More than 700 cattle producers are gathered this week in Denver, Colo., for the annual Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting. The event includes meetings of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Cattlemen’s Beef Board, American National Cattlewomen and National Cattlemen’s Foundation. The annual Summer Business Meeting was created to help set the framework for policy and checkoff efforts on behalf of U.S. cattle producers for the year ahead.

The meeting kicked off with the Opening General Session. A panel of experts discussed the benefits of trade, specifically the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). The panel was moderated by Oklahoma farm broadcaster Ron Hays, and included Kent Bacus, NCBA director of international trade, Thad Lively with the U.S. Meat Export Federation, and Bill Westman from the North American Meat Institute.

“Trade is a critical component of the cattle industry’s profitability, and expanding exports through current and future trade agreements like TPP hold tremendous potential for our producers,” said Tracy Brunner, NCBA president. “The panel at Opening General Session was a great opportunity to discuss the impacts of reducing the tax on U.S. beef into Japan and highlight the gains that can be made by growing export markets.”

Meetings for checkoff committees representing Convenience, Freedom to Operate, Global Growth, Beef’s Image, Market Research, Taste, Value and Nutrition and Health will be held during the week, as well as NCBA Policy committees, representing Agricultural and Food Policy; Tax and Credit; Cattle Health and Well-Being; Federal Lands; Cattle Marketing and International Trade; Property Rights and Environmental Management.

“These committee meetings on both the policy and checkoff sides of the organization are where the work of the association is done by our producer leaders and state affiliates to set the direction for the year ahead,” said Brunner. “The policy resolutions brought forward and the discussions at this meeting set the agenda for our efforts in Washington D.C. In the same way, the Checkoff committee meetings set the direction for checkoff programs to grow beef demand on behalf of all cattle producers as we conclude this year and look to 2017.”