History
Our History
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 atrademark 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 salemanagers, 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:
A. 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
B. To conduct meetings, workshops and seminars on matters involved in livestock publishing.
C. To publish a periodic newsletter to keep members informed on matters germane to livestock publishing enterprises.
D. To promote understanding and cooperation among all facets of the livestock industry.
E. To encourage and support research and activities designed to further the livestock industry.
F. To foster and preserve the traditions of the livestock industry that are consistent with its progress.
G. To provide a forum whereby members may benefit through the exchange of ideas and information.
H. 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.
I. 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-Treasurer