August 2025 President's Message
- membership233
- Aug 1
- 2 min read
Quote of the Month
“We must all hang together, or, assuredly, we shall all hang separately.” – Benjamin Franklin, 1776
This powerful call for unity was crucial during the founding of our nation—and it remains just as relevant today. As I mentioned last month, one of my primary goals this year is to grow our association’s membership. We are strong—evidenced by the outstanding turnout at our annual convention—but continued growth is essential if we’re to sustain the good work of our association and maintain our political influence in both Tallahassee and Washington, D.C.
Imagine the impact if each member recruited just one new individual. Growth begins with action. Let’s move beyond thinking about recruitment and start actively inviting others to join. For those already involved, the benefits are clear: advocacy, education, community, and more. But for those outside our association, that value may not be as apparent.
Recently, I had a conversation with a non-member cattleman. I knew a long pitch wouldn’t persuade him, so instead, I simply invited him to attend one of our quarterly meetings. He accepted. I’m confident that when he attends the Legislative Quarterly in January 2026, he’ll see the value of becoming a member.
If you’re a regular attendee, I encourage you to do the same—extend a personal invitation to someone who hasn’t yet experienced what we offer. And if you’re a member looking to get more involved, join us at one of our upcoming quarterly meetings:
• September 4–5, 2025 – Okeechobee
• December 4, 2025 – Ocala
• January 20–21, 2026 – Tallahassee (Legislative)
• June 22–25, 2026 – Marco Island
As I write this, I’m returning from San Diego, where I had the privilege of attending the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Mid-Summer Meeting alongside several representatives from Region 2. Like our state association, NCBA depends on a strong membership base to advocate effectively. Florida currently has around 600 NCBA members. Let’s grow that number and amplify our voice at the national level.
NCBA champions many of the same priorities we do: property rights, tax reform, research, education, food security, animal health, and resisting government overreach. A powerful example of their advocacy is the case of Charles and Heather Maude of South Dakota, who faced devastating federal action over a property boundary dispute. With NCBA’s support, they were able to defend their rights and protect their livelihood. I encourage you to learn more about their story.
If you’re not yet a member of NCBA, now is the time to step up. #LeadTheWay—your involvement makes a difference.
I’d also like to recognize a few outstanding leaders for their service:
• Thank you to Tom Bryant, Vice Chair of the NCBA Tax and Credit Committee.
• Thank you to Past President Cliff Coddington, who serves on the NCBA Nominating Committee for the Federation of Beef Councils.
Congratulations to Immediate Past President Dale Carlton for being selected to serve on the NCBA Policy Committee’s Nominating Committee.
And a special congratulations to Mark and Debbie Overstreet of M&D Overstreet Ranch for winning the NCBA Region 2 Environmental Stewardship Award. Best of luck at CattleCon 2026 in Nashville!
Thank you for the continued honor of allowing me to serve.
Sincerely,
Rick Moyer