IOWA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION’S OUTSTANDING COMMERCIAL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR BY ERIKA OSMUNDSON | Communications Director Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) is pleased to announce that the 2023 Outstanding Commercial Producer of the Year award went to Jim Werner of Werner Family Angus in Diagonal, Iowa. Jim not only embodies merits in all the main criteria of this award, such as man-agement practices, involvement within the industry, and achievements, but he contin-ually steps up and supports ICA. 24 From feeding out bulls for the Bull Evaluation Program to serving as a past ICA board member, Jim can be counted on as a champion for ICA and the betterment of the overall Iowa cattle industry. Jim and his wife, Ann, started their operation when they married in 1975. Ann’s dad had registered Angus cattle and Jim’s dad had always fed cattle. It seemed like a logical fi t to start selling registered bulls to improve the genetics of their com-mercial operation. They began to merge the principles of both management systems in their own herd. They started with 20 cows and have grown the herd to what it is today at over 850 cows. Werner’s raise registered Angus cat-tle and also sell approximately 200 bulls annually by private treaty. Jim has more JANUARY 2024
Iowa Cattleman January 2024: Page 24
