The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) presented Fenco Farms the BIF Commercial Producer of the Year Award June 11 during the group’s annual research symposium in Knoxville, Tennessee. This national award is presented annually to a producer to recognize their dedication to improving the beef industry at the commercial level.
Fenco Farms, Floral City, Florida, has a longstanding involvement in Florida agriculture, initially in the citrus industry before expanding into the strawberry business, while maintaining a cattle herd. When the citrus market faced challenges, they utilized the opportunity to expand their cattle operation. By revitalizing citrus land in pastureland, they have expanded their cow herd and now operate across multiple properties in central Florida and South Georgia.
For more than 30 years, Fenco Farms has been at the forefront of technology in production agriculture. Their herd, which includes 2,000-plus head of commercial Brangus cattle, 100 head of club calf cows and 300 registered Brangus cows, benefits from the advancements they have made.
They track all animals individually and DNA testing. All feeder cattle are retained through the production chain to harvest, where they collect and analyze data at each step. Their comprehensive data-drive approach has allowed them to make informed management decision within their herd.
“If BIF was a teacher, Fenco Farms would be one of your most accomplished students,” said International Brangus Breeders Association Executive Vice President Darrell Wilkes. “In a large-scale commercial operation, they rigorously apply the principles of genetic improvement and truly view genetics as a vital technology that is key to their success and long-term sustainability. Hand in glove with their application of genetic principles, they illustrate how detailed individual animal performance data can be gathered and used in a commercial setting.”
Fenco Farms has been able to supply seedstock for cattle producers across the U.S. because of their ability to adapt, their proficiency in long-term planning and their visionary mindset. The goal of Fenco Farms is to operate a progressive, data-driven cattle operation and produce high-quality beef products while contributing to the advancement of the beef industry through continuous improvement and new technology.
Fenco Farms was nominated by the International Brangus Breeders Association. The award is presented by BIF and sponsored by Drovers.
Approximately 500 beef producers, academia and industry representatives attended the organization’s 56th Annual Research Symposium and Convention in Knoxville. BIF’s mission is to help improve the industry by promoting greater acceptance of beef cattle performance evaluation. For more information about this year’s symposium, including additional award winners and coverage of the meeting and tours, visit BIFSymposium.com.