Calgary, AB – The Canadian Angus Association (CAA) introduced 50 and 75 year awards to recognize those breeders who have been a member of the Association for 50 or 75 consecutive years. The long dedication of these producers to the Angus breed is essential to the overall success of the beef industry. The recipients of these awards were recognized at the Royal Agriculture Winter Fair in Toronto in November. Another recipient of these awards this year is the Earley Brothers from Ontario.
Earley Brothers was established in 1935 by Eugene Earley when he started an Angus herd. The family farm, Hillcrest Farms at Kerwood, Ontario, had been established in the mid-1800s by his Irish ancestors.
Eugene’s middle son George was a very successful showman. As a 4-H member, he exhibited a Grand Champion Steer in 1957 and 1958. Hillcrest Farms has exhibited more market and 4-H beef champions in live and carcass categories than any other operation in living memory. In addition to the Royal Winter Fair, Hillcrest has dominated the Western Fair at London, garnered titles in the Maritimes, and won banners at Agribition.
In 1978, George became President of the Canadian Angus Association. It proved to be a challenging period due to the fight to enforce blood testing results. Many registered valuable Angus cattle were removed from the registry because of failed tests, however in the end, the integrity of the Angus breed had been ensured.
George Earley has been inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Farm, the Ontario Agriculture Hall of Fame; he was named Farmer of the Year in Middlesex County, received the Canadian Centennial 125 Year Medal and was named Ontario Producer of the Year.
George and his wife Lynda have four children, Mike, Martha, Tim and Sara. Today, Mike runs Earley Brothers but all four Earley children are involved in the business. Mike has ran Earley Brothers for the last 25 years. The CAA congratulates the Earley brothers and their families on receiving this award.
The Canadian Angus Association is Canada’s largest purebred beef breed organization. The Association represents 3,000 members across Canada for the purposes of registering and recording the pedigrees of purebred Angus cattle in the closed Herd Book and promoting the breed across Canada. The member-approved mandate is to maintain breed registry, breed purity and provide services that enhance the growth and position of the Angus breed.