The origins of the National Cattlemen’s Association go back to January 1898, when a meeting of cattle, sheep, goat, swine, and horse growers was held in Denver, Colorado to consider forming a national organization to represent and defend the interests of livestock producers. At this meeting, the National Live Stock Growers Association was formed and John W. Springer became its first president. The organization changed its name to the National Live Stock Association in 1900.
In 1905, a group of cattle and sheep growers protested the presence of meat packers, railroad representatives and others allied but not directly involved with the livestock industry in the National Live Stock Association, and broke away to form the American Stock Growers Association. However, the two organizations reunited to form the American National Live Stock Association in 1906.
Between 1906 and 1953, the market for horses declined and sheep and swine growers gradually drifted away to form their own national organizations, leaving behind a membership consisting primarily of cattlemen and cattlemen’s associations. In recognition of this, the American National Live Stock Association changed its name to the American National Cattlemen’s Association (ANCA) in 1953.
In 1977, ANCA merged with the National Livestock Feeders Association, and changed its name to the National Cattlemen’s Association (NCA). By this time, the NCA represented a membership from all facets of the cattle industry. In 1996, NCA merged with the National Beef Council to form the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).
From the guide to the National Cattlemen’s Association records, 1898-1990, (University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.)
