CALF_News_October_November_2019

41 CALF News • October | November 2019 • www.calfnews.net WASHINGTON UPDATE – U. S. REP. FRANK LUCAS OCA keynote speaker U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Cheyenne, provided insight into doings in Washington, D.C., and reminded producers of drought-insurance programs that can pay them if their grass remains brown. Lucas, former chairman of the House Agricultural Committee, helped write the 2014 Farm Bill that took two years to get passed. It included ranch drought insur- ance. “You had to have that basic (disaster) safety net,” he said. “We treated livestock people just like soybean and corn farmers. “Droughts of 2011, ‘12, ‘13 and ‘14 helped bring it about. Those provisions are in place until 2023. We need to protect those provisions, whether its crop insurance or livestock insurance, in the next set of appropriations bills.” Lucas stressed the need for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and backed trade agreements with the European Union and Japan. Fake meat also has his attention. "We need to expand efforts to look at non-meat sources of protein," he said. "We need to keep honest the folks pushing that on social media." "I am a cattleman, and our product is better, healthier, and I'm not sure is even cheaper per-pound per-plate than it ever has been in the history of the world." Lucas told CALF News it’s hard to bargain with the new radical members of Con- gress. “There are two groups of young Democrats in Congress,” he said, “I call the first group moderates. They seem to be pro-business and are good to work with." “Then there’s the zealot group of idealists who don’t like the market economy and want to change the country dramatically. They worry me. I’d like to think on the next election day voters will have figured them out.” Lucas added that current Ag Committee Chairman Colin Peterson, D-Minn., sometimes also shakes his head at the super-disruptive new members of Congress. “I served as the ranking member with Colin – and he may be more frustrated than I am,” Lucas said. “Once he pointed out to me – ‘we’ve both been around long enough to know better.’” Rep. Frank Lucas helped put drought insurance in the Farm Bill: "We treated livestock people just like soybean and corn farmers." OKLAHOMA CATTLEMEN Continued from page 39 in an OCA video seen by more than 1.1 million viewers. That’s not beef Houston said NCBA is also carving away at imitation meat and worked to get USDA to place lab and plant-based meat under the same inspection guide- lines as real beef.“Plant-based beef has really enjoyed a halo from the liberal media, alleging ‘we can save the planet with the impossible burger’. That’s a bunch of malarkey. “People are starting to see through the argument on sustainability.We know beef is sustainable. Less than 3 percent of all greenhouse gases are from cattle. There are good stories for us to tell about what grasslands are doing to sequester carbon out of the atmosphere.” Danielle Beck, NCBA senior director of governmental affairs, also addressed the fake meat issue during the OCA convention. She said media reports that “fake meat will save us” will continue, but the phony stuff was only 0.1 per- cent of the total meat market in 2018. Nevertheless, so-called lab-grown meat is on the rise, and there could soon be “meat breweries,” which will be under USDA inspection, as will plant-based outfits like Impossible Foods. That company’s CEO, Pat Brown, has made numerous statements that are anti-beef, Beck said. One, in particular, is a big burr in any rancher’s saddle: “Cows aren’t getting any better at making meat. We are.” (Think about that the next time you see the Impossible Burger at Burger King.) Beck pointed out that vegan food firms are apprehensive that Beyond Beef and other beef imposters contain some two dozen micro-ingredients.“They’re starting to get concerned,” she said. “Remember, we’re not afraid of the competition from fake meat. We’re happy to compete. But we must do it over a level playing field.” Wanda Pinnow, president of the American National CattleWomen, also addressed the importance of produc- ers to tell their stories.“It’s important for women of the cattle industry to be active in ANCW and state cattlewom- en’s associations,” said the Baker, Mont., rancher.“We must continue to educate consumers and promote beef.” New OCA officers Mike Weeks of Stuart was elected OCA president. He replaces Weston Givens of Arnett and will serve a two- year term. Weeks and his brother run a cattle operation in southeast Okla- homa. They also own a farm and ranch supply store in Stuart. Mike Armitage of Claremore was named president-elect and will be next in line to serve as OCA president. Mike Brooks of Ardmore was elected to serve as the past president representative. Blake White of Ninnekah received the annual Guy Shull Memorial Award as part of OCA’s efforts to recognize youth who promote beef and support their communities. 