Livestock issues will be highlighted at the 99th annual Nebraska Farmers Union convention Saturday in Grand Island at the Midtown Holiday Inn.

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Livestock producers and the public are invited to attend.

Nationally recognized livestock market expert J. Dudley Butler, the retired head of USDA's Grain, Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Act will report on congressional efforts to update USDA’s anti-trust regulations with clearly defined terms and standards.

Butler will speak about the future of the livestock industry. He will make his presentation 9 a.m. Saturday morning, the second day of the two-day convention.

Later Saturday morning, Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska President and Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion Board member Dave Wright will report on beef checkoff activities and issues.

“Since 1980, meat packer consolidation, non-competitive marketing practices, and vertical integration have squeezed thousands of livestock producers in Nebraska out of business," NeFU President John Hansen said. "Nationally, according to the latest USDA data, there are 42% fewer beef producers, 91% fewer swine producers, 82% fewer dairy producers, and 33% fewer sheep producers."

"Unfortunately, while livestock producers have done an outstanding job of producing high quality livestock and milk, they failed to produce the necessary profit to pay their bills and stay in business," Hansen said.

"It is high time we address the root cause for the loss of livestock producers instead of chasing meat packer-financed-media-disinformation that has generated wild-goose-chase-diversions," Hansen said.

The agenda for the entire NeFU Convention held Dec. 7-8 can be found HERE.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. Friday. The convention begins at 9 a.m. Friday and resumes 8:30 a.m. Saturday. As always, Farmers Union members and the public are invited to attend.