NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD NEWS) — The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is preparing to wrap the biggest CattleCon in history here in Nashville — but the final day of the world’s largest beef conference promises to be a big day for the record 9,400 cattle producers in attendance.
“It is exciting to see thousands of producers gather together with the common goal of moving our business forward,” said NCBA President Buck Wehrbein. “This record attendance demonstrates the dedication our producers have to driving beef demand and creating policy that secures a bright future for the next generation of producers.”
On Thursday, guests will get a chance to hear from a member of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., will join NCBA leadership for a fireside chat on Thursday at 3:30 CT.
Kennedy is attending CattleCon to discuss nutrition priorities through the Administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative and share his take on the recently announced dietary guidelines.
But before that, CattleCon is all about policy — from biosecurity talks surrounding the outbreak of New World Screwworm in Mexico to trade deals and the creation of a thriving market for cattle ranchers. RFD NEWS Markets Specialist Tony St. James sat down with NCBA’s Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, Ethan Lane, to learn his perspective on those topics and his thoughts on the year ahead.
Later on Thursday evening, NCBA is hosting two back-to-back country music performances, “Cowboy’s Night at the Opry,” in the Historic Ryman Auditorium, the Opry’s original location and “Mother Church” of the Nashville Sound.
Headlining tonight’s performances is none other than country superstar Vince Gill and supporting act, The Castellows.
While CattleCon will soon be over for the year, NCBA officials promise to pick up the fun again in 2027, announcing that next year the conference will once again be held in Nashville.
Shaun Haney joined RFD News to discuss the potential impact of the Trump-Xi summit uncertainty, ongoing agricultural trade talks, and why geopolitical developments could carry important implications for farmers and global commodity markets.
