Colorado Livestock Association 2026 Annual Meeting
June 8-9, 2026
Monarch Casino Resort & Spa, Black Hawk, Colorado
The CLA Annual Meeting brings together livestock producers, industry leaders, and partners from across the state to connect, discuss key issues, and help shape the future of Colorado’s livestock sector. It’s a valuable opportunity to stay informed, share perspectives, and strengthen our industry together.
Join us June 8–9 at the beautiful Monarch Resort Casino & Spa in Black Hawk for engaging discussions, networking, and industry updates.
Register before May 20 to lock in the reduced rate—prices increase after that date!
Hotel Details
Discounted Rate: $119.00/night **taxes and fees apply, see below.
Deadline: May 20, 2026, at 5:00 pm
Monarch Casino Resort and Spa, 488 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422
Book a room online or call 303.582.1000 or toll-free 800.723.6500 (Reference Monarch in Black Hawk) and mention Colorado Livestock Association for the discounted rate of $119.00, plus a $29.00 resort fee*, per room, per night, plus tax. The discounted room rate will be honored June 7 – June 10 for family vacation plans, as available.
Special Event:
Raise a Glass on the Rooftop With Us!
Keep the celebration going after the Colorado’s Finest with an exclusive Laws Whiskey Tasting on the rooftop. Enjoy a curated selection of bourbon and rye from Denver’s Laws Whiskey House while connecting with fellow attendees in a relaxed rooftop setting.
Even better—proceeds benefit the CLA Industry Preservation Fund, supporting the future of Colorado’s livestock industry.
When registering, be sure to select the Laws Whiskey Tasting add-on to reserve your spot.
Spots are limited—don’t miss out!
Registration
Early-Bird Registration Deadline: May 20, 2026
Early-Bird Registration Rates
Full Registration – $150
Single Day - Monday, June 8 – $60
Single Day - Tuesday, June 9 – $90
Late Registration Rates – After May 20, 2025
Full Registration – $200
Single Day - Monday, June 8– $85
Single Day - Tuesday, June 9 – $115
For more info, contact (970) 378-0500 or office@coloradolivestock.org
Sponsors: Please use your complimentary code (coming soon) when registering!
Schedule
Monday, June 8, 2026
12:30 Â Registration Open 5th Floor Elevator Lobby
12:30Â Â Sponsor Set-Up Crystal I-III
1:00Â Â CLA Council Meetings 5th Floor
-Dairy Council Crystal Retreat
-Feeder Council Crystal I
-Producer Council Crystal I
-Swine Council Crystal I
-Industry Partner Council Crystal IV
1:35  State of the Association Town Hall Crystal IV
2:25Â Â Ice Cream Social 5th Floor
2:45Â Â "Livestock Market Situation and Outlook" Crystal IV
-Tyler Cozzens, Livestock Marketing Information Center
3:30Â Â Breakout Speaker Sessions
“Transition Planning: Family, Land, Legacy" Crystal Retreat
-Don Richards, Texarado Western Advisors, LLC
"Biosecurity for Livestock Operations"Â Crystal IV
-Julia Herman, DVM DACVPM, National Cattlemen's Beef Association
-Jason Lombard DVM MS, Colorado State University AgNext
4:30Â Â Welcome Reception Crystal I - III
Raise a toast, engage in meaningful conversations, and make great connections all thanks to our incredible sponsors for the evening’s welcome reception!
Join us for an unforgettable evening at Colorado's Finest Celebration, where great company and delicious flavors come together! Enjoy a selection of heavy appetizers featuring beef, pork, dairy, and lamb, all crafted to impress.
NEW EVENT: Enjoy a curated selection of bourbon and rye from Laws Whiskey House while connecting with fellow attendees in a relaxed rooftop setting. Proceeds benefit the CLA Industry Preservation Fund.
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
6:45Â Â Registration Open 5th Floor Elevator Lobby
6:45Â Â Grab & Go Breakfast Crystal Retreat
8:00Â Â Keynote "Livestock: The Vital Link to Global Food Security"Â Crystal I - IV
-Dr. Gbola Adasogan, Global Food Systems Institute and University of Florida
9:00Â Â Annual Membership Meeting Crystal I - IV
-Treasurer's Report
-Nominating Committee Report
-Legislative Briefing
-CEO Management Report
10:35Â Milk and Cookie Break Crystal Retreat
11:00 "Federal Policy In Motion: What It Means for Livestock Producers Today and What’s Ahead" Crystal I - IV
12:15Â Â Past President's Lunch Bistro Mariposa
-Recognition of Past Presidents
-Top Choice Award
-Outgoing Presidential Address
-Industry Partner Recognition
2:00Â Â Send-off
2:30Â Â Board of Directors Meeting Crystal Retreat
Keynote - Livestock: The Vital Link to Global Food Security
Dr. Gbola Adesogan
Associate Vice President and Director, Global Food Systems Institute, E.T. and V.C. York Professor of International Agriculture, and Professor of Animal Nutrition, University of Florida
Dr. Adesogan received his B.S. in 1988 at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and his M.S. and Ph.D. at the University of Reading, UK. He was a faculty member at the University of Wales, UK, from 1995 to 2001, and is the Associate Vice President, E. T. and V. C. York Professor of International Agriculture, Director of the Global Food Systems Institute, and Professor of Animal Nutrition.
