National Cattlemen ’ s Beef Association
MARCH 2025 | Vol . 41 , No . 5 | NCBA . org
NCBA ’ S 2025 LEADERSHIP TEAM
President – Buck Wehrbein
Buck Wehrbein grew up in eastern Nebraska on a farm raising cattle , hogs and chickens . He has managed custom feedlots in Nebraska and Texas since 1984 and he began feeding his own cattle in 1980 . Before returning to Nebraska , he worked outside Amarillo on a custom feedlot .
Wehrbein has been active in the beef industry for decades including serving as both chairman and treasurer for the Nebraska Beef Council and on the Texas Cattle Feeders Association board . He served on the Beef Promotion Operating Committee and participated in the Young Cattlemen ’ s Conference in 1993 .
Wehrbein and his wife , Sandy , have been married more than 50 years , have three children ( two living ), seven grandchildren ( six living ), and 10 greatgrandchildren ( nine living ). President-Elect – Gene Copenhaver
Gene Copenhaver is a fifth-generation cattleman with family roots back to the 1850s in Washington County , Virginia . He graduated Virginia Tech with a degree in animal science . Copenhaver currently manages his family ’ s stocker operation in southwest Virginia with his son , Will . He spent nearly 40 years as an agriculture loan officer and served his clients who were primarily cattle producers in five East Coast states .
Copenhaver served as NCBA vice president , chair and vice chair of NCBA ’ s Policy Division , chair and vice chair of NCBA ’ s Tax & Credit Committee , and chair and vice chair of NCBA ’ s International Trade Committee . He is a past president of the
From L to R : Buck Wehrbein , president ; Mark Eisele , immediate past president ; Nancy Jackson , Federation chair ; Gene Copenhaver , president-elect ; Kenny Rogers , Policy vice chair ; Brad Hastings , treasurer ; Kim Brackett , vice president ; Skye Krebs , Policy chair ; Travis Maddock , Federation vice chair
Virginia Cattlemen ’ s Association and past chairman of the Virginia Cattle Foundation .
He has been married to his wife , Jodi , for more than 35 years . They have three grown children , Brad , Will and Jaymee , and one granddaughter . Vice President – Kim Brackett
Kim Brackett and her husband , Ira , operate Brackett Ranches Limited Partnership , a cow-calf and stocker operation based in southern Idaho on the Idaho / Nevada border . The ranch
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GENETIC TECHNOLOGIES | PG . 7
Genetic technologies move the beef industry forward and reach around the world .
2025 POLICY PRIORITIES | PG . 10
The 2025 Policy Priorities have been released . See which policy issues NCBA members have determined are the most important for the organization to focus on this year .
2024 ESAP NATIONAL WINNER | PG . 16
Downey Ranch in Kansas was awarded the prestigious honor as the 2024 ESAP National winner . Learn about this ranch ’ s unique stewardship practices .