News Update
February 9, 2018
D.C. Update: ‘We are better off today’
“Are we better off today than a year ago?”
That’s the question Colin Woodall, senior vice president of government affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), posed in Phoenix, Ariz., Jan. 30 as he addressed attendees at the American National CattleWomen (ANCW) Annual Conference. The conference was hosted in conjunction with the 2018 Cattle Industry Convention (CIC) and NCBA Trade Show.
Woodall, who serves as NCBA’s chief lobbyist on Capitol Hill, provided a D.C. Update, beginning his remarks by recognizing that President Donald Trump has marked one year in the White House.
“He is polarizing,” Woodall noted, “and I wish he’d put the phone down a little bit, but I’m not in the camp that thinks he should stop tweeting altogether.”
Woodall credited Trump with putting together a strong administrative team that, he said, “has proven he has the beef industry’s best interests in mind.”
To answer his initial question of whether we are better off than a year ago, Woodall said, “It’s an unequivocal yes.”
Continue reading this CIC coverage by the Angus Media team here.
Unpredictable Springtime Weather Causes Spike
in Blackleg Disease
Springtime signals the arrival of new calves, green grass and new growth. Yet with any new season, it can also indicate the arrival of unpredictable weather patterns, including rain, drought and blizzards. Unpredictable weather presents plenty of challenges to cattle producers, including an increased risk of clostridial diseases such as blackleg and enterotoxemia, or overeating disease, in calves and young stock.
Clostridial diseases are highly pathogenic and can affect all ages of cattle. “Typically, when blackleg is discovered in the herd, it’s because the animal has been found dead,” said Travis Van Anne, professional services veterinarian at Boehringer Ingelheim. The progression of blackleg disease happens within 24 hours and treatment regimens are often of very little value, so prevention is the best bet for protection.
“Using a quality vaccine such as a one-dose, seven-way clostridial vaccine at birth or at branding time is ideal to protect your herd,” said Van Anne.
Wyoming Rancher to Congress: ‘Turn Us Loose!’
On Feb. 7 Niels Hansen, secretary/treasurer of the Public Lands Council and a member of NCBA, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works to explain how onerous federal regulations undermine conservation goals.
“Cattle producers pride themselves on being good stewards of our country’s natural resources. We maintain open spaces, healthy rangelands, provide wildlife habitat and feed the world. Despite these critical contributions, our ability to effectively steward these resources is all too often hampered by excessive federal regulations like the ones we are discussing today,” Hansen said in written testimony.
Ranchers own and manage more land than any other segment of agriculture, implementing proven conservation practices that have sustained the environment for generations. Hansen highlighted how specific laws and regulations pose challenges to this rich heritage:
- The 2015 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule: “As a livestock producer, the 2015 WOTUS Rule has the potential to negatively affect every aspect of my operation by placing the regulation of every tributary, stream, pond and dry streambed in the hands of the federal government, rather the states and localities that understand Wyoming’s unique water issues.”
Learn more in the NCBA news release online.
Senator Merkley Sage Grouse Statements
‘Regrettable’ and ‘Out of Touch’
On Feb. 7 Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon released a letter signed by him and other Senate democrats criticizing the administration’s decision to modify the 2015 Land Use Plan Amendments for the Greater-Sage Grouse.
Ethan Lane, executive director of the Public Lands Council and NCBA Federal Lands, said in response:
“Today’s statements from Senator Merkley are a regrettable example of an elected official wildly out of touch with his constituents. If Senator Merkley had bothered to read the letter written by the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association just weeks ago, he would have known that ranchers and local land managers in his state have spoken out against the flawed 2015 Land Use Plan Amendments for the Greater-Sage Grouse. Real environmental stewards oppose a one-size-fits-all approach that neglects local knowledge and runs roughshod over the efforts of state governments. On behalf of his constituents, Mr. Merkley should welcome the Department of Interior’s review and work with the ranching community to chart a path forward that protects both the bird and local economies.”
For more information, read the full release online.
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