Scott Yager is the environmental counsel for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Jamie Johansen had the opportunity to talk with him at the 2017 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show. There are many opportunities with the new administration, Yager told Jamie. This is a time for the NCBA to find out what it’s members are looking for because now we have the chance to not only withdraw burdensome regulations, but also set programs in place that will benefit our nation long into the future.

Critical to developing or withdrawing regulations is the appointment of a Supreme Court justice. Trump’s first nominee, Neil Gorsuch, replacing Antonin Scalia on the bench, was to be voted on in committee, but the democrats boycotted the meeting and successfully delayed the vote. This has already happened for two of Trump’s other cabinet nominations, Yager says, but once the vote takes place it will probably fall on party lines and the Republicans have enough members to pass him. Getting Gorsuch through the Sentate is another matter.

When change does come, getting rid of WOTUS is high on the priority list. “I think this is one of the potentially great successes of this administration is that Trump has made is priority in his transition and the EPA transition team is making it a priority to withdraw the WOTUS rule, so we are in full support of that,” Yager says. “What we need is for Pruitt to get in there as EPA administrator formally to appoint leadership through the agency so they can look at that rule, figure out if they want to reconsider it and hopefully, ultimately choose to withdraw it administratively.”

Learn more about legislative issues facing the cattle industry in the full interview here: Interview with Scott Yager, NCBA

View and download photos from the event here: 2017 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show Photos