Dietary Guidelines for Americans Solidifies the Benefits of Beef and A Healthy Diet

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) commends the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for finalizing the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), which recognizes the role of lean beef in a healthy diet across all life stages and ages.

Updated every five years, the DGAs serve as the foundation for federal nutrition policy and shape the recommendations found on USDA’s MyPlate. While there is no one-size-fits-all diet, “Beef is one of Americans' favorite foods, and science consistently shows...

Meat and Poultry Industry Reacts to COVID-19 Stimulus Package 

The COVID-19 stimulus bill agreed upon by Congress contains language that would authorize the USDA to provide up to $1 billion in assistance to contract chicken growers for revenue losses sustained because of the pandemic. According to the bill, the fund is specifically for contract growers of livestock and poultry to cover up to 80% of revenue losses.

Mike Brown, President of the National Chicken Council, said, "On behalf of the chicken industry and our farm families across the country, I want to personally thank Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) for his leadership and his support in helping to secure this vital funding...

Meat and Poultry Industry Calls for Prioritization of Workers to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine

The meat industry is calling on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and state governments to prioritize essential meat and poultry workers, their families, and co-habitants, for the COVID-19 vaccine as part of Phase 1b of distribution.

Perdue Farms has offered resources to assist the CDC and states in this effort, recognizing that a successful vaccine program will require a partnership between government and private industry. Perdue Farms mentioned that many meat and poultry industry workers, including its associates, live in one state but...

NCBA Commends Selection of Vilsack to Lead USDA

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) issued the following statement in support of Tom Vilsack's pending nomination as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):

"Former USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack is adding another chapter to an already storied career in agriculture. He has the unique skill set to be able to hit the ground running on day one and cattle producers are...

NCBA Congratulates Rep. David Scott on His Nomination to Chair the House Agriculture Committee

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) issued the following statement in response to U.S. Representative David Scott (GA-13) being nominated by the Democratic Steering Committee to become the next Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee:

"Congressman Scott is a devoted friend of America’s cattle producers and I congratulate him on being selected by his colleagues to lead...

Cattle Producers Congratulate Congressman Newhouse On Being Elected Western Caucus Chair

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association's (NCBA) Vice President of Government Affairs, Ethan Lane issued the following statement in response to U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse (WA-04) being unanimously elected as Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus:

"Congressman Newhouse is a strong advocate for cattle producers and has been instrumental in getting critical legislation across the finish line – while at the same time educating others on...

NCBA and PLC Secure NEPA Improvements for Livestock Producers

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Executive Director of Natural Resources and the Public Lands Council (PLC) Executive Director Kaitlynn Glover released the following statement on the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) final rule to update the agency’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations:

"This announcement represents decades of work by livestock producers who have told the Forest Service and other federal agencies for years that NEPA regulations need serious improvement. This rule formalizes changes that will allow

Cattle Industry Convention Postponed Until August 2021

The Cattle Industry Annual Convention and NCBA Trade Show is one of the industry’s biggest events each year, bringing together cattlemen and cattlewomen from across the nation to do the work of our industry. Unfortunately, the current pandemic presents challenges that make bringing people together difficult. With the health and safety of our attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, and partners in mind, NCBA has made the difficult decision to postpone the in-person event to August 2021. However, NCBA will hold some of its traditional business meetings in the January or February timeframe, in accordance with the association’s bylaws.

“Decisions of this magnitude, which impact multiple organizations, stakeholders and companies, are never easy. However, the limits on the number of people who can gather at an event in Nashville and the travel restrictions facing...

NCBA and NAMI Respond to USDA Report on Cattle Markets 

The USDA suggested broader reporting requirements for meatpacking companies as it investigates cattle market movements driven by the coronavirus pandemic and a fire at a major beef plant. The USDA stated in a report in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice that it continues to investigate potential regulatory violations and anticompetitive conduct within the industry. However, the report does not detail any wrongdoing by meat processors.

“In its analysis of the effects of the fire and the pandemic, USDA found no wrong-doing and confirms the disruption in the beef markets was due to devastating and unprecedented events,” said North American Meat Institute President and CEO, Julie Anna Potts. “It is difficult to see how the USDA’s recommended legislative proposals would have...

