HOME	Texas Cattle Feeders Association

Contact: Burt Rutherford                                                                                                       Nov. 8, 1999

CHANGE IS COMING
SCHWERTNER TELLS CATTLE FEEDERS

All it takes is a quick look at the short and exciting history of Cattle Feeding Country to show that change is a constant companion of cattle feeders. And that, Jim Schwertner says, is the reason that cattle feeders shouldn't fear the changes and challenges currently facing the cattle business.

Schwertner, chairman of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association (TCFA), made his remarks during his Chairman's Address at the TCFA "Exploring New Horizons" Annual Convention today in San Antonio.

"Change is not new to our industry," he said. "It's been said that those who don't remember their history are doomed to repeat it. In the case of cattle feeding, that may not be such a bad thing."

The reason Schwertner takes a contrarian twist to an old saying is because he believes that for cattle feeders to understand what's possible in their future, they must look at their past. "Our industry was blessed early on with men who had vision, who were willing to change the way they sold cattle. These men built the first modern feedyards in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico, and they single-handedly changed the cattle industry in the United States."

But they didn't stop there. They also worked to bring modern packing plants to Cattle Feeding Country, and they were willing to step up when a new, upstart cattle feeding association was formed in Amarillo in 1967.

"These men had courage and vision and were willing to change. And that willingness to change created one of the strongest, most effective livestock associations ever developed. We call it the Texas Cattle Feeders Association."

To be sure, the short history of cattle feeding in the TCFA area has had its ups and downs. But through it all, cattle feeders faced the present and the future with optimism, with strength and with a willingness to make the changes and challenges they encountered work for them instead of against them.

"That's been good training because our present situation will require each of us to take the lead like our past leaders did when they started feeding cattle in the area. It's time to cross the bridge to a new era and think out of the box."

Cattle feeders have been price takers instead of price makers for too long, he said, and he challenged every one in the room to step up and make a difference. "Our industry is at a major crossroads and the decisions we make, individually as cattle feeders and collectively as TCFA members, will have long-lasting consequences."

Schwertner predicted that the cattle industry will be much different in five years than it is today. "We will have a different type of marketing system because the consumer and the retailer will demand it. Those who are willing to change will be at the forefront of our industry-they will be the leaders that the next generation of cattle feeder will talk about at TCFA conventions 30 or 40 years from now."

Schwertner told cattle feeders that one of the major changes in their near future will be consolidated marketing. "This is an idea that TCFA has been working on for several years. Our most recent attempt produced some pretty exciting results. In less than 10 days, we had 1 million head committed."

At that level, the TCFA consolidated marketing idea would become the largest alliance in the United States. "We are beginning to get input on the components of consolidated marketing, which are quantity, value, quality and satisfaction. The TCFA committees will spend a great deal of time this year addressing those points as we further develop our consolidated marketing concept."

Change is indeed sweeping Cattle Feeding Country, he told cattle feeders, and TCFA members will be major players as the drama unfolds. "We have a history of thinking out of the box, of meeting change head on and making it work for us. Our forefathers, many of whom are still active in this industry, were willing to step up to change. Are we?"

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