SOUTH DAKOTA CATTLEMENS ASSOCIATION

What SOUTH DAKOTA CATTLEMENS ASSOCIATION does

South Dakota Cattlemen's Association (SDCA) is a 501(c)-style nonprofit trade association founded in 1948 and headquartered in Pierre, South Dakota. It represents cattle producers in the state through a grassroots, member-driven structure that operates across twelve regional affiliates and maintains an active presence during the South Dakota Legislative Session. The organization is governed by policy committees covering eight issue areas: Ag & Food Policy, Cattle Health and Well-being, Live Cattle Marketing, Tax & Credit, International Trade, Property Rights and Environmental Management, Federal Lands, and Miscellaneous, with approved policy running on five-year member-voted terms.

SDCA's core offerings are membership tiers (Producer Membership and Allied Industry Membership) that bundle access to advocacy representation, regional networking, and educational programming. Supplemental revenue and engagement come from a portfolio of events (Region Roundups across SD counties, Annual Convention & Trade Show, Dakotafest Beef Booth, T-Bone Classic Golf Tournament, and a Tie & Wild Rag Brand Fundraiser), an online merchandise store selling lapel pins, sticker sets, and vehicle decals, owned media (Cattlemen's Call audio series and a free e-newsletter), and a community program (Beef Month Coloring Contest). The association also curates and promotes scholarships and internships administered by partner organizations including NCBA, Public Lands Council, the Angus Foundation, SD CattleWomen, American National CattleWomen, and Hereford Youth Foundation.

The underlying technology stack is minimal: member management, event registration, online store, and member login run on a MemberLeap-powered platform. There is no mobile app, no public API, and no disclosed AI/data capabilities. The business model is a conventional dues-plus-events-plus-merch nonprofit model with revenue streams kept opaque to the public; membership pricing is not publicly disclosed. Strategic partnerships with NCBA (core) and USMEF (minor) anchor national policy and international trade influence respectively, while staff size remains in the 1-10 employee band.

Name

SOUTH DAKOTA CATTLEMENS ASSOCIATION

Legal name

South Dakota Cattlemen's Association

Website

https://sdcattlemen.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The South Dakota Cattlemen's Association is a 1948-founded nonprofit trade association representing South Dakota cattle producers through grassroots policy advocacy, twelve regional affiliates, membership tiers, annual events, and educational programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Trade Association

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (1152)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations (AFAEALAC)

Keywords

• Cattle industry advocacy
• Agricultural trade association
• Livestock policy representation
• Producer membership services
• Agricultural education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Pierre

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

South Dakota Cattlemen's Association is a grassroots membership-based nonprofit trade association representing South Dakota cattle producers and allied industry members. Its core offering consists of Producer and Allied Industry memberships that grant access to legislative advocacy, member-driven policy development, 12 regional affiliates, educational events, and scholarship/internship opportunities. Supporting offerings include the Annual Convention & Trade Show, Region Roundups, a Dakotafest Beef Booth, a merchandise store, the Cattlemen's Call podcast, and a free e-newsletter.

Product overview

The South Dakota Cattlemen's Association operates as a membership-based trade organization offering a unified portfolio of member services rather than a traditional technology product. The core offering consists of Producer and Allied Industry membership programs that provide access to regional affiliate networks, policy advocacy representation, and grassroots participation in shaping industry positions. Associated with membership are educational programs including scholarships and internship opportunities with NCBA. The association also operates community engagement events such as Region Roundups across South Dakota, an Annual Convention & Trade Show, and the Dakotafest Beef Booth. An online merchandise store offers promotional items including lapel pins, stickers, vehicle decals, and event tickets. Media offerings include the Cattlemen's Call audio series and a free e-newsletter. The association leverages MemberLeap-powered member management infrastructure for member login, event registration, and online store functionality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cattlemen's Call: Radio/media program featuring industry news and updates

