The Nevada Cattlemen’s Association staff and officers have been hard at work on this year’s Convention. The 76th Annual Nevada Cattlemen’s Association Convention will be held in Minden. This year we are working to bring you a convention that will be full of good speakers, educational opportunities, and a chance to be part of the policy development of your association.

 The convention will kick off November 14th at the Carson Valley Inn in Minden, and end November 16th with the annual awards banquet. Be on the lookout for registration packets in the mail. If you are interested in participating in convention and are not a member we would love to see you there. Please find enclosed a copy of the schedule. Call the office at 1-775-738-9214 and we would be happy to mail or fax you a copy of the registration. If you are interested in sponsoring an event or meal we are still looking for sponsorship. Without individuals and businesses that sponsor convention we would not be able to put such an event together.

We would like to thank this year’s sponsors and trade show participants and they help make our convention possible.

 Sponsors: Utah Wool Marketing, Zinpro Corporation, American AgCredit, Intermountain Beef, Nevada State Bank, Stockmans Insurance, Nationwide Agribusiness, Pinenut Livestock Supply, USDA-NRCS, Resource Concepts Inc, Edward Jones, The Nevada Rancher, Destron Fearing, McMullen McPhee, and IMI Global Inc.

Tradeshow Exhibitors: Pro Group Management, Kirby Manufactoring Inc, Multimin USA, Westway Feed Products, Comstock Insurance, Greenway Seed, Nationwide Agribusiness, Nevada Section – Society for Range Management, Genex, Silverado Ranch Supply, Wilber Ellis, Destron Fearing, Callicrate Banders, American AgCredit, Nevada State Bank, Moly Manufacturing Inc, USDA NRCS, Integrated Biological Systems Inc, Giant Rubber Water Tanks.

 This year’s being our first in Minden we are excited to highlight the issues and challenges that face our Western Nevada producers. Topics such as renewable energy, conservation easements, and urban encroachment will be the focus. Ranchers on the West side of Nevada are the front page of our industry as the general public can view their operations daily. This year’s convention will be focused on state issues and some of the pressures that are coming nationally as well. Here are just a few of the speakers for convention:

Pfizers Cattlemen’s College will feature Dr. Linhart. Dr. Linhart, DVM, Dipl. ACT, is a senior veterinarian with the Pfizer Animal Health Beef Veterinary Operations team. With 20 years of private practice experience and board certification in theriogenology, Dr. Linhart combines significant technical knowledge with an exceptional ability to communicate and work with cattlemen. Based in Boise, Idaho, he supports cow-calf producers, working primarily in beef cattle reproduction and herd health to help improve reproductive efficiency. His talk will focus on reproductive strategies to improve your bottom line.

 The second part of Cattlemen’s College will focus on feed efficiency. Matt Spangler and Allison Eemennaam will discuss recent collaborative efforts to develop genomic selection tools for feed efficiency. Background information will be provided including differing definitions of feed efficiency, what is known about the genetic components of feed efficiency, and how they are genetically related to other production traits. Challenges related to development of genomic tests for traits of this type will be discussed along with rapidly developing tools/methods that will aid in overcoming them. Matt is an Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska, and Allison is Cooperative Extension Specialist at UC Davis.

Matt Newberry from NV Energy will present on Nevada’s net metering law that gives customers the opportunity to generate power on site to offset their own power consumption, incentives to offset construction costs for small solar, wind and hydro generation and discuss how different systems offset power use for pivot line systems and other pumping costs.

 Our General Session will focus on Conservation Easements and Living with Urban Encroachment. Jock Etchagoyan will present the basics of what a conservation easement is and the benefits that producers can expect from utilizing them. Jacques co-founded Legacy Land and Water in 2010, and Terra Firma Associates in 2004, to provide land use consulting services that enable landowners to evaluate conservation options and assess smart-growth opportunities. Jacques has been a leader in local land conservation for the past 10 years, helping guide some of the largest landowners in the Lake Tahoe region toward conservation solutions.

Following the presentation a panel discussion from producers: David Husseman, Eric Rieman, Neil McQueary, Brian Parks, Barbra Byington, Charley Hone, Bentley Agro-Dynamics (Matt McKinney), Russell Scossa, Devere Dressler, and Nick Uhart.

Concluding the General Session will be a presentation from Schroeder Law Offices, P.C. regarding RS 2477 and RS 2339 rights-of-way.

Wednesdays Cattlemen’s College will be a tour of Bently Agrowdynamics. Matt McKinney will tour participants around the facilities and explain facets of this unique operation. Bently Agrowdynamics employs advanced technology using processes that are compatible with environmental, ecological, and economic goals throughout the world. The company includes 50,000 acres of land and reservoirs for the production of alfalfa, small grains, and cattle. Our program also includes improved range land, and compost production.

We look forward to seeing you at convention and please call the office if you have questions about convention or other issue at 1-775-738-9214.