January 2021 - National Cattlemen

N A T I O N A L CATTLEMEN

To be the trusted leader and definitive voice of the U.S. cattle and beef industry.

JAN 2021 • Vol. 37, No. 4 • NCBA.org

Photo by Hannah Wine, Marshall, Virginia

A New NEPA For The New Year

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NCBA started January 2020 with a visit to the White House for the announcement of a newly proposed rule to update the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). After years of work, the process to revise and improve the NEPA process was complete by July following the conclusion of a process by the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). NCBA celebrated the release of the final rule, as it represents a vast improvement to

environmental policy. The improvement was long overdue as NEPA had not undergone any major revision since 1986.

While the CEQ guidance is a meaningful first step, all agencies who undertake NEPA analysis as part of their operations need to adopt changes to ensure their internal procedures are in line with this new directive. Knowing this, NCBA worked closely with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) on their draft rulemaking, which was just finalized in November and is now the law of the land.

The final rule from USFS contains a series of new categorical exclusions (CEs) and a Determination of NEPA Adequacy that are designed to make the NEPA process simpler and faster, making the law work better for the agencies and for stakeholders.

CEs are a NEPA process that are completed when a determination is made that the proposed action will not have a significant impact on the environment. A Determination of NEPA Adequacy is a process by which a previous environmental analysis may be used again for a new project or

range improvement, if the review adequately assessed the impacts of the proposed project.

These updates are crucial, as radical environmental groups have hijacked NEPA and use it as one of their main tools to further their political and environmental agendas. Their efforts, combined with basic inefficiencies in the NEPA law that was in desperate need of updating, led to average NEPA analysis review times exceeding five years (in 2016). This was unacceptable for ranchers and farmers who were waiting for renewal of their ten-year grazing permit, to construct range improvements, or applying for a Farm Service Agency loan. Once a NEPA review has been completed it should be referenced and used again to ensure taxpayers are not having to foot the bill for endless reviews that say the same thing each time.

NCBA Executive Director of Natural Resources and the Public Lands Council (PLC) Executive Director Kaitlynn Glover was pleased to see the agency finalize these improved tools. "[This] represents decades of work by livestock producers who have told the Forest

Service and other federal agencies for years that NEPA regulations need serious improvement. This rule formalizes changes that will allow USFS to be better partners to ranchers and stakeholders who depend on healthy forests and grasslands. These are common-sense changes that add clarity by streamlining NEPA processes and ensuring that agencies duplicative NEPA reviews.

Thank you to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and USFS for following through with this process," Glover says.

It takes significant time to reform and improve most laws, and even longer to address laws that are outdated or have been used as a delay tactic. It may seem like NCBA spent the year talking about NEPA reforms, and for good reason. One of NCBA’s policy priorities for 2020 was to defend and build upon our regulatory wins. NCBA delivered on this policy priority and came up with a big victory on NEPA, which will bring critical relief to cattle producers for years to come. This was never going to be a one-and-done mission and no matter how long it takes, NCBA will be there every step of the way to defend this achievement.

W I S H I N G YO U A H A P P Y

F R O M A L L O F U S AT N C B A MARKET SNAPSHOT WEEK ENDING 12/18/2020 (prices vs. year ago) $106.86

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IN THIS ISSUE Leadership Comments

3

Federation 6 Governance 8 Market Matters

10

Checkoff 15

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NATIONAL CATTLEMEN

New Committee Leaders, Same Mission

Gratitude and Optimism

By Colin Woodall, NCBA CEO

By Marty Smith, NCBA President In the aftermath of any election cycle, there is always a leadership shakeup.

Members of Congress lose their elections, retire, or seek different leadership posts leaving open positions on many important committees.

NCBA works with a host of committees each year, but, for our industry, the most important changes are Rep. David Scott becoming the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, Rep. GT Thompson as House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member, and Rep. Bruce Westerman as the next ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee. Both committees will be critical over the next two years in shaping policy that affects the cattle industry. Most of the congressional committees do not garner much media coverage, but make no mistake, committees do the everyday policy work that keeps Congress running.

Congressional committees are the gatekeepers sifting through hundreds of bills and deciding which policies will progress in the legislative process. They are also the workhorses and brain trust of Congress, developing and writing policy destined to become law.

NCBA is in constant contact with

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF NCBA 2020 NCBA Leadership: President President-elect Vice President Treasurer Federation Division Chair Federation Division Vice-Chair Policy Division Chair Policy Division Vice-Chair Immediate Past President Chief Executive Officer

Marty Smith Jerry Bohn Don Schiefelbein Joe Guild Buck Wehrbein Clay Burtrum Todd Wilkinson Mark Eisele Jennifer Houston Colin Woodall

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Contact NCBA: 9110 E. Nichols Ave., Suite 300, Centennial, CO 80112 (303-694-0305); Washington D.C.: 1275 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Suite 801, Washington, D.C. 20004 (202-347-0228). National Cattlemen’s Beef Association reserves the right to refuse advertising in any of its publications.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association does not accept political advertising in any of its publications. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association does not accept any advertising promoting third-party lawsuits that have not been endorsed by the board of directors. ©2021 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. All rights reserved.

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committee leaders to ensure our members are not only well-represented but that fresh ideas from our own producer-driven policymaking process are considered. These leaders might be new to their positions, but we have known many of them for a long time and consider them friends. We make sure that all these committee leaders know our issues and know where we stand on emerging topics. There will be no time wasted getting them up to speed. We will hit the ground running in the 117th Congress and aggressively pursue the policy priorities that are decided at the beginning of each year.

I often get asked about NCBA’s proactive outreach methods along with our strong and successful political action committee (PAC). Our NCBA-PAC is closing an exceptionally successful year, despite quarantines and lockdowns that have kept other PACs dormant. Our network of state affiliates also represents a powerful force across the country and especially on Capitol Hill as politicians seek support from their constituents back home.

Most importantly, politicians and their staff in Washington reach out to NCBA as a resource and recognize that we are the trusted leader and definitive voice in the U.S. beef industry. Our grassroots, loyal, member-driven support is second to none and this garners the attention of policy leaders, especially as we work on such a comprehensive range of issues.

Our team, on any given day, is working on everything from the second round of Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) payments, to battling the deceptive labeling of fake meat companies, to ensuring that the Dietary Guidelines of America recognizes the nutritional benefits of beef. We are proud of the work we do and the wins we have secured for our members.

As we begin 2021, I am looking forward to the unveiling of our yearly policy priorities and continuing to showcase the work of our members to lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The groundwork laid by NCBA over the past year gives cattle producers a tremendous edge in the future and we owe a debt of gratitude to each NCBA supporter across the nation.

I’d like to thank each and every one of you for all you do for our industry and our Association. 2020 was a tough year for everyone, but 2021 brings us opportunities to continue our forward momentum with policy wins and I am excited to see where the year takes us.

Around noon on Jan. 20, 2021, Joe Biden will become the 46th President of the United States. Since Election Day, I have had almost daily calls from our members asking about the new administration and its impact on us as cattle producers. My message from the get-go has been clear; it is going to be OK. While we are anxiously looking at what the next four years may bring, it is important that we review the past four years under President Trump. Everybody seems to have their own opinion about President Trump, and there is no doubt he has been one of the most interesting and unconventional presidents of our time. Those traits are ones that either endeared him to you or put you off. Regardless of your opinion, I will argue that he has been one of the most cattle-friendly presidents we have had.

I met and interacted with President Trump many times during his administration, and I can tell you he is a very genuine and downto-earth gentleman. While that is contrary to what you sometimes saw in the press, it reflected the man’s true qualities. Even though I did not always agree with the way he conducted business, we cannot argue with the number of wins we achieved under his leadership.

Thanks to a simple steak lunch during golf with Chinese President Xi Jinping, we got beef back into China and our exports have grown since. We got more beef access into Japan. We repealed and replaced EPA’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. We made significant improvements to the Endangered Species Act and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The gray wolf was delisted.

The list goes on and on because he appreciated what cattle producers do, and he appreciated the way NCBA takes care of business.

As we have seen with all administrations, though, it was not always a smooth relationship. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was a big priority for NCBA, but President Trump pulled us out of that agreement. That action will have long-standing consequences for us because the Chinese are now leading a fifteen-nation

trading block covering nearly a third of the global economy and we are not a part of that. I bring that up simply to remind you that every presidential administration, regardless of political party, delivers challenges but our full-time presence in Washington, D.C., has us prepared to face the challenges and ultimately win.

The same will be true with the Biden administration. Presidentelect Biden brings many things to the table we have not seen in quite some time. He is a former U.S. senator that we worked with, and he spent eight years as vice president where we learned even more about him. He is a known commodity and is bringing familiar faces back to work for him. Tom Vilsack has been nominated to reprise his role as secretary of agriculture, a post he held for eight years under President Obama. We had our challenges with Secretary Vilsack on topics such as the GIPSA rule, but we also had significant wins like returning beef to the center of the plate in the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

We have had a lot of experience with Secretary Vilsack and we know we can work with him.

