10 minute read
NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
THE ENEMY WITHIN OUR INDUSTRY
THE WEDGE ISSUES THAT DRIVE US APART
by NCBA President Don Schiefelbein
Six months into my tenure as the president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), I have had the opportunity to travel and visit with fellow cattle producers from coast to coast. A couple of months ago at the Florida Cattlemen’s Convention, I had the opportunity to meet fellow cattle producer Kevin Escobar. Kevin mentioned that he had heard me visit with the Florida attendees and that the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) officers and I, an NCBA officer, appeared to share so much in common.
The following week, Kevin asked if I would be willing to jump on call with three additional USCA officers. We visited for more than an hour and to the surprise of some, we almost unanimously agreed on what the real threats to our industry were. It was on that phone call, that the group challenged me to share my thoughts.
Like many of you, I come from a family farming, cattle feeding and ranching operation. Our large allfamily operation includes my father and mother, their nine sons (I am son number seven), eight daughters inlaw, 32 grandchildren and their 15 spouses and 32 greatgrandchildren. Our massive family group adds up to more than 80 members. Like any family operation, the key to our success is being able to work together for the benefit of us all. From my perspective, the beef community I serve has so many similarities to my large family.
Don’t Focus on Wedge Issues
As a family operation, we would not survive if we focused on the issues that our family is not in agreement on. The term I use to describe these nonconsensus items is “wedge” issues. Every industry and every family has wedge issues. These are typically complex subjects where smart people on both sides simply disagree. Typically, these wedge issues bring about strong emotions and, if truth be told, the solutions are neither obvious nor easy.
In our current beef business, a few of these wedge issues include price discovery, use of checkoff funds and mandatory country of origin labeling. In each of these sensitive issues, good cattlemen disagree.
On the wedge issue of price discovery alone, our industry invested almost two years of precious time, spent lots of valuable dollars and groups on both sides of the issue used a tremendous amount of political clout. No consensus was reached… just lost opportunities.
Similarly, on the critical issue of the national Beef Checkoff and state beef council-led Checkoff programs, our industry spent millions of dollars fighting amongst ourselves in court only to have the Supreme Court affirm the legality of the Beef Checkoff and affirm that USDA
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has appropriate oversight of the state beef councils and checkoff programs.
Our Enemies Win
The only winners on these wedge issues are the lawyers and those that want to put us out of business. Our enemies have figured out that the best way to take down the beef industry is not by attacking us directly but by fostering hatred and disagreement within our ranks. It should not come as a surprise to anyone that a huge sum of the litigation expense against the Beef Checkoff was gladly funded by the likes of allies and partners of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), an organization with the primary goal of eliminating animal agriculture. As well, you should be alarmed to learn that Senator Cory Booker, a vegan who is not a friend of agriculture, has now become a member of the Senate Ag Committee and routinely supports the introduction of bills that further wedge our industry. fake meat companies. While not perfected yet, estimates suggest a product rollout within the next five years of cellcultured fake meat that may mimic the look, texture and even the flavor of our beef. Our industry cannot afford to lose focus on this potential game changing product. Now is the time to work together to put into place effective safeguards to preserve our future.
Foreign disease and cell-cultured fake meat are just a couple of issues our beef community faces. Our industry routinely defends producers on taxes, WOTUS, environmental overreach, death tax, endangered species, burdensome regulations, etc., etc., etc.
For the sake of the future of our business, we must work together as an industry. We need, as leaders, to find common ground on the 90-plus percent that will likely determine our long-term fate and avoid the death trap of wedge issues that place our industry groups in the circular firing squad where we inflict damage to each other as our enemies gleefully watch. Just as my father reminds our family, our industry needs to heed that same advice — the only way we lose is by attacking each other BUT if we stand united together, we are unstoppable.
Let’s Focus on the 90 percent of Issues Where We Agree
There’s no shortage of issues that pose real and immediate danger to the long-term success of our industry. While our enemies remain focused on the wedge issues that divide us, large issues are quietly growing and are not being addressed proactively, like foreign animal diseases and cell-cultured fake meat.
If COVID-19 taught us anything, we should have learned that in the face of a disease crisis, our government can overreact and substantially disrupt the marketplace. Imagine if a cattle virus hit our nation. You can be assured that overnight our export market would cease, along with it, the loss of at least $500 of value per head of every fed beef animal processed. You could also anticipate that the enemies of our beef industry would take advantage of this terrible situation by attempting to completely shut down our domestic market. The result would be a disruption so large that it could cripple our industry.
Another huge, looming issue is cellcultured fake meat. This is not the fake meat we see in the store or on a menu. Cellcultured fake meat is grown in a petri dish. I am concerned that the beef community has been lulled to sleep with the recent failures of
College Students Encouraged to Apply for Convention Internship
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is offering college students a unique behind-the-scenes experience through its annual convention internship program. The 2023 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, the largest annual meeting of the U.S. beef cattle industry, will take place Feb. 1-3, 2023, in New Orleans.
