- US Representatives Cindy Axne (IA-03) and Randy Feenstra (IA-04) – both members of the House Agriculture Committee – led the introduction of bipartisan legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that will return fairness to the cattle marketplace dominated by four major meat packers. Identical legislation was introduced in the Senate by Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst along with Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and is also supported by Sens. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.). The following groups have endorsed the bill: American Farm Bureau, U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, National Farmers Union, and National Grange. A one-pager summary of the bill is available HERE. A section-by-section summary is available HERE.
- Congratulations to the 2022 National Anthem singing contest winner Stephanie Nash from Tennessee! Join us February 1-3, 2022 in Houston, Texas to hear Stephanie sing the National Anthem during the 2022 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show Opening General Session AND the NCBA Thursday Night Event.
- The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association criticized the Biden administration’s repeal of the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, which provided regulatory certainty to farmers and ranchers and limited federal overreach.
- Driving the demand for beef starts at the grassroots with a strong network of advocates willing to share beef’s positive message. The new Trailblazers program, developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, takes advocacy to the next level by giving participants the tools and training they need to promote beef to new audiences while addressing and correcting myths.
- Purdue University’s Department of Animal Sciences in the College of Agriculture will provide a home and care for the National Thanksgiving Turkey and alternate following this week’s National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation at the White House. The turkeys will live at Purdue’s Animal Science Research and Education Center, where they will reside in a separate enclosed indoor setting with access to a shaded grassy area.
- Vietnam has confirmed it will lower its Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariff on imported frozen pork to 10 from 15 percent. The reduction is expected to be implemented on July 1, 2022. Getting better market access to Vietnam, a major pork-consuming country, has been a top trade priority for the National Pork Producers Council.
- The National Dairy Promotion and Research Board honored Kenton Holle as the 2021 recipient of the Richard E. Lyng Award for his contributions and distinguished service to dairy promotion.
