claimed several lives and 15,000 or more mother cows and other livestock. Many producers lost their cattle, homes, barns, equipment and other ranch property. Holloway and his wife, Tanya, Hemphill County’s Extension family and community health coordinator, were recognized for their dedication to the county’s ag producers and 4-H youth. Thanks to their leadership in making and keeping the conference one of the nation’s finest regional beef forums, volunteers and sponsors are eager to join their team. “Coming here [to Hemphill County in 2015] was God’s gift to Tanya and me,” Holloway said.“Those of you who know me know I get emotional. If you go through a traumatic ex- perience, like losing your ranch to a wildfire, and go through the hurt, you know why I get tears in my eyes. “I lost my herd in the drought of 2010-2012. I lost my way of life. I thought my life was over. I’m sorry to say this, but I contemplated suicide. But God saved my life. He had a bigger plan for me. That experience sharpened me for such a time as this.” He thanked the Lord for “pulling us together” as a family, as a team, as a group to help each other network and learn. He reviewed the success of the conference and the overall eco- nomic benefit to producers, based on their cattle numbers and acres involved. The first conference in 2015 had 85 paid participants and registered $1.1 million in economic impact. That increased to $3.4 million and more than 200 people in 2016. By 2018 and ’19, the conference had grown to 325 and 519 partic- ipants, respectively, and about a $9 million in economic impact. After COVID cancelled the 2020 conference, it returned in 2021 with Sarah Huckabee Sanders as speaker with 805 participants. By 2024, the number of participants grew to about 850, barely one month after the devastating wildfire. The eco- nomic impact surpassed $19 million. Including the 865 or more this year, the 10 conferences have attracted more than 5,000 participants. Holloway says the initial conference charged participants $100 per person. Many thought the high price wouldn’t fly. But his Texas A&M Gig Em’ attitude wouldn’t let that happen.“Our strategy was, and continues, for the conference to be a win- ner for you producers; to learn from our speakers and many sponsors and vendors, and to socialize,” he said.
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“We’ve had the right people addressing the right subjects for people who were eager to learn and not mind spending $100 to $125 to put their skin in the game.” Look for more stories from the conference in upcoming issues of CALF News . For more on the 2024 Hemphill County Extension Beef Conference and its many sponsors, visit www.hemphillcotxbeef. com .
Andy and Tanya Holloway are part of a team that makes the beef conference reach thousands of producers and others.
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CALF News
www.calfnews.net
June | July 2025
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