Another familiar face is Katherine Tai, nominee for U.S. Trade Representative. Our team has worked with her on trade issues at the House Ways and Means Committee. Her fluency in Mandarin Chinese will make her very valuable. As I sit here writing this in early December, these are the two nominees thus far that will have a significant impact on the cattle business. As more are announced, we will reach out to them and begin building relationships.

We are currently working very closely with the Biden transition team to educate them on all our priorities, and the reception has been positive. There is no doubt in my mind we will have plenty of challenges ahead of us, but we are prepared to defend our role in food security, nutrition, animal care and natural resource stewardship. However, we will also have opportunities in trade and in showcasing our role as part of the solution to environmental issues.

The next four years will be an adventure, but I am optimistic that NCBA will do what we have always done - build relationships, educate administration officials, and fight for your right to raise cattle.

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NATIONAL CATTLEMEN

Letter to the NCBA Membership

CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY

From the 2020 NCBA Officer Team

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.

One person is missing from the signature line of this letter for reasons we hope will become obvious to each of you.

Webster’s Dictionary defines a leader as a person who directs, commands or guides a group. All of us have either been subject to leadership, served as leaders, or both. Some of you have experienced bad leaders, good leaders and great leaders. Many times, leadership is not apparent or obvious. You have all heard the terms show horses and work horses, and we would bet you could classify leaders in your experience as either one or the other, or a combination of both types.

Members of NCBA have some experience with the leadership of this Association. As with every person in a leadership role, not every person who has been president of NCBA has the same style. Moreover, some leaders through personality and personal style, shape events to fit them.

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On the other hand, sometimes even strong leaders with dynamic personalities are shaped by events so overwhelming and consuming, that a personal way of doing things and planned goals have to be set aside and those unanticipated events must be dealt with in whatever fashion is needed to get the job done. This is an element of great leadership; flexibility and adaptability to deal with things as they come in a calm and diligent manner.

Most members of NCBA interact with our president at a regional, state or local meeting along with NCBA’s annual business meetings. Traditionally, the president of this Association travels extensively attending meetings, working with politicians in Washington, D.C., and traveling to several foreign countries promoting and advocating for beef.

Nothing about the year 2020 has been traditional in any sense of the word. This is certainly true about the term of the current president, Marty Smith from Florida. Marty is a lawyer, but he also manages the family ranch in central Florida which has been in his family since the 1850s. Another unique thing about President Smith is he is one of only a few multi-generational presidents of NCBA and its predecessors. His mother, Past President Jo Ann Smith, was the first woman to head our Association.

As officers of NCBA, we have had many personal meetings with President Smith. There have been weekly and sometimes multi-day phone calls with him. In all cases, he has quietly and diligently fulfilled the myriad of behind-the-scenes duties we ask of our volunteer leader during their presidential year. Much of the information about these efforts on behalf of the cattle industry would naturally be known to the membership as the president traveled across the country visiting with all of you.

These visits are among the rewards of the job.

The president travels far and wide, away from the familiarity of his or her cattle operation and learns a great deal about the width, breadth and depth of this business we all care so much about. Along the way, of course, are the personal thank yous rendered to our president by the many grateful cattle growers across the country. Unfortunately, this experience was denied Marty during his term because of the pandemic.

Unknown to most of the membership are the visits and calls he has had with the White House, with members of Congress and high-ranking federal agency personnel. We can attest personally to his steadfast and unwavering advocacy on behalf of the U.S. beef industry.

His leadership has been characterized by a keen intellect, a quick grasp of the many facets of some very tough and challenging issues, a great sense of humor and an inclusiveness and commitment to open communication so vital in these times where separation and isolation have become our new standard in the face of this national health crisis.

His concern for the health and welfare of the employees of NCBA has been evident and paramount. He insisted NCBA have a face-to-face summer meeting with all the prudent and prescribed health and safety protocols in place. The success of that event is a tribute to his leadership, and the tireless work and planning of the Association staff in Denver and Washington, D.C. In our collective leadership experience, an organization like NCBA faces yearly challenges and industry concerns which every president must deal with and meet head on. Our past presidents have all faced those events admirably and well.

We have had those same issues to deal with in 2020. However, no president has had to manage these things with a COVID cloud blurring and complicating the picture.

Marty Smith has risen to all these challenges with a steady and quiet approach and met them head on in a tough but effective manner without thought of praise or approbation.

The fellow officers and CEO of NCBA would like to publicly thank President Marty Smith for his unfailing, effective leadership in 2020. NCBA went to work every day this past year to better the U.S. beef industry and Marty Smith led the way.

Thank you.

Jerry Bohn

Don Schiefelbein

Todd Wilkinson

Joe Guild

Clay Burtrum

Your support of the National Cattlemen’s Foundation will help advance the future of the beef industry through scholarships, research and education.

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NATIONAL CATTLEMEN

T H E F E D E R AT I O N O F S TAT E B E E F C O U N C I L S Building beef demand by inspiring, unifying and supporting an effective state/national Checkoff partnership.

Making Resolutions You Can Keep with Beef Every year, Americans make the same standard resolutions: lose weight, exercise more, eat healthy, save money. Unfortunately, by the end of January, most of those are out the window.

With the start of each new year, we have the best intentions for making positive changes, but we have a hard time adjusting habits because change is hard and sometimes uncomfortable.

One change that is easy to make, and delicious, is incorporating beef into a well-balanced diet.

The Federation of State Beef Councils works hard to educate consumers, health professionals, influencers and others about the benefits of incorporating beef into a healthy diet. The research, outreach and education the Federation undertakes on behalf of the Beef Checkoff is a critical component of expanding the positive image of beef. Here’s a look at how the Federation and State Beef Council partners are promoting beef and its contribution to strength, health and wellness.

New Educational Materials Promote Beef’s Nutritional Value to All Ages The start of a new year is an ideal time for the Texas Beef Council (TBC) to promote beef’s great taste and nutrition.

As 2021 gets underway, TBC is hard at work developing and distributing new materials for two important programs designed to educate people from all walks of life about beef’s role in a healthy, well-balanced diet.

MyPlate School Curriculum. One example of those efforts is the MyPlate school curriculum designed for physical education instructors, health coaches and nutrition teachers of students from kindergarten through high school. This new curriculum will be distributed to schools across the state in the spring of 2021. The MyPlate school curriculum is part of TBC’s “Fuel Your Fun” initiative that helps teachers provide evidencebased nutrition education through activities, games and materials like posters, handouts and placemats. It also aligns with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards.

Based on the USDA's MyPlate guidelines, this curriculum teaches students about the components of balanced meals – fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and dairy – while highlighting the importance of beef as a high-quality protein that also provides other essential nutrients. In this way, TBC plans to help teachers statewide educate their students about beef and encourage them to consider beef as their protein of choice, now and in the future as they learn how to shop and cook for themselves.

Medical Office Outreach Program. While the Texas Medical Office Outreach Program has been around for more than five years, TBC is rolling out new supplemental materials that put a fresh spin on beef’s role in a healthy diet.

Through this program, former pharmaceutical sales representatives deliver evidence-based messages and educational materials to the medical community.

The messages detail lean beef’s evolution, as well as the fact that heart-healthy diets including lean beef can support disease prevention and management. These representatives also provide nutrition education materials that medical offices can distribute to their patients, including specific handouts targeting such issues as high cholesterol, diabetes and weight management. Other available materials focus on the USDA MyPlate guidelines that feature beef as an optimal protein source.

For the first time in 2021, the program will also include a Meal Plan resource developed by NCBA on behalf of the Beef Checkoff and adapted by TBC. The Meal Plan resource will be delivered to offices for patient distribution and available in a digital format for download from TBC's resource website.

All Medical Office Outreach Program materials highlight the fact that lean beef can be included in healthy diets, for patients with cardiac risk factors to the general population. The materials also offer beef-centric recipes that encourage more people to put beef at the center of their dinner plates in 2021.

Learn more about the Texas Beef Council’s nutrition and health initiatives by signing up for the Cattle Talk newsletter at www.texasbeefcheckoff.com.

Virtual “Cook-A-Long” Inspires College Students to Eat Beef

In November, the Florida Beef Council (FBC) spent two days educating college students about the nutritional value of beef, shopping for beef on a budget and beef cooking tips as part of the “Meat We Eat” course at the University of Florida (UF). According to UF, “the class is designed to create a more informed consumer of animal muscle products and address current issues in animal agriculture.” More than 80 students participated in the virtual event, which included an online “cook-a-long” cooking demo featuring the Beef Ramen Noodle Bowl recipe from the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.® recipe collection.

The first day, Sarah Krieger, a registered dietitian, discussed the nutritional aspects of beef and how lean beef can be part of the Mediterranean diet. The second day featured a virtual cooking demo with Florida Cattlemen’s Association Sweetheart, Sally Kempfer (a fellow UF student). Even though the class was virtual, students remained engaged by preparing their own versions of beef ramen noodle bowls while watching Sally’s demo online. Students then provided pictures of their finished dishes.

