"...when the last individual of a race of living things breathes no more, another Heaven and another Earth must pass before such a one can be again."
-William Beebe

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Welcome

Each year the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) hosts a national conference. This year the conference returns to the Northeast, the place of ALBC’s roots, and yet the materials and content are fresh and new. We are excited to be in Madison County, New York, where the oldest and largest industry is dairy farming. Wrapped in this history and tradition, ALBC is excited to premier its 2-day intensive dairy processing workshop as a new outlet for approaching conservation.

The ALBC conference is unique and unlike any other “ag” conference in the United States. Agricultural conferences are about the “how-to’s” of farming, and this year’s conference is no different, but the underlying theme of the ALBC Conference is genomic conservation and the “music of biodiversity.”

The nuance is in the details. Rare breeds are unique and the husbandry required for these breeds reflects their unique nature and characteristics. This year’s offerings on managing bulls, rams, and bucks; raising turkeys and hogs; cooking poultry; and dairy processing are founded on conservation. This is what sets the ALBC Conference apart.

The musical theme resonates most profoundly when ALBC members, supporters, and friends gather for the conference. Together we celebrate the flavors of rare breed animal products and regional cuisine; the stories of people, animals, and culture; the willing exchange of inherited and hard-earned knowledge; and the aspirations of future stewards. We look forward to welcoming you to this year’s conference. Come explore with us the vital and invigorating challenge of re-incorporating endangered breeds in our farming, our culture, and our cuisine.

Sincerely,

Marjorie Bender, Research and Technical Programs Director
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ALBC Conference Structure:

If you have never attended an ALBC conference, consider making this your first. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet other ALBC members and staff and to learn from leaders in the agricultural, sustainable, and rare breed fields. For those attending your first conference, the conference begins with pre-conference clinics which occur Thursday and Friday. Pre-conference clinics allow attendees to attend in-depth, hands-on studies on specfic topics. These clinics are a la carte and individually priced.

The conference officially kicks-off on Friday evening with a rare breed dinner and the announcement of the Conservation Award winner. At this year’s conference, ALBC members will share in the unveiling of the Heritage Cattle definition at the Friday night event. Poster sessions will allow members to showcase their farm, breed, products, and more.

Saturday is a full day of conference sessions for learning and networking. All members will convene for a plenary session and then members can choose which seminar and lecture topics fit their interests. There will be three different topics during each time slot from which members can choose to attend. Members again convene for lunch, networking, and the annual general members meeting. Saturday afternoon is followed by additional concurrent sessions and ends with a final plenary. The Saturday evening dinner, in the lodge overlooking Lake Moraine, allows members to gather one last time to network and socialize before heading home.

We look forward to seeing you in November!