92nd Annual North Dakota Stockmen’s Association Convention & Trade Show to be held in Fargo Sept. 23-25

 

For the last 92 years, the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association (NDSA) has been uniting, protecting, promoting, educating and serving North Dakota’s beef industry. NDSA members will be celebrating the organization’s achievements, selecting new leaders and “Getting It Done in ‘21” during the NDSA Annual Convention & Trade Show Sept. 23-25 at the Holiday Inn in Fargo, N.D. The event will feature an educational series, informational speakers, policy-development sessions, business, networking and fun.

Thursday, Sept. 23

            The convention begins on Thursday morning at 9 a.m. with a Golf Scramble and Hole-in-One Contest at The Meadows in Moorhead, Minn. Golfers can enter by contacting Scott Ressler, the Golf Scramble chairman, at (701) 223-2522 or (701) 391-7310.


            The NDSA Board of Directors will be gathering for its quarterly meeting at the Holiday Inn at 10 a.m.


            The Cattlemen’s Education Series will follow with buses departing from the Holiday Inn at 1 p.m. Convention-goers will enjoy a multi-station Cattlemen’s Education Series program, including tours of North Dakota State University’s (NDSU) Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Meats Laboratory and Commodity Trading Room. Presentations will center carbon emissions regulations and marketing, commodity news services, the cattle market situation, quality and yield grading procedures, diagnostic testing and support services and the upcoming Agricultural Products Development Center.


            After the Cattlemen’s Education Series tours, there will be a social and the opening of the NDSA Trade Show, which features nearly 50 allied industry vendors. Members can earn a chance to win a grand prize by visiting the Trade Show vendors. Supper and the presentation of the golf awards and the “Riding for the Brand” recognitions will close out the evening.


Friday, Sept. 24

            The NDSA Trade Show will reopen on Friday morning at 8 a.m., and the opening business session following at 8:45 a.m. Besides business, NDSA Nominating Committee reports and the Candidates’ Forum, the session will include a presentation by National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President-Elect Don Schiefelbein, who will share highlights from and answer questions about the organization’s Policy and Federation Divisions. Schiefelbein owns and operates Schiefelbein Farms, a diversified farming operation in Kimball, Minn.


            Following lunch, the “nuts and bolts” of the convention will begin with the policy committee meetings. Members will hear from industry experts on topics like drought income tax planning, the ongoing land access study, herd health considerations during and after drought, the beef checkoff, livestock dealer insolvency procedures, noxious weeds and more.


            When the work is done, it will be time to have some fun during the “Stockmen’s Feud.” A social begins at 6 p.m., with supper following at 7 p.m. And “Stockmen’s Feud,” patterned after the classic TV show, at 8 p.m. Survey says it’ll be a fun night of friendly competition.


Saturday, Sept. 25

            At 8 a.m. Saturday, the general session will reconvene, and convention-goers will hear from a powerful line-up of speakers.


            Dr. Frank Mitloehner will be the first to take the stage on Saturday morning. Mitloehner is a professor and air quality specialist in Cooperative Extension in the Department of Animal Science at the University of California-Davis. He is passionate about understanding and mitigating air emissions for livestock operations, as well as studying their implications on the health of farm workers and communities. He will talk about his work that was instrumental in dispelling commonly held myths about cattle’s greenhouse gas emissions and other topics in his address, “Rethinking Methane: Animal Agriculture’s Path to Climate Neutrality.”


            Managing Director of the Center for Consumer Freedom Will Coggin will also take the stage to discuss becoming aware of and overcoming anti-agriculture activists’ tactics, fighting the urge to instantly get defensive and combating challenges like the recent Proposition 16.


            After a brief break, Daryl Ritchison, the director of the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network (NDAWN), will take center stage. Ritchison spends his time on research, public outreach and development and enhancement of tools for NDAWN, a network of 170 weather stations in North Dakota, Minnesota and Montana. He will discuss known and proxy data from the past and how that holds hints to future weather conditions in the Northern Plains. He will also explain the root causes of the dry conditions across the region in the past two years.


            The Foundation Luncheon will follow at noon. In addition to lunch, it will include scholarship presentations, a 2020 Tomorrow’s Top Hands Beef Leadership Summit class recognition and Foundation board and intern recognitions.


            Business resumes at 1:30 p.m. in the closing session. Committee chairmen will offer their reports, and members will discuss and vote on policy resolutions and select officers and directors to lead the organization for the 2021-2022 year.


            Top-recruiter prizes, including a Henry Golden Boy Lever-Action 30-30 caliber rifle and $2,100 in Bull Bucks, will be awarded that afternoon. New members and the recruiters of new members are eligible for the Bull Bucks drawing. The winner must be present to win.


            A banquet social will begin at 6 p.m.


            The annual banquet follows at 7 p.m. and will include the recognition of long-time employees, as well as outstanding members selected for the Honorary Local Brand Inspector, Honorary Membership, Rancher of the Year, Environmental Stewardship and Top Hand Awards.


            To top off the 92nd annual Convention and Trade Show, Mark Nutsch will give a keynote address, “12 Strong: An Extraordinary Mission.” As portrayed by actor Chris Hemsworth in the major motion picture, 12 Strong, Nutsch (Mitch Nelson in the film) shares lessons learned in the now-declassified saga of a U.S. Special Forces team that helped achieve a historic military victory. Mark Nutsch shares the true-life story of helping lead an unconventional warfare campaign. In October 2001, following the attacks of 9/11, Nutsch led a heroic 12-man team of U.S. Special Forces on a covert mission to Afghanistan, where they would ride to war on horses to fight the enemy and capture the strategic city of Mazar-i-Sharif and successfully overthrow the Taliban.


            Full, one-day and student registrations are available ahead of time or on site. Discounted prices are available to those who pre-register by Sept. 9. The pre-registration form can be downloaded at www.ndstockmen.org or is available by contacting NDSA Office Manager Leann Rosencrans at (701) 223-2522. Throughout the event, attendees will have the chance to win great prizes, including a 43-inch Samsung Smart TV, Bison Cooler, NOCO Boost Pro and Green Mountain Grill.


            A block of rooms has been reserved at the Holiday Inn. The cost is $114 plus tax. To make reservations, call (701) 282-2700 and mention the NDSA before Sept. 9 to receive the discounted rate.


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