The Yavapai Calf Plan

The year 1933 was a tough one for the cattlemen of the West. Four cents was tops for range beef and one and onehalf cents was an average selling price, if one could find a buyer. The American National Live Stock Association had exhausted all its funds and created a mounting indebtedness. Cattlemen were in need of organization and beef sales required boosting, but cattlemen had many cattle and little money to use for such purposes. The outlook was foreboding.It remained for the cattle growers of Arizona's Yavapai County to do the impossible. Their forebears had fought Indians as well as drought to make the cienagas, sparse water holes and arid range support a substantial industry. The men of 1933 were no less enterprising than their fathers. The story behind the Yavapai Cattle Growers calf-plan is another testimony to the intrepid and ingeniously simple means by which apparent disaster everts to worthy attainment. Its importance to the livestock industry is a tribute to the Arizona spirit that conquered mountain fastness and desert waste.

Western Livestock apprised the cattle world of the Yavapai plan in December 1933 by reporting, "Out of Yavapai County, Arizona, has come a plan for adequately financing a determined effort to bring relief to the cattle industry and a concrete example of the operation of a plan, resulting in a contribution of approximately $1,000 from this one county to the proposed campaign fund."

"Members of the Yavapai Cattle Growers Association, one of the livest livestock organizations in the country, formulated this program, which may become known as the Yavapai Plan, (it is now so known throughout the cattle world) successfully carried through a local campaign out of which has come the $1,000 contribution of Yavapai County to the proposed fundand are now putting it up to cattle growers in other sections to follow their lead."

The importance of this venture is easily attested, and its continuance by the founding group and other such county organizations indicates the liking and success of the idea for cattlemen. The intriguing evolvement of the idea and its fruition beckons our interest.

In 1933 the hills of Yavapai were the grazing grounds for an over abundance of cattle. Cattlemen were cattle poor, and yet the trail to possible salvation crossed a chasm that must be bridged by a cooperative effort that demanded a cash outlay. One afternoon, when the prospects were darkest, Clarence C. Jackson, then president of the Yavapai Cattle Growers Association, went to talk the matter over once more with E. S. Turville, County Agent. The conversation on that day culminated in this manner. Jackson summed it all up by saying, "We all have cattle but no money. If we could give them (the National) cattle instead of cash we could sure help them."

To this Turville replied with the interrogation that was to give Jackson's suggestion life and inaugurate the now well known Yavapai plan, "Then why not give them the cattle and let them sell them?" In this very simple and practical way there germinated a solution to a baffling dilemma.

Much study was given to perfecting the idea into a workable plan of action. The method was carefully outlined and the matter in its entirety was presented to the Association at a meeting in Camp Verde and accepted enthusiastically. In simplest terms the plan was and is just this. Each cattle grower was asked to give a "weaner" calf (or the equivalent in money) from his herd, to deliver the calf to a designated central loading place on a given date for shipping, and the

Pay to the order of Yavapai cattlemen in 1934 gave first $1,000.00 to revive cattle industry. Ranchers from throughout state attend annual calf sale and barbecue.

Proceeds from the annual calf sale are contributed to the support of the National Livestock Association.

Proceeds to go to the fund, for the support of the work of the American National Live Stock Association. Thus a campaign to stimulate the beef market and promote the sale of beef cattle on U. S. markets was begun. The response was so good that in December, 1933, about 100 calves were delivered at Kirkland for shipping. These calves were bought by Ray Cowden of Phoenix at three quarters cent per pound. The proof was in the success and the Yavapai plan was established.

At the annual meeting of the American National Live Stock Association held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, early in 1934 Cort Carter, president of the Yavapai Cattle Growers Association, presented the now famous $1,000 check to the American National, which is credited as marking the turn in affairs for the cattlemen's organization. For eleven years now, 1933 to 1944 inclusive, this Yavapai County cattlemen's association has raised a like amount through its unique plan for the American National.

It is so simple that one may wonder why all this enthusiasm over it. The answer is to be found readily in a letter received from F. E. Mollin, Executive Secretary of the American National Live Stock Association, giving an appraisal after ten years of operation. Mr. Mollin says in part: "The presentation of the first $1,000 check at the Albuquerque convention in 1934 was a memorable occasion. It provided the inspiration for many other local organizations to adopt similar plans or to devise ways of their own to raise more money to carry on the important business of the cattle industry.

"To me, fully as important as improving the financial condition of the organizations which have benefited from such activity, is the fact that practically every member of the local organization has been brought into the picture and plays an equal part in carrying on the work of the industry. with changing conditions there has been steadily increasing need for organized activity, and only the local organizations can reach out and contact every producer in a given territory. The national association, and even state associations, have difficulty in making such complete contacts. It has been very interesting to me to follow the course of events since the Albuquerque convention. The important thing is not the method of collection but the ability to reach them all.

