NCBA PRESIDENT APPLAUDS PROGRESS AT CATTLE INDUSTRY SUMMER CONFERENCE

DENVER, COLO. (August 8, 2000) - Significant progress was made by cattle producers to strengthen both the industry and the industry's major cattle producer organization during the Cattle Industry Summer Conference in Denver last week, according to George Hall, president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA).

"I believe we really came together as an industry at this meeting," Hall says. "Obviously, we often have different points of view as individuals. But this meeting presented a clear demonstration of the organization's open and inclusive nature, and our willingness to have open debate and discussion on the issues that affect us organizationally, as individuals, and as an industry."

Hall pointed to four items passed by overwhelming majorities at the NCBA Board meeting Saturday, Aug. 5, as proof of commitment by NCBA leaders and its state organizations to strengthen the organization and produce a more effective, focused cattle industry:

• Recommendations made by the Blue Ribbon Commission that required bylaw changes were approved, with two amendments from the floor: The first will leave unchanged the number of members on each policy committee earned by each affiliate, while the second lowers to a simple majority the number of votes needed during the Stakeholder's Congress for members to change NCBA policy.

"Representatives from Montana and Kansas worked hard with fellow producers in other states to produce agreements that will take this organization farther down the road," says Hall. "These changes were obviously well thought out and certainly give our members more distinct and clear voice in the policies developed by this organization."

• A Dues State of Origin Task Force recommendation was approved as submitted. The recommendation would give producers who retain ownership on cattle being fed in other states credit that could be used to increase representation of his home affiliate in NCBA. The proposal was passed unanimously by the board.

• The 2001 NCBA Budget was approved as submitted by the Budget Committee. The budget had been developed by organization members who sit on policy and program committees.

In related action, President Hall announced he will appoint a working group to develop strategy for helping the organization meet non-checkoff revenue needs of the 2001 budget and beyond. This working group will investigate all possible means of building the revenue base for NCBA policy, legislative and regulatory efforts. It will report back to the board and membership at the Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Tex., Feb. 1-4, 2001.

• A recommendation by the NCBA Executive Committee to delay construction of a new building to house the organization was accepted by the Board. The Committee suggested the organization lease Denver-area office space that would accommodate the combined Denver and Chicago staffs for the next three to five years and begin a fund raising effort that would allow future construction of a building on land the NCBA has contracted to buy Southeast of the city. The recommendation included the sale of the current building.

"The work of our members on committees and other working groups really show how hard our volunteers are willing to work to make this organization as great as it can be," says Hall. "I'm proud of the diligence of these individuals and groups, and confident their efforts will lead to an organization of which they and the other members -- along with the entire industry -- can be proud."

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Producer-directed and consumer-focused, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association is the  trade association of America’s cattle farmers and ranchers, and the marketing organization for the largest segment of the nation’s food and fiber industry.