January 2022 - 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.

JANUARY 2022 • Vol. 38, No. 4 • NCBA.org

MARKET SNAPSHOT WEEK OF 12/13/2021

CURRENT VS. LAST YEAR SOUTH CENTRAL 500-600 LB. STEERS

$173.20

$155.94

11.1%

LIVE FED STEERS

$106.75

30.9%

$139.75

CHOICE BOXED BEEF

$220.51

21%

$266.75

OMAHA CASH CORN

$4.16

43.7%

$5.98

IN THIS ISSUE 3

LEADERSHIP COMMENTS

6

COMMITTEE MEETINGS

NCBA’s CEO and President recap 2021, a year of change and achievement.

Join us for NCBA Policy and Checkoff meetings at the 2022 annual convention.

10

WEATHER

11

NCBA-PAC

14

FEDERATION

15

CHECKOFF

What Matt Makens expects from La Niña in 2022.

The NCBA-PAC offers members another way to achieve beneficial policy and leadership.

Many states encouraged consumers to include beef on their holiday plates.

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NCBA’s partnerships show increased reach of beef across the country.

Infrastructure: A Necessary Investment for the U.S. Cattle Industry After months of gridlock in Congress, the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 was signed into law by President Biden. In the midst of partisan politics, NCBA stayed committed to being the trusted leader and definitive voice of the U.S. cattle and beef industry. In this case, that meant sifting through rhetoric and fighting for policy that served the best interests of U.S. cattle and beef producers.

How did we get here?

Like most things in Washington, the process that led us to passage of this legislation was extremely convoluted and lengthy. Democratic leadership in Congress created a twotrack process where they debated on a “human infrastructure” bill, often referred to as the Build Back Better Act, and a “hard infrastructure” bill that included more traditional infrastructure investments, such as broadband funding and investments in roads and bridges.

While NCBA continues to oppose the Build Back Better Act as certain provisions could harm the business climate for producers, throughout the broader conversation we worked with Congress to ensure the bipartisan infrastructure bill focused on “hard infrastructure” investments and included provisions beneficial to the cattle industry.

How does this legislation benefit U.S. cattle and beef producers?

Infrastructure investments are an important step toward ensuring that American cattle producers and their communities have access to necessary resources to be successful in the 21st century.

“A lot of these provisions [in the bipartisan infrastructure bill] are things that we have been pursuing for well over a decade, and in some cases over two decades,” said NCBA Policy Division Chair and Wyoming cattleman Mark Eisele. “I know there’s concern about there being a lot of ‘hogs at the trough’ for this deal, but that’s not the case.”

In accordance with our grassroots policy, NCBA worked hard to ensure that the following provisions were included in the final legislation: • An additional 150 air-mile exemption on the destination of livestock hauls; • $127 billion for roads, bridges, ports and waterways that are crucial to farmers and agricluture exporters; • $40 billion to states to build out broadband internet infrastructure — $2 billion for the Agriculture Department to expand broadband in rural areas through the ReConnect program; • $3.3 billion to the Forest Service and Interior Department to fight wildfires through controlled burns, mechanical thinning, and firefighting resources; and • congressional commitment to the improvement of the federal permitting process for critical water-related investments through the codification of One Federal Decision.

Livestock Transportation

NCBA has long fought for the ability for livestock haulers to transport livestock safely and efficiently. The ability for haulers to do this depends on the existence of modernized, reliable

roads and bridges as well as regulatory flexibility.

“Livestock are a perishable commodity. For humane animal management and the proper handling of that commodity, it needs to be timely,” Eisele said. “You can’t be diverted around a river and have an extra hour added to your haul — which happens frequently. And you can’t pull into a truck stop and wait eight to 10 hours to get back on the road.”

Since cattle are often hauled from remote areas of the country to areas where feedlots and processing plants are located, without flexibility in hours-of-service requirements, some cattle and beef producers could very easily lose their ability to be competitive in the marketplace. While the cattle industry is currently operating under an emergency declaration that allows for exemptions to hours-of-service throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the inclusion of the backend 150 airmile exemption in the bill provides an added flexibility that is permanent.

While flexibility during livestock hauls is critical, it means nothing unless the roads and bridges haulers are utilizing are accessible and can accommodate heavy cattle and trailers.

“We’re watching some of our infrastructure crumble and erode under our feet — literally,” explained Eisele. “As you drive the backroads, you realize haulers can’t always access them with trucks because the bridges aren’t able to handle the larger weight loads.”

Hauling livestock is different than hauling other commodities. Flexibility in regulations and reliable infrastructure, especially in rural areas, is key to the health and safety of cattle in transport. In fact, the investments made in transportation infrastructure through this bill will have a direct effect on the ability for grocery store shelves to remain fully stocked with beef.

Rural Connectivity

For cattle and beef producers to be competitive in a global marketplace they must have access to reliable, highspeed internet.

“In this day and age, you’ve got to be connected — high tech is where it’s at,” Eisele said. “People want timely information at the speed of commerce to run their businesses.”

The funding for rural broadband included in the bill will be critical for the cattle industry as we continue to innovate and improve operations. When producers have access to highspeed rural broadband it opens doors to increased efficiency, economic growth and environmental sustainability.

“If you’re in the business, you understand. You need access to your markets; you need to stay aware of commodity prices and you need to have precision technology for spraying or location of crops — you can’t wait for this stuff,” Eisele said.

Eisele went on to describe how farmers and ranchers don’t have time to run to the top of a hill to get service when they need to quickly check something on the internet or make a timely purchase. While this may just seem like an anecdote to some, cattle producers know the reality of this, and the challenges lack of connectivity impose on business owners when they are working on their operations.

Continued on page 4

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11/2022

NATIONAL CATTLEMEN 3

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Standing Together, Moving Forward

Knowledge Is Power

By Colin Woodall, NCBA CEO

By Jerry Bohn, NCBA President A year ago, much of our nation’s public life was still shadowed by uncertainty.

Many states that had been shut down due to COVID-19 were working through a patchwork of re-openings.

In Washington, the transition to a new administration was marred by chaos and destruction. Across the country, cattle producers were still in the thick of the upheaval brought about by a global pandemic, black swan events and extreme weather conditions.

NCBA’s top priority for 2021 was to help improve the business climate for our producers. We also recognized the urgency of building relationships in the new political environment that would allow us to effectively fight for our members’ interests and defend the wins secured under the previous administration.

Today, we still have work to do, but I am proud of the progress we have made.

Working with partners in Congress and USDA, NCBA helped secure hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for independent and regional beef processing plants. These funds are specifically marked out to expand capacity among small facilities, and our vice president Todd Wilkinson testified on Capitol Hill to tell lawmakers that not one cent of this money should go to the major packers who don’t need it. This is a critical step in relieving the bottleneck between beef demand and live cattle supply.

Negotiated trade volumes are up considerably compared to years past, and multiple market analysts and economists credit this uptick to the work of NCBA’s Regional Triggers Subgroup and our state affiliates. Our work on the voluntary framework made a tangible impact on the level of robust price discovery across the industry.

NCBA also successfully advocated for greater transparency in the cattle markets.

We secured the House introduction of the Cattle Contract Library Act and led the charge on Capitol Hill for reauthorization of LMR, which is the most fundamental tool producers have for exerting leverage in negotiations with packers. Thanks to our persistent work, the House passed both measures last month with overwhelming bipartisan support.

As lawmakers debated passing tax hikes that would be fatal for thousands of familyowned farms and ranches, NCBA mounted our largest-ever grassroots campaign to oppose them. Thanks in large part to our efforts and the firsthand testimonies of more than 1,800 producers, the version of the reconciliation package that passed the U.S. House of Representatives left crucial tax provisions like stepped-up basis and like-kind exchanges intact.

From the moment President Biden announced his “30x30” conservation agenda, NCBA was at the White House, USDA, EPA, and Department of Interior making the case for the voluntary conservation work that our members do every day. We advocated fiercely to

defend your private property rights and delivered the message repeatedly to every policymaker in town — “grazing is good.”

Our work to raise awareness and educate on the good work of cattle producers has been crucial in slowly but surely changing the national narrative around cattle and climate change.

