National Cattlemen’ s Beef Association
FEBRUARY 2026 | Vol. 42, No. 4 | NCBA. org
ROOTED IN TRADITION, FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE: GENE COPENHAVER TAKES THE HELM AT NCBA
As the National Cattlemen’ s Beef Association welcomes its new president, one thing is clear: while the dynamic of the beef cattle business continues to evolve, Gene Copenhaver’ s dedication to both the cattle industry and the people who sustain it stands firm. With deep roots in raising livestock and a vision for strengthening producer voices, he steps into leadership ready to champion innovation, preserve tradition and ensure beef remains a cornerstone of American agriculture.
His community is picturesque, the land opens into a familiar southwest Virginia rhythm: rolling hills, deep green grass and pastures stitched together by fences that have stood for generations. Cattle graze easily here, with reliable rainfall and rich forage, but it’ s not just the land that defines the place. It’ s the people, and the relationships that bind them.
“ We’ re close to Tennessee, North Carolina and Kentucky,” Copenhaver said.“ The grass is green, the hills are rolling, and everybody’ s the same.” It’ s a matter-of-fact observation, but one that captures the character of the region: grounded, practical and quietly resilient.
The Copenhaver family has been in Washington County since around 1850. Like many families of German descent, they brought farming with them and adapted it to Appalachian ground. About 75 years ago, Copenhaver’ s father and uncle formalized that legacy by starting Copenhaver Brother Farms, a diversified operation that reflected the times. Tobacco, hogs, sheep, cow-calf pairs and stocker cattle all had a place. It was a model built on spreading risk and making use of every acre.
Then came the tobacco buyout, a pivotal moment not just for the Copenhavers but for much of southwest Virginia agriculture.
“ A lot of buyout money went into cattle genetics,” Copenhaver recalled.“ It really changed the type and quality of cattle we have in southwest Virginia.” For his family, it also marked a strategic narrowing of focus. Over time, the operation moved entirely into stocker cattle, leaning hard into what the region does best: grow grass.
Today, Copenhaver Brother Farms buys uniform groups of steers at similar weights, turns them out on grass by April 1, and markets them steadily from May through November. Restocking typically happens from July through October, with a deliberate effort to winter everything that will go back to pasture in the spring. Hay feeding is limited to roughly 75 to 90 days, with only conservative use of concentrates. The philosophy is simple and unapologetic. As Copenhaver said,“ Grass does the real work.”
He jokes that it may be“ the least diversified cattle operation in the country,” but the uniformity is intentional. Buying and selling cattle the same way each year smooths labor demands and evens out cash flow. The land base itself is a mix— some owned, some rented, some cattle placed on poundage with
Gene Copenhaver manages Copenhaver Brother Farms, a 175-year-old farm, with his family.
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