It’s taken over four years to get to this point, but some action is finally happening on the Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA) and U.S. agriculture interests are thrilled. President Obama announced today that an agreement has been reached on the deal that was signed by the U.S. Trade Representative and the Colombian trade minister on Nov. 22, 2006. The …
Congress Repeals Stupid 1099 Provision
Put this in the “who thought this was a good idea in the first place?” file. By a vote of 87-12, the U.S. Senate voted Tuesday to repeal the idiotic health care reform provision that would have required businesses to file a 1099 form with the IRS any time they spend more than $600 a year with another business, sending …
Ag Council Board Members Speak Out at Ag Day
During National Ag Day activities I visited with some big time supporters who are urging other companies and organizations to get involved. I’m going to share their thoughts with you here starting with Barry Nelson, John Deere, who is serving as Secretary/Treasurer for the Agriculture Council of America (pictured center). John Deere is one of the partner sponsors of Ag …
Beltway Beef Improving Cattle Communications
This week’s ZimmCast is with our good friend Mike Deering, Communications Director for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. We spent most of last week with Mike at the Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in Denver, but he was too busy to do an interview there so I had to catch up with him over the phone after we …
New NCBA Officers Excited About Cattle Industry Future
The 2011 Cattle Industry Convention wrapped up on Saturday in Denver for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) with a new slate of officers and a new vision for the future. The industry unanimously voted to approve the new Beef Industry Long Range Plan with a vision statement of “An industry united around a common goal of being the world’s …
NCBA Committees Address Tax and Environmental Issues
They say that nothing is sure in life except death and taxes, so you should be prepared for a combination of both in the end. Cliff Polk, estate planning specialist and founder and president of Rocky Mountain Financial Group, provdedd members of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Tax and Credit policy committee meeting on Friday with an in depth …
State Beef Council Federation Charter Adopted
The Federation of State Beef Councils adopted a charter that details its financial and decision-making independence from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). The 12-point “Federation Charter of Principles” details independent functions, such as financial practices, while also retaining beneficial business ties the two entities have shared during their 15-year relationship. A Federation Structure Working Group drafted the charter in …
NCBA Committee Considers Cattle Health Issues
Government activities that affect cattle producers and cattle health were among the topics discussed at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Cattle Health and Well-Being Policy Committee Friday at the Cattle Industry Convention in Denver. Committee chairman Tom Talbot, a veterinarian and cow-calf operator from California, says the committee’s objective is to provide guidance and develop policy to ensure cattle …
NCBA PAC Auction Raises $50,000
Karl Rove helped the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association raise more than $50,000 for the organization’s Political Action Committee (PAC) during the Thursday general session. In addition to several great packages already on the auction list, Rove donated a vacation at his personal Florida panhandle property – which ultimately sold for almost $10,000. During his address just prior to the auction, …
NCBA CEO Says Industry is Optimistic
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO Forrest Roberts is thrilled at the turnout at this week’s Cattle Industry Convention, which was exceptional even without considering the bad weather. “We started the week with expectations that we would set a record for attendance over the past ten years,” Forrest said. “We had a little bit of a scare with Mother Nature with …