For more information, contact: Scarlett Madinger or Rachel Waggie (785) 273-5115
(TOPEKA) – The decisions livestock producers make today can have lasting effects on their operations, from how they respond to rural development pressures to how they meet changing consumer expectations and manage market uncertainty. The 2026 Kansas Livestock Association (KLA) Convention & Expo will offer timely information and expert perspectives on these issues and more for ranchers, cattle feeders, dairy farmers and other industry stakeholders planning to be at the Hilton Garden Inn and Convention Center in Manhattan November 18-20.
The event will start Wednesday afternoon with the new KLA Branding Party, a fundraiser for the Kansas Livestock Foundation (KLF) Scholarship Program. For a $250 donation, members can burn their brand into a wooden plank that will be displayed in the KLA office in Topeka. All proceeds will benefit youth in agriculture through KLF’s scholarship fund. The come-and-go party will run from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Later that evening, convention attendees can enjoy the Cattlemen’s Banquet, sponsored by FERA Diagnostics & Biologicals, INTRUST Bank, MWI Animal Health and Tyson Fresh Meats. Longtime KLA members will be honored, scholarship recipients recognized, and a live auction will be held to benefit the KLA Political Action Committee, KLF and Ranchland Trust of Kansas. Tim the Dairy Farmer, a Florida dairyman and stand-up comedian known for his humor about agriculture and rural life, will round out the evening. He performs at agricultural events, comedy clubs and festivals across North America and can be heard on SiriusXM. MWI Animal Health is sponsoring his performance.
Thursday morning’s Beef Industry University, sponsored by the Farm Credit Associations of Kansas, will focus on data center development and its implications for rural communities. Speakers Robin Roberts and Autumn Lankford Higgins will discuss the factors driving data center expansion and considerations for livestock producers when projects are proposed in their communities, including utility usage, zoning regulations and noise levels. Roberts grew up in rural Kansas and owns Central Power Systems & Services, which he acquired in 2015. Higgins joined the American Farm Bureau Federation in 2025 as director of government affairs, focusing on agricultural policy issues involving technology and rural development.
The Kansas Beef Council’s (KBC) Consumer Trends Forum, sponsored by the Kansas Soybean Commission, will take place Thursday afternoon. KBC staff members Scott Stebner, Abby Heidari and Hailey Gilbreath will examine how social media, health professionals and educators influence consumer perceptions of beef, nutrition and cooking. They also will discuss how KBC uses marketing and educational programs to build demand for beef.
The convention will conclude Friday with the Membership Breakfast, sponsored by the Farm Credit Associations of Kansas, Smithfield and U.S. Premium Beef. CattleFax Chief Executive Officer Randy Blach will provide a cattle market outlook addressing historically high cattle prices, tight supplies and ongoing market uncertainty. Elanco Animal Health is sponsoring Blach’s presentation.
A complete schedule, hotel information, and both online and printable registration forms are available at www.kla.org under Events & Meetings. Those preferring to register by phone can call KLA at (785) 273-5115. All livestock producers and industry stakeholders are welcome to attend the KLA Convention & Expo.
KLA works to advance members’ common business interests on legislative, regulatory and industry issues affecting producers at both the state and federal levels. The association’s work is funded through voluntary dues dollars paid by its members.
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