UGBA Second Quarter 2026 Newsletter: Convention, State Reports & Advocacy Updates
Vol. 1, No. 2
UNITED GAMEFOWL BREEDERS’ ASSOCIATION
Established 1975 • March 2026 • www.ugba.net
UGBA National Officers – 2026
As we begin 2026, the United Gamefowl Breeders Association remains committed to education, heritage preservation, and unity among state associations. Our strength lies in responsible stewardship, communication, and cooperation nationwide.
I want to make sure to include in this newsletter last year there was some confusion, so I want to get the dates out there. “Article X Section3: Nominations for officers of the organization must be submitted to the Chairman ofthe Nomination committee no less than 45 days prior to the annual meeting. Submissions are to be made by an Affiliate’s President or UGBA Director, in writing, signed and sent via receipt confirmation mail, USPS date stamped, Certified USPS mail, Certified FedExor UPS and Date and time stamped Email. The Chairman of the Nomination committee shall review submissions to verify eligibility and then notify all state affiliate’s Presidents or UGBA Directors of the nominees for each office, by receipt confirmation mail, at least 30 days prior to the annual meeting. No nominations may be made outside of these conditions.”
The Annual Meeting in typically the 3rd Saturday in August, so this year that puts it on August 15th. Now that is subject to change due to location availability as to my knowledge at the time of this publication those details have not been ironed out. BUT, with that in mind 45 days prior to that would be July 1st. It is VERY important that you take into consideration the timeliness of or lack thereof with the USPS in getting mail delivered and it is imperative that the committee get these received in office not post marked because it says “no less than 45 days prior” which has been determined in the past as received by that date because that gives the chairman about a week to do their job so that they can notify the states “at least 30 days prior”
It would be my preference if all was sent via USPS Certified Mail to UGBA P. O. Box 1673, Bessemer, AL 35021, if utilizing the email option send to UGBACarey@gmail.com. If it gets down to the wire contact me directly and I will give you my street address for you to send FedEx or UPS as USPS will not accept packages or letters from them anymore.
State Association Reports
Missouri Gamefowl Breeders Association
To Missouri Gamefowl Owners, both members and non-members. These are some of the issues going on in Missouri. There was recently a raid and later an arrest regarding Gamefowl in the Moberly area. All details are not known and naturally some details cannot be shared at this time. Just be aware that visitors to your yard are not all friendly and may be attempting to bait you into an illegal action or information that can be incriminating, with your gamefowl. Do not be fooled. These informants can be very persuasive and disguise themselves behind a Spanish language, Mexican decent or could be someone you have known for years. I’d also like to vaguely report on a raid in Iowa. Last year federal agents as well as certain animal rights groups showed up at a residence in large numbers. This wasn’t a trashy location with sick chickens everywhere. The place was immaculate. A farm that most Gamefowl people would dream of. Nearly 100 matching pens, TPs and strings. All clean and laid out perfectly. They showed up in force. They immediately handcuffed the individual and put him in the back seat of the car. They did not initially give him a search warrant. His house was ransacked looking for evidence of illegal activity. He was told that the search warrant required him to give them his phone and unlock it. He complied. While he was handcuffed in the back seat, they proceeded to kill every bird on his place as this was specified on the search warrant signed by the federal judge. Over 100 gamefowl, cocks, stags, hens, pullets, chicks, eggs, along with his child’s laying chickens. They illegally confiscated his 4 dogs that were in the chicken yard. He would later find out that when they took the dogs to the pound, they were euthanized, killed, MURDERED because of lack of room……... LET THIS SINK IN! The dogs weren’t even listed on the warrant. The Feds eventually dismissed all charges for lack of evidence. Now I can’t mention names or exact location because of pending legal actions. Members and friends this can happen to any of us. We must be ever vigilant in the defense of our Gamefowl. We also need to make sure our farms are legal. It just so happened that this was started by a scornful ex. However, it could easily be caused by a neighbor, or a concerned citizen who drives by your place. Once again, we see that with Gamefowl, you are presumed GUILTY and must prove your innocence. This year MoGBA has been partnering with The Rural Lifestyles Alliance, MoFed, and the Calvary Group to stay informed and in touch with the proposed laws on the state level as well as federally. The focus is informing you. The RLA report in this newsletter is an abbreviated summary. The RLA is the lobbying arm of the UGBA. Melinda McDerment is the CEO of the RLA and works very hard against seemingly insurmountable odds in fighting the limitless dollars of the Animal Rights Cartel. She provides us with a full report of legislation on the federal level. It is so very important to donate to the RLA. Their work is incredibly important to us. I can’t stress this enough.
