Remembering Greg Henderson, the Beef Industry’s Drover

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 18:27:36 GMT

Who was Greg Henderson? The list is long. But if I had to tell you in a minute, I’d point out that he’s a respected and trusted leader in the beef industry. A devoted husband. An entertaining speaker. A proud father. An award-winning writer. A passionate voice for cattlemen. A bad dad-joke teller. A mentor and advisor. A distinguished representative of the livestock publications industry. A witty cowboy. A level-headed, tell-it-to-you-straight colleague. But most importantly, he was a good friend.

I’ve looked up to Greg Henderson and his artful ability to speak the truth for decades. When I had the opportunity to come to Farm Journal, I knew I would benefit simply from being a part of the same team as the legend himself.

Over the years, he challenged me to stretch myself as a writer. He wasn’t afraid to ruffle feathers and modeled how to do it respectfully. He grew my knowledge of the livestock industry and passed down important bits of history. A ‘good job’ from Greg meant the world to me.

When I found out he unexpectedly passed away on Aug. 16 , I joined so many in a state of shock and disbelief. We had just been at the Ag Media Summit where we were able to catch up in real life, instead of morning Zoom calls. I listened to him kick off the 25th Ag Media Summit with his heartfelt reflections on how the event came to be when he was serving as chairman of the committee. He also did a fabulous job moderating a panel on animal health and traceability.

This will always be one of my favorite photos with two of my heroes at Farm Journal. (L to R: Greg Henderson, Jennifer Shike, Cliff Becker)

(Provided by Jennifer Shike)

As his personal paparazzi, I took lots of pictures and reminded him he would thank me later. I always did that whenever we were at Farm Journal events or Ag Media Summit meetings together. I guess it’s my way of letting people know they are important to me – to try to capture the moment with them in some small way.

To know Greg is to know his wife, Ruth, because he could never stop talking about her. He was crazy about her and their kids and grandkids. He proudly brought Ruth to every event he could and as I sat with them a few weeks back, I couldn’t help but admire the connection they shared. They have truly been partners in telling the story of the U.S. beef industry. Behind every great writer is someone who inspires, listens and encourages them to go for it.

My last texts with Greg included a picture I took of him and Ruth at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Livestock Publications Council (LPC), an organization he devoted great time and energy to over the years, and a picture of the stack of awards he brought home from the LPC contest at Ag Media Summit. He ended up staying home the morning of the awards ceremony to work on stories for the September issue of Drovers, so I proudly stepped in to accept those awards on his behalf.

Greg and Ruth Henderson

(Jennifer Shike)

It seems quite fitting the State of the Beef Industry Report he was so proud of brought home two first place awards, in addition to nearly sweeping the editorial category and taking home first place for his in-depth reporting on packer capacity. Greg was gifted at understanding the markets and how to effectively communicate the numbers with his readers. But what I admired most was his willingness to speak the truth and take a stand in his editorials.

One of our colleagues Annie McCullough, national accounts manager for livestock at Farm Journal, describes Greg so well.

“Greg defined a Drover. He lived that meaning of a Drover in every part of his life,” she said.

I’ll never forget the conversation where Greg explained the meaning of a drover – a herdsman, a caretaker, a leader of his stock. There is no question Greg was the ultimate drover for the beef industry, carefully keeping an eye out for issues that could impact ranchers and producers.

To honor our friend and colleague, here is a collection of thoughts and stories from some of Greg’s industry friends about what he meant not only to them, but to the beef industry and ag journalism.

“Working with Greg has been one of the highlights of my career, and I’m going to miss him very much. I always respected and appreciated his commitment to his family. He loved all of them so much and was always pleased to talk about and spend time with them. That was his first priority. There was never any doubt about that. To be sure, he and Ruth were best friends! But I also admire him for his work. Greg was never afraid to tackle the tough subjects – and never worried about any type of negative feedback. He wanted the industry to be better. To the end, my last email to him regarded a column he was working on – and my last sentence to him was, ‘Keep writing truth.’ He never had an agenda except for truth – even if it meant taking some flack. In my mind, he was committed to his craft – being a journalist (and we sure need more of those). Greg was always a gentleman. When I think of Greg, I think of qualities like professional, courteous and respectful. He treated everyone that way. The more I sit here and think on all this, the more I realize just how much I am going to miss him. He was the difference maker! There’s no doubt, part of who I am today as a person is because of his influence – both personally and professionally. I am ever grateful for the opportunity to have called him a colleague and friend.”
– Nevil Speer, beef industry consultant from Bowling Green, KY

L to R: Wyatt Bechtel, Greg Henderson and Ruth Henderson enjoy the welcome party kickoff at the 2024 Ag Media Summit.

