Trying to stay on top of the latest news and information on beef? Academic professionals and industry experts will put beef producers through their paces at the Beef & Beyond Seedstock Summit workshop March 18-19. Sponsored by the Illinois Beef and Soybean Checkoffs and the University of Illinois, this interactive educational program offers insight into the technologies driving change in the cattle industry as well as management tips that can help producers stay profitable. The program will take place at Hawthorne Suites and the U of I Beef Research Farm in Urbana-Champaign.

BEEF IT UP: Sponsored by the Illinois Beef and Soybean Checkoffs and the University of Illinois, the Beef

In-depth discussions and on-farm tours will offer participants a chance to learn new skills and sharpen existing ones related to genetic selection, nutrition, technology, and general cattle management.

"The Beef and Beyond Seedstock Summit is a ‘can't miss’ program for Illinois cattlemen. No matter if you are in search of information and hard facts, personal experiences through trial and error, or the ability to network with the best in the business Beef and Beyond is the place to be," said Travis Meteer, U of I Beef Extension specialist. "The landscape is changing in today's cattle business. It will be important to make the right decisions in the upcoming year. This workshop will help equip you with the knowledge to make those good decisions."

The program will include the latest information on genetics and technology. Breeders in the seedstock industry are the architects of tomorrow’s beef industry. It’s important to understand where this industry is headed, where consumers are headed and some of the external factors that are going to impact the kind of cattle that will make producers in other sectors profitable. Today, we have technology that’s more reliable and predictable, and can help set the course for the beef industry’s future.

“We see the beef production business changing more rapidly and that’s attributable to the technology advances going on around genetics, nutrition, and animal management. Attendees to the Beef & Beyond Seedstock Summit will go home with a better understanding of these technologies and how to put them into play on their own operations so that these beneficial changes can make their own farm more efficient and profitable for the long term,” said Reid Blossom, IBA Executive Vice President.

Beef producers interested in expanding their knowledge of genetics and technology should RSVP for this free workshop by Tuesday, March 8. Registration, materials, and all meals for the event are free to participants courtesy of the Illinois Beef Checkoff. View the complete program agenda at illinoisbeef.com.