Thank you farmers and ranchers! As each of us gather around our dining room tables for our Thanksgiving feast, let us remember the folks that put the food on the tables!  The unwavering dedication and unmatched work ethic of America’s farmers and ranchers continue to sustain our families and our nation and warrant a special thank you this holiday season.

Their significance often goes unobserved as we as society rarely take time to realize the impact that our food and fiber system has on our daily lives.  As American consumers, our tables are filled with safe, reliable, and enjoyable food products that arrive in our grocery stores in convenient packages and at an affordable price. 

To America’s farmers and ranchers – thank you for filling our families tables every day of the year! 24/7/365, without hesitation, you are fueling the American spirit and way of life.  Your early mornings, late nights, steadfast perseverance, and numerous sacrifices are not unrecognized.  Our country was built on and sustained by your principles, your values, and the essential products that you continue to provide to our families. 

THANK YOU!

Photo taken last April at a cattle branding in Arminto, Wyoming at the Crimm Brothers Ranch By Blackacre Ranch Photography 

Greetings from the Georgia National Fair!  We are in Perry, Georgia this week exhibiting cattle and taking the opportunity to promote an industry that provides so much to our livelihoods.  Not only from a foodstuff standpoint, the cattle business is a family business which is apparent as I look around the barn and see children and their parents working diligently on 4-H and FFA projects.  The Georgia Cattleman’s Association has large booth set up for the youth attending the fair that spreads the word about the importance of beef in a healthy diet, developing confidence in the American food supply, and clarifying misconceptions about how cattle are raised.

Speaking of clarifying misconceptions!  Contrary to what one may gather from the media, cattle play a very important role in caring for and improving our environment.  Recent publicity has led Americans to believe that ruminant animals are a large contributor to global warming and climate change. 

The Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov, provides information on ruminant livestock and their impact on climate change.  Their website states that in the United States methane released from cattle accounts for about 20 percent of methane emissions, which breaks down to be 5.5 million metric tons per year.  According to the EPA, the most promising approach for reducing methane emissions from U.S. livestock is by improving the productivity and efficiency of livestock production.  They go on to offer a list of management practices that can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. More...

I, along with my parents, own Mill Creek Land & Cattle.  We are a registered Brangus seedstock operation and have raised and shown Brangus cattle for over 15 years.  We market show heifers and donor prospects, both domestically and internationally.  Our bulls are marketed through a joint venture program with Cow Creek Ranch, Aliceville, Alabama (www.cowcreekbulls.com).

I was actively involved in the International Junior Brangus Breeders Association, serving as President of the organization in 2003. I attended college at Middle Tennessee State University and Murray State University, graduating with honors in 2006 with a B.S. in Animal Science/Pre-Veterinary Medicine and a minor in Business Administration.  During college, I was a member of the livestock judging team and involved in Block & Bridle, Sigma Alpha, and MTSU Student Agriculture Council, serving as President of all three organizations. More...