A report from Gearld Fry, President,

North American Devon Association.

Spending 20 days with 57 Devon breeders from around the globe was the experience of a life time for this country boy from Arkansas.

Bob and Jo Crawford did a fabulous job of putting the conference together and then, with the help of Paul and Loma Wright, made every thing happen on schedule. Seeing new Devon, new sights and new people every day was fun and enlightening. All your American guests sincerely thank you for your extraordinary hospitality.

When we returned home we had only a few days to reminisce before it was time for our North American Devon Association annual conference. Hosts of the meeting were Don and Heather Minto. Almost 100 members and guests toured their historic Watson Farm near Jamestown, Rhode Island. The farm is on a beautiful island in Narragansett Bay.

Watson Farm is home not only to Rotokawa genetics but also features some very promising offspring of the famed British bull Potheridge President. The weekend meeting---titled “Gourmet Beef on Grass – II”---also included a full day of seminars and a marketing panel. The educational sessions and the pasture walks were put together to teach and encourage producers how to select, breed and nurture the highest quality of meat and milk we can produce.

NADA not works to provide quality products to American consumers but is equally determined to preserve the purity of the Devon breed. We take both responsibilities very seriously.

“Select Sale – 2008” was a part of that commitment. The intent is to seek out and sell only the finest females in order to launch new Devon herds and to upgrade the quality of existing ones. The top-selling lot in our sale was a cow-calf combination consigned by the Shattuck brothers of Massachusetts. It brought $10,500. The high-selling heifer consigned by Mike Scannell of New York brought $9,750.

Interest in Devon continues to grow in the United States and while NADA is determined to encourage the trend, it is equally determined not to sacrifice quality for the sake of simple numbers.