Published on May 8, 2026 10:00 am
Last Updated on May 8, 2026 10:00 am
The 2026 Heart of America Grazing Conference will be held in Effingham July 15–16. The event will be headquartered at the Effingham Event Center on West Fayette.
It will be the first time in several years Illinois has hosted the five-state rotating conference, according to the Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition. A few highlights include the following:
• Farm tour at the operation of Curt Rincker, a Master Grazier Award recipient and past president of the Illinois Beef Association
• Keynote speaker Steve Campbell, known as the “cattle coach,” will discuss cattle genetics and grazing-based production
• Sessions will cover virtual fencing, cropland grazing, bale grazing and multi-species grazing — topics with growing interest among Illinois livestock producers
• “Build a Regenerative Grazing System” competition for ages 14–22
Registration is open at ilgrazinglands.org/events/heart-of-america-grazing-conference.
