Beef Buzz News
New Year, New Challenges, New Policy Decisions to Make- Cattle Industry Gears Up for a Busy 2019
Thu, 03 Jan 2019 10:42:28 CST
Last year in 2018, the cattle industry here in Oklahoma was faced with several policy issues to consider. Members of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association were obliged during their winter policy meeting, to choose the direction they as a collective group would take on these issues. One item that most members say they were quite surprised to have seen come up was the legalization of industrial hemp production here in the state. That was also legalized on a federal level with the 2018 Farm Bill dropping hemp as a controlled substance. According to Michael Kelsey, executive vice president of the OCA, the members of the organization initially seemed to lean towards opposing the measure to legalize the crop - but in the end, they cast their vote to support passage of the measure. And so, it did this past April with the first legal hemp crop produced under the new law in 2018 as well. In a recent interview with Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays, Kelsey explained some of the forage and research opportunities the new crop presents.
"I don't know that there will be a rush, but I think there are some folks who want to kind of experiment with that feed component, which is why we were heavily involved in that discussion," he said. "It's not going to be an overnight issue - we're going to have to figure out its nutrition value, how to present it to cattle, etc. So, there's going to be some opportunities for research. And who knows, there may be some other opportunities for some alternative crops in the future that we might look at and this has got the ball rolling if you will."
Kelsey says 2019 will be no exception when it comes to the amount of work to be done on making policy decisions. Several issues have already starting to become quite obvious as main points of discussion within the cattle industry. For instance, the issue of animal identification and disease traceability have dominated conversations leading up to the new year and is likely to be a hot topic at the upcoming Cattle Industry Convention happening at the end of this month in New Orleans. In addition to that, Kelsey says work will continue to restructure the Waters of the US rule and to keep lab grown protein from imitating beef products in the marketplace.
"Whether it be first and foremost from a disease traceability or security standpoint, we need to make sure we can continue to trade and continue to operate. And there is a marketing component in terms of international exports and those types of things," Kelsey said in reference to animal ID and traceability, before remarking on other issues. "We're also going to have to watch and work very hard with USDA and FDA regarding these new protein products that are coming along - making sure that the consumer understands that those products are distinguished from beef as it is.
"We'll also continue to work with NCBA on (the new WOTUS rule). What we've seen so far is so much better than what we've seen originally. The biggest problem we had with the original WOTUS - it was too much of a private property grab in our opinion. So, to see this new structuring that's way more along the lines of common sense and recognizing private property ownership is really a breath of fresh air and we look forward to continuing to move that forward positively into 2019."
Listen to OCA's Michael Kelsey and Ron Hays discuss the many issues on tap for the new year, on today's Beef Buzz.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
Listen to OCA's Michael Kelsey and Ron Hays discuss the many issues on tap for the new year ahead
right-click to download mp3
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
Beef News
January Cattle on Feed Report Three Percent Under Year Ago- Derrell Peel Says Tighter Supplies Will Be Around for Awhile Mon, 23 Jan 2023 05:15:04 CST
