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NCBA members continue their work on cattle markets

Cattle producers continue their work addressing discrepancies in the cattle markets.  Two years ago members of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association debated cattle market issues for more than 7 hours.

President Don Schiefelbein of Minnesota says those conversations have come a long way. “The brilliance of what the membership did and what we decided in that seven-hour meeting is let’s put a little pause on it, let’s try and do our own work internally, and let’s go out to the masses and make sure everybody understands all that’s involved in the decisions to move this market forward,” he says.  “

AUDIO: Don Schiefelbein, NCBA president

Nebraska’s Buck Wehrbein chairs the policy division for NCBA.  He tells Brownfield cattle producers may not be in total agreement.  “But, we’ve come to some agreed upon steps that we can take,” he says.  “And I think we’re on our way to solving some of those issues.  We’re never going to have everybody in agreement.”

AUDIO: Buck Wehrbein, NCBA policy chair

President-elect Todd Wilkinson of South Dakota says the progress is largely because of grassroots efforts. “We really have, with the producers, been able to move the industry in terms of greater negotiated trade,” he says.  “And clearly that was the biggest issue two years ago.”

AUDIO: Todd Wilkinson, NCBA president-elect