“This is most certainly not a toxic Superfund site.” As part of a National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) campaign video, the organization’s chief environmental council, Scott Yager, stands in a Virginia pasture, overlooking a herd of grazing cattle, in only a portion of the yellow hazmat suit he donned at a hazardous waste site in… Read More
Even though NAFTA negotiations are underway, TPP is still vitally important if Canada and the US want to expand exports. President Trump removed the United States from TPP shortly after his inaugaration, which has caused some of the remaining eleven TPP countries to do some soul searching. Canada has been searching for its own identity… Read More
With the NAFTA renegotiations starting this week, officials with the U.S. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) were in Calgary for the Canadian Beef Industry Conference, showing their support for the relationship between the two countries. Representatives from both the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association and NCBA plan on heading to Washington for the anticipating beginning of the… Read More
Negotiating trade deals to increase market access is typically not easy. Non-tariff barriers, thickening borders, and increased commerce bureaucracy all make access to global markets and free trade very difficult. But what if market access could be made easier by just asking for it. Why didn’t former Presidents, NCBA and a handful of U.S. Trade… Read More
The United States announced this week that it had an agreement to increase beef exports to China. Lately much of the trade focus has been on holding on to existing markets but possible changes are afoot as President Donald Trump threatens to renegotiate NAFTA. The U.S./Canada beef industry relationship is more than one of just buying… Read More
As officials left the recent trilateral meeting between Canada, United States, and Mexico, RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney was able to talk about the outcome of the meeting with Colin Woodall, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) vice president of government relations. When Shaun talked to John Masswohl, with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, it was clear that the… Read More
With blurred lines between how pets and food animals should be treated, concerns about the use of growth promotants and antimicrobials, serious questions about environmental impacts, and let’s not forget, the cringeworthy moniker ‘pink slime,’ the beef industry has its work cut out for it when it comes to helping consumers understand how beef gets… Read More
U.S. President Barack Obama signed the Bipartisan Agriculture Act of 2013 — The Farm Bill — today at Michigan State University. In the States, the signing of this bill has been largely controversial, though it’s touted as a win for many sectors. “It supports local food by investing in things like farmers markets and organic agriculture,”… Read More
The Five Nations Beef Alliance (FNBA) met in Australia for their annual conference. Tours and introductions began in Brisbane, then gradually migrated towards Cairns, where the conference concluded. Some of the topics discussed at the FNBA meetings, included discussions around: the letter of support for a comprehensive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, Country of Origin Labelling, consumer preferences, the Young… Read More
I have now been to the NCBA twice and both were very interesting experiences. In 2010, the cattle industry was begging for different fortunes while in 2011 the meeting was lifted with significant bullsihness for cattle prices. I can remember meeting with Gregg Doud, NCBA Chief Economist at the 2010 meeting where I asked him,… Read More
One of the great things about attending the NCBA convention is that you get a chance to hear what some of the NCBA analysts an staff have to say about the industry. I was very fortunate to get a chance to talk with Gregg Doud. Gregg Doud is the Chief Economist at the National Cattlemans… Read More