“Some students who indicated they were vegan, vegetarian or don’t routinely consume beef in their everyday eating plan participated in the virtual cooking demo and shared that they enjoyed preparing and eating beef,” says DeAnne Maples, FBC director of beef marketing and promotion. “It was important to be part of this class discussion to help students understand how they can include beef in their diet in a healthy and affordable way.”

For more information, visit www.floridabeef.org.

Food Systems Webinar Series Educates Northeast Dietitians The New York Beef Council (NYBC) partnered with the Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative (NEBPI) to extend a three-part webinar series, held October-December, to help Northeast dietitians understand sustainable food systems, consumer insights during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide an overview of production and distribution of the U.S. food supply.

The webinar series featured a different topic each month with speaker Marianne Smith Edge, MS, RDN, LD, FADA, FAND. Marianne Smith Edge is the Founder and Principal of The AgriNutrition Edge, a consultancy committed to assisting food, health and agriculture organizations across the food value chain better understand and navigate the changing consumer environment through strategic positioning and communications.

The October webinar entitled “Beyond the Pandemic: What’s the New Normal for Feeding Our World?” explored the reasons for the disruption of the food supply; sources of the U.S. food supply (with New York and Northeast insights); lessons learned and opportunities to reimagine the future. November’s session, “Where Does Nutrition Fit into the Sustainability Equation?” looked at sustainability through the lens of nutrition as the animal vs. plant protein evolution continues in diets. Finally, the December event looked ahead with “Beyond the Pandemic: What is the New Normal for Consumer Food Experiences?” The return to the home kitchen, adaption of online shopping experiences and the rise of food insecurity has consumers rethinking the hierarchy of needs. The final webinar provided resources to help registered dietitians and nutrition professionals pivot to address issues impacting their profession and clients.

More than 300 New York and Northeast dietitians attended the three webinars

and 81% responded they had a positive opinion about beef. In addition, Facebook live events were held prior to the final two webinars and featured a cooking demo and a “from the farm” sustainability discussion.

These events resulted in 250 views and 16 engagements.

“Participation exceeded expectations, and the feedback we’ve received has been very positive,” says Jean O’Toole, NYBC executive director. “It was a great way to connect with dietitians and help them understand how beef plays a role in sustainable food systems.”

NEBPI assisted in sharing webinar details with dietetic associations in states without state beef council support. The entire project was funded by Nebraska and Kansas Beef Councils, which support the nutrition efforts executed by NYBC. For more information, visit www.nybeef.org.

NATIONAL CATTLEMEN 7

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Animal Activist Group Monitoring While 2020 presented new issues and challenges for the beef industry, some things haven’t changed – animal activist groups remain a persistent and constant threat. In fact, these groups have exploited the pandemic in an attempt to further their own agenda to end animal agriculture. That is why NCBA closely monitors their activity—to gain insight on their tactics and claims about beef—and to provide support to members and affiliates.

As we entered the holiday season, Thanksgiving was once again seen as an opportunity for activists to promote plant-based diets with the familiar “save the turkey” rally cry.

Though their main target was turkey, these groups urged consumers to avoid eating all animal proteins— during the holidays and year-round— and to instead substitute with plantbased proteins.

Recent tactics Throughout the summer and fall, animal activist Farm security groups shifted their attention toward influencing As always, farm security is local governments and even made bids for public office in California. These tactics, however, failed with paramount. It is not recommended to engage with animal activist groups all of the activist candidates losing their races by in-person or online. Doing so would likely only further significant margins. spread the group’s message and bring greater Meanwhile, activists in Nebraska called upon attention to their platforms, elevating the issue to Governor Pete Ricketts to champion “beans over beef,” as part of a new campaign to replace beef with consumers who otherwise would not have seen it.

If someone tries to gain plant-based proteins. access to your operation, Governor Ricketts alert local law enforcement. responded in support Additionally, the groups of the beef industry, rely heavily on the use of Animal activist groups remain a persistint and through our Wi-Fi-dependent video monitoring capabilities, and constant threat. and audio recorders to we know that this acquire footage of animal campaign received agriculture operations for virtually no mainstream their campaigns. If a new media coverage. or unrecognized Wi-Fi In September, a new animal activist group network has become recently available, it may be a published an undercover video, reporting animal sign that a device has been installed. If you suspect mistreatment at a sale barn in Texas. The group a threat to your operation, reach out to NCBA for has received minimal media attention, especially in guidance; we are here to help our members navigate the U.S., but NCBA will continue to monitor for new such issues. groups, tactics and activity.

NCBA will continue to monitor and alert members who may be impacted by protests or other activist tactics. And of course, we will continue to proactively share the great work of beef farmers and ranchers.

Proactive monitoring NCBA proactively monitors activist group activity in a variety of ways: • NCBA is an active member of Animal Agriculture Alliance, a nonprofit whose goal is to share information and resources among animal agriculture organizations. Through this work, NCBA receives regular updates about planned animal activist group activity, which allows us to alert stakeholders who may be impacted, as well as proactively share the positive stories of the beef industry.

• Additionally, the Digital Command Center is used to monitor print, online and social media for articles, trends, themes and hashtags about activist groups.

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8

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NATIONAL CATTLEMEN

Governance

NATIONAL CATTLEMEN 9

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Region ll Report

By Jimmy Holliman, Ala. Region II Policy vice president Region II is comprised of the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Region II is proud to have Marty Smith of Florida serving as the current NCBA president and Evelyn Green of Alabama as president of American National CattleWomen for 2020.

The Region II states recently met in Montgomery, Ala., Nov. 4-5, at the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association office to allow interaction and discussion between states in Region II. NCBA President Marty Smith and NCBA Past President Jennifer Houston attended the meeting. Jimmy Holliman, Region II Policy vice president, and Don Terry, Region II Federation vice president, co-chaired the meeting.

Each state in Region II submitted a summary of plans or activities relating to their association.

Alabama: Outside of working with Alabama’s congressional delegation and NCBA on CFAP and the COVID-19 pandemic response, policy has been focused on the Alabama Agriculture Stabilization Program (AASP) and CARES Act funding allocated to Alabama. The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) was instrumental in obtaining $10.5 million for direct payments to cattle producers and $1.5 million for small meat processing plants. In total, agriculture was awarded $26 million for the AASP. ACA also developed a policy book for the first time, encompassing all legislative matters that the association works on. This will allow a more robust policy process in Alabama for members to stay engaged.

Florida: The Florida Cattlemen’s Association (FCA) sent hurricane relief funds to the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Foundation to assist with work being done in hurricane damaged areas of Louisiana. FCA also distributed $60,000 to candidates seeking elected offices at the state level. All of these candidates won their respective races. FCA is continuing implementation and execution of the Animal EID pilot project with cooperators, livestock markets, pre-conditioning operations and

order buyers in cooperation with the states of Kansas and Texas. A major accomplishment was a ranch tour hosted by the 2019 NCBA National ESAP awardwinning Blackbeard’s Ranch. Organizations attending this tour were NCBA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Ducks Unlimited and Safari Club International. During this tour, all groups signed a historical memorandum of understanding related to conservation issues.

Georgia: The Georgia Cattlemen’s Association (GCA) continued to advocate for the Hours of Service wavier exemption for transportation of live cattle, boxed beef and inputs, and was able to provide documentation for those that continue working and traveling as critical infrastructure. GCA President Kurt Childers met with Secretary Perdue regarding distribution of CARES Act payments.

Louisiana: Hurricanes Laura and Delta had a devastating impact on Louisiana cattle producers.

The Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association (LCA) donated supplies for fencing and feedstuffs to its members.

A major victory for LCA, working in conjunction with NCBA, was the inclusion of mosquito death loss in the livestock indemnity program. LCA cancelled its 2021 convention to focus on district and parish meetings in order to have greater statewide participation.

Through these localized meetings, LCA can work to increase its membership.

Mississippi: The Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association (MCA) is working closely with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture to encourage producers to apply for the Mississippi Agriculture Stabilization Funds.

MCA supports the Cattle Transparency Act coauthored by Senator Cindy Hyde Smith of Mississippi as well as other ideas that will benefit MCA members.

MCA is proud to share that Southern Cross Farms of Eupora, Miss., is the Region II winner of the

ll

prestigious Environmental Stewardship Award Program.

MCA will host its state convention in Hattiesburg, Miss., in February with dates to follow.

North Carolina: The North Carolina Cattlemen’s Association (NCCA) continues to assist cattlemen in legislative, regulatory and production issues. They have been involved in assisting cattlemen concerning CFAP and other COVID-19 programs. NCCA maintains a robust social media presence to help consumers understand modern agriculture. NCCA participates in numerous community events to answer questions from consumers who have questions about modern beef production. NCCA postponed its annual conference until this summer.

South Carolina: The South Carolina Cattlemen’s Association (SCCA) continues to work to unite cattle producers to advance the economic, political and social interests of South Carolina’s beef industry. The first annual Southeastern Cow/Calf Conference was held via Zoom with the two-day event focusing on increasing productivity and sustainability through nutrition. Yon Family Farms of Ridge Spring, S.C., was selected as the Beef Improvement Federation Seedstock Producer of the Year.

