Friday, March 2, 2012
It’s no big secret what goes on at the Fort Scott Livestock Market and Auction, mainly because it’s been going on for decades.Ancel “Andy” Johnson, who came to Fort Scott in 1964, said he has attended the local auction as a cattle buyer and seller for more than 40 years.
“I went when it was the old sale barn,” said Johnson, who’s been in agribusiness for more than a half of a century.
For him, it’s the combination of prices and well-known people keeps him coming back.
“I’m glad the market is there. They’re good people, good friends and good neighbors,” Johnson said. “It’s a good market and always has been. I believe in supporting your local market because they’ve always taken care of me. They take care of their people.”
Throughout the years, thousands of head of cattle have moved through the pens that make up the current eight-acre area owned by brothers Larry and Jim Martin since 1994. In fact, according to its website, Fort Scott Livestock has marketed more than one million cattle for Kansas and Missouri producers since the Martins have been owners.
A small group of cows with tags on their ears to identify them to buyers and sellers await their fate in the pens at the Fort Scott Live Stock Market and Auction.
In the cattle business for most of their lives, four generations of the Martin family of Fort Scott, have had a hand in operating the business at one time or another. The Martin brothers have worked at the facility on and off throughout the family’s years of ownership.
“We just try and treat the people like we want to be treated and try to run a good business,” Larry Martin said. “We’ve been around for quite a while. Everybody knows what goes on.”
The many years of providing a local market in a community that thrives on agriculture made the business stand out to the members of the Chamber of Commerce who recently recognized the market with the Agribusiness of the Year award.
“It’s always nice to be recognized for the role we play in providing a market for local producers,” Office Manager Randall Readinger said.
The yearly award goes to the agribusiness that contributes the most to the overall economy and benefits the community.
Chamber Board Chairman Bryan Holt said that is precisely why the award went to the Martins.
“The owners have done just a fantastic job of helping to boost our local economy by all of their efforts to bring in regional buyers and sellers of livestock,” Holt said.
As the fourth-largest sale barn and auction market in the state, Readinger said the business is responsible for circulating about $65 million back into the economy.
Probably about 90,000 to 100,000 cattle will be sold this year, with an average of about 2,000 head of cattle sold on any given weekend. This past Saturday, about 1,680 head of cattle were sold with prices ranging from 30 cents to $1.72 per pound.
During arguably the busiest time of the year — the winter months — about 3,000 to 4,000 cattle are sold per weekend.
Holt said the Livestock Market and Auction was “very highly nominated” for a number of reasons. Businesses that are members of the chamber nominate other businesses for the awards.
“From a personal level, they do a lot beyond their business,” Holt said. “And their very well known throughout the agriculture community.”
A couple of years ago, the Fort Scott Livestock Market was a stop on the agribusiness tour that the chamber sponsored throughout the city.
As such a well-known and established business, the Livestock Market has attracted big-name auctioneers.
World champion auctioneer Charlie Cummings provided his service to Fort Scottians last year while former world class champion Lanny Ireland regularly lent his talents to the auction this year. In addition to Ireland, last year’s Rookie of the Year Russelle Sleep and Jim Martin also call the auctions.
The auction building, built in the 1970s, hosts weekly Saturday morning auctions for local and area buyers and sellers beginning at 9 a.m. A video auction is also available later in the day. The Livestock Market is closed on Wednesday and Sunday, but sells other items throughout the week including gates, pens and waterers.
“In the current market where prices are at an all-time high, we are a cheap date for selling your cows,” Readinger said.
Angelique McNaughton 