Bonds Leads TSCRA
By Stalcup, Larry | |
Proquest LLC |
Stepping up when needed,
Don't try to tell
Bonds, whose operation is headquartered in
"Clay was a prince of a fellow who was a wonderful leader for TSCRA," Bonds says. "The best words to describe Clay would be honesty and integrity. If you were around Clay much at all, you learned something valuable from him. We were all blessed to have him as a friend and leader within our industry."
Like Birdwell, who made countless trips to
The Bonds operation owns cattle in 26
The drought of 2011 forced them to sell about half of their
He got his start at running cattle early.
"My father bought the
Jo literally danced her way into Bonds' life. "She was a ballerina and still teaches ballet at the ranch," he says. Missy, who like Pete attended the
TSCRA serves small and large ranches
Bonds learned early the value of being involved with TSCRA. He became a director in 1992 and served on numerous committees over the years before becoming second vice president in 2011. "It didn't take long to see how TSCRA and its staff were a major voice for all sizes of ranches," he says.
"We have 16,000-plus members and most of those have 100 cows or less. They also benefit from what we do in
The
"The
"
Then there were the child labor laws the
"Animal rights activists remain a threat to the cattle business. HSUS (
Brand your cattle
TSCRA special rangers recover millions of dollars in stolen cattle and ranch property every year. And a cattle brand helps land rustlers in jail. "Every animal we own is branded," Bonds says, noting that the ranch's turkey-track brand is also used on cattle in the many other states where they run Stockers or cows.
"Our
"We depend heavily on our special rangers to help find stolen cattle at auction barns and other locations. Having cattle branded helps identify them. I think it's important for all ranches to brand their cattle to help prevent rustlers from getting away."
Membership involvement
Bonds says he is thankful for the many past TSCRA leaders who have worked to obtain laws that favor property owners.
"Everyone needs to thank
"That just shows how important it is for TSCRA members and all ranchers to get involved. There's an old saying, 'if you're not at the table, you're on the menu.' We need to make sure state and regional water committees have rancher representatives on them.
"A lot of things our directors, officers and especially TSCRA staff members are doing are aimed at what rural communities will need 50 years down the road," Bonds adds. "With the increase in urban populations, it's going to be tougher on rural areas. We're trying to plan for that by having ranchers, farmers and other rural representatives on important decision-making boards."
Bonds encourages TSCRA members to use the many educational programs offered by the association via its website and social media networks, like
"Most of us know about the great insurance programs TSCRA continues to provide for us," Bonds says. "We're trying to help our members position themselves in the new world after Obamacare [the Affordable Care Act] comes on. That comes through good communication across our territory.
"There are also great networking opportunities offered through our popular Ranch Gatherings, and of course, our annual convention and trade show. The Beef Quality Assurance programs we're putting on are really helping all types of cattle operations. And our Young Leadership Series is getting more young people involved. They actually run the program and work with ranchers, young and old. It's a great education."
Beef checkoff benefits all
Bonds, a constant promoter of beef research and market development, isn't afraid to call for an increase in beef checkoff funds. "I'm in favor of raising the checkoff a lot more than some of our members," he says. "I know costs of production keep getting higher. But the checkoff has been
"
Bonds knows that challenges cattle producers will undoubtedly face from excess regulations, animal rights activists and the weather likely won't go away. But neither will the beef industry's ability and determination to protect the interests of TSCRA members and producers everywhere. And despite pressure from outside forces, Bonds knows he can count on his fellow ranchers to help others.
A good example is a spontaneous effort he made to help military personnel and their families. In the spring of 2013, Bonds encouraged attendees of the TSCRA convention in
In a little more than an hour, Bonds and TSCRA Director
"As ranchers, feeders and those who work directly with producers, we have a lot to be thankful for," Bonds says. "I'm very proud of the way TSCRA steps up to help many causes like
Copyright: | (c) 2013 Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Incorporated |
Wordcount: | 1822 |
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