Tennessee: As part of the CARES Act funding, Tennessee put $50 million into a fund to be administered by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture for grants to assist agriculture impacted by COVID-19.

Beef processing was the largest category funded with more than 50 grants totaling $12 million going towards expanding beef processing capabilities in Tennessee.

Other business at the meeting included electing Fred Smith of North Carolina as new Region II Policy vice president.

NCBA thanks outgoing Region II Policy Vice President Jimmy Holliman for his service.

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NATIONAL CATTLEMEN

Market Matters

The U.S. Dollar

By Katelyn McCullock, Director of the Livestock Marketing Information Center COVID-19 is far from over, but most of us cannot help but look towards recovery or what it will take to get there.

Vaccine news at the end of 2020 was hopeful, but we are still several months away from large scale roll-outs.

The U.S. economy is wavering. High weekly jobless claims have continued, even with unprecedented stimulus and aid rolled out by the U.S. government this past summer.

The stock market reached new record-highs at the end of 2020, while increases in tent cities sprang up across many metropolitan areas and added to the already muddled picture of the aggregate U.S. economy. Many believe more stimulus will be necessary, while others are worried about the debt position of the U.S. There are no clear answers, but a few items to consider. The first is that the U.S. is not in this pandemic alone. Other countries, too, are battling large COVID-19 case numbers, teetering economies, and have had to roll out aid packages. The condition of these countries and their path forward will affect currency exchange rates and how it relates to the U.S. The relationship of currency exchange rates is largely underpinned by three driving economic factors: growth rates of economies in relation to each other, comparable interest rates, and the role of the U.S. dollar as the reserve currency and a safe haven asset.

Since the end of World War II, the U.S. dollar has been the world currency and has benefitted from outside interests considering it a safe asset. Events such as The Great Recession of 2008 and COVID-19 have called into question its position as the reserve currency because of the large stimulus measures taken to right the U.S. economy causing large increases in the number of dollars circulated. There is a direct link between monetary policy and exchange rates. At times, the global demand for U.S. dollars exacerbates the effects of those policies, but when the demand for U.S. dollars wanes, the more precarious position is for the U.S. dollar. The U.S. dollar is not likely to be usurped anytime soon by alternative currency, but that event would likely change how monetary policies affect U.S. dollar valuations.

The positive news in 2020 is that other governments have also used their own policies to support their people and economies and, in turn, that effected their currency

EXCHANGE RATE US Dollar base, Monthly

Exchange Rate 30

EXCHANGE RATE US Dollar base, Monthly

Australia 1.8

S. Korea 1250

25

1.6

1200

20

1.4

1150

15

1.2

1100

10

1.0

1050

5

2017

2018

2019

China Data Source: Pacific Exchange Rate Service, Univ. of B.C., Compiled by LMIC Livestock Marketing Information Center

0.8

2020

By Tanner Aherin, Analyst, CattleFax Because the number of market participants has more than doubled over the last two decades, money flow is one variable that cannot be overlooked when it comes to market trends. In 2000, live cattle open interest averaged roughly 122,000 contracts, compared to 2017 through 2019 averaging well over 300,000 each year. In 2020, the story is different compared to the last few years. Since March 17, live cattle open interest was barely above 300,000 contracts only three times, with a practical range developing between 260,000 to 290,000. The lack of new buyers stepping into the futures market is one factor that has limited prices.

As the calendar flips to a new year, open interest becomes even more important. The correlation between open interest and the direction of the market is much stronger in the first half of the year – 2020’s action supports this notion. Therefore, the seasonal index for open interest resembles that of the fed market, especially through spring. The seasonal pattern suggests open interest begins a steep uptrend by early January. The ten and twenty-year average increase from the second half low to the following first half high is 36% and 42%, respectively. This year’s low near 257,000 contracts, equates to a 2021 spring high of 350,000 to 365,000 contracts – the lowest since 2016. If a notable increase does not happen, the odds are against the market gaining much momentum into the New Year. Open interest could grow later in the winter, which in theory will push the market.

However, time will not be working in the markets favor.

New buyers entering the market would likely be managed money traders, while new sellers would be cattle feeders hedging inventory. As of Nov. 24, the most recent datapoint, managed money longs were at the lower end of the historical range, near 63,000 positions.

With the upper end of the range around 130,000 to 140,000, there is a lot of potential for funds to add length.

The funds need a reason to buy the market – technical, fundamental, or a combination. Futures have been mostly range-bound since August, so a breakout to the topside may spur more buying. Fundamentally, there is a large placed-against fed supply in the first quarter of 2021. However, CattleFax estimates placements were down nearly 500,000 head in October and November combined. Will this, and tighter supplies longerterm, be enough for managed money traders to increase length?

Bottom Line: Seasonally, open interest should grow significantly into spring, which would be supportive to the market. If this does not occur, there is risk the market underperforms.

2018

2019

Australia 12/11/20

valuations as well. For example, consider our primary agricultural trading partners: Canada and Mexico. Using November averages compared to a year ago, the U.S. dollar has appreciated (takes more U.S. dollars to equal one Canadian dollar) relative to the Canadian dollar by 1.3%. In the same comparison for Mexico, the U.S. dollar has depreciated (it takes more Mexican Pesos to equal one USD), by about 5.5%.

There has been incredible volatility in the U.S. dollar this year. March saw a decline in the U.S. dollar followed by a sharp increase in April. Across most key U.S. trade partners, the U.S. dollar value strengthened considerably in April and has since slid lower. The LMIC tracks currency rates from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Europe, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea, and Taiwan. All those exchange rates are showing their currencies have strengthened relative to the U.S. dollar, similar to Canada. The exceptions have been Argentina, Brazil, Russia, and Mexico. Most of these currencies have strengthened 4% or more, with Australia, New Zealand, and Taiwan increasing more than 6% compared to a year ago relative to the U.S. dollar.

The impact has made U.S. agricultural commodities less expensive than they were a year ago for most countries. The downside, though, is relative to other countries, Mexico is a significant player. The U.S. dollar and Mexican Peso have moved in opposite directions, and U.S. goods are more expensive.

Unfortunately, for the U.S. and other countries, the

Stagnant Money Flow

2017

Mexico

Data Source: Pacific Exchange Rate Service, Univ. of B.C., Compiled by LMIC Livestock Marketing Information Center

1000

2020

South Korea 12/11/20

end of 2020 is not likely to end the need for government intervention to help support economies. By most assessments, the U.S. dollar is expected to further weaken. More concerning is the U.S. currency’s place in the world. In the past, high demand for the U.S. dollar as a safe haven for uncertainty has provided support for the value of the dollar relative to other currencies. Other products have gained interest as safe havens in 2020.

Gold has historically been a hedge against inflation and uncertainty, but Bitcoin too is emerging for the more tech-savvy and risk tolerant. Bitcoin is projected to hit a new all-time high at the end of 2020. It’s unlikely gold or Bitcoin will surpass the U.S. dollar in the short or medium term, but they are offering opportunities to diversify.

It does add further to the uncertainty of what the U.S. dollar’s role is as the world emerges from COVID-19.

As we look at what lies ahead in 2021, exchange rates is just one more element to the bigger picture that can’t be controlled. However, from an export perspective, a weak U.S. dollar may provide some opportunity for U.S. beef. Offsetting that opportunity, competitor exchange rates could weaken. Australia, one of the U.S.’s top competitors in beef exports, has seen its currency weaken relative to the U.S. dollar as 2020 ends. The U.S. is expected to have plenty of animal protein on the market in the coming year. Exports can help moderate the effects of large supplies, but exchange rates and importing country’s economies provide a great deal of unknowns.

NATIONAL CATTLEMEN 11

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January Outlook

By Don Day, Jr. Meteorologist

Editor’s Note: NCBA members can read weekly updates from meteorologist Don Day, Jr. by logging onto www.

NCBA.org.

As we all know, 2020 is a year we want to see in the rearview mirror. However, regarding the weather, we may bring a little bit of 2020 into the New Year. No, it is a not a mask but La Niña.

La Niña occurs when sea surface temperatures are cool near the equator across the Pacific. This year’s La Niña began to develop in the spring of 2020 and was partly responsible for the drier conditions that developed this past spring and summer across portions of the West, Rockies, Desert Southwest and the Northern and Central Plains.

Keeping track of La Niña is important as it historically has had impacts on temperatures and precipitation patterns across the nation, but especially in the Central and Western areas of the country.

Moderate to strong La Niña patterns, like we experienced in late 2020, tend to bring warmer and drier than normal conditions in the spring and summer, and high variability in weather conditions in the fall and winter season, such as wild swings in temperature and precipitation. We experienced those fluctuations in the weather in September and October, and mostly mild weather in November and December.

Over a winter season, we can experience either a mild La Niña pattern or a colder La Niña pattern, or a combination of both.

To the right is a representation of a mild La Niña jet stream pattern that has dominated for most of October, November and early December.

In a mild La Niña pattern, the jet stream often moves from west to east keeping a mostly Pacific dominated air mass into the U.S. and keeping the Canadian cold north of the border. This milder

version of La Niña dominated for most of the fall season. Precipitation tends to be heaviest in the Pacific Northwest and western Canada, On the flip side, there are colder phases of La Niña that can occasionally kick into gear bringing colder and a more winter like pattern to the lower 48 states and Canada.

