The American Chianina Association was officially organized in June 1972 in Kansas City, MO. The original ACA office was located in Blue Springs, MO, until November 1982, when a permanent ACA National Headquarters was built in Platte City, MO. The primary purpose of the ACA is to register and transfer seedstock and maintain records of pedigrees in the breed's herdbook. The National staff promotes the breed at various livestock events around the country, as well as publishes a breed magazine and other promotional publications as a service to the association's membership. The Association boasts nearly 1,000 members and a herdbook of 300,000 head of registered cattle. In 1978, the ACA National Board approved a junior membership program for anyone under 21 years of age. An ACA Ladies Auxiliary was organized in November 1981, in an effort by the women in the ACA to contribute more to the association. The group established an ACA National Queen program and has since developed a scholarship program for junior members.