While sharing our industry’s sustainability story, NCBA also helped author its next chapter. At our convention in August, we set industryled sustainability goals that reaffirm our commitment to science-based stewardship. Farmers and ranchers have been leading the way in voluntary conservation in this country for centuries.

We are proud to continue that legacy.

NCBA strategically engaged in litigation and rulemaking processes in 2021 to fight back against burdensome and harmful environmental regulations. We continued to move the ball forward in court to defend the nationwide delisting of the gray wolf.

After the EPA announced their repeal of the Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR), NCBA launched a grassroots campaign to oppose the return of the extreme federal overreach we saw under the 2015 WOTUS rule.

Moving livestock and goods in an efficient, cost-effective manner is foundational to the success of our members’ businesses. NCBA succeeded in getting the back-end 150 air-mile exemption for livestock producers passed into law. We were also instrumental in securing an extension of the hours-ofservice exemption under the Department of Transportation’s emergency declaration.

Our cumulative efforts have helped ensure that grocery store shelves stay fully stocked. While other sectors continued to grapple with shortages of products on shelves, we continued to keep those same shelves stocked with U.S. beef.

Our convention in Nashville, Tennessee, attracted more than 6,000 attendees and ensured that the essential business of this association continued on without interruption. Through our work as a Beef Checkoff contractor, NCBA was proud to see domestic demand for beef remain remarkably strong throughout 2021, and we saw soaring demand for our product in export markets around the globe. U.S. beef is what’s for dinner — and lunch and breakfast — for millions of families at home and around the world, and NCBA will continue working to keep it that way.

The past year has not been easy, and I am not dismissive of the challenges that lie ahead.

Safeguarding the future of our industry for generations to come is the work of a marathon, not a sprint, but we covered a lot of ground over the course of 2021.

I am optimistic about our industry’s ability to navigate the road ahead. As we prepare for the policy discussions in Houston, Texas next month, I encourage us all to work together. We have more things in common than we think, and we all want to pass on a profitable, resilient operation to our children and grandchildren. Making that happen will take all of us, standing together.

2021 NCBA Leadership President Jerry Bohn President-Elect Don Schiefelbein Vice President Todd Wilkinson Treasurer Joe Guild Federation Division Chair Clay Burtrum Federation Division Vice-Chair Brad Hastings Policy Division Chair Mark Eisele Policy Division Vice-Chair Buck Wehrbein Immediate Past President Marty Smith Chief Executive Officer Colin Woodall

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF NCBA

Senior Editors

Editor

John Robinson Jill Johnson Sarah Drown

After living of time. They routinely use shock and working tactics and celebrities to draw the in our nation’s media’s attention to their efforts capital for in eliminating animal agriculture, 20 years, I hunting and animal research. They saw it all. have been behind hidden camera What I loved efforts on farms, dairies and ranches, to watch, in which they get animal extremists though, were those senators and to gain employment under false representatives who knew the inspretense in order to secretly film and-outs of U.S. Senate and House what they believe is cruelty to of Representatives procedure. animals. They have also defended Knowledge of the rules and of what the terrorist acts of groups like the is really going on behind the scenes Animal Liberation Front. In addition, in the Senate and House means they support a “sin tax” on meat that you can use your knowledge and have actively promoted the to confuse your opposition and production and consumption of fake win the day. Not every senator or meat products. representative takes the time to The Animal Legal Defense Fund become an expert on the rules, so (ALDF), much like PETA, supports those who do quickly realize that plant-based diets and has lobbied knowledge is power. for moratoriums on CAFOs and The same applies to the cattle large-scale dairies. They criticize us business. Those with knowledge for greenhouse gas emissions and of the facts and figures have the pollution. ALDF spends its resources advantage, and my hope is that trying to defeat “ag-gag” laws each edition of National Cattlemen because they interfere with their imparts more of that knowledge. For targeting of animal ag operations via almost six years, NCBA has been undercover videos. engaged in the R-CALF lawsuit against USDA challenging the Beef Checkoff and targeting Knowledge is power, so be sure to the Montana Beef Council. share this with your friends.

The decision issued this past July by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vindicated the How desperate do you have to Checkoff and dealt another legal be to think that a group with ties defeat to Bill Bullard’s R-CALF, but like this really wants you to succeed, do you know who was really behind especially since they make it known Bill Bullard’s effort? that they really do not have time The group doing Bill Bullard’s for you until they help their animal bidding is called Public Justice, which activist friends? Is Bill Bullard’s was founded in 1982 as Trial Lawyers hatred of NCBA and the Checkoff for Public Justice, and the company so great that he is willing to sell his they keep is not looking out for the membership to the very people who best interests of America’s cattle want to put them out of business? In producers. In October, Bill Bullard’s watching activist groups work in D.C., R-CALF filed a petition with the I know that part of their strategy is to U.S. Supreme Court asking for an divide industries in order to get them extension on the time they have to to fight each other. While these intradecide whether they want to appeal the 9th Circuit’s decision to the highest industry fights are going on, attention is diverted from the activist efforts to court in the land. Upon reading the weaken the targeted industry. Is that filing, their main reason for needing what Public Justice is doing? the extension was that their Public In case that was not enough, Bill Justice attorneys were just too busy Bullard utilized the Equal Access to representing other clients to be able Justice Act (EAJA) to get his Public to get their R-CALF work done. Those Justice attorney’s fees reimbursed other clients were PETA and the because they won an earlier step Animal Legal Defense Fund. in their Checkoff lawsuit. EAJA No, your eyes are not deceiving allows people who sue the Federal you. Bill Bullard’s attorneys are the government and win to get their same ones representing groups fees covered. Bill Bullard’s R-CALF that want to put us out of business. received $150,000 from USDA, but PETA’s mission statement says the money came from the Checkoff. they oppose a human-supremacist Instead of your valuable Checkoff world view called speciesism, and money going to promotion and that they focus their attention research, it is now flowing to a group on areas, including food animals, that attacks it every chance they get. in which they believe the largest Knowledge is power, so be sure to number of animals suffer the most share this with your friends. intensely for the longest periods

Contributing Writers

Creative Director Graphic Designer

Wendy White Ashley Willits Hunter Ihrman Sigrid Johannes Don Waite Dancinee Jennings

For ad sales contact Shannon Melcher 303-8503339, Shannon Wilson 303-850-3345, or Jill DeLucero 303-850-3321.

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. ©2022 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. All rights reserved. The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or part, without the prior written consent of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

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Infrastructure

be critical, especially for ranchers in the West.

“Lots of our producers had enormous burnouts. They lost livestock. They lost property — some of which will never be rebuilt in a lifetime. Those losses were unacceptable,” Eisele said.

Eisele explained that to mitigate these catastrophic losses the Forest Service needs to work with farmers and ranchers on the ground, invest

Continued from page 1

Fire Mitigation and Water-Related Infrastructure On the heels of one of the most severe droughts in recent history, coupled with a devastating wildfire season — the investments for fire mitigation and water-related infrastructure included in the bill will

in ground management tools and address urgent issues.

In addition, for generations, ranchers have been subject to burdensome government red tape to complete critical water-related infrastructure projects. The codification of One Federal Decision will increase efficiency in the permitting process, thus allowing producers to continually invest in water and natural resource management.

“Everyone is critical of public

lands ranchers because they don’t think we’re paying our fair share and that sort of thing, but we’re the ones putting water developments in, we’re the ones that are helping wildlife,” Eisele said. “We want clean water.

We want clean air. We want all those things. And when we have fires of enormous magnitude, the environment loses, the watershed loses — everyone takes an enormous hit. So, in my opinion, this is money well spent.”

Beware of These Common Vaccine Mistakes

By Julia Herman, DVM, MS Beef Cattle Specialist Veterinarian, NCBA, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff The perception of downtime during the winter eludes most of those in the cattle industry. The cows are incubating next year’s crop of calves, stockers are growing and feedyard calves are bulking up. Winter responsibilities range from feeding to fixing equipment to spending time with family. A huge thank you to all our cattle producers and agricultural workers who continue to work through the seasons and continue to keep cattle care top of mind. As planning for the new year continues, this may be a good time to review the herd health and vaccination protocols for your operation.

Best management guidelines such as vaccination have been highlighted through the Beef Checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance program for decades. BQA recommends each operation have a written strategic vaccination plan which includes knowing the vaccination history of cattle on the farm and new additions to the herd. Record keeping is integral to knowing what pathogens animals have been exposed to and planning for booster shots. Below are some common mistakes to avoid when developing and implementing your herd vaccination protocols.

