Fifth-generation Florida rancher Marty Smith was elected president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) at the annual Cattle Industry Convention last week, following in the footsteps of his mother Jo Ann Smith, who served as president of the organization in 1985. The Smith family is pictured here with Jo Ann on Marty’s left.

“It’s a tremendous honor to lead the oldest and largest national organization representing America’s cattle producers,” Smith said. “We have a great product with a great story, and I’m looking forward to helping tell that story without apology during the year ahead as President of NCBA.”

Smith operates Smith Brothers-Wacahoota, a cow-calf operation in Central Florida that has been in continuous operation since 1852. It retains ownership through feedlots in Texas, Kansas and Iowa.

Smith graduated from the University of Georgia with a BSA in Agricultural Economics and Animal Science. While at UGA, he was on the livestock judging team and served as president of Ag Hill Council. He was also active in Alpha Gamma Rho and AGHON, the highest honor a UGA student of agriculture, forestry, veterinary medicine or engineering can attain. He graduated from the University of Florida College of Law and was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1984.

Jo Ann Smith was the first woman president for the NCBA and was the founding chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board, as it was called at the time. In this interview, she reminisces about the early days of the beef checkoff and considers the future of the industry.

Multi-media content from the convention can be found here:
2020 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show Virtual Newsroom