Annual OCA Awards


OCA Award Nominations

NOMINATIONS DUE SEPTEMBER 1 AND ARE PRESENTED AT THE OCA ANNUAL MEETING & AWARDS BANQUET THE FOLLOWING JANUARY 

The Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) is seeking nominations for cattlemen across the Buckeye state excelling in their operations. There are seven distinguished awards available in the following categories: Environmental Stewardship, Commercial Producer, Young Cattleman, Seedstock Producer, Industry Service, Industry Excellence and Outstanding County. Nominations are due by September 1. Fellow industry leaders, county cattlemen’s associations, soil and water conservation districts and other local agricultural organizations are encouraged to nominate local cattlemen deserving of any of the above mentioned awards. 


AWARD NOMINATION FORM

Award Categories

INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE AWARD

The Excellence Award is presented to beef producers who have worked over a period of years for the betterment of Ohio’s beef industry. Recipients are those that have contributed as a volunteer/leader to the success of the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association and/or through their individual cattle operations have been trailblazers for the beef industry creating new paths for other beef producers to follow.


INDUSTRY SERVICE AWARD

The Service Award is presented to those who have through their careers contributed to the betterment of Ohio’s beef industry. Recipients may or may not also be beef producers. The award is presented for efforts made outside, but complementary to beef production. Recipients of the award are selected based on actions they have taken through their career in academia, Extension, government, agri-business, etc. that have benefited the beef industry.


YOUNG CATTLEMAN OF THE YEAR 

The Young Cattleman of the Year Award is presented to individuals or couples, typically under 40 years of age, who have demonstrated the initial stages of a successful beef operation and exhibited leadership potential. The recipient is also the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association’s automatic nominee (if available) to participate in the NCBA Young Cattlemen’s Conference.


OCA SEEDSTOCK PRODUCER OF THE YEAR AWARD

The Seedstock Producer of the Year Award is presented to Ohio farms who have demonstrated breeding success through their registered cattle operations. These farms utilize performance information and the latest technologies available to increase the predictability of the cattle they raise as breeding stock for others, in addition to maintaining a continued focus on meeting and exceeding the expectations of beef consumers.



COMMERCIAL CATTLEMAN OF THE YEAR

The Commercial Cattleman of the Year Award is presented to Ohio farms who have demonstrated success through their commercial cattle operations. These farms utilize performance information and the latest technologies available to increase the predictability of the cattle they raise, in addition to maintaining a continued focus on meeting and exceeding the expectations of beef consumers. The award is traditionally presented to cow-calf operations, but may also include feeders who feed the cattle they produce.

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AWARD

The Environmental Stewardship Award is presented to Ohio farms who have demonstrated a strong commitment to being good stewards of their land, water and air resources, as well as their livestock and operate their farms in a sustainable manner. Recipients implement beef practices to control water run-off, reduce damage in high-traffic feeding/watering areas, exercise good pasture management, preserve woodlands, and provide for wildlife. They often partner with government entities, such as Soil & Water Conservation Districts and the USDA NRCS to implement conservation measures.


OUTSTANDING COUNTY AWARD

The Outstanding County award is OCA's opportunity to recognize the outstanding achievement, industry education and consumer promotion efforts of counties from across the state. Activities, participation in OCA events, communication efforts, support of industry youth and a cohesive partnership are all areas of focus for award recognition. 




2025 Award Winners

View Past Winners


Environmental Stewardship Award


Twin oaks farms - perrysville, OHIO 

SPONSORED BY Ohio Shorthorn Breeders Association


Twin Oaks Farms is a seventh-generation family operation run by Jason Workman, his parents Fred and Cammie and family. They have a Shorthorn cow-calf operation, maintaining around 150 cows. Twin Oaks Farms raise calves from birth to slaughter, then sell their beef products through farmers markets, restaurants and local auctions.  Conservation was a priority for the past generations of Twin Oaks Farms and continues to be one today. From fencing in streams to rotational grazing, Twin Oaks Farms follows a number of conservation practices to leave the land better than they found it. Currently, the farm is building two barns to house their cattle during the winter to control soil erosion and water quality. In addition, they are developing a winter manure storage system which will allow them to haul in the summer when the manure is dry.

