NCBA Members Pass Policy Resolutions

Cindy Zimmerman

International trade, cattle payment efficiency and herd health were among the key policy issues members of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association approved as resolutions during the Cattle Industry Convention last week in Nashville.

Regarding international trade, a resolution was passed that codified NCBA support of a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) that removes tariff and non-tariff trade barriers for U.S. beef to participating countries, which include Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

Another resolution that was passed encourages a more efficient payment system for fed cattle in light of the recent announcement by the U.S. Postal Service that first class mail delivery will slow in the future which could cause problems for the efficient delivery of payment for cattle.

Regarding herd health, the current management of bison on federal lands by the Department of Interior has raised concerns among cattle producers so NCBA members passed a resolution opposing the relocation of any bison outside the current Greater Yellowstone Area management area, the expansion of that area and any increase in the currently authorized bison population.

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

Beef, Cattle Industry Conference, NCBA

NCBA Priorities Include Justice and Transportation

Cindy Zimmerman

Two of the top policy concerns for National Cattlemen’s Beef Association in 2012 involve justice and transportation issues.

The Equal Access to Justice Act is one issue that many may not be familiar with – I know I wasn’t. NCBA Government Affairs Vice President Colin Woodall explains. “This is a long-standing government program that was put in place to allow people who don’t have the financial means available to sue the government,” said Colin. That includes people like veterans, widows of vets, people trying to get benefits, etc. “Unfortunately, it’s been hijacked by extremists groups who are using the money to sue the Department of Interior, the Forest Service, to get federal lands ranchers kicked off their land. They’re using taxpayer money to fund their activist agenda.”

Colin says NCBA is having to education members of Congress about the act and how it is being used by these groups. They hope to add more transparency to the act and put a cap on the amount of money that can be used and those who qualify for it.

Regarding transportation, Colin says they are working on legislation to create uniform transportation laws across all states and helping states adopt transportation laws that increase allowable weight, length and trailer requirements. NCBA also supports giving states the option to increase truck weights with an additional axle to livestock and semi-trailers to increase braking power and place less total weight on each axle, making livestock transportation safer and less stressful on U.S. roadways. Finally, NCBA is opposing a federal requirement of commercial driver’s licenses for farmers and ranchers.

Listen to or download my interview with Colin here: Colin Woodall Interview

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

Audio, Cattle Industry Conference, NCBA

AgriTalking With Mike Adams

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast 337Sometimes the host becomes the guest. In this week’s program that’s what happens when I chat with Mike Adams, host of AgriTalk. Cindy and I have really enjoyed the fact that Mike and producer John “follow” us around to events all over the country :). I’ve actually been on AgriTalk before! I think that between us we cover more miles than most in the ag media world.

So I finally decided to sit down with Mike and talk about the conference we’re currently attending which is the National Biodiesel Conference and how things have changed in the media world we live in. Certainly technology is a key part of that as you’ll hear us reminisce about taking handsets apart on public telephones to connect our tape recorders for feeding audio back to the studio. Really, we’re not that old. I think it’s our active lifestyle and meeting some of the most wonderful people in the world that keeps us young!

BTW. I’m wondering if Mike has just a touch of Golden ZimmComm Microphone envy. What do you think? And thanks to John Herath, AgriTalk Producer Extraordinaire, for the photo.

Listen in on my conversation with Mike in this week’s program: AgriTalking with Mike Adams

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsor, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong, for their support.

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our Subscribe page.

Audio, Media, ZimmCast

NCBA CEO Sees Strong Momentum for Cattle Industry

Cindy Zimmerman

The CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association sees the current status of the cattle industry as the opportunity of a lifetime.

“There’s a whole lot of market signals in place for growth in this industry,” Forrest Roberts said in his report to the NCBA membership during the annual business meeting at the Cattle Industry Convention on Saturday morning. “NCBA is riding a wave of momentum.”

Forrest notes that NCBA has a strong financial and leadership foundation and the relationship between NCBA and the Cattlemen’s Beef Board is also strong. “Let me leave no doubt – we are working together very well,” Forrest said about the policy and checkoff organizations.

He outlined goals for the coming year as increasing consumer demand and proving the sustainability of cattle production, creating new trade opportunities in international markets, and pursuing the policy priorities of removing the livestock title in the 2012 farm bill and getting permanent estate tax relief.

Listen to Forrest’s report here: NCBA CEO Forrest Roberts

I also interviewed Forrest about the record attendance at the meeting of 8,217 cattle industry members. “The sense that I’ve gotten from folks all across the U.S. this week has been a lot of optimism about the future of this industry,” he said, noting that is the case even with the severe drought in Texas that helped contribute to the lowest cattle numbers since 1950. He expects to see those number go back up again pretty quickly. “I can see us maybe moving from 30 million head to 35 here in the next 5-6 years,” he said. “The demand is there for our product.”

