Idaho Cattleman Takes Helm Of NCBA

Idaho cattleman Eric Davis accepted the president’s gavel from outgoing NCBA president Wythe Willey at the Stakeholders Congress and NCBA Membership Meeting during the final session of the 2003 Cattle Industry Convention held in Nashville.

Willey called Davis "The right man, for the right job, at the right time," as he called Davis to the podium. In turn, Davis commended Iowa cattleman and lawyer Willey for his past year of "focused" service.

Davis said, "This leadership role is a bit like being a trail boss on a cross-country cattle drive. You must concentrate and focus to bring your herd to its destination safely. Wythe did that, and I intend to try to emulate that."

In looking at the year ahead Davis said, "I’ll take the most direct route I can. We must stay focused on our industry’s goals. We owe it to our members, our ancestors and our grandchildren. And, we’ve got a lot of work to do, and no time to lose."

He alluded to the contentious issues such as the checkoff, structure of the NCBA organization and country-of-origin labeling, and reminded membership to work together. "Sometimes you have to agree to disagree without being disagreeable. But, we have a great team and that’s critical because the work ahead of us demands a team effort," he said.

He added, "Look to NCBA to continue reaching out to members across the country through town hall meetings and other forums." Davis said he’ll also continue to strive for partnerships in and outside of the industry to help raise revenue for the organization.

He concluded, "Remember that members are our strength; Facts are our friends; and Success comes in cans, not cannots."

— By Kindra Gordon