Farm Director KC Sheperd is talking with the Director of Events at the Livestock Marketing Association, Izabella Michitsch, about the upcoming LMA convention and more.
LMA is a membership-based trade association that services livestock markets. Michitsch said LMA provides the opportunity for producers to get the best value for their livestock through true price discovery.
LMA has over 800 members across the United States and Canada.
“We are currently here in Arcadia, Florida, setting up for our auctioneer contest, which will take place Saturday, June 10,” Michitsch said. “Really excited, but before that, we are actually going to be in Punta Gorda at the Charlotte Harbor event and conference center for our annual meeting of our members throughout the United States.”
This year’s conference, Michitsch said, has a little over 400 registrants.
“During the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday morning portions, we have meetings, and keynote speakers,” Michitsch said. “It is just a good time to network and meet people from all across the United States that are part of our Livestock Marketing Association.”
The World Livestock Auctioneer Championship interview process will start on Friday at 3 p.m. eastern time and can be watched live on Facebook. The live-action round will be on Saturday at 8 a.m. eastern time in Arcadia, she added, and can also be watched on Facebook.
“The convention has not been to Florida since, I believe, the 60s,” Michitsch said.
Attendees can expect plenty of networking, learning opportunities about a broad array of topics, Michitsch said, and of course, fun.
The champion of the auctioneer championship, Michitsch said, wins a cash prize of $6,000, and for a year, the champion will have the chance to travel with LMA for special appearances. The champion will also be awarded a truck with the LMA logo to drive for a full year.
“They also get a belt buckle, they get a briefcase we that give them, and then they get some other smaller items,” Michitsch said. “A knife, a golden gavel from Worldwide College of Auctioneering, and a money clip.”
Although the champion of the auctioneering contest will receive many prizes, Michitsch said the most valuable prize is the title.
“Once you get that title, it is really just a group of the elite auctioneers of the industry,” Michitsch said.
