Beltway Beef

On this episode, NCBA Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart joins to recap the Supreme Court’s decision to end Chevron deference, a legal concept that granted federal agencies broad latitude to craft regulations without explicit direction from Congress. Over the last 40 years, Chevron has led to Congress ceding authority to federal agencies who institute an increasingly greater number of regulations, inc...

On this episode, NCBA Senior Director of Government Affairs Sigrid Johannes joins to discuss the Department of Defense’s (DoD) plan to fund research on lab-grown protein. NCBA has voiced opposition to feeding our nation’s soldiers like lab rats with this untested product. Johannes highlights the work being done by Congressman Don Bacon, a retired Air Force General, to counter this DoD plan and exp...

On this episode, NCBA President and Wyoming rancher Mark Eisele joins to discuss some of his recent travels to Australia and Mexico. At these meetings, Eisele worked to unite farmers and ranchers on some of the common threats facing cattle producers around the world like foreign animal diseases, lab-grown protein, and radical anti-agriculture activism. Eisele signed joint statements with his cattl...

On this episode, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson joins to provide an update on the Farm Bill. Chairman Thompson walks us through the contents of his Farm Bill and unveils its title, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act. He details some of the cattle health and disaster relief provisions in the next Farm Bill, explains congressional dynamics surrounding the legislation...

On this episode, NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs Allison Rivera joins to provide an update on the House and Senate Agriculture Committees' newly released Farm Bill frameworks. These developments come as the House Agriculture Committee is planning to markup a Farm Bill later in May. Rivera reiterates the needs of America’s cattle producers in the next Farm Bill and details Congressman...

On this episode, we are joined by Executive Director of the Public Lands Council and NCBA Natural Resources Kaitlynn Glover to analyze the “Conservation and Landscape Health” rule recently finalized by the Bureau of Land Management. Glover explains why western ranchers have raised concerns about the rule and how it will impact public lands grazers. Glover also explains why all cattle producers sho...

On this episode, we come to you from the NCBA Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. NCBA President and Wyoming rancher Mark Eisele joins to discuss the importance of this event and the message that cattle producers are delivering on Capitol Hill. Eisele also explains the importance of NCBA’s grassroots advocacy efforts and shares his perspective on support for the Beef Checkoff, the cattle in...

On this episode, we discuss NCBA’s involvement in the U.S. – E.U. Collaboration Platform on Agriculture and the first event with European agriculture officials held in the United States. Idaho rancher and NCBA Policy Division Chair Kim Brackett joins to share information on her participation in the Collaboration Platform on Agriculture as a panelist discussing the cattle industry’s commitment to s...

On this episode, NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs Allison Rivera joins to share updates on disaster relief programs that provide support to cattle producers following natural disasters. Rivera details NCBA’s Farm Bill priorities as Congress continues discussing possible legislation. She also explains NCBA’s support of new legislation to improve the Livestock Indemnity Program.

On this episode, Director of the Public Lands Council (PLC) and NCBA Government Affairs Sigrid Johannes joins to provide an update on several issues impacting Western ranchers. Johannes outlines the Bureau of Land Management’s push to update greater sage grouse management plans, details the Biden administration’s push to expand grizzly bear populations, and shares the latest on the delisting of ma...

On this episode, NCBA Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart joins to analyze the final greenhouse gas disclosure rule issued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The initial rule could have subjected farmers and ranchers to extremely burdensome emissions reporting requirements, but thanks to NCBA advocacy, the final rule removed the most damaging provisions in a major win for producers....

On this episode, we meet NCBA’s new policy division officers including Policy Division Chair Kim Brackett from Idaho and Policy Division Vice Chair Skye Krebs from Oregon. Brackett and Krebs discuss their involvement in the cattle industry, including leadership in state affiliate organizations and national partners like the Public Lands Council. The officers also discuss the policy priorities they...