Mistake #1: Not reviewing your cattle vaccination protocols every year with your herd veterinarian.

Because a valid VeterinarianClient-Patient Relationship (VCPR) is required to be renewed annually, a yearly consultation with your veterinarian is recommended where multiple facets of the operation are evaluated, goals for the year are set, and potential interventions are considered. An established VCPR allows the veterinarian to diagnose and treat animals, prescribe medications, and issue Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (CVIs) or health certificates.

Veterinarians are trained to evaluate individual animals within a herd system and provide integrative management plans to prevent diseases or problems from occurring in the

future. Vaccination protocols can be complex between calves and adult cattle, and the disease risks to your herd may change from year to year.

Utilize your herd veterinarian to figure out the correct vaccine types (i.e., Modified-Live-Vaccines (MLV) or Killed Vaccines), correct pathogens (i.e., respiratory, reproductive or other), and timing to best protect all ages of your cattle herd.

Mistake #2: Not reading the product label, even if you’ve used the product before.

Many animal health products have similarly designed boxes, so it is essential to read the label of each product to ensure you have the correct product for the pathogens you are concerned about. Also, this is a quick reminder to you and your team on the correct dose and route of administration for each product.

Remember, most vaccines require two doses, as specified on the product label and have either a 21- or 60-day withdrawal time which should be in the vaccination records. Pharmaceutical companies change names and designs periodically, so eyeballing the product box by color is not a good strategy.

Read the label. Every. Time.

Mistake #3: Not protecting vaccines from extreme temperatures.

It is important to store all vaccines out of sunlight and at their labeled temperatures. Extreme temperatures can alter the vaccine to either limit its effectiveness, inactivate it entirely or cause it to be dangerous to give.

For instance, MLV vaccines can be inactivated with high temperatures while clostridial vaccines, if frozen, can release excess toxins and therefore should not be used. During the winter, it can be problematic if vaccines freeze in the needle or in the hose of a multidose syringe. There are several vaccine coolers on the market with insulation and holders for syringes to protect from weather and sunlight. If using a multidose syringe with a hose, placing the vaccine bottle in your breast pocket and placing the hose down your sleeve can prevent the vaccine from freezing

in the tube.

Hand warmers can be used inside coolers to prevent reconstituted vaccines from freezing — as long as the packet is not in direct contact with the vaccine bottle. Another tip is to have two separate coolers available, one for unmixed vaccines and one for the reconstituted vaccines being currently used. Coolers can be used in the summer with ice packs to keep vaccines at the recommended 3545 degrees Fahrenheit and out of sunlight. Ultraviolet lights should not be used to keep vaccines warm as it can inactivate the vaccines. When cleaning the syringes used for vaccines, it is important to only use hot water or boil the instruments in water. Any detergent or disinfectant can leave a residue in the syringe and inactivate future products used.

Mistake #4: Only relying on vaccines in your herd health plan.

Vaccines are only one tool used as a preventive technique to keep cattle healthy. However, there are many other factors such as providing good nutrition, using low-stress handling techniques and applying good biosecurity protocols which are integral to how animal’s immune systems develop and respond to those vaccines. It is the responsibility of cattle producers to reduce cattle stress by minimizing the effects of stressors as much as possible, which benefits the welfare and productivity of the

animals. BQA’s approach relies on total quality management and how it relates to health, welfare, nutrition and environment to support the cattle herd.

Relying only on vaccines while ignoring other husbandry aspects will not prove beneficial in the long run.

Mistake #5: Letting your BQA certification lapse.

BQA empowers cattle producers and employees to make a difference every day on the farm or ranch. In doing so, consumers have confidence in the beef products they purchase and the standards of care used to raise those animals. Maintaining your BQA certification demonstrates a commitment to quality and responsible animal care. The program serves as an educational resource for anyone in the cattle and beef industry for many topics. On vaccination specifically, guidelines on mixing and drawing up vaccines, product handling and storage, and choosing correct syringe and needle sizes are easily accessed. These guidelines are reviewed constantly and are updated using current scientific recommendations. BQA.org is your destination for resources such as the BQA Manual or Field Guide, renewing your BQA certification online or through in-person workshops, or further learning with the BQA Advanced Education Modules.

CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY

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.

GOLD LEVEL SPONSORS (Minimum $100,000 Investment)

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

ALLIED INDUSTRY COUNCIL Bayer Environmental Sciences CHR HANSEN Farm Credit Council Huvepharma, Inc.

Lallemand Animal Nutrition Norbrook, Inc. Rabo AgriFinance RAM Trucks

PRODUCT COUNCIL American Foods Group Cargill Meat Solutions Certified Angus Beef Culver’s Darden Restaurants empirical Fareway Stores, Inc. Five Guys

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

Corteva Agriscience™ www.corteva.com Elanco Animal Health www.elanco.com John Deere www.deere.com Masey Ferguson www.agcocorp.com/brands/massey-ferguson.

Merck Animal Health www.merck-animal-health-usa.com 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

ALLIED INDUSTRY PARTNERS 44 Farms CME Group ADM Animal Nutrition, Inc. DATAMARS Livestock Agri-Pro Enterprises of Iowa, Inc. Dell Technologies AgriWebb Diamond V Alltech, Inc. ENDOVAC Animal Health American National Insurance Farmers Business Network Arrowquip Food Safety Net Services A.T. Ferrell Company Inc. Furst-McNess Company Bank of America Gallagher Barenbrug USA Gravely, an Ariens Company Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s Greeley Hat Works Behlen Manufacturing Grov Technologies Bimeda Hayden Outdoors Real Estate BioZyme Hyundai Construction Equipment Bush Hog Inc. IMI Global Cargill Animal Nutrition International Stock Food Case IH

International Genetic Solutions Jorgensen Land and Cattle Kent Nutrition Group Krone Kubota Tractor Corporation Kunafin “The Insectary” Laird Manufacturing Meat & Livestock Australia, Ltd. Micronutrients National Corn Growers Association Nationwide Neogen New Generation Supplements Noble Research Institute Novus International Parker McCrory

Tarter Farm and Ranch PBS Animal Health Phibro Animal Health Equipment Pneu-Dart The Hartford Livestock Insurance Priefert Ranch Equipment The Vit-E-Men Co. Inc./Life QualiTech, Inc Products Quality Liquid Feeds Red Angus Assoc. of America Trans Ova Genetics R&R Machine Works U.S. Premium Beef RFD-TV Vermeer Roper/Stetson/Tin Haul Apparel Vitalix and Footwear South Dakota State Vytelle University Westway Feeds Stone Manufacturing Wild River Superior Livestock Y-Tex Supreme International Syngenta Zinpro Performance Minerals

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Industry Decision Making in Houston — You Are Invited to Attend!

In February, the cattle industry will gather in Houston, Texas, for the Annual Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show. If you are going as a beef producer, there are some meetings you should plan to attend, especially if you are interested in political issues impacting your business or in the marketing of beef.

From gate-to-plate, decisions will be made impacting your business.

Checkoff Meetings

Beef Checkoff meetings are open to all producers. From updates on current programs, to the first step in the fiscal year 2023 planning process — you can see the serious approach your fellow producers take to decision making and accountability. This year the Checkoff Highlight Session will include an update to the Beef Industry Long Range Plan that was introduced in 2020. Members of the Checkoff Committees are members of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture) or the Federation (made up of representatives from State Beef Councils from around the country).

For more information regarding Checkoff Committees visit https://www.beefboard.org/checkoff/committees/.

Policy Meetings NCBA members will be giving direction to the NCBA lobbying efforts via the policy making process starting at the grassroots, committee level. Members from affiliate organizations will gather in committees to discuss the latest issues facing the industry from marketing to taxation, animal health to the environment, and public lands to international trade — something for everyone. If you are interested in serving on a committee, contact your state cattlemen’s organization or national breed association.

For more information on the NCBA Policy making process visit: https://www.ncba.org/policy.

POLICY MEETINGS START TIME

END TIME

EVENT

TUESDAY, February 1 NCBA Federal Lands Committee 10:00 AM

12:00 PM

Develops policy on issues related to grazing on public lands administered by agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service.