This colder pattern is more likely to set in and be persistent as we head into the New Year, especially January. Note the more amplified jet stream in the graphic to the right which allows the deeper cold air masses to move out of the high latitudes south into Canada and the U.S. Expect to see this colder La Niña phase to develop at times for the first three months of 2021.

While the natural variability of La Niña is going to result in some brief thawing periods, expect some stout cold waves, especially in January and February.

Snowfall is likely to increase to above normal levels as well. The graphic below shows the snowfall tendencies during La Niña across North America.

The blue areas show the increased possibility of above normal snowfall. As you can see the northern tier of the U.S. from the Pacific Northwest to the Northern Plains, Great Lakes and New England and southern and western Canada can experience above normal snowfall.

Using the past as a guide and current computer model trends, we should expect winter to show itself much more often in January. The mild bouts of weather we experienced this fall and in parts of December will be fewer and farther between. In addition to the increasing snow chances, expect it to be colder at times as well. while areas east of the Rockies are drier and milder.

Beef Alliance Announces First-Ever Startup Challenge The Beef Alliance is pleased to announce a new initiative, Feeding Innovation: The 2021 Startup Challenge. The Startup Challenge is a virtual pitch competition for innovators with solutions related to the cattle feeding industry. The Beef Alliance is an organization of innovative, progressive and relevant cattle feeding companies.

Through collaborative innovation, scientific exploration and value chain engagement, the Beef Alliance is committed to being a leader and catalyst for positive change in the beef supply chain. Beef Alliance members include Adams Land & Cattle, AgriBeef, Beef Marketing Group, Beef Northwest, Biegert Group, Cactus Feeders, Five Rivers Cattle Feeding, Friona Industries and LaVaca Cattle Co.“ Central to the vision of the Beef Alliance is to be a trusted leader that drives positive change in the cattle feeding industry. We can’t achieve that vision sitting on the sidelines, and the Startup Challenge is an opportunity to step up and be a leader in our industry through supporting and driving innovation in cattle feeding,” said incoming Beef Alliance Chairman Scott Whitefoot.

“This event aligns commitments to continuous improvement and enhanced transparency and stewardship in cattle feeding with an openness to new technologies that improve our ability to deliver a highquality product to our customers and ultimately enable consumers

to access highquality beef.”

The Beef Alliance Startup Challenge is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to align the customers of technology (cattle feeders) with the creators of technology (startups) to put high impact solutions to work. By allowing startups to engage directly with prospective customers and strategic investors in the cattle feeding segment, the goal is to establish direct visibility for startups with their prospective customers, and for cattle feeding operations to gain visibility to nascent technology solutions.

Finalists will pitch their product directly to major feedyard decision makers for the opportunity to win a $50,000 cash prize and the chance at a pilot with a Beef Alliance member company. The Beef Alliance is opening the competition to any startup with an offering for feedyards with a focus on the following areas: Environmental & Natural Resource Management, Animal Health-Animal Nutrition & Production Efficiency, Livestock Monitoring & Traceability, Business Management, Improvement in Operational Efficiency-Food Safety Companies interested in applying to the Startup Challenge (deadline Feb. 15, 2021) can find more information about the challenge, including the application, at https://beefalliance.com/what-wedo/startupchallenge/.

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NATIONAL CATTLEMEN

Natural Disasters Know No Bounds

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lessened, but the effects are undoubtedly lingering and not just from the mosquitoes.

By Kirby Brincefield, contributing writer “A lot of the middle-aged producers who are located There are approximately 2,200 miles or 32 driving in immediate coastal regions are liquidating their herds,” hours distance between Butte County, Calif., and Deshotel explains. “The local sale barn has seen an Evangeline Parish, La. While it may seem obvious uptick in runs, especially of mature cows. Producers just given the distance, the two regions could not be more don’t have anywhere to go with them.” different in their makeup.

A lack of infrastructure and access to available Butte County, located north of Sacramento, is ground is taking its toll on many producers in the area. mountainous and surrounded by national forests and “As a cattle producer in Louisiana there’s only so breathtaking views. This is the area where Dave Daley much a person can take – mentally and physically. A lot calls home and raises cattle. of these guys rebuilt after Hurricane Rita 15 years ago, Evangeline Parish is entirely different in its landscape. but now the older generations are just tired,” Deshotel It is home to Vince Deshotel, a cattleman and extension says. “However, we do see some resilience in the agent for the Louisiana State University (LSU) Ag younger generations and think they will continue.”

Center Extension Service. The parish was historically an In this part of the world, cattle need to be relocated area used as grazing land for cattle and is now abundant prior to a storm to higher ground. They may be there in rice and sugar cane production. for months because it takes time to not only rebuild “Hurricane Marco fences and for the really set the pace ground to drain, but prevent loss of homes, cattle and lives, and hopefully for things,” Deshotel simply gathering the As a cattle producer in Louisiana there’s only so limit the sheer magnitude of the fires. says. Hurricanes needed supplies and Fifty percent of California is federally or stateMarco and Laura hit much a person can take – mentally and physically. A equipment is a task in owned and, through his own studies of the mega fires Evangeline Parish itself.

Deshotel says he lot of these guys rebuilt after Hurricane Rita 15 years in recent years, Daley suggests that almost all begin and surrounding is still currently housing on state or federal land where fuel loads are simply areas in mid-August ago, but now the older generations are just tired. cattle for two other not being managed. setting in motion producers because “Right now, the only buffer to these the worst mosquito he hated to see them disasters are private, well-managed, grazed landscapes. infestation Deshotel liquidate their herds.

They may still burn, but the fires are not as catastrophic has experienced.

As for the long-term effects, it is still too early to and can be controlled. Butte County alone recently had The infestation appeared to be isolated to a threesay for sure, according Deshotel. He anticipates a lot of the Camp Fire, which destroyed the town of Paradise, parish area about 75 miles north of the coast in central open cows when it comes time to pregnancy check. population of 20,000, where almost a hundred people Louisiana.

“We’ve experienced this before, and we will died. And now the Bear Fire where Berry Creek, a small Adult mosquitoes from the coast and neighboring experience this again. Just keep going,” he says. community of about 1,000 residents, had at least 14 states were brought in from the storms. These Just keep going. A phrase that is shared by Dave deaths, an even higher percentage. As Daley explains mosquitoes then laid eggs in the flood waters and, a Daley those 2,200 miles away. On Aug. 17, 2020, when in a deeply personal and poignant piece, “I cry for the week following Hurricane Laura, they hatched. While his neighbor to the southeast was preparing for a mountains and the legacy lost”. mosquito outbreaks are not uncommon to this area, this hurricane, a dry lightning storm ignited a wildfire in the In the aftermath of the fire, logging companies are one was significant.

Plumas National Forest. working furiously to salvage what they “The mosquitoes were so thick at one point a human This can of the forest before a big snow couldn’t even stay outside,” Deshotel says. lightning prevents access. Daley says, in early Cattle in this area did all they could to fight off storm December, logging companies had 70 the pests but, for many, the efforts failed. The stress I cry for the mountains and the legacy lost. created a trucks going in and out three times a day caused by the mosquitoes resulted in extreme devastating with hopes of increasing to 200 trucks. exhaustion, a decrease in body condition, early term situation in This will present unique challenges to abortion in bred cows and anemia. The worst result which the the forest as well. Daley says that not was death of animals, some from blood loss, and family lost only is the forest going to look different, but there is also others from asphyxiation due to the mosquitoes roughly 80% of their 400-head cow herd. Excessive a concern for increased erosion and mudslides in the crowding their airways. fuel loads in the forest due to mismanagement wet months due to the lack of vegetation. To compound “I lost a herd bull,” recalls Deshotel. “We just bought of the federal land, strong winds and a lack of the complications, the area is currently experiencing a him, an Angus bull to use on our Brahman influenced resources caused the Bear Fire to explode into an drought in what is typically a wet time of year. cows. We only got one season out of him. He was impossible situation for anything in its path. The Despite all the challenges faced and the ones yet isolated and being treated for a foot issue and he just losses experienced by the Daley family are hard to couldn’t escape it.” comprehend; the majority of a carefully, thoughtfully to come, a ray of hope in a losing situation was the discovery of a two-week-old, orphaned heifer calf in Deshotel says he knows several producers who lost developed cow herd lost. Still, the Daley’s are the scorched aftermath. Daley’s son, Kyle, tracked the multiple herd bulls, and another who lost 20 to 30 bred moving forward. calf for over an hour after discovering her and Daley cows overnight. In this part of the country, the average As of early December, the family is caring for the herd size for a beef cattle producer is 20 to 30 head, so cattle that survived and purchased additional cows from decided to give the calf to his granddaughter, Juni.

