REGION REPORTS
REGION l
By Cary King
As I have been thinking about what has been happening in our region, both good and bad, I have to say cattle prices have been rising for probably five years. It is a great time for cow-calf producers. In the past month or so, we saw prices slide quickly, but with cattle numbers low across the country, we saw prices return to a good place. I think the market just needed a reset at every level of the cattle chain.
Other impacts to the market were the news of the slow reopening of the southern border and the JBS packing plant closing in Souderton, Pennsylvania. Many were disappointed with the closing of the JBS packing plant as it was not good news for Region I. Already, I see cows heading further to processing plants as producers find new plants to use. While it’ s unfortunate, I understand many plants need to slow production or close for the companies to stay profitable.
As I travel around the country, I see the East has been blessed with green grass, while our friends in the West are struggling with drought. We pray everyone gets rain, but with that fact in mind, a lot of different industries involved in beef production are looking to make moves east. That’ s why it’ s important to attend events, participate and make our voices heard nationally. Be a leader.
Mark your calendar and attend the Region I meeting on Sept. 15 – 16 in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania. Bring your ideas, questions and insights to this meeting so we can discuss them together. In addition, as producers in the East, we need to take advantage of the fact that our convention will be held in Nashville again. I hope to see all of you at Cattle Con 2027, Feb. 2 – 4, in Nashville!
If I can be of help to you in any way, please don’ t hesitate to reach out to me.
REGION ll
By Joe Hancock
For cattle producers here in the Southeast, the biggest policy victories reduce operating costs, improve risk management, and protect market access. The biggest policy challenges are increasingly centered on profitability rather than production. With many state and federal policies affecting cattle producers, the mainstream thought among producers appears to be more optimistic in the current policy balancing act.
Stronger disaster and drought assistance: This has been especially important for Southeastern producers because forage production is highly vulnerable to drought, hurricanes and excessive rainfall. Recent federal legislation expanded the Livestock Forage Disaster Program( LFP), allowing earlier and larger payments in qualifying drought conditions. For cow-calf operations that depend heavily on pasture, this provides a more meaningful safety net than in previous years.
Conservation programs: Unlike some regions, Southeastern producers often combine cattle with timber, hay, poultry, wildlife habitat and rotational grazing. Programs that help pay for fencing, water systems, prescribed grazing, stream crossings, and pasture improvement have been widely viewed as successful because they improve both productivity and environmental outcomes. Recent legislation also maintained funding for several voluntary conservation programs.
Animal disease preparedness: While animal diseases always create challenges for producers, the Southeast remembers outbreaks like bovine tuberculosis, New World Screwworm, and more recent concerns over foreign animal diseases which rightfully raise concerns. Investments in foot-and-mouth disease preparedness, New World Screwworm prevention, veterinary infrastructure and border biosecurity are widely supported because a serious disease outbreak could shut down cattle movement and exports almost overnight.
REGION lll
By Charlie Besher Summer is here in Region III as I write this article; our temperature is going to be triple digits today. The hot days are taking a definite toll on our forages. Some producers have seen good rainfall throughout the summer, and some have not.
A lot of our region is getting immense pressure from another issue that is devouring our grasslands which is land use conversion. There are many drivers to this conversion, whether it be economics, land ownership, environmental or infrastructure, it is consuming our land at an alarming rate. This is becoming a food safety concern for some organizations, and they have formed working groups to set baselines and measure the rate of conversion.
In Missouri alone from 2024-2025, we went from 26,900,000 acres in agricultural production to 26,600,000 acres. Many of those acres have been converted to a change that will never allow it to be back in agricultural production without immense cost. Our grazing land is proven to provide the best ecosystem services in the world. We must protect the land we use for agriculture and make sure we maintain individuals’ property rights.
Our region is known for our corn, soybean and cotton production but there are many opportunities to drive the cattle industry forward and we must take advantage of these times. Ranchers in this country are the best stewards of the land, as you have seen from the announcement of our Environmental Stewardship Award Program regional winners. Congratulations to all those producers!
REGION lV
By Scott Sullivan NCBA had several victories that protected cattle producers in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas in the past few years. NCBA worked on federal legal challenges to protect producers from having to report livestock emissions under EPCRA and CERCLA. NCBA argued the exemption was necessary because those laws were intended for major chemical spills and industrial contaminants, not biological and naturally occurring emissions from farms and ranches.
NCBA fought against overreach of the EPA on WOTUS to ensure the federal government did not regulate stock ponds, dry ditches, potholes, playa lakes and low spots as if they were major rivers, lakes or oceans. NCBA supports the EPA guidance implementing the Supreme Court’ s“ continuous surface connection” standard which ended years of uncertainty for cattle producers.
Oklahoma had a policy win in the recent legislative session
22 SEPTEMBER 2026 www. NCBA. org