New Funding for Cattle Producers to Secure Strong Future for the Beef Industry

The National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF) announced its partnership with Cargill to provide funding to North American cattle producers to provide practical tools to help manage market shifts, reduce costs, manage finite natural resource availability and withstand extreme weather events.

The four-year strategic partnership, which was funded by a $3 million contribution from Cargill’s protein business, establishes a professional development scholarship program, and provides educational resources through the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) and experiential learning in partnership with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).

“Cargill is invested in the future of ranchers and farmers,” Jon Nash, Cargill Protein – North America business leader. “This contribution is just one of the ways...

Government Dietary Guidelines Reaffirm Beef's Important Role in a Healthy Diet

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) thanked the members of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) for recognizing beef’s role in a healthy lifestyle, including the essential role of beef’s nutrients at every life stage. The DGAC released recommendations to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), the cornerstone of all federal nutrition policy.

The beef community has made it a priority to protect the scientific credibility of Dietary Guidelines and promote accurate information about the nutritional advantages of beef as part of a balanced diet. NCBA, in its roles as both a contractor to the Beef Checkoff and as a member-driven policy association, submitted 21 sets of written comments, provided oral comments, and attended public meetings to...

NCBA CEO Colin Woodall Responds to Burger King #CowsMenu Campaign

The following statement was provided by Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association:

"Members of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association are disappointed by the release of Burger King’s #CowsMenu campaign. The nation’s burger restaurants can, and many of them do, play a vital role in helping improve beef’s sustainability and reducing its environmental footprint. Unfortunately, Burger King has chosen a different path, relying on kitschy imagery that misrepresents basic bovine biology – cattle emissions come from burps, not farts – and on the potential impact of a single ruminant nutrition study that was...

USDA Announces Initial Purchase of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccine

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced the initial purchase of vaccine for the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank. APHIS will invest $27.1 million in foot-and-mouth disease vaccine, which the agency would use in the event of an outbreak to protect animals and help stop the spread of disease.

Foot-and-mouth disease is an infectious viral disease that affects cloven-hooved animals, including cattle, pigs and sheep; it is not a food safety or human health threat. The disease is endemic in many parts of the world and would have widespread, long-term fallout for livestock and crop agriculture, including...

Industry Reacts to Implementation of USMCA 

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement has officially entered into force, replacing NAFTA. The USDA stated that this improved agreement is a better deal for America's farmers, consumers, and workers that will set them up for success for decades to come.

Sonny Perdue, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, said, "USMCA creates more market access for farmers from across our nation to sell their wholesome and nutritious products to our closest neighbors. This is a better deal for America that will grow our economy and put more money in the pockets of American families.”

Robert Lighthizer, United States Trade Representative, stated, "This marks the beginning of a new and better chapter for trade between the United States, Mexico and Canada, just as President Trump promised he would deliver for the American people." Lighthizer added that the USMCA contains significant improvements and...

NCBA Applauds Introduction of DIRECT Act

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) applauded the introduction of the bipartisan legislation to create new direct-to-consumer options for beef producers, processors and small meat markets without compromising federal food safety standards or market access under existing trade agreements.

Introduced by U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R - At-Large, SD) and Henry Cuellar (D - 28th Dist., TX), the Direct Interstate Retail Exemption for Certain Transactions (DIRECT) Act of 2020 would amend retail exemptions under current law to allow meat processed under state-inspected establishments to be sold across state lines through e-commerce, providing beef producers and local processors alike with...

NPPC, NCBA Lead Coalition Warning Congress of Agriculture Inspection Funding Shortfall

A coalition of more than 150 agriculture and trade groups led by the National Pork Producers Council and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association sent a letter to Congress warning of a major funding shortfall that could severely weaken agricultural inspections at U.S. borders. The letter urged lawmakers to protect agriculture by appropriating funding to address what may be a $630 million COVID-19 related shortfall through fiscal year 2021.