Products and services

• Producer Membership Membership tier for cattle producers in South Dakota, providing access to association benefits, regional affiliates, and grassroots policy participation.
• Allied Industry Membership Membership tier for businesses and organizations supporting the cattle industry, offering tiered partnership and promotional opportunities.
• Region Roundups Grassroots outreach events hosted across South Dakota regions, featuring social gatherings, beef meals, and SDCA programming for members and non-members.
• Annual Convention & Trade Show Annual flagship event featuring educational programming, trade show, and policy meetings for cattle industry stakeholders.
• Dakotafest Beef Booth Food service operation at Dakotafest offering hamburgers and burnt ends, with pre-pay and post-pay ticket options.
• T-Bone Classic Golf Tournament Annual golf tournament fundraiser for SDCA members and supporters.
• SDCA Merch Store Online store offering promotional items including lapel pins, stickers, sticker sets, vehicle decals, and event tickets.
• South Dakota Lapel Pin Cow-shaped lapel pin featuring a throwback SD flag-inspired design, priced at $6.50 USD.
• Vehicle Decals for Organizational License Plates Emblem decals for South Dakota Emblem Specialty License Plates, sold as a set of 2 for $25.00 USD.
• Scholarships (SDCA-promoted) Various scholarship opportunities for students pursuing agriculture-related fields, including Angus Foundation, SD CattleWomen, NCBA, and Hereford Youth Foundation scholarships, promoted by SDCA.
• Industry Internships (SDCA-promoted) Internship programs including NCBA Meetings & Events (Denver), Public Policy (Washington D.C.), and CattleCon positions, promoted by SDCA to students.
• Cattlemen's Call Podcast Audio podcast series featuring industry news, interviews with cattle producers, and updates on SDCA activities.
• SDCA E-Newsletter Free electronic newsletter providing industry news and association updates to subscribers.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NCBA (National Cattlemen's Beef Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSDCA works with NCBA on national policy and events. NCBA offers internships that SDCA promotes to students. SDCA participates in NCBA Summer Business Meeting and CattleCon events.
• USMEF (U.S. Meat Export Federation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSDCA coordinates with USMEF for international marketing initiatives and trade policy as part of the International Markets committee.
• Angus FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOffers Commercial Cattlemen Scholarship to youth utilizing Angus genetics. SDCA promotes this scholarship opportunity to student members.
• South Dakota CattleWomenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSDCW offers $1,000 scholarships to young people attending higher learning institutions. SDCA promotes this scholarship to members.
• American National CattleWomenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerANCW Foundation offers Legacy Scholarships to collegiate members. SDCA directs students to these opportunities.
• Hereford Youth Foundation of AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides scholarships to outstanding NJHA members. SDCA promotes these opportunities to youth members.
• Public Lands CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCBA and PLC offer internships in Washington D.C. for students interested in federal policy and the beef industry.

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Public Lands Council: A national organization representing ranchers who graze livestock on federal lands; SDCA partners with PLC on internships and federal lands policy, making it a closely aligned peer in scope.
• U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF): A broader trade organization operating across multiple livestock species and export markets; SDCA coordinates with USMEF on international trade policy, making it a comparable industry-body peer at a wider scope.

Direct peers

• Kansas Livestock Association: Midwestern state livestock association with policy advocacy and membership services; operates a similar member-driven, affiliate-supported model to SDCA.
• National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA): The national trade association for U.S. cattle producers; SDCA explicitly partners with NCBA on national policy, events, and internships, making it the closest structural peer and primary coalition counterpart.
• North Dakota Stockmen's Association: Immediate geographic neighbor offering the same cattle-producer advocacy, membership, and event model; highly comparable in target member and policy scope.
• American National CattleWomen: A national cattle-industry membership organization focused on promotion, education, and consumer outreach; comparable member-based model and direct scholarship/engagement partnership with SDCA.
• Montana Stockgrowers Association: A neighboring state cattlemen's association offering the same membership, policy advocacy, and event model; highly comparable in scope, structure, and member value proposition.
• Nebraska Cattlemen: Another state-level cattle producer association with policy advocacy, membership tiers, and events; directly comparable in operating model and member segments.
• Colorado Cattlemen's Association: State-level cattle producer association with policy, membership, and event programs; direct functional equivalent of SDCA in a neighboring state.
• Wyoming Stock Growers Association: Long-running state cattlemen's association with membership, policy, and event programming that mirrors SDCA's structure; comparable in scope and regional footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/compose/post
• Instagraminstagram.com/sdcattlemen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-dakota-cattlemens-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SOUTH DAKOTA CATTLEMENS ASSOCIATION