CattleCon24 Showcases Sustainability Efforts
Caring for animals, conserving natural resources and maintaining a viable business are critical components to transitioning cattle operations to future generations. Two unique sessions during CattleCon24 in Orlando, Florida, provide opportunities to share ideas and continue conversations about the importance of continuous improvement.
For attendees arriving early at CattleCon24, there is an engaging half-day Grazing Management Workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 30. Grazing and forage experts including Chad Ellis, Texas Agricultural Land Trust; Hugh Aljoe, Noble Research Institute; Dr. Johnny Rogers, North Carolina State University; and Dr. Jeff Goodwin, Texas A&M University; along with national Environmental Stewardship Award Program winners Steve Wooten of Colorado; Jerry Doan of North Dakota; and Gary Price of Texas, will discuss benefits of pasture and grazing management, assessing pasture condition, forage growth and quality, the latest technology resources, fencing strategies, drought management and water resource management.
The workshop will feature targeted breakout sessions, based upon average annual rainfall, providing grazing solutions that are catered to different regions across the country. Producers will be provided with a grazing workbook so they can leave with a completed grazing management plan for their operation.
“Proper grazing management and having a written grazing management plan are essential to the success, longevity and profitability of forage-based cattle operations,” said Josh White, senior executive director of producer education and sustainability at NCBA. “We are excited to offer sessions that focus on how stewardship efforts not only benefit the environment, but producers’ bottom line as well.”
Dr. Myles Allen, professor at the University of Oxford, will be the keynote speaker during the Sustainability Forum, sponsored by Elanco, on Thursday, Feb. 1. Allen will demystify climate impacts from cattle production and equip producers with the knowledge and resources to effectively speak about cattle’s role in the climate conversation. Allen is an internationally renowned scientist who has pioneered modeling warming impacts of short-lived climate pollutants (like methane) which has led to the development of the climate accounting metric, GWP*. Allen is also part of international discussions to have GWP* adopted as the primary metric to accurately measure greenhouse gas emissions from livestock.
Following Allen’s presentation, NCBA CEO Colin Woodall will moderate a panel featuring cattle producers who will discuss the importance of owning the sustainability narrative and preserving industry longevity. Industry expert, Katie Cook with Elanco Animal Health, will also discuss how to find important partners in producers’ sustainability journey. Panelists will highlight actions producers across the country can take today to enhance the resilience and profitability of their operations, while providing further evidence as to why U.S. cattle producers can be a part of the climate solution.
For more information about NCBA’s sustainability efforts, visit www.ncba.org/producers/sustainability.
CattleCon24 is the oldest and largest cattle industry event featuring education, entertainment and business meetings. For more information and to register, visit convention.ncba.org.
