Creating a More Responsive, Inclusive Organization

Introduction

NCBA was created to be the beef industry leader. The foundation of its existence is outlined in the industry vision statement:

"A dynamic and profitable beef industry, which concentrates resources around a unified plan, consistently meets global consumer needs and increases demand."

In that vision the principle of one plan, one budget, and one voice is clearly portrayed. It speaks clearly to industry unity and collaboration. The organizational structure must reflect a policy development process that focuses on industry solutions for the good of all and not an environment of divisiveness where there are "winners and losers" between individual segments or regions.

The issues facing the beef industry today have no segment or regional boundaries but have a universal impact. Issues such as food safety, animal health diseases, globalization, bio-terrorism, obesity, environment, and others transcend these segment and regional boundaries and significantly affect the profitability and viability of all beef producers. This is why it is important for NCBA to be an organization that fosters trust among producers, members, partners, and staff.

In addition to effectively achieving its mission and vision, NCBA must communicate clearly to its membership and the industry that it is a cattlemen controlled, industry inclusive organization. Other factors to be addressed include:

• Expense and time to attend annual and summer meetings
• The confusion within the policy development process
• Difficulty of members to participate in policy development
• Perceived inequity in representation between segments

The purpose of this proposal is to address perceptions of NCBA and create the knowledge based environment that allows the organization to become a more responsive, inclusive organization. There is no intent in this proposal to discriminate against any individual segment of the industry or region of the nation. However, it is the purpose of this proposal to create a governance environment that fosters information sharing, diversity of opinion, member involvement, and knowledge based decision making on issues facing the beef industry.

Objective

Create a more responsive, inclusive governance process that enables NCBA to fulfill its mission:

"Working to increase profit opportunities for cattle and beef producers by enhancing the business climate and building consumer demand."

III. Becoming More Responsive

A more responsive organization uses knowledge as the foundation of all decisions. NCBA must provide educational opportunities and information for its members that allow them to easily obtain information and develop this foundation of knowledge on issues facing the beef industry. There are several initiatives that are being implemented or proposed to build this knowledge based foundation. These include the following:

• Redesign of the BBB and National Cattlemen
• Creation of an NCBA membership website
• Issues Forums at annual and summer meeting
• Satellite and Internet technology for information dissemination
• Comprehensive cattlemen's education program

Redesign of the BBB and National Cattlemen

For fiscal year 2003, the Beef Business Bulletin and National Cattlemen were redesigned to present current, factual, and balanced information on key issues facing the organization and the beef industry. The BBB contains a "Point - Counterpoint" on key issues as well as the latest information on current issues. The National Cattlemen magazine is focused on topics that create value for our members and prospective members with ideas they can implement.

Creation of an NCBA Membership Website

BeefUSA.org, introduced to our members January 2004, is designed as a NCBA website that targets relevant information to our members. Legislative and regulatory contacts, updates on key policy issues, market and educational information are key components of this site. The objective is to create value to our members on a real time basis.

Issues Forums at Annual and Summer meeting

Beginning with the summer conference in Dallas, NCBA conducted a series of breakout sessions on key issues facing the industry. The purpose of these forums is to provide the background information on key issues that will be discussed throughout the meeting. These forums give all members and meeting participants an opportunity to hear the discussion on issues of interest and more importantly, to express his/her individual point of view on issues pertinent to committee discussions.

In the past, councils served the purpose of providing information. These forums replace the council meetings that occurred at the annual and summer meetings. To ensure the continued success of these forums, participation by members in attendance is critical. The forums have short presentations with time allowed for a general discussion. Individuals attending the forum are encouraged to speak. It is also important that each industry segment's or regional perspective on the issue being discussed be openly communicated so that there is a common understanding of varying points of view.

Satellite and Internet technology for information and dissemination

NCBA has members who wish to participate but for various reasons cannot come to meetings. Opportunities are being evaluated to use technology via satellite or through the Internet to reach our members with industry information and also to allow interactive participation in producer education sessions and in the policy development process. At the annual meeting in Phoenix, a business plan will be presented to the Board of Directors for consideration on how NCBA can effectively use technology to better serve its members and engage them in organizational activities.

Comprehensive cattlemen's education program

As a part of the FY 2004 plan, NCBA is expanding its producer education program. Based upon the membership research, members are telling us that information on how to improve their operations is important. This year, NCBA in a partnership with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, is conducting nine risk management seminars in conjunction with our state affiliate partners. This is an opportunity for NCBA to become "local" with its members and prospective members.

IV. Inclusiveness

NCBA must revise its governance to ensure a simple, disciplined, inclusive policy development process. A balance between "individual" voice and a form of "representative" governance must be the goal. This will require elimination of some of the current governance bodies and more empowerment of others to achieve this objective. Currently, some members feel shut out from the process, but strongly desire the opportunity for ownership of the organization. Simplicity, consistency, and accountability are the applied principles.

To achieve ownership and to truly be a membership controlled organization, NCBA's governance and policy development process must begin and end with the individual member. Additionally, a key element of success is for each director, representing members, to have ownership of the process and the decisions that are made. The link to How NCBA Policy is Adopted illustrates the new structure adopted at the 2004 Convention in Phoenix.