"I hope that the next ten years will show that the cattle industry is better organized than it is today, but I am sure it is a fair statement to say that today it is better organized than ever before in its history and the Yavapai calf plan provided the torch that led the way."

In 1933 Mr. Robert Perkins, secretary of the Yavapai Cattle Growers Association, stated that "weaner calves should average a net of at least ten dollars when sold." In 1943 sixty weaner calves sold at the Yavapai calf sale for an average of $60.25. These changed conditions have not lessened but increased the desire of these cattlemen to give support to their local, state and national associations.

In 1933 the calves were brought to a central loading place, sold and shipped. Beginning with the second year of the sale in 1934 an added feature appeared the barbecue. The time of the annual calf sale became the great time of gathering for all of the cattlemen, their families and friends. In 1943 it required six quarters of beef to feed the assembled crowd.

In my desk calendar September 18, 1943, was a blue penciled unusually bold entry Cattlemen's Barbecue at Bar Horseshoe Bar Ranch. For several years I have kept that annual date with the Yavapai Cattle Growers. I have enjoyed every year the fine fellowship of these real Americans, the actual auctioning of the calves, the judging contests, and the educational talks and discussions I had long since learned that I could see and visit with more cattle people on that one day of the year than would be possible in twelve months by driving hundreds of miles to the somewhat isolated ranch headquarters.

This annual Calf Sale now has several distinctive features in addition to the barbecue and the sale of the calves. It not only raises the necessary funds for the organizational activities for the National and County Association, but it affords a grand social gathering for these people living on isolated ranches and long characterized as individualists. Even more important it has come to be a time for education about range cattle and range management, and too, these co-operative activities have stimulated more activities and the regular monthly meetings of this County Association are times for the dealing with major problems of the industry. Out of a need has emerged a valu able co-operative effort that is bringing money, pleasure, better understanding and improved range and feeder stock.

Human nature responds to the ideas of contests. It is true among these people. They have long had their rodeos and their contests of range sports. The idea of the contest has entered into this annual event of the Calf Sale. The calves, after they are unloaded from the trucks into the pens, are judged by expert judges and the five best are selected from the total. These five in turn are placed by the judges and winners are announced after the other folks have had ample opportunity to see the selections. The winners of these contests are truly honored. It is a mark of distinction to have the best calf at the Calf Sale, and the outfit that wins the honor not only produces good calves, but knows how to select good ones for the contest, and further a fine calf and not a cut-back has been given for this co-operative endeavor. This factor has had a part in improving the range cattle on the Yavapai hills. Competition brings results.

There is no doubt that changing conditions and certainly the greatly expanded demands of the present emergency have boosted the cattle prices since the low peace periods of 1933 and 1934, but it can be believed that the inauguration of the Yavapai plan may have had considerable to do with the changing trend in the years immediately following since the plan offered funds on a national scale for advertising and promoting the actual sales of beef to the ultimate consumer. Through the Calf Sale and the attendant advertising Yavapai County has become and remains an active market for buyers of feeder cattle. The importance of this to cattle growers can not be overestimated. If buyers of feeder cattle become aware that in a given locality there is a large number of good feeder calves and steers each year one of the great worries of the producer is eliminated. A grower may have good cattle, but unless a buyer is aware of this fact his selling may be a troublesome and trying experience. To know that your cattle are sold when they are delivered at the shipping point is not only a great relief, but it reduces the grower's responsibility and his likelihood of loss both as to shrinkage and danger in shipping. This has been a direct result to the producers of Yavapai in addition to the other gains through the co-operative endeavor through the state and national associations. Thus today when the cattle industry faces the dangers of price control, scarcity of feed, and growing surpluses of animals the cattle growers of this county are organized and already busy seeking solutions to another impending crisis.

The cattle industry of Yavapai County is of no mean size and value, and to have developed a standing as a supplier of good feeder stock is no mean achievement. Figures based on the census figures of 1940 indicate that there are at least one hundred and twenty five producing units in the county (a producing unit being one with over 100 head of cattle). The acreage involved in the operations of these producing units approximates 1,600,000 acres. It was estimated that in 1940 there were about 70,000 head of cattle on the ranges of the Yavapai hills with a valuation of $3,200,000 given as a conservative figure, and the valuation of the holdings of the outfits was $4,375,000. Thus, while this county may not be the largest producer in the state, these figures give some concept as to its importance and the greater value of the cattle industry to the State of Arizona.