Derrell Peel Talks Latest Cattle on Feed Report- Showing Fewer Cattle on Feed, Lighter Placements and Stronger Marketings. Mon, 26 Dec 2022 08:19:00 CST
Kara Lee with Certified Angus Beef Tells Cattlemen 'Cut the Bull' Fri, 23 Dec 2022 14:30:39 CST
Beef Checkoff Utilizes Digital Marketing Techniques to Interact with Consumers Thu, 22 Dec 2022 16:02:51 CST
Beef Checkoff Research, Education, and Promotion Efforts Point Consumers to Beef Wed, 21 Dec 2022 16:15:46 CST
OSU Economist Derrell Peel Expects US Beef Export Strength to Continue Into the New Year Tue, 20 Dec 2022 08:00:35 CST
NPPC's Michael Formica Feeling Positive About Supreme Courts Upcoming Proposition 12 Decision Mon, 05 Dec 2022 10:08:27 CST
NCBA Fights to Improve Marketing Options for Cattle Producers Fri, 02 Dec 2022 09:58:28 CST
Chinese Consumers Continue to Grow Appetite for U.S. Beef Thu, 01 Dec 2022 09:23:49 CST
Merck Creates Value for Producers and Consumers with Technology and Biopharmaceuticals Wed, 30 Nov 2022 09:55:28 CST
NCBA’s Todd Wilkinson Ready to Fight Back Against Regulatory Overreach in the Cattle Industry Tue, 29 Nov 2022 10:13:33 CST
NCBA and PLC Call ESA Listing Plan of Lesser Prairie Chicken Punitive for Cattle Producers in Southern Plains Wed, 23 Nov 2022 14:51:02 CST
November Cattle on Feed Report Confirms October Pattern of Lower Placements and Tighter Cattle Numbers in Feedlots Tue, 22 Nov 2022 05:07:02 CST
Turning the Corner- OSU's Derrell Peel Sees Tighter Cattle Inventories into 2023 in Latest Cattle on Feed Report Mon, 21 Nov 2022 04:36:33 CST
Turning the Corner- OSU's Derrell Peel Sees Tighter Cattle Inventories into 2023 in Latest Cattle on Feed Report Mon, 21 Nov 2022 04:27:40 CST
Midterm Elections to Set Stage for What Can Be Expected in 2023 Farm Bill Mon, 07 Nov 2022 12:13:57 CST
USMEF's Dan Halstrom Remains Cautiously Optimistic about Strong Beef Demand Going Forward Thu, 03 Nov 2022 09:35:46 CDT
Economic Factors Create Hesitancy in Beef Plant Expansion Plans Wed, 02 Nov 2022 11:03:34 CDT
NCBA's Mike Simone Says Consumer Interest in Fake Meat is on the Decline Tue, 01 Nov 2022 11:41:02 CDT
Beef Remains Valued Product for Consumers as it Allows Them to Stretch their Dollar Mon, 31 Oct 2022 09:15:56 CDT
Hugh Aljoe Provides Methods to Begin and Maintain Good Land Stewardship Fri, 28 Oct 2022 09:30:13 CDT
Implement Soil Health Practices Now to Increase Forage Production when Rains Come Thu, 27 Oct 2022 15:14:07 CDT
Third Beef. It's What's For Dinner. 300 Promotes the Beef Industry on a National Level Wed, 26 Oct 2022 15:32:23 CDT
Latest Cattle on Feed Report from USDA Implies Fewer Pounds of Beef Available in 2023 Tue, 25 Oct 2022 10:17:53 CDT
OSU's Derrell Peel- Lower Placements and Smaller On Feed Number Highlight October Cattle on Feed Report Sun, 23 Oct 2022 12:45:37 CDT
Beef Checkoff Research Continues to Share Beef Sustainability Story with Consumers Fri, 21 Oct 2022 09:23:36 CDT
Beef Checkoff Research Works to Ensure Consumers Beef is a Product They Can Trust Thu, 20 Oct 2022 13:44:44 CDT
Odds for Significant Wheat Pasture Going Lower Daily in the Southern Plains Wed, 19 Oct 2022 14:35:46 CDT
NCBA Weighs in on California's Proposition 12 Tue, 18 Oct 2022 11:32:24 CDT
2022 Stockyards Steak Out Takes Oklahoma Beef to the Next Level Mon, 17 Oct 2022 11:09:07 CDT
Holding Onto Your Cow Herd a Little Longer is Projected to Pay Off, says Randy Blach Fri, 14 Oct 2022 08:14:05 CDT
Randy Blach Confident in Better Cattle Market Conditions Down the Road Thu, 13 Oct 2022 09:43:02 CDT
No Imports or Exports Would Result in a Smaller U.S. Beef Cattle Industry Wed, 12 Oct 2022 16:11:15 CDT
Derrell Peel Explains Why International Trade of Beef is Valuable Tue, 11 Oct 2022 08:19:29 CDT
Animal Agriculture Hopeful for a Win as U.S. Supreme Court Looks at California's Proposition 12 Mon, 10 Oct 2022 09:26:17 CDT
