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Kentucky Beef Conference to Help Producers Plan Today for Tomorrow's Markets

Kentucky Beef Conference to Help Producers Plan Today for Tomorrow's Markets

Kentucky Beef Conference to Help Producers Plan Today for Tomorrow's Markets

The conference will be Jan. 24 at the Fayette County Cooperative Extension office in Lexington from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

LEXINGTON, Ky.—

The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture will host the Kentucky Beef Conference in January 2006 to help producers plan for future markets.“Planning for tomorrow’s markets now is a big concern among producers,” said David Herbst, UK Cooperative Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources in Adair County. “We will talk about how long this current market may last and what producers can do to position themselves and their business to benefit now and in the future.”The conference will be Jan. 24 at the Fayette County Cooperative Extension office in Lexington from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Herbst said with the support of corporate sponsors, participants will hear from some of the top experts in the beef industry.Speakers include Randy Blach, executive vice president of Cattle-FAX and a Colorado native who was raised in the cattle business; Harlan Hughes, professor emeritus at North Dakota State University and author of the “Market Advisor” in BEEF Magazine and on the World Wide Web at http://www.beef.mag.com or http://www.beefeconomics.blogspot.com. Blach will give a marketing overview and discuss long-term marketing and marketing strategies for 2006. Hughes will present a two-part discussion titled “Investing in Your Cow Operation.”In addition to the featured speakers, participants also will hear about animal identification from UK Extension Beef Associate Jim Akers. UK Beef Specialist John Johns will detail the Value Added Targeted Marketing Program as a way of using carcass data in cow-calf operations. VATM is designed to assist producers in obtaining carcass data with which may improve management and ultimately market demand for their cattle.

The VATM program is a cost-share program using funding from the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy (tobacco settlement funds). Detailed or partial data has been received on more than 5,000 head of cattle, representing a broad cross section of the Kentucky feeder cattle population. The data have documented improved health of cattle processed by CPH-45 guidelines and that carcass quality of Kentucky calves is better than national averages.Registration is $10 and can be paid the morning of the conference. For more information or to pre register, contact your local county Extension office by January 20, 2006.

Contact Information

Scovell Hall Lexington, KY 40546-0064

cafenews@uky.edu