2026 Minnesota Cattle Industry Convention
Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, Mankato, MN
Friday, December 11 & Saturday, December 12
"Forging the Future"
Early-Bird Registration
Early-Bird Prices Listed Below, Prices Rise on Monday, November 30
Full Registration Fee: $75
Friday-Only Registration Fee: $60
Saturday-Only Registration Fee: $40
Friday Night Banquet-Only Fee: $40
Vendor Signup
Click Here to Sign up as a Sponsor/Vendor
View Sponsor/Vendor Letter Here
Hotel Accommodations
Hilton Garden Inn
Connected to the convention center.
Click here to book your room in the room block directly online.
Call the hotel at (507) 344-1111 to reserve a room. Mention the MN Cattlemen's Association to reserve with the group rate.
Standard Room Rate: $165 plus taxes & fees
The hotel room block closes 11/19/26. Be sure to reserve your hotel room before this date!
Greater Mankato Options:
Click here for a list of other hotel & accommodations options in Mankato.
Parking & Convention Center Layout
Click here to view the parking map.
Click here to view the convention center map.
Auction Item Pre-Check
Skip the line day-of by pre-checking your silent/live auction items! Click here to fill out the form to pre-check in auction items.
friday night auction
live auction broadcast
DVAuction will be broadcasting the Friday night auction live so you can bid from home! Stay tuned for more details.
Policy and Resolutions Committee Meeting
Policy and Resolutions Committee Meeting is 2-6 p.m. Dec. 10 in Room 245.
2026 Educational Sessions
Ryan Vos
Young Producers in Ag Panel
"Navigating Social Media and Technology in Agriculture"
Ryan Vos is a fifth-generation beef producer from southwest Minnesota who has a passion for agriculture, communication and education. Alongside his father and brother, he helps manage the family’s farming operation consisting of raising feedlot steers while producing corn, soybeans and alfalfa. Ryan also custom feeds 2,400 head of hogs and operates his own registered Hereford cattle herd with his wife Mallory and their son Beau.
Beyond the farm, Ryan is well known as the morning show host on KJOE 106.1 in Slayton and regularly shares crop condition reports across the region through the Linder Farm Network. His ability to connect with audiences has made him a trusted voice in both agriculture and local media.
In recent years, Ryan has expanded his reach through social media, creating educational content on TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. Through his engaging videos and authentic storytelling, he offers consumers a behind-the-scenes look at modern farming and livestock production while helping bridge the gap between agriculture and the public.
Whether he’s in the field, behind a microphone or in front of a camera, Ryan is dedicated to sharing the story of agriculture and promoting a better understanding of the people who produce our food.
Ryan will be a panelist on the Young Producers in Ag Panel Friday morning.
AJ Friedges
Young Producers in Ag Panel
"NAVIGATING SOCIAL MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE"
AJ Friedges is a fourth-generation farmer and cattleman carrying on a family tradition of agriculture while building a first-generation farm of his own in northeast Iowa. Alongside his wife, Karn, and their five children, AJ owns and operates F7 Farms, a diversified family farming and livestock operation.
At F7 Farms, the Friedges family raises corn and soybeans while also working with cattle through several areas of the beef industry. They background calves and buy, breed and resell heifers and cows. They also maintain a small purebred Angus show herd. Their diversified approach to agriculture allows the family to work with cattle at multiple stages while continually looking for ways to add value and improve the efficiency and sustainability of their operation. In addition to their cattle and row-crop enterprises, the family custom feeds approximately 2,500 head of hogs in barns they own.
AJ’s passion for agriculture extends well beyond his own farm. He also works as a sales nutritionist for a small feed mill, where he works directly with livestock producers across the beef industry. In that role, AJ helps producers identify challenges, develop practical solutions and improve the performance and profitability of their operations. His experience working with producers from different backgrounds and at different stages of production has given him a broad perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing today’s cattle industry.
Through both his work and his own farming operation, AJ has developed a strong passion for sharing agriculture with others. He uses social media as a platform to educate consumers about where their food comes from, provide an honest look at modern beef production and share the day-to-day realities of raising cattle. AJ especially enjoys connecting with young people and showing them that agriculture offers a wide variety of opportunities and that raising cattle can be a rewarding and realistic path into the industry.
For AJ, agriculture is about more than raising crops and livestock. It is about family, relationships, hard work and creating opportunities for the next generation. Whether he is working cattle with his family, helping another producer solve a nutrition challenge, or sharing his experiences online, AJ is passionate about promoting agriculture and encouraging others to become involved in an industry that has played such an important role in his own family’s life.
AJ will be a panelist on the Young Producers in Ag Panel Friday morning.
Andrea Flemming
Young Producers in Ag Panel
"NAVIGATING SOCIAL MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE"
Andrea Flemming is a fifth-generation farmer and entrepreneur from southwest Minnesota. She originally had plans to become a large animal veterinarian after attending South Dakota State University for animal science, but those plans changed and she was forced to navigate plan B... C... and beyond.
