Georgia Beef Board Looks Ahead to 2026 with Expanded Training, Education, and Promotion
As 2025 comes to a close, the Georgia Beef Board is shifting focus toward planning and preparation for the year ahead. We caught up with Wyatt Doolittle of the Georgia Beef Board to learn more about recent activities and the initiatives set to roll out in 2026. While the holiday season typically brings a slower pace of events, Doolittle emphasized that important work continues behind the scenes. As he explained, “It’s been a quieter couple of weeks on our end, which is pretty typical as we move through the holidays, but doesn’t mean we have not been active behind the scenes.”
One highlight from recent weeks involved producer education and emergency preparedness. Doolittle shared, “One thing I did want to highlight this week, I did a modified bovine emergency response plan training that I hosted for the Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association.” Although not a full-scale training, the session offered valuable instruction for both cattle producers and local first responders. He noted, “it gave their members and first responders within the community a solid refresher on emergency preparedness when it comes to cattle handling, trailer incidents and rollovers, and even some on-farm response situations.”
These smaller trainings, Doolittle believes, play a crucial role. “They give producers chances to think through real-world scenarios… and make everyone from those first responders to cattlemen have a basic understanding of animal behavior, low stress handling techniques, and safety protocols.” He expressed appreciation for the Stevens County group and emphasized his goal of offering more such sessions statewide in 2026.
Looking toward the new year, Doolittle is preparing for several major initiatives. “One of which that I’m really excited about is my Beef in the Classroom initiative,” which will ramp up as teachers settle into spring schedules. The Board is also finalizing “winter and early spring promotional campaigns to help keep Georgia beef front and center with consumers, whether that’s our digital outreach, in-store partnerships, or nutrition education with registered dietitians.”
This planning period allows the Georgia Beef Board to refine its work and ensure checkoff investments are used effectively. And staying connected remains a top priority: “If your county association is interested in hosting a training… please reach out and we’re here to help you tell the Georgia beef story.”
With training, education, and promotional momentum building, 2026 is set to be a strong year for Georgia’s beef industry.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.