Stayed Informed
NCBA and CBB leaders encourage producers to stay informed and involved in the beef industry.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Feb 4, 2014) — “There is a lot of education, a lot of fellowship, a lot of fun, a lot of entertainment, a lot of inspiration and a lot of policy-making at this convention, and I thank you for your input,” said Scott George, president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) as he welcomed attendees to the first general session of the 2014 Cattle Industry Convention.
The past year has been a journey, Scott said, noting the third-longest government shutdown in U.S. history, Farm Bill detours and NCBA’s opposition due to mandatory country-of-origin labeling (mCOOL), and reauthorization of the Animal Drug User Fee Act.
Additionally, he mentioned the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE) upgraded the United States’ bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) status to negligible, the highest available. This adds to already growing global beef export markets. He added that continued work with the Five Nations Beef Alliance, which includes the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Mexico, is continuing its work to eliminate trade barriers.
Weldon Wynn, chairman of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB), said he is honored to represent the cattle industry’s “self-help program,” the beef checkoff. He advised cattlemen to stay informed and get the word out on the benefits of the checkoff. There is plenty of misinformation about it, Wynn noted, and it is the responsibility of everyone to correct those errors.
The CBB completed cutting-edge research on beef cuts, beef safety and quality assurance, and issues management to address misinformation about the beef industry. Due to consumer research, Wynn explained that all marketing efforts will shift to digital marketing to expand the reach and access the millennial generation (see “Moms, Millennials and More”).
“Change can be scary, but I have faith in our market research to guide us in the right direction” he asserted.
The Federation celebrated its 50-year anniversary in 2013, and its grass-roots direction helps strengthen beef demand, he said.
Barbara Jackson, president of the American National CattleWomen Inc. (ANCW), highlighted the organization’s committee restructure to put more focus into beef promotion, youth development and legislation. She emphasized that the ANCW promotes synergy with other industry organizations.
“To promote beef to some degree of success, we must work together,” she said.
Editor’s Note: The above article was written under contract or by staff of the Angus Journal. It may not be reprinted without express
permission of the Angus Journal. To request reprint permission, contact the editor at 816-383-5200.
www.4cattlemen.com is an event coverage site provided by the Angus Journal editorial team,which publishes the Angus Journal, the Angus Beef Bulletin, the Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA and the Angus Journal Daily. For questions about this site, to submit an article for our consideration, or to report a broken link, contact the editor at 816-383-5200; 3201 Frederick Ave., Saint Joseph, MO 64506.
The Angus Journal claims copyright
to this website as presented. We welcome educational venues and
cattlemen to link to this site as a service to their audience.