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Cattlemen’s Capitol Concerns

published: January 21st 2011
source: NCBA

Sustainability Sums Up NCBA's 2011 Priorities Last year went down in the books as a year full of challenges for the U.S. beef industry. In addition to dealing with the inherent challenges of weather extremes and ongoing efforts of animal-rights extremists to end animal agriculture as we know it, cattle ranchers also battled regulatory and legislative proposals void of science that could further complicate their livelihoods. From the U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture's (USDA) Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration's (GIPSA) proposed rule on livestock and poultry marketing and the Environmental Pro-tection Agency's (EPA) efforts to regulate dust to legislation to impose a cap and trade system or to ban the use of antibiotics in livestock, the National Cattlemen's Beef Associa-tion (NCBA) and cattlemen and women across the country were glad to see the clock strike midnight on January 1, 2011. Just as many folks do at the beginning of the year, NCBA is setting priorities for 2011. While losing 10 pounds or hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro did not make the list, NCBA's Washington, D.C. staff is ready to hit the ground running in the New Year with one goal in mind: ensuring the sustainability of the U.S. beef industry. For hundreds of years, men and women in the United States have produced beef both as a profession and as a way to feed their families. Times have changed though, and as the industry has adapted and advanced, so have our priorities. Looking forward in 2011, NCBA is focused on expanding trade opportunities for U.S. beef; supporting science-based environmental practices and policies; working on improvements to transportation policies affecting U.S. cattlemen and women and ensuring a competitive marketplace for U.S. cattle; and protecting the health of cattle and consumers. Cattle producers don't want a government handout, and they don't want Washington telling them how to do their jobs. With the 112th Congress underway, NCBA looks forward to working with the more than 100 new members as well as the returning members on our priorities and to hold the Administration accountable for their actions over the past two years. It's inevitable that there will be bumps along the way. Animal rights activists aren't going away, but we don't answer to them. Some of the regulatory issues of 2010, including the proposed GIPSA rule and EPA's dust regulation, will continue in 2011. But NCBA is ready to take to the halls of Capitol Hill to work with members of Congress and support policy proposals to ensure U.S. cattlemen and women are able to do their jobs and that future generations have the opportunity to produce cattle to feed a global population. What could possibly be more sustainable than that? NCBA Supports Nutrition Labeling for Beef Products The National Cattle-men's Beef Association (NCBA) supports nutrition labeling on beef products and was pleased to see the final rule titled "Nutrition Labeling of Single-Ingredient Products or Chopped Meat and Poultry Products" published in the Federal Register on Dec. 29, 2010. "NCBA supports nutrition labeling on beef products and is pleased to see USDA moving forward with this effort. According to comments submitted by NCBA, cattle producers support the inclusion of all nutrients found in beef being included on the label," NCBA Executive Director of Legislative Affairs Kristina Butts said. "We believe this information is helpful in educating the public on the important contribution beef makes to a healthy diet. NCBA will continue efforts to educate consumers about the nutritional profile of beef products to help them make educated purchasing decisions. We will also continue working with retailers, consumers and USDA on the implementation of the rule." See What's New on NCBA's Social Media Sites Check out Beltway Beef for inside perspectives on the latest policy issues impacting cattle producers. This week features commentary on the mandatory nutrition labeling final rule; and more. You can also follow us on Twitter, be a fan of us on Facebook, check out our latest photos on Flickr or watch video updates on your YouTube page. For audio, visit and subscribe to the Beltway Beef Podcast to listen to and/or download clips. You can also subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. Don't Miss NCBA's Cattlemen to Cattlemen! NCBA's Cattlemen to Cattlemen debuts each Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. The show also airs Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. and on Saturday at 9 a.m. (all times are Eastern). Don't forget that you can also watch NCBA's Cattlemen to Cattlemen online anytime by visiting our website. Follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.