She ended up moving back home to her family’s farm and joined in with her parents and eventually her husband, where she fell in love with entrepreneurship and farming with family. Andrea calls herself a “multi-passionate serial entrepreneur.”
She is passionate about a lot of different things in life, which you will see as you follow along with and connect with her. From public speaking to running her online fitness groups as a certified personal trainer to social media content creation promoting ‘day in the life’ agriculture content to bridge the gap between consumers and producers, it’s all part of the beautiful chaos you’ll get when you connect with her online or in person through events like this.
Andrea will be a panelist on the Young Producers in Ag Panel Friday morning.
Callahan Grund
Director of Beef Traceability Systems, Where Food Comes From, Inc.
"Selling Cattle: What Drives Value"
Cattlemen's Education Series - Sponsored by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the National Corn Growers Association
Callahan Grund is the Director of Beef Traceability Systems for Where Food Comes From, Inc. (WFCF), the leading on-farm third-party verification and certification company in North America. WFCF helps tens of thousands of food producers and brands meet evolving market demands through third-party verification, traceability and value-added programs that build consumer trust, expand market access and create opportunities for producers.
Callahan focuses on advancing traceability solutions within the beef industry, supporting greater supply chain transparency, animal disease preparedness and opportunities for producers to demonstrate the value of their cattle. He also serves as Executive Director of U.S. CattleTrace and previously held roles with the Kansas Department of Agriculture and Farm Strategy, LLC.
Originally from Sharon Springs, Kansas, Callahan grew up on his family's cattle operation, Grund Beef Genetics, where he remains actively involved. He and his wife Emily also operate their own seedstock and show cattle operation near Wamego, Kansas, alongside their three children. As both an industry professional and cattle producer, Callahan brings firsthand experience and a commitment to strengthening the beef industry and creating opportunities for the next generation.
Callahan will present during the Cow/Calf Council Meeting Friday morning.
Michelle Goeke
Chief Operating Officer, UnCommon Farms
"Five Things Enduring Operations Do Differently"
Michelle Goeke brings deep experience in estate planning, landlord-tenant relations and real estate litigation, paired with expertise in taxes, FSA, crop insurance and legal document drafting. She provides legal advice and counsel across the organization, with responsibility for corporate contracts and compliance, currently serving as Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel on the UnCommon Farms Executive Leadership Team.
Michelle works directly with farming members to assess their farm structure and develop the approach that best suits each family’s needs, now and through generational transition. To support regulatory compliance, she keeps members and clients informed on current OSHA, DOT and EPA rules and regulations, and leads safety training across the organization.
Michelle earned her Bachelor of Science in Math from Illinois College and her Juris Doctor, with concentrations in Business Transactional Law and Taxation, from St. Louis University.
She serves as General Counsel for the UnCommon Farms Foundation, whose mission is to use agriculture as a vehicle to positively impact families and transform communities. The Foundation has raised thousands of dollars to fund agricultural projects and education across North America and overseas, and has provided hands-on support for projects in South Africa and the U.S.
Michelle grew up on a farm in central Illinois, where she and her sister continue to farm together today.
Michelle will present during the General Session Friday morning.
Melissa Runck
Extension Educator, Beef Production Systems, University of Minnesota
"Beef x Dairy: Feedlot Data & Future for Genetic Makeup of Crosses"
Melissa Runck is a Beef Production Systems Educator with University of Minnesota Extension, based in the Marshall Regional Office. Her Extension work focuses on cow-calf management, reproduction and genetic selection, including flagship programs such as the Cattle A.I. School and Beef x Dairy Insights program.
She holds a Master of Applied Science in Beef Production from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and is a current PhD student advised by Dr. Brad Heins, studying feeding behavior and efficiency in beef x dairy crossbred calves.
Melissa will present during the Feeder Council Meeting Friday afternoon.
Dr. Brad Heins
Professor of Dairy Management, University of Minnesota West Central Research Center
"Beef x Dairy: Feedlot Data & Future for Genetic Makeup of Crosses"
Brad Heins is a Professor of Dairy Management at the University of Minnesota's West Central Research Center in Morris, Minnesota. Currently, Dr. Heins conducts his research and Extension program at the University of Minnesota’s West Central Research and Outreach Center. The Center has a 130-head herd in a certified organic system, and a 160-head herd in a conventional grazing system.
His research and extension program focuses on best management practices for organic dairy production, forages for grazing, crossbreeding of dairy cattle, group rearing of calves and renewable energy for dairy production systems.
Dr. Heins will present during the Feeder Council Meeting Friday afternoon.
Legislative Update
MSCA Legislative consultant Bruce Kleven
Bruce Kleven brings extensive experience and expertise as a lobbyist, attorney, mediator, political strategist, speaker and parliamentarian. His practice focuses on agriculture, the environment, energy and transportation, representing clients ranging from individuals to multinational corporations.Throughout his career, Bruce has served as a legislative consultant to numerous agricultural organizations and has worked with the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association for more than 20 years. His deep understanding of agricultural policy and legislative affairs, combined with his broad professional experience, allows him to navigate complex issues and advocate effectively on behalf of his clients.
