PEMBERTON TO HANDLE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FOR NCBA

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 24, 1998) – The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) has named John L. Pemberton as associate director of environmental issues, announced Chandler Keys, vice president, NCBA Center for Public Policy. Pemberton's primary responsibilities will include clean water and clean air issues.

Pemberton comes to NCBA from the Washington Legal Foundation, a public interest litigation and public policy group supporting free enterprise, where he has been the Chief Policy Counsel since 1995. Prior to that, he worked with the Environmental Auditing and Environmental Leadership Program at the Environmental Protection Agency.

"John is a tremendous addition to the policy staff as we work to keep 'command and control' environmental regulations from taking a greater and greater toll on cattle producers and their ability to remain in business," Keys said.

"Cattle producers know that they must continue their work as sound stewards of the environment in order to keep their ranches viable for the long haul. John's expertise in the environmental arena is an excellent match to further our environmental goals."

Pemberton received his law degree in 1994 from Creighton University School of Law in Omaha and is currently finishing his thesis for an advanced law degree in the Environmental Law Program at George Washington University. He received a 1991 Bachelor of Arts degree in finance from Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

"With litigation by cattle ranchers and farmers rising as a potential option to protect their family businesses, John's legal background is another strong asset," Keys added.

John hails from Omaha, Neb. and his grandmother owns and operates an Angus ranch in Missouri.

-- NCBA --

Initiated in 1898, NCBA 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.