NCBA PRESIDENT: "BATTLE BETTER FOUGHT COLLECTIVELY"

DENVER (Feb. 4, 1998) - Much more can be accomplished if cattle producers join forces and fight their battles collectively the outgoing president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) told about 3,000 attendees during the Opening General Session at the industry’s centennial convention. Max Deets, a feedlot operator from Beloit, Kan., said that the spirit of cooperation is as true today as it was a hundred years ago.

Deets admits that getting together has never been simple. "Joining forces obviously doesn’t always come easily to cattlemen," he said. "Diversity of opinion, varying agendas, geographical differences and inflexible attitudes have all contributed to the demise of various attempts at national cattle industry groups in the mid-1880s," he added.

Reflecting upon his one-year term as NCBA president, Deets commented, "One of the things that brings me the most pride this past year has been a willingness and ability to break down barriers and build relationships among the various organizations representing our industry." Deets continued to emphasize how NCBA has worked diligently to strengthen the working relationship among those groups whose goals are similar, but whose methods or specific agendas may be different.

Deets also pointed to the successful partnership between NCBA and the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, efficiently and effectively investing checkoff dollars under one coordinated plan. In addition, strengthened efforts and improved communications with the U.S. Meat Export Federation, meat importers, the Livestock Marketing Association, and the Public Lands Council were noted, as were contributions of state beef councils, state cattle associations, breed affiliates and other beef industry partners.

In his comments, Deets lauded progress made by the beef industry in addressing food safety issues as well as marketing and quality assurance steps to increase consumer demand for beef products, along with numerous accomplishments by NCBA in legislative matters.

"There will always be those who oppose programs, policies, and legislation that benefits cattle producers," Deets said. "If our position is not represented in a unified and coordinated fashion, we will lose the voice that we have worked so hard to establish."

Initiated in 1898, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association is the marketing organization and trade association for America's one million cattle farmers and ranchers. With offices in Denver, Chicago and Washington, D.C., NCBA is a consumer-focused, producer-directed organization representing the largest segment of the nation's food and fiber industry.

— NCBA —