MENDOTA - The LaSalle County Stockman’s Association will host a free Summer Livestock Event on Monday, July 17 at the Mendota Civic Center. The featured speaker will be Dr. Barry Robinson, who will discuss the many trips to he has made to Russia as a beef and dairy nutrition consultant. The event is open to the public.

A former resident of Dimmick Township, Robinson has traveled regularly to Russia during the past five years in his work as a beef and dairy consultant for MIRATORG, a Russian cattle operation that began in 2011.His presentation will address Russia’s agriculture livestock cow-calf farms, feedlots, packing plants, the retail arm, and the growth of MIRATORG’s cattle farm from zero head to over 400,000 head currently.

Robinson grew up on a farm in Dimmick Township and graduated in 1972 from LaSalle-Peru High School. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in agriculture from the University of Illinois and his Doctorate in Animal Nutrition from Kansas State University. His post-doctoral work in animal nutrition led him to the University of Alberta.

For 21 years, Robinson and his wife, Lorriane, have owned and operated Great Northern Beef & Dairy Livestock Consulting in Alberta, Canada. He does consulting for over 600 feedlots, cow/calf and dairy operations in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Besides his consulting in Russia, He has also traveled to Columbia, South America as a dairy consultant.

The evening will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a social time and appetizers followed by the presentation at 6 p.m.

RSVP is not required but appreciated by July 12 by calling Terry Patyk at (815) 488-1372 or Floyd Crane at (815) 712-5734.

For more information, contact any member or visit the LaSalle County Stockman’s Association’s Facebook page.