DUBUQUE, Iowa – The 2020 Driftless Region Beef Conference, set for Jan. 30-31, will showcase two nationally known keynote speakers according to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach beef specialist Denise Schwab.
Sara Place, director of sustainability for Elanco and formerly senior director for sustainable beef poduction research at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, will talk about how cattle can help protect the environment and be sustainable. Lacey Alexander, animal welfare lead for beef at Cargill Protein North America, will present information on Beef Quality Assurance and the role of animal welfare and handling in the beef industry. The conference will be held at the Grand River Conference Center in Dubuque, Iowa.
“This year our conference is looking at the beef industry from the national, big-picture view down to the day-to-day production level,” Schwab said. “While our keynote speakers are presenting on the big-picture level, both are well grounded in both production and basic research. I know they will do a great job getting us thinking about the industry as a whole, but also the role and importance of the producer to the industry.”
Other speakers include Grant Dewell, Terry Engelken, Katy Lippolis and Lee Schulz, from Iowa State University; Wayne Coblentz, University of Wisconsin; Josh McCann, University of Illinois; Eldon Cole and Allison Meyer, University of Missouri; Darrell Peel, Oklahoma State University; and Galen Erickson, University of Nebraska—Lincoln.
“We are putting a different spin on this year’s evening bull pen session by featuring a panel of practicing veterinarians,” Schwab said. “We hope it will be a local version of Baxter Black – a lot of education with a little philosophy and fun!”
The early registration fee is $85 per person and must be received prior to midnight, Jan 17. The price increases to $115 after that date. More information on topics, speakers and lodging, as well as links for online and mailed registration are available on the conference website at www.aep.iastate.edu/beef.
The Driftless Region Beef Conference is sponsored by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, University of Illinois Extension and University of Wisconsin Extension. For more information or to receive a conference brochure, contact Schwab at 319-472-4739.
— Denise Schwab, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
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