BOZEMAN — The National Association of County Agricultural Agents, or NACAA, will host the 2025 Annual Professional Improvement Conference in Billings from June 29 to July 2. The conference provides an opportunity for NACAA members and others in the agricultural industry to learn and connect with others.
Educational sessions will address a variety of agricultural topics, including horticulture, natural resources and livestock management. According to Shelley Mills, Montana State University Extension agent in Valley County and conference co-chair, all 50 U.S. states and multiple territories will be represented, and more than 1,200 Extension professionals are expected to attend.
“Our team is thrilled to welcome Extension professionals from across the country to the Big Sky,” Mills said. “Our program includes dynamic professional development sessions, networking connections and a showcase of Montana’s agricultural industry and heritage.”
In addition, attendees will take more than a dozen tours featuring Montana agricultural industries. Tour topics include beef production, agronomy, conservation, wildlife, and sheep and wool production.
Montana was selected to host the event more than four years ago. As the conference’s host, the Montana Association of County Agricultural Agents spent years planning and fundraising.
“Our agents have worked tirelessly to prepare for this conference and welcome our colleagues from across the country,” said MSU Extension Executive Director Cody Stone. “MSU Extension is honored to support the (Annual Professional Improvement Conference) and looks forward to opportunities to highlight the positive impacts of our work within Montana agriculture.”
Most conference events will be held in downtown Billings, with tours and other activities taking place across the region. The MACAA partnered with Visit Billings, a tourism brand managed by the Billings Chamber of Commerce, to coordinate conference logistics and planning.
“We are thankful for the support of Visit Billings and our many sponsors and supporters,” Mills said. “This conference is the culmination of more than three years of partnership with agricultural organizations across Montana and Extension systems in our region.”
The NACAA is a professional organization made up of thousands of Extension professionals working for land-grant universities. While agriculture is the primary discipline for most NACAA members, many also engage with youth education, community development, family and consumer sciences and other Extension-related disciplines.
For more information about the conference, visit www.montana.edu/extension/macaa/2025ampic/index.html or www.nacaa.com/.
-Montana State University