ISSUES AND POLICY
INDUSTRY PARTNER NEWS Looking Back I
T IS A GOOD THING TO LOOK BACK OVER THE YEAR AND KNOW THAT YOUR OPERATION is in a better place than when the year began. With the conclusion of
my term as president of National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) in February, I feel the same way about the national association and the beef industry as a whole. It has taken a lot of hard work, but I truly believe we are better off
today than when I took over as president of NCBA, thanks in large part to the efforts of our volunteer leadership, state partners, staff, and the collaboration from across the beef industry. Regardless of how far we may have come over the past year, there is
Bob McCan, immediate past president, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
always work left to do in the cattle business and as I leave offi ce, it is clear that we still have much to do to resolve our checkoff enhancement needs, fi x country-of-origin labeling, protect our members from regula- tory overreach and ensure that the next generation has an opportunity to take over and thrive. However, that work is ongoing and NCBA is up to the task of delivering results in each of those areas of focus and more. During the past year, it has been my honor to represent the beef in-
dustry’s interests on those topics and others, and we’ve had a great deal of success; making progress in our efforts to move the Trans-Pacifi c Part- nership forward, improving our relationship with the Offi ce of the U.S. Trade Representative and strengthening our voice on Capitol Hill, where we continue to work on behalf of this great industry with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. It was this work by the NCBA team in Washington, D.C. that delivered
perhaps our biggest victory of 2014, in the form of an omnibus appropria- tions bill that addressed several of our industry’s most pressing priorities. None of these victories is possible without the support of our members.
That is one of several lessons I have learned during my time in leadership posts at both Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) and NCBA. During my tenure as a volunteer leader, I have had the oppor- tunity to work with some truly great men and women who have shaped the beef industry for the better, and I have learned many things that have helped shape my operation at home and my approach as an offi cer at the state and national levels. I am very thankful that I have been able to give something back to this great industry as NCBA president. Having seen it fi rst-hand, I can tell you that NCBA is uniquely qualifi ed
to address the changing needs of the beef industry and ensure that we are protected from government overreach, while protecting our freedom to operate and pass our ranches on to future generations. But that success is not possible without a strong partnership with state
associations and the support of our grassroots members. It is the inter- woven fabric of our membership base that makes us strong and helps us secure the future for our members and for our industry, and it is one of the things that makes me proud to be a member of the beef industry, TSCRA and NCBA. It has been an honor to represent your interests at both the state and the national levels and I thank you for those opportunities.
112 The Cattleman March 2015
thecattlemanmagazine.com
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