Good Evening
 
Firstly I would like to thank our 2011 Tour hosts Carolyn & Drew Dundass – you have done a fantastic job of organising this annual event, and in particular I would like to highlight our sincere appreciation of the support that you have gathered from Meridian Energy, PGG Wrightson, Allflex and Alliance.  In the current economic times, to have obtained such support is a direct reflection of your efforts in this community.
 
Secondly I would like to thank all of Council for their input during 2010.  The administrative focus of the past year was on streamlining systems and we have been very pleased with the uptake of the Beeflink Live system.  Cost minimisation is also a focus, which is important in the current situation of reducing cow numbers.
 
The promotion that was featured in Beef Review last year had disappointing results.  While the concept of a bull prize draw was considered good, the profile and advertisement failed to attract entrants for a number of reasons.  I would like to thank Don Organ for the use of his bull and the positive attitude towards trying something different.
 
The Society website remains one of the most effective means of providing information to potential clients, and we urge members to send in regular updates and photos where possible.  It is a simple process to add information on bulls available for sale, including pedigree information and performance data.
 
This year the Beef Review is being combined with Heartland Beef, and there will be a breeder directory as in prior years.  However, unfortunately the editorial content is not being split by breeds, and advertisements will be placed randomly throughout.  I recommend the Society advert will focus on drawing people to the website for more information on our breeders.  We also plan to obtain as much free editorial as possible, so if you have any ideas please let us know.  We would also like support members who are promoting the Charolais breed at local Shows or other events, with promotional material/flyers. In a lot of cases the personal approach can have more effect than advertisements in papers and magazines.
 
Finally, Annette and I would like to thank all the members of the Charolais Society for their support over the past year. We found the last AGM was beneficial for us in putting names to faces and gaining knowledge from members which has made a huge difference to our learning processes.
 
All the best for the coming sire sales, and do not hesitate to contact us for assistance with your stud information.
 
Thank you
 
Liz Harvey
7 March 2011