Rollover calf sale fundraisers held by R-CALF USA raised more than $135,000 during the 2025-26 season, the group announced Sept. 23. Seven livestock markets in five states hosted the sales between September and June. Ranchers donated calves, buyers bid them up, and proceeds flowed directly to the organization. Because R-CALF USA takes no beef checkoff money, these auctions have become a vital funding source for its advocacy work on behalf of independent U.S. cattle producers.
R-CALF USA President Dave Hyde credited the grassroots network behind the effort. “As a grassroots organization, it is American cattle producers and supporters across the country who make everything R-CALF USA does possible,” Hyde said. “From the producers who donate their cattle to the sale barns that host these fundraisers to everyone who raises a hand to bid, we are incredibly grateful to each person who continues to invest in R-CALF USA and the work we do on behalf of independent cattle producers.”
How the Rollover Calf Sale Fundraisers Raised Money Across Seven States
The season opened Sept. 24, 2025, at Platte Livestock Market in Platte, South Dakota. James Fulwider and Kevin Talsma of Iona, South Dakota, donated a yearling steer for the fourth consecutive year, raising $15,385. Platte Livestock Market owner Scott Kirsch said the support matters because R-CALF USA is “out there fighting for the rancher right now.”
Buffalo Livestock Marketing in Wyoming followed on Dec. 6, 2025, with a Hereford heifer calf from Largent and Sons that brought in $14,500. Crawford Livestock Market in Nebraska hosted its sale Jan. 9, 2026, while Atkinson Livestock Market generated $15,569 on Jan. 20 through a donation from Paulsen Land and Cattle. Huron Continental Marketing in South Dakota split its Feb. 3 proceeds between R-CALF USA and its affiliate, the Independent Beef Association of North Dakota.
La Junta Livestock Commission in Colorado raised $31,600 on April 29 after James and Wil Bledsoe donated a calf. Fort Pierre Livestock Auction closed the season June 5 with a $48,491 sale from a calf donated by Dean and Delia Johnson. Combined, the seven sales topped $135,724.
Producers and Sale Barns Explain Why They Support the Fundraisers
Several sale barn owners and producers pointed to labeling and market transparency as reasons they back R-CALF USA. Largent and Sons owner Mark Largent said he supports mandatory country of origin labeling for beef. “We are plumb tickled with R-CALF. We want MCOOL to get in place,” he said. “If we could get MCOOL, it would help us so much.”
Crawford Livestock Market owner Alicia Robertson emphasized consumer demand for domestic beef. “We need to eat and raise U.S. beef. We need to demand U.S. beef. We need to market U.S. beef,” Robertson said. Meanwhile, Paulsen Land and Cattle’s Matt Paulsen said he started donating because larger organizations weren’t telling the full story. “Nobody really knew the problems and the dilemmas within the industry because you have organizations like NCBA saying ‘everything is good,'” he said.
Huron Continental Marketing owner Kim Ulmer echoed that sentiment, saying R-CALF USA “puts the producers first.” She encouraged ranchers to get involved politically rather than wait for news to break. “I would recommend the producers study the cattle organizations that are trying to protect them and get involved somehow,” Ulmer said.
Weather, Packers and Market Fairness Weigh on Producers
La Junta Livestock Commission President Jace Honey said drought remains the biggest concern for ranchers in his region. “We need some moisture,” he said. However, Honey also pointed to a structural issue in the cattle industry. “[R-CALF USA] represents the cattle industry, not the meat industry,” Honey said, noting that packers, not ranchers, capture most of the profit from selling meat.
Delia Johnson of Fort Pierre Livestock Auction, whose family has supported R-CALF USA since its early days, said the rollover sales build unity among producers. “It just means so much when 50 producers stand up at a sale and commit to giving part of their calf check to the organization,” Johnson said. “It’s the only reason we’re all still out here as independent cattlemen.”
What Comes Next for R-CALF USA’s Fundraising Season
R-CALF USA is now scheduling rollover calf sale fundraisers for the 2026-27 season. The next season will kick off Sept. 23 at Platte Livestock Market, again with a calf donated by Fulwider and Talsma. Livestock markets and producers interested in participating can contact R-CALF USA Operations Director Candace Bullard.
This year’s results show how much independent cattle producers rely on grassroots fundraising rather than checkoff dollars. As a result, each rollover calf sale carries weight beyond its dollar total, reflecting continued producer trust in the organization’s advocacy. Ranchers and sale barns watching the 2026-27 season will likely see the same mix of donated calves, local pride and calls for stronger beef labeling. Readers interested in more details can visit R-CALF USA’s website. This story is based on a press release from R-CALF USA.