Cow Country News: Kentucky Cattlemen's Association Publication, History and Programs
Profile updated November 2026
Cow Country News is the monthly publication of the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association (KCA), mailed to members who join through county cattlemen's associations across the state. With more than 11,000 members, the KCA calls itself the largest state cattle organization east of the Mississippi, and Cow Country News is how it reaches them every month.
| Publisher | Kentucky Cattlemen's Association (KCA) |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 176 Pasadena Drive, Lexington |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Membership | More than 11,000 members |
| How to subscribe | Included with KCA membership, often joined through a county association |
| Online | Issues posted on Issuu, including 2017 through 2025 |
| Official website | Cow Country News on Issuu |
History of Cow Country News
The Kentucky Cattlemen's Association grew out of a merger of two groups, the purebred-focused Kentucky Cattlemen's and the Kentucky Feeder Calf Association, which first combined as the Kentucky Beef Cattle Association. Joe Goggin, who joined the staff in 1984 as its third employee, recalled that the association then had about 687 members.
Growth came through county organizing. Staff in the early years helped form local cattlemen's associations across Kentucky, and today joining a county group such as the Laurel County Cattlemen's Association brings membership in the KCA and a subscription to Cow Country News. Membership has passed 11,000, with a staff of roughly 20 to 30.
Along the way the KCA helped develop Beef Quality Assurance protocols in the 1980s with University of Kentucky animal and veterinary science staff, began a two-year leadership program in the early 1990s, and launched the Kentucky Beef Network, funded with tobacco settlement money, to deliver producer support, CPH feeder calf sales, BQA training and the Master Cattleman program.
Cow Country News Today
Cow Country News arrives monthly and is also posted online. It covers the KCA's work and the programs that touch members' operations, including Kentucky Cattlemen's Ground Beef, Kentucky-raised beef sold at Kroger stores in the Cincinnati, Louisville and Nashville districts.
The association's annual convention, held each January and rotating between Owensboro and Lexington, brings educational sessions, a trade show, junior events and a Hall of Fame induction. The KCA also hosts a Beef Efficiency Conference and a Forage Conference, and its scholarships total roughly $10,000 to $20,000 a year plus separate veterinary school awards.
What Cow Country News Is Publishing Now
Association and policy news
KCA and county association news, legislative updates and convention coverage.
Production and education
Kentucky Beef Network, BQA, CPH sale and Master Cattleman content, plus forage and herd management advice.
Youth and marketing
Kentucky Junior Cattlemen's news, scholarships and the Kentucky Cattlemen's Ground Beef program.
Cow Country News Editors and Staff
People connected with the association in recent coverage include:
- Joe Goggin - Former KCA staff member from 1984
- Chris Cooper - Former KCA President (2021)
- Braden Burke - Leader, Kentucky Junior Cattlemen's program
Membership and subscription mail goes to the KCA at 176 Pasadena Drive, Lexington.
Who Reads Cow Country News
Readers are cow-calf producers, backgrounders and allied businesses across Kentucky. The KCA says it represents a constituency of more than 40,000 cattle producers in the state, and USDA NASS inventory data and the Census of Agriculture give the official count of Kentucky's herd.
Kentucky cattle folks know their way around a beef day burger line, where a good story always beats a short wait. farm.FM serves farm satire, farm humor and ranch humor with a Bluegrass accent. Its farm jokes pair well with a Cow Country News and a slow afternoon in the barn.
farm.FM calls itself the nation's first satirical farm site, and between the headlines it spins Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers; a good place to start reading is this farm.FM columnist's archive.
Cow Country News Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Cow Country News: June 2025 - a recent issue online.
- Beyond Agriculture podcast: The community behind Kentucky's beef industry - KCA history and programs.
- University of Kentucky Extension, Laurel County: Cattlemen's Association - county membership and Cow Country News.
- USDA NASS Quick Stats - Kentucky cattle inventory statistics.
- USDA NASS Census of Agriculture - Kentucky farm and cattle data.
Cow Country News FAQ
Who publishes Cow Country News?
The Kentucky Cattlemen's Association in Lexington.
How do I get Cow Country News?
A monthly subscription comes with KCA membership, which can be bought through a county cattlemen's association.
How large is the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association?
It has more than 11,000 members.
What is the Kentucky Beef Network?
A KCA program funded by tobacco settlement money that offers producer support, CPH sales, BQA and the Master Cattleman program.
Every month, Cow Country News brings Kentucky's large cattle community the news, programs and people that keep it together.