(Chuck Zimmerman)

“Greg had a significant impact on my life as a coworker and mentor. He was a great ally to the beef community, and his thoughtful editorials and articles helped drive improvements across industry sectors. His wonderful sense of humor made him an excellent storyteller. I’ll forever cherish our friendship.”
– Wyatt Bechtel, PR supervisor at Broadhead

“This is a loss that hits the Farm Journal family hard. Greg was one of those guys you truly liked working alongside because he supported everyone around him, and you usually walked away having learned something. I’m going to miss his friendship, his wicked and dry sense of humor, and his devotion to the cattle industry.”
– John Herath, U.S. Meat Export Federation assistant vice president of communications and former Farm Journal News Director

“Greg was a stalwart communicator for the U.S. beef industry. The man behind the pen was kind, courageous and curious. He advocated for this great way life and never lost his vision for seeing the bigger picture. Greg stood up for what he believed in and never let corporate interest sway his writing. He will be truly missed in this industry.”
– Clint Mefford, head of U.S. livestock communications and marketing operations for Zoetis

“What can you say about ‘the’ Greg Henderson? He has covered every topic in the beef industry. He is that calming presence that listens to all sides of the issue. He would write the news article, but then you were going to get ‘his’ thoughts in his column. He didn’t let his perspective skew the story and that is a real skill. Greg valued family and friendships. Industry events were always a chance to visit about his wife, Ruth, and his kids, Lisa and Jared, in between visiting about bigger issues in the beef industry. I loved the man’s dry wit, he was funnier than most people knew. Greg has inspired and mentored countless ag writers over the years. His style of writing was truly timeless and delivered what producers needed to know without getting bogged down.”
– Lori Maude, public relations senior content specialist at Bader Rutter

Greg Henderson and Diane Johnson at Ag Media Summit

(Provided by Diane Johnson)

“Greg and I were co-chairs of the LPC Convention when it was held in Reno in 1996. For months, we worked on it. It was during the fax machine era – no emails yet – and we planned it with multitudes of fax messages back and forth. As a thank you, he gave me a gift card for $50 and I ended up buying a set of silverware for four. I use it every day to this day and think of him and that time in my career. He was a wonderful friend who has more talent than anyone knew. A brilliant man with a gentle soul who would tell the most entertaining stories that you just couldn’t make up!”
– Diane E. Johnson, owner of Details by Design

“Greg was one of the best. He was an honest and respected voice for the livestock industry. An industry icon, for sure. But, more importantly, he was a friend, a mentor and an encourager. I’m better for having known him, and he will be greatly missed.”
– Scarlett Madinger, vice president of communications for the Kansas Livestock Association

“Greg and I first met and began working together in 1988. Beyond our working relationship, over the years, we became very good friends. This past February, I mentioned to him that I began working at ERS in D.C. on Feb. 1, 1984, and he said I started at Drovers on July 9, 1984! Greg was both a great asset and a friend to the beef industry and many of us associated with the industry. He will be sorely missed by the ag media, his associates at Drovers and the beef industry. But even more, by his wonderful family and his many friends.”
– John Nalivka, president of Sterling Marketing, Inc.

“I was very sad to hear the news of the passing of Greg Henderson. I had the privilege of working with Greg for nearly 40 years while he was at Vance and Farm Journal and I was at the Kansas Livestock Association and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Greg was keenly interested in the changes and trends in beef marketing and production. He had a unique ability to understand what was important for a publication’s readers. Greg knew that to be a successful publication, the editors and writers must understand what the most innovative producers are doing, which drives the selection of content that attracts quality readers and delivers the readers to the advertisers. Greg will be missed but never forgotten.”
– Kendal Frazier, retired CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

“Greg was dedicated to journalistic excellence and had a finely tuned ability to discern the issues and information that was fact-based and relevant to the beef business. His editorials and the articles he published helped producers understand and embrace the changes that are necessary for all businesses to survive and thrive. That ability and vision to find ‘true north,’ coupled with the courage to ignore extremists’ emotional ‘noise,’ also kept Drovers businesslike and relevant. He was a true leader and will certainly be missed.”
– Dee Likes, past CEO of Kansas Livestock Association

“A true cattle guy with a superb demeanor. Always, always looked forward to seeing him.”
– Greg Lamp, freelance photographer and writer

