American National CattleWomen

A group of fifteen women met at the Four Bar Ranch near Douglas, Arizona, in October 1939 to form the Cow Belles, an organization to help promote the beef industry and friendship among cattle people. By 1951 ten state-wide organizations had been formed, leading to the development of a national organization. At the annual American National Cattlemen's Association convention in San Francisco in January 1951, Mary Louise Lynam was elected organizing chair and during the ANCA's 1952 convention in Fort Worth, Texas, the American National Cowbelles were incorporated on January 7, 1952. The organization changed its name to the American National CattleWomen in 1986 to provide national leadership and coordinate promotion, education and legislative activities for women in the cattle industry. The ANCW has initiated several beef promotion projects, including cookbooks, "Beef for Father's Day," and a National Beef Cook-Off, which began in 1974.

A group of fifteen women met at the home of Mattie Cowan of Douglas, Arizona, at the Four Bar Ranch on 17 October 1939 to form the Cow Belles, an organization to help promote the beef industry and friendship among cattle people. A group from Wyoming asked to join and the Wyoming State Cowbelles, the first state organization, was formed in June 1940. By 1951 ten other state-wide organizations had been formed, leading to the development of a national organization. At the annual American National Cattlemen's Association convention in San Francisco in January 1951, Mary Louise Lynam was elected organizing chair and during the ANCA's 1952 convention in Fort Worth, Texas, the American National Cowbelles were incorporated on 7 January 1952. Lynam was elected president for 1952. The aim of the ANCB was to assist the ANCA in its efforts to promote the welfare of the livestock industry, and to sustain and increase its membership.

By June 1954, Cowbelle organizations were active in nineteen states, had seventeen state organizations and a national membership of 1500. Several beef promotion projects were started beginning in 1954, including the publication of an all-beef cookbook entitled Beef Cookery. Other promotions include "Beef for Father's Day," "Father of the Year," several cookbooks and sponsoring a Human Interest Story Contest. Concerned with finding another means of promoting beef, a national cooking event was discussed as a public relations effort in the late 1960s. In May 1969 a "National Cook-Out for Men Only" was held in Garden City, Kansas. The first National Beef Cook-Off was held in Denver, Colorado, in October 1974 with thirteen contestants and has become a yearly event.

The organization changed its name to the American National CattleWomen on 28 January 1986 to provide national leadership and coordinate promotion, education and legislative activities for the women in the cattle industry. The Cowbelles and the CattleWomen have remained as an autonomous, affiliated organization of the American National Cattlemen's Association and the National Cattlemen's Association.