PRESIDENT’S THOUGHTS CHRIS COOPER Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association President Well, I hope everyone is ready for June because it is here already! May was a busy month with several Beef Month activities going on locally and around the state. On May 10th, I, along with KBC Chair Joe Lowe, KCA’s Nikki Whitaker and KBC’s Katelyn Hawkins, traveled to Frankfort to meet with the Governor to witness his signing of the May Beef Month Proclamation in the Capitol Rotunda. I was pleasantly surprised by the reception we received and the Governor’s knowledge and support of BEEF! We presented him with a very nice platter of Beef cuts as KCA/KBC has done with the past Governors over the last 22 years. He was eager to show his support of Beef and the Beef industry unlike the Governor of Colorado who wants to eliminate Beef. I am glad that we do not have to fight that battle in KY! We appreciate the Governor’s support of Beef in KY. Immediately following the Capitol event, we travelled to the KY Department of Ag to meet with Commissioner Ryan Quarles who welcomed us with a very nice lunch, Beef of course! Commissioner Quarles shared with us a Beef Brisket that he personally prepared and served for our visit. There were also those great KY Cattlemen’s Ground Beef burgers served. We also witnessed Commissioner Quarles signing his own May Beef Month Proclamation and presented him a very nice platter of Beef cuts. We certainly appreciate the support of Beef by our Commissioner and everything he does to promote Beef in KY. I also want to thank the KBC (KY Beef Council) team for making this event a huge success. Nathan, Katelyn, Alison and Niki do an AWESOME job of making sure that your Beef Promotion dollars are used very wisely and efficiently to promote Beef and educate the con-
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sumers about Beef. You know that May is not the only month to celebrate BEEF – there are 11 other months to celebrate and promote beef and that’s exactly what our folks at KBC do every day for us producers. Our Beef Promotion dollars is a small investment on our part to enjoy the huge return we get from KBC to increase the demand for Beef through promotion, research and education and to protect our Beef industry. I would hate to think what our beef industry would look like if we did not have the Beef Promotion dollars to help us put Beef on the menu in this day and time when so many folks are wanting to eliminate beef production. KBC stays on top of all the opponents and threats to our beef industry to tell the real truth about Beef. Just like so much of the media you hear today is filled with opinions and agendas rather than the real truth – KBC is there fighting for us and our Beef industry everyday while we are on the farm doing what we do best and that is raising and caring for our beef cattle. So the next time you sell cattle and the Beef Promotion is deducted from your cattle check just remember that you are investing in the protection and promotion of YOUR Beef industry today and for the future.
our bodies in good condition to glorify Him and that’s the truth! If you see or hear any false information about beef, please contact your staff at KCA and KBC to alert them so that they can be better informed on defending the truth about beef.
is working around the clock to protect this tax law from being changed. But we can do our part as well by contacting our Congressmen and Senators to support the continued elimination of the Death Tax and to keep the Stepped up Tax Basis for inherited property.
Secondly, the tax laws are being reviewed and one major target is the Death Tax and the Stepped up Tax Basis for inherited property. Folks, I don’t need to remind you that we spend a lifetime investing in our farms and for the government to take that investment away from us and our kids is just wrong. We have to protect our KY Farms from “being taxed to death” so that our kids can continue to farm them. I know that the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA)
Well as I close let me leave you with this hope as we face the challenges of tomorrow: Be careful for nothing (don’t be anxious or worry), but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
As my thoughts are geared towards the promotion and protection of our Beef industry today and for the future, there are some things that definitely need to be on your radar. First of all the political climate is rapidly becoming a “Beef unfriendly atmosphere”, pardon the pun. A lot of false information is being pumped into the media outlets that makes beef appear to be the monster of the universe. I would remind you and the world that God created cattle for us to take care of and for our consumption. God knew that beef is needed for a balanced diet to keep
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