The American Simmental Association (ASA) is introducing two new annual awards designed to recognize producers who exemplify the practical application of performance-oriented cattle production: the ASA Seedstock Producer of the Year and the ASA Commercial Producer of the Year.
These awards will complement the Golden Book and Lifetime Promoter awards that will continue to recognize breeders for their lifetime commitment to the betterment of the breed and the greater bee industry.
These new awards are designed to shine a light on Simmental breeders and commercial cattle producers who are using objective information, genetic selection, and sound management decisions to create value in their own operations and throughout the beef industry.
Seedstock Producer of the Year
The ASA Seedstock Producer of the Year will recognize an ASA Performance Advocate whose operation demonstrates excellence in genetic selection, performance evaluation, breeding decisions, record-keeping, marketing, and continued improvement. Consideration will also be given to how producers incorporate tools and data from ASA and International Genetic Solutions into their genetic and management decisions.
Commercial Producer of the Year
The ASA Commercial Producer of the Year will recognize a commercial cattle producer utilizing Simmental genetics who demonstrates excellence in cattle production, genetic selection, management, efficiency, and profitability. The award will also recognize producers who use performance information to make informed decisions and effectively integrate Simmental genetics into a productive and profitable commercial beef operation.
Nominate a Producer
The first ASA Seedstock and Commercial Producers of the Year will be selected in 2027. Nominations for the inaugural awards are due to ASA by December 18, 2026. The ASA award winners will also serve as the Association’s preferred nominees for the national Beef Improvement Federation Producer of the Year awards, creating a direct connection between ASA’s producer recognition efforts and one of the beef industry’s premier producer recognition programs. Additionally, the selected recipients will be recognized at the 2027 Fall Focus Banquet in Sioux Falls, SD.
The future of the beef industry will be built by producers who are willing to measure, learn, and improve. The team at the American Simmental Association looks forward to recognizing those producers who are putting performance to work.
If you know an ASA member or commercial cattle producer who is putting performance principles into practice, making data-driven decisions, and continually looking for ways to improve their operation, we encourage you to consider nominating them for one of these new awards. To learn more about these awards and to find nomination details, please visit simmental.org.
