Pennsylvania beef producers will have multiple opportunities this fall to strengthen their operations, sharpen management skills, and connect with industry experts through a lineup of educational programs supported and promoted by the Pennsylvania Beef Working Group.
From hands-on farm workshops and pasture walks to virtual sessions that producers can join from home, the fall schedule covers practical topics affecting beef operations across the Commonwealth, including cattle handling, grazing management, nutrition, herd health, direct marketing, and Beef Quality Assurance.
“Pennsylvania beef producers are constantly looking for ways to strengthen their operations, whether that means improving herd health, getting more from their pastures, becoming more efficient, or finding new ways to connect with customers,” said Nichole Hockenberry, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Beef Council. “The Pennsylvania Beef Working Group brings organizations across the industry together to connect producers with the expertise and resources that can help improve and grow their operations. This fall’s lineup offers a great mix of hands-on learning and virtual education, with information producers can put to work on their farms.”
Pennsylvania Beef Working Group Fall Events:
Building Better Beef Systems
Penn State Extension’s Building Better Beef Systems workshop series will offer producers practical approaches to cattle handling, facility design, and labor efficiency, with an emphasis on improving safety, animal welfare, and day-to-day productivity.
Fall workshops are scheduled at locations across Pennsylvania, including:
- September 12 — Ford City
- September 19 — Elverson
- September 26 — Smithfield
- October 24 — Millerstown
Additional location, timing, and registration information is available through Penn State Extension.
Learn more and register: https://extension.
Pasture Walks with Penn State Extension
Two September pasture walks will give producers an opportunity to take education into the field and explore grazing and forage management alongside Penn State Extension specialists.
· Pasture Walks with Extension: From Pasture to Performance: Gettysburg, September 12
This program will focus on practical strategies producers can use to evaluate pastures and improve grazing management and livestock performance.
Learn more and register: https://extension.
· Pasture Walks with Extension: Fertility and Livestock: State College, September 22
This pasture walk will explore pasture fertility, weed control, and livestock nutrition, providing producers with practical information for managing both forage resources and animal needs.
Learn more and register: https://extension.
Free Fall Beef Quality Assurance Webinar Series
Producers can also take advantage of a free five-part fall webinar series, offered from 7–8 p.m. and featuring experts from across the beef industry. Several sessions qualify for Pennsylvania Beef Quality Assurance recertification.
· September 3 — “Condition Counts: How BCS Shapes Cow & Calf Performance”
Presented by Elizabeth Backes-Belew, Ph.D., Nutritionist, Purina Beef Technical Innovation
The session will explore the role body condition score plays in cow and calf performance and how producers can use it as a practical herd-management tool.
· September 10 — “Theileria Orientalis: Science, Surveillance & What’s Next”
Presented by Dr. John Currin, DVM, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Cassandra Olds, Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, Kansas State University
The webinar will examine the emerging livestock health challenge posed by Theileria orientalis, including current science, surveillance, and what producers should know moving forward.
· September 24 — “From Trust to Transaction: Telling Your Beef Story”
Presented by Kellie Lasack, Roan Marketing and beef cattle producer
Designed to help producers connect more effectively with consumers, the session will explore how authentic storytelling can build trust, communicate the value of beef production and support demand.
· October 8 — “Selling Beef in Pennsylvania: Rules, Regulations & Requirements”
Presented by Dr. Jonathan Campbell, Ph.D., Scientific Outreach and Technical Specialist, Kerres USA, and Rob Hess, Bow Creek Farm & Cattle
Producers interested in direct-to-consumer beef sales will learn more about the rules, regulations and requirements involved in selling beef in Pennsylvania.
· October 15 — “Your Vet, Your Operation: Building a Working Relationship That Delivers”
Presented by Jennifer Kauf, VMD, Legacy Livestock Veterinary Service, and Bob VanKirk, 4 Seasons Farm LLC
The final webinar will focus on building a productive veterinarian-producer relationship and how that partnership can contribute to herd health and stronger management decisions.
Registration information for the webinar series is available through Pennsylvania Beef Quality Assurance: https://www.pa-bqa.org/events
Resources for Pennsylvania Beef Producers
Together, the fall programs reflect the Pennsylvania Beef Working Group’s broader effort to connect cattle producers with educational opportunities, technical expertise, and resources that can help them address challenges and identify opportunities within their operations.
This fall, the Center for Beef Excellence will offer two grant programs for beef producers. The Bull Credit program offers a $1,500 reimbursement toward the purchase of a qualifying bull. The Beef Excellence Initiatives grant offers reimbursement funding of up to 50% of the cost of a project (maximum grant award of up to $10,000) for completed infrastructure projects such as cattle handling equipment, fencing, feed and water areas, etc. Applications will be accepted in two rounds, the first beginning approximately mid-September. Full details and applications, when available, are available on CBE’s website, beefexcellence.com.
Whether producers are looking to improve grazing management, refine cattle-handling systems, better understand an emerging animal-health issue, or strengthen how they market their beef, this fall’s programming offers multiple opportunities to learn, connect, and bring new ideas back to the farm. Producers are encouraged to register early and follow participating Pennsylvania beef organizations, as well as the Pennsylvania Beef Producers Working Group Facebook page, for additional program information and updates throughout the fall.
PA Beef Working Group logo attached.
About the Pennsylvania Beef Producers Working Group
The Pennsylvania Beef Producers Working Group brings together producers and industry stakeholders from across the Commonwealth to identify emerging needs and strengthen Pennsylvania’s beef industry through education and collaboration. Anchored by the Penn State Extension Livestock Team, the Working Group connects producers with educational opportunities, industry expertise, and resources designed to improve performance, production, and long-term success of the Pennsylvania Beef industry.
