Conference season kicks off
As the hot rays of the summer sun begin retiring earlier in the day and the landscape’s vibrant greens fade into softer hues of gold and brown, work around the farm and ranch momentarily begins to wind down.
With the hay harvested, cows gathered off of the mountain and calves weaned and shipped, many state and national organizations are planning their annual meetings and conventions in hopes producers around the state and across the nation can pack a bag and get away for a while.
The coming months are jam-packed with a variety events, offering a perfect venue for producers to network, visit with friends – both old and new – and stay up-to-date on industry happenings as the year draws to an end.
Included is a list of upcoming agricultural meetings and conventions this season.
September
The event lineup kicks off during the second week of September, with agriculture gatherings taking place all over the nation.
On Sept. 10-12, Grand Island, Neb. will host Husker Harvest Days, a three-day event known as the largest irrigated working farm show in the world, in which attendees can view and/or showcase the industry’s latest products and innovations while also hearing from experts on a variety of topics.
The 71st National Red Angus Convention, held in conjunction with the Commercial Cattlemen’s Symposium, is scheduled for Sept. 10-13 in Lincoln, Neb.
In addition to including discussions with notable individuals like Dr. Derrell Peel of Oklahoma State University, the event also boasts a host of family-fun activities including a dummy roping contest, a live auction and a ladies’ symposium.
During the weekend of Sept. 12-14, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners will hold its 57th Annual Conference and Trade Show in Columbus, Ohio, while the National Bison Association and Rocky Mountain Bison Association will cohost the 2024 Western Region Bison Conference at the Prairie Ridge Buffalo Ranch in Limon, Colo. Sept. 13-14.
The University of Wyoming (UW) will also hold the annual Wyoming Bee College in Casper Sept. 13-14, featuring three separate tracks for beekeepers of all levels.
On Sept. 17-19, the Public Lands Council will gather on the Western Slope of Colorado for its 56th annual meeting. Held in Grand Junction, Colo., the event will feature a strong lineup of educational programs, policy committee meetings, an annual awards banquet and more.
The following week, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture’s Annual Meeting will take place in Indianapolis, Ind. Sept. 22-25, and to round out the busy month of September, the 2024 Forum for Ag Lending will take place Sept. 24-26 in Minneapolis.
October
The busy conference season continues into October, with the World Dairy Expo commencing Oct. 1-4 in Madison, Wis., boasting the world’s largest dairy-focused trade show and world-class cattle show with over 60 vendors and 1,600 exhibitors from over 26 different countries.
During the second week of the month, the 2024 Farm Credit Sales Leaders Conference will take place Oct. 8-10 in Charlotte, N.C., and closer to home, UW’s College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources will host its annual Ag Day Barbecue from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 12 during the UW and San Diego State University football game.
In Mid-October, the Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming will host its annual meeting in Riverton on Oct. 19.
Then, on Oct. 21-22, the Wyoming Water Association will hold its annual meeting in Laramie, and on Oct. 23-26, the 97th National FFA Convention and Expo will take place at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Ind.
The American Hereford Association Annual Membership Meeting and Conference is slated for the same week, taking place Oct. 24-27 in Kansas City, Mo.
The event brings over 500 Hereford enthusiasts together for a weekend celebration of the Hereford breed, the cattle industry and U.S. producers with a trade show, educational sessions and membership meetings.
The week-long Western Seed Association 2024 Annual Convention will also be held in Kansas City, Mo. from Oct. 27-31, and from Oct. 29-31, the Wyoming Weed and Pest Council will host its annual meeting in Casper.
November
Kicking off on Oct. 31, the West Central States Wool Growers Convention will spill into the first of November, wrapping up on Nov. 2 and will again be held in Boise, Idaho.
Also starting off the jam-packed month of November will be the 2024 Angus Convention and Trade Show, held Nov. 1-4 in Fort Worth, Texas, and the Irrigation Show and Education Conference Nov. 4-7 at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center in Long Beach, Calif.
This expo showcases leading irrigation and lighting companies from around the world, as well as hundreds of popular new products and technologies.
In the Cowboy State, Wyoming Women in Ag will host their annual conference Nov. 7-8 in Laramie, while the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation (WyFB) is set hold its 105th Annual Meeting Nov. 7-9 in Casper.
On Nov. 11-12, the Second Annual Wyoming Association of Irrigation Districts will take place at the Hilton Garden Inn in Casper, and on Nov. 12-14, the Wyoming Business Alliance will host the 41st Annual Governor’s Business Forum, themed “Wyoming on the Move,” in Laramie.
The American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers 2024 Annual Conference is the premier event for rural property professionals and will take place Nov. 17-21 in Kansas City, Mo.
Additionally, UW Extension is excited to host the 2024 Southeast Wyoming Beef Symposium and Trade Show at the Rendezvous Center in Torrington on Nov. 19 this year. The event will feature educational and information programming on growth enhancing technologies, backgrounding, heifer development, market and weather outlooks, an update from UW’s research and Extension centers and a panel discussion on direct-to-consumer marketing opportunities.
To round out the month of November, the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts will gather in Jackson Hole at the historic Virginian Nov. 20-22 for its annual meeting, while the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union will meet in Colorado Springs, Colo. Nov. 22-23 for the 2024 convention.
December
Convention season will start to slow down during the last month of the year, although a few meetings will still take place.
The American Association of Equine Practitioners 69th Annual Convention, themed “Unveil the Magic of Equine Practice,” is set for Dec. 7-11 in Orlando, Fla.
This event features three and a half days of educational sessions covering more than 20 topics in equine veterinary medicine and daily practice.
The highly-anticipated Wyoming Stock Growers Winter Roundup Convention and Trade Show will again be held at the Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center in Casper Dec. 9-11.
The Nebraska Ag Expo will finish out the year at the Lancaster Event Center in Lincoln, Neb. Dec 10-12. The expo boasts over 800 exhibitors, 1,700 ag experts and 75 of the most innovative ag companies in the nation.
Early 2025 conventions
Agricultural events will roll into the new year, with the American Sheep Industry Association Convention set for Jan. 15-18 in Scottsdale, Ariz.
This event allows sheep producers from across the country to meet and discuss topics and issues in all sectors of the sheep industry. While here, producers and industry experts share information, conduct business and set priorities.
Additionally, the WyFB Young Farmer and Rancher Conference will take place Jan. 16-18 in Cody.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) popular CattleCon 2025 will take place Feb. 4-6 in San Antonio at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. NCBA’s annual convention is one of the premier cattle industry events of the year, including a slew of educational and informational sessions, industry updates, awards ceremonies, policy meetings and Cattlemen’s College programming.
The World Ag Expo – the world’s largest annual agriculture show – is also slated for February and will take place Feb. 11-13 in Tulare, Calif. The expo hosts over 1,200 exhibitors displaying cutting-edge technology and equipment and boasts an average of 100,000 visitors from over 70 countries each year.
For more information on upcoming events, check out the events calendar on page 14 or visit wylr.net. Keep an eye out for coverage of these conventions in upcoming editions of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article or submit your event information to roundup@wylr.net.
