HILLSBORO, Ohio – Amid a surge in demand and tight supplies in the beef industry, the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) has named Lindsey Hall, of Highland County, as its 2026 president. Hall, a veteran cattle producer with experience in both the seedstock and retail sectors, will lead the association during this pivotal period.

Hall’s leadership is grounded in hands-on experience on her family’s Maplecrest Farms seedstock operation and retail outlet, Maplecrest Meats & More. As board president, she aims to help all producers navigate the current market and build sustainable futures.

Operating Maplecrest Farms and Maplecrest Meats involves managing roughly 350 mature cows and navigating the complexities of a retail front that processes 120 head annually. That combined perspective – as both a producer and a retailer – allows her to see the gaps in the supply chain that the OCA can help fill.

“I have a retail business, so I have to think about things from a commercial producer perspective as well as from a retail perspective,” Hall said.

For Ohio’s cow-calf producers, the current market dynamics are a welcome shift after years of tight margins. A combination of drought-driven supply shortages and steady consumer demand has created a unique opportunity for profitability.

“It’s a good time to be in the beef industry,” Hall said. “Finally, cow-calf producers are getting a larger piece of the pie – earning more of their fair share.”

However, with high prices comes high risk. Hall feels the industry is more exposed to market volatility than ever before. In response to uncertainty, she hopes to prioritize educational resources and risk management.

While prices are at record highs, she points out that the modern beef economy comes with intensified risks. “The higher we rise, the further we can fall,” Hall said.

Today’s producers are exposed to significant market volatility, triggered by global policy shifts or even social media. “We’re at record high prices, but all it takes is one tweet from the president or someone within the Department of Agriculture for drastic market fluctuations,” she said. “Unless we’re continuing to stress to the people who are making these huge decisions – such as trade agreements and tariffs – until they fully understand the implications of these high input costs down the production chain, we’re not going to see a change.”

Another challenge for beef producers, according to Hall, is the state’s lack of large-scale cattle processing facilities. Currently, many Ohio producers travel out of state to Pennsylvania or Michigan to find facilities with the capacity or USDA licensing required to capture maximum value.

“There are not enough facilities that have the (USDA) inspections and clearances to be able to ship across state lines. I still have to work at least six months out in terms of scheduling my appointments,” she said.

Hall hopes to maximize OCA’s relationships with lawmakers to advocate for increased meat processor grants and funding for infrastructure. “There are more meat processors than people think in the state, but there’s also a lot of small processors that could do a lot more if they had funds available to make improvements,” she said.

Another important component of the OCA agenda is youth development. While the OCA is widely known for the Beef Exhibitor Show Total (BEST) program, Hall is pushing to expand the association’s reach to youth who may not be in the show ring.

The Ohio Beef Youth Council (OBYC) is set to take a larger role, including overseeing the Stockmanship program. Hall’s goal is to transition “show kids” into “industry leaders” by providing them with a deeper understanding of policy and advocacy.

“The highlight of our youth programs is always the BEST program, but that’s a very niche segment,” Hall said. “The Youth Council is not just for show kids – this is for all of Ohio’s beef youth and even youth who aren’t necessarily directly involved.”

By engaging youth early, she hopes to build a membership base that understands the “unseen” work of the OCA, such as trade advocacy and legislative monitoring.

“If we give these guys a better experience or better understanding of what OCA does from a younger age, they’ll be able to carry that out and better understand what we do as they get older.”

With the average Ohio herd size sitting at just 15 to 20 head, Hall is very aware that OCA’s decisions have a massive impact on the livelihoods of small-scale farmers. Her day job as an agent for ICAP Crop Insurance gives her a front-row seat to the rising input costs that plague the industry.

“I want to make sure that any decision that we make in that boardroom positively impacts every single beef producer in the state of Ohio, regardless of size and scope,” Hall said.

To help these producers, Hall plans to focus on legislation regarding price reporting and transparency by major beef packers. “I really want to challenge our board to be more innovative – this isn’t our grandpa’s beef economy anymore,” she said. “We need to continue to provide services that better serve our customers and provide modern services that reflect today’s digital and retail-focused markets, and educate lawmakers on how trade agreements and tariffs trickle down to affect the individual farmer’s bottom line.”

In addition to Hall, the 2026 OCA board officers are vice president: Andy Lohr, Crawford County; treasurer: Linde Sutherly, Clark County; and member at-large: Frank Phelps, Logan County.

As the OCA prepares for the 2026 term, Hall’s mission is to ensure that the association continues to grow and support its membership.

“I feel like it’s an exciting time and there are so many talented producers, young professionals that aren’t involved in OCA. It’s time to get those people involved,” she said. “For us to be more sustainable, all of us need to be successful. There’s room for everybody to have a piece of that pie.”

Hall and the OCA is positioning Ohio’s beef industry to not only survive the current market volatility but to thrive for generations to come.

“Our highest priority is always going to be to grow our membership, and to continue to show and prove the value of that membership. I don’t think people really appreciate or even understand everything that the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association does on behalf of Ohio’s beef producers.”