NCBA Agriculture & Food Policy Committee

CHECKOFF MEETINGS START TIME

END TIME

12:45 PM

2:45 PM

EVENT

TUESDAY, February 1

8:30 AM

12:45 PM

11:30 AM

2:45 PM

NCBA Property Rights & Environmental Management Committee

Market Research-Consumer Insights Session What are consumers thinking about beef?

What are their buying habits? What should the industry focus on for the future?

12:45 PM

3:30 PM

4:00 PM

5:30 PM

2:45 PM

Checkoff Evaluation Committee Meeting This committee focuses on the evaluation of Checkoff programs.

WEDNESDAY, February 2 1:30 PM

CHECKOFF PROGRAM COMMITTEES

NCBA Cattle Health & Well-Being Committee

1:30 PM

3:30 PM

Consumer Trust Grow consumer trust in beef and beef production through greater adoption and understanding of industry best practices.

Domestic Marketing Inspire consumers, and those who impact consumers, to make beef their preferred protein through targeted, innovative communication and marketing.

1:30 PM

3:30 PM

International Marketing Increase U.S. beef demand in international markets by leveraging unique attributes of U.S. beef.

Develops policy on such issues as animal care, drugs and biologics, domestic and foreign animal diseases, and animal health research. The committee also works closely with the United States Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration regarding producer education and formulation and implementation of regulatory policy.

NCBA Live Cattle Marketing Committee Develops policy on issues related to industry structure, price discovery, futures markets, cattle/beef market price reporting, grading and transportation. This committee will also set policy used to engage with the CME Group, CFTC, GIPSA, and other entities which impact cattle and beef markets.

NCBA International Trade Committee

Nutrition and Health Advance credible research demonstrating the nutritional and health benefits of beef, and effectively communicate results with consumers, opinion leaders and stakeholders.

Develops policy on issues related to natural resources, property rights and endangered species. The committee works closely with Congress and the regulatory agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency regarding laws and regulations that impact private landowners.

WEDNESDAY, February 2

Checkoff Highlight Session & LRP Update What’s new in the Beef Industry Long Range Plan related to the Checkoff and an update on several of the current Checkoff Programs.

Develops policy on such issues as federal farm programs, haying and grazing, disaster relief, labor issues, government funded production research, beef nutrition and safety.

Enhance beef safety through adoption of science-based practices and inspire the beef community to innovate (develop) products, packaging, and industry solutions.

Develops policy on issues related to international trade including market access, trade laws and trade agreements. This committee sets policy used to engage with the international community, USTR, USDA, Congress, international entities such as the International Beef Alliance, and other trade or regulatory bodies which determine our ability to trade in live cattle, genetics and beef around the world.

Stakeholder Engagement

NCBA Tax and Credit Committee

4:00 PM

6:00 PM

Safety & Product Innovation

Engage beef community stakeholders in programs that enhance understanding of the beef checkoff and advance the beef industry.

4:00 PM

6:00 PM

Develops policy on issues related to estate taxes, capital gains and alternative minimum taxes, income taxes and social security, business taxes and banking and credit.

NATIONAL CATTLEMEN 7

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CHECKOFF COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS CONSUMER TRUST

DOMESTIC MARKETING

JESSE LARIOS, CA

BILL MCLAREN, MO

BECCA MCMILLAN, OK

ANDY BISHOP, KY

FEDERATION

CBB

FEDERATION

CBB

INTERNATIONAL MARKETING

NUTRITION AND HEALTH

BILL LICKLEY, ID

PENNY ZIMMERMAN, MN

PHILIP WELTMER, KS

ANGIE MEYER, OK

FEDERATION

CBB

FEDERATION

CBB

SAFETY AND PRODUCT INNOVATION

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

CHRIS JEFFCOAT, PA

TORRI LIENEMANN, NE

TRAVIS MADDOCK, ND

BRIAN MALAER, TX

FEDERATION

CBB

FEDERATION

CBB

EVALUATION

CHAIR CHERYL DEVUYST, OK CBB

VICE CHAIR KATIE BRENNY, MN FEDERATION

POLICY COMMITTEE CHAIRS

AG & FOOD POLICY

CATTLE HEALTH & WELL BEING

FEDERAL LANDS

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

JONI BUCHER, IL

MARY ANN KNIEBEL, KS

DR. DAVE DALEY, CA

GENE COPENHAVER, VA

LIVE CATTLE MARKETING

PROPERTY RIGHTS & ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

TAX & CREDIT

RESOLUTIONS

JIM FRYER, MT

TOM HOUGEN, MT

LEROY STARTZ, TX

DR. NANCY JACKSON, MS

8

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NATIONAL CATTLEMEN

NCBA Region VI Report

By Tim Koopmann, Region VI Policy Vice President Region VI has a very diverse topographical climate and grazing vegetation. From the annual California grasslands, that provide beneficial forage through the winter months to the tropical forage base of Hawaii, seasonal forest grazing to high desert steppe perennial sage ranges of Nevada and Utah, to the hot desert ranges of Arizona and New Mexico that need monsoonal summer precipitation to flourish. While producers in other regions may statistically discuss Animal Units per acre, Region VI producers talk about acres per cow. Winter feeding requirements also vary greatly in Region VI from no supplemental winter feeding to two tons per cow or more.

Region VI is routinely plagued by periods of drought, including severe dry conditions in 1975-1977, 1986-1988, and most recently 2019-2021. Massive base cow herd liquidations are the norm for dealing with drought, however pasture management, dry lot feeding and relocation to available feed may also be strategies. Arizona and New Mexico received ample rains this summer, and according to Randall Major, president of the New Mexico Cattle Growers Association, they enjoyed a beautiful grass year. The other states in Region VI rely primarily on winter precipitation and have continued to struggle.

Arizona Cattle Growers Association

The Arizona Cattle Growers Association has recently re-organized to become the representative voice of statewide producers. A new director of communications will start with the Association in January, and the executive director position will be filled in February.

Arizona was severely impacted by drought for two seasons, however summer (monsoonal) rains occurred recently that particularly benefitted the southern half of the state With the new leadership and executive committee in place, there is a renewed attitude of enthusiasm to tackle the work that needs to be done. Membership stands at 600 plus voting members and is increasing with producer knowledge of the new direction. Four “rollover” auctions will be conducted in the near future to assist in re-establishing working capital, Political Action Committee fundraising has commenced and a Litigation Support Raffle has been planned.

California Cattlemen’s Association As with all western states, California suffered severe drought conditions through the winter rainfall seasons

of 2019 and 2020. The poor forage growth has combined with reduced stock water resources as many natural springs have reduced flows and with no rainfall run-off, most stock ponds did not fill.

Wildfires continued to plague the state through the summer and will not diminish until common sense resource management practices are adopted statewide. CCA has continued to advocate for the use of prescribed burns, increased grazing of publicly owned lands, and forest practices to include understory management, tree thinning and salvage logging within burn sites.

CCA sponsored legislation, approved into law, requiring issuance and recognition of a Livestock Pass that will allow producers to safely enter fire zones for the purpose of livestock management and evacuation, the establishment of a $20 million Prescribed Fire Claim Fund that will protect burn practitioners from Cal Fire cost recovery claims, and the establishment of a $1.5 billion fund for Wildfire Resilience and Forest Health management practices.

CCA efforts were directed to defeat proposed legislation that promoted requirements for plant-based meals in all public schools.

The California Cattlemen’s Council, funded similarly to the Beef Checkoff, has initiated a podcast series as a public and legislative outreach tool and recently developed a program called Ranchers Technical Assistance Program (RTAP) that will serve to provide resources to producers with regulatory and management issues.

The annual CCA Convention was held Dec. 1-3 in Reno, Nevada.

Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council

The islands continue to suffer from drought. Maui has been the most affected, and in combination with the large population of unmanaged Axis deer, forage resources are poor. The big island of Hawaii continues to have a growing population of unmanaged feral goats that significantly impact rangeland resources as well. Other pests that have become issues of concern and have led to research and detection efforts include the Spittlebug and Devil Weed.

Transportation of live cattle to the mainland has been impaired as Matson Lines has reduced their shipping of cattle containers from one per week to two per every five weeks. This has been done to accommodate the backlog of other goods from China.

