When things are going so well, it’s important to keep the momentum in the market and to build on the success of the breed, says Kendall Langston, Vice President and independent director of Angus NZ.
“This year, 2025,  has been a great year – Angus NZ breeders had their best year ever around prices in 2025, with several records broken for top prices for seedstock.”
But he says the challenge is for the breed to keep at the forefront of that – to build on it, and to invest in their breeding programmes. The best time to plan change is when things are going well – you have more options.”
The association has had a few changes in 2025 also, with the introduction of the Helical platform, accelerating the ease of flow of genetic data and the ability for breeders to access their data in a much more agile and customised manner. 
““This just gives us options and the agility to collaborate with our breeders and for them to identify exactly what they want around EBVs.”
“There is also work to do to educate the wider beef industry – particularly commercial breeders – around the benefits of Angus genetics.”
Looking forward, Kendall thinks 2026 will be a time for unity.
‘New Zealand has a really clear provenance around the type of stock we need and there is a lot of competition – the biggest threat is from global genomics companies with lots of data – we need to make sure we deliver certainty and accuracy around NZ specific and Angus specific genetics.”

He says there is a lot of competition between the breeds and all the associations are being challenged around the value proposition that they bring.
“We are hearing from our members that there is real value in being together – some of the members who have left are feeling that they might like to re-engage – because there is real value in being together and in that that autonomy, shared-learning, collaboration, collegiality and professional camaraderie.”
“I think there is a huge value in belonging to an association that has a New Zealand focus and brings like-minded Angus genetics breeders together especially in the medium to long term.”
Kendall is very pleased with the growing engagement and activity amongst the Angus NZ members – citing the annual ward chairs’ meetings that have allowed a forum for deeper discussion and the growing activities at ward level.
“This growth in interest and activity also bodes well for succession within seedstock businesses and at the board level.”
‘We see some of those smart younger members with fresh ideas and diverse thinking coming through at all levels of the breed and into governance of the association – it’s encouraging to see that happening and bodes well for future success.”
Kendall says he thinks 2026 will be more fun.
“It is pretty easy to be negative – it’s been a tough few years prior to this but its a lot more fun when things are going well.”
“It is great to see the confidence coming back to the business of breeding and selling seedstock.”