Beef USA - Issues

Issues

Beef USA — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 13:05:09 GMT

Get Involved Now! Learn How You Can Make A Difference

As the voice of the cattle industry in Washington D.C., the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is making a difference every day for cattle producers nationwide. We are the national organization that assures the voices of independent cattle producers are heard in the halls of Congress, at regulatory agencies and the White House. As the largest sector of American agriculture, there are dozens of policy issues concerning our industry on a daily basis, and NCBA is there while our fellow members are managing their businesses back home.

NCBA is the largest organization representing America’s cattle industry. NCBA's membership includes more than 29,000 independent cattlemen and more than 64 state and breed affiliates representing over 230,000 cattlemen across the United States. For more than one hundred years, we have been dedicated to influencing public policy to improve producer profitability and in preserving the industry’s heritage and future.

Our government affairs office works on all policy issues affecting cattle producers and the beef industry including: international trade, tax & credit issues, food safety, animal health, property rights, environment, federal lands issues, drought relief, marketing, nutrition, and much more. NCBA is about the future of the beef industry, its growth, its profitability, and our members’ ability to pass their ranches to future generations.

NCBA was founded in 1898 and is grounded in the basic philosophy of cattlemen to:

Minimize direct federal involvement in agriculture,
Preserve the right of individual choice in the management of land, water, and other resources
Provide for an opportunity to compete in foreign markets, and
Free enterprise, competitive market system

NCBA’s membership develops NCBA policy and has the final say in approving that policy at the annual membership meeting and through a mail ballot. Additionally, NCBA is inclusive of other segments of the beef industry including dairy, auction markets, packers, processors, retailers, and foodservice operators. Efforts are made possible through membership contributions.

NCBA Government Affairs works daily on more than forty varying policy issues affecting our livelihoods.

Issues

Beef USA — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 11:58:38 GMT

2011 Priority Issues

Ensuring a Sustainable U.S. Beef Industry for this Generation

Trade

Cattlemen support open markets, level playing fields and science-based standards in international trade. 2010 was a great year for beef exports, but there is mega potential for 2011 to be even better.
With our competitors outpacing us in the race to ratify new trade agreements, it’s more critical than ever that the administration and Congress move forward on passing the pending free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia.
It’s time for Japan to end its unscientific trade restrictions that are limiting us to about 25 percent of the potential market there — costing American producers about $1 billion in lost exports each year.
China is currently closed to U.S. beef exports and represents one of the largest potential growth markets for U.S. beef — worth approximately $200 million.

Competition

Cattle producers support free-market principles in the buying and selling of their products.
Alternative marketing arrangements allow producers to maximize profitability by getting paid for the value they add to their cattle.
NCBA supports full enforcement of existing laws to prevent unfair competition or collusion within the cattle industry.
NCBA will continue opposing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration’s proposed rule on livestock marketing.

Environment

Cattle producers take pride in serving as good stewards of the land and our nation’s natural resources while producing a safe, affordable and abundant food supply to feed a growing global population.
However, regulatory overreach is stifling productivity and growth.
NCBA will continue opposing
- Regulations based on anything other than sound science, including EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load rule and Florida's Numeric Nutrient Criteria rule and efforts to regulate dust, greenhouse gases and ammonia
- Regulations that hinder access to public lands

Healthy Herd — Cattle & Consumers

Cattle producer’s top priority is to produce the safest, most nutritious, highest quality and most affordable beef in the world. This has been consistent throughout our industry’s history and in our long-term efforts to continually improve our knowledge and ability to raise healthy cattle.
NCBA will continue to oppose legislation and regulations that are not based on sound science, focused on industry application and have a strong research foundation.
NCBA will continue to educate congressional leaders, federal officials and the general public on the many ways U.S. ranchers utilize modern technologies to ensure superior herd health management and livestock wellbeing.

Transportation

NCBA is focused on making transportation policies more efficient for cattle producers by supporting legislation to create uniform transportation laws across all states and helping states adopt transportation laws that increase allowable weight, length and trailer requirements.
NCBA supports adding additional axles to livestock and semi-trailers to increase braking power and place less total weight on each axle, making transporting livestock safer and less stressful on U.S. roadways.

Issues

Beef USA — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 11:51:59 GMT

2011 Priority Issues

Ensuring a Sustainable U.S. Beef Industry for this Generation

Trade

Cattlemen support open markets, level playing fields and science-based standards in international trade. 2010 was a great year for beef exports, but there is mega potential for 2011 to be even better.
With our competitors outpacing us in the race to ratify new trade agreements, it’s more critical than ever that the administration and Congress move forward on passing the pending free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia.
It’s time for Japan to end its unscientific trade restrictions that are limiting us to about 25 percent of the potential market there — costing American producers about $1 billion in lost exports each year.
China is currently closed to U.S. beef exports and represents one of the largest potential growth markets for U.S. beef — worth approximately $200 million.

Competition

Cattle producers support free-market principles in the buying and selling of their products.
Alternative marketing arrangements allow producers to maximize profitability by getting paid for the value they add to their cattle.
NCBA supports full enforcement of existing laws to prevent unfair competition or collusion within the cattle industry.
NCBA will continue opposing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration’s proposed rule on livestock marketing.

Environment

Cattle producers take pride in serving as good stewards of the land and our nation’s natural resources while producing a safe, affordable and abundant food supply to feed a growing global population.
However, regulatory overreach is stifling productivity and growth.
NCBA will continue opposing
- Regulations based on anything other than sound science, including EPA’s Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load rule and Florida's Numeric Nutrient Criteria rule and efforts to regulate dust, greenhouse gases and ammonia
- Regulations that hinder access to public lands

Healthy Herd — Cattle & Consumers

Cattle producer’s top priority is to produce the safest, most nutritious, highest quality and most affordable beef in the world. This has been consistent throughout our industry’s history and in our long-term efforts to continually improve our knowledge and ability to raise healthy cattle.
NCBA will continue to oppose legislation and regulations that are not based on sound science, focused on industry application and have a strong research foundation.
NCBA will continue to educate congressional leaders, federal officials and the general public on the many ways U.S. ranchers utilize modern technologies to ensure superior herd health management and livestock wellbeing.

Transportation

NCBA is focused on making transportation policies more efficient for cattle producers by supporting legislation to create uniform transportation laws across all states and helping states adopt transportation laws that increase allowable weight, length and trailer requirements.
NCBA supports adding additional axles to livestock and semi-trailers to increase braking power and place less total weight on each axle, making transporting livestock safer and less stressful on U.S. roadways.

Issues

Beef USA — Tue, 17 May 2011 16:06:36 GMT