In order to prepare producers to be efficient and profitable, Central Kentucky County Extension Agents for Agriculture & Natural Resources have collaborated with Beef and Agricultural Economic Extension Specialists to present the Kentucky Beef Conference annually for over 20 years. Many avenues of scheduling, advertising, and networking must take place for this to be a success. The assistance of long-time business community sponsors has allowed producers to hear from nationally known experts in cattle marketing. 

COVID-19 restrictions made the team to explore how to continue providing timely marketing and production information with this conference. In the past, the conference has covered a range of production topics but the key focus has always been on marketing strategies and long term outlook. The conference was moved to a shortened, evening, virtual format focused on marketing strategies, marketing outlook and management considerations reaching more than 175 beef producers. It was evident in post meeting survey results that this shortened, virtual, format was a success.  

The farm operations of producers attending vary in size, with most (78%) of the producers having less than 75 cows; a large reflection for producer size in Clark County. Of those producers who have attended past conferences, 77% reported increased profits and 73% reported improved risk management practices as a result of attending. Moving this conference to a virtual format helped reach a much broader geographic range with producers attending from more than 32 counties and of those attending 36% were first time attendees. Several producers indicated they now plan to change when they are going to sell, increase culling in their herd and improve record keeping. I hope that this change in meeting format will spur many more Clark County producers to attend the Kentucky Beef Conference in the Future!