More than 8,000 cattlemen and women attend convention

by Rebecca Long Chaney
NASHVILLE, TN — More than 8,000 Cattlemen and Cattlewomen arrived at the National Cattle Industry Convention to attend meetings, be inspired by speakers and special guests, enjoy the trade show and network with cattle friends from coast to coast and overseas.
Whether beef producers wanted to learn new trends in the industry by visiting the more than 300 exhibitors in the trade show or take in meetings and workshops, there was something for everyone in Nashville. The convention marks the largest annual gathering of the beef industry and included special meetings of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), American National CattleWomen (ANCW), as well as the Certified Beef Board (CBB).
According to national NCBA president, Scott George of Cody, WY, attendees would celebrate the successes of the past year while setting goals and priorities for the year ahead. Scott said the convention provided the unique opportunity for cattlemen and women to hear directly from the experts about how to sustain and improve their operations.
More than 3,000 attended the opening session and were inspired by Captain Richard Phillips for which the movie “Captain Phillips,” starring Tom Hanks, was made. In Phillips’ keynote address, he shared his compelling story and highlighted his suggestions for improved leadership and teamwork.
The session opened with the 2014 NCBA National Anthem Contest winner, Rylee Werth of Kansas, singing the National Anthem. The 12-year-old ranch girl also sang the anthem at Cowboy Night at the Opry II on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. The opening session also included welcome messages by NCBA President George; Weldon Wynn, CBB Chairman of Star City, AR; and Barbara Jackson of Tucson, AZ, ANCW president.
A highlight of the opening session was the live performance by the Peterson Brothers of Kansas. Their agricultural music YouTube parodies have gone viral and not only landed the country boys interviews on national television, but have captured the hearts of the American public with nearly nine million views of their most popular parody, “I’m Farming and I Grow It.”
The three-day event was full of educational sessions and workshops and a trade show featuring more than 300 exhibits. According to George, the trade show was the largest yet, and featured numerous educational and entertainment opportunities and a demonstration area with live animals to provide attendees with hands-on instruction.
During the second general session, NFL quarterback Archie Manning was the featured speaker. Cattle producers were inspired by his warm personality, his drive and sense of humor. Recognized as a 14-year veteran quarterback and father of two Super Bowl champion quarterbacks, Peyton and Eli, Manning believes the greatest rewards don’t come from winning the game — they come from playing the game. His other principles for success are leadership, depending on others, and being flexible. Manning takes these lessons, along with countless others, to inspire audiences to achieve greatness in their journey for personal and professional success.
The Cattlemen’s College and the Cattlefax outlook seminar provided more opportunities for cattle producers and college students to network, learn and be inspired. The Cattlefax session explored the factors that influence the profitability of beef operations, and provided a look forward to what cattle, beef and feed prices might look like in the future. To top it off, Art Douglas, Ph.D., of Creighton University provided a long-term weather outlook.
Known as the largest and oldest national cattle association, NCBA continues to strive to make a positive impact in the beef community while working hard to support and preserve the nation’s rich heritage in the beef cattle business.
The NCBA is proud it provides leadership and support to the more than 700,000 cattle producers nationwide raising nearly 90 million head of beef cattle. Next year’s National Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show will be Feb. 4-7, 2015 in San Antonio, Texas.
Through three mergers, numerous organizational splits, economic busts, natural disasters, world wars, changing political views and evolving consumer wants, the NCBA has persevered as the voice of the American beef industry for more than 100 years. Boasting more than 28,000 members nationwide, NCBA will continue to be the driving force that supports the beef cattle community making a positive difference for generations to come.