Marda Angus Named Wisconsin Cattlemen of the Year

Marda Angus Named Wisconsin Cattlemen of the Year

March 4, 2020

Marda Angus Farm, Lodi, Wisconsin, was named the 2020 Cattlemen of the Year at the Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association (WCA) Winter Conference. The annual award recognized the Quam family for their extensive involvement in Wisconsin’s beef industry and continued dedication to the Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association. 

The foundation of the cow herd at Marda Angus began in 1940 when Dave Quam bought his first Angus female as a 4-H project. In the decades since, the goal of Marda Angus has remained consistent ― raise cattle that meet the needs of commercial cattlemen as well as purebred producers throughout the nation. Marda Angus currently runs 170 purebred Angus cows, along with 900 acres of crop ground. Many of the cow families found in the herd today date back to the herd’s original foundation females. 

Marda Angus has experienced success in marketing bulls through the Midland Bull Test and through a sale at Shamrock Livestock Market in O’Neill, Nebraska. An annual female production sale is also held on the farm each fall. 

Three generations of Quam family members remain actively involved in the farm. Marjorie Quam currently lives on the farm and assists with chores daily. Marjorie’s son, Terry Quam, has volunteered countless hours advocating on behalf of Wisconsin’s beef industry — he has chaired the WCA legislative committee for nearly 20 years and served as both president and past president of the WCA Board of Directors. Terry was recently selected to represent Wisconsin on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, serves as an ex-officio member of the Wisconsin Beef Council Board of Directors and currently chairs the UW Discovery Farms Steering Committee. Terry’s wife Ardel currently works as the compliance and office manager for the Wisconsin Beef Council, is past president of the World Beef Expo, and will be retiring this year as secretary of the Wisconsin Angus Association after 40 years. 

Children Cody, Bailey and Brady are all actively involved with the farm. Cody is employed by Marda Angus and has previously served on the World Beef Expo board and chaired the Beef Tent at Farm Technology Days. Bailey is employed at the Wisconsin Veterinary Medicine Association. Brady works for Silt Sock of Portage, Wisconsin, and has recently been appointed to the Lodi Agriculture Fair Board. All three children own cattle and assist with day-to-day operations. 

Each year, Marda Angus willingly hosts visitors from around the world, and this summer, the farm will be one of the stops for the Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association Summer Tour. Taking place on June 27, 2020, the tour will also include stops at a feedlot and the headquarters of ABS Global in DeForest, Wisconsin.