LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, part of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE), invites cattle producers from across the state to attend the first Kentucky Cow-Calf Summit on Oct. 29 at the L.D. Brown Ag Expo Center in Bowling Green.

Under the theme “Building Opportunity,” the summit will give cow-calf producers practical information and a forum to explore financing, land access, succession planning and strategic growth.

“We built an agenda that we felt really tried to address the challenges identified at the leadership conference, such as land availability, getting the next generation involved and really addressing some of the barriers to entry within the beef industry,” said Katie VanValin, Ph.D., assistant Extension professor of beef cattle nutrition at Martin-Gatton CAFE.

The summit grew out of the 2025 Mid-South Beef Leadership Conference, where Kentucky and Tennessee producers, county agents and industry leaders identified access to land and involving the next generation in farming as two pressing concerns for the beef industry.

Featured speakers include Steve Isaacs, Ph.D., UK Extension farm management specialist, who will discuss how goal setting connects daily decisions with a producer’s larger purpose; Chris Cooper, of Central Kentucky Ag Credit, who will offer a lender’s perspective on barriers to entry, business growth and financing opportunities; and John Genho, of Eldon Farms in Woodville, Va., who will share strategies for improving operational efficiency and creating opportunities for long-term success.

The program will also feature a producer panel titled “Building Opportunity: Producer Perspectives,” interactive producer exchange sessions, an Operation Opportunity workshop and the UK Beef Extension Awards Luncheon.

Although the program is designed with cow-calf operations in mind, organizers encourage all Kentucky cattle producers, regardless of herd size or experience level, to attend. The summit may be especially useful for beginning and first-generation cattle farmers, producers preparing for succession or bringing the next generation into an operation, and those seeking to expand or gain access to land.

Registration and coffee begin at 8:30 a.m. CT, followed by the program at 9 a.m. at the L.D. Brown Ag Expo Center, 406 Elrod Road, Bowling Green, Ky. The summit will conclude at 4 p.m.

Registration is $30 per person or $50 per couple and includes lunch. Register online at Kentucky Cow-Calf Summit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kentucky-cow-calf-summit-tickets. For more information, contact Michelle Padgett, Extension beef associate, at michelle.padgett@uky.edu.