Aubrey Blackmon

Aubrey Blackmon grew Blackmon Farms in Houston from one cow and one calf to more than 350 momma cows at its peak while serving the cattle industry at the state and national levels.

Blackmon, whose dad homesteaded in Jessieville, bought land in Perry County in 1968 and began with one cow and a calf, but the cow died, and the family decided to slaughter the calf. Blackmon bounced back, rebuilding his operation with improved pasture and easier-to-maintain cattle. Along with raising cattle, he served the industry in numerous capacities.

Blackmon, who has been involved in the Arkansas Cattlemen's Association (ACA), for over 50 years, is referred to as the cattlemen's "historian." He was a founding member of Perry County Cattlemen’s Association in 1970 before becoming ACA state president in 2005 and earning its lifetime service achievement award in 2012. Recognizing his unique legacy, in 2023 the ACA renamed the honor the “Aubrey Blackmon Lifetime Service Achievement Award.”

As president of the ACA, Blackmon steered crucial initiatives, including support in 2005 for the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, eliminating sales tax on reproductive livestock equipment and ensuring a safe reopening for cattle trade at the U.S.-Canada border.

Blackmon also served three terms on the Arkansas Beef Council beginning in 2008. He was twice appointed by USDA to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion Board and served from 2021-23 on the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Federation board.

Blackmon attended high school in Jessieville. He credits most of his knowledge gained from his time on the farm and the highway construction business he entered after high school.