In an interview from the recent 2026 Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show in Nashville, Dan Halstrom, President and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), provided an optimistic outlook on U.S. beef exports despite recent hurdles. Halstrom reports that exports declined by 18-19% in volume last year, largely due to ongoing issues with China. Excluding China, the drop …
Industry Awards at 2026 CattleCon
The Prime Cut Awards ceremony was a new feature this year at the 2026 CattleCon, honoring legacy, leadership and excellence in the industry with a variety of awards. The Greg Henderson Excellence in Agricultural Journalism Award was presented this year to Burt Rutherford, a freelance writer and former senior editor of BEEF magazine who has spent his career helping producers …
CattleFax Outlook from CattleCon
The CattleFax Outlook Seminar is always a popular event at CattleCon and it was packed as usual last week in Nashville. CEO Randy Blach told cattle producers they should be proud of the current state of the beef industry. “This is my 45th year at CattleFax, so I’ve seen some of those ugly, ugly days back in the 80s and …
BQA Awards Presented at CattleCon
Winners of the 2026 Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Awards were announced last week at CattleCon 2026 in Nashville. The BQA Awards annually recognize outstanding beef and dairy producers, marketers, and educators that best demonstrate animal care and handling principles as part of day-to-day activities. And the winners are: 2026 BQA Cow-Calf Award – East Foundation Ranches, Hebbronville, TX 2026 BQA …
2026 NCBA Officer Team Approved at CattleCon
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) board approved the 2026 NCBE officer team at CattleCon in Nashville last week, with Gene Copenhaver of Virginia taking the helm as president. Kim Brackett of Idaho is now president-elect, and Skye Krebs of Oregon is vice president. Kenny Rogers of Colorado was elected chair of the NCBA Policy Division and Scott Anderson of …
RFK Jr. Gets Warm Welcome at CattleCon
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. received a warm welcome from some 9,000 attendees at CattleCon in Nashville on Thursday, in light of his agency’s new dietary guidelines that turned the food pyramid on its head. “We now have a food pyramid, which we flipped upside down, because it made more sense. That puts protein at the …
CattleCon 2026 Breaks Attendance Record
CattleCon 2026 has broken the all-time event attendance record this week, with more than 9,400 cattle producers and industry stakeholders converging in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. “There’s a lot of smiles, a lot of optimism, and everybody’s having a great time, not only with the just current state of the beef industry and how good things look for us, but also …
Environmental Stewardship Awards at CattleCon 26
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) presented Wine Glass Ranch in Imperial, Nebraska, with the 2025 Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP) National winner during CattleCon 2026 in Nashville this week. “This ranch has been in my family for 140 years, and we are the stewards of the ground,” said Logan Pribbeno with Wine Glass Ranch. “We are grazing the best …
Cattle Producers Gather at CattleCon 2026
Almost 9,000 cattle producers, industry partners and stakeholders from around the country are in downtown Nashville this week for CattleCon 2026, the largest cattle industry event of the year. NCBA President-Elect Gene Copenhaver of Virginia says there is a lot of excitement in the industry right now after some big wins. “I think maybe the biggest one that happened was …
NCBA Announces Policy Priorities at CattleCon 2026
As CattleCon 2026 kicked off this week in Nashville, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced its 2026 policy priorities following approval by the organization’s Executive Committee. NCBA’s focus centers on policies that directly impact producer profitability, including reducing regulatory costs, defending free markets, expanding trade opportunities, and maintaining strong beef demand. NCBA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan …