National Cattlemen February 2024 | Page 12

Advance NCBA ’ s Farm Bill Priorities

Secure reauthorization of the animal health provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill and advocate for expanded funding of the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank ( NAVVCB ) to protect against Foot and Mouth Disease ( FMD ).

Expand accessibility and fund risk management programs and disaster relief programs within the Farm Bill , to support financial stability for producers .

Protect and fund EQIP , CSP , and other voluntary conservation programs that incentivize science-based , active management of our natural resources .

Defend against the addition of a livestock title . Defend Against Policies That Hurt Cattle Producers

Preserve critical tax code provisions that promote a viable business climate and support future generations of family operations .

Combat overly restrictive Packers & Stockyards ( GIPSA ) rules .

Implement our wins and push for further hours-of-service / ELD flexibility for livestock haulers .

Protect working lands and guard against federal overreach that limits grazing rights .

Protect the cattle industry from regulatory attacks under WOTUS , ESA , emissions reporting , and more .

Engage in legal action to protect producers ’ rights

IN PROGRESS

COMPLETE

Deliver More Wins and Opportunities for Cattle Producers

Advance animal health practices and innovations that are critical to the beef industry ’ s viability .

Support the congressional reauthorization of the Animal Drug User Fee Act at FDA ( ADUFA 5 ) with no post-market amendments .

Advocate for Dietary Guidelines for Americans that keep beef at the center of the plate .

Promote the vital role of working lands in conservation efforts and keep grazers grazing on open , healthy public lands .

Promote cattle grazing ’ s science-backed role as a climate solution .

Secure full reauthorization for Livestock Mandatory Reporting ( LMR ).

Ensure electronic identification ( EID ) requirements for traceability are implemented efficiently , and without costly burdens to producers .

Level the playing field and fight for fair , accurate labels on fake meat products .

Build on record-breaking export sales by expanding market access through science-based , rules-based trade standards , and ensure equivalent animal health and food safety standards for imported beef .

Work with USDA to implement reforms to the “ Product of the USA ” label that promote voluntary , verified , and trade-compliant labeling that returns more value to producers .

NATIONAL CATTLEMEN ’ S BEEF ASSOCIATION

CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY

Tax relief and tax reform will be a major policy focus of Congress for the next two years because key provisions in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act , including the increased estate tax exemption , will expire at the end of 2025 . Starting in 2026 , only estates valued at less than $ 5 million will be exempt from the federal estate tax , also known as the Death Tax . This would expose many cattle producers to the possibility of paying a 40 % tax on their operation . Unfortunately , more than half of House members and multiple Senators were not in Congress during the passage of the 2017 tax bill and might not understand the burden the Death Tax places on family-owned businesses in the agriculture sector .

We need your help in educating Congress on the importance of tax relief for American cattle producers . In the past , we have fought hard to secure tax relief for producers , and we have been successful because we utilized stories from NCBA members on why the current tax code does not work for them . Tax policy can be extremely complicated , and it is the personal stories that make these issues real for politicians in Washington , D . C . When Congress was negotiating the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act , NCBA launched the Cattlemen for Tax Reform campaign which included producer stories detailing how damaging the estate tax can be for family farms and ranches . NCBA was able to secure estate tax relief in the 2017 bill because of the immense weight those stories carried on Capitol Hill . We are using this same tactic again as we battle a looming estate tax and work for additional tax relief .

I am asking all NCBA members to take our tax survey to ensure we are accounting for the tax needs of all our members . As the chair of NCBA ’ s Tax & Credit Committee , I am tasked with advancing grassroots policy and directives out of committee to be considered for adoption in NCBA ’ s Policy Book , which guides our association ’ s advocacy efforts . The anonymous submissions from this survey will drive our work in the tax policy space in the next two years , letting us know which tax provisions are working for producers and which ones are not . After you fill out the survey , please consider also submitting your personal stories on the estate tax or the U . S . tax code in general . NCBA succeeds in these high pressure , high stakes policy battles because of our members stepping up to tell Congress what their constituents across the country deal with just to run their family business . I have worked in the cattle industry and financial sector for the last 30 years , and I can say without a doubt our nation ’ s estate tax policy is in direct conflict with our efforts to protect our nation ’ s family-owned farms and ranchers . Once again , it is our job to fight for commonsense tax policy that will preserve the U . S . cattle industry and our way of life .

- Dan Rorvig , North Dakota Cattle Producer and Chair of NCBA ’ s Tax & Credit Committee

CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT THE SURVEY

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