Committee Report April/May 2020
20
Update: Strategic Planning
increasing funds for oca: Committee looks to a two-hat solution By Ray Sessler, past OCA President
Every year at our annual meeting, when the budget for becoming a two-hat state they became more efficient, the upcoming year is proposed, you can be sure of one which has enabled them to be more effective regarding the thing – there are never enough dollars! To address this needs of the cattlemen they serve. A single CEO instead issue, a group of like-minded OCA members met in La of two and under one roof reduces expenses significantly, Grande on January 2, 2020, in the Union County Courtincreases communication efforts and improves the fellowhouse to discuss possible avenues for increasing stable ship between the Beef Council and the state association. funding for the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association. The There should be zero friction between the Beef Council and attendees were as follows: Todd Nash, OCA President-Elect; OCA. We are all cattlemen, but the key thought here is: Rodger Huffman, OCA Treasurer; Bill Moore, past PresThis is our money – has it been spent wisely? ident; Dennis Sheehy OCA Wildlife Chairman and Skye After discussion, it appeared that some Beef Checkoff Krebs, Bob Levy, and me. funding could be reallocated through the Oregon fifty cent, OCA is critically short of resources to deal with pressures “five dimes” program at OBC to better support cattlemen’s on the industry from opposing agencies and legislatures. efforts. Bob Levy agreed to review this program while I Pressure will continue and will most certainly increase, would continue to investigate issues that may arise surwhich means there is a necessity for new avenues of rounding two-hat states. funding to support the association’s work. Wages and staff Prior to the April OCA board call, all board members had are at maximum pay for what OCA can afford and even so, received considerable information on both issues. On that they fall below in compensation compared to similar jobs call OCA staff and Bob Levy reviewed the Beef Checkoff in comparative industries. State and federal issues require dollars. It was decided for OCA to move forward with an more resources to change public opinion and legislator’s authorization request to OBC for an additional $40,000 perspectives of our industry. under the Study Legislation “dime” to increase legal work Political donation dollars buy votes, as distasteful as it on behalf of cattlemen. is, such as wolf and elk depredation (funds are not being So where do we go from here? With 100% participation paid to producers with death losses), spotted frog, marbled from the OCA board, we agreed to move forward with murrelet, salmon red-band trout, public grazing, water tide reviewing opportunities for increased funding from the gates and wild horses just to name a few. Beef Council and to continue the initiation of a TWO-HAT During the meeting, avenues were discussed to increase STATE effort. Todd Nash and Bob Levy have agreed to help membership and endowments, sponsor events that with these efforts. Stay tuned for future updates on this generate a profit and to review the allocation of the Beef strategic plan. • Checkoff, managed by the Oregon Beef Council. The idea was made to investigate Oregon becoming a TWO-HAT STATE, which would mean merging the Beef Council and OCA under one roof and staff would wear “two hats.” Currently there are fourteen two-hat states. I spoke with leadership from five of them: Utah, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina and Mississippi. Two-hat states vary in size. For instance, Utah has an average of 800 members, 340,000 head of cows and a staff of two. While Alabama has 10,000 members, 705,000 head of cattle and a staff of eight. All CEOs were very forthcoming An example of the NCBA “Two Hat” system. Currently, Oregon is a “One Hat” state because there are two when I asked, why did you become a two-hat different individuals as CEOs, one of the policy association (OCA) and the government division (OBC). If state? Oregon becomes a “Two Hat” state, then one CEO and staff under one roof would be wearing “two hats.” The consensus from all the states was that by
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