Post Conference Blog

The preparation, the planning, and the conference calls are over for the 2015 Grassfed Exchange conference. Michigan hosted us with some really great weather and ended it with a nice shower. How great of a job Dr. Jason Rowntree and his fellow workers at Michigan State University did in preparing for us and the great job they did. Great grass fed hamburgers and a very informative afternoon we were able to enjoy at the Lake City research center. Thank You MSU for stepping up to the plate and providing some of the research in the grassfed industry that is so desperately needed.

My apologies to all of you who found the timing bad or the distance too far to travel for I think you missed a great conference but, one of the great things that we are going to be able to do this year, is because of the very generous gift from our newest company to enter the grass fed market, JBS INC. We will be able to put most of the conference on line for each of you to download or listen to. You will, however have missed out on the great one on one conversations that took place many times at the conference. Many feel this is one of the most valuable things about the conference.

You each are entrepreneurs and have a great story to tell. I am sorry I am not able to hear everyone’s story, but of those I was fortunate enough to hear, I am encouraged by what you are doing and for the future of the health of our soil and the quality of the food that you are producing for the consumer we serve. I am proud of YOU, the people who are a part of this industry.

We had a great trade show with 31 exhibitors. Each one of them add so much to the success of the conference. Our speaker line up was one of the best yet. Blaine Hitzfield opened the conference with an outstanding presentation. When you listen to the conference be sure not to miss this one. Luke Linnenbringer definitely got us think outside the box. We had great practical presentations by Dr Ben and Denise Bartlett, Jon Nelson, and the excitement of the MSU folks to share what they have learned. We finished the day with Nicolette Niman sharing with us the challenges we face with some of our consumers who are not exactly on the same page with us when it comes to producing food.

Mike Lorentz shared how the producer and processor can work together. Mark Schatzker shared with us some of the health issues we face because of the quality and the way food is flavored to deceive the consumer. Check out his new book the “Dorito Effect”. We were fortunate to have with us Dr. Daphne Miller who shared with us “food as a medicine” and how important it is, as well as where and how it is produced in the context of the nutrient, Immunity, and Mood cycles. We had a couple of great roundtable discussions in the afternoon about “Our Changing Industry” and Ranch Succession.

We now make plans to bring the Grassfed Exchange conference to the Southeastern United States in late April of 2016. It will be held in Perry, GA at the state fairgrounds where we will once again bring back the livestock displays that many of you have enjoyed at earlier conferences. In addition to speakers like Dr. Mercola, Dr. Fred Provenza, Gabe Brown, and a tour of White Oaks Pasture we will have entertainment and a grassfed barbeque instead of the banquet.

I want to say thank you to all of you who have supported us over the years and have been in attendance. We do hope you have found what we have to share with you worthwhile and revitalizing to each of your own situations. Please tell others about what you were able to learn at the conferences, and I encourage each of you to make plans now for the best ever conference on April 27, 28, and 29th of 2016 in Perry GA.

A very special thanks to a wonderful committee that I have been blessed with and our event planner Kathy Richburg.

Wayne Rasmussen chairmen of the Grassfed Exchange