Angus Convention is Headed West to Reno, Nevada

Nestled along the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range lies the “Biggest Little City in the World”. Reno, Nevada, extends across the valley floor of the northern Nevada high desert. As expected, the city is no stranger to the Western way of life. Come experience the ranching history, Western nostalgia and modern amenities that radiate from the heart of Reno during the 2019 Angus Convention on Nov. 2-4 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

Nevada, which is the farthest west the event has ever traveled, is home to cattle operations of every size and production type, making it the perfect fit to host the annual event. The weekend-long event serves as a gathering place for all quality-focused professionals from every sector of the cattle supply chain – from seedstock and commercial producers, to feeders and packers. Plus, travel destinations such as Lake Tahoe, Sacramento and historical mining towns are just a short drive from the convention center.

Held in conjunction with the 136th Annual Convention of Delegates, the Angus Convention offers unrivaled opportunities for hands-on education, face-to-face networking and country music entertainment.

 “We know that you’re going to have to fly or drive several hours to get out here in the western part of the United States,” said American Angus Association®  Board Member David Dal Porto of Dal Porto Livestock near Oakley, California. “But, Reno is centrally located in big cow country. There are large cow-calf operations, stocker operations and feedlots located right here in the Northwest. The Angus Convention provides a positive and comfortable atmosphere that allows you to interact with all segments of the industry, all in one weekend.”

Nearly 2,000 cattlemen and women attended the 2018 Angus Convention in Columbus, Ohio, and the Association looks forward to hosting an even larger crowd this year. With a focus on commercial program offerings, educational sessions from the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program, innovative workshops and forward-thinking keynote speakers, this year’s educational component will be second to none.

National Angus Tour

To kick off the convention, Bently Ranch of Minden, Nevada, will host the National Angus Tour on Friday, Nov. 1. Tour participants will spend the day learning about the history of Bently Ranch and environmental sustainability practices, as well as touring their grass-fed feedyard and home-grown butcher shop. To top it off, the tour concludes at their brand-new distillery and tasting room. Bently Ranch is excited to share their progressive practices with attendees and welcome producers to the Western United States.

Historically, the tour is always a crowd favorite at the Angus Convention, and this year, spots are limited to just 400 participants. Start off an exciting weekend of Angus events by signing up for the National Angus Tour on AngusConvention.com when registration opens on July 1.

Education and Innovation

Angus Convention officially begins on Saturday, Nov. 2 with a powerful opening session presented by Association leadership – but the excitement doesn’t stop there. Education is at the heart of each Angus Convention, and this year is no different. During the multitude of workshops hosted by Association staff and allied industry representatives, participants experience real-world scenarios to equip them with practical information to take back home to the ranch. With an emphasis on commercial cow-calf producer education, topics ranging from cattle health, BQA regulations, digital marketing, Association commercial programs, genomics and evolving technology are all covered in the jam-packed two days.

“We welcome the breeder who has five head and the breeder who runs 2,500 head to the Angus Convention,” Dal Porto said. “We also invite the commercial producers, cow-calf producers, stockers and feeders. If Angus cattle are important to your livelihood and your business, this convention will benefit you in many ways.”

The Angus Genomics Symposium, sponsored by Neogen GeneSeek, features speakers including academic professionals and industry leaders who cover everything from the basics of genomics, to qualifying for the Certified Angus Beef ­® (CAB®) brand. Terry Jones, founder and former CEO of Travelocity and former chairman of Kayak.com, will outline simple, yet powerful ideas for fostering innovation in his electrifying keynote session.

The educational gatherings continue on Sunday with an extensive line-up of knowledgeable speakers and workshops during Angus University. Dr. Beck Weathers will take attendees on a journey of his climb up Mount Everest, his second chance to live and how it changed his outlook on life.

Trade Show

When producers aren’t hearing about the latest educational advancements, they’re learning about the newest products and services on the expansive trade show floor. Guests have the opportunity to visit with allied industry partners, fellow Angus breeders and agricultural businesses with product offerings to benefit today’s progressive cattlemen and women.

“The trade show is considered one of the main attractions of the weekend,” Dal Porto said. “It provides a place for people to congregate when they aren’t taking in an educational session or sitting in a business meeting. There is so much to learn and so much to see, you’ll leave with more knowledge than you came in with.”

Angus breeders receive exclusive booth discounts, and those interested in reserving space can learn more at angusconvention.com.

“This is not just a convention for Angus producers” Dal Porto said. “This is a convention for all cattle producers. We enjoy getting our commercial customers involved in this business so they can learn more about what we do, and how we can help their business as well.”

The exciting Innovation Workshop series from Neogen will be featured in the trade show again this year, as well as a John Deere grand prize giveaway and CAB® brand meals served throughout the weekend.

Entertainment

In addition to the educational component and the networking at the trade show, let’s not forget about the entertainment side of the Angus Convention.

A concert featuring Lubbock, Texas, based Flatland Cavalry, is set to take place on Sunday, Nov. 3. Dust off your dancing boots to take in the young Texas Country band’s classic renditions and heartfelt ballads at the conclusion of the Angus Convention.

Registration and hotel reservations open July 1, and more information is available online at www.angusconvention.com.

Annual Convention of Delegates

An important part of the Angus Convention each year is conducting business on behalf of the nearly 25,000-member organization. This year marks the 136th Annual Convention of Delegates, where representatives from each state will elect new members and officers to the Association Board of Directors, and look to the future for the Angus breed.

Plans are already underway for the Annual Convention of Delegates, and the first step is nominating Angus leaders to serve as voting delegates for their respective state or district.

Each eligible voting member of the Association was mailed a nomination form to select one member who would be a successful delegate to the national meeting. Signed nomination forms must be received in the Association office no later than 4:30 p.m. CDT on Friday, June 7.

Please reference mailed documents for complete details, or visit www.angus.org for more information on the delegate nomination process.

Visit AngusConvention.com learn more and register today!

Source: American Angus Association news release