A native of west-central Minnesota, Bruce comes from a family of fifth-generation farmers whose roots in the region date back to their emigration from Norway in the 1870s. Growing up working on the family farm, which produces sugar, gave Bruce firsthand knowledge of agriculture and a lasting appreciation for the industry. That background continues to inform his work and commitment to the agricultural community.
Bruce will speak during the afternoon on Friday.
Keynote Address
kent bacus
Executive Director, Government Affairs, National Cattlemen's Beef Association
Kent Bacus serves as Executive Director of Government Affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). Kent leads the Business Policy team that manages issues such as tax, financial services, cattle markets, and international trade. Kent serves as NCBA’s lead on international trade policy where he works with Congress, the Trump Administration, and foreign governments to advance the U.S. cattle and beef industry’s trade priorities. He also serves as a cleared advisor to USDA and USTR, and he holds leadership positions in the International Meat Secretariat. Kent is originally from Texas and is a graduate of Texas Tech University.Kent will speak during lunch on Friday.
Keynote Address
Jennifer Nealson
Senior Vice President of Global Marketing and Research, National Cattlemen's Beef Association
Jennifer Nealson is NCBA’s Senior Vice President of Global Marketing and Research and leads scientific affairs, consumer & channel marketing and culinary efforts. In this role, she oversees one of the nation’s most recognized brands, Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner and leads the national strategy to drive beef demand while also integrating the national Beef Checkoff efforts with the Federation of State Beef Councils.Prior to joining NCBA in 2021, Jennifer was a Chief Marketing Officer with a broad range of companies - from Fortune 500 to start up, in various industries. Jennifer has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nebraska in Organizational Communications and a Certificate in Finance from the University of Colorado. Jennifer was named Outstanding Woman in Business by the Denver Business Journal and was honored as one of the Top 25 Most Powerful Women by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce. She and her husband John live in Denver and have two sons who attend Oklahoma State University.
Breakfast Briefing
Debbie Chute
President-Elect, American National CattleWomen
Debbie Chute has been active in the Minnesota and National CattleWomen’s Associations since the mid-1990’s. She has served as membership chair, secretary, vice president, president-elect, president, past president, and nominating chair for Minnesota CattleWomen. She served a four-year term as Region 3 Director for American National CattleWomen and is currently serving as ANCW Vice President, a position she was elected to in February 2025. She is active in her local cattlemen’s association.
Debbie and her husband John live in north central Minnesota near the town of Aitkin, within a few miles of where they both grew up. Debbie and John own a commercial Red Angus cow/calf farm with sixty mama cows. They raise their beef from pasture to plate direct marketing beef to customers, some who have been returning for over 30 years. They are in their 44th year of selling farm fresh beef. In addition to working on their farm, Debbie has a full-time job at their local rural electric cooperative. Debbie and John have three grown children and eight grandchildren living in three different states.
Debbie is a graduate of the Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership Program (MARL) a leadership program for agriculture and rural leaders. She has served on the MARL Alumni Committee. Debbie is involved with her county farm bureau serving as their secretary and treasurer. She has served on Minnesota Farm Bureau’s Political Action Committee.
In her spare time, Debbie enjoys cooking, baking, spending time with family, and traveling, especially seeing her grandchildren. When she has time to relax, you will find her with a book and a cup of coffee. She is looking forward to meeting and spending time with fellow cattle producers and being more active in ANCW!
Debbie will speak Saturday morning during breakfast.
Dr. Warren Rusche
Assistant Professor, Extension Beef Feedlot Management Specialist, South Dakota State University
"What is Going on With Carcass Size and How That Affects Cow/Calf Management"
Warren Rusche currently serves as an Assistant Professor - Extension Beef Feedlot Management Specialist at South Dakota State University (SDSU). His outreach and research efforts focus on discovering ways to add value to crops and cattle to improve the livelihoods of South Dakota citizens.Prior to his current role, he served as a Cow/Calf Field Specialist based in Watertown and was the co-manager of his family’s cow calf and cattle feeding business in Kingsbury County, South Dakota, for 13 years. He earned a master’s degree in Animal Science from Kansas State University and a doctorate from SDSU.
Dr. Rusche will present Saturday morning during breakfast.
Friday, December 11, 2026
parker william
Minnesota's Top Comedy Mentalist and Magician
Parker William has always loved magic, and at age 11 he decided it was going to be his job. Over the past decade-plus, he's built a full comedy act out of mind games and sleight of hand, closer in spirit to a stand-up set than a magic show. The result is a show that's as funny as it is impossible to explain. Parker's stage has ranged from the Minnesota Vikings and the PGA Tour to New York's legendary Comedy Cellar and as far afield as Chiang Mai, Thailand.For more information about Parker William, visit https://www.parkerwilliammagic.com/.
