Contact: Angie Stump Denton, Beef Improvement Federation Communication Coordinator, angiedenton@ksu.edu or 785-562-6197
May 6, 2019
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Save $100 and register by May 15 for the 2019 Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Annual Meeting and Research Symposium. This year’s event will be June 18-21 at the University Comfort Suites and Convention Center in Brookings, South Dakota. Online registration is available at http://www.beefimprovement.org.
An industry tour is scheduled for Friday, June 21. Stops will include Millborn Seeds, Redstone Feeders, Wienk Charolais and Schadé Winery. A spousal tour is also planned for Wednesday, June 19. It will include stops at McCrory Gardens, Schadé Winery and Local Foods Education Center.
This year’s BIF symposium features two and a half days of educational programming and a full day of tours. The first morning’s general session — “Applications of Technology” — will feature Mark Allan, Trans Ova Genetics director of genetic technology; Alison Van Eenennaam, U.C. Davis animal biotechnology and genomics extension specialist; and a producer panel including John Moes, Moes Feedlot, Watertown, South Dakota; Trey Patterson, Padlock Ranch, Ranchester, Wyoming; Tylor Braden, King Ranch, Kingsville, Texas; and John Maddux, Maddux Cattle Co., Wauneta, Nebraska.
The second day’s general session, “Utilization of Big Data,” will include presentations by John Geno, Neogen Corporation; Dr. Mark Trotter, Central Queensland University; and Jeremy Howard, Smithfield Premium Genetics.
The afternoon breakout sessions both days will focus on a range of beef production and genetic improvement topics. The conference also features a Young Producer Symposium on Tuesday afternoon, designed for networking and to equip young cattle producers with essential knowledge as they grow their role in the business. Tuesday evening attendees will also enjoy an opening reception followed by the National Association of Animal Breeders Symposium at 7 p.m.
For more information on the tour stops, registration, complete schedule and lodging information, visit http://www.beefimprovement.org.
Each year the BIF symposium draws a large group of leading seedstock and commercial beef producers, academics and allied industry partners. The attendance list is a “who’s who” of the beef value chain, offering great networking opportunities and conversations about the issues of the day. Program topics focus on how the beef industry can enhance value through genetic improvement across a range of attributes that affect the value chain.
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The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) is an organization dedicated to coordinating all segments of the beef industry — from researchers and producers to retailers — in an effort to improve the efficiency, profitability and sustainability of beef production. The organization was initiated almost 70 years ago to encourage the use of objective measurements to evaluate beef cattle. Continuing the tradition, BIF is now the clearinghouse for developing standardized programs and methodologies for recording of performance data for all traits, from birth weights to carcass traits. Its three-leaf-clover logo symbolizes the link between industry, extension and research.