The combined meetings of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Cattlemen’s Beef Board have started here at the Cattle Industry Convention in San Antonio. To kick off our coverage I conducted a short interview with an officer from each organization.

Pictured are Tom Jones, CBB Secretary/Treasurer (left) and Bill Donald, NCBA Vice President. I caught up with them prior to their joint officer’s mtg. this afternoon. The basically get together to go over the schedule and make sure everyone is on the same page so all the programs and meetings run smoothly.

Tom says the Beef Board will be dealing with the challenge of reduced revenues coming into the Checkoff. But he says that when the industry comes together they find ways to work through the challenges. He’s heard that attendance is expected to be up here at this year’s convention. Some of the highlights of the work the Checkoff is doing, according to Tom, are issues management and foreign marketing where he sees potential for even more work. He hopes they’ll be able to do some things to “put a little more money in the bottom line of our producers and help beef demand all over and that’s what we’re here for.”

You can listen to and download (mp3) my interview with Tom here: cic-10-jones.mp3

Bill says this convention is where NCBA will “take the next step” on governance goals as outlined by the task force that’s been working on the issue for the past 18 months. They’ll report here at the convention and a vote will be taken on it Saturday. Bill says it will make them “more inclusive, more efficient and more effective” in representing producers across the country. It’s a major step in the ongoing evolution of the organization. He echoes Tom’s comments about attendance being up and says “We’ve got the eyes of the entire U.S. cattle industry looking at us.”

You can listen to and download (mp3) my interview with Bill here: cic-10-donald.mp3