At a congressional hearing Tuesday on Capitol Hill, National Milk Producers Federation Chairman Randy Mooney said that well-negotiated trade agreements have the potential to increase export opportunities for America’s dairy farmers, but he warned that the terms of free trade agreements must be tenaciously enforced. Mooney, a dairy farmer from Rogersville, MO, told the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee … Read More
Extended Comment Period for Organic Livestock & Poultry Rule
U.S. Senate and House Agriculture Committee leadership announced the USDA granted their request for an extension of the public comment period for the agency’s proposed rule regarding revised organic livestock and poultry production standards. “We are pleased the USDA acted immediately to allow producers, consumers, retailers and animal health experts more time to offer their comments on the proposed rules,” … Read More
NPPC Update on Trademark Lawsuit, WOTUS & Trade
As the policy arm for the U.S. pork sector, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) has a number of hot button issues impacting the industry as we speak. During the 2016 World Pork Expo, NPPC President, John Weber, sat down with me to give an update on the Pork The Other White Meat lawsuit, Waters of the United States (WOTUS) and … Read More
NPPC Kicks Off #WPX16 With Industry Issue Update
The 2016 World Pork Expo is underway and 20,000 pork producers and other professionals are expected to make their way through the barns and trade show. The Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa is once again home for the global event. We are here to bring you all the updates on industry issues and new technology for the producer. … Read More
Landowners Rights Upheld Challenging WOTUS
The Supreme Court in United States Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes Co., Inc., set a precedent that landowners may challenge the Corps’ jurisdictional determination specifying that a piece of property contains a “water of the United States.” The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) filed an amicus brief in support of Hawkes. NCBA President Tracy Brunner, said this is a … Read More
Transforming Veterinary Medicine for the Future
Several of the lecture sessions during ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference centered around opportunities and innovations pertaining to animal health and nutrition, and many offered unique perspectives on ways to overcome the many challenges facing those fields. One of the most unique, comprehensive perspectives offered to attendees was that of Dr. Stephen Collett, DVM, a clinical professor at the University … Read More
NCBA President Testifies on the Farm Economy
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Tracy Brunner testified before the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture. He stressed to the subcommittee that over-regulation poses the greatest threat to the profitability of cattle producers. “Today we ask for no direct action from our government in our cattle marketing systems and forums,” said Brunner. “The cattle industry relies on the … Read More
Dairy Groups Applaud School Milk Support
Dairy leaders are applauding the House Education and Workforce Committee for their decision to include key dairy provisions in the Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016, an amendment approved today by the committee. The bipartisan amendment by Congressmen G.T. Thompson (R-PA) and Joe Courtney (D-CT) is specifically targeted at addressing declining school milk consumption, and the document was … Read More
Lesser Prairie Chicken Appeal Applauded by NCBA
Ethan Lane, executive director of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Federal Lands and Public Lands Council (PLC) released a statement this week regarding the Obama Administration’s decision to drop their appeal of a federal court decision that overturned the listing of the Lesser Prairie Chicken as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). “We are pleased that the … Read More
NFU Supports Legislation to Ban Packer Ownership
National Farmers Union (NFU) released the following statement commending U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) for reintroducing legislation to ban packer ownership of livestock: “The livestock market today is heavily concentrated among a handful of conglomerates, and our family farmers and ranchers are forced to compete in an increasingly uneven playing field in the marketplace. I applaud Senator Grassley for championing … Read More