IBA Elects Leadership and Announces Award Winners at Summer Conference

In the Know

IBA Elects Leadership and Announces Award Winners at Summer Conference

The Illinois Beef Association (IBA) hosted their Summer Conference and Annual Meeting on June 8-9 in East Peoria, Ill. IBA members and stakeholders met to elect leadership, discuss industry issues, network with others in the industry, and honor award recipients. Dr. Paul Walker of Danvers was elected IBA president and Dave Duzan of Lexington was elected IBA vice president. Wes Hornback of Monticello and Cody Lowderman of Macomb were elected to serve as At-Large Policy Division directors. Kevin Rose of Salem was elected to serve as the Policy Division District 3 director representing Monroe, St Clair, Clinton, Marion, Wayne, Edwards, Wabash, Randolph, Washington, Perry, Jefferson, Franklin, Hamilton, White, Jackson, Williamson, Saline, Gallatin, Union, Johnson, Pope, Hardin, Alexander, Pulaski and Massac counties. Jamie Martz of Maple Park was elected to serve as the Checkoff Division District 3 director representing Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Lake, DeKalb, Kane, DuPage, Cook, LaSalle, Kendall, Will, Grundy, Kankakee Livingston, Ford and Iriquois counties. “It is truly a humbling experience to serve as the next President of the Illinois Beef Association, especially considering the leadership stature of those who have served before me,” Walker said. “I look forward to representing IBA’s membership and the beef producers of Illinois regarding the many contentious issues facing our great industry. IBA’s primary purpose is to create and maintain an environment that allows Illinois producers to do what they do best – raise high quality cattle and produce great tasting beef in a sustainable way.” Award winners were also honored during IBA Summer Conference and Annual Meeting. These honorees were nominated and selected by a committee of their peers based on the individual or farm’s adoption of progressive management, marketing, or animal and environmental care methods. Their contributions to Illinois’ beef industry through involvement and service to industry organizations and are a clear and unique example of role models in the cattle industry for others to follow. The award winners are: • The Frost family of Tallula was recognized as the Farm Family of the Year • Lorenzen Farms of Chrisman was recognized as the Seedstock Breeder of the Year • O’Hern Stock Farm of Vermont was recognized as the Commercial Producer of the Year • Wildberry Farms of Hanover was recognized as the Environmental Steward of the Year • Grace Arnold of Clinton was recognized as the Outstanding Junior of the Year

Merck Animal Health’s “Cartridges For Cash” Program Funds Illinois Beef Foundation

Sara Benson with Merck Animal Health presented a check to IBA leaders at IBA Summer Conference for $5,932 to help fund the Illinois Beef Foundation’s youth scholarship program. The program is currently ongoing and cattle producers across the state have a chance to support the Illinois Beef Foundation by returning Revalor-XS and Ralgro cartridges to their veterinarian.

Cattle Market Legislation Introduced in Congress

Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-MO-4) has introduced the Optimizing the Cattle Market Act of 2021 in the U.S. House. The legislation builds on a growing consensus among cattle producers, industry leaders, and Members of Congress that the current market dynamics — which stunt producer profitability and put undue market leverage on the side of meatpackers — are not sustainable for the beef supply chain. If enacted, the bill would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to create a cattle formula contracts library and increase the reporting window for “cattle committed” from seven to 14 days. These measures would increase transparency in the industry and improve the opportunity for robust price discovery. Rep. Hartzler’s legislation also reiterates the need for expedited reauthorization of USDA’s Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) program. The bill would also require USDA, in consultation with the Chief Economist, to establish mandated minimums for regional negotiated cash and negotiated grid live cattle trade. Minimums would be set within two years of passage of the bill and would invite stakeholder input through a public comment period and the consideration of key, peerreviewed research from land grant universities.

U.S. Senate Agriculture Leaders Hold Public Review on Cattle Markets

The United States Senate Agriculture Committee held a public meeting about cattle marketing on June 23, in Washington D.C. The hearing titled, “Examining Markets, Transparency, and Prices from Cattle Producer to Consumer” addressed a wide range of issues, including the urgent need for robust price discovery and differing industry views on how to achieve it, greater market transparency and oversight, and expanded beef processing capacity. “As we stated in our written testimony today, the wide-ranging market challenges our producers are facing cannot be remedied with a single solution overnight,” said NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane. “We must address the issues preventing our members from securing their share of the beef dollar, but we must do so in a way that respects the voices of all cattle producers, regardless of how they choose to market their cattle. We thank Mr. Gardiner for his insights, and we thank Chairwoman Stabenow, Ranking Member Boozman, and other Senators on the committee for the investment they have demonstrated in the issues facing America’s cattle producers. We appreciate the care taken by both the majority and minority to consult and select a witness panel that can speak to the current market dynamics from multiple angles.” The hearing last month comes on the heels of growing conversation about cattle markets both in Congress and across the country. In June, NCBA led a letter with the support of Illinois Beef Association and 36 other affiliate state cattle organizations urging the leadership of the U.S. Senate and House Agriculture Committees to address critical areas of concern in the cattle and beef industry. Multiple lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have written the U.S. Department of Justice calling for the swift conclusion of their investigation into whether anticompetitive practices have taken place in the meatpacking sector.

USDA Announced New Funds for Small, Independent Beef Processors

Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the creation of two new, competitive grant funding opportunities for small, regional, and independent meat processors using funds the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) worked to secure at the end of last year. After fighting hard for several key priorities for cattle producers in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, NCBA praised USDA for putting $55.2 million of those funds toward the critical need for greater beef processing capacity. The competitive grant funding will be available through the new Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant (MPIRG) program. The funds will support small beef processing facilities making the improvements necessary to achieve a Federal Grant of Inspection, or to operate under their state’s Cooperative Interstate Shipment program. Applications for funding must be submitted online at www.grants.gov by Monday, Aug. 2.