The beef cattle producers of Hawaii

Vl

have been excluded from the federal pasture, rangeland and forage crop insurance programs. The Hawaii Cattle Council in conjunction with American Ag Credit have initiated a campaign for inclusion that includes a letter, e-mails and phone calls.

Two major beef processing plants are currently engaged in significant facility upgrades which will provide enhanced capacity and efficiency.

Nevada Cattlemen’s Association

Range conditions have been poor with limited precipitation through the winter of 2020, and snowpack in the mountains reduced available run-off irrigation for hay production. Over half the state is mapped as D-4 drought classification. Early weaning and heavy culling of base cow herds will continue, and NCA will support negotiations with the BLM to work with producers to allow flexibility of use on allotments and permits.

The NCA was proud to award scholarships for the forthcoming academic year to four outstanding young ladies. NCA continues to support research on Cheat Grass management as a means of reducing rangeland wildfire damage. NCA will sponsor the Special Calf and Stocker sale in Fallon on Dec. 11.

The NCA annual convention will be Dec. 9-12 in Elko. The NCA sponsored Fallon Bull Sale will be held Feb. 19.

New Mexico Cattle Growers Association

After many months of dismal forage conditions, the summer of 2021 provided strong rainfall that produced excellent range conditions.

The New Mexico Junior Livestock Expo in Roswell resulted in over $600,000 in sale results for the young producers.

The Fall Board of Directors Meeting included the opportunity to meet the governor candidates. A review of our litigation status as well as an update on potential future issues related to the federal 30x30 plan and Lesser Prairie Chicken ESA process. Much positive discussion occurred following the NCBA “U.S. Cattle Producers Building a Sustainable Legacy” presentation.

There is continuing work involving the Packing Plant Feasibility study with the hope of promoting New Mexico beef as successfully as has been done for New Mexico’s famous Hatch Chili producers.

Utah Cattlemen’s Association

Utah — along the with much of the West — has suffered severe drought conditions. Supplemental feed prices, particularly hay, are prohibitively high and alfalfa production has declined due the lack of irrigation water. As per UCA leadership, Utah rangelands are in poor condition, and many producers have liquidated breeding cattle numbers.

Utah State University has continued research into the feasibility of expanding in-state beef harvest and processing enterprises as a means of developing local direct-to-consumer Utah beef.

State government may provide a more favorable forum for agricultural issues, as new Governor Spencer Cox has deep roots in agriculture, spanning six generations. New Utah Agricultural Commissioner Craig Buttars also comes from an agricultural base, having been a full-time dairyman prior to his appointment.

Former NCBA Region VI Vice President Colby Pace and his wife, McKenzie, have been selected as the Utah recipients of the prestigious Leopold Conservation Award.

NATIONAL CATTLEMEN 9

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Government Affairs Team to Hold D.C. Issues Update at Convention At the Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in Houston, Texas, the NCBA Government Affairs team will host the State of the Industry and D.C. Issues Update to provide you with the latest policy information straight from Washington, D.C. “The D.C. Issues Update will be the one time at convention that the entire Government Affairs team is in one room,” said NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane. “Our team has worked around the clock on wide ranging issues, including fake meat, taxes, Waters of the United States (WOTUS), cattle markets and infrastructure, to name a few. This event is your opportunity to hear what is going on in D.C. and ask questions about the specific policies you care about.”

Working from the NCBA D.C. office on Pennsylvania Avenue, just steps away from the White House and Capitol Building, the Government Affairs staff is organized into three teams: Cattle Health/ Agriculture and Food Policy, Business, and Natural Resources and Climate team. Each team is led by a senior staff member with years of policymaking or government experience, and other members of each team are policy specialists in different fields.

The Cattle Health/Agriculture and Food Policy team handles animal welfare, transportation, labor, immigration, rural broadband, food safety, nutrition, and the Farm Bill, among other issues.

NCBA’s chief veterinarian is part of this team and is a definitive voice for cattle health practices on several national and international animal health boards.

The Business team handles the issues that impact a farm or ranch’s bottom line including taxes, cattle markets, international trade, fake meat and supply chain resiliency.

The Natural Resources and Climate team handles natural resources policy, grazing permits, WOTUS, sustainability and wildlife management. Two attorneys are members of this team, and they direct NCBA’s natural resources litigation to fight against harmful rules in court.

CATTLEMEN’S

CALL

Don’t forget to tune in to the Cattlemen’s Call podcast!

Listen, laugh and learn with these cattle producers. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Listen on Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn & Apple Podcast!

“Our team has notched some key policy wins this year, and we also kept bad policy, like tax increases and government mandates, from becoming law,” Lane said. “We look forward to sharing this information with you and having a discussion about the policy issues that matter to you.”

The D.C. Issues Update will start at 8:00 a.m. CST on Wednesday, Feb. 2 in Exhibit Hall B. For more information or to view a full schedule of the Cattle Industry Convention, please visit convention.ncba.org.

NCBA.org/NCBA-News/ Cattlemens-Call

REG

ISTE

LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE

IT’S TIME TO GET YOUR BOOTS ON CAPITOL HILL!

RN

OW

Make YOUR business THEIR business!

2022 NCBA Legislative Conference

March 29 - March 31, 2022 JW Marriott Washington DC

For more info visit NCBA.org.

NEW FOR 2022!!

CELEBRATION OF AMERICA’S LAND STEWARDS

CELEBRATION OF AMERICA’S LAND STEWARDS

All Legislative Conference attendees are invited to join us as we celebrate the 2021 National ESAP Winner.

All Legislative Conference attendees are invited to join us as we celebrate the 2021 National ESAP Winner.

10

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NATIONAL CATTLEMEN

2021, La Niña’s Impact Continues Into 2022

By Matt Makens, Atmospheric Scientist I want to extend a very happy new year blessing to you and yours. 2022 will bring some weather challenges, as any year will, but there is much to be optimistic about from the long-term outlook for the year.

I know we have quite a drought situation on our hands, and it will worsen before it gets better. However, as I look out at 2022, I see encouraging signs that the ocean’s temperature patterns will shift to favor a neutral to a potential El Niño formation late this year. What we do not want is to be teased with El Niño’s return, only to be in La Niña for the third year in a row — that happened from 1998 to 2001; thankfully right now that appears a low probability.

The timing of this transition is far from certain, but we are likely to see the tropical Pacific Ocean change as we hit the spring and summer months.

There is a lot of very warm water in the West Pacific that will want to head east to replace the cold water that is currently in place. This warm water will work at calming La Niña into a neutral pattern and offer the chance for an El Niño to form. Be patient; this process takes a very long time and even longer for the atmospheric pattern over the U.S. to react.

This potential change will have many impacts on the U.S. The biggest of these is that El Niño favors a cooler and wetter pattern for the country overall, and if timed correctly, we can have a wet winter season for 2022-2023. There is a lot of assumption on my part; we have yet to see El Niño form, but there are favorable indicators as of now.

Speaking of now, most signals point to continued drought across much of the country and further drought growth across the Central Plains and the southern U.S. through this winter and spring. This is part of the La Niña pattern we have discussed so much about in these National Cattlemen articles.

In those previous writings, the topics varied but connect back to one thing — La Niña was responsible for the weather headlines of 2021.

We had 18 weather disasters make it to the billion-dollar list through October 2021. Per National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “These events included one drought event, two flooding events, nine severe storm events, four tropical cyclone events, one wildfire even and one winter storm event.”1 (The December tornado outbreak was not assessed as of this writing.)

In terms of drought, more than half of the country was considered abnormally dry or in drought the entire year — 2021 is the second year in a row of La Niña. The drought situation became increasingly worse from late 2019 through 2020. The drought ebbed and flowed in some cases but persisted overall, then started to grow to the east in the last few months.

By December, drought expanded into the Carolinas, Virginia, the Southern Plains, across parts of Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The drought had improved mainly in the upper Mississippi and hit-and-miss parts of the West. Significant precipitation came in late October when Alaska and parts of California received record precipitation amounts. Short-term drought eased with this moisture flow for California, but the long-term

drought persisted.

In addition to being the drier pattern, La Niña is also associated with mild conditions — warm and dry go hand in hand. 2021 was in the top 10 warmest, top five for the back half of the year.

