Agenda

Starting at 5:30 a.m., check in for the pre-event tour in the Elizabethan Room. The shuttle will board and leave promptly at 6:15 a.m. for Upper Iowa Beef.

Don’t forget to bring a jacket, wear closed-toed shoes and remove all jewelry except wedding rings.

Beef Blitz – Plant Tour: Upper Iowa Beef

Do you think about your calves once they’re loaded on the trailer and the taillights are out of sight? Your mind moves on to the next thing until the check comes in. Every decision made at the ranch and the feedyard affects a calf’s quality. See for yourself the inside of a packing plant and everything that happens—from the kill floor to the fabrication line—and what role premium beef brands play in their business.

This tour is limited to 36 people on a first-come, first-serve basis. Cost is $50.

Check in at the Heritage Hall Foyer (lower level).

Emcee: Kara Lee

From low cattle supplies to record beef prices, the global marketplace is experiencing record highs and lows. Learn about the current state of commodity and financial markets around the world to help prepare for swings in the market and guide your risk management strategies.

Speaker: Dan Basse

Will this be the year that consumer demand for beef flatlines? As the quality of fed cattle continues to rise, Certified Angus Beef partners have more opportunities to stock their shelves with upper-Choice and Prime quality beef. David shares premium beef sales successes and what that means for demand.

Speaker: David O’Diam

Growth in the Prime category means more ways to cash in. Paul Dykstra will review the data where Prime production continues to grow, where it falls short, and where the most profitable opportunities are for producers. He’ll be joined by Minnesota feeder Dallas Knobloch and Upper Iowa Beef’s Travis Thomas to talk about the power of relationships across the beef supply chain and how they impact quality.

Speakers: Paul Dykstra; Panel: Travis Thomas and Dallas Knobloch

Join us for a social hour celebrating the 2025 Industry Achievement Award honoree, Gary Smith.

All attendees are invited to the Industry Achievement Award dinner. Grab a drink and head into the ballroom for invocation and a Certified Angus Beef ^® steak dinner.

Listen in as John and Gary discuss his tenure in meat science research. Known both nationally and internationally, his research spans carcass quality, palatability, meat safety, and packaging and retailing of red meat. Beyond this, Gary’s legacy includes his time in the classroom as an educator, mentor, and meats judging coach. 

About the Award: The Industry Achievement Award recognizes leaders who have made a lasting mark on the beef industry with the intention of improving beef production, both profitably and sustainably. Achievements can be through private enterprises or be primarily public service with little or no direct cattle feeding endeavors. Each year, recipients are chosen by previous winners, making it a community and leadership-focused honor.

Speakers: John Stika and Gary Smith

Emcee: Kara Lee

Genetics continue to lead the conversation across beef cattle production segments as today’s cattle are capable of more than any previous generation. Brian McCulloh will offer insight on modern beef cattle performance, as feeders take a closer interest in genetic potential and cow-calf producers pursue balanced trait selection. Gain insight on selection tools and ways to make progress across the board.

Speaker: Brian McCulloh

Bovine congestive heart failure (BCHF) easily falls into the “it’s complicated” category. If there’s a chance of a genetic component, the American Angus Association® is driven to identify it. Still, there are environmental and management factors that influence a calf’s chance of experiencing BCHF. Listen in as Kelli shares the work being done through AGI’s Heart Health Initiative to find answers.

Speaker: Kelli Retallick-Riley

Conservation looks unique depending on your environment. Continued emphasis on protecting natural resources has led to more financial resources for cattlemen. Hear from South Dakota ranchers how they’re working with Ducks Unlimited and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to incorporate land stewardship practices that increase productivity on their diversified crop and livestock operation.

Speakers: Ryan Taylor, Jason Roundtree, Troy and Stacy Hadrick, Moderator: Kirsten Nickles

Issues come and go in any industry. Over six decades, cattle composition, feeding technologies and methods have changed. Rising to the top for the beef industry is accuracy in yield grade assessment and the ever-present need for increased red meat yield. John will talk about the work being done by two working groups to update both.

Speaker: John Stika

What you get for your cattle depends how you market them. Some marketing strategies require specific management practices. To know what’s best for your operation, Tim will start with the end in mind and work back to the ranch while sharing strategies for greater profit along the way.

Speaker: Tim Shiefelbein