The collection documents the activities of the American National Cowbelles and the American National CattleWomen in promoting the beef industry and consumer education from 1951-1995. The collection includes extensive correspondence between the organization's presidents and other officers with members regarding the organization of the ANCB, and with officials in the beef industry regarding the promotion and marketing of beef to increase consumption by consumers. The collection contains articles of incorporation, executive and financial committee materials, general council meeting minutes and other historical materials of the American National Cowbelles.

The promotional activities of the organization, especially the National Beef Cook-Off contest, are especially well-documented. The National Beef Cook-Off materials includes budgets, clippings, contestant entry forms, materials relating to the promotion of the cookbooks, photographs and negatives of the events, and contestant recipes.

The collection also contains materials relating to the organization's service to its members, including membership indexes and rosters, extensive correspondence, minutes and reports with state members and chairs, and information on its affiliate and associated members.

The collection's general files includes account books, agendas, scrapbooks, yearbooks and memorial books, newsclippings, photographs, articles of incorporation and bylaws, minutes, budgets, correspondence and reports. The materials relates to its annual conventions, executive committee, beef education and promotion, histories of state and local cowbelles, the golden spur award, legislative committee, mid-year meetings, the publishing of cookbook, and state and local officers and its various promotional activities, including agriculture day, Beef for Father's Day, Father of the Year, and the National 4-H Beef Ambassador Program. The collection also includes the papers of the ANCW's former presidents Mary Louise Lynam (d. 1969), Azile Garrison, Viola Gouldlin, Gerda Hyde and Dolores Finney; executive secretary Lynne Selig; and National Cattlemen's president Jo Ann Smith.

The collection also contains materials relating to the Mary Louise Lynam Scholarship, which was established in 1964 in honor of the organization's first president to assist individuals in advanced meat studies.

There are also pins, plaques, aprons, tote bags and other artifacts from conventions and Beef Cook-Off contests, as well as eight 16mm films, eleven vhs and one 3/4 inch video tapes, one phonograph record, five reel-to-reel tapes and three audiocasettes tapes of Board of director's meetings, National Beef Cook-Off contests and other promotional activities.