By Larry Stalcup Contributing Editor
With $200 per cwt. fats and feeders far north of $260, there weren’t many gripes heard at February’s Cattle Industry Convention and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Trade Show. But even with what many consider a more ag-friendly scene in Washington, D.C., NCBA officials indicated they would keep fighting to prevent ranch-robbing federal regulations and bad policy from stampeding out of control.
About 8,500 people attended CattleCon ’25 in San Antonio. The Alamo City, arguably Texas’ best convention host, welcomed producers and feeders from nearly every state and numerous other countries. During various sessions, NCBA officers and staff outlined critical measures the association and its state and regional partners will tackle.
“NCBA will continue advocating for passage of a long-term Farm Bill and pushing to extend the critical tax provisions in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that expire at the end of the year,” said Nebraska cattleman Buck Wehrbein, new NCBA president. “We will continue to fight for more
flexibility for grazing and voluntary conservation work vital to preventing catastrophic wildfires raging across the country.”
He said producers have been squeezed by regulatory burdens, including unscientific Endangered Species Act listings and the rapidly changing enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act. “This government overreach has prevented meaningful conservation efforts, leaving America’s treasured natural resources in worse condition,” Wehrbein said. “It has left producers in a position of great uncertainty, with soaring legal and accounting bills.”
Optimistic With President Donald Trump
Colin Woodall, NCBA CEO, said that as a regulated industry, “there’s a lot of optimism about what President Trump will bring us. He says he wants limited government, which is the best way to eliminate rules and regulations that are a burden to us and all of agriculture. That allows producers to keep more money in their pockets.”
Woodall said NCBA is working with congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle. “Sen. John Thune (R-S.D. and Senate majority leader) has long been our main advocate for eliminating the Death Tax. The question is, can we get that done and get the entire package completed this year?” Woodall told CALF News.
“Right now, [the tax law says] as a couple, you can protect almost $28 million worth of assets. That goes a long way in helping us in ag. If we can grow that amount and reduce the tax rate, that would be an acceptable alternative. But we are still going to push for the Death Tax repeal.”
Tariffs?
At CALF press time, tariffs on Mexico, Canada, China and other countries were unclear. Policies seemed to change daily, whether for steel, sedans or steaks. Kent Bacus, NCBA executive director of government affairs, said President Trump’s “America first” trade policies are focused on U.S. trade deficits. At the convention, he said, “So far, beef is not on the list.”
That changed in early March when Trump announced 25 percent import tariffs against Canada and Mexico would go into effect March 4, with an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports. April ’25 live cattle futures tumbled to below $190 per cwt. in early March. May ’25 corn futures dropped from near $4.70 bu. to near $4.40. Thankfully, after further negotiations, the tariffs were delayed until April. April live cattle climbed back to $203 on March 14, while May corn battled back to the $4.70s before closing at $4.58.
However, Bacus reported that, in response to the additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods, China issued a 10 percent tariff on imports of U.S. beef. But with the shifts in U.S. trade policies, tariff tension might do another 180 before Easter.
Meanwhile, Ethan Lane, NCBA senior vice president of government affairs, said new U.S. Trade Ambassador Jamieson Greer has extensive experience in trade policy.
“Ambassador Greer’s first-hand experience working on key negotiations like the U.S-China Phase One Agreement and the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement proves that he has the skills to deliver key wins and level the playing field for U.S. cattle producers.”
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins was confirmed in February. Rollins is a Texas Aggie from Glen Rose, Texas. “We are pleased with the bipartisan confirmation of Brooke Rollins to be Secretary of Agriculture,” Lane said. “We know Sec. Rollins will prioritize passing a Farm Bill, protecting America’s cattle herd from the threat of foreign animal disease, and ensuring USDA is focused on supporting America’s cattle farmers and ranchers instead of covering them in red tape.”
Play Ball: Checkoff backs Little League Baseball
Woodall said producers and feeders continue to benefit from the Beef Checkoff. “It remains strong,” he said, “and we’re excited about the second year of our partnership with the Little League World Series.”
The program is called the Perfect Home Plate. “It allows us to get the ‘Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner’ brand out there in front of a new generation,” Woodall said. “We talk to players and their parents and let them know beef can be part of their daily diet.”
The program is part of a network of beef promotion and research projects that boost beef’s appeal to consumers. The latest financial numbers indicate that for every $1 spent on the checkoff, the industry received more than $14 in return on investment.
