Since 1986, the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, AgProfessional magazine, and Syngenta have teamed up to present the Professional Farm Manager of the Year Award. This award recognizes farm managers whose dedication and commitment to agriculture have benefited their clients and on one of their most important assets – their land.

This year’s recipient is Farmers National Company’s Mark Callender, AFM, senior farm manager out of Dighton, Kan. Callender has been with Farmers National Company for nearly 20 years. Callender grew up on a farm, and in addition to his experience at FNC, he worked as a farm manager in Kansas and Colorado prior to joining FNC in 2001. Today he manages farms in west-central Kansas and southeastern Colorado.

“Mark has been an outstanding manager with FNC for the past 20 years. He has always worked hard to achieve the goals for clients on their farms.” said Andy Hubert, AFM, vice president – South Central Area. Ken Schmitt, AFM, senior vice president – Farm and Ranch Management, further comments: “Mark does an exceptional job of keeping his client’s best interest in mind. All of the employee owners at Farmers National Company congratulate Mark on receiving the ASFMRA National Farm Manager of the Year Award.”

Callender can be contacted at (620) 397-5160, by email at MCallender@FarmersNational.com, or at http://www.FarmersNational.com/MarkCallender.

ASA conducts virtual annual meeting, elects board members

BOZEMAN, Mont. — Simmental and SimGenetic enthusiasts attended ASA’s 53rd Annual Meeting and Reception virtually. The ASA Board of Trustees met Jan. 28-29, to highlight each committee’s work from the previous year, most notably, the increase in whole birth group phenotypes and genotypes into the IGS Genetic Evaluation from the Calf Crop Genomics research project, members’ unfailing support of the 2020 National Classic in Brookings, S.D., the membership relief package, and a myriad of other committee projects.

During the annual Chairman’s Reception on Jan. 29, Randy Moody, New Market, Ala., was formally seated as chairman of the soard, succeeding Tim Curran, Ione, Calif. Also seated were Vice Chairman Barry Wesner, Chalmers, Ind., and Treasurer Steve Eichacker, Salem, S.D. Rounding out ASA’s five-member executive committee are JW Brune, Overbrook, Kan., and Tom Nelson, Wibaux, Mont.

Elected to the ASA Board of Trustees were Brandon Callis, Minco, Okla.; Tim Clark, Turtle Lake, N.D.; Chad Cook, Walsh, Colo.; Victor Guerra, Linn, Texas; Chris Ivie, Summertown, Tenn.; and Doug Parke, Paris, Ky.

Three men, all of whom served on the ASA board of trustees including terms as board chairman, were honored as this year’s Golden Book Award recipients: Gordon Hodges, Hamptonville, N.C.; Steve Reimer, Chamberlain, S.D.; and Fred Schuetze, Granbury, Texas.

Founded in 1968, the American Simmental Association is headquartered in Bozeman, MT. ASA is committed to leveraging technology, education, and collaboration to accelerate genetic profitability for the beef industry. In keeping with its commitment, ASA, along with its partners, formed International Genetic Solutions — the world’s largest genetic evaluation of beef cattle. Learn more at http://www.simmental.org.