CattleCon 2026, the largest cattle industry event of the year, is heading to the heart of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, Feb. 3-5. New for 2026: all registration options include access to Cattlemen’s College education sessions and demonstrations.
For more than 30 years Cattlemen’s College, sponsored by Zoetis, has provided cattle producers with valuable information to help improve their herds and businesses. This premier educational experience will be open to all CattleCon 2026 attendees.
“We are bringing together industry leaders from across the country to share the latest advancements and provide vital information,” said Buck Wehrbein, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association president. “We are excited to make this educational experience available to all attendees and look forward to hearing how producers use valuable knowledge and insights to strengthen their businesses.”
More than a dozen educational sessions and live animal handling demonstrations will take place during CattleCon. Industry experts including Shannon Ferrell, Oklahoma State University; Troy Rowan, University of Tennessee; Jeff Goodwin, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension; Kent Andersen, Zoetis; among others, will cover important topics such as business management, emerging trends, grazing, sustainability, nutrition, herd health, succession planning, genetics and reproduction.
In addition, classroom sessions will be recorded and available for registered attendees to watch when they return home. Participants will also have the opportunity to attend an in-person Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training and become certified.
New York Times bestselling author Jon Acuff will headline the Cattlemen’s College general session on Wednesday, Feb. 4, and he is sure to inspire and spark innovation. Published in dozens of languages, his work is both critically acclaimed and adored by readers. When he’s not writing, Acuff can be found on a stage, as one of INC’s Top 100 Leadership Speakers. He’s spoken to hundreds of thousands of people at conferences, colleges and companies around the world.
In addition to Cattlemen’s College, there are numerous educational opportunities available on the NCBA Trade Show floor. Cattle Chats will feature 20-minute beef industry educational sessions. Attendees can also stop in the Learning Lounge to enjoy informal, face-to-face talks in an intimate setting. The new Marquee Stage will include a variety of speakers tackling topics such as reproductive technologies, vaccination programs, ag lending and crop protection.
Following CattleCon, the educational opportunities continue with a Grazing Management Workshop & Tour and Agricultural Tour on Friday, Feb. 6 available for an additional fee. These on-farm tours will provide hands-on experiences for participants.
Cattle producers attending Cattlemen’s College are eligible for the Rancher Resilience Grant, which provides reimbursement for registration and up to three nights of hotel. For more information and to apply, visit www.ncba.org/producers/rancher-resilience-grant.
For more information about CattleCon 2026 and to register, visit convention.ncba.org.
