BUNKHOUSE RELATIONSHIPS DO MATTER by CCA Vice President of Government Relations Justin Oldfield The news that California’s largest beef packer will permanently close its doors later this month comes with both frustration and despair for many livestock producers in California’s Imperial Valley. Many know the details of the announcement released by National Beef in January, however most do not the details of what occurred immediately following this unfortunate news. Impending crises and challenges tend to bring people together and not drive them apart. That is exactly what happened in Imperial County following the announcement that National Beef processing plant in Brawley would be closing this spring. It is altogether very easy to focus on the negative circumstances surrounding the situation in the Imperial Valley however some light should be shed on the actions taken by beef producers, local community leaders, state legislators and others who worked tirelessly to avoid the plant’s shut down. Although the National Beef plant is poised to shutdown permanently, these individuals are working to foster new opportunities for Imperial Valley beef producers. These efforts will help fill the gap that will be left with the plant’s closure in order to offset the need for a local beef packing plant to serve local cattle feeders, their employees and all those in the community that depend on the beef industry as the basis for their livelihood. CCA and cattle feeders in the Imperial Valley greatly appreciated the efforts by Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego), Assemblymember Manuel Perez (D-Coachella), members of the Imperial County Board of Supervisors and local regulatory agencies who worked to immediately address the challenges faced by National Beef with potential solutions. This collaboration would not have been possible without the previous close working relationship established between beef producers in Imperial County and their local policy makers. Specifically, CCA has made it a priority to establish close relationships with both Hueso and Perez. Their quick response and willingness to engage came immediately because both members, through work done by CCA and most importantly local cattle feeders, have a true understanding of the importance of the beef industry to their district. We also must not forget those cattle feeders that took it upon themselves to rally others in the industry to present one united voice to articulate the importance of National Beef to their businesses and provide a suite of solutions to put on the table for consideration. The timely support provided by
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local policy makers and the ability to band together as a group are the result of work already done in the community to build support for the industry prior to a negative situation occurring. While there is no timing that is preferable for unfortunate news to JUSTIN OLDFIELD impact California’s beef industry, if there is a silver lining to this situation is that it comes at a time of year when feedyard owners and operators from California and Arizona join together for the annual California/Arizona Feeder Meeting. This year’s meeting, set to begin a day after the Brawley plant closure, will provide a venue for California feeders to show support for one another and work on solutions to problems that will allow their family operations to persevere for future generations. The meeting also provides a chance to hear from speakers about the opportunities within the beef industry, of which there are many. For more information on this year’s feeder meeting, see page 30 of this issue. While a final solution to the dilemma poised by the plant’s closure has not been found, ongoing efforts remain at all levels to protect the viability of the beef industry in Imperial County. Ranchers and beef producers in other parts of the state should look to the actions taken by those in the Imperial Valley as a positive lesson and recognize that building support during the good times will help provide the necessary support to overcome the bad times. This support can be achieved by producers willing to get involved in CCA, Cattle-PAC, your local cattlemen’s association and just generally working to proactively tell your story and the importance of protecting all segments of California’s cattle industry. The beef production community is sure to face many challenges in the future and California’s beef industry deserves a fighting chance to preserve our way of life for the next generation. Relationships matter now and they will also matter in the future so don’t wait to get involved – take part now.