New LMA President Joe Goggins: The Best Years May Still Be Ahead for Cattle Producers

June 18, 2026

As the 2026 Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) Annual Convention and World Livestock Auctioneer Championship gets underway in the Black Hills of South Dakota, newly elected LMA President Joe Goggins is focused on preserving true price discovery, strengthening rural communities, and ensuring a sustainable future for the U.S. cattle industry.

Speaking from the convention at Deadwood, Goggins said hosting the convention in the West provides an ideal backdrop to showcase the livestock marketing business and the role auction markets continue to play in cattle country.

"We're really excited to have it here in the West again," Goggins said. "What a beautiful setting here in South Dakota at Deadwood. It's a great place to showcase the way we do business and showcase the idea of true price discovery."

The convention is expected to draw one of the largest crowds in LMA history, reflecting strong industry interest during a period of record-high cattle prices and historically tight cattle supplies.

For Goggins, the presidency represents a full-circle moment. He grew up attending LMA events alongside his father and says serving as president is both humbling and an honor.

"You look at the previous presidents, and they really helped shape the way we market cattle here in the United States," he said. "Hopefully, we can just carry that on."

Optimistic About the Future of the Cattle Industry

Goggins said today's strong cattle market is something his late father predicted years ago.

"One of his last conversations with me before he passed was that he would never see it in his lifetime, but we would," Goggins recalled. "Those of us that have the factory — that cow and calf — and those of us that sell grass, we're going to be in the driver's seat for quite some time."

He believes years of herd liquidation have created a market environment that favors cow-calf producers and landowners who remained in the business through difficult cycles.

"I think we're in for a pretty good time, and I think we've got some more ahead of us," he said.

Keeping the Industry United

While Goggins says LMA is already a "well-oiled machine," one of the initiatives he's most proud of is the association's involvement in the Common Ground Coalition.

The coalition brings together producers from across agriculture to identify practical policy solutions aimed at strengthening rural America and preserving the nation's food production capacity.

"We need cows on the ground. We need a lot of smaller producers," Goggins said. "That movement has been one of the best investments this association has ever made."

Defending True Price Discovery

A major priority for Goggins is continuing to advocate for livestock auction markets and the role they play in rural communities.

"If you see a rural town that's really thriving, it's got a good school and it's probably got a good auction market," he said.

Goggins emphasized that local auction markets remain one of the last forms of true price discovery in the cattle business and warned that losing them would have significant consequences for producers and rural economies.

"We are one of the last standing forms of true price discovery," he said. "If we lose these auction markets and this way of true price discovery at these fixed facilities, this industry will be in big trouble."

A Call for Producer Engagement

Looking ahead, Goggins encouraged cattle producers and rural residents to become more engaged in policy discussions and industry advocacy efforts.

He pointed to recent meetings in Washington, D.C., through the Common Ground Coalition and said he is encouraged by lawmakers who recognize the importance of agriculture and food security.

"We've got policymakers in the Senate and House that understand the value of rural America and understand the value of preserving this nation's food independence," Goggins said.

He added that maintaining a sustainable U.S. cow herd will require policies that encourage producers to stay in business and invest in the future.

"Somehow we've got to sustain this thing," Goggins said. "The only way we're going to do it is we're going to have to create some incentives."

The 2026 LMA Annual Convention is being held in Deadwood, South Dakota, while the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship takes place nearby at St. Onge Livestock.

Coverage from the event is sponsored by SmartLic Supplements

Source: Western Ag Network