Convention Schedule
Please note this schedule is tentative and subject to change.
Thursday Preconvention Workshop-Sharpen your skills and elevate your craft in this hands-on Beef/Pork Fabrication Workshop
Pre-Convention Workshop-Beef and Pork Fabrication Held at SDSU, Brookings, SD | 1-5pm | TBD | Sharpen your skills and elevate your craft in this hands-on Beef/Pork Fabrication Workshop built exclusively for butchers. This intensive class dives straight into practical cutting, focusing on precision, yield improvement, and mastering today’s most in-demand specialty cuts. THE BUS LEAVES THE DENNY SAFORD PREMIER CENTER AT 11:15am and will arrive at SDSU around 12:30pm. The Bus will Return to Sioux Falls around 5pm |
| President’s Reception | 7pm | Ramada-Across the Road from Premier Center | Drinks & Horsd’oeuvres Sponsored Social Free Keg Sponsored by Sperl Pak Repair Product can be Checked into the Denny Sanford Premier Center Cooler from 5-6pm on Thursday Night. Details will be sent out on where to go. |
Friday
Denny Sanford Premier Center
| Event | Time | Location | Details |
| Registration/Product Check In | 8- 11 a.m. | Main Hall-Denny Sanford Premier Center | See the SDAMP booth to register and check your product in as well as pick up your convention packet |
| Supplier Set Up | 8am- 2 p.m. | Denny Sanford Ballroom | Suppliers can begin setting up their booths in the main ballroom |
| Continuing Education | 9-11 a.m. | Denny Sanford Rooms 6-10 | SD Animal Industry Board–Presenter will be Bryan Bauer-South Dakota AIB / Supervisor / Scheduler / Training Officer |
| Labeling for Profit: Does you Label Pop and Sell Itself? | 11-12pm | Denny Sanford Rooms 6-10 | Learn how to create labels that not only meet regulatory requirements but also attract attention, build trust, and drive sales. This session will show you how smart design, color choice, and clear messaging can turn your label into one of your most powerful marketing tools. Presenter Chris Young, AAMP |
| Sampling of Products/Free light Lunch/Question and Answers | 12-1pm | Denny Sanford Rooms 6-10 | Round Table Discussion |
| Thinking Outside the Meat Case: Simple Gift Boxes that Boost Retail Sales | 1-2pm | Denny Sanford Rooms 6-10 | Most meat processors already have everything they need to create great gift boxes—they just need a simple system to put it together. This session will focus on how small lockers can build attractive, profitable gift boxes using products they already make. Learn what sells well in boxes, how to package them efficiently, and how to offer options at different price points. We’ll also talk about how gift boxes can create repeat customers through holidays, corporate gifting, and year-round occasions. Attendees will walk away with practical ideas they can implement immediately in their own shop. Presenter Courtney Shreve-Den’s Country Meats |
Mobile Slaughter Trailers: Expanding Harvest Capacity for Meat Processors | 2-3pm | Denny Sanford Rooms 6-10 | Mobile slaughter trailers offer a flexible solution for processors and livestock producers looking to increase harvest capacity without building a permanent facility. This session will explore how mobile harvest units work, regulatory considerations, and the role they play in expanding local processing options and supporting regional meat supply chains. Attendees will gain insight into how these units can help meet growing demand while improving efficiency and accessibility for producers. Presenter Robert Skousen-Black Venom Products and Sentinel Trailers |
| SD Beef Council | 3-3:30pm | Denny Sanford Rooms 6-10 | The South Dakota Beef Industry Council can help locker plants promote beef products through consumer education, marketing support, and programs that encourage increased beef demand at the retail and local processor level. In this class, they will discuss available promotional resources, partnerships with local processors, and strategies to help locker plants market beef products, educate customers, and grow sales. Presenters will be Amanda Kammerer and Jon Dilworth with SDBC |
SD Rural Development | 3:30-4pm | Denny Sanford Rooms 6-10 | Rural Development, the SBA, and their partner agencies offer powerful programs designed to support small and rural meat processors at every stage of growth. From business planning and ownership transition to financing capital improvements and securing working capital, these resources are built to strengthen and sustain rural operations. This session will provide a clear overview of available funding opportunities, energy efficiency programs, and technical assistance options — helping processors understand what support exists, how to qualify, and how to take the next step toward long-term stability and growth. Presenters will be Lorraine Polak from USDA Rural Development, Wyatt Stevens with USDA and RD, Tyler Hinrichs with SBA |
| Exhibit Hall Open | 4 – 6 p.m. | Ballroom | Join us in the Exhibit Hall to explore the newest and most innovative equipment, software, seasonings, packaging materials, sanitation solutions, and labeling tools designed specifically for meat processors. Connect with industry-leading vendors, see products in action, and enjoy a free keg sponsored by our exhibitors as you discover game-changing tools to boost efficiency, quality, and profitability in your plant. KIDS MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT THE COLORING CONTEST AT THE KIDS TABLE |
PBR Bull Bash Unleash the Beast | Meet in front of the Denny Sanford Rooms 6-10 7:15pm PBR Starts at 7:45 | Get ready for an unforgettable night as we take the SDAMP experience beyond the convention floor. Join us for PBR: Unleash the Beast—and don’t forget to wear your SDAMP T-shirts to show your pride and stand out in the crowd! If you want to walk in with the group, we will meet at the Registration Desk at 7:15pm |
If you are Not Attending the PBR Event, Dinner is on your own tonight. Enjoy!