“To me, Greg Henderson was a beef industry icon, talented journalist and mentor. What I appreciated most was he was not afraid to tell you how he saw it. The beef industry is better today because of Greg. His articles touched thousands of producers and affected millions of decisions the last 30 years. I am so thankful I had a chance to visit with him and Ruth during Ag Media Summit. I was blessed to serve on the LPC Board with him and to work with him during my time at Angus, Hereford and now K-State. Although I never had the chance to call him my boss, there’s no doubt I learned from him as a fellow ag communicator and looked to him for advice when needed. When Greg spoke during LPC meetings, everyone listened and took his comments to heart. He always knew what was best for our organization. He was so proud of his kids and even more excited when he became a grandpa.”
– Angie Denton, communication coordinator for the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University

“I loved working with Greg. He loved what he did. He was passionate about beef and feedyards, about cow-calf ranches and backgrounders. He loved them all. He loved the business of producing beef and respected everyone in it. The industry is going to miss his reason and his curiosity.”
– Chip Flory, host of “AgriTalk”

Greg Henderson joins former LPC President Kathy LaScala to hang his plaque in the LPC Hall of Fame.

(LPC)

“When I joined Vance, I’m certain Greg was thinking, ‘What does this dairy girl from upstate NY know about the beef industry?’ Well, I knew absolutely nothing! But he took me under his wing and taught me about hedging, grid pricing, the different segments of the industry and more that I’m sure I’ve forgotten. He must have thought I was going to ‘make it’ because not soon after arriving, he ‘threw’ me onto the Livestock Publications Council board where I stayed for 13 years until becoming president. I had the honor of introducing Greg as a Hall of Fame winner and hanging his plaque on the Hall of Honor in the American Royal. It was one of my most treasured memories as a board member, especially because Greg loved being a part of this great organization. Along with my cows and my horse, Lakota, my other cherished possessions include the non-animal type – my jewelry. Nothing frustrated Greg more, or made him laugh more, than waiting for me to get through security when loaded down with my bling! It was a running joke that we needed an extra 10 minutes to get me through security while everyone was waiting. Greg was a man of few words unless you got him fired up about a certain beef topic, or when talking about his family or his dogs. How lucky am I to have known someone so special. He meant more to me that I think he ever knew.”
– Kathy LaScala, ag media sales and trade shows professional

“Greg will be remembered for his kindness, dry wit and of course his ag knowledge. Greg was one of Cliff’s very dear friends for 40 years and their collaboration on industry projects was well known. Greg will be greatly missed by many.”
– Kristine Becker, friend and wife of the late Cliff Becker

“Greg had a tremendous understanding of the cattle industry and took pride in bringing accurate and important information to the audience he served. His insights are going to be missed.”
– Dan Halstrom, CEO and president of the U.S. Meat Export Federation

“Greg Henderson was a true cowboy among cowboys — our very own ‘George Strait’ in the realm of ag journalism. Just as George Strait’s music resonates deeply with the heart and soul of the cowboy way of life, Greg’s words had the same powerful impact on the beef industry. He was a classic in every sense —someone you could listen to time and time again without ever tiring of. Greg had a unique ability to capture the essence of the people and the stories that make the beef industry so special. His words painted vivid pictures of the cowboy way of life, and his insights were a guiding light for so many. His legacy will forever be etched within the thousands of pages of Drovers he so passionately poured over, and his words of wisdom – whether shared in print or in person – were timeless. George Straight must have had Greg in mind when he sang this lyric: ‘Oh, the last goodbye’s the hardest one to say. This is where the cowboy rides away.”
– Taylor Leach, assistant editor for dairy at Farm Journal

Farm Journal colleagues (l to r) Jennifer Shike, Katie Humphreys, Greg Henderson and Charlene Finck gather at Ag Media Summit.

(Farm Journal)

“As a colleague and cattle producer, I learned something from Greg every time we spoke or were in a meeting together, which was several times a week. He could connect the dots in the beef supply chain and get to the heart of the ‘so what’ for producers unlike anyone else. His deep-rooted passion for the beef industry was inspiring – and he sure enjoyed giving me grief for buying turkey at Thanksgiving when I have freezers full of beef.”
– Katie Humphreys, content director at Farm Journal

The unexpected loss of Greg is a hard reminder to prioritize what matters most and more importantly, who matters most. I think we could all do a better job of letting people know how much we care and appreciate them. I hope Greg knew just how much he meant to so many. I will always remember how he engaged with people and made sure they knew they were seen and heard, just like any good drover would do.

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Remembering Greg Henderson, the Beef Industry’s Drover