Heat and drought factored into an active wildfire year for the western U.S., one of the billion-dollar disasters in 2021.

The severe weather statistics were interesting for a La Niña year. La Niña is tied to increased severe weather, and this year was an anomaly in that regard. Preliminary storm reports from 2021 show that tornadoes and wind reports were below average, hail reports were also much lower than average. October, however, was an active one for tornadoes and reported its second most active year, with nearly 150 preliminary tornado reports during the month. Despite the below-average severe weather reports in total, nine events did make it to the billion-dollar disaster list, as shown to the right.

I give those stats with the utmost sensitivity to the events in December.

As of the deadline for this writing, a tornado outbreak occurred Dec. 10 into 11, which was one of, if not the deadliest of any December.

Tornadoes tore through the Midwest and Tennessee Valley killing dozens and destroying properties across six states. The outbreak in December was tragic, and the total loss is still being assessed at the time of this writing.

It reminds us of the extreme tragedy possible even in relatively quiet severe weather years.

Unlike severe weather, hurricane activity was high. That is what we expect with La Niña years. La Niña substantially increases the odds that the U.S. will experience hurricane activity. Twenty-one named storms formed in the Atlantic, the third most-active season on record. Eight storms made U.S. landfall: Claudette, Danny, Elsa, Fred, Henri, Ida, Mindy and Nicholas. Ida was the strongest of these and hit Louisiana particularly hard.

I will remember 2021 most for something not mentioned to this point: cold. In February, the cold weather that gripped the central U.S., particularly Texas, was an extreme event that was the only winter storm billion-dollar disaster for the year.

Throughout the year ahead, I’ll keep you advised on several topics: First, spring severe weather seasons can be more active when coming out of a La Niña pattern — 2021 was unusual. From a hail, wind and tornado perspective, we need to be careful during the next several months.

Second, snowpack across the West is likely to be well below the average, and that will mean lower runoff and less water storage heading into the warmer months. Irrigation and stock water will need to be measured closely.

Third, the first step in overcoming the drought for the West and Southwest will be an active (hopefully) monsoon season come this summer.

Fourth, monitoring El Niño will give us an indication of conditions next winter. El Niño offers the best chance of recovery from a drought frame of mind.

This is especially true if we can have a great monsoon season followed by a wet winter. This fall, we will have to assess the ocean-atmosphere conditions to see what kind of pattern will dominate our colder months of 2022-2023.

I look forward to connecting with you throughout the year here in the newspaper and via detailed outlooks in the Directions magazines.

Happy 2022.

Source: 1. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (2021). https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/, DOI: 10.25921/stkw-7w73

All photos by NWS Paducah, Kentucky Storm Survey Team

NATIONAL CATTLEMEN 11

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If You Care About Our Industry’s Future, Join NCBA-PAC If you have attended the Cattle Industry Convention before, you have likely heard about the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Political Action Committee, or NCBA-PAC. When it comes to defending your interests in Washington, D.C., the NCBA-PAC is the tip of the spear.

Together, the NCBA-PAC and the Government Affairs team provide double insurance for protecting the cattle and beef industry.

When you pay your membership dues to NCBA, a portion of that money goes towards the Government Affairs team who maintain a presence in D.C., meet with policymakers and work with members of Congress to support laws that benefit the cattle industry and block ones that disrupt your operations. Most of the time, NBCA staff are educating policymakers — especially those without an agricultural background — on the realities of life on a farm or ranch.

Unfortunately, there is a group of officials who will never support our industry regardless of how much we engage with them. These are policymakers who always side with radical “animal rights” groups or environmental justice groups over agriculture, specifically the cattle industry.

This is where NCBA-PAC comes in.

Sometimes talking to those in Congress is not enough — you need new leaders in the room. The PAC supports candidates running for office who care about our

industry and respect our values. Unlike the rest of NCBA, only the PAC is allowed to engage in political campaigns. Political campaigns have become more expensive to run, with candidates needing to pay for advertisements, signs and literature, and the PAC can provide the right candidates with financial support. A simple way to remember the distinction between Government Affairs and the NCBA-PAC is that the PAC helps candidates get elected, Government Affairs talks to officials after they are elected.

Thanks to your support and membership in NCBA, our Government Affairs is notching key policy wins — blocking tax increases that would jeopardize family farms and ranches, keeping cattle moving to the sale barn, and fighting back against burdensome environmental rules — but the PAC needs your support too. The PAC relies solely on donations from NCBA members, which is why it’s essential for

members who care about this industry to support the PAC. Right now, the margins in Congress are too close for comfort, and we need to elect more pro-cattle, proagriculture candidates in 2022. You have the perfect opportunity to support the PAC coming up in Houston.

With plenty of PAC events and unique items for purchase, you can invest in the future of our industry while scoring some unique items and experiences.

The NCBA-PAC will once again host the legendary Live Auction and Reception on Tuesday, Feb. 1 at 8:30 p.m. This year, the live auction is open to all NCBA and affiliate members.

Some of the items up for bid include a custom saddle, a Quarter Horse (by Very Platinum Cat with lineage that includes Metallic Cat, High Brow Cat, Peppy San Badger and Peptoboonsmal), a livestock trailer, a Napa Valley Wine Trip, a python hunt

and even an African safari.

At convention, NCBA-PAC will also have artwork, books and cattle memorabilia for bid in a silent auction on the tradeshow floor. Be sure to stop by throughout the week to play cornhole, check on your bids and ensure you go home with the items that catch your eye.

While we know everyone loves a good game of cornhole or bidding on live auction items, remember that every dollar you give to the PAC is an investment in the cattle industry’s future. Our goal is to raise $1.25 million for the 2022 election cycle, and we can accomplish this goal if every NCBA member donates $25 per year to the PAC. Your dollars go straight to political campaigns around the country and help us elect representatives and senators who share your values — supporting the PAC is too important to skip.

To learn more about the NCBA-PAC, please visit ncba.org/policy..

Asian Longhorned Tick Spreads into the United States The Asian Longhorned Tick (ALT) has officially spread to 17 states according to October 2021 data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Unlike other ticks the cattle industry has experienced, the ALT may easily evade detection and has the potential to rapidly spread to new areas of the country.

“Stopping the spread of the ALT requires a strong control program,” said Kathy Simmons, chief veterinarian of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

“Unfortunately, the federal government currently lacks the budget or a plan to enact an eradication program, so state animal health authorities and individual cattle producers must remain vigilant to control the spread of this invasive, exotic tick.”

The ALT poses a particular challenge for management and control due to the tick’s small size, ability to reproduce without a mate, and resiliency to live in the environment without a host for up to a year.

At about the size of a sesame seed, the tick is difficult to see and may avoid the drag nets used by veterinarians and health officials to inspect pastures for insects. One female tick can singlehandedly create a new tick population by quickly reproducing.

If a single tick attaches to an animal, it may produce 1,000 to 2,000 offspring at a time and create a large infestation that covers the animal and leads to fatal blood loss.

Health authorities are also concerned that the tick is a carrier of theileria, specifically theileria orientalis, a disease that results in bovine infectious anemia, or an insufficient number of red blood cells. Without enough red blood cells, cattle may experience weakness, reluctance to walk, fever and abortion. Currently, there is no approved treatment in the United States for theileria orientalis, and recovered cattle usually remain persistently infected.

USDA is aware of the spread of the ALT and has begun holding monthly surveillance calls between officials at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and state and industry stakeholders. While procedures are in place to report tick sightings to APHIS, there is no federal program for tick control or eradication currently in place.

While surveillance is a step in the right direction, Simmons pointed out that controlling and managing the tick is important because of its mobility.

“The tick is found on over 25 host species including cats, dogs and birds,” she said. “The tick can easily hitch a ride on a wide variety of wild, agricultural and domestic animals to spread quickly into new areas.”

Although officials remain concerned about the tick, producers can protect their herd by frequently inspecting their cattle and reporting any sightings of ticks to their veterinarian or local animal health officials.

“USDA and state animal health officials have a procedure for veterinarians to identify and report ticks,” Simmons said. “If a veterinarian sees a tick that looks different from the common domestic tick, they can contact APHIS or their state animal health officials to identify it.”

