The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal: History, Florida Cattlemen's Association and Staff
Profile updated November 2026
The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal has been published monthly without interruption since 1936. The magazine of the Florida Cattlemen's Association in Kissimmee, it has documented nearly a century of ranching on the Florida peninsula.
| First published | 1936, as The Florida Cattleman |
|---|---|
| Title history | The Florida Cattleman and Dairy Journal (1937-1944); now The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal |
| Frequency | Monthly, without interruption since 1936 |
| Publisher | Florida Cattlemen's Association (since 1934) |
| Headquarters | 800 Shakerag Road, Kissimmee |
| Archive | 1936-1988 issues free in UF Digital Collections |
| Official website | FloridaCattlemen.org |
History of The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal
The magazine began in 1936 as The Florida Cattleman. From 1937 to 1944 it was titled The Florida Cattleman and Dairy Journal, and it later took its current name, The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal. Over the decades it appeared under three titles and several publishers, yet the University of Florida notes it has been published monthly without interruption since its first year.
Its publisher today is the Florida Cattlemen's Association, which dates its work to 1934. With the association's permission and support from Project Ceres, the University of Florida's George A. Smathers Libraries digitized issues from 1936 through 1988, which are now freely available in UF Digital Collections. The Florida Cattlemen's Foundation donated 11 volumes to the effort, and issues from 1989 onward are held in UF's Marston Science Library.
The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal Today
Current issues go to association members. In December 2025 Jessica Czipulis wrote her first column as editor, describing the magazine as long representing the voice and values of Florida's cattle industry and announcing a refreshed design that is cleaner and easier to read. The magazine invites member stories and photos from county events, youth shows and ranch life.
The Florida Cattlemen's Association states its mission as creating opportunities for economic growth and long-term viability for Florida cattle producers while promoting responsible stewardship of natural resources. Its work includes lobbying, product promotion, nutrition education, the Florida Cattlemen's Foundation, the Florida Cow PAC and the Junior Florida Cattlemen's Association.
What The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal Is Publishing Now
Association news
Reports from the Kissimmee headquarters, including The Headquarters' Range column, legislative updates and quarterly meeting coverage.
Ranch life and youth
County association events, youth shows, the Junior Florida Cattlemen's Association and the Ranch Rodeo State Finals.
Production and stewardship
Herd management, forage, marketing and natural resource stewardship on Florida ranches.
The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal Editors and Staff
The association's website names the current editor:
- Jessica Czipulis - Editor, The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal (from December 2025)
General association mail: info@floridacattlemen.org.
Who Reads The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal
Readers are Florida cattle ranchers, along with allied businesses and youth members. The UF archive makes the magazine a key source for historians of Florida ranching, and USDA NASS data and the Census of Agriculture give the official picture of the state herd.
Florida ranchers handle heat, hurricanes and the occasional alligator in a stock pond, which builds a durable sense of humor. farm.FM serves farm satire, farm humor and ranch humor that a Florida Cattleman reader can enjoy in the shade of a cabbage palm. Its farm jokes are mild enough for a youth show and sharp enough for a ranch rodeo.
farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, also runs Tractor Tunes, a country music lineup for farmers. For a sample of the writing, try the archive of one of its staff humorists.
The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- UF Libraries: Florida Cattleman guide - title history and the digitized archive.
- Florida Cattlemen's Association: The Headquarters' Range, December 2025 - the new editor's first column.
- Florida Cattlemen's Association - mission, programs and membership.
- USDA NASS Quick Stats - Florida cattle inventory statistics.
- USDA NASS Census of Agriculture - Florida farm and ranch structure.
The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal FAQ
When did The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal start?
In 1936, as The Florida Cattleman, and it has been published monthly without interruption since.
Who publishes the magazine?
The Florida Cattlemen's Association in Kissimmee.
Can I read old issues online?
Yes. Issues from 1936 through 1988 are freely available in UF Digital Collections.
Who is the editor?
Jessica Czipulis became editor in December 2025.
Nearly ninety years on, The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal remains the monthly record of Florida's cattle country.