NCBA members take great pride in their organization’s democratic form of governance. NCBA policy always begins with a member and ends with a member. A policy resolution can be advanced by a state affiliate, a breed association, a committee, or even a single NCBA member.
This democratic process also applies to NCBA’s elected leadership. NCBA leaders are selected by cattlemen on an annual basis. Our current president is from Texas, and behind him in succession are two cow-calf operators from Missouri and North Carolina. This process ensures that NCBA will always have a diverse voice, reflecting fresh ideas from the entire membership.
But while these practices are extremely important to the success of NCBA, I am also reminded of President Woodrow Wilson’s take on democracy:
“Democracy is not so much a form of government, as a set of principles.”
Wilson understood that an inclusive system of governance is only as strong as the fundamental principles for which it stands. Without conviction and commitment to solid principles, an organization will always become captive to that which is popular and has short-term, surface appeal.
Life would often be easier for NCBA members if they latched on to one or two issues that — for the moment anyway — would make us popular. But cattlemen are not in this business for the moment… or for the day, the month, or even the year. Most cattlemen I know are not only committed to the cattle business for their lifetime, but also want to pass a profitable operation along to the next generation.
That is why NCBA works on every vital issue, every day, for every cattleman.
NCBA certainly dedicates tremendous resources toward reopening closed export markets, cultivating international demand, and ensuring that U.S. cattlemen compete on a fair and level playing field. But trade is not, by any means, the only issue of critical importance to cattlemen. Taxes, land use, environmental policy, price reporting, disaster relief, food safety, animal health research and driving beef demand are just a few examples of the issues NCBA works on every day in order to grow our industry and bolster the profitability of cattlemen. One reason for NCBA’s successful track record is that policy makers know they can always rely on NCBA as a resource. We are there in good times and bad, striving to be part of the solution, rather than perpetuating the problem.
In recent months, we have achieved many victories on the policy front. While we still have much work to do regarding export markets, we’ve made excellent progress in several regions and feel we are edging closer to reopening Japan and South Korea. While the six CAFTA nations were already importing beef into the United States, passage of CAFTA drastically lowers the prohibitive tariffs with which our product had been saddled.
We have also made significant progress in harmonizing trade with Canada. While the media focus has been on the United States reopening its border to live cattle from Canada, more U.S. producers are now able to ship feeder cattle to Canada on a year-round basis. How does this affect the bottom line? Access to Alberta feedlot buyers can add $3 to $5 per cwt. for U.S. producers in the border area, according to the Montana Stockgrowers Association. As the secretary of Agriculture acknowledges, NCBA was also the driving force in preventing boxed beef from cattle over 30 months of age from being imported, keeping USDA’s restrictions for Canadian boxed beef consistent with its policy on live cattle.
With regard to tax policy, NCBA helped advance permanent repeal of the Death Tax to passage in the U.S. House, by its largest margin ever. Our members and staff are now pushing for a favorable vote in the U.S. Senate before year’s end.
NCBA was successful in obtaining significant drought assistance for ranchers hit hardest by extremely dry conditions in recent years. If you’re one of the cattlemen that benefited from government drought relief, you can thank the NCBA members who forced that issue on Capitol Hill. Last year, NCBA stepped up to help cattlemen in the Southeast who suffered damage from a rash of hurricanes.
NCBA has been a powerful voice for sensible environmental policy, leading the charge for reform of the Endangered Species Act and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Proactive efforts by NCBA and the Public Lands Council recently kept the sage grouse and the white-tailed prairie dog off the endangered species list.
Ensuring a fair and transparent environment for marketing cattle has also been a priority for NCBA. That’s why we fought successfully for an extension of mandatory price reporting requirements, which had been scheduled to sunset in 2004.
NCBA supported full funding for BSE research that was included in both the House and Senate appropriations bills, and for funding completion of the National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames, Iowa. NCBA also fought for a provision in the House appropriations bill calling for completion of a study on the dietary benefits of lean beef.
The Federation of State Beef Councils — a division of NCBA — works every day to help drive beef demand. The Federation executes checkoff-funded programs in a manner that generates the greatest return for cattlemen. Federation-directed programs have helped us achieve a 25 percent increase in domestic beef demand in the past seven years.
This remarkable track record of success does not happen by accident. It is the direct result of NCBA members staying informed on the latest issues, and voicing their concerns to legislators, regulators and consumers. It is also the result of knowledgeable NCBA staff in Washington, D.C., Chicago and Denver working every day to advance the interests of cattlemen.
As noted above, I also believe a major key to NCBA’s success is our commitment to consistent, sensible fundamental principles. These include free and fair trade, entrepreneurial spirit, environmental stewardship, limited government interference in our business, and effective marketing of our product. These bedrock principles define NCBA’s philosophy and heritage, and guide us in our mission to increase profit opportunities for all cattle and beef producers, enhance the business climate, and build consumer demand for beef.