Cattle Industry Summer Conference Underway
US - Hundreds of cattle producers are gathering in Denver, Colorado, to help create direction for cattle industry programmes at the 2012 Cattle Industry Summer Conference July 25-28.
26 July 2012
2 minute read
More than 650 producers and other industry participants have pre-registered for the event, which includes meetings of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Cattlemen’s Beef Board, American National CattleWomen and National Cattlemen’s Foundation. Among the purposes of the yearly conference is to create a framework for both checkoff and policy efforts on behalf of US cattle producers for the 2013 fiscal year, which for NCBA and the Cattlemen’s Beef Board begins October 1.
Keynote speaker at Thursday’s Opening General Session is Dr Jay Lehr, a futurist in agriculture, who will speak on “Mega Trends in Agriculture: Implications for the Beef Industry.” At Friday’s general session, Cattle-Fax Senior Market Analyst Kevin Good will provide an overview of the cattle market, as well as describe how the drought is affecting the entire industry.
“This year’s summer conference will provide a chance for producers to learn as well as a chance to lead,” according to JD Alexander, a beef producer from Pilger, Nebraska, and NCBA president. “This is definitely a working session at which important strategies for future action are developed.”
Also during General Session II on Friday, W.D. Farr Scholarships will be presented to two graduate students by the National Cattlemen’s Foundation. The $12,000 scholarships are presented to students who want to further their educations in order to pursue careers in meat science and animal agriculture. General Session II is sponsored by Bayer Animal Health.
Joint Committees and Subcommittees will meet on Friday to develop proposals for 2013 checkoff-funded research, education and promotion programs. Also on Friday NCBA policy committees will meet to determine priorities and discuss strategies for the 2013 years. The NCBA Board will hold a session on Saturday, as will members of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board.
“The challenges we face as an industry are sizeable, but our resolve to find solutions is equal to the task,” says Mr Alexander. “I’m proud so many of my fellow producers are joining me in Denver to tackle the work and help assure our potential for future success.”
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