Commercial Cattleman of the Year


red hill farm - freeport, Ohio
Sponsored by Select Sires Member Cooperative


Red Hill Farm is run by Randy Raber and his three sons, Nathan, Jonathan and Casey. Raber has been in the cattle business for the past 30 years and runs mostly Angus cattle. They market their cattle through Meyer Natural Meats and Pineland Foods, shipping approximately ten loads of finished cattle each year. Red Hill Farm beef can also be found on the menu at their family-owned restaurants the Bear’s Den Steakhouse and 360° Burger, both located near Cambridge, Ohio. The Raber family demonstrates environmental stewardship efforts by practicing no-till, planting cover crops, and using manure as fertilizer.

Industry Excellence Award


dR. aaron arnett - Galion, Ohio
Sponsored by The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences


Arnett grew up on a cattle operation in Darke County and has loved cattle ever since. During his time in The Ohio State University’s animal sciences program, Arnett built relationships with mentors and took on opportunities which led to a career in livestock genetics and specifically artificial insemination.  Arnett is now the director of beef genetic programs at ST Genetics. He is passionate about helping their customers increase profits through high quality genetics and is involved in the procurement of beef sires. In 2024, Arnett’s team had the top sire in the Angus breed. Several other sires were named in the top 20. He attributes this success to the hard work of his team and customers who help spread their genetics to the cattle population.

Industry Service Award


bob peterson -  sabina, OHio
Sponsored by  Fayette County Cattle Feeders & Fayette County Farm Bureau


Peterson was raised on a multi-family operation, raising cattle, hogs and row crops. He was heavily involved in 4-H and FFA and graduated from the Ohio State University where he competed as a member of the general livestock judging team.  After graduation, Peterson returned to the farm. It wasn’t long before he realized that the government and development pressures threatened his operation and others like it. Peterson currently serves in the Ohio House of Representatives, representing voters in the 91st district where he acts as a voice for agriculture, specifically advocating for tax cuts and regulatory reform. His experiences give him a unique perspective on legislation and allow him to share common challenges of Ohio farmers. He is excited to continue advocating for agriculture and creating opportunities for younger generations.

Outstanding County Award


Wood county cattlemen's association
Sponsored by Ohio Corn & Wheat


The Wood County Beef Producers have promoted the beef industry for over 100 years, representing a variety of cattle operations. The board prioritizes increasing youth engagement through sponsoring lunches for the judging contest at the Ohio Beef Expo, holding a fall cattle show at their fairgrounds, and organizing a beef carcass contest for the 4-H program. Recently, Wood County hosted the new Northern Lights BEST show. The board offers well-rounded educational experiences and services to ensure that all needs are met in their cattle community.

Seedstock Producer of the Year


ferguson cattle company - jefferson, Ohio
Sponsored by Ohio Simmental Association


Ferguson Cattle Company is owned and operated by John Ferguson, who runs the operation with his daughter Lindsey Rowland. They maintain 400 head of Simmental and Angus cattle. The majority of Ferguson Cattle Company’s marketing comes from their annual Rare Vintage production sale where they aim to sell 50 head of bred heifers. They also sell a handful of cattle at the Ohio Beef Expo and sell embryos. Ferguson Cattle Company has implemented various sustainability practices into their operation, as they believe taking care of the land produces better cattle. They drain into retention ponds, utilize other drainage practices, and follow a pasture rotation. John Ferguson emphasized that he couldn’t run the operation without his large support system of extended family and employees.

Young Cattleman of the Year


garrett stanfield - manchester, Ohio
Sponsored by TransOva Genetics


Stanfield was raised on Stanfield Farms, a third-generation Simmental seedstock operation located in Southern Ohio. The family started raising Simmental cattle in 1974 and is operated by Stanfield, his parents, and several other family members. Stanfield Farms runs 50-60 head of cattle at a time, with calving taking place in the spring and fall. Following his graduation from the Ohio State University’s animal sciences program, Stanfield started a career with Trans Ova Genetics. Stanfield says that he brings his passion for genetics and reproductive technology back to the farm, where they recently incorporated embryo transfer and IVF into their breeding process. He enjoys identifying elite genetics to bring to his herd.