Ronald Hammonds, cattle producer from the Saddletree community and President of the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association, discusses beef cattle issues with fellow board members. J. F. Lancaster (right) from Edgecombe County is Past President of the association and Mark Brey (left) from Stokes County is Past President and currently serves on the National Beef Council.

Although our agricultural production this year will be hampered by freezes, droughts, and record-breaking temperatures, Robeson County is still one of the major agricultural counties in the state. Robeson County is the largest county in the state and is one of the leading counties in the production of most agricultural commodities.

But what makes the agriculture in this county so great are the men and women who own, manage, and operate the many farms across our county. Because of their dedication and the dedication of many others across the nation just like them, we are blessed to have the most abundant and safest food supply in the world.

All farmers are special, but the true leaders of Robeson County agriculture are those farmers who become strong spokesmen for agriculture, especially the commodity or commodities they produce. These are the men and women that serve on local, regional, state, and national boards of their commodity groups. They give countless hours trying to make things better not only for themselves but for all their neighbors as well.

This past Friday was a special day for the beef cattle people in Robeson County. Robeson County was the host of the summer board meeting of the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association. How this came about is that one of our own, Ronald Hammonds, is the president of this association. The policy of this association is to hold the summer board meeting in the home county of the current president.

Ronald Hammonds is a cattle and hay farmer from the Saddletree community. He has always been recognized as a strong community leader by holding elected positions not only locally but also on the state level. Since beef cattle are his major interest, he has always been heavily involved in the local Robeson County Livestock Producers Association and currently serves as their president. He has also been involved for many years in the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association and has served on their board of directors as a representative for Robeson County for many years. This year he serves as their president.

The Board of Directors of the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association gathered at the Quality Inns and Suites. Michelle Shooter (Extension livestock agent) and I met them at the motel and provided a tour of several livestock-related industries in the Lumberton area. The group first visited Stru Flex. Alex Locklear, plant manager, described the development of this facility and how they work with farmers to secure the wheat straw they need for their manufacturing process. He then provided a tour of the facility.

The group then visited U.S. Cold Storage and was provided a tour of the facility by Dan Ezzell, plant manager. They saw how frozen meat and vegetable products are stored and how they are prepared for shipment both within the United States and to many nations overseas. They also saw the blast freezer where food products are quickly cooled to more than thirty degrees below zero.

The group returned to the motel for their afternoon business meeting. Naturally, one of their major items of discussion was how cattle producers in North Carolina are going to secure feed material for their animals this winter because of the shortage of hay resulting from the drought. They discussed other feed sources, how they can support the appropriate research, and how they can most effectively get information to the cattle producers in the state.

Late that afternoon they traveled to Ronald Hammonds' farm to see his beef herd, his cattle facilities, and his hay operation. While there, they were treated to samples of fried buffalo, since Ronald's hobby is raising buffalo.

They returned to the motel for dinner. George Reed Pate from Rowland, who is a retired cattle producer and 1965 past president of the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association, joined them.

As farmers like Ronald become involved in commodity groups and associations, they learn much more about the commodities they are producing than they ever would on their own. In addition to becoming more knowledgeable about the commodity, they form friendships with producers from across the state with interest very similar to their own. It's like developing a whole network of personal resource people.

Now the moral to this little story I am sharing with you today -- Whatever your interests, get involved beyond your own little world. Join related associations, attend meetings and conferences, make a point to meet others, and learn what they have done or are planning to do. Record names, phone numbers, and addresses, and use them often.

The world is a classroom. You never stop learning. Take advantages of the many opportunities that are available for you.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 09/04/07