This week marks the tenth anniversary of the “cow that stole Christmas” – a day that will live in infamy for the U.S. cattle industry and one that Kendal Frazier with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association remembers well. Kendal recalls that NCBA received a phone call from USDA at 1:30 pm on December 23, 2003. “We immediately started to implement …
RFS Hearing Goes 12 Hours, Draws Hundreds
Over 140 stakeholders testified at a hearing Thursday on the Environmental Protection Agency proposal to lower the biofuels targets under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in 2014, and those opposed to the plan outnumbered those in favor by a ratio of more than two to one. “More than 100 of the 144 speakers support #ethanol, #biodiesel & advanced biofuels,” tweeted …
Update From NCBA at NAFB
The National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s Trade Talk gave us the opportunity to chat with leaders of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). President Elect for NCBA, Bob McCan, is from Victoria, TX and he operates a 5th generation purebred commercial herd of Brafords. I spoke with him during the event and he shed some light on trade, immigration and …
Small Numbers But Growing Market
Herd numbers are down this year in the beef community, but enthusiasm is high. Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) Chairman, Weldon Wynn was on hand at this year’s Trade Talk during the NAFB Convention. There is no doubt that the checkoff dollar is slim, but Weldon said they are making that dollar stretch. Weldon went on to discuss our international market, …
NCBA’s Government Affairs Advocating for Beef
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) attended this year’s NAFB Trade Talk event and I spoke with Colin Woodall, Vice President of Government Affairs, while stopping by their booth. Colin voiced that it is an exciting time to be part of the beef community. He admits herd numbers are down, but that it means people are making money. Beyond cattle …
Beef Checkoff Sets FY2014 Plan of Work
The Cattlemen’s Beef Board will invest about $38.5 million into programs of beef promotion, research, consumer information, industry information, foreign marketing and producer communications in Fiscal Year 2014, if the recommendation of the Beef Promotion Operating Committee is approved by USDA, following review by the full Beef Board. In action concluding its two-day meeting in Denver this week, the Operating …
Cattle and Ethanol Debating RFS
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Executive Director of Legislative Affairs Kristina Butts is live right now on AgriTalk in a debate with Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen over the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The Great RFS Debate is being co-hosted by Agri-Pulse. Pictured here, left to right, as the debate begins – Bob Dinneen, AgriTalk host Mike …
RFA and NCBA to Debate Renewable Fuel Standard
Representatives of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) will be squaring off to debate on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) this week in Washington D.C. AgriTalk and Agri-Pulse will be hosting the debate via broadcast and the web on September 12 starting at 11:00 am Eastern time live from the Longworth Building, Room 1300. …
CBB Chairman Moving Forward
Our Beef Board Chair, Weldon Wynn, spoke with Chuck during the committee meetings during the recent Cattle Industry Summer Conference. Weldon was enthusiastic about the new committee structure and gave a positive outlook into the 2014 budget approval. Some committee rooms had standing room only and that can only mean that members are more excited than ever to not only …
Club Blue Event Welcomes Cattle Producers
New Holland hosted a Club Blue Welcome Reception during this year’s Cattle Industry Summer Conference. The event represented the new partnership between NCBA and New Holland. Chuck spoke with Mark Lowery, Hay and Forage Specialist, during the event and Mark expressed how New Holland is excited to give support to NCBA members and share what their products can offer cattle …