Coming up in August is the 51st convention of the UGBA and will be hosted by Missouri in Springfield Mo. The location and details are included in this newsletter as well as posted on the MoGBA Facebook page. ***Now is the time to contact your director or officer for proposals of changes in the UGBA bylaws to be voted on at the convention. ***Thank you for your support.
Be game my friends
Greg— — —
Mississippi Gamefowl Breeders Association
Mississippi would like to invite everyone to their annual meeting this fall location and date to be determined.
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North Carolina Gamefowl Breeders Association
This is my first time writing a president's column for the newsletter and I'm doing so with a sad heart. Our president, Tony Manning, passed away on August 22, 2025, after a long battle with cancer. Tony will be greatly missed, not only by his family, but by all of us in the UGBA. I humbly ask for your support as I try to fill Tony's shoes. NCGBA would like to that all the people that supported us in 2025. We're looking forward to a great 2026. Here in North Carolina, we have a very supportive membership that attend our poultry shows. We plan to have three more shows this year as follows:
April 18 Stanley Co. Fairgrounds, 24302 S Business 52, Albemarle, NC 28001
May 16 Greensboro Ag. Building, 3309 Burlington Rd, Greensboro, NC 27405
June 13 Belle Farm, 3851 Kathy Rd, Morganton, NC 28655
Our annual meeting will be at Stanley Co. Fairgrounds again this year on October 17. Make plans to attend any or all of our shows. We would love to have you.
The poultry show in February in Lumberton was well attended with 27 entries showing 138 birds. Our grand champion winners were Cock-Kaelynn Henderson, Hen-Justin Hunt, Mated pair-Tommy Copeland. We were also happy to have Mr. Dewayne Ard, our UGBA president, in attendance at the show. It's always good to see Dewayne. Mr. Allen also wanted to be sure for me to add that he is very grateful and appreciates everyone that stays and helps clean up after shows.
The March poultry show in Kinston was also well attended with 14 entries showing 74 birds. Grand champion winners were Cock-Lane Garris, Hen-Kevin Manning, Mated pair-Lane Garris. The Lenoir County Livestock Arena, where we have our show, is a very nice facility. Anybody in that area, please come next year!
For the latest information, check us out at North Carolina Gamefowl Breeders Association on Facebook and our new email is ncgba@gmail.com. Officers for 2026 are President-Gerald Allen II, Vice President-Jerry Talley, Secretary/Treasurer-Kim Talley. I would like to thank everyone who supported the NCGBA and UGBA in 2025. Let's get together in 2026 and be stronger.
Gerald Allen II
Oregan Gamefowl Breeders Association
La Casa Del Grano Gamefowl Show
Date:
April 18,2026
Time 8am-6pm
Location:
Willow Branch Ranch
2791 Ashue Rd.
Wapato Wa.
509-552-7911
This was a great show great family event.
Live music - social & farm activities.
Join Oregon Gamefowl Breeders by
Sending $40 to
P.O. Box 1166
Molalla Oregon 97038
West Virginia Gamefowl Breeders Association
The West Virginia Gamefowl Breeders Association (WVGBA) continues to build on its commitment to education, responsible ownership, and awareness by putting these principles into action across our state. Over the past year, WVGBA has focused not only on sharing information, but on creating opportunities for members, families, and communities to engage directly in the preservation of heritage poultry and lawful animal ownership. From participation in our Legislative Lobbying Day at the West Virginia State Capitol to hosting youth-focused poultry shows and community education events, our goal has been to ensure that education is not just discussed but experienced. Events such as our 4-H and FFA poultry show, community outreach gatherings like our Easter Family Fun Day, and our annual poultry exhibitions provide hands-on opportunities for members and the public to learn about responsible breeding, proper care, and the importance of maintaining strong, lawful agricultural traditions. In addition, WVGBA is proud to participate in events held in conjunction with the American Poultry Association, as well as maintain active involvement with the Farm Bureau. These partnerships help strengthen education, broaden outreach, and ensure that our members remain connected to the larger agricultural and poultry communities at both the state and national levels. These efforts are especially important as we look to the future. Encouraging youth involvement, promoting public understanding, and maintaining high standards within our community all play a role in protecting the long-term sustainability of gamefowl and poultry ownership. WVGBA remains committed to fostering a positive and responsible environment for breeders while continuing to work alongside fellow state associations. We believe that through education, cooperation, and active engagement, we can preserve our shared traditions and support the next generation of poultry enthusiasts.
