The 2010 Iowa Cattlemen's Association is holding its regional meetings around the state next week. A number of timely topics of importance to cattlemen will be discussed.

* Northeast Iowa regional meeting will be held in conjunction with the Clayton County Cattlemen's Annual Tour on Tuesday, August 24, 2010. "This gives Northeast Iowa cattle producers the opportunity to have direct input with ICA leaders and to share their views on issues impacting their businesses," says ICA regional vice president Larry Johnson of Maquoketa. "Rather than a statewide summer conference we've elected, as a convenience, to bring our meetings closer to members. We hope to have greater input and thus better represent our members' feelings and views on the critical issues we're addressing," he says.

The day's activities will begin at 3 p.m. at Brink Farms Inc. Brink's operates a Fleckvieh Simmental/Hereford seedstock operation. The group will then travel north to Spring Valley Farms near Castalia, arriving at approximately 5 p.m., for a tour of this purebred Angus and composite seedstock operation. Supper and the ICA business meeting will also take place at this location.

Hershey Friedman, CEO of Agri Star Meat & Poultry LLC is scheduled to be one of the guest speakers during this portion of the program. ICA CEO Duane Gangwish will cover key legislative and regulatory issues impacting cattlemen. There will be a cattle market outlook/market services report presented by Jeff Stolle of the Nebraska Cattlemen.

ICA to hold Northwest Iowa regional meeting August 25

* The Northwest regional meeting will be Wednesday, August 25, 2010.  The meeting will begin at 10:30 a.m. and be completed around 3:00 p.m., at the Community Center in Hartley, Iowa. "Regional meetings have replaced the ICA summer conference and allow for greater attendance by locating the four regional meetings closer to the membership," says ICA regional vice president Ed Greiman of Garner. "At these meeting members will help establish the ICA's legislative priorities for the upcoming year."

This meeting will include a regional vice president election. A cattle market outlook/market services report will be presented by Jeff Stolle of the Nebraska Cattlemen. Glen Dolezal with the Excel Corporation will discuss camera imaging for quality grading and ICA CEO Duane Gangwish will cover key legislative and regulatory issues impacting cattlemen.

All cattle producers and agribusiness entities are invited and encouraged to attend. Those planning to attend are asked to contact the ICA headquarters at 800-888-1730 by August 20th.

ICA to hold Southeast Iowa regional meeting August 27

* The Southeast Regional Iowa meeting will be held Friday, August 27, 2010.  The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Brazelton Hotel in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.

"With the challenges many of us have faced this year in southeast Iowa, we may not have been able to stay current on certain issues," says ICA regional vice president Richard Cochran of Ladora. "This will be the ideal time to get refreshed on valuable information affecting our industry, all cattle producers and interested persons are invited to attend."

A steak supper will be provided, followed by an informational meeting. Industry topics to be covered include, Green and Gold Tag Programs by Phil Reemtsma of DeWitt Veterinary Clinic as well as animal ID and disease traceability discussion by Joe Wright of Knoxville Regional Livestock and Livestock Marketing Association, who is a representative on the ICA board. ICA CEO Duane Gangwish will cover key legislative and regulatory issues impacting cattlemen. This meeting is also the time for members to help establish the ICA's legislative priorities for the upcoming year.

ICA to hold Southwest Iowa regional meeting August 26

* The southwest Iowa meeting is Thursday, August 26, 2010. It will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end around 3:30 p.m., at the ISU Armstrong Research Farm, located 12 miles west of Atlantic, IA on Hwy 6, then 1 mile south, and ½ mile east, in the Wallace Foundation Learning Center, located at the farm.

"Southwest Iowa producers are an important part of Iowa's cattle industry. As we plan for the best use of ICA's legislative resources in 2011, we want to hear your views on issues that impact your operation," says regional vice president Scott Hansen of Adel. "This helps maintain ICA activities and actions that align well with membership's needs. Besides discussing issues, we'll also have speakers providing timely information that both feedyard and cow-calf managers can use."

There will be a 2010/2011 cattle market outlook and market services update presented by Jeff Stolle of Nebraska Cattlemen. Glen Dolezal with the Excel Corporation will update cattlemen on the recently installed camera imaging technology now being used for quality-grading beef carcasses at their Excel plants. There will be a meeting-break at noon for a steak lunch with time for attendees to visit with allied businesses representatives, featuring displays and the latest information on cattle products and services.

Duane Gangwish, CEO of ICA, will update us on state and national legislative and regulatory issues. Attendees are asked to come prepared to discuss these topics and other issues they identify, that beef producers want ICA to develop association policy on. This is the important first-step in the process to determine ICA's position and to initiate action in the 2011 Iowa legislative session, he says.

The meeting also includes election of a southwest Iowa regional vice president.