The Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative (NEBPI), a subcontractor to the beef checkoff, was proud to be involved as a collaborator for Virginia Beef Cattle University, which took place July 21 – 23 at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA.
As part of its mission to strengthen beef demand and trust in the Northeast, NEBPI’s involvement in the 2025 event emphasizes its commitment to supporting producer education, wellness, nutrition and storytelling across agriculture communities.
The 2025 Virginia Beef Cattle University brought together beef producers, Extension professionals and industry partners for three days of workshops, breakout sessions and networking. The comprehensive program included hands‑on learning in herd health, nutrition and forages, reproduction, precision technologies and meat sciences, along with business management and marketing strategies to strengthen the regional beef industry.
NEBPI’s presence and involvement helped bring Northeast-specific expertise and checkoff-funded resources to the forefront of the educational experience. NEBPI’s highlight included an interactive workshop titled “Beef with a Story: Marketing Beef to Your Local Communities,” led by Amanda Radke, a fifth-generation cattle rancher, author and national speaker from Mitchell, SD. She is the host of “The Heart of Rural America” podcast and is widely recognized for her passionate advocacy for agriculture, rural communities and the beef industry.
Attendees also had the opportunity to engage further with Radke during two additional breakout sessions titled “Marketing Directly to Consumers” and “From Farm to Freezer: Economics of Direct-to-Consumer Sales.”
“Supporting this event allowed us to provide Northeast producers with valuable, research-driven information they can apply back on their operations,” said Kaitlyn Swope, director of marketing with NEBPI. “The opportunity to connect, learn and collaborate alongside producers from neighboring states is critical to the success of the region’s beef community.”
For more information about beef promotion in the Northeast, visit www.nebpi.org.
