The largest annual beef industry event began Feb. 1 in Houston, TX, where thousands of cattle producers, industry partners and stakeholders gathered for the 2022 Cattle Industry Convention & National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Trade Show. The convention, which continued through Feb. 3, provides a platform for education, policy development and networking.
“This is the first time Houston has hosted (the) convention, and this cosmopolitan city has a lot of charm,” said NCBA President Jerry Bohn. “With a great mix of education and entertainment, this year’s event has something for everyone.”
Stephanie Nash, winner of the 2022 NCBA National Anthem Contest, opened the event in patriotic style with the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Buzz Brainard, host of Music Row Happy Hour, was back by popular demand as the convention master of ceremonies, and he interviewed George Foreman, legendary boxer and famous griller, during the Opening General Session.
Over the few days of the convention, participants gained insights on market trends during the CattleFax Outlook Seminar, heard a “State of the Industry” update from NCBA, learned about the beef business climate around the world and wandered through the NCBA Trade Show—the industry’s largest, with more than 350 exhibitors on nearly 10 acres under one roof.
The annual meetings for NCBA, the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, American National CattleWomen, CattleFax and National Cattlemen’s Foundation were held. In addition, the Environmental Stewardship Award regional winners were recognized at a special reception.
A new high-profile session on Thursday morning included Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Undersecretary of Agriculture Robert Bonnie and British Ambassador Dame Karen Pierce, who provided an update on the beef business climate in the U.S. and around the globe. The Closing General Session celebrated the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program and BQA award winners and featured two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Theismann.
Additional educational opportunities included the Learning Lounge, which offered classroom sessions on the trade show floor and provided busy attendees with valuable educational tips. The Stockmanship and Stewardship demonstration arena provided unique educational experiences featuring live animal handling demonstrations.
Back by popular demand was the Chutes and Scales Showdown, where producers could watch cattle run through chutes, side by side, then get hands-on experience with the equipment. New this year was Ranch HOW, a hands-on workshop offering a unique way to learn and network with attendees and trade show exhibitors.
Entertainment was plentiful throughout the event, including “Rocket to the Rustic” on Wednesday evening with live music, local food and a lot of fun. The convention wrapped up Thursday evening with the Cowboy Comedy Club, featuring headliner Jim Gaffigan, a Grammy-nominated comedian, actor, writer, producer, best-selling author, Emmy-winning performer, and multi-platinum-selling recording artist who is known around the world for his unique brand of humor, which largely revolves around his observations on life.
For more information, visit convention.ncba.org. — NCBA
