HANOVER, Pa. — Mark your calendars for the Pennsylvania Cattlemen’s Association (PCA) Annual Meeting and Banquet on April 15, 2023, at the Blair County Convention Center in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
“In the last few years, the Pennsylvania Cattlemen’s Annual Meeting has graciously been hosted by affiliate groups across the state. This has been a great way for PCA to meet its members and share how the organization has grown and improved over the years. This year, the board saw a need to go bigger and involve more people in the beef industry to allow for networking, involve younger producers, families, and include educational programs,” said Taylor Zahn, PCA executive director.
Producers will gather to learn, conduct business, network and honor scholarship recipients and award winners. South Dakota cattle rancher and BEEF Daily blogger, Amanda Radke, is the featured speaker. As producers and consumers alike grapple with the ramifications of the COVID-19 crisis, at home on the farm and ranch, food producers are finding hope for the future. Radke will challenge attendees to change their outlook in the face of great uncertainties, to look for new business opportunities where it appears none exist, and to pivot in creative and innovative directions in order to add value to their operations while serving as a high-quality supplier of safe, affordable, nutrient-dense food for consumers here and abroad.
Three educational sessions will be offered with the following speakers: Dr. Tara Felix, Pennsylvania State University Extension; Dr. Lowell Midla, Merck Animal Health; and the Pennsylvania Beef Council; the Center for Beef Excellence, along with a legislative roundtable with Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson, NCBA President Todd Wilkinson, NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane, and Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding. The legislative roundtable will focus on pertinent national and state issues.
Activities won’t stop after the educational events. Attendees will enjoy a happy hour sponsored by HuvePharma, a Prime Rib dinner, an award and scholarship ceremony, and a live auction to benefit the PCA scholarship fund.
“We are grateful to have a number of people and businesses supporting this event. Without our members, affiliates, industry partners, and our families, this sort of event would not be possible. We hope our members help us spread the word, affiliates show up by bus loads, and networking with new individuals takes place,” Zahn said.
Tickets are available at the PCA website, www.pacattlemen.org, or registration can be mailed to the PCA office – adult ticketed price is $35 and children 12 and under are $12. Walk-ins are welcome and the ticketed price at the door is $40 with only check or cash being accepted. Thanks to CNH New Holland, college students with proof of student ID will have their ticket cost waived.
A block of hotel rooms is reserved for attendees at the Courtyard by Marriott connected to the convention center.
Thank you to all the sponsors that have contributed to making this event possible: Pennsylvania Livestock Association, CNH New Holland, HuvePharma, Cargill, Center for Beef Excellence, Horizon Farm Credit, Pennsylvania Hereford Association and JBS USA.
–Pennsylvania Cattlemen’s Association