Missouri Beef House

Missouri Cattle Feeders Association, the predecessor of the Missouri Cattlemens Association, was established in January 1911 when cattle feeders from central and northern Missouri met during the University of Missouri Farmers Week. This organization, the first livestock commodity group in the state, would be both educational and protective in purpose, with a primary mission to promote and protect the beef-producing industry. The newly formed association met once a year during Farmers Week. In 1916, representatives from Missouri Cattle Feeders Association, Missouri Sheep Feeder and Breeder Association, Missouri Draft Horse Breeders Association, Missouri Saddle Horse Association, Missouri Hampshire Swine Breeders, Missouri Chester White and O.I.C. Breeders Association, Missouri Poland China Swine Breeders Association and Missouri Duroc Jersey Swine Breeders Association met in the office of University professor E.A. Trowbridge. Professor Trowbridge, as temporary chairman, stressed the need for a strong combined livestock group. The meeting created the Missouri Live Stock Producers Association, under which all the organizations would be auxiliary members. In 1925 the association dropped Producers from its name, becoming the Missouri Livestock Association. Throughout the 1950s member associations of the Missouri Livestock Association began to detach from the umbrella organization and form their species-specific organizations. The original Missouri CattleWomens group, the Missouri CowBelles, was organized in 1953. In September of 1964, several Missouri cattle and hog producers incorporated the Missouri Livestock Feeders Association to be affiliated with the National Livestock Feeders Association while the original Missouri Livestock Association would be affiliated with the American National Cattlemens Association. On March 9, 1968, Joe Ewing of Joplin was elected the last president of the Missouri Livestock Association. The next day, Ewing was the first