THE YEAR'S FIRST MEETING of the A*L*O*T Angus Association was held February 19, 1995 at the Western Sizzlin' Steak House in Mt. Pleasant,TX. Several decisions were made during the meeting, namely that the association's fiscal year would be from January 1 to December 31; that dues would be raised to $20 per year and would be payable in January. If you haven't paid yours for 1995, please send them now to the treasurer, Rick Butler. Like any new organization, we're low on funds and need to build up a reserve for postage, office supplies, etc.

The association has enjoyed enormous support from the membership - president Learon Roberts has given unstintingly of his time and office facilities, including the invaluable time of his secretary, Paula, who has maintained the membership list, sent out notices, answered hundreds of calls and maintained the checking account until Rick Butler volunteered to take over as treasurer. Brett Thomas, owner of the sale pavilion in Mt. Pleasant, has donated his facility for the meetings on several occasions and worked hard to make the fall '94 sale a success. The fine job he did auctioning the sale was appreciated by the members and especially the consignors.

The newsletter was discussed and the consensus was that this should be an essential function of the association. Pat and Norma O'Bryan volunteered to get one out every two months. Any member who wants to make an announcement or have an item published, send it to the O'Bryans at P.O. Box 66, Palmer, TX 75152. The next newsletter will be out on September 11 (second Monday) and the deadline for announcements for that issue is August 30.

George Wrightstone has contributed toward postage for the association as well as sending out hundred of letters on his own to develop a bull test and sale sponsored by A*L*O*T. He approached T.J. Davidson of North Central Texas College at Gainesville, TX and found him eager to cooperate.

For Information on the Bull test/Sale project contact George at Rock Angus Farm, 1238 Old Lockhart rd, West Point, TX, 78963, 409/242-5619.

Tim Ashley, Durant, OK, Steve Harman, Joplin, MO and Rick Butler, Mt. Vernon, TX along with Learon Roberts and Brett Thomas were mainstays in the strenuous work required to put on the fall '94 sale. Tim brought in a crew from Murray State College to handle the cattle; Rick solicited donations from local businesses to offset the cost of the delicious complimentary lunch served on sale day and also provided a cabin to accommodate Tim and his crew. Steve helped sort cattle, collect papers, filled in wherever needed and made an excellent performance as a ringman at the sale. All the consignors pitched in and cooperated to make this sale work.

I hope that all of you are having a good 1995 thus far. Some of us have been blessed with abundant rain and ye others of our member- ship area are needing rain. But, as always, we take what the good Lord above gives us. hay season is well underway and most of us have put calving season and cattle working behind us in order to store up for next winter.

We hated to cancel the Spring Sale, but it seemed that there just was not a date that would work for everyone and other conditions seemed to stand in our way constantly. Nevertheless, I know that the A*L*O*T Angus Association is a very important and much needed organization, especially now in the "down" cattle market.

We in the Angus business have a very valuable product to market - the black hide, naturally polled, highly fertile, good milking, easy marbling, good muscled, medium framed breed that everyone in the beef business is talking about. It's up to us to market this product, and we have established the A*L*O*T Association to help us.

Promotional activities will be programmed in the near future and the membership will be notified. If you aren't yet a member, you'll find a membership application elsewhere in this newsletter.

We're proud of how rapidly A*L*O*T is growing - the organizational meeting on September 10, 1994 was attended by 30 people. Since then, we have quadrupled our membership and we're eager to sign up more.

Sincerely;
Learon A. Roberts;, President

All bodes well for a good solid A*L*O*T Angus sale September 16, 1995 at the Mt. Pleasant sale facility. Several cattle are already committed and we feel quite certain full complement of quality animals will be awaiting your appraisal by sale day. The A*L*O*T Association is growing apace and the members ar eager to participate in a good sale and future Angus activities.

The Texas Beef Council recently mailed an update on the heavy movement of mexican cattle into the United States. I've received permission to print the flowing article:

The number of Mexican cattle coming to the United States continues to concern Texas cattlemen. Representatives of the TBC met with Dr. Juan de Dios Barba, executive vice president of Confederacion Nacional Ganadera, the Mexican National Livestock Association and other CNG officials on May 2, to discuss the situation. They also visited with Mexican meat buyers. Although the information that these individuals shared about the current situation are only their educated guesses, we believe they are valuable keys to what texas may expect in the months to come.

The influx is a temporary situation. The Mexican economy is beginning to respond to the government's austerity program. Although a recovery is not expected until next year, the volume of cattle going across the border should decrease as the peso strengthens against the dollar.

The rest of 1995 will be tough on Mexican cattlemen. They not only have suffered a 40% real devaluation in their income, but they have had to withstand one of the most severe droughts in 50 years. the drought, rather than the peso devaluation, is the main reason Mexico has sent cows, heifers and a few fed animals to the U.S. for slaughter. Cattlemen also have killed cows that they could no longer feed.

These conditions will cause continued depletion of the Mexican cow herd. It already is down 30%. More mortality and more exports are expected. In addition, the cow herd is suffering tremendously low fertility rates because of sparse nutrition. Even though the Mexican government has declared an emergency in much of the drought-stricken states, many cattlemen will go out of business. The prediction is that next year, Mexico will see the lowest calf crop in decades.

Nonetheless, Mexico has continued its animal health efforts. It has worked hard to eliminate diseases from its herds. It does not want to lose its export markets because it has failed to meet animal health guidelines.

1994 CATTLE IMPORT FIGURES AS OF MAY 10: Mexico to Texas - 365,767

1195 CATTLE IMPORT FIGURES AS OF MAY 8 : Mexico to Texas - 601,549*

As the Mexican economy recovers and the peso strengthens, Mexico may look to the United States to restock the cow herds, thus reversing the flow of cattle."

Keep in touch and we'll do likewise.

IT WAS WITH REAL REGRET that the members accepted J.S. McKenney's resignation as Second Vice-President at the February meeting. J.S. is a charter-member and was involved with the organization of A*L*O*T from the beginning. He donated $150 to purchase the Bulk Rate Postal Permit and was a strong supporter of the October, 1994 sale. He is the owner and founder of the nationally popular Figaro line of meat marinades, flavors and tenderizers. He has been an Angus breeder and enthusiast since 1940, maintaining his herd at Whitewright, TX. He and Minnie Pearl reside in Dallas, and as they both have health problems, he found it necessary to reduce his herd and curtail his activities. However, he promises to continue to participate in A*L*O*T activities as much as possible.

Forth Worth, TX, June 12, 1995...

Pat and I just returned from services at the First Methodist Church in Ada, OK, where we paid our final respects to Carlton and Geneva Corbin. These icons of the Angus world died within 24 hours of each other on June 8 and June 9, 1995.

I can't help but feel that Geneva went a day before Carlton to prepare their places in heaven. As they were always together in life, it's fitting they should enter eternity side by side.

Be with God, Carlton and Geneva. You're sorely missed.

                             .... Norma O'Bryan