“They can grow up together,” he says. That calf is even one loss is significant. It is estimated that as many Montana. Daley says that cattle in the forest are more among about half a dozen other, now, bottle calves. as 200 cattle died in this area from mosquitoes. browsers than grazers and they have to learn to eat the He’s even gifted another of the heifer calves to his Drainage following any storm in the area can take brush. Once these cattle know to consume brush it is grandniece. These calves will be tagged with the names several days, if not weeks and, therefore, the problem a wonderful feed source, but it takes a year for a cow, Juni and Amara. Hopefully, these calves will go on to can linger. Some parishes have mosquito abatement unfamiliar with the territory, to learn to eat it. become great producers for the girls and continue a programs that can help control the outbreaks, “It will be slow and difficult to rebuild,” Daley says. legacy that has proven to be as resilient and strong as unfortunately Evangeline Parish does not.

“But my son is committed and running full speed. He’s the landscape it calls home.

Deshotel says he and some other producers have committed to taking cows back to the mountains, and “We will figure it out. We are going to keep going,” an aerial sprayer come in to spray around their homes so am I.” Daley says. and buildings and to help provide relief to their The Bear Fire was one of several that burned in Since 2010, six hurricanes have hit Evangeline Parish, cattle, but the cost can be significant. He says topical California this year and the devastation experienced three of them in 2020. An average of approximately treatments might provide a little relief to the cattle, by more than just his family is being felt by many 8,000 wildfires are said to burn in California every year. but most topical treatments are applied to the topline communities in the state. Daley believes more people While dissimilar in nature, size and scope, these events of an animal therefore leaving the rest of their body are paying attention because of the threat to their are neither uncommon nor unlikely in their respective susceptible to biting. own homes.

Deshotel says that these mosquitoes came on so areas. Cattle producers will continue to adapt and carry “In my opinion, we’ve not managed the fuel loads – quickly, if a producer didn’t act fast, it was likely too on despite the challenges. we have to manage these national forests,” says Daley. late. Additionally, because the mosquitoes thrive in level No matter the geographical location, be it the “It’s a crisis. Not just in California, but across the West.” vegetation and are less likely to congregate bare or sandhills of Nebraska, the deserts of the Southwest or This region in California experiences six months of tilled soil, areas of plowed ground or pastures less likely in the valleys of Ohio, cattle producers have a carefully wet season and six months of dry season. August is to be flood prone, can provide a safe harbor for cattle. curated set of challenges thrust on them by their typically a very dry month, so the weather conditions In early October another hurricane, Hurricane Delta, were not out of the norm. The area also has north winds unique environments. While we know with absolute that move in every fall, and while the lightning storm hit the region. After continuously raising concerns certainty those challenges will only continue to persist, was not particularly common the combination of the to their state and local government, the military was we also know that cattlemen and women across the seasonal conditions, the lightning and fuel loads ignited brought in to help spray for the mosquitoes. The country will face them with a tenacity and relentless a multitude of fires. Understanding that wildfires will relief was almost immediate, says Deshotel. This was determination that cannot be matched by even Mother followed by welcomed cooler weather and the outbreak continue, Daley hopes proper management will help Nature herself.

NATIONAL CATTLEMEN 13

www.NCBA.org

Chairman Roberts Receives NCBA's Capitol Hill Top Hand Award

TRENDING IN FOOD & BEEF SUSTAINABILITY To cater to consumers, food companies will likely continue to adopt sustainable practices.

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The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) recently recognized U.S. Senator and Chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) with the Capitol Hill Top Hand Award in honor of his long career fighting for cattle producers and rural communities in our nation's capital.

"Chairman Roberts is a pillar of the cattle industry and there is no one more deserving of this award. Throughout a career spanning decades, he has always been committed to helping cattle producers in every way he can," said NCBA President Marty Smith. "It is my honor to give Chairman Roberts the first Top Hand award and I personally thank him for all that he has done for every U.S. cattle producer."

The Capitol Hill Top Hand Award, in its inaugural year, is given to one elected official annually, who goes above and beyond the call of duty to represent cattle producers nationwide.

Regenerative agriculture is a popular topic in the media, and consumer Google searches around the topic have increased 650% over the last two years.

GOOD NEWS FOR BEEF Reducing enteric methane through feed additives like seaweed has positioned beef positively.1

PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVES Meat alternatives continue to expand in food service and retail with products like the McDonald’s McPlant and two new versions of the Beyond Burger.

Multiple companies are working to develop new alternatives like cultured meat and fly larvae.

GOOD NEWS FOR BEEF Meat alternatives still represent less than 1% of the protein market share.2

COVID-19 Restaurants continue to reimagine operations and services to abide by pandemic guidelines.

Grocers experienced runs on certain products like disinfectant and toilet paper, but meat products remained at normal stock levels.

GOOD NEWS FOR BEEF Beef demand remains strong, shown through steady Google searches and stories about beef recipes.3

120920-03 1.

Emont, J. (2020, October 31). Cows make climate change worse. Could seaweed help? Retrieved from The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/ articles/cows-make-climate-change-worse-could-seaweed-help-11604152802 2. IRI Market Advantage Total Store View + Perimeter, Total Meat 3. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. (2020, October 31). Environmental Sustainability Dashboard. Retrieved from Meltwater: www.meltwater.com

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NATIONAL CATTLEMEN

New Tool Now Available to Develop Customized Biosecurity Plans

By Julia Herman, D.V.M., M.S. Beef Cattle Specialist Veterinarian, NCBA, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Cattle producers across the country are dedicated to preventing disease, improving animal welfare and reducing production losses. The Beef Checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program has developed a Daily Biosecurity Plan for Disease Prevention template to help cattle producers implement biosecurity measures on their operations. The template is available digitally as a fillable PDF or can be printed for handwritten plans.

The template is designed so cattle operations can customize plans, which provides producers the flexibility in determining management practices that work best for their situation. From animal movement and worker training to pest control, the tool includes all aspects that should be considered.

With biosecurity top of mind, this introductory and stepwise plan provides an opportunity for producers to have conversations with their herd veterinarian, extension agent, state BQA coordinator or other resources about biosecurity preparedness.

“We hope this tool helps producers understand what practices they already have in place to protect their herds and set continuous improvement goals each time the plan is revisited,” says Kim Brackett, an Idaho cattle producer and chair of the

BQA Advisory Group. “Developing a written plan now is much easier than developing one during an active disease outbreak.”

The goal is for everyone on the care team – farmers, ranchers, employees, owners, managers, family members, neighbors, and anyone who has a responsibility in the cattle operation – to have this information and understand why biosecurity is so important. Simple preventive measures and documentation can reduce germs entering the farm and have a great impact on disease transmission.

The BQA program collaborated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Secure Beef Supply Plan (www.securebeef.org), an established resource for disease response training, to ensure similar language and completeness. The intersection of these resources helps producers that already have biosecurity steps in place from the daily template move to an enhanced biosecurity plan, which is necessary during a potential foreign animal disease outbreak.

“The Secure Beef Supply Plan is supportive

1. BIOSECURITY MANAGER AND WRITTEN PLAN Y PLAN CU The RIT designated Biosecurity Manager for this premises and 1.their contact information is as follows: BIOSE CURIT Y MA _ es: NAGE ______________________ ) _________ Premis

2.

SE SCOPE OF BIO

of the Daily Biosecurity Plan for Disease Prevention and its adaptability to biosecurity planning,” adds Danelle Bickett-Weddle, veterinarian and associate director for the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University. “We appreciate collaborating to ensure continuity between our resources and help the cattle industry be better prepared for a potential disease outbreak.”

For more information about BQA and the BQA Daily Biosecurity Plan, EXAMPLE: visit BQA.org.

Replace with your operation’s premises map

INPUTS

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TRAINING

The groups of people (E.G., PEN RIDERS, VETERINARIAN

, FAMILY MEMBERS, ETC.) listed below are trained at

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FREQUE NC INPUT/O Y OF UTPUT

EXAMPLE:

PATH

TRAVEL Replace with ☐ Daily ______________________ R AND WRITT ED BY: ______ ___ted ___________ about the daily biosecurity measures necessary to keep m ID or PIN ______ ___ ___desi gna ___The NAME diseases out ENANNUALLY/BIAN Biosecurity Man n Number* (Pre PLAN NUALLY/MONTHLY ☐ Week HOW LO your opera): ____________ ager for this prem es Identificatio ly NG COUL Health Official ☐ Onsit ises and their National Premis ☐ Month WITHOU of the herd. This training is documented and available ___________ D State Animal___________ e contact informati ______________ _________ for review upon request (An example of a Group Training ___________ ly T THIS MO YOU GO tion’s premis__________ the office of the ☐ Equip vehicles ____________ on is Form PHONE can as be ☐ found follo on the (request from Secure NAM ws: An VE Beef me Supply EMAIL ____________ website).