First recorded in the U.S. in 2017, the ALT is native to eastern China, Japan, eastern Russia and Korea. The tick previously spread to Australia and New Zealand, where the spread of theileria caused economic disruptions to those countries’ agricultural production. It is currently unknown how the tick first entered the U.S., and it is rare for a new tick species to be established so quickly.

The tick has never previously established a population in the U.S. and is considered an exotic species.

NCBA has recognized that the ALT represents a challenge to the cattle industry. Through the grassroots policy process, the NCBA Cattle Health and

Well Being Committee adopted policy on the ALT at the 2021 Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.

Having policy on the books allows NCBA’s Government Affairs team to begin working with policymakers to find ways to control and eradicate the tick.

As chief veterinarian, Simmons will play a leading role in NCBA’s engagement on the tick.

“Typically, NCBA works with members of Congress or government officials who are unfamiliar with our industry, and we are educating them on the realities our producers face out in the country,” Simmons said.

“On cattle health and well-being issues, we engage in highly technical, scientific discussions with veterinary organizations, researchers and animal health professionals with the goal of keeping U.S. cattle safe and healthy.”

To maintain the health of your herd, Simmons recommends knowing some information about tick behavior and the diseases that ticks may carry for cattle and humans. While the tick can be found anywhere in the environment, according to USDA, the tick prefers tall grasses and wooded areas. Asian Longhorned Ticks

are light brown and when they feed, they can increase to the size of a pea.

To prevent the spread of the tick, cattle producers should frequently monitor their livestock and report any ticks to their veterinarian or animal health authorities. The tick prefers warm places on both humans and animals, so producers should pay extra attention to cattle’s ears, groin and underbelly.

On humans, ticks may hide under the armpits, behind the knee, in hair or around the groin. The tick may also spread through contact with wildlife, especially deer. Maintaining distance between livestock and wildlife is important for avoiding both the spread of diseases and insect pests. If ticks are a problem in your area of the country, then consider discussing with your herd veterinarian the use of tick control products for cattle and the environment.

For more information on the Asian Longhorned Tick, please visit the USDA APHIS website (aphis.usda.gov) or contact the NCBA Washington, D.C., office at 202 347-0228.

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NATIONAL CATTLEMEN

Momentum Found

By Patrick Linnell Analyst, CattleFax In the last week of October, the CattleFax Update suggested that week’s $2/ cwt increase in the fed market was likely the start of a bigger movement. The rally ultimately found more momentum than even most optimists expected. The $2 move turned out to be the start of a roughly $18 move, from $124 to $142 in six weeks.

The impulsive move to the cash market has largely been margin realignment, as leverage swiftly rebounded from the lowest levels on record for October. Unlike previous fed price improvements in the last year that have occurred with a rallying beef complex, this rally occurred on a stagnant boxed beef market.

The front-end supply has moderated enough, during the same time packing efficiencies improved. With that, improved cattle feeder psychology can be a selffulfilling prophecy for higher prices.

The basis move has also been significant, as cash has gained on futures. Cash has rallied $18 while February live cattle futures have added around $5, resulting in a $13 move to basis. Cash outpacing futures has been a welcome shift to hedgers who have often suffered from a weak basis.

The calendar suggests the bulk of the cash rally is likely in place for now, with most cattle for Christmas rib demand lined up.

A price pullback into the holidays is very common, but the higher price levels achieved recently suggest the downside is likely more limited than previous expectations.

A spring high into the mid-to-upper $140s is the current expectation, compared to the low-to-mid $140s projected before the strength seen in the recent rally. The supply of fed cattle placed against the first quarter is above 2021 but will be seasonally tighter. Cyclically tighter supplies should become more evident into late spring. Cattle feeder leverage should also continue to trend towards more historically comparable levels as the packing segment continues to regain efficiencies.

On the demand side, consumer interest remains strong, and inflation will favor overall price support. A post-holiday hangover is possible, but even so could be offset by improved leverage. Meanwhile exports also remain strong, and the recent cutout softness could reinvigorate buyer interest.

As is typical in these market environments, a more muted price decline is likely into summer. A more normal basis pattern should also continue to unfold in the coming months if the cash market continues to perform. Into the second half of the year, the expectation is for a fourth quarter high that exceeds the spring high, taking the market north of $150.

Bottom Line: The market has shown longawaited performance in recent weeks. The broader trend for the fed market continues to point higher. As the fed cattle perform, feeder cattle and calf markets should as well. Look for the CattleFax Long-Term Outlook recently released for further discussion of 2022 and beyond.

Exports Bright in 2021

By Katelyn McCullock, Director of the Livestock Marketing Information Center The beef industry has been able to bank the global demand for U.S. beef in 2021. Trade data released through the third quarter of 2021 showed that on a value basis, every major category of export including offal and organs shipped for more dollars than a year ago. Quantities were also significantly higher with the exception of frozen livers, which were down 10 percent.

Total value three-quarters through the year is already $2 billion ahead of beef totals last year, nearly a 40 percent increase. Quantities are up 20 percent, and crested the 1 million metric tons mark. Fresh and frozen carcasses have seen the largest percentage increase during that time, fitting with the U.S. struggle to keep the harvest pipelines flowing at previous levels prior to COVID-19. Fresh carcass value and quantities both have exceeded last year by 400 percent, and frozen quantities are 250 percent higher. These are among the smallest

trade categories and so should not be overlooked.

The larger categories of beef exports are boneless fresh and frozen, which have seen a strong year though as well. These categories represent about a third of total volume each.

So far this year quantities show fresh boneless beef is up 15 percent over last year, while frozen boneless beef is up 29 percent. Value adjustments have been even stronger this year, given the price of U.S. wholesale beef.

These categories have extracted 32 percent and 56 percent more value from the export market for fresh and frozen beef than last year. Leading the fresh category, Japan has had a strong year, buying 17 percent more fresh boneless beef than last year and taking nearly half of the quantity shipped so far. Value-wise Japan is paying about a third of the total boneless fresh beef category, a 25 percent increase from last year. Significantly smaller volumes, but still more than last year are heading to markets such as Mexico,

U.S. BEEF AND VEAL EXPORTS Carcass Weight, Annual

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South Korea, Taiwan, China and Hong Kong.

Frozen boneless beef has seen more dominate market forces coming from China, which has bought about 27 percent of the total volume in this category shipped so far and about a third of the value. China’s purchases are still experiencing triple digit growth in frozen boneless beef sales. Other markets have had increases as well, but they have tended to be the smaller destinations with the exception of South Korea, up 38 percent by value and 25 percent by quantity. Usually in the top five destinations, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan have all posted numbers below a year ago.

These large numbers have helped propel beef export volumes to record highs in 2021 even though prices for U.S. beef have been relatively high. This includes meat and by-product values alike which have been above a year ago for most of 2021. With less beef on the horizon and forecasts predicting higher fed cattle prices in 2022, the customers abroad and domestically should expect at least part of those increases to be passed along to them. The export

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market in 2021 did not shy away from these prices, and it is difficult to say if high values will show demand retreat on the international scale.

The inflationary effect is a concern of a strong U.S. currency to our global competitors and trade partners.

The U.S. dollar has strengthened considerably in November making it less attractive worldwide. Additionally, the monetary policy environment is expected to shift considerably in 2022 with central banks across the globe moving toward tightening of money supplies. This will affect beef and commodities across the globe.

LMIC is currently forecasting a small pull back in beef exports next year. This forecast would still put 2022 among the largest years of beef exports. The challenges of the supply chain are expected to evolve, and it remains uncertain what struggles lie ahead, especially on the ports, shipping and logistics aspects. Next year will likely still have labor shortages as well across all aspects of the economy.

-4 2004

2007

2010

2013

Data Source: USDA-ERS & USDA-FAS, Compiled and Forecasts by LMIC Livestock Marketing Information Center

2016

2019

2022 12/02/21

1994

1997

Live Cattle

2000

2003

Beef & Veal

2006

Hides & Skins

Data Source: USDA-FAS, Compiled & Analysis by LMIC Livestock Marketing Information Center

2009

2012

2015

2018

Tallow, Grease & Var Meat 06/09/21

Total

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14

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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.

