Mark your calendars for November 12-15!

The 98th Annual Montana Farm Bureau Federation Convention and Tradeshow is slated for Billings; hosted again by the Northern Hotel and the Double Tree by Hilton, we’ve got four days chalk full of events you’re not going to want to miss.

Dr. Garry Lacefield, Professor Emeritus at the University of Kentucky will be joining us Monday November 13th with his presentation, “Gratitude and Patriotism”.

Garry is a native of McHenry, Kentucky (Ohio County) and grew up on a crop-livestock farm in the Western Kentucky Coal Field Area. After graduation from Centertown High School, he entered the U.S. Army and served 2.5 years in Germany. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Western Kentucky University with a major in Agriculture and Biology. He received the Ph.D. degree from the University of Missouri in 1974.  

Dr. Lacefield joined the University of Kentucky staff in 1974 as Extension Forage Specialist. He retired from U.K. in March 2015 after a 41 year career. He has authored and co-authored over 300 extension publications, papers, articles and book chapters. He is co-author of the book "Southern Forages". He developed and was senior author of a monthly newsletter and wrote a monthly column for the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association magazine until his retirement.

Dr. Lacefield has emphasized the team approach in his forage extension program. As evidenced by his list of publications, he has worked harmoniously with other agronomists in a complementary and unified program for the benefit of Kentucky's forage-livestock industry. In addition to working closely with other agronomists, Dr. Lacefield has served in the leadership role in developing programs to meet the ever changing needs of the forage-livestock industry of the state. He organized the Kentucky Alfalfa Conference in 1980 and has served as Chairman each year. The 35th Annual Conference was held in February 2015. 

Dr. Lacefield is a member of many professional organizations including ASA, CSSA, CAST and AFGC. He serves on the Advisory Board of the Oregon Tall Fescue Commission, Oregon Clover Commission, Oregon Orchardgrass Commission and Oregon Ryegrass Commission. He is secretary of the Forage and Grassland Foundation. He received the Merit Certificate, Medallion and President’s Award from the American Forage and Grassland Council, Public Service to Forage Award from the Kentucky Forage and Grassland Council and the U.K. Outstanding Extension Specialist award. He is a "Fellow" in the American Society of Agronomy and Crop Science Society of America. He was selected 1989 Alumnus of the Year by the College of Agriculture, Western Kentucky University. He received the 1991 Alfalfa Extension Award from the Certified Alfalfa Seed Council.  

In 1992, he received the American Society of Agronomy Agronomic Extension Education Award. He was selected as Progressive Farmer's "1993 Man of the Year in Agriculture". He was inducted into the Western Kentucky University "Hall of Distinguished Alumni" in October 1995. The Certified Alfalfa Seed Council honored him in 2001 with their Distinguished Service Award. In recognition of his leadership in the Kentucky Alfalfa Program, the Public Service to Alfalfa Award was named in his honor in 2000 by the Kentucky Forage & Grassland Council.  

Dr. Lacefield was inducted as an Honorary Member of the North American Alfalfa Improvement Conference in 2002 making the third Extension Forage Specialist ever inducted. The CSREES/USDA presented him with the 2008 Regional Award for Excellence in Extension and the 2015 Farm Bureau Communications Award. 

Dr. Lacefield serves on a number of state and National boards and committees and is Past President of the American Forage and Grassland Council. Dr. Lacefield has traveled and lectured throughout the U.S. and abroad.  In addition to professional responsibility, he is in demand as a banquet speaker. Garry is married to the former Cheryl Cavender and has two sons, two daughter-in-laws, two granddaughters, and two grandsons. 

Check back often for more updates on other activities and keynote speakers for this year’s MFBF Annual Convention.