NCBA’s Director of Legislative Affairs, Kristina Butts, was on-hand during last week’s Cattle Industry’s Summer Conference to update producers on current and future issues the Washington office is tackling. “Washington is always an interesting place in a midterm election year. The one thing NCBA is really focused our efforts on this year is more on the regulatory side of a …
NCBA CEO Expresses Upbeat Spirits Towards Next Fiscal Year
Cattlemen’s grassroots organization, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), held their annual Cattle Industry Summer Conference in Denver, CO. last week. Producers and state organizations gathered to tackle and plan the coming year. Forrest Roberts, NCBA CEO, commented on the event and shared what we can see throughout the next fiscal year in terms of policy and markets. “This conference is …
Would You Cluck’n Moo
Cindy brought this to my attention. Cluck’n Moo Beef and Chicken Burgers. They say that their burgers are grass fed beef and chicken, humanely raised, antibiotic and hormone free and gluten free. Hmmm. That description is enough to make me not want to try them. But if you put enough ketchup, mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato and onion on them it …
James Garner Original Beef Spokesman
With the passing of film and television actor James Garner over the weekend, many are remembering his popular roles such as Bret Maverick in the 1950s western-comedy series Maverick and Jim Rockford in the 1970s detective drama The Rockford Files. One great role he played for the Beef Checkoff was the voice and face for some of the very first …
Ag Groups Take Issue with Interpretive Rule
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy’s promise that under the proposed rules defining Waters of the United States (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act (CWA) “all normal farming practices are exempt – period” may be falling on deaf ears in the agriculture community. McCarthy is visiting Missouri this week to explain the proposed rules but she faces an uphill battle from the …
Texas Beef Producers Approve Beef Checkoff Program
The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) announced that Texas beef producers have voted to establish a state-level Beef Checkoff program. TDA conducted this referendum upon petition by cattle industry organizations under the authorities designed by the Texas Legislature. “Texas is the largest cattle producing state in the nation, and our beef is among the highest-quality in the world,” says Agriculture …
Lotz Wins World Livestock Auctioneer Championship
Blaine Lotz of Edna, Kan. proved his world-class talent as a livestock auctioneer at the 51st anniversary of the Livestock Marketing Association’s (LMA) World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) in Knoxville, Iowa, on Saturday, June 21. As a third-generation auctioneer, the world champion was quite familiar with the livestock marketing industry. When he was 15, Lotz attended auctioneering school at Western …
Grassley and Ag Reject Japan’s TPP Offer
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) took time between votes today to join with several agricultural organizations and voice strong opposition to Japan’s negotiating position in the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership to exclude a number of agricultural products as part of a final agreement. “Japan seems to believe that they’re entitled to keep five sacred agriculture products off the table,” said Grassley, who …
New NCBA Officer Team
The new president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is Bob McCan of Texas, who succeeded Scott George as president during the board of directors meeting last week. “It is a great honor to be elected to lead NCBA for the next year. A strong future lies ahead of us with endless opportunities for U.S. cattlemen and women,” said …
Cattle Industry Convention
It looks like all systems are go for this year’s Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, TN. It’s the first time I’ll be missing it in a long time. But that’s the way things work sometime. I enjoyed the opportunity to be the Beef Board Blogger for eight years and it’s in the hands of the very capable staff of the …