On this episode, NCBA CEO Colin Woodall joins to explain the NCBA grassroots policy process that was on display at CattleCon24 in Orlando. Woodall also discusses NCBA’s work pushing back on tax changes that could harm cattle producers. Finally, Woodall shares the value of joining NCBA and having representation in Washington, D.C.

On this episode, U.S. Chief Agricultural Negotiator Doug McKalip joins to share his perspective on emerging markets for beef exports. Ambassador McKalip provides insights on the work his office does to help remove non-scientific trade barriers that inhibit American beef sales abroad and explains what he is looking forward to at CattleCon24.

On this episode, we are joined by NCBA Policy Division Chair Gene Copenhaver, a Virginia cattle producer. Copenhaver provides insight into his recent meeting with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, shares information on NCBA’s major policy wins from 2023 and priorities for 2024, and explains the value of NCBA’s producer-led grassroots policy process. Copenhaver also previews CattleCon24 in Orlando...

On this episode, U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency (USDA-RMA) Administrator Marcia Bunger joins to discuss RMA’s Livestock Roadshow. The Livestock Roadshow is a series of workshops happening across the country that are designed to educate producers on the various risk management products available to them. Topics for RMA’s Livestock Roadshow sessions include Annual Forage, Dair...

On this episode, Executive Director of Government Affairs Kent Bacus and Nebraska rancher Jaclyn Wilson, chair of NCBA’s International Trade Committee, join to discuss NCBA’s concerns with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision to permit beef imports from Paraguay into the United States. NCBA has repeatedly raised concerns with Paraguayan beef imports because of the country’s history with d...

On this episode, Director of the Public Lands Council and NCBA Government Affairs Sigrid Johannes joins to provide updates on the Biden administration’s misguided plan to introduce grizzly bears to the North Cascades ecosystem in Washington state. This plan would be disastrous for rural communities since these grizzlies are twenty-times more dangerous than black bears and pose a direct threat to r...

On this episode, NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane shares insights on how Speaker Mike Johnson’s election will impact the cattle industry. Lane recaps NCBA’s experience working with Speaker Johnson, describes his political philosophy, and explains how the speaker election will impact legislation important to agriculture like the Farm Bill.

On this episode, NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs Kent Bacus takes us inside the World Meat Congress to learn about the pressing issues facing livestock and meat producers across the world. Bacus shares news about NCBA’s new leadership role within the International Meat Secretariat and he recounts some experiences from the conference that show us why it is so important to advocate for...

On this episode, California rancher and past NCBA President Kevin Kester joins to share his insights on the Farm Bill, the value of the Beef Checkoff, and other major policy issues being discussed in Washington. Kester also provides updates from his ranch, including his operation’s diversification in growing wine grapes. Finally, Kester discusses his family’s involvement in the Honor Flight progra...

It’s been a busy few days in Washington! Congress rejected an amendment attacking the Beef Checkoff after thousands of cattle producers spoke up against the legislation and a government shutdown was averted after a last-minute deal was reached to pass a continuing resolution. For more on these developments, NCBA Senior Director of Government Affairs Tanner Beymer joins Beltway Beef to discuss Rep....

As climate discussions in New York City wrap up, NCBA’s Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart joins Beltway Beef to provide an update on the cattle industry’s sustainability. Hart analyzes some key sustainability metrics that show the industry’s continued improvement, and she explains how raising cattle provides essential ecosystem services, like maintaining greenspace, healthy soil, and healthy grasses....

On this episode, NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane provides an update on Senator Mike Lee’s attempt to add the anti-checkoff OFF Act to the Senate agriculture appropriations bill. Lane explains how the OFF Act would harm America’s cattle producers, reveals who is funding activist groups that are pushing for this legislation, and shares how cattle producers can voice their concer...

On this episode, NCBA Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart joins to discuss the Environmental Protection Agency’s revised Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule that is intended to comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling in the case Sackett v. EPA. NCBA was involved in the Sackett case by filing a brief with the Supreme Court that highlighted the Clean Water Act’s impact on cattle producers. Hart explains some...