In the letter, the coalition highlighted a funding shortfall for Agricultural Quarantine Inspection, which plays a critical role in protecting U.S. agriculture from plant and animal pests and diseases. APHIS collects user fees that pay for U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture inspections. Due to the recent economic downturn and travel restrictions as a result of...

NCBA Applauds USDA Relief Plan

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Marty Smith issued the following statement regarding the announcement related to USDA’s plan for distribution of CARES Act funding.

“We appreciate Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s announcement that the agency will soon distribute funding to the cattlemen and cattlewomen who desperately need help during this national emergency. We applaud USDA’s work to quickly craft a plan to distribute the funds to those who need it most and we look forward to learning more about that plan very soon. America’s cattle producers are facing unprecedented crisis after...

NCBA Applauds Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter Urging COVID-19 Relief for Cattle Producers

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) applauded a congressional letter that was sent today to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue, urging swift relief for American cattle producers who have been adversely impacted by the ongoing Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The letter was signed by a bipartisan group of over 145 lawmakers from both chambers of Congress.

“America’s cattle producers have been hit hard by the unforeseen financial challenges brought on by this pandemic. We thank each and every lawmaker that showed their continued support to rural families by signing onto this critical letter,” said NCBA President Marty Smith, a family cow-calf operator from Wacahoota, Fla. “We remain hopeful that...

State Beef Councils Win Major Legal Victory

The Beef Checkoff program and fifteen grassroots-led state beef councils won a major court victory today when the United States District Court of Montana ruled in favor of USDA and the Montana Beef Council in the matter of R-CALF vs. Sonny Perdue and USDA.

NCBA praised the court’s decision, which ends a legal battle that has spanned more than three years and interrupted beef promotion functions in Montana. The case had threatened local input and promotion efforts at the state level across the country.

“The foundation of the Beef Checkoff has always been state beef councils that collect checkoff funds and determine how those investments are used for research, marketing and...

Industry Reacts to Senate Passage of the Coronavirus Stimulus Package

The $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package is expected to pass in Congress. The Senate passed the legislation Wednesday evening and the House is set to vote today. The bill includes $250 billion to make unemployment insurance available to more categories of workers and to extend the duration of benefits. About $150 billion will go to states, distributed according to population size. Another $349 billion will be used as loans for small businesses.

Matthew Shay, President and CEO of the National Retail Federation, said, "Companies that were investing, growing and contributing to a vibrant economy just a few weeks ago have been thrust into survival mode through no fault of their own." The Federation spoke on behalf of the retail industry in a press release by expressing appreciation for the efforts by leaders in Congress and President Trump to...

NCBA Sends Letter to Capitol Hill Urging Relief for Cattle Producers

In response to the ongoing efforts to provide relief to Americans impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane issued the following statement:

“As the country reels both economically and emotionally from the spread of COVID-19, NCBA has been hard at work ensuring that cattle producers remain able to focus on the national infrastructure priority of keeping high-quality beef available to consumers.

“Meeting that challenge requires federal officials at the Departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Interior, Treasury, and more to have a full understanding of how our product gets from the pasture to the plate – and...

NCBA Statement on Beef from Brazil

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Director, International Trade and Market Access, Kent Bacus today released the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture restoring access to the U.S. for Brazilian beef:

“NCBA strongly supports science-based trade and the Trump Administration’s efforts to enforce science-based trade with all trade partners. But to be clear, NCBA has serious concerns about the re-entry of Brazilian beef to the U.S. market.

“NCBA has frequently questioned the lack of scientific evidence that was used to justify Brazil’s initial access to the U.S. market in 2016, and unfortunately, we were not surprised when Brazil forfeited its beef access to the U.S. in 2017 due to numerous food safety violations. NCBA praised Secretary Perdue for standing up for science-based trade and holding Brazil accountable for their numerous violations by...

Marty Smith of Florida Elected President of National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

Fifth-generation Florida rancher Marty Smith was elected president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) at the annual Cattle Industry Convention this afternoon. He replaces Jennifer Houston of Sweetwater, Tenn., 2019 NCBA president.

Smith operates Smith Brothers-Wacahoota, LLC, a cow-calf operation in Central Florida, that has been in continuous operation since 1852. It retains ownership through feedlots in Texas, Kansas and Iowa.

