Innovation Award, the Missouri Agriculture Environmental Steward Award, Missouri Ag Education Leader Award and the Missouri Food Animal Veterinarian Award at the 2014 Missouri’ Governor’s Conference on Agriculture closing banquet.

The conference, which took place at the Lake of the Ozarks, concluded Saturday evening with a special performance by country music band Sawyer Brown. The three-day event included nationally-recognized speakers, in-depth discussions about current issues and an agriculture tradeshow. Special events during the conference included the Taste of AgriMissouri reception and the Friday evening benefit auction supporting programs for youth and young professionals in agriculture.

For more information on the Governor’s Conference on Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Agriculture, visit the Department online at http://agriculture.mo.gov.

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Note: Photos of the award presentation are available by contacting Sarah Alsager at Sarah.Alsager@mda.mo.gov or (573) 751-2613.