The Monett Area Chamber of Commerce will bring back its popular agriculture conferences in 2025.
Monett Dairy Day and the Beef Cattlemen’s Conference will again be held on the same day, Tuesday, Feb. 18, at the Scott Regional Technology Center, north of Monett High School on the school campus. This is the same location where conferences were held in 2023.
The events represent a return to the Chamber’s historic outreach to the agriculture community, undertaken with the cooperation of the University of Missouri Extension Service. Chamber President Brad Hill, Chamber Operations And Events Manager Colten Coy, and Chamber Member And Relationships Manager Jasmine Burks are heading up the events, with the Extension providing the speakers.
The conferences will again feature a trade show for vendors offering products and services for local agriculture producers. Vendors interested in participating can book space by calling the Chamber office at 417-235-7919 or by email at chamber@monettchamber. com.
Dairy Day will run from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will feature four presenters.
Darron Schoen with Scho Me Insurance Agency in Monett will speak on insurance options for dairy producers. Adauto Rocha Jr., assistant Extension professor in agricultural economics with the University of Missouri-Columbia, will speak on “Navigating Change: Impacts of the US Department of Agriculture’s Final Decision on Federal Milk Marketing Orders for Southwest Missouri Dairy Producers.”
Stacey Dohle with the Midwest Dairy Association will speak on trends in dairy consumption. Bill Brooks, an economic analyst with Stoneheart Consulting, which forecasts the dairy market, will close the program by offering an economic outlook for 2025.
Lunch will be provided.
The Beef Conference will run from 6 to 9 p.m. Dinner will be catered by Prime Cut in Monett.
Speakers will include Ian McGregor, Extension livestock field specialist, focusing on forage-based nutrition for cows. Dr. Eric Bailey, associate professor and the state beef nutrition specialist at the University of Missouri, will speak on “Finishing cull heifers: nutrition and management.”
Bill Brooks will conclude the program by offering an outlook on the beef industry.
Organizers hope for a large turnout as they bring back what had been an annual event in Monett for 52 years.