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 The history of the livestock press could contain accounts of
mighty struggles among competitors within the species. Before the
early 70s, seldom if ever was any cooperation or quarter given to
one's peers since many were looked upon as fierce adversaries.
Through the existence of the Livestock Publications Council (LPC),
this situation has for the most part been put aside as a relic of
yesteryear. Today a spirit of comradeship under an umbrella of
common interest prevails. In July 1988, Dale and June Runnion and
Bob Day compiled this brief history. It is now updated each year
to reflect new points of interest.
LPC has become a vital driving force in the livestock publication
industry, involving scholastic and governmental matters as well as
maintaining a steady vigilance on its members to aid them in
improving their publications esthetically, financially and in
content. Today the organization spans the species that represent
the livestock industry with 105 Publication members, 61 Service
members and six Student members.
Late in 1973,
Henry King and Orin Whitten of the Ranchman, Tulsa, Oklahoma,
invited several publishers to meet in Tulsa to discuss mutual
problems and to explore the possibility of forming an association
of livestock publications. Whitten's desire was to create an
organization of privately-owned livestock periodicals to compete
more effectively with the growing number of association-owned
breed publications.
Meeting with Whitten and King in Tulsa were Frazier Biggs, Record
Stockman, Denver, Colorado; Charles W. (Chuck) Whitney, Charolais
Way, Mt. Vernon, Ohio; Forrest Bassford, Western Livestock
Journal, Denver, Colorado; Duke Neff, Heart of American Horseman
and Paint Horse Racing News, Belton, Missouri.
 All agreed on
the need to organize. Whitney and Neff were delegated to call an
organizational meeting. A few months later they fixed time and
place and sent messages inviting representation from a number of
publications.
Results: The
original six, representing seven magazines and newspapers, were
joined by four more at the La Quinta Inn, Irving, Texas, on July
13, 1974. The four: Bob Cody, Florida Cattleman, Kissimmee,
Florida; Ted Gouldy, Weekly Livestock Reporter, Fort Worth, Texas;
Paul W. Horn, The Cattleman, Fort Worth; and John T. (Johnny)
Jenkins, Livestock Breeder Journal, Macon, Georgia.
Chuck Whitney
presided with Duke Neff as temporary secretary. Those present,
representing 11 publications, readily agreed to organize. And they
carried word that several publishers unable to attend were
potential members.
 Most of the
meeting was spent discussing the purpose of the organization and
the direction it should take. It was soon apparent that Whitten's
desire for restricting membership to privately-owned publications
had little support, consensus being that membership should be open
to all. Throughout the meeting a pattern developed that was
destined to become a trademark of future meetings — the free
exchange of ideas and policies among participating members.
Topics
mentioned in minutes of the session included postal problems,
publisher representatives, methods of handling slow pay accounts,
establishing accountability for payment on advertising received
from sale managers, ring service, agency commissions, exchange
subscriptions, free subscriptions to advertisers, obtaining
commercial rates at hotels, cooperative handling of advertising
layout and copy, photo exchange charges and amounts charged for
use of lists for special mailings.
 Cody
recommended the name that was unanimously approved — Livestock
Publications Council. Membership eligibility was defined as "all
agricultural livestock and horse
publications on the North
American continent (later broadened to international), published
four times or more a year." Dues were established at $50 per
publication. A committee was appointed to draw up a proposed
constitution and the by-laws.
The organization was incorporated as a non-profit corporation in
the state of Colorado as Livestock Publications Council, Inc., on
Nov. 4, 1974. Article 2 of the bylaws defined its purpose as:
- To promote
understanding and cooperation among publications serving the
livestock industry. That industry being the production and
marketing of beef cattle, dairy cattle, horses, swine, sheep and
goats.
- To conduct
meetings, workshops and seminars on matters involved in
livestock publishing.
- To publish a
periodic newsletter to keep members informed on matters germane
to livestock publishing enterprises.
- To promote
understanding and cooperation among all facets of the livestock
industry.
- To encourage
and support research and activities designed to further the
livestock industry.
- To foster and
preserve the traditions of the livestock industry that are
consistent with its progress.
- To provide a
forum whereby members may benefit through the exchange of ideas
and information.
- Through
cooperative effort to foster relations between publishers and
legislators, administrators and regulators at all levels of
government, as well as between publishers and people in all
segments of the livestock industry and allied enterprises.
- To carry on
other activities deemed by the membership and/or officers and
directors to meet with the standards and goals of the
organization.
These officers were elected to serve until the first annual
meeting, set for Friday, the second week of July, 1975:
-
Charles W.
Whitney, chairman
-
Paul W. Horn,
vice chairman
-
Duke Neff,
second vice chairman
-
Forrest
Bassford, secretary-treasuer
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