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. SEPTEMBER 2021 • Vol. 37, No. 12 • NCBA.org
MARKET SNAPSHOT WEEK OF 8/23/2021
CURRENT VS. LAST YEAR SOUTH CENTRAL 500-600 LB. STEERS
$167.84
$156.66
7.14%
LIVE FED STEERS
$106.59
17.7%
$125.48
CHOICE BOXED BEEF
$222.50
52.3%
$338.93
OMAHA CASH CORN
$3.12
97.1%
$6.15
IN THIS ISSUE 3
LEADERSHIP COMMENTS
An overview of successes seen this year for NCBA and the Beef Checkoff.
4, 9, 15, 19
ANNUAL AWARDS
Cattlemen and women honored at the annual convention for their efforts.
5, 8
POLICY
Tax issues and labor issues continue to be priorities.
10
CONVENTION
14
CHECKOFF
16
MARKET MATTERS
18
FEDERATION
Nashville did not disappoint the 6,500+ attendees.
NCBA’s partnership with Texas Roadhouse. Cattle markets look promising for producers.
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Back to school – and don’t forget the beef.
Cattle Industry Commits to Climate Neutrality by 2040 The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) solidified U.S. cattle ranchers’ commitment to environmental, economic and social sustainability with the release of U.S. cattle industry sustainability goals during the 2021 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show on Aug. 12. Beef producers in the United States are already the global leader in sustainable beef production. The setting of these goals will further enhance the sustainability of the U.S. system and set targets that demonstrate to the world that producers are committed to continued improvement. The goals for the U.S. cattle industry include: • Demonstrate climate neutrality of U.S. cattle production by 2040. • Create and enhance opportunities that result in a quantifiable increase in producer profitability and economic sustainability by 2025. • Enhance trust in cattle producers as responsible stewards of their animals and resources by expanding educational opportunities in animal care and handling programs to further improve animal well-being. • Continuously improve our industry’s workforce safety and well-being. “Cattlemen and women have demonstrated their commitment to sustainability for generations,” said Marty Smith, a Florida cattleman and NCBA past president. “They work tirelessly to protect the land, water and air resources in their care. Through countless improvements in genetics, grazing management, manure handling and the adoption of many other technologies, this is just the next step on our industry’s path. Producers deserve recognition for their use of cutting-edge practices and technologies that minimize environmental impact. By setting goals, we’re publicly committing to continuous improvement and setting targets that allow us to measure and document those efforts.” These goals are the culmination of a grassroots, rancherled process. As part of its strategic plan, NCBA set up a task force on sustainability to counter news reports and messaging to consumers that the beef industry is responsible for greenhouse gas emissions. After questions from producers, NCBA leadership needed to step up to take the lead on the topic, Smith added. The task force evaluated the current state of U.S. beef cattle sustainability to determine which improvements are most critical and help share the story of progress. Members of this working group – cattle farmers and ranchers from across the U.S. – led the process and made all decisions, including setting the sustainability goals. “Sustainability is, and will continue to be, an incredibly important part of what we do, and I’m proud that my fellow leaders across the cattle industry have taken these important steps,” Smith said. “As our country and the world examine risks associated with climate change and other sustainability challenges, our commitment to sustainability positions us to play an even bigger role in mitigating these risks in the future.” The sustainability goals are built around “three pillars” that include environmental goals, economic goals and social goals.
Environmental Pillar Environmentally, the goal is to “demonstrate the climate neutrality of U.S. cattle production by 2040”. The U.S. already produces the most sustainable beef in the world through decades of improvement and innovation. In fact, beef production in the U.S. has a carbon footprint 10 to 50 times lower than other regions of the world, and according
to the Environmental Protection Agency, greenhouse gas emissions from beef cattle only represents 2 percent of emissions in the U.S. “The focus here is demonstrating climate neutrality which means minimal or no effect on acceleration of warming in the atmosphere,” said Jason Sawyer, an associate professor and researcher at the King Ranch Institute at Texas A&M. “Managing methane along with ways ranchers can reduce emissions and sequester carbon become the priorities within the goal.” A point regarding the environmental goal that members of the task force stressed is it’s rooted in science and based, in part, on modeling conducted by Sawyer. The 2040 target is based on an annual methane reduction of 1.5 percent. Sawyer noted that methane emissions from livestock cannot be completely eliminated, and cattle have an advantage over other proteins by taking forage and converting it into high-quality protein. “Methane cannot go to zero without removing beef production totally,” he said. “So, elimination of methane is not the goal; managing it is the goal.” While the metrics used to determine climate-neutrality are still being determined and there is still a need for research in this space, Sawyer said that current technologies producers employ like feed additives and improved genetics can mitigate methane emissions and advancements in these technologies will increase. Continued efforts to increase carbon sequestered over the landscape of grazing lands will also make a positive impact.
Economic Pillar A second pillar of sustainability also relies on economic viability. NCBA is seeking to boost producer profitability and economic sustainability by 2025. NCBA leaders stressed the importance of producers being profitable, even in changing climate conditions.
Social Pillar NCBA’s third pillar focuses on social goals, which include increasing trust in cattle producers as stewards. That means demonstrating strong animal welfare practices and expanding programs such as Beef Quality Assurance (BQA). The industry also needs to show that the well-being of its workers is important. “U.S. cattle producers already raise cattle that produce more meat, more humanely and more efficiently than anywhere else,” said Mike Williams, a task force member and cattle producer from California. “The goals show that U.S. cattle producers are committed and accountable,” Williams said. “I am a BQA-certified producer and know that our responsibility to the animals in our care is vital. BQA’s guidelines, in combination with experience and environment-specific needs, help farmers and ranchers ensure animal welfare through daily husbandry and animal care. This is key for our first social sustainability goal.” An additional social sustainability goal was set that focuses on continuously improving the industry’s workforce safety and well-being. “The success of U.S. cattle production is largely dependent on our workforce – owners, ranch managers, livestock haulers, pen riders, veterinarians, animal handlers, and everyone who has a hand in the success of our industry. Making sure that we have a well-trained work force is the first step to ensuring that the well-being of our workforce can remain a priority,” Williams added.
