CALF_News_December_2020_January_2021

8 CALF News • December 2020 | January 2021 • www.calfnews.net “As I travel throughout this country I’m very excited about the number of young people who are getting involved,”Wood- all says.“That’s great news.” According to Woodall, it’s important the industry find ways to give those produc- ers assistance down the road. “It’s incumbent on NCBA and others to extend avenues for these young producers,” he says.“There are NCBA producer educa- tion programs out there that can help enhance chances of their success.” Woodall says a direct-to-consumer marketing trend is also a good sign – and is going to provide “some opportuni- ties for young producers to build their operations a little faster.” Woodall says increasing packing options through these kinds of initiatives is a plus. He contends there are even silver linings to the COVID cloud.“COVID helped sharpen our ability to be pre- pared,” he says.“It has provided an opportunity to reconnect to consumers. That’s something we need to take advan- tage of by filling the information void.” Finding ways to continue to build the improved beef demand is essential, he says.“It’s an opportunity to tell our story to consumers, to be more direct in our marketing to themWe were able to show that even as beef production increased, greenhouse gases in cities decreased, demonstrating that beef is not the culprit. “Some of the things we learned from COVID-19 benefited beef and can also help consumers better understand beef production concerns,” he says CBB’s Hanes agrees.“People don’t always know how sustainable we are, our carbon neutral nature, the way we fit into the carbon cycle,” he says.“We’re not really adding greenhouse gases, and with research and outreach we can show it.” That suggests there is a larger issue on the consumer front.“Few of our consumers have any link to production agriculture anymore. They don’t know how beef is produced or gets to the table,” Hanes says.“It’s a huge problem when it comes to countering challenges to our product.” Obstacles Remain Woodall says while there continues to be strong beef demand,“it’s been a mixed bag. The situation is much better than it was, but it’s still tempered by COVID and other issues.” Preparing for other unexpected “black swan events” such as COVID or the Tyson fire is one of the things the indus- try should do. That means more than just having a crisis plan, Woodall says; the industry should also make the most of learning from the negative events that take place. “There are no certainties,” he says. “We need to be prepared for more bad news.” Wildfires and drought will also con- tinue to be problems, and the industry should have plans in place to assist those producers affected, he says. NCBA helped get permanent disaster relief in the 2014 Farm Bill, but there will have to be ongoing efforts to increase protec- tion from the effects of natural disasters. There also need to be plans to defend the industry from those who wish it harm, either for animal rights reasons or envious business interests.“We need a better way to manage the activists,” Woodall says. CBB’s Hanes says defending the industry is crucial.“There’s a lot of mes- saging out there that runs counter to what we know to be true,” he says.“And beef always seems to be the target.” For this reason, producers must keep working to stand up to the challengers. “We need more research to counter the negative, whether it’s in the area of nutri- tion or sustainability,” Hanes says.“And there’s no question outreach to consum- ers is critical.” Government Changes Changes in government will also play a role in the industry’s future, but that’s to be expected, Woodall says.“It’s a fairly normal cycle that we’ve been through before,” he says. That doesn’t mean the industry should be less vigilant, however.“We need to be prepared for changes within the administration and Congress, but it’s the reason NCBA has a strong defense in Washington, D.C.,”Woodall says. “We should be prepared for issues like Waters of the United States [WOTUS] to return. However, we have friends on both sides of the aisle, so we’ll be ready.” Woodall says there’s “no question” the last four years have been mostly friendly for the industry. In addition to the advances on WOTUS, there have been advances on the National Envi- ronmental Policy Act (NEPA) process and Dietary Guidelines. Still, the issues keep coming, whether it’s in the Green New Deal, regulations on fake meats or others.“That’s why we never closed our D.C. office during the pandemic,” he says.“Regulations and other government intrusion don’t just go away, and NCBA needs to be on top of them.” On the international front, USMEF’s Halstrom says the last four years have seen some positive trade advances, and the Trump administration took some positive steps in providing help to the U.S. beef industry. However, he believes there are longer term factors in play. “While I worry a little about possible government changes, the importance of agricultural exports is a unifying issue that draws broad support,” he says. “Although administrations change, a lot of institutional knowledge remains at the [U.S. Trade Representative] and [U.S. Department of Agriculture], and the WHAT'S NEXT? Continued from page 7 “This crisis is all going to clear out,” Hanes says. “Our cattle producers are the best at what they do. That will keep us the leader in the global market.” Colin Woodall – Greg Hanes