He was the Principal Investigator and Director of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Livestock Systems for 8 years, which developed novel strategies to use livestock and animal-source foods to improve the nutrition, health, and incomes of the vulnerable in 10 African and Asian countries.
He has served on the editorial boards of various journals and authored or coauthored over 780 publications, including 200 in peer-reviewed journals. He has received over $90 million in research grants, delivered over 200 international seminars in more than 25 countries, and received awards from various professional and charitable organizations. In 2026, he was selected as a Fellow of the American Dairy Science Association, the American Society of Animal Science, and the American Society for the Advancement of Science.
Dr. Adesogan’s work is driven by a broader mission to address global hunger and malnutrition, especially in developing countries, by increasing access to nutritious animal-source foods and sustainable livestock systems. He will discuss his experiences at the Feed the Future Innovation Lab and its findings regarding the importance of livestock products in global food security.
The Importance of Biosecurity on Livestock Operations
Jason Lombard, DVM MS
Associate Professor, Livestock Population Health Management/Epidemiology
Colorado State University AgNext and College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Dr. Lombard grew up in Colorado and spent his early years on his family’s cattle ranch. After obtaining his DVM from CSU, he practiced primarily dairy cattle medicine in Wisconsin for almost 10 years. He returned to CSU and completed a master’s degree in epidemiology while working for USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS). He coordinated multiple National studies, primarily focused on the dairy industry. While with USDA, he also participated on an Incident Management Team and was deployed for multiple cattle and poultry diseases during his 20-year federal career. Dr. Lombard moved to CSU in 2023. Since April of 2024, he has spent most of his time working to better understand HPAI in dairy cattle.
Julia Herman, DVM DACVPM
Beef Cattle Specialist Veterinarian
National Cattlemen's Beef Association
Dr. Julia Herman serves as the Beef Cattle Specialist Veterinarian at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. She has spent time in private practice in Kansas, teaching livestock medicine in the Colorado State University Veterinary Medicine program, and currently leads education development and veterinary outreach for the Producer Education team and Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program. Her focuses include improving animal health and welfare, biosecurity, and employee education. She represents NCBA on cattle health and welfare advisory committees for national veterinary organizations and agricultural groups. Julia earned her DVM (2015) and MS (2013) from Colorado State University and is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine.
Transition Planning: Family, Land, Legacy
Don Richards, CFP, CPFA, CSP
Owner/Advisor, Texarado Western
Don Richards, has been a financial advisor and independent insurance broker since 1984. He holds engineering and finance degrees from the University of Colorado and the University of Denver, along with multiple professional designations. He is the founder of The Richards Financial Group and Texarado Western Advisors, is affiliated with The Benefit Team, and provides investment services through Cetera Wealth Services.
Don is active in numerous professional and community organizations, serving in leadership roles with groups such as the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Farm Bureau, and several agricultural and education foundations. He has received multiple honors, including Denver Business Journal’s Leaders in Agriculture (2025), Daniels College of Business Alumnus of the Year (2015), and Denver Chamber of Commerce Small-Business Advocate of the Year (2008).
State of the Association Town Hall
Kory Kessinger
President
Colorado Livestock Association
Britt Dinis
President-Elect
Colorado Livestock Association
Kenny Rogers
Immediate Past President
Colorado Livestock Association
Brett Rutledge
Treasurer
Colorado Livestock Association
Travis Grant
Chief Executive Officer/Secretary
Colorado Livestock Association
Livestock Market Situation and Outlook
Tyler Cozzens, PhD
Director and Agricultural Economist, Livestock Marketing Information Center
Tyler Cozzens is the Director and Agricultural Economist at the Livestock Marketing Information Center. He has been with the LMIC since 2019, providing economic analysis for the livestock and feed sectors. Previously, Tyler worked as an agricultural economist at the United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) in Washington, D.C., where he provided situation and outlook economic analysis on U.S. and global livestock production and trade. Tyler also worked for the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services National Wildlife Research Center (USDA/APHIS/WS/NWRC), evaluating animal disease prevalence in U.S. food animal populations and unregulated wildlife populations. Tyler received his Ph.D. in agricultural economics from Colorado State University, where his research focused on the economics of animal health.
Federal Policy In Motion: What It Means for Livestock Producers Today and What’s Ahead
Moderator: Dr. Kim Stackhouse-Lawson
Director and Professor
Colorado State University AgNext
Ethan Lane
Senior Vice President of Government Affairs
National Cattlemens Beef Association
Daniel Munch
Economist
American Farm Bureau Federation
Lucy Russell
Director of Producer Engagement
National Pork Producers Council
A Top Colorado Destination
Black Hawk is one of Colorado’s most historic and well-known casino gaming cities. Beautiful scenery, luxury accommodations, and great gaming options make it the perfect getaway, whether you’re coming from Denver or beyond.
Black Hawk and the surrounding area also have activities and events for the kids. Check out some of these suggestions to ensure your entire family is entertained when you visit.
Sponsorship
Deadline: May 8, 2026
Please contact Brittany Dennison at bdennison@coloradolivestock.org to discuss sponsorship opportunities.