This edition of the SMART Farmer podcast features Tennessee native Jennifer Houston, a livestock market owner and beef cattle industry leader, who talks about how the business of producing and marketing beef cattle has become smarter in recent years. Houston is currently Vice President of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and serves on the board of the U.S. Farmers and …
USDA & NCBA Celebrate U.S. Beef to China
U.S. Secretary of Ag Sonny Perdue joined National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Craig Uden for a ceremonial “Cutting of the Prime Rib.” The Nebraska prime rib formally marked the return of U.S. beef to the Chinese market after a 13-year hiatus as part of the U.S.-China 100-Day Action Plan announced by the Trump Administration. The first shipment of U.S. …
Farm Groups Cheer WOTUS Repeal
Ding dong the ditch rule is dead! The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have officially begun the process to withdraw the highly controversial Waters of the United States (WOTUS) final rule and begin a replacement rulemaking process to gather input and re-evaluate the definition of WOTUS, to cheers from farmers and ranchers nationwide. American Farm …
U.S. Beef Access to China Takes Another Step Forward
The Trump Administration has taken steps toward commercial shipment of U.S. beef and beef products to China for the first time since 2003. The USDA has reached agreement with Chinese officials on final details of a protocol to allow the U.S. to begin the beef exports to China. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement: “Today is a …
#ONE17 Thoughts from the Alltech Idea Man
I never turn down an opportunity to talk with Alltech founder and president, Dr. Pearse Lyons. The 2017 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show provided my most recent conversation with the idea man and naturally, we talked ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE17) which is set for May 21-24 in Lexington, Kentucky. The event will “inspire farmers, ranchers, producers, …
Meet New NCBA President Craig Uden
The 2017 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show wrapped up on Saturday with the election of Nebraska cattleman Craig Uden as the organization’s new president. More than 9,300 people attended this year’s convention, shattering the previous record of 8,200, to engage in grassroots policy process, hear from industry experts and attend the expansive tradeshow. Uden’s route to President might …
Not Politics as Usual from #CattleCon17
It’s a busy time to be involved in government affairs, as Colin Woodall of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association will tell you. Trump hit the ground running, which means NCBA is moving at a quick pace too, Woodall told Jamie Johansen at the 2017 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show. The executive action to pull the United States out …
Our Jamie Wins Best of Beef Award
As we like to say at ZimmComm New Media, a big Gold Star to our Jamie Johansen! This morning Jamie received the Best of Beef award for Excellence in Agricultural Journalism. We are very, very proud of her. The Best of Beef Awards Breakfast is our chance to honor the cattlemen and women and cattle industry partners who go above …
#CattleCon17 is Here – Get the Scoop from NCBA CEO
The 2017 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show is underway in Nashville, TN and we are set up to bring you updates on policy impacting the beef community and other hot topics cattlemen and women across the country need to know. My first conversation of the week was with the NCBA CEO, Kendall Fraizer, who shared highlights of #CattleCon17 …
Ag Reacts to Trump Withdrawal from TPP
The detailed description touting the benefits of the Trans Pacific Partnership is now gone from the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) website as President Trump signed an executive order today withdrawing from the trade deal. “With this decision, it is critical that the new administration begin work immediately to do all it can to develop new markets for U.S. agricultural goods …