Producers can expect to hear the latest on production management and beef technology and hear the current industry market outlook at the 2023 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show in New Orleans, Feb. 1-3.
Cattlemen’s College
The 30th annual Cattlemen’s College kicks off the three-day event. It begins the day before the convention on Jan. 31, with two hour-long sessions and a recurring live demonstration. Attendees will have a choice of three presentations or a live demonstration each hour. Focus topics for that day include hot subjects such as mental health and ag advocacy, grazing management and updates on current information technology and how to use it.
The next day, sessions begin at 8 a.m. following a brief welcome. Attendees will have a choice of six presentations for each of the three sessions. Each presentation will fall under one of six focus topics: the repro toolbox, maintaining a healthy herd, practical nutrition management, better beef business, sustainable grazing and the latest in genetics. Presenters range from new faces to familiar voices in the cattle industry that offer new takes and the latest information about topics and issues that can make or break a beef cattle operation. Get the full Cattlemen's College schedule here.
Cattlemen’s College will close with a general session and lunch, featuring keynote speaker Ray Starling, executive adviser for Aimpoint Research. Starling served as the chief of staff to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, where he coordinated execution of the secretary's policy agenda for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Starling focused on regulatory and deregulatory initiatives and acted as a point of contact for stakeholders throughout agriculture and rural communities. He has also served as a principal agriculture adviser to the U.S. president at the White House; chief of staff, lead agriculture adviser and chief counsel for U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis; and general counsel when Tillis was Speaker of the House in the North Carolina legislature. He has also authored the 2022 book Farmers Versus Foodies: A Look at the Outside Forces Forging the Future of Farming and Food.
Opening General Session
The opening general session begins at 3 p.m. and will feature Taylor Sheridan, the writer behind hit TV show Yellowstone; its prequel, 1883; and the TV show Mayor of Kingstown. Sheridan, a Texas native and ardent supporter of Western horse performance, also competes in reining and cutting. He owns and operates two ranches in his home state: the well-known 6666 Ranch, headquartered in Guthrie, and Bosque Ranch in Weatherford.
Trade Show
The trade show doors open at 4:30 p.m., welcoming attendees to scope out the offerings of hundreds of exhibitors and enjoy the opportunity to see what the cattle industry has to offer. The show floor will have the latest in equipment, trucks, fencing supplies, technology, pharmaceuticals, eartags, feed supplements and more. The trade show will close at 4 p.m. on Friday.
Learning opportunities don’t end after Cattlemen’s College. The trade show also includes a demonstration arena featuring NCBA’s Beef Quality Assurance program Stockmanship & Stewardship. These sessions, led by renowned stockmanship clinicians Curt Pate and Dr. Ron Gill, will teach handling methods that improve gathering, penning, chute work and hauling – emphasizing ways to increase cattle performance by reducing handling stress. Other topics include how the principles presented have a significant economic as well as “quality of life” benefit when applied in a cattle enterprise.
The Chutes and Scales showdown also provides an opportunity to see the best manual and hydraulic equipment offerings from the top manufacturers in the industry, all lined up side by side. Live demonstrations with cattle also provide comparison opportunities and insights on using the equipment.
The Learning Lounge, located in the middle of the trade show floor, provides a place to continue to learn about industry issues in brief educational sessions where attendees can stop in and enjoy informal, face-to-face talks and hands-on technology with representatives from all segments of the beef industry. Sessions begin 9:30 a.m. on Thursday and wrap up when the trade show closes on Friday afternoon.
A new addition to the trade show’s educational lineup for 2023 is Cattle Chats. These 20-minute "Ted Talk" sessions offer attendees quick and informative information focused on the ag and beef industry, with special spotlight sessions focusing on sustainability. Cattle Chats will be located on the main aisle in the trade show.
CattleFax 2023 Outlook
Thursday morning kicks off with the CattleFax U.S. & Global Protein & Grain Outlook. Several CattleFax staff, headed by president Randy Blach, will conduct their outlook session, highlighting demand and supplies for beef, cattle and competing proteins. They will present a price and profitability outlook for 2023 and beyond, and explore export and import markets as well as a grain outlook. Meteorologist Matt Makens will give a weather forecast highlighting any changes occurring in weather patterns for the U.S. and the rest of the world in 2023.
Closing General Session
Motivational speaker Chris Koch will headline the last general session. Koch was born without arms and legs, but grew up like any other kid on a family farm. Neither he nor his family treated his disability like a tragedy, and instead used it to fuel his dreams. Today, Koch inspires his audiences to continually challenge themselves and build the life they dream of. The session will wrap with the BQA Celebration of Excellence, celebrating the best of the beef industry.
For more details about what awaits attendees at NCBA 2023 in New Orleans, visit the convention website.
