Iowa Cattle Theft Reward Program

Iowa Law Enforcement Officers:

The Iowa Cattlemen's Association is an organization of 10,000 Iowa beef-producing families and associated companies dedicated to the future of Iowa's beef industry. The Cattle Theft Reward Program is one of the many benefits to being a member of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. This platform provides up to $5,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of persons involved in theft, mutilation or malicious slaying of cattle.

While ICA encourages practices that prevent livestock from being stolen, we can’t protect all members from theft. To encourage producers to report theft and witnesses to step forward, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association along with the Sheriff’s and Deputy’s Association and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation developed ICA’s Cattle Theft Reward program several years ago. For producers to be eligible for this member-exclusive program, owners of stolen cattle must report the theft to local law enforcement and ICA within 48 hours of discovery. Upon receiving the report, the Association will work with local authorities to provide information to the media and will send a “theft alert” to all auction markets in the state.

With feeder calves selling at record highs in 2013, the occurrence of cattle theft in the Midwest has escalated. From January through September, the National Livestock Market Association received close to 100 reports of stolen or missing livestock. Although some producer members do notify the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association if and when livestock are raided, we understand that your agency may receive more calls and interactions from cattle producers than we do. Therefore, we are asking if you have received any calls on cattle theft over the past year, to please provide those numbers and assessment of loss to the Association. Becoming aware of the occurrence and/or location of cattle thievery, ICA can develop programming and send alerts to livestock producers in the affected area to ensure safeguards are in place. A futuristic goal would be to collect this information on an annual basis to corroborate the cogency of our Cattle Theft Reward program.

The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association strongly encourages your participation in our Cattle Theft Reward program. With increased surveillance and diligence, together we can minimize this viable risk to Iowa cattle producers. If you have any questions related to the program, or are contacted as a result of cattle theft, please call our office at 515.296.2266.

Thank you kindly,