CONTACT:        Joe Schuele      303-850-3360     jschuele@beef.org

NOTE:              Additional conference information and ad slicks are available at:

                        http://www.beefusa.org/convfactsheets48.aspx

Early Registration Closing Soon for Cattle Industry Summer Conference

DENVER (July 5, 2005) –  Early registration draws to a close this week for the 2005 Cattle Industry Summer Conference. The conference will be held in downtown Denver July 26 to July 30. It is sponsored by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board (CBB), American National CattleWomen, Inc. (ANCW) and Cattle-Fax.

For those who miss the early registration deadline, on-site registration will be available beginning July 26. The deadline for conference hotel registration has passed, but the Adam’s Mark Hotel is still honoring the special conference rate of $129 per night. To make a reservation, contact the hotel directly at (303) 893-3333.

Early arrivals to the conference will be welcomed with a day of summer fun on Tuesday, July 26. The NCBA-PAC Golf Tournament will be held at beautiful Arrowhead Golf Club, beginning at 12:30 p.m. ANCW welcomes conference attendees with an ice cream social and affiliate showcase, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday’s agenda is reserved for business meetings of the sponsoring organizations, including the NCBA Executive Committee, ANCW Executive Committee, Cattle-Fax Board of Directors and the CBB Executive Committee and Administration Subcommittee.

Thursday offers a full day of industry issues forums, council meetings and regional caucus meetings. The theme of the Beef Industry Issues Forums, sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health, is “Understanding the Business and Consumer Climate.” The objectives of these forums are to foster understanding of key industry issues and enhance knowledge-based decision making. Topics to be discussed include:

• Animal ID
• BSE
• Foot-and-mouth disease – crisis preparedness
• Beef product opportunities and challenges
• Beef industry’s youth initiative

The NCBA Officers Forum will also be held Thursday, from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. This session offers cattlemen the opportunity to discuss any issues impacting the industry with the top officers of NCBA.

NCBA and ANCW will also sponsor a Student Day of Education on Thursday. College and college-bound students interested in a career in agriculture have the opportunity to attend an afternoon panel discussion with ag professionals, and will conclude their day with a workshop refining their resume-writing and career development skills.

NCBA Policy committee and subcommittee meetings and Joint Industry committee and subcommittee meetings dominate Friday’s agenda. The conference adjourns on Saturday, July 30, with a CBB meeting and NCBA Board of Directors meeting.

For more information about the 2005 Cattle Industry Summer Conference, please contact the Convention Department at (303) 694-0305 or go online at www.BeefUSA.org.

###