Saturday
Denny Sanford Premiere Center
| Event | Time | Location | Details |
| Registration | 8- 10 a.m. | Main Hall -Denny Sanford Rooms 6-10 | |
| Bull Session | 8-9am | Denny Sanford Rooms 6-10 | Join us for the Bull Session, an open-floor forum where processors can ask anything and everything—from technical challenges to business strategy—and get real answers. An expert panel of speakers, along with your fellow processors, will be on hand to share insights, solutions, and practical advice drawn from real-world experience |
| Smokehouse Operations: Mastering the Technical Skills Behind Perfect Smoke | 9:00 – 10a.m. | Denny Sanford Rooms 6-10 | This hands-on class dives deep into the technical side of smokehouse operation, teaching processors how to control airflow, humidity, and temperature to achieve consistent color, flavor, and yield. Participants will learn how to properly load product, manage dampers and exhaust, and understand the critical relationship between dry bulb and wet bulb temperatures for accurate humidity control. The session will also cover how to program smokehouse cycles—from conditioning and drying to smoking and final cooking—while troubleshooting issues such as stalls, fatting-out, and casing defects. Attendees will leave with practical skills they can immediately apply to improve efficiency, product quality, and consistency in their smokehouse operations. Presenter Jon Frohling-ScottPec, Inc. |
| Supplier Meeting | 9:30 – 9:45 a.m. | Convention Hall/Ballroom | In Front of the North Central Booth |
| Product Judging | 9-12pm | A heartfelt thank-you to all of our suppliers who generously donated products for the Product Show Room—your support helps showcase the best our industry has to offer. We also extend our sincere appreciation to the SDSU Judging Team for their hard work, expertise, and dedication in making this event a success. | |
| Exhibit Hall Open | 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Denny Sanford Rooms Ballroom | Step into the Exhibit Hall to see the latest and greatest innovations shaping the future of meat processing—from cutting-edge equipment and software to seasonings, packaging, sanitation, and labeling solutions. It’s the perfect opportunity to meet top suppliers, discover new technologies, and find tools that can elevate your plant’s efficiency and profitability 10:15AM KIDS DON’T FORGET TO ENTER THE MEAT AND CHEESE SCULPTURE CONTEST AT THE KIDS TABLE |
| Lunch | 12:00- 12:30 p.m. | Denny Sanford Rooms Ballroom | Must Have a Ticket |
Special Guest Speaker–Amanda Radke | 12:30 -1:30 p.m. | Denny Sanford Rooms Ballroom | Amanda Radke, a proud South Dakota rancher and passionate advocate for agriculture, has dedicated her voice to sharing the story of America’s farmers and ranchers. Through her writing, speaking, and advocacy, she inspires others to stand up for rural communities, the beef industry, and the values that keep agriculture strong. Amanda’s message reminds us that when we work together and proudly tell our story, the future of our industry is bright. We are honored to welcome her as a guest speaker at the SDAMP Luncheon this Saturday. |
| Fat Camp | 1:30-2pm | Denny Sanford Rooms 6-10 | Claire Pioske is the 11 year old daughter of Tom and Gabrielle Pioske. Claire was inspired to start her own business using a product that is typically disposed of. Beef tallow or suet. A natural born entrepreneur, Claire launched her tallow business during a blizzard with the hopes of making a couple of hundred dollars before Christmas but quickly discovered the demand and benefits of her product. Don't let her age fool you. this young lady loves an audience and is looking forward to sharing how you can turn a product that you are currently paying to get rid of into a sweet little slush fund for you or your kids. Presenter Claire Pioske-Great Frontier Meats |
| Jerky Mastery Class- From Raw Beef to Ready-to-Sell Product | 2-3pm | Denny Sanford Rooms 6-10 | This session will walk processors through the complete process of making high-quality jerky—from selecting raw beef and proper slicing to seasoning, drying, and producing a consistent, ready-to-sell product. Attendees will learn practical techniques to improve flavor, texture, yield, and food safety while maximizing efficiency in their processing operations. To finish the session, Courtney Shreve will share valuable insights on marketing jerky and meat products, including branding, packaging, and strategies to help processors successfully sell their products in today’s competitive marketplace. Presenter: Dennis Schaardt & Courtney Shreve, Dens Country Meats |
From Scraps to Pet Snacks–Turning Trim, | 3-4pm | Denny Sanford Rooms 6-10 | Learn how to turn low-value trim, off-cuts, and offal into profitable pet food products that meet safety, nutritional, and regulatory expectations. This class covers ingredient selection, cooking methods, acceptable additives, and recipe development, along with packaging and pricing strategies to help you expand your product line. Discover how to reduce waste, increase margins, and create products your customers’ pets will love. Presenter: Jesse Smith-Founder & CEO, Heartland Provisions |
| Social Hour | 5:00 p.m. | DSPC Ballroom | |
| Banquet | 6:00 p.m. | Ballroom | Dinner/AAMP Update/Scholarship Winners/Product Show Winners |
Thank you to everyone who attended—your participation and energy are what make this event so valuable year after year. Our board works hard to provide meaningful classes and resources that help you grow, improve efficiency, and make your business more profitable. We invite you to continue the momentum by joining us at the American Association of Meat Processors Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 9–11, where even more industry insights and opportunities await.
A heartfelt thank-you to all of our suppliers for your hard work, support, and generous sponsorships that make this convention possible. Your commitment to our industry and to SDAMP plays a vital role in the success of this event, and we truly couldn’t do it without you.