Hoagland's Induction into American Black Hereford Association's Hall of Fame

February 7, 2018

Joe and Norma Hoagland of J&N Ranch were inducted into the American Black Hereford Association's (ABHA) Hall of Fame on November 9, 2017, during the association’s Annual Meeting. J&N Ranch is located in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Joe and Norma Hoagland registered the first Black Hereford, purchased the first ABHA membership, published the first Black Hereford magazine and held the first ABHA National Sale. Over 75 newspaper and magazine articles have been written nationally and internationally about the Hoagland's' pioneering work in the cattle industry.

The Hoagland's are also one of the largest independent citrus growers in Texas, producing Rio Red grapefruit as well as Navel and Valencia oranges near McAllen, Texas.

Joe is a graduate and former board member of Tulane University. He received a law degree from the University of Kansas in 1974. He served six terms in the Kansas State Legislature and was Majority Floor Leader in 1983 and 1984. He also served two terms as a member of the National Commission on Uniform State Laws.

In the 1990s, Joe worked in professional baseball in the player development department for three different teams: the Astros, Yankees and the Mets. In 2000, he signed the Mets' first-round draft pick. He was the first scout to discover Albert Pujols when he was just a sophomore in high school.

Norma graduated from the University of Kansas and is a former Miss Kansas, model, TV personality and author. She has completed TV commercials for Payless Shoes, Holiday Inn, Super Foods, Toyota, and MasterCard. Wife and mother of three, she has written a book on the architectural history of two buildings in Kansas. She is currently working on a new book to be published in 2019.

A lifelong 4-Her, Norma has been a project leader, community club leader and now serves as a trustee of the Kansas 4-H Foundation. She is also a board member of the Kansas State Oral History Project. She has always been a very active partner in the family cattle business and computerized all the early pedigrees for ABHA.

The Hoagland’s have been in the cattle business in Kansas since 1866. Their ranch will be featured in a new book called Kansas Century Farms, to be released in 2018.

The ABHA is a growing producer organization with farmer members across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

*This article was released by the ABHA on February 7, 2018.