E nually MENT? Propane ☐ One nt es map ☐ Peop ____________ da de y? liv le ery ____________ ☐ Few RESS: ____________ ☐ Anim da In the event the Biosecurity Manager __the operation, PREMISES ADD • _ _____________________________ als ___are emergency ☐ Daily ______ is away from ☐ Week ys (2-6 days)? ____ • ________________________ PHONE the following ___ ☐ None contacts ____________ this operation: 11. _____ FEED AND WATER ___for ? ___ ___ ☐ Week ____________ ____________ • _____________________________ ___ ___ ___ • ____________ ly ___ ___ EMA ___________ ____________ ________ __________________________________ IL _____ ☐ Onsit ☐ Month ____________ Refer to this operation’s “Enhanced Biosecurity Plan” for more details e ve ________________________ • _____________________________ NAME In the ___t the___________ ly ___even • _____________________________ about delivery and handling☐ Equipme hicles RELATIONSHIP Biosecurity Man ADDRESS ☐ feed TO OPERATION ____________ Annuall during a highly contagious foreign animal disease Veterin ☐ One nt ager is away from • _____________________________ y ____________ ___________ outbreak. ☐ Peop ary/a ___________ day?

• _____________________________ the operation, le ___________ _________ ___________ sonnel (co nimal care pe ☐ Few ___ the following are • ________________________ ___________________ STATE ☐ Anim _________PHONE da r____________ _____ emergency cont EMAIL ns • ________________________ ult Grain als and feed ____________ ☐ NAME commodities ingduring _____ are delivered in trailers Daily ian ☐ Week ys (2-6 days)? ____________ acts for this ope that veterintransport. covered , nuare ☐ None tritio ar ? ration: _________ nis ____________________________________________ CITY t, AI tech ☐ Week cians, et The___ _________ Biosecurity Manager(s) informs all persons entering the ___________________________________ _____________ ly nic.)

NAME operation ☐ ___ of the biosecurity ☐measures Feed spills Onsite ___ _________TO ☐ Moand as soon as possible to minimize attraction of wildlife theyare ______ _________ arecleaned to followup RELATIONSHIP in a RELATIONSHIP language they nthly _ OPERATION understand.

PHONE rodents.

Individuals ______are TO OPE ____________ ____________ __ aware of the biosecurity concepts and procedures that apply to their specific ☐ Equip vehicles RATION ☐ Annu ____________ ______________________ areas of responsibility. ment ____________ Mail/pac ☐ One Our required training is described below. ___________ ally _____________________ EMAIL ☐ Feed is only handled by equipment that is specific ☐ Peop ________ day? kageoperation ___ ____________ PHONE ZIP for feed handling or used after it is clean and le (supp ☐ Few maceutito the ____________ _________EMAIL disinfected. ☐ Anim da NAME cal) deliv lies, phar- ☐ All individuals, including visitors, entering should understand ___ ____________ als ___ ___ ☐ Week ys (2-6 days)? ___ ___ er Da ___ ___ how to: ies ily ______ ☐ None ______ The Biosecurity ?

NUMBER): AND ___ S contact CIE ___ information ☐ ____________ (LATITUDE, LONGITUDE) Manager’s and Operation Management ☐ is posted ___ This ___ SPE operation ____________ Month? uses We ___ ALL_________ _________________.

T___ ekly sources. Waterers and the ______ ATES as water ☐ ___ MISES (LIS Contact ___ ___ the RELA Biosecurity PRE ☐ areas ___ ___ Manager(s); TION ☐ RY GPS COORDIN On _ PHO ___ WHERE MA SHIP ☐ Ye AUTOMATIC WATERERS, STOCK TANKS, STREAMS, RIVERS, PONDS, NE _____ site TO OPERATION ar? ____________ ETC.Monthly MALS ON PRI ☐ Equip vehicles ____________ ____________ BER OF ANI________ and _______________________ have the written authority ☐ Annu EMA ment IMATE NUM ________☐ Respect the Line of Separation (LOS); IL Garband ☐ One around them are checked to ensure ally compliance with agecleaned WHO ☐ Pe LIST APPROX ber of animals: The Biosecurity Man day? and recy WHO Num . If water becomes unfit to op drink, le ☐ Few ager’s and Ope mo cling re ☐ Cross the LOS, if required, following arrival and biosecure val DAILY, TWICE DAILY, WEEKLY, ☐ Anim da ETC. ration Managem animals: - MONTHLY, DAILY, entry requirements; and WEEKLY, ber of action als biosecurity protocols and take ☐ DailyETC. Num ☐ Week ys (2-6 days)? ent contact infor corrective as needed.

Species: ☐ ? mation is posted ☐ Perform biosecurity measures for their None alternate sources will be provided by ☐ Month specific job duties. of animals: ____________ ☐ ___ ber We ___ Num ___ ek : ____________ ________ and ly Species ☐ Onsit . ________. ☐ Year? ? ____________ WHERE ☐ Month PORTABLE TANKS, OFF-SITE CLEAN WATER SOURCE, of animals: WHO e ETC.ly ber was ___________ The operation-specific biosecurity Numplan In addition to the above responsibilities, employees and ☐ Equip vehicles developed with the assistance of: have the writt Species: WHO ☐ Annu family members should: ment en authority to Dead an ☐ One ally ber of animals: biosecur protocols ensure complian ☐ Peop day? imal remo ______________________Num Species: ______________________ity le ce with take correctiv ________ and ☐ Few val ___________ ☐ Understand the ___________ e action as nee importance ☐ _________ NAME of biosecurity; S): da An LOT imals ded.

LABELED PREMISES MAP ☐ Daily TITLE/ORGANIZATION Species: ☐ Week ys (2-6 days)?

PASTURES, DRY ☐ None ? ☐ Review the entire biosecurity plan; ., BUILDINGS, The operation-sp ___________ ☐ Week G TYPES (E.G___________ ___________ Guidance SIN ___________ for ecifi creating a premises __________ c ly map HOU (satellite bios L images are preferable) can be found at www.securebeef.org/beefecurity plan was ☐ Onsit PHONE LIST ANIMA ☐ Month ☐ Review the labeled premises map; developed with e EMAIL producers/biosecurity/. ____________ ly the assistance ☐ Equip vehicles ____________ ☐ Annu of: NAME ment type: ____________________________________________ ____________ ManuID National Premises Identification Number (Prem ☐ One ally ☐ Know who to report to if they see someone not complying re or ☐ Peop PIN) Animal housing day? ________ ______________________ remo ___ or something preventing compliance; and ____________ val le _________ ☐ Few (request from the office of the State Animal Health Official): _ _________☐ Recognize ☐ Anim ____________ type: NAME da _____________ sing _____________ TITLE/ORGANIZA ___ the consequences hou _____________ TION ___ als al for not complying with biosecurity protocols. _ __________ ☐ Daily ____________ Anim ☐ Week ys (2-6 days)?

TITLE/ORGAN ☐ None ___ PHO ? ___________ _ IZAT NE ___ ___________ ION ___ ________________________________ ____________ ☐ Week type: ☐ Month PREMISES ly ___ ADDRESS: Animal housing ? ___ PHONE ___ ☐ Onsit EMAIL _____ EMAIL 3. PROTECTING YOUR CATTLE ☐ Month ☐ Year? ____________ e ly type: ____________ ☐ Equip vehicles _______________________________________ ☐ Annu ____________ Animal housing NAME ment This operation has plans in place to limit disease exposure _________________ Ground ☐ One ally ____________ ☐ Peop on a daily basis. ReferADDRESS s keeping day? to this operation’s “Enhanced _________ type: ___ ___ le sing _ ___ Biosecurity hou ___ Plan” ☐ ___ (sk for al eq more details ___ Few da about the line of separation, limiting access, and establishing id loade uipment Anim )? ___ ____________ ☐ Anim The Biosecurity ___ ____________ or their mises (Y/N designee (Check ___ a cleaning rs, mo _____________ preManager and all that ___ _____________ als apply): ☐ Da disinfection station ______ _____________ ☐ Week ys (2-6 days)? during _____________ wers, sn ____ RS) remova a highly TITLE/ORGAN ____contagious foreign animal disease outbreak. ADDRESS s operations on ☐ None PHOTING ?

IZATION l) NE FARM TOU ow ☐____ily (seasonal) ____________ Other busines ☐ Month COMPOST; HOS Weekly ____________ R, OR Communicates withILIZE and/or ? trains individuals entering ________ EMA LINE OF SEPARATION (LOS) ☐ Onsit asonal) If yes, what? STAN☐ OF FEED, FERT _____________________________ IL _____the operation on daily biosecurity ☐ Month (se_____________ D; SALE ☐ Year? measures ______________________ that are e vehicles LE applicable to them; __________________ _____ s_____ CITY (E.G., VEGETAB ☐ ___ Equipme ______ STATE ______ ZIP _____ ____________ Pest co ☐ ___ nt __ ___ A Line ___ Fe s: of Separation _ __ ___ (LOS) w ines The is ☐ a clearly ___ identified ______ ntrol (in days (2Biosecurity Man boundary around or within the premises People ___ Other bus ______plan that separates ☐ Reviews _____________ se ______ the___ 6 days)? on-farm traffic from biosecurity ☐ age _____________ cts wi ___ at r least off-farm _____________ We __ or annually ldl traffic , ___ their and with _________ updates ___ the ro goal ife ek it of whenever ___ ☐ preventing __ designeegoes dents, the operation disease agents entering on vehicles, equipment, ) ?