Bringing Beef Home for the Holidays The holidays may be over quickly, but there is reason to celebrate even after they end. Beef was the star of meals across the country as families gathered together to enjoy the most flavorful time of year. The Federation of State Beef Councils supported the national holiday campaign by funding television ads during the Hallmark Channel’s “Countdown to Christmas” movies and bringing Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. back to broadcast television for another holiday season. More than 140 television ads aired throughout the holiday season and were expected to reach consumers 112 million times.

The partnership with Hallmark also included a host of additional digital elements including a “listicle” of 17 seasonally appropriate beef recipes, multiple Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. banner ads, and social media ads, which appeared on HallmarkChannel.com and their social platforms throughout holidays.

State beef councils also extended holiday efforts and created their own unique promotions to share beef recipes, “how-tos” and tips for making gatherings a little brighter. As we enter the new year, let’s continue to celebrate the success of the holiday season.

THE MOST FLAVORFUL TIME OF YEAR

Down Home Holidays

The North Dakota Beef Commission (NDBC) celebrated “Down Home Holidays” with beef recipes and beef cut information for retailers. Radio and digital advertising reminded consumers to think beef for the holidays, and social media posts brought the holidays to life with cooking and entertaining tips, beef and wine pairings, and a contest for a deluxe meat thermometer. NDBC also extended the national partnership with Sam’s Club to reach local shoppers and encourage them to put more beef in their online carts.

For more information, visit www.ndbeef.org.

Holiday Promotions from Product to Plate The Montana Beef Council’s (MBC) holiday promotions included everything from product to plate. MBC partnered with the Montana Meat Processors Association for a beef box giveaway.

Two winners were selected to receive $50 of beef and beef products from a beef processor close to them. The beefy prize also included recipes, cooking tips and other MBC promotional items.

MBC also extended the Sam’s Club holiday e-commerce partnership. Beef ads were served to grocery shoppers in Montana across a variety of online platforms, generating 282,431 impressions. Banner ads also ran on SamsClub.com resulting in 433,849 impressions. The effort encouraged consumers to add beef to their shopping carts for holiday meals.

Finally, to help consumers properly cook their beef for the holidays, MBC highlighted the Cowboy in the Kitchen series that featured a chef partnered with a cowboy as they learned about preparing the perfect Prime Rib. For more information, visit www.montanabeefcouncil.org.

Warm Wishes and Savory Dishes Expanding on national efforts to inspire families to enjoy the moments that matter most with beef, the Wisconsin Beef Council (WBC) provided “how-tos” on selecting, preparing and serving beef meals to friends and family during the holiday season.

WBC collaborated with Julie Andrews, the registered dietitian and chef behind The Healthy Epicurean, to create her Beef Tenderloin with Cranberry Balsamic Compote in a free, virtual cooking class on Dec. 15.

In addition to making the delicious Beef Tenderloin Roast start to finish in 50 minutes, WBC Director of Marketing Angie Horkan and WBC Consulting Dietitian Sarah Agena covered roasting techniques, holiday beef roast options, beef and wine pairings, and more!

Throughout the month of December, Horkan featured holiday entertaining recipes from ribeye roasts to flaky beef-stuffed pinwheels in 16 television segments across the state including the top media-markets such as Milwaukee, Green Bay and Madison.

WBC also treated consumers following Wisconsin Beef Council on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube with tips and tricks to beef up the holidays. The highlight of this social media strategy was a five-day Countdown to Christmas. WBC posted an essential item for incorporating beef into holiday meals such as a roasting pan, meat thermometer, carving set and charcuterie board, along with easyto-understand suggestions.

Followers were encouraged to find those items in their own kitchens and comment with a picture while tagging a person they will spend the holidays with. Each comment earned an entry to win a beef gift certificate and carving set for Christmas.

For more information, visit www.beeftips.com.

NATIONAL CATTLEMEN 15

www.NCBA.org

NEWS McDonald’s Promotion Yields Big Results for Beef The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, partnered with McDonald’s on an exciting new promotion with DoorDash. During the first week of November, McDonald’s promoted two beef offers on the DoorDash delivery platform and utilized the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. logo. The logo paired well with the famous golden arches in this national campaign.

DoorDash users were offered a free Quarter Pounder with Cheese with any $15 order using the offer code BEEF and DashPassers, monthly subscribers, received a free Quarter Pounder with Cheese meal with any $15 order using the code BEEFforDINNER. The Quarter Pounder with Cheese was specifically targeted for the promotion because the majority of their fresh beef is supplied by U.S. beef producers.

McDonald’s provided all of the product given away

during the promotion, while Checkoff funds were used to support ad placement on DoorDash. Ads featuring the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. logo appeared on mobile app and website versions of the DoorDash homepage and McDonald’s store page. McDonald’s also promoted the offer heavily through social media channels such as Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.

Over the five-day promotion, total beef sandwich units on DoorDash increased by 22 percent (compared to the same time the previous year), which was a very high sales lift for this type of campaign, with results typically at 10 percent or less. Initial results show that nearly 250,000 offers were redeemed for the two promotions, totaling more than $5 million in sales. According to McDonald’s, this was one of their highest participation programs ever, in terms of number of redemptions. In addition, during the time of the promotion, McDonald’s chicken sales decreased approximately 5 percent.

“This was the first time the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. brand was included in this type of offer with McDonald’s and DoorDash,” said Jason Jerome, senior executive director of supply chain at NCBA. “We are beyond excited how well the campaign performed and are looking forward to working with both partners again in the future.”

TRENDING IN FOOD & MEDIA ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Greenhouse gases from cattle—like methane—received increased attention due to discussions stemming from the U.N. Climate Change Conference.1 Outlets like TIME and Reuters talked about scientific advancements to reduce methane emissions from cattle through dietary supplements.1

GOOD NEWS FOR BEEF Yahoo! News and Yahoo!

Finance covered the environmental benefits of raising cattle.1

SUPPLY CHAIN & PRICES Outlets like The Wall Street Journal and Fox Business focused on consumer impacts of rising meat costs in the U.S.1 Worries about supply chain disruptions during Thanksgiving led to a two-fold increase in social media impressions around the issue.1

GOOD NEWS FOR BEEF The Washington Post and MSN featured beef recipes and cooking tips.1

PLANT-BASED DIETS & ALTERNATIVES Redefine Meat released a new wholemuscle cut of plant-based beef, which was covered by outlets like Reuters and Bloomberg.1 Impossible Foods released a new meatball product, which was covered

by The San Francisco Chronicle and Yahoo! News.1

1.

2.

GOOD NEWS FOR BEEF Meat alternative sales appeared to slow after Beyond Meat reported weak sales growth.2

#120621-14 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. (2021). Traditional and social media listening dashboards. Retrieved from Meltwater: www.meltwater.com Lucas, A. (2021 November 10). Beyond Meat shares crater as losses mount, company expects weak U.S. sales growth ahead. CNBC. https://www.cnbc. com/2021/11/10/beyond-meat-bynd-q3-2021-earnings.html

Raise a Glass to Beef As families gathered together for holiday celebrations, beef graced dinner tables across the country, and wine perfectly complemented beef’s rich flavor. To celebrate the classic pairing of beef and wine, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, partnered with E & J Gallo’s Louis M. Martini brand wine for a holiday promotion.

Throughout December, Louis M. Martini offered two “text to redeem” promotions encouraging sales of beef and wine. Available in more than 35 states* consumers received $15 off the purchase of Steak or Prime Rib and two 750mL bottles of Louis M. Martini Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon. Another offer — which did not require a wine purchase and was available in Ala., Hawaii, Mo., N.J., N.Y., and Tenn.

— provided $5-$25 off the purchase of Steak or Prime Rib, depending on the total beef purchase.

Point-of-sale materials were posted in 10,000-12,000 stores across the country promoting the offers. Once consumers made the required purchases, they texted special codes to upload their receipts and receive the rebate. E & J Gallo covered all rebate costs as part of the partnership, and the Beef Checkoff promoted the offers.

Whether for gifting or gathering, these promotions offered busy shoppers easy holiday solutions. Families gathered together, raised a glass to beef and celebrated the holiday season. *Offer valid and available in Ark., Ariz., Calif., Colo., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Idaho, Ill., Iowa, Kan., Ky., La., Md., Mass., Mich., Mont., Neb., Nev., N.H., N.M., N.D., Ohio, Okla., Ore., Pa., R.I., S.C., S.D., Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis., Wyo.

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