Melinda McDerment
President, West Virginia Gamefowl Breeders Association
2025 WVGBA Event Schedule
- February 1 – Legislative Lobbying Day, West Virginia State Capitol
- March 28 – APA / Gamefowl Poultry Show, Marietta, Ohio
- April 4 – Easter Family Fun Day, Coonskin Park
- May 9 – 4-H / FFA / Gamefowl Poultry Show, Wood County 4-H Club
- May 16 – WVGBA Annual Poultry Show, Ripley, West Virginia
- August 1 – Mercer County Fair Poultry Show
- September 12 – WVGBA Annual Meeting, Ripley Fairground
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Pennsylvania Gamefowl Breeders Association
The PGBA annual meeting will be held on Saturday, August 29, 2026. Please mark this date on your calendar and plan to attend. We will send out a newsletter later in the year with details. Come on out. See old friends and meet some new ones!
President – Matt Gibbs
Vice President – Jose Lopez
Treasurer – Mark Krukowsky
Secretary – Candi Gibbs
UGBA Director – Scott Smith
Directors – Bob Cappone, Dave Fichthorn, Adam Fiscus, Cecil Hurley, & Jim
Lanterman
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South Carolina Gamefowl Breeders Association
We have been busy working on our poultry show schedule to introduce new locations across the state, with hopes that new venues can aid in presenting the SCGBA to more people. These shows will also allow us to congregate with more "chicken folks”, have interactions with other breeders, fellowship and share a meal. It’s also a great way to learn about gamefowl if you are new. These meetings give us an opportunity to discuss Bills that have been proposed to committee or that has moved to the house for a vote. It's a great learning experience. I would like to thank everyone that has attended our meetings. We had our 2026 auction in February, and it was a success. I would like to thank everyone that donated and all those that purchased items. This auction helps us raise money to help us help others in need. We have one more poultry show scheduled before the summer. This meeting will be held at Little PeeDee State Park near Dillon SC. The address is 1298 State Park Rd Dillon SC. Everyone is invited to come. Testing starts at 8am, and judging starts at 10am.
Remember that all American type fowl must be dubbed and spurs trimmed if they have sharp points. Oriental fowl must not be dubbed. Please check your birds for mites so they are not disqualified. We hope to see you there!
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Rural Lifestyle Alliance Update
Federal Policy Watch — Current Overview for Animal Owners
The Rural Lifestyle Alliance (RLA) continues to actively monitor federal policy developments affecting livestock, poultry, and rural animal ownership across the United States.
At this time, activity in Washington remains focused on broader agricultural and funding-related legislation, where animal-related provisions are often included within larger policy frameworks rather than introduced as stand-alone measures. While many of these discussions are still developing, several consistent areas continue to require close attention.
Key Areas Being Watched
RLA is currently monitoring federal language and policy trends related to:
Animal disease authority and response measures
Interstate transport and movement standards
Biosecurity and compliance requirements tied to funding or programs
Expanding definitions that may impact animal ownership classifications
Regulatory authority that may later be interpreted at the state level
These areas are important because they often begin broadly but can later influence how laws are applied to poultry owners, breeders, and small operations.
Where Things Stand
At present, much of the relevant activity remains in the development and discussion phase, with language continuing to evolve. It is not uncommon for provisions to be revised, combined, or moved into larger legislative packages before final consideration.
Because of this, RLA’s focus remains on early awareness and careful review, rather than reacting to incomplete or changing information.
What This Means for States and Breeders
Even when federal language does not specifically reference certain types of animals or operations, it can still:
· shape how states draft or revise their own laws
· influence regulatory enforcement and interpretation
· affect transport, exhibition, or ownership expectations over time
RLA encourages state associations and individual owners to stay informed and understand how federal policy trends can gradually impact local practices.
What RLA Is Doing
The Rural Lifestyle Alliance continues to:
monitor federal legislative developments and policy language
review how proposals may affect rural and animal-ownership communities
share clear, non-partisan educational updates
promote responsible, lawful ownership and stewardship
support communication and coordination across state lines
Our goal is to ensure that rural communities are informed early — not caught off guard later.
Supporting This Work
The Rural Lifestyle Alliance operates on a donation-supported basis, and these efforts are made possible through the support of individuals and organizations who value education, awareness, and the protection of lawful animal ownership.
If you would like to support this work, donations may be mailed to:
Rural Lifestyle Alliance
P.O. Box 730
Danville, KY 40422
All support is voluntary and greatly appreciated!
Federal policy continues to evolve, and while many discussions remain ongoing, staying informed is the most effective way to protect rural traditions and responsible animal ownership. Through awareness, cooperation, and steady engagement, we can continue to support and preserve the communities we represent.
Melinda McDerment
304-767-8050
Rural Lifestyle Alliance, CEO
