CALF_News_December_2019_January_2020

21 CALF News • December 2019 | January 2020 • www.calfnews.net Corporate Office n Winchester, VA n 540-877-9632 n valleyproteins.com We offer high-energy fats and quality protein meals: n Bleachable Fancy Tallow n Recycled Cooking Oil n Choice White Grease n Meat and Bone Meal n Animal Vegetable Blends n Blood Meal We have these locations in the West to bring our services closer to you. Amarillo, TX San Angelo, TX Veribest, TX Bernalillo, NM And there were tough decisions to be made.“Beginning in 1991, KLA was one of the originators of the merger concept and, thus, KLA became the earliest state association that actively promoted the merger [of the National Cattle- men’s Association and the Beef Industry Council of the Meat Board] and was instrumental in achieving its ratification in 1996 to create the National Cattle- men’s Beef Association. “During the industry’s internal con- flict about fed cattle marketing, KLA was actually neutral on formula/captive supply, not promoting it or opposing it either,” he said.“Instead, KLA was instrumental in defending and protect- ing producers’ individual freedom of choice to decide their business model and how to sell their cattle … an impor- tant distinction.” Likes emphasizes that KLA, with the help from other feeding states, influenced the national industry policy to protect members from proposals to create government regulation of cattle marketing. THE BIG PICTURE Continued from page 16 Dee and Terry Likes posed for the camera in an issue of Cowboys and Indians magazine in 2017. Photo courtesy Cowboys and Indians magazine “During my tenure as CEO, the two top priorities were to build a strong, committed, professional staff team and to help build a strong NCBA,” he says. “No state affiliate can fully optimize representing the membership without NCBA and its Washington lobbying team. “We were able to lay the foundation that, today, has made KLA the largest state affiliate of NCBA, both in mem- bership numbers and dues revenue. KLA’s current staff and officers were honored in 2018 for becoming the first state organization to reach $1 million in annual dues revenues to NCBA. “I am proud of KLA’s influence and success, and remain committed to contributing whatever I can toward maintaining a strong NCBA,” Likes concludes. He continues mentoring as he was mentored to help the beef industry thrive, grow and provide food to the consuming public. 