Minnesota Cattlemen Take on Cattle Industry Convention

Minnesota cattlemen and women had the opportunity to take on the NCBA Cattle Industry Convention this past week in San Antonio, Texas. Schedules were jam-packed with industry information in the form of board meetings, region meetings and general sessions to keep us all busy and on our toes! 

We're sharing a mashup of the photo highlights captured and submitted by our Minnesota cattlemen and women who attended. Here we go:

There were over 9,000 cattlemen in attendance, so you can bet it was a week filled with education, networking, business (strictly business) and a little (a lot) of fun! 

Pictured below is Don Schiefelbein, of Kimball, MN, addressing the crowd as the newly appointed Vice President of National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

We had the opportunity to celebrate the Didrikson family, who won the Region 3 Environmental Stewardship Award during Thursday evening's National Environmental Stewardship Awards Reception. On Friday, Dana Didrikson was asked to speak during the Region 3 meeting and share his family's sustainability practices. 

Angie Ford of Pipestone, MN, was acknowledged as being the 2nd place Top Hand in the nation! This award is given to cattlemen or women who recruit the most NCBA members throughout the year. Go Angie!

You cannot forget the time in the trade show! Spanning eight acres, there's something for everyone. Whether it be new technologies or innovative products, it's always great to network with different vendors. The best part is catching up with friends from across the state and country. 

There's no business like the beef business!

Rebecca Binford, Karin Schaefer and Kelly Anderson were locked and loaded for adventure on opening night of the trade show.

Yee-haw! Anything for those free water bottles you know...

Although busy running from meeting to meeting, Katie always makes sure to get her annual "I love beef" photo. #nailedit 

Consider this year's Christmas card done, Katie!

The Landuyt girls enjoyed the week exploring the trade show and taking in all of the San Antonio sights, as well as spending time with their dad (current Minnesota State Cattlemen's Association President) in between his meetings! 

This fit and fierce threesome seized the final day of activities on Friday, by taking on the Beefit 5k and Fun Run. It turns out that outdoor running in San Antonio this time of year is much more enjoyable than in Minnesota winter. No fear of treacherous ice wipeouts necessary - win! 

On the final night of the convention, there was a special PBR bull-riding invitational for NCBA members. Our Minnesota delegation enjoyed the night and even had the opportunity to meet the riders and bulls behind-the-scenes. 

You could say we took "the bull by the horns" on Friday evening.

It's events like this that remind us how much we have to be grateful for, specifically all of the passionate and hardworking cattlemen in a progressive industry we believe in. The friends that become family within the beef business are second to none. 

We are leaving San Antonio feeling so refueled with our purpose, passion and a long to-do list with exciting new projects on the horizon!