Data, disease and the future of livestock: Statewide summit April 29 to unite leaders in animal health

Experts from across Kansas — including the state’s top veterinarian and researchers focused on emerging threats and advanced analytics — will gather April 29 in Council Grove for the Animal Health Intelligence Summit to share strategies for protecting livestock and advancing innovation in animal health.

The summit is cohosted by Kansas State University’s Institute for Digital Agriculture and Advanced Analytics, or ID3A, and the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center, or NABC, and is open to cattle producers, veterinarians, researchers and industry partners.

The event will take place from 1-4 p.m. April 29 at HP Spur, a new education facility in Council Grove owned by Tom Jones, owner of Hy-Plains Feedyard, followed by a prime rib dinner at 5 p.m. The summit and dinner are free, but registration is required. The deadline to register is 5 p.m. April 22. Visit the Animal Health Intelligence Summit registration webpage to sign up.

Livestock leaders will receive timely updates from experts at the Kansas Department of Agriculture and K-State’s Center for Outcomes Research and Epidemiology, including insights on emerging animal health threats and key issues shaping the cattle industry. The NABC and its research partner, Decision Innovation Solutions, also will share new analysis and tools to support industry resilience and decision-making.

“The cattle industry is the largest economic sector in Kansas agriculture, so the health of Kansas cattle is of the utmost importance to the Kansas Division of Animal Health,” said Justin Smith, animal health commissioner and state veterinarian with the Kansas Department of Agriculture, who will speak at the summit. “We appreciate the insight that we gain from research into animal disease; for example, we monitor the data showing the impact of cattle diseases in other parts of the world and use that in our response planning here in the U.S.”

One of the most significant threats facing the U.S. cattle industry is the outbreak of a foreign animal disease, or FAD, a rapidly spreading crisis capable of causing widespread cattle losses, disrupting production and triggering significant economic fallout. At the summit, Decision Innovation Solutions leaders will simulate a cattle supply outbreak to spark discussion on potential consequences and strategies to mitigate the impact of an FAD event on the beef industry and broader food system.