Matt Teagarden is a rancher from Topeka, Kansas whose family has been in the business of cattle for at least four generations. During the Cattle Industry Summer Conference, he said he was closely watching the language around the mandatory COOL program. He explained there is a confidential trade ruling from the World Trade Organization indicating that Mexico and Canada are justified in their claim that our mandatory COOL program violates our trade agreements.

“So we’ve tried to be proactive in fixing the issue so its compliant. Canada and Mexico our are two biggest trading partners for beef,” he said.

Also on his radar and what he sees as the biggest challenge for the industry is the continuing decline of the cow herd. There are many factors causing this but one has been long-term drought in many states. “Even if the weather was right there are factors that are challenging us from growing our cow herd,” said Teagarden. “Our cow-calf producers are getting older so we need to identify the next generation of cow-calf producers.”

On the opposite side, Teagarden said if they can get the right conditions they have the opportunity to expand. “In the states I think we have the opportunity to grow beef demand and total beef consumption. As you look around the world and the global economy rebounds after the recession, the opportunities are tremendous.”

Listen to my interview with Matt Teagarden: Declining Cow Herd Challenge for Cattle Producers

Photos from the conference are posted to this photo album: 2011 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Photo Album.