Goat meat production is recognized as one of the fastest growing areas of the livestock industry in the United States, as a diverse ethnic population has created a greater demand for it. So it's fitting the marketing of goat meat would get its own conference.The National Goat Conference, the first sponsored by an educational institution, will be held next month at Florida A&M University from Sept. 12-15 at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center.
The four-day event will tackle critical issues related to the goat industry and focus on the need for proper training and utilizing innovative technology available today to operate a profitable farm of livestock. The theme for the conference is ``Strengthening the Goat Industry.''
The keynote speaker will be David G. Pugh, DVM, veterinarian, and internationally recognized expert. Pugh is the author of a book entitled ``Sheep and Goat Medicine.'' Some 600 participants from across the country are expected to attend.
Focus will be on topics such as nutrition and pasture management, herd health and management, marketing and processing, reproduction and biotechnology, genetics and breeding, food science and safety, and technology transfer. There will also be a session on sheep production and management.
Sponsors for the conference include: the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program; Association of Extension Administrators (AEA); the University of Florida; Risk Management Agency/USDA and Farm Credit. Online registration is currently open at http://www.famu.edu/goats.