UNL Beef Innovation Annual Fall Workshop 

October 23-24, 2024 

Great Plains Rooms B-C, East Campus, Lincoln 

Workshop goals 

• Stakeholders leave equipped to discuss the Research-Teaching-Extension land grant mission UNL has in Beef Innovation’s strategic areas, the value UNL is adding to the beef industry, how UNL intends to continue contributing into the future, and how the industry can support UNL’s work. 
• UNL Beef Innovation Community members leave with specific direction, committed to addressing the issues facing Nebraska’s beef industry and providing data and scientific solutions accompanied by social and communications support. 

Wednesday, Oct. 23 

9:00 – Coffee and Informal networking 

9:30 – Welcome – Led by Derek McLean and Galen Erickson, UNL 

9:45 – Conversation with the NU President – Insights around rural health and prosperity, and his vision as President. Dr. Jeffrey P. Gold, Ninth President of the University of Nebraska 

10:30 – Session 1 – Key Issues & Opportunities for the Hub. Led by Galen Erickson, UNL, and Jud Jesske, Farm Credit Services of America 

• Current Beef Industry Fundamentals and Cow Herd Expansion Snapshot. Jeff Stolle, Nebraska Cattlemen 
• Rural Prosperity Nebraska, another Hub of the UNL Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources: examples of assets and opportunities which help communities begin to address rural issues. Jordan Grummert Rasmussen, UNL 
• Additional topics as suggested through the pre-workshop survey, as time permits 

12:00 – Lunch buffet & Beef Innovators Student Presentations. Led by Emily Eilers & Anna Kobza, UNL students 

1:00 – Session 2 – Highlights of Successes in the Hub Community. Led by Jessica Sperber, UNL, and Laura Field, Nebraska Cattlemen 

• "A Day in the Life" videos to promote workforce recruitment and retention. Jessica Sperber, UNL 
• Key Extension Programs. Jessica Sperber, UNL 
• Strategic Initiatives and updates from CASNR. Tom Burkey, UNL 
• Strategic Initiatives and updates from Nebraska Extension. Charles Stoltenow, UNL 
• Communication efforts and impacts. Maria Tibbetts, UNL 
• Haskell Center for Heifer Development. Connor Biehler, UNL 
• Collaborative Adaptive Management at the Barta Brothers Ranch. Craig Allen and Jerry Volesky, UNL 
• Infrastructure supporting Beef Innovation research, teaching, and extension: The Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center at ENREEC. Galen Erickson, UNL 
• Highlights of Successes in the Hub Community. Galen Erickson, UNL 

• Open the floor to other highlights and discussions as time permits. 

3:00 – Break 

3:15 – Session 3 – Highlights of Current Environmental Sustainability Work in the Hub Community. Led by Galen Erickson, UNL, and Warren White, Prime Pursuits 

• Introduction, Galen Erickson, UNL 
• Long Term Agroecosystem Research Network. Virginia Jin, USDA ARS 
• Understanding host, microbial, environmental, and management factors towards methane mitigation. Paul Kononoff, UNL 
• Increasing capacity for methane data capture: Global Methane Hub proposal. Matt Spangler, UNL 
• Taking Action: Utilizing Pollution Grant Dollars to Provide Nebraskan Producers with Value-Added Opportunities. Andrew Dunkley, NDEE, and Hank Robinson, Aksarben Foundation 
• Measuring Nebraska Agricultural Carbon Intensity, Greg Ibach, UNL 
• Advancing Development of Assessments, Practices, and Tools (ADAPT) to Produce Climate Smart Beef in Grazing Systems, A UNL Grand Challenge, Galen Erickson, UNL 

5:00 – Day 1 Wrap-up, Take-Home Messages, Action Items. Led by Galen Erickson, Maria Tibbetts, UNL, and Chris Kalkowski, First National Bank of Omaha 

6:00 – Happy Hour (hosted by Beef Innovation members), and Networking Dinner 

Thursday, Oct. 24 

8:30 – Continental breakfast & informal networking 

9:00 – Session 4 – New Directions for the Beef Innovation Hub 

Led by Ruth Woiwode, UNL and Jess Hinrichs, Zoetis 

• One Health: a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach for enhancing human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health. Liz VanWormer, UNL 
• H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza: Impacts on cattle health and zoonotic potential. Matt Hille, UNL 
• Bovine respiratory disease pathogens and antimicrobial resistance- what is new? Dustin Loy, UNL 
• Advancing animal welfare in Nebraska. Ruth Woiwode, UNL 
• Prime Education: Introduction to Butchery and Meat Processing. Gary Sullivan, UNL 

11:00 – Session 5 – Research and Funding Priorities: How they are set & how to influence them. Discussion led by Derek McLean, Dean, Agricultural Research Division 

12:00 – Lunch buffet 

1:00 – Workshop Wrap-up, Take-Home Messages, and Action Items. Led by Session leaders. 

2:00 – Adjourn with optional time for additional discussions