IN THIS ISSUE
National Cattlemen’ s Beef Association
APRIL 2025 | Vol. 41, No. 6 | NCBA. org
CATTLE PRODUCERS TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS
Cowboy hats and boots were spotted in the halls of Congress last month as four NCBA members testified before representatives and senators on policy priorities for the cattle industry.
Starting off the congressional hearings was NCBA President Buck Wehrbein who testified before the Senate Agriculture Committee.
“ The cattle industry is seeing better market conditions, strong consumer demand for beef, and optimism for
Troy Sander( KS) advocates on behalf of beef producers to the House Agriculture Committee.
the future of our industry yet challenges still remain,” Wehrbein said.“ Congress must always remember that food security is national security, and the policy decisions they make will impact the hardworking cattlemen and women who produce our nation’ s food.”
In particular, Wehrbein urged Congress to pass new tax legislation to extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Signed into law in 2017 by President Donald Trump, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act created new business tax deductions available to cattle producers and reduced the impact of the federal estate tax, commonly referred to as the Death Tax. Those deductions are now set to expire unless Congress passes new legislation this year. NCBA is working to get new tax legislation introduced that will extend good provisions from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and lower taxes for cattle producers.
The following week, Kansas cattle producer Troy Sander appeared before the House Agriculture Committee to give a similar update to representatives.
“ Cattle producers are seeing higher prices for their livestock, but the entire industry continues to face pressure from rising input costs, taxes and overregulation coming from Washington,” Sander said.
According to Sander, a few ways Congress can support cattle producers are by rolling back harmful regulations and supporting programs like the Beef Checkoff.
Recently, the Beef Checkoff has come under attack from radical animal liberation activists who seek to end the Checkoff because of its success at promoting beef. According to a study conducted by Cornell University, the Beef Checkoff generates a return on investment to producers of $ 13.41 for every $ 1 invested. The Beef Checkoff also drives the U. S. economy. The increased demand for beef created 47,000 jobs, resulted in $ 2 billion in employment income, added a total of $ 4.1 billion to the U. S. economy, and increased U. S. GDP by $ 9.5 billion.
These successes have led to phony farm groups including“ Farm Action” and the“ Farm Action Fund” to attack the Beef Checkoff and claim that the program wastes taxpayer money. In truth, the Beef Checkoff is fully funded by producer dollars, uses no taxpayer dollars, and achieves incredible benefits for producers at no cost to American citizens. Most importantly, the Beef Checkoff is subject to robust oversight with financial audits being conducted annually and posted online on the Cattlemen’ s Beef Board website. Sander shared all these details with Congress to make sure policymakers continue to support the Beef Checkoff and reject animal liberation activists.
After four years of the Biden administration increasing red tape for farmers and ranchers, cattle producers have been asking the Trump administration to roll back regulations. In the House Agriculture Committee, Sander explained the need to remove
Continued on page 8
IN THIS ISSUE
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DIAGNOSTICS FOR BETTER CATTLE | 12
These tests for reproduction and animal health give insight into which females are performing the best.
FACES OF THE FEDERATION | 18
Jeri Moniz and her family operate K K Ranch on the Big Island of Hawaii, and Moniz serves as a Federation Director.