Robert Groom — 2025 Angus Board Candidate

Robert Groom, Lyons, N.Y., is seeking a first term on the American Angus Association Board of Directors.

The elected delegates will choose five directors; a president and chairman of the Board; and a vice president and vice chairman of the Board during the Association’s 142nd Annual Convention of Delegates, which will convene at 10 a.m. Central Standard Time (CST) Sunday, Nov. 2 in Kansas City, Mo.

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Transcript

Miranda Reiman (00:03):

The Angus Breed was built on strong leadership and continues to advance because of those willing to devote their time and talent to serving. There are 10 candidates running for five open spots on the American Angus Association Board of Directors. I'm Miranda Reiman with the Angus Journal team, and I'm introducing you to each of them before November's annual meeting. I'm here today with Robert Groom from Lyons, New York. Thanks for joining us today, Robert.

Robert Groom (00:31):

Thank you. I appreciate the invite.

Miranda Reiman (00:34):

Can you just start out by telling us a little bit about yourself, your history with the breed and your current involvement.

Robert Groom (00:41):

Okay. Where to start? I'll start currently. Currently we have a registered Angus operation here in Lyons, New York. I'm not sure exactly how many cows I've got, to be honest. We've got a bunch of cows running around. We're mainly registered Angus. We do dabble a little bit with some Charolais. I'm involved with our state Angus Association. I've served as president, vice president, secretary, treasurer. I'm currently their junior advisor and I'm on the board of directors of our state association. And I've always been involved with the Angus breed since 1987. Really? I started in Scotland. I grew up in England, but then my family moved to Scotland in 1985 and in 1987 I bought my first Angus cow and built from there. And after I accumulated just a few cows on the family farm, I got an opportunity to travel in the States. I traveled all over.

(01:52):

I went to the National Junior Angus Show, lived and traveled with a family from Illinois. Went over to Virginia, lived and worked with a family there. Wound my way back across the Midwest, looking at bull studs, different operations. Got myself to the west coast, traveled with a regional manager out there, Jeff Windett for a week or 10 days. Went on the Montana Angus tour, met a bunch of people there, and it just kind of changed my life. And when I went back to Scotland, I had a clearer view of what the future might look like. And so it's just been a steady build from there, really.

Miranda Reiman (02:37):

With that unique vantage point, what would you say are the breed and the Association's biggest strengths that you think we can continue to build upon?

Robert Groom (02:47):

I'm a big believer in the breeder. I think that no one knows their cows better than the breeder. And I think that strength runs through across all types of operations, all types of backgrounds. I think that the knowledge of the breed, the qualities that the Angus cow brings the table, the qualities that the Angus bull brings to the table, reside there. And I think the role of the association is to support and build that. And I think we're a membership association and therefore the focus should always remain on the members and how we can advance their course, whatever line they're in.

Miranda Reiman (03:37):

So to zoom out just a little bit further, what do you think are some of the biggest changes you see facing the greater beef industry in the next five to 10 years?

Robert Groom (03:46):

Well, what was it, Yogi Berra said forecasting is difficult, especially about the future. It really, I think there's some definite roads that appear to be opening up regarding a variety of ways that the industry may change. One is this pressure we are getting from what we might call the fake meat side of things. There is a building pressure that what we do is not natural, but making it in a lab is, I'm not quite sure how we're going to get the public to swallow that one, but I think for our own purposes, we need to continually reemphasize the role of the cow in the environment. Our beef herd is at historically low levels. That is creating pressure on the people who remain. Give me a good reason to stay in business when I can take all the cows to the sale barn this week and cash a very, very big check, probably more money than I've ever seen in my life. And so what's my incentive to stay? My incentive to stay is my belief that things can be better, that we can do better, that we can build more demand, that we can continue to create a superior product.

Miranda Reiman (05:22):

I think many people would share your optimism. What do you feel that the Association needs to be doing today to position the breed and our members for success in the face of those challenges you just mentioned?

Robert Groom (05:37):

Again, I come back to the member always. I come back to the people who are involved in the day-to-day who have skin in the game, who have made their investments, which may finally, after many years look like they're going to turn a profit. They're going to see an opportunity to reinvest. And I hope most people will see this as an opportunity to reinvest and not as an opportunity to cash out. Because I think things can get better and I think they will get better. I think there's some things happening on the political front that are going to help a great deal. But I think, again, making sure our association remains focused on the member. I mean, clearly we serve the wider beef industry. Clearly we provide genetics not just to America, but to the world, that's really about supporting the individual genetic decisions to serve their customers wherever they are. Clearly the dominant market for is right here in the USA, just like for companies providing beef to the consumer, the US market is clearly the dominant market in the world and the high dollar market. So as much as that as we can serve, the better, I think, for our breed and for our breeders.

Miranda Reiman (07:02):

And that question sort of foreshadows this next one, but why are you running for the Board or what do you hope that you can contribute?

Robert Groom (07:10):

Well, this is a difficult one because usually in a year when there's five incumbents running, almost nobody will run against them. And this year that's not the case. There are five people running against five incumbents, and there's a reason for that. I don't need to get into it too deeply here, but it's clear that the five of us are running because we do not agree with some decisions that have been made and some alliances that have been made over the last six or eight months. And that fundamentally, it goes against what we believe. And I will speak just for myself here. I fundamentally disagree that an evolved biological system like the beef cow is a threat to the environment. I think she's a complement to the environment, I think she is a building block for true sustainability in rural America. And I think that who we make alliances with sends signals, sometimes intentional and sometimes unintentional. And I think that there needs to be a redress here. There needs to be a recognition that among the membership, many of us are very uncomfortable with the way this has gone. And we would like to change this for the better. We would like to address this debate.

Miranda Reiman (08:51):

Well, we thank you for raising your hand and taking part in the democratic process that's about to take place in November. Is there anything else that you'd like people to know before that annual meeting?

Robert Groom (09:06):

I would say that to all the delegates and all the alternates, people who, and everyone who's traveling to Kansas City, almost said St. Louis, almost, don't want to go there, traveling to Kansas City for the meeting that be prepared to hear some different opinions, be prepared to consider the future of our Association and be prepared to consider candidates that are maybe bringing an alternative viewpoint to what has been out there in the last six months or so. We're all in this race running as Angus breeders. I'm especially concerned about the individual and the farmer and rancher back there in rural America that are keeping the lights on by choosing to use Angus. And I want to do things that will support that. And if you consider me as a candidate and vote for me, I am appreciative of that. But I'm prepared to have the debate at all levels with all delegates and alternates. And I promise to leave you with no doubt about where I stand on anything.

Miranda Reiman (10:35):

Well, we'll look forward to members getting the chance to interact in November, and thanks for taking the time to visit with us today.

Robert Groom (10:43):

Thank you. I appreciate your time very much.

Miranda Reiman (10:46):

Elections will take place at the 142nd annual Convention of Delegates during the annual meeting on Sunday, November 2nd in Kansas City, Missouri. Not registered? There's still time. Visit angusconvention.com to learn more. To read full biographies and for the latest news and stories from the breed, visit angusjournal.net. And while you're there, subscribe to the monthly Angus Journal magazine. You'll get ongoing Angus convention coverage and the latest news, Association updates, stories of fellow breeders and more. Visit angusjournal.net to subscribe today.