Animals s: ___ affecting daily biosecurity;_______________ a change (Chethrough GPS COORDINATES people, etc.(OPTIONAL) ck all that ☐ Daily ☐ Month Other busines apply): _________ and ☐ None Describe where the LOS on this operation is located (BORDERS ☐ __municate Com ___ ☐ Switc ? s: ____________ ☐ Week OF PROPERTY, TYPES OF BORDERS/BARRIERS, DISTANCE s with and/or train ____________ h to onsit Other busines ly ADJACENT BUILDINGS/PASTURES, ETC.) and how it is marked _________ Label your premises map with theTO s individuals ente app__ ___ ☐ ___ ☐ Ensures licable to them following that ___ all individuals items On and on-site e equip include ___ entering (FENCES, ☐ a ___ legend: the COUNTY operation sit ROAD, ___ frequently Mo ring CREEKS, ETC.): e (weekly or ; more often) have access to a copy the s: ___ biosecurity nthly ment operation on daily _________ of the ☐ Equip vehicles Other busines plan. biosecurity mea ____________ ment Other __ ☐ One sures that are ☐ Reviews the Public road s: ____________ ☐ Peop day? ______ associated bioseach your at Other busines le of plan ____ ☐ Fe (ex.

A labeled premises map for ecurity

Describe the

PLAN DAILY BIOSECURITY TION EN FOR DISEASE PREV

leas to beally is included at the end of this plan and ded access affe ______ nee are Line of Separation (LOS) can becting daily found on the PINs premises and updates it will needt annu to brea bios ecur. This ☐ Daily ises ity;posted: mainten and whenever the prem rmine if separate ance sh k room, . operation goe c plan for each Official to dete LOS Access Point n-specifi ☐ Week s through a chan op, residence, disease outbreak ☐ Ensu e Animal Health Stat WHERE . resanim ly plete an operatio that al ge etc.) foreign all individuals * Work with your during a bios applicable, com ☐ Month is Area Carcass disposal/pickup ente PIN trol location ring rate Con the operation ory sepa ecurity plan. ly frequently (wee premises. If a ted in a Regulat ☐ loca is Annuall ises kly or more ofte Designated parking area Other __ prem y n) have provided if this A labeled prem __ acce __ Label ss __ the LOS on the to premises ises map is inclu a copy ofmap ______ (ex. acce Carcass removal pathways the at the end of this plan. ded at the end __ ss to br of this plan and eak room __ ☐ Daily mainten can be found on an , ce the premises post shop, re WHERE ☐ Week dence, ed: sily etc.) ☐ Month 5 ly BQA DAILY BIOSECURITY PLAN FOR DISEASE PREVENTION 7 ☐ Annu ally .

PREVENTION FOR DISEASE ECURITY PLAN BIOS Y DAIL BQA 6 BQA DAILY BIOS

ECURITY PLAN

FOR DISEASE

w da ☐ Week ys (2-6 days)? ? ☐ Month ? ☐ Year?

☐ Anim als ☐ NoneEXAMPLE: Replace with ☐ Onyour siteoperation’s vehicles ☐ Equip premises map ment ☐ Peop le ☐ Anim als ☐ None ☐ Onsit e vehicles ☐ Equip ment ☐ Peop le ☐ Anim als ☐ None

☐ One day? ☐ Few da ☐ Week ys (2-6 days)? ? ☐ Month ? ☐ Year?

☐ One day? ☐ Few da ☐ Week ys (2-6 days)? ? ☐ Month ? ☐ Year?

PREVENTION

BQA DAILY BIOSECURITY PLAN FOR DISEASE PREVENTION

r younow! k r Ma dars en cal

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NATIONAL CATTLEMEN 15

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NEWS Impactful Health Professional Webinar Highlighting Health Benefits of Beef’s Role in Staying Strong While often defined by our physical abilities, “strength” also encompasses emotional and cognitive aspects that can support a solid foundation for growth and development throughout the lifespan.

Nutrition researchers and health professionals are increasingly identifying strength as a measurement of overall health. This raises important questions for health experts to consider such as, how can health care professionals measure strength in their practice, and how can individuals optimize their own strength through food choices?

To focus health and nutrition professionals on the concept of using strength as a marker of good health and provide practical tips on how to optimize protein intake, with beef, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, hosted an educational webinar, Defining Strength: Exploring the Evidence for Strength as a Measure of Health Across the Lifespan, on Nov. 19, 2020.

This webinar examined the available science and provided evidence-based research recommendations for incorporating animal-based protein, like beef, for optimal health and wellness.

Health and fitness professionals who attended the educational webinar were eligible to receive one continuing education credit, which is required for most experts to maintain their credentials.

Expert contributors included Dr. Christine Rosenbloom, Dr. Heather Leidy, and Dr. Nick Burd.

Dr. Christine Rosenbloom is a registered dietitian, president of Chris Rosenbloom Food and Nutrition Services, LLC, and professor emerita of nutrition at Georgia State University, where for 30 years she held various teaching and administrative positions.

As an active member of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, she chaired the Academy Positions Committee, chaired the Sports, Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutrition (SCAN) practice group, and edited two editions of Sports Nutrition: A Practice Manual for Professionals.

Dr. Leidy an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin with a joint appointment in the department of nutritional sciences and the Department of Pediatrics-Dell Medical School. She also serves as the director of the research interest groups through the American Society of Nutrition and as a member of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. As a nutritional physiologist, Dr. Leidy‘s current research focus examines the effects of consuming a high-protein breakfast on satiety, glycemic control and weight management in overweight young people.

Dr. Burd is an associate professor in the department of kinesiology and community health and is also a faculty member of the division of nutritional sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Additionally, he is the director of the Nutrition and Exercise Performance (NEP) Group which has a long-standing research interest in nutrition and exercise metabolism integration.

Each of the experts have either conducted Beef Checkoff nutrition research or helped educate their peers and consumers on the role beef plays in healthy diets.

This webinar was designed to be interactive, providing real-time engagement between speakers and attendees, resulting in a rich dialogue throughout the presentation. Dr. Rosenbloom kicked off the presentation by asking the audience

the day. The conclusion of the to define strength in one word, webinar also provided practical setting the stage for participants tips, tools and resources for to begin to understand the healthcare professionals to many roles strength plays in our integrate in their practice with overall health and wellbeing. the understanding that building, Dr. Burd then explained the optimizing and preserving connection between different physical and mental strength markers of strength and how provides the foundation for strength can be used as a health and wellbeing. Each measure of health and longevity. attendee also received a He discussed the concept of downloadable copy of Strength: muscle-brain crosstalk and The Field Manual. highlighted the importance of Overall, a total of 3,748 both physical and cognitive people registered for the strength. Dr. Leidy added webinar and 1,439 individuals her expertise by examining tuned in for the live the research surrounding presentation. Attendees shared strength and health across content from the webinar on the lifespan. She explained 7-Day Healthy Meal Plan their social platforms helping that research has shown a expand the impact. Thus far, positive correlation between Nutrition that gives you strength to be your best self.

611 attendees have shared physiological strength and bone their feedback through a posthealth, while having a negative webinar survey. The majority association with cardiovascular (96.4%) of respondents disease and metabolic risk indicated that the webinar was factors. Furthermore, there is “good” or “excellent,” and 98% some evidence which indicates of respondents reported they self-esteem is also positively would recommend future webinars like this one to correlated with strength, laying the foundation health care professionals. for future research considerations. Dr. Leidy also Furthermore, survey results showed a record reviewed potential modifiable key factors impacting shift in opinion when asked the following question: strength including diet, physical activity, family “Animal protein, like beef, can be part of a healthy, structure, sleep, and, even, social media. She nutrient-rich diet to support mental strength.” discussed short-fall nutrients, indicating protein Results showed a 22% increase in those who quantity and quality could be improved to maximize selected “strongly agree.” Several favorable strength, leading to further health benefits. comments were also received following the Finally, the speakers closed the presentation by webinar including: discussing dietary strategies to optimize strength, • “LOVED this webinar, I'm continuously primarily illustrating the benefits of incorporating emphasizing the need for protein, this webinar high-quality protein sources, like beef, throughout has really helped me to provide rationale and education.”

• “Strong research that confirmed my belief on eating protein and using lean beef for the mental and longevity quality of strength.”

• “I really appreciate so much wonderful information about protein, the absolute necessity of it regularly, throughout each day. Also, I love the reminder of the amazing nutrients present in beef that I don’t believe the average person realizes.”

Altogether, the webinar was effective in sharing new research on the benefits of optimizing protein intake to enhance strength, which can be used as a marker of health and longevity. Educational webinars sponsored by the Beef Checkoff, such as this one, help educate health and fitness professionals as well as food, nutrition and culinary experts, not only on beef nutrition, but also the important role beef plays in supporting strength. It provides healthcare professionals with the knowledge base needed to increase their confidence in recommending beef to their clients, patients and customers. The webinar, funded by the Federation of State Beef Councils on behalf of the Beef Checkoff, was recorded and is available for all interested listeners at https:// www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/nutrition/healthprofessional-resources.

STRENGTH

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