Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays is back talking with Mark Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist, about the 2024 Cattlemen’s Conference, which will be held on May 22nd and 23rd in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
To listen to Part 1 of the conversation, CLICK HERE!
After the success of last year’s conference, Johnson said this year the objective is to follow up on a few of the topics that did not receive enough attention last year due to available time.
“We literally began 30 minutes after the conclusion of last year’s conference,” Johnson said. “My late friend Jarold Callahan and I were sitting out there at the arena, and from the feedback and discussions we’d had over the last two days, Hugh Aljoe from Noble Research Institute, Mark McCully from American Angus, and Jack Ward from the American Hereford Association; we had all spoken about it, talked and decided we need a part two.”
One of those topics that will be a large part of the second conference, Johnson said, is gene editing.
“This is a fascinating and interesting area that is going to impact all of us, not only in meat animals but in humans,” Johnson said. “There are going to be decisions to be made; it is important to be informed. We are going to have a great set of panelists to come in, and we are going to talk about the evolution of technology.”
Johnson said there would be two different panel discussions on gene editing, each consisting of around ten industry leaders who are knowledgeable about the topic. Another important component of the discussion, Johnson mentioned, is the consumer’s perspective on gene editing.
“Long term, we can produce food more efficiently,” Johnson said. “In this country, we have been blessed for over 200 years by the ability to produce food. The American consumer spends a smaller percentage of their disposable income on food than any other country in the world. Long-term success story.”
To learn more about the conference and register, CLICK HERE!
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR at the top of the story for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