Up to 18 interns will be selected and will be responsible for setting up the demonstration arena, assisting at committee meetings and Cattlemen’s College, participating in the NCBA booth, and posting on social media. NCBA will strive to provide students time to maximize industry networking.
Student interns must be able to work Jan. 29-Feb. 4, 2023, provide their own transportation to New Orleans, and be at least a juniorlevel college student at an accredited university at the time of the event. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA, preferably have a background in, or working knowledge of, the cattle and/or beef industry, and have experience with social media.
This one-of-a-kind opportunity offers college students the ability to network with industry stakeholders throughout the beef industry and gain valuable experience. Interns also receive a one-year NCBA student membership.
Interested students must complete an online Student Internship Application and submit college transcripts, two letters of recommendation and a resume. The application deadline is Oct. 21, 2022. For more information, contact Grace Webb at gwebb@beef.org.
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2022 CCA & CCW ANNUAL CONVENTION + TRADESHOW
WITH THE NEVADA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION Nov. 30 - Dec. 2• Nugget Casino Resort • Sparks, Nev.
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
There will be no shortage of chances to connect with both California and Nevada ranchers as this year’s event is being held with the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association.
One of CCW’s keynote speakers for 2022 is author and advocate Michele Payn, CSP, who connects the people and science of food and farming as principal of Cause Matters Corp.
TRADESHOW WELCOME PARTY
Enjoy the opening of the California + Nevada Cattle Industry Tradeshow on Wednesday evening while catching up with your fellow cattle producers from the West.
POLICY AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Come Thursday to participate in the policy-making process—one of the best ways to get involved and make your voice and vote count.
EXCLUSIVE CATTLEWOMEN SPEAKERS
CATTLEFAX BREAKFAST
Patrick Linnell will be giving the CattleFax Outlook at Friday’s breakfast, a favorite presentation of Convention year after year!
Brett Stuart with Global AgriTrends will be a General Session speaker. Plus, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands Council will give updates on issues they are tackling on behalf of U.S. ranchers. Stay tuned as more speaker details are announced on our website and in the October and November issues of the California Cattleman.
VISIT THE TRADESHOW WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY.
YCC MEMBERS GET A REDUCED REGISTRATION RATE.
MEETINGS WILL HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR THE AWARDS BANQUET.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29TH
11 am - 5 pm Registration Open
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH
8 am - 5 pm CRT Board Meeting 9 - 10 am Tradeshow Exhibitor/Allied Industry Meeting 10 am - Noon CCA Officer’s Meeting 11 am - Noon YCC Networking in the Tradeshow Noon - 9:30 pm Tradeshow Open Noon - 1 pm CCA Fire Subcommittee Meeting Noon - 2 pm Calif. Cattlemen’s Foundation Board 1 - 2 pm CBCIA Finance Meeting 2 - 3 pm CCA Finance and Membership Meeting 2 - 5 pm CBCIA Board Meeting 2:30 - 4 pm Media Training 2:30 - 4 pm CCW Executive Committee 3 - 4 pm Cattle-PAC Meeting 3 - 4 pm YCC Meeting 4 - 5:30 pm Opening General Session 5:30 - 6:30 pm Allied Industry Wine & Cheese Reception 6:30 - 9:30 pm Tradeshow Welcome Party
6:30 - 7:30 am Prayer Gathering 7 am - 1 pm Calif. + Nevada Cattle Industry Tradeshow 7 - 8 am Breakfast in the Tradeshow 7 - 8 am LMRF Meeting 7 - 10 am Bloody Mary Bar 8 - 9:00 am CCW Executive Committee Training 8 - 10:00 am General Session #2 9 - 10 am CCW Heritage Meeting 10 - 11 am CCW Meet and Greet with Standing Committee Chairs 10 am - Noon CCA Cattle Health & Well-Being 10 am - Noon Cattle Marketing & International Trade 10 am - Noon CCA Federal Lands 11:15 am - 2:15 pm Cowbelle of the Year Lunch Noon - 1 pm Lunch in the Tradeshow Noon - 1 pm Past Presidents Lunch 1 - 2 pm General Session #3 2 - 4 pm Cattlemen’s Poster Session 2 - 4 pm CCA Property Rights & Environmental Management 2 - 4 pm CCA Agriculture & Food Policy/Tax and Credit 2:45 - 5 pm CCW Workshop 3 - 4 pm CCA Tax & Credit (Policy Breakout) 4 - 5 pm CBCIA Cattlemen’s College Session 4 - 5 pm Local Cattlemen’s Meeting 5 - 6 pm CCA President’s Reception 6:30 - 10 pm CCA & CCW Reception & Awards Banquet
6:30 - 7:30 am CCA Nominating Committee 7 - 9 am CCW Awards Breakfast 8 - 9:15 am CattleFax Breakfast 9:30 am - Noon CCA Board and Membership Meeting 9:30 am - Noon CCW Board and Membership Meeting
