The Missouri Dairy Grazing Conference planned for July 6-8 has been moved from Joplin to Springfield, Missouri. Joplin, Missouri experienced significant destruction from an EF5 Tornado in May 2011. Although the Holiday Inn (where the conference was to be held) did not experience any physical damage, it has become a major support facility for multiple agencies needed to sustain displaced residents and facilitate the rebuilding effort.


To better serve conference attendees and to enable the Holiday Inn to continue providing the facility support needed to this community, a joint decision was made to move the 2011 Missouri Dairy Grazing Conference from the Holiday Inn in Joplin to the Springfield Expo Center at the University Plaza Hotel in Springfield, Missouri. All of the agenda and farm tours will remain the same. Updated information can be found at http://agebb.missouri.edu/dairy/grazing/conference

Two hotels, the University Plaza Hotel and Holiday Inn Express, will be used for lodging in Springfield and they will honor the same room rate as the Holiday Inn in Joplin. Each property is located near the Springfield Expo Center where all the meetings will take place. The Dairy Grazing room block reservation number for both properties is (417) 864-7333. Reservations should be made prior to June 20 to receive the conference rate.

Reservations already made at the Holiday Inn in Joplin will be transferred to the host hotels in Springfield. Individuals will be contacted by the hotel directly to confirm the reservation has been transferred and to which location.

If this decision impacts your ability to attend this conference, contact conference organizers at muconf9@missouri.edu or (573) 882-9553 with questions or concerns.

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If you would like information on volunteer opportunities while you are in the area, contact the organizers at the e-mail address or phone number listed above. They will be happy to forward you information on different organizations who are involved in improving the lives of the residents affected by this devastation. PD

—From Dairy-L e-mail