By Sherry Hoyer and Patrick Wall
The Cornbelt Cow-Calf Conference, Iowa’s premier educational event for Iowa’s cow-calf sector, enters its 54th year, and the trade show and program set for Jan. 23–24, 2026, will certainly continue that tradition. The Bridge View Center in Ottumwa will again be hosting the CCCC, and admission will continue to be available at no cost thanks to ag industry vendors that will fill the exhibit hall.
Patrick Wall, beef field specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and CCCC program coordinator, said the event will again include a Friday afternoon/evening trade show, capped off by the "Taste the Difference" cookoff. Two products of the same cut will be prepared identically, and attendees can choose which one their taste buds prefer. The winner and the source of each cut will be revealed at the conclusion of the event. Visit with vendors, eat free beef and enjoy good company!
"Saturday morning will kick off with a topic that caused a lot of anxiety among cattle producers in southeast Iowa this year," Wall said. "Dr. Matt Brewer from the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine will speak about Asian Long-Horn Tick and New World Screwworm.”
Then, the focus will shift to the production side of the business and address the antagonisms that exist between maternal and terminal traits with Matt Spangle from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, followed by the event keynote address.
“Our keynote speaker couldn’t be more timely. I’m excited to hear what Cassandra Fish has to say about the current state of the industry, drawing from her experience at Tyson Foods,” Wall said.
Source : iastate.edu