Beef Buzz News
NCBA's Colin Woodall Gives Credit to Cattle Producers for Always Being Sustainable
Fri, 13 May 2022 11:07:59 CDT
Ron Hays, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster, features Colin Woodall, Chief Executive Officer of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Woodall talks about sustainability in an industry he believes has always been and will continue to be sustainable.
"We spend a lot of time talking about sustainability and how sustainability has really sprinkled throughout every issue we are working on right now," Woodall said. "Everything from fake meat to climate issues in capitol hill, to just connecting with the consumer and answering the questions they have."
The message for the public, Woodall said, is cattle producers have been sustainable long before this was a hot topic.
"You look at some of these ranch families that have been around four, five, or six generations or more- that is sustainability," Woodall said. "Being able to quantify that and being able to sell that to lawmakers, to regulators- it ultimately, to the consumer, is a task that we have, but one we are up for."
It is essential, Woodall said, to take the true facts and figures and let the consumer know they can feel comfortable eating our product.
"We are only accountable for 2% of the total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions," Woodall said. "That is not a whole lot."
As a matter of fact, Woodall said when you take in everything that it takes to put beef on the plate, it is only 3.7% of the total greenhouse gas emissions.
"That is something to be proud of because the transportation sector is 25%, and the energy sector is 29%, so we know that when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, we are not the major emitter," Woodall said. "When you look at the environmental benefits that come with cattle on the range, we are part of the solution not part of the problem."
Woodall also talked about work on taxes and said being able to beat back all of the proposed tax increases was a significant victory for NCBA.
"There was an effort to take away our use of the step-up in basis," Woodall said. "Things such as 1031-like kind of exchanges, and we were able to put together a group of ag organizations and small businesses to fight back, beat back on congress, and ultimately win the day and keep all of these provisions in place."
Woodall said they have been successful in maintaining the exemption for the implementation of electronic logging devices for livestock collars and hours of service.
"That way, we can move cattle the way we need to move cattle as quickly as possible to get them to the next phase in production in order to be as efficient as we can and also to take care of the welfare of that animal," Woodall said.
Woodall said it is hard to predict the outcome of midterm elections.
"There is really a long time between now and November, politically," Woodall said. "As a matter of fact, I would say a lifetime politically."
All it takes, Woodall said, is a five-second sound bite or one wrong move that can completely change the trajectory of a congressional race.
"While I do believe the Republicans have a great opportunity to potentially take back one or both houses of Congress, they are going to have to do a lot of work, mind their P's and Q's, and truly appeal to the voter in order to make this happen," Woodall said. "The voter also has to show up, so November 8th is the day."
Woodall expressed the importance of showing up and voting because we need to ensure that the cattle producer's voice is being heard in this election.
Click on the LISTEN BAR below to hear more from Colin Woodall on beef sustainability.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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