Agricultural News
Cattle Industry Convention Attracts 10,000 to New Orleans- Ron Hays Talks Issues with NCBA President Kevin Kester
Thu, 31 Jan 2019 11:39:45
Nearly 10,000 cattlemen and cattlewomen are on-hand in New Orleans for the 2019 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show. The event runs through February 2, 2019, bringing together producers from across the country.
"Every year the Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show hosts members from every segment of the beef industry," said NCBA President Kevin Kester. "Not only is the event a great opportunity for attendees to network and learn about the newest technology and science to improve their operations, but it's also when we set our policy priorities for the next year."
Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Ron Hays sat down with Kester and talked about some of the issues being considered by cattle producers and his year as NCBA President- you can hear their conversation by clicking or tapping on the LISTEN BAR below. They also talked about several of the Policy Priorities adopted by the organization for 2019.
This year's Policy Priorities include a mix of familiar and new issues for the industry, and while the group will engage on a wide variety of policy issues the organization in 2019 will focus on four main issue areas:
Fake Meat. NCBA was successful in 2018 in arguing for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to have primary jurisdiction over the inspection and marketing of lab-produced and plant-based fake meat. Now in 2019 the group will work to ensure that a regulatory framework is properly implemented - one that protects the health and wellbeing of consumers, prevents false and deceptive marketing, and ensures a level playing field for real beef products.
Trade and Market Access. A perennial issue for U.S. cattle producers, 2019's priorities on trade will focus on promoting a bilateral trade agreement with Japan, securing swift passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), and expanding access for U.S. beed in key markets like China, the United Kingdom, and the European Union.
Dietary Guidelines. The federal government updates its official Dietary Guidelines every five years, and as that process ramps up in 2019, NCBA will work to protect the scientific credibility of Dietary Guidelines and promote accurate information about the nutritional advantages of beef as part of a balanced diet.
Regulatory Reform and Implementation. The past two years have brought about significant regulatory relief for beef producers, but much work remains to be done on additional relief and implementing recent reforms. This includes issues such as full implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill, enacting a permanent solution to overly restrictive Hours of Service rules for livestock haulers, finalizing a new water rule to replace the 2015 Waters of the U.S. rule, exempting livestock producers from EPCRA air emissions reporting requirements, modernizing and streamlining the Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and federal grazing regulations, and promoting antimicrobial stewardship by producers and preserving access to key veterinary technologies.
Attendees at the Convention will have the chance to visit the 6.5-acre trade show and attend a wide range of engaging events. This includes live cattle handling demonstrations and the popular Cattlemen's College, a series of educational sessions that cover topics like herd management, cattle health, and improving profitability. Cattlemen's College is famous for stimulating and thought-provoking sessions that can help generate high returns for producers' operations.
Other highlights this week include the D.C. public policy issues update, NCBA policy committee meetings, the "Mardi Gras Masquerade" hosted at Mardi Gras World, and the Cowboy Concert Series featuring music stars Big and Rich.
The Convention will wrap up Saturday morning with a meeting of the NCBA's Board of Directors, where official public policy positions will be set for the coming year.
Holding their meetings at this event were the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the Cattlemen's Beef Board, the American National CattleWomen, CattleFax and the National Cattlemen's Foundation.
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