NCBA News continued from the previous page Happy Hour with Buzz Brainard, will emcee convention events. Brainard is a familiar face in Nashville, and his voice is well known on SiriusXM radio, Animal Planet, and the Discovery Channel. The Opening Session on August 10, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim, will kick things off with country music singer and songwriter Kix Brooks. Brooks, who was recently recognized as the National On-Air Personality of the Year by the Academy of Country Music, will talk about his experiences in country music as well as his passion for creating award winning wines. CattleFax will present its U.S. and Global Protein and Grain Outlook Seminar on August 11, exploring factors driving the market, and Dr. Art Douglas will discuss evolving weather patterns and provide a weather forecast for the United States and the world. This session is sponsored by Zoetis and Purina Feeds, LLC. The final day of convention includes two general sessions featuring a panel discussion on sustainability, sponsored by Roto-Mix, LLC. Sustainability continues to be a hot topic, with environmental stewardship often making the headlines, but economic viability and social responsibility play roles as well. Session speakers will discuss how the cattle industry offers solutions to the climate change conversation. The Closing General Session on August 12 celebrates the industry’s Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Program. In addition to honoring recipients of the BQA Awards, sponsored by Cargill, the session features speaker Jason Brown, a former professional football player who turned in his cleats for a tractor. Brown left the NFL to serve others through farming, and he will talk about his life changing journey from the football field to the vegetable field. Additional educational opportunities can be found throughout the three days, including the Learning Lounge, which offers “lightning sessions” on the trade show floor providing busy attendees valuable educational tips. The Stockmanship and Stewardship demonstration arena provides unique educational experiences featuring sessions on adding value to calves at sale time and horseback handling to improve the bottom line. And, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association “State of the Industry” session, which will be held in the general session room, will feature CEO Colin Woodall, and Vice President of Government Affairs, Ethan Lane, discussing the current climate in Washington. For those arriving early, Cattlemen’s
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College, sponsored by Zoetis, will highlight cutting edge topics and top industry leaders, such as Tuesday’s keynote speaker, Dr. Jayson Lusk from Purdue University, who will discuss industry impacts from COVID-19 and keeping beef at the center of the plate. “Nashville is open for business, and we look forward to seeing everyone in person this August,” says Torres. While the 2021 Cattle Industry Convention is being held in person, a virtual option is available for those who can’t attend. The CattleCon Remix ticket provides live streaming of all general sessions as well as on demand options for other educational events. For more information and to register and reserve housing, visit www.convention.ncba.org. NCBA Joins Dialogue with Secretary Vilsack on Build Back Better Initiative. NCBA recently joined an agriculture industry call with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Vilsack to discuss the path forward for the recently announced $4 billion Build Back Better initiative. During the coalition call, there was a productive, positive dialogue on how funds could best be utilized to strengthen the security of the beef supply chain and increase opportunities for profitability for all sectors of the cattle industry. In yesterday’s announcement, USDA outlined four areas of focus for the program — food production, food processing, aggregation and distribution, and consumers and markets. The prevailing theme on the call was processing capacity, and Secretary Vilsack specifically cited the urgent need to expand capacity in the cattle and beef industry. “I’m extremely optimistic about the priorities Secretary Vilsack expressed, and the targeted interest he and his team have shown in improving business conditions for cattle producers,” said NCBA CEO Colin Woodall. “The fact that the focus of his comments was on processing capacity signals that the Build Back Better initiative could be directly beneficial for NCBA members. We discussed new local and regional processing facilities, bringing federal inspection within reach for more state inspected facilities, and maintaining open, transparent markets. A nimble, durable beef supply chain is good for cattle producers and consumers alike, and NCBA looks forward to working with Secretary Vilsack and his team as they build out these resources for producers.” Woodall also reiterated to Secretary Vilsack that demand for U.S. beef is high and cattle supply is high, but the
The Carolina Cattle Connection q JULY 2021
chokepoint in the middle — caused by a lack of hook space — has stifled producer profitability and created unsustainable market dynamics. NCBA Takes Action to Increase Producer Profitability Through USDA Verified Labels. NCBA recently filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) to eliminate the use of “Product of the USA” (POTUSA) and other broad U.S. origin labeling claims for beef products that are potentially misleading to consumers. NCBA believes that current “Product of the USA” labels are a disservice to American consumers and cattle producers alike. The claim implies that a beef product is entirely of U.S. origin. However, in reality, imported beef products are eligible to be labeled “Product of the USA” as long as the product has been minimally processed or repackaged in a USDA inspected facility. It is not subject to source verification, is not tied to any kind of food safety standard, and is applied by packers and retailers in a manner that does not deliver value back to the cattle producer.
Braunvieh Association of America Joins IGS. The Braunvieh Association of American (BAA) has become a member of the International Genetic Solutions (IGS), a cooperative of more than 19 breed associations around the world that work together to provide the largest multibreed genetic evaluation in the world. With approaching 20 million animals in the IGS database, the BAA and other IGS partners have a stronger genetic evaluation than any singular breed could have alone. This multi-breed model gives producers stronger EPDs that help breeders and their customers make confident selection decisions. “This is a monumental moment for the Braunvieh breed, and something we have worked hard to achieve since IGS inception,” says Robert Williams, President of the BAA. Joining IGS “makes a statement to the rest of the industry that Braunvieh is serious about being a factor in the beef industry.” With this transition, breeders can expect to see increased frequency of
“The Product of the USA label does not meet the expectations of today’s consumers and disincentivizes the use of voluntary, source verified claims that allow cattle and beef producers to more effectively distinguish their product in the marketplace,” said NCBA President Jerry Bohn. “There is a growing desire among consumers to know more about the origin of the food they purchase, and it is critical that producers are empowered with opportunities to market their high quality beef in a way that allows them to differentiate the source of their product from competitors and potentially increase profitability.” For many years, NCBA has supported voluntary efforts which provide producers the opportunity to capture more value through origin labels and corresponding marketing initiatives that are voluntary and source verified. In lieu of the “Product of the USA” label, NCBA is advocating for a more appropriate generic label, such as “Processed in the USA.” Further, NCBA hopes to work with USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to proactively educate cattle producers, processors, and retailers about the various opportunities
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calculations in EPDs, amplified EPD accuracies, and EPD value adjustments in line with the multi-breed database. IGS EPDs will now be updated weekly and be part of the beef power IGS is building. Williams adds, “Braunvieh has a lot to offer the beef industry, and IGS is a tool we can use to prove that point.” IGS collectively provides user friendly and science based genetic predictions to enhance the profitability of beef cattle producers. The Braunvieh Association is committed to utilizing these advancements now and in the future. About the Braunvieh Association of America. The mission of BBA is to support and encourage the use of Braunvieh genetics in the global beef industry by maintaining the integrity of the Braunvieh Association of America herd book, equipping members with information and selection tools necessary to compete, expanding opportunities for members to attract and service customers, and fostering interaction among members. To learn more, contact the ASA office or visit www.braunvieh.org.
