LETTER FROM THE CEO

Since its debut, the annual spring edition of Directions has become increasingly popular due to its coverage of the latest innovations and insights into cattle production and management practices. In the past, this edition has been an extension of the great work of NCBA’s Producer Education team with Cattlemen’s College and the monthly Cattlemen’s Webinar Series. Without Cattlemen’s College taking place during its usual time as part of our annual convention, this edition of Directions is even more impactful. Inside you will find coverage on herd health plans, reproduction, nutrition needs, cattle marketing and much more.

You will also find articles on genetics, stewardship and sustainability. I specifically call these three out because of the enhanced importance they currently play in the cattle business. Grocery retailers, restaurants, food service, President Biden and our consumers are asking more questions about where their food comes from, how it is produced, and its impact on the environment. I do not view these inquiries as being invasive, but rather, I see this as a unique opportunity to tell our story. We have all experienced a time when somebody was telling a story we just were not interested in. They probably put all their passion into telling it, but it just did not resonate; we let our minds wonder due to this lack of interest. For years, we have been encouraging you to tell your story, but not everybody was interested in hearing it. Now, we have more and more of their attention, so let us capitalize on it.

So much of our collective story is based on how you and your family are stewards of the soil, grass, air, water, wildlife and the welfare of your cattle. Our customers must understand that without healthy land, we do not have a business, lifestyle, or a place to raise our families. More than that, we need to showcase the “superpower” of ruminants by explaining that we take grass, legumes, forbs and other forages that have absolutely no nutritional value to humans and allow our cattle to use rumination to turn them into the best beef in the world. We call that upcycling, and the response we get when we talk about it has been tremendous. We are finding ways to take the complex nature of what we do and put it in terms that our customers can understand.

Now, back to why this edition of Directions is so important. Part of our positive story hinges on the successes we have had in improving the way we produce beef. Between 1961 and 2018, the U.S. beef industry reduced the emissions per pound of beef by more than 40 percent while also producing more than 66 percent more beef per animal. We did that thanks to the research, genetic improvement and focus on the customer. The cattle business committed to this without the EPA, Congress or the White House telling us to do so. That is leadership, and the great news is we have not stopped improving. Our commitment to continual improvement is how we wrap up our story. By committing to improve ourselves, our operations and our cattle, we can ensure that our engagement in the sustainability and climate discussion will be done on our terms rather than waiting to see what burdens the government or other groups put on us. Enjoy this edition of Directions and keep learning!

Colin Woodall, NCBA CEO

So much of our collective

story is based on how you and your family are stewards of the soil, grass, air, water, wildlife and the welfare of your cattle. Our customers must understand that without healthy land, we do not have a business, lifestyle, or a place to raise our families.

These are companies that have teamed with NCBA as corporate members, demonstrating their commitment to the beef industry. Their involvement strengthens our future. NCBA members are urged to support these partners in turn by purchasing their products and services. Those who would like to become corporate members with NCBA (securing premium booth placement at the annual convention and trade show as well as other membership benefits), please call the Corporate Relations team at 303-694-0305.

Animal Health International

www.animalhealthinternational.com

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Inc.

www.bi-vetmedica.com/species/cattle.html

Caterpillar

www.cat.com

Central Life Sciences

www.centrallifesciences.com

Corteva Agriscience™

www.corteva.com

John Deere

www.deere.com

Masey Ferguson

www.agcocorp.com/brands/massey-ferguson

Merck Animal Health

www.merck-animal-health-usa.com (Minimum $100,000 Investment)

Micro Technologies www.microtechnologies.com Moly Manufacturing www.molymfg.com New Holland Agriculture www.newholland.com Purina Animal Nutrition LLC www.purinamills.com/cattle Ritchie Industries Inc. www.ritchiefount.com Roto-Mix www.rotomix.com Zoetis Animal Health www.zoetis.com

Allflex Livestock Intelligence Bayer Environmental Sciences CHR HANSEN Elanco Animal Health Farm Credit Council

Huvepharma, Inc. Lallemand Animal Nutrition Norbrook, Inc. Rabo AgriFinance RAM Trucks

44 Farms ADM Animal Nutrition, Inc. AgriPrime Insurance Agency Agri-Pro Enterprises of Iowa, Inc. AgriWebb Alltech, Inc. American National Insurance Anipro Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production Arrowquip Bank of America Merrill Lynch Barenbrug USA Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Behlen Manufacturing Bimeda BioZyme Cargill Animal Nutrition Case IH Certified Hereford Beef CME Group DATAMARS Livestock Dell Technologies Diamond V ENDOVAC Animal Health Food Safety Net Services Furst-McNess Company Gallagher Gravely, an Ariens Company

American Foods Group Cargill Meat Solutions Certified Angus Beef Culver’s Darden Restaurants empirical Fareway Stores, Inc. Five Guys Greeley Hat Works Growsafe Systems LTD Hayden Outdoors Real Estate Hyundai Construction Equipment IMI Global International Stock Food Kent Nutrition Group Krone Kubota Tractor Corporation

Kunafin “The Insectary” Laird Manufacturing Meat & Livestock Australia, Ltd. Micronutrients National Corn Growers Association Neogen New Generation Supplements Noble Research Institute Novus International Parker McCrory PBS Animal Health Phibro Animal Health Priefert Ranch Equipment QualiTech, Inc Quality Liquid Feeds R&R Machine Works RFD-TV Roper/Stetson/Tin Haul Apparel and Footwear Stone Manufacturing Superior Livestock Syngenta Tarter Farm and Ranch Equipment The Hartford Livestock Insurance The Vit-E-Men Co. Inc./Life Products Trans Ova Genetics U.S. Premium Beef Vermeer Vitalix Westway Feeds Y-Tex Zinpro Performance Minerals

McDonald’s Corporation National Beef Packing Omaha Steaks Performance Food Group Preferred Beef Group Tyson Fresh Meats Wendy’s International