This week in our nation’s capitol there a lot of important issues like tax reform, endangered species act reform and the Water of the U.S. being discussed. And even though markets are important, most ranchers would agree it’s federal regulation that threatens their livelihoods.
“We all back at home know how we want to manage our farms and ranches. We just want the government to get out of our way,” says Dan McCarty NCBA LMC and Affiliate Outreach Director. “That’s why we’re back here. So, we can manage our resources the way we see fit. And that we can market our calves and our grains the way see fit.”
With shipping season underway back home, another important policy issue the NCBA is working on involves new federal regulations for those who transport livestock to and from market.
So, the electronic logging devices go into effect on December 18th of this year. We have a greater realization that as these new regulations come into place we have a greater need for flexibility for those who haul live animals versus those who don’t,” says NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs Allison Cooke.
For organizations like the NCBA, their policy set at the grassroots level by ranchers like those in Montana.
“If you don’t like the way things are you need to be involved with some sort of change and the way to do that is thru a collective voice of the industry. And the way to do that is thru the policy process,” says McCarty.
When it comes to key legislative priorities for the U.S. beef cattle industry, the work never stops back here on capitol hill. And with the help from groups like the NCBA, some good progress is being made.
Learn more at www.beefusa.org.
Source: Northern Ag Network
