On January 17th, members of the Indiana Beef Cattle Association (IBCA) gathered at the Embassy Suites Hotel for the 2025 IBCA Annual Convention. During the convention, members heard from multiple guest speakers on issues pertaining to the beef industry. To kick off the event, members attended the annual awards dinner and banquet to celebrate this year’s award winners.
The Robert C. Peterson Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Virginia Davis of Franklin, Indiana. Her family’s farm, Webbland’s Polled Shorthorns, raised shorthorn cattle and she developed a passion for the Shorthorn breed. Her farm was deeded in 1856 and has been in her family for generations. Virginia was a founding member of the Shelby County Cattlemen’s Association. Virginia was also the first female president of the IBCA. Among many other achievements, Virginia has certainly been a trailblazer and major influence in the beef industry and the state of Indiana.
The IBCA Outstanding Cattleman Award was presented to Jill Duncan of Able Acres Farm in Wingate, Indiana. Jill holds many titles for Able Acres Farms including bookkeeper, marketer, herd manager and many more. Jill effortlessly manages all these tasks and responsibilities while giving unselfishly of her time and talent in multiple ways to the Indiana Beef Cattle Association and Indiana Junior Beef Cattle Association.
The IBCA Outstanding Young Cattleman Award was presented to Cody Gardner, the co-owner and manager of Southfork Cattle Company in Paoli, Indiana. Cody is an enthusiastic learner and plays a vital role in the operation. Cody’s list of duties and improvements helps serve his customers in more ways than one. In 2024, He marketed over 1400 head of cattle for his customers through Superior Livestock.
The first IBCA Friend of the Beef Industry Award was presented to American Dairy Association of Indiana. This year saw the beginning of a new partnership between IBCA and ADAI at the Indiana State Fair. The “Hoosier Cowboy” combined one of our ribeyes and ADAI’s pepperjack and sourdough grilled cheese. The new sandwich was a hit and even got an online mention from Caitlyn Clark after she tried one on a visit to the fair.
The second IBCA Friend of the Beef Industry Award was presented to Dr. Bret Marsh. He recently completed 30 years of service as the Indiana State Veterinarian, with a total of 40 years of public service at the Board of Animal Health. As the State’s Veterinarian he led initiatives in biosecurity, animal disease traceability and disaster preparedness, gaining national recognition for his expertise and research on foreign animal diseases. Here in the State, Dr. Marsh was instrumental in developing the current disease traceability system we have in place, including Premises Registration and Electronic Identification, in an effort to safeguard our cattle industry. He is a tireless advocate for animal agriculture in Indiana and understands the issue of the Veterinary shortage that many areas of Indiana are experiencing and is actively working on plans to address those needs in his new role. Dr. Marsh is one of the greatest friends that the Indiana beef industry has had over the last 30 years.
To see a complete list of past award winners, visit www.indianabeef.org.