Listen to my interview with Forrest here: Forrest Roberts Interview

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference, NCBA

National Biodiesel Conference Opening Speech

Chuck Zimmerman

Joe Jobe, CEO, National Biodiesel Board, welcomed attendees to the 2012 National Biodiesel Conference this morning. He started out by telling a story about what biodiesel means to him and how he got involved in energy, politics and history. One of the things that really got him interested in the industry was, “I wrote a paper for my high school economics class about developing a market for ag-based fuels to supplement our energy supply . . . So my paper was overly simplistic and naïve, but after working in this industry for almost 15 years now, the basic idea is clearer than ever, and has now become a reality.” However, he says, “Over the past four decades America has not had a consistent and clear energy policy.”

Joe spent some time talking about the RFS.

The RFS demonstrated last year that effective energy policy can be carried out by actual energy policy. After the first year of implementation it has its wrinkles to iron out and we are going to talk about those in depth. But 2011 demonstrated that the RFS can work at doing what Congress intended, which is to draw renewable fuels into the market. I want to commend the EPA for their work in bringing this program together. They have had a very difficult job to take a brand new complex law and a wide range of stakeholders, and build a workable program.

The RFS has created a clear, predictable, stable and sustainable future for this industry.

Listen to or download Joe’s speech here: Joe Jobe Speech

2012 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

Audio, Biodiesel, Biofuels, National Biodiesel Conference

It’s a Hairy Job…

Melissa Sandfort

I have the luxury of working from him which means my attire consists of running shoes, sweat pants, t-shirts and sweatshirts. Gone are the days of getting up more than an hour early just in order to apply make-up, wash and style my hair and stand in my closet thinking, “I have nothing to wear” for 15 minutes. I’m sure there are days my husband wishes I would do a little more with myself but then he remembers that I don’t need make-up to go feed the horses or impress the mailman who I see once a month.

When my grandmother was young, it was customary for a woman to get dolled up not only for church on Sunday but for everyday life. My grandmother and her mom always have on hand hair pins, curlers, rollers, clips and rubber rollers to do their hair. This was also back in the days of aprons and panty hose, both of which I don’t own.

And when getting up at 5 a.m. was customary in order to feed the animals, gather the eggs, milk the cow and start on a meal large enough to feed a small country, who had time to do their hair???

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

ANCW President Addresses Cattle Industry Convention

Chuck Zimmerman

Jill Ginn of Texas addressed the general session of the Cattle Industry Convention last week as one of her last acts as the 60th president of the American National Cattlewomen (ANCW).

“I’m proud to say that this national voice has had a major impact with consumers, politicians and other cattle producers for 60 amazing years,” Jill said. “In 2011, nearly 1600 ANCW members, representing 28 state affiliates, committed to continue our legacy.”

She noted that ANCW’s primary focus is to mobilize their network of volunteers to engage in conversations with consumers and youth about topics ranging from cooking to animal well-being.

Jill has been a cattle buyer for Excel and is currently a territory manager for Novartis Animal Health and she has served in officer positions for various cattlewomen associations.

Jill is now past president of ANCW as Tammi Didlot of Oklahoma was elected the 61st president during the organization’s 2012 Annual Meeting in Nashville.

Listen to Jill’s comments here: ANCW President Jill Ginn

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference, Livestock

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • National 4-H Council has named Dr. P. Bai Akridge as its new Director of Global Projects.
  • Feedstuffs is excited to announce that veteran communicator Andy Vance will be joining its editorial team in a full-time capacity effective March 1.
  • The USDA will amend the federal marketing order regulating the handling of pistachios produced in California, Arizona and New Mexico.
  • A new Issue Paper from CAST examines the impact of certain weed management practices on soil conservation objectives and addresses ways to mitigate negative effects.
Zimfo Bytes

NAFB President at Cattle Industry Convention

Cindy Zimmerman

National Association of Farm Broadcasting president and poet laureate Tom Steever of Brownfield Ag News impressed the 2012 Cattle Industry Convention with yet another of his original poems. Like he did at the American Farm Bureau convention, Tom wowed the crowd in his own special way.

His poetic composition for the cattle industry was on the timely topic of dust – and anyone aware of the bureaucratic battle over the regulation of “particulate matter” will enjoy Tom’s “It’s Only Dust.”

Listen to the audio here and watch the video below: NAFB President Tom Steever - Dust

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

Audio, Cattle Industry Conference, NAFB, NCBA, Video

2012 National Biodiesel Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

It’s hard to believe I’ve been Biodiesel Blogging for seven years now. This is the seventh year of the National Biodiesel Conference Blog, one of the first ones we created when we started agriblogging!

The 2012 National Biodiesel Conference is taking place in Orlando, FL. Once again New Holland is sponsoring the media room and the blog and we thank them!

I’ll be posting mostly on the conference blog and Domestic Fuel during the next several days. Just in case you wondered, I will be posting photos too: 2012 National Biodiesel Conference Photo Album

Biodiesel