This week, beef producers from across the country are in New Orleans for the annual Cattle Industry Convention and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Trade Show.
National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) board member and Missouri farmer Gary Porter serves as the liaison between NCGA & NCBA and is attending the event this week. “Beef is one of the largest customers of the U.S. corn crop,” said Porter. “It’s important to engage with this large end user of corn. In fact, more than one billion bushels of corn are consumed each year by beef production in the U.S.”
“Since 2015, corn utilized in U.S. beef and pork exports has grown by 29 percent,” Porter added. “Corn farmers see a return of 39-cents per bushel from red meat exports, so this is an important industry to support.”
Last year, NCGA & NCBA announced a partnership to offer the Cattlemen’s Education Series to state beef affiliates. The Feed, Food and Industrial Action Team (FFIAT) is sponsoring the program again this year, giving state affiliates of NCBA the opportunity to advance grassroots education on a variety of topics that improve cattle production efficiency, profitability and sustainability.
Since the launch of the program, approximately 21 state beef organizations have held events through the Cattlemen Education Series sponsorship with an average of 200 attendees.
NCBA state affiliates can apply for grants ranging in value from $2,000 to $4,000, depending on a variety of factors, including event participation and membership numbers. Topics eligible for grants can range from issues such as nutrition and management to traceability and genetics.
NCGA First Vice President and Iowa farmer Kevin Ross and Market Development Director Sarah McKay also attended the 2019 convention.
For updates from #CattleCon19, visit the convention website at: https://convention.beefusa.org/.