Smith graduated from the University of Georgia with a BSA in Agricultural Economics and Animal Science. While at UGA, he was on the livestock judging team and served as president of Ag Hill Council. He was also active in...

NCBA Releases Consumer Research Showing Widespread Confusion About Contents of Plant-Based Fake Meat

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) today released survey results that show widespread consumer confusion regarding the ingredient composition and purported benefits of plant-based fake meat products.

In an online survey of more than 1,800 consumers, less than half of the respondents understood the labeling term “plant-based beef” was intended to describe an entirely vegetarian or vegan food product. One major source of confusion uncovered by NCBA’s research is that approximately one third of surveyed consumers believed that plant-based fake meat products contained at least some real beef in them. When asked to evaluate specific product labels and marketing materials from some of the leading plant-based fake beef products currently on the market, the results were astonishing...

NCBA 2020 Policy Priorities

This morning, the Executive Committee of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) approved the organization’s top 2020 Policy Priorities. Approval came at the annual Cattle Industry Convention in San Antonio, Texas.

Like last year, NCBA’s top policy priorities include issues related to international trade, proper regulation of fake meat, and regulatory reform, although after a series of significant policy victories in 2019, this year’s priority list is focused on implementing and protecting those gains while further advancing progress into new territory.

For example, after helping secure bilateral trade deals with Japan, China, and the European Union, as well as the ratification of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, NCBA’s focus this year will turn to...

Ranchers Urge Congress to Oppose Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) announced opposition to H.R. 5737, the Voluntary Grazing Permit Retirement Act, introduced yesterday by Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA). The bill would require federal land management agencies to permanently end livestock grazing on any allotments where the current permittee has accepted a payout in exchange for relinquishment of their term grazing permit.

“Grazing is an essential and irreplaceable tool for federal land managers,” said fifth-generation Oregon rancher and PLC President Bob Skinner. “Depriving them of this tool—the oldest of the multiple-uses—in order to...

Industry Reacts to EPA's WOTUS Rule 

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Army fulfilled a promise of President Trump by finalizing the Navigable Waters Protection Rule to define "waters of the United States" (WOTUS). For the first time, the agencies are streamlining the definition so that it includes four simple categories of jurisdictional waters, provides clear exclusions for many water features that traditionally have not been regulated, and defines terms in the regulatory text that have never been defined before.

Sonny Perdue, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, stated, "President Trump is restoring the rule of law and empowering Americans by removing undue burdens and strangling regulations from the backs of our productive farmers, ranchers, and rural land-owners. The days are gone when the Federal Government can claim a small farm pond on private land as navigable waters." Perdue thanked President Trump and Administrator Wheeler for...

Western Ranchers Welcome BLM Action to Improve Grazing Regulations

Western ranchers welcomed a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Notice of Intent (NOI), which appeared in today’s Public Inspection and will publish in the Federal Register on January 21st, announcing that the agency is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on new grazing regulations. The NOI opened a public comment period and announced that in-person scoping meetings will be held across the West.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for BLM permittees to set the record straight,” said Dr. J.J. Goicoechea who chairs the NCBA Federal Lands Committee and PLC’s Grazing Regulations Working Group. “We have endured Bruce Babbitt’s ‘Range Reform’ for over 25 years—and the land, native grasses, and...

Industry Applauds Senate Ratification of the USMCA 

The Senate passed the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, by a bipartisan vote of 89-10. The USMCA will advance United States agricultural interests in two of the most important markets for American farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness. The agreement builds upon existing markets to expand U.S. food and agricultural exports while supporting food processing and rural jobs. Canada and Mexico are the first and second largest export markets for U.S. food and agricultural products, totaling more than $39.7 billion food and agricultural exports in 2018, supporting 325,000 American jobs. Now, the USMCA will be heading to President Trump's desk for his signature.

Sonny Perdue, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, said, "We’ve long waited for this day and now USMCA will finally head to the President’s desk. The passage of USMCA is great news for America’s farmers and ranchers. With Congressional consideration now complete...