CALF_News_February_March_2021

29 CALF News • February | March 2021 • www.calfnews.net we partner with customers on a portion of their cattle. Everyone has a different risk tolerance, but some type of price protection is needed in today’s feeding environment.” Meeting Consumer Demand Anderson believes consumer demand for higher quality beef provides producers and feeders with promising opportunities. “After COVID-19 caused the lockdown of restaurants and other food service businesses, consumers turned to retailers for most of their beef and other proteins,” he says. “The supply chain to retailers was slow at first, but when supplies of higher quality beef cuts hit the meat case, con- sumers responded with strong purchases.” Consumers have been willing to pay more for Choice and Prime cuts, even in poor economic conditions. Anderson is an opponent of issues that would reduce the availability of high quality beef. “We need to be responsive to our consumer customers,” he says. “I believe we have more opportunities to grow domestic demand and export demand. Everything hinges on those.” He believes proposals to create gov- ernment-mandated negotiated cash trade levels could reduce the ability to market higher quality cattle at a premium. “A better means of price or value discovery is needed, absolutely,” Anderson contends. “But I’ve never been a big fan of govern- ment programs of any kind to control our industry. “There are differences in regional production and feeding and different business models. We need to keep our freedom to operate. We need to keep gov- ernment from mandating how we operate and sell our product. “We need the opportunity to work on this ourselves. This will take trial and error efforts. We need to be granted that latitude to learn and grow through volun- tary negotiated cash trade. We’re serving a customer that wants a quality product. Many CRI cattle are marketed through National’s U.S. Premium Beef. We need a marketing structure that pro- motes creating that quality product.” Giving Back Anderson says it’s the duty of produc- ers and feeders to support their local, regional and national cattle associations. And he encourages crop and livestock producers to tell their stories. “The average consumer is three genera- tions removed from production agricul- ture,” he says. “People have questions about their food. We need them to be aware of all of the good elements of the beef story – how it’s produced, how safe it is and how it is a quality protein. “We as an industry do a good job of educating consumers, but it’s a continu- ing effort. We need to tell our stories and inform consumers of how our product is produced in a sustainable manner that promotes good animal welfare. BQA helps us answer those questions.” Anderson knows one must never stop learning. When there was an opportunity to enter an Oklahoma State University Ph.D. program to focus on organizational behavior, he took it. “I was the only one in the program from production agricul- ture,” he says. “I used that time to tell a few of my own stories.” That’s an admirable philosophy that all in the beef industry should practice, even in No Man’s Land.  Brand and Property Rights Committee A usually lively meeting was relatively quiet this year, with input somewhat depressed on account of the virtual format. A first-rate presentation was brought by Lincoln attorney Daniel Lindstrom. His topic, “Answering Your Property Rights Questions,” reminded us to take a commonsense approach to all things that might make us angry. Dealing with trespassers, low-flying drones, intentional property destruction and liability while herding cattle on roads made for compelling listening. He emphasized that we all need to carry liability insurance and avoid civil or criminal liability. State Sen. Steve Halloran is serving on a committee to update Nebraska brand law. He explained that the business structure of cattle backgrounding and feeding has changed and outgrown traditional brand inspection protocol. His working group is looking into ways to better serve the needs of both the cow-calf producer, backgrounding lots and feedlots. Cattle feeders are basically looking for a more streamlined and affordable way to comply with brand law. When Halloran’s group comes to a con- NEBRASKA CATTLEMEN CONVENTION Continued from page 26 clusion, the changes will be brought up to the State Legislature, the governing body of brand law in Nebraska. New Officers NCBA Vice President Don Schiffelbein addressed the NC membership at the Annual Business Meeting. He spoke about the challenges we will face in the coming year and encouraged NC members to be proactive. Outgoing NC President Ken Herz, in his closing address, spoke of the difficulties in dealing with 2020. COVID, packer manipulation, defending price discovery and brand law changes were all problematic. Herz reminded the membership to take advantage of price risk management tools such as livestock risk protection (LRP) or hedging. New NC leadership are: President Bill Rhea of Arlington; President Elect Brenda Masek of Purdum; Vice President Steve Hanson of Elsie; and Past President Ken Herz of Lawrence. The NC Foundation Friend of the Foundation award went to Bill and Barb Rishel. NC Hall of Fame inductees are Al and Sallie Adkins. Their awards, along with others, will be presented at the NC Mid-Year Conference this summer. All are in hopes of a better year ahead. 