New NCBA Officer Team
Before Wehrbein took the reins as NCBA president, 2024 president Mark Eisele of Wyoming thanked members of the nation’s largest member-led beef producer organization for their support the past year. That backing helped NCBA accomplish the many victories that have been won in Washington.
Wehrbein, with a 45-year career in the cattle feeding sector, is off and running in representing NCBA at national hearings, and state and regional cattle associations. The 2025 NCBA officer team, approved by the NCBA Board of Directors, took office at the end of this year’s convention.
Gene Copenhaver of Virginia was named president-elect, and Kim Brackett of Idaho was elected vice president. Skye Krebs of Oregon was elected chair of the NCBA Policy Division and Kenny Rogers of Colorado was elected policy vice chair.
Nancy Jackson of Mississippi and Travis Maddock of North Dakota were elected as chair and vice chair of the NCBA Federation Division. Brad Hastings of Texas will continue to serve in the role of NCBA treasurer.
Wehrbein said he sees both challenges and opportunities ahead. He is passionate about opportunities for the next generation of cattle producers, recognizing their ability to drive innovation and industry progress. “They’re ahead of where we were in my time,” he noted. “They understand the issues, and they’re ready to make a difference.
“The overarching principle and aim of NCBA is to make things better for our members and create an environment where each of us focuses on our farms and ranches. That’s a big strength of NCBA. We’re not just big feedlots or big ranches. We’re everybody.”
BQA Awards, More Policies, Additional CattleCon Programs
During the four-day Cattle Industry Convention, various National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) committees met to set policy. Policy directives already discussed and additional measures included:
- To work to retain core wins in the 2024 House Agriculture Committee-passed Farm Bill.
- To preserve family farms and ranches for future generations by advocating for essential tax relief for cattle producers.
- To fight for meaningful, long-term relief from the burdensome reporting requirements of the Corporate Transparency Act.
- To enhance wildfire prevention by utilizing targeted grazing, controlled burns and forest management practices to protect grazing lands.
- To keep working lands working by protecting family farms from undue regulatory burdens under the Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act and many other key regulations.
NCBA presented these Beef Quality Assurance awards: Cow-Calf Award, Parker Ranch, Hawaii; Dairy FARM Award, VanBedaf Dairy, North Dakota; Feedyard Award, Grimmius Cattle Co., California; Marketer Award, Producers Livestock Market, Utah; Educator Award, Keith Belk, Ph.D., Colorado.
- Downey Ranch of Wamego, Kansas, was named the 2024 Environmental Stewardship Award Program National winner. For more on the Downey Ranch and regional winners, visit environmentalstewardship.org.
- Emma Coffman, a Beef Checkoff contractor from Temple, Texas, was named NCBA 2024 Advocate of the Year for her creative use of storytelling across social media platforms.
- Ron Hays, long-time leader with the Oklahoma Farm Report ag radio network, received the Greg Henderson Excellence in Agricultural Journalism Award. Greg, who passed away last year, was editor of Drovers Journal for several decades and a friend to all cattle producers and feeders.
- Ten students pursuing careers in the beef industry were awarded $1,500 scholarships by the National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF). For a list of recipients visit, ncba.org/ncba-news/news-releases.
NCBA’s Cattlemen’s College sessions attracted producers interested in subjects ranging from sustainable grazing to all areas of animal health.
Hundreds of industry services and products were highlighted at the giant NCBA Trade Show. The popular Learning Lounge enabled trade show vendors, university researchers and others to provide information to benefit production and marketing techniques.
CattleCon general sessions saw industry leaders highlight issues facing NCBA, the Beef Checkoff and the American National Cattlewomen’s Association. Session sponsors also welcomed the crowd to the largest gathering of cattlemen and women in the country.
Entertainment featured Nashville disc jockey Buzz Brainard as emcee of general sessions. He even rode a large-horned steer into the ballroom. With Texas comes rodeos, and CattleCon had thousands of seats reserved at the traditional San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo.
Entertainment and true lessons in life were provided by inspirational speakers Lt. Col Dan “Noonan” Rooney, decorated U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighter pilot and founder of “Folds of Honor,” and Shannon Ferrell, Oklahoma State University ag economist and promoter of a “resilient future for ag.”
Brainard encouraged CattleCon attendees to plan on the 2026 convention in downtown Nashville. And he more than guaranteed a good time at the home of the Opry.
