In Our latest Beef Buzz, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays features comments from NCBA Past President Kevin Kester who stood right behind President Donald Trump this past Friday as the President was pushing hard for the Senate to step up and pass the One Big Beautiful Bill that has already cleared the House. (UPDATE- the Senate has voted 51 -49 to debate the OBBB, with a final vote possible on Monday)
Kester called that moment on Friday “almost Deja Vu” as he recalls being in a similar spot in 2017 during the first Trump Administration when the President was pushing for passage of what has become known as the Trump Tax Cuts.
Kester calls the OBBB a better version of the Trump Tax Cuts- especially when it comes to the so called Death Tax. Congress is proposing a fifteen million dollar exemption for an individual and a thirty million dollar exemption for a couple- made permanent and to be indexed for inflation.
Kester also praises Congress for improvements in Section 179 Expense Deductions which he calls “a big deal for us” and this measure keeps the bonus depreciation intact which is also a big deal. All of these could expire at the end of calendar year 2025 unless Congress completes work on this reconciliation bill.
Kevin Kester attended due to his personal experience with the Death Tax as a representative for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
“It was an incredible honor to stand with President Trump and echo his message that America’s family farmers and ranchers need tax relief now,” said Kester. “When I was hit with the Death Tax 30 years ago, I couldn’t hire new employees, invest in equipment, or make improvements to the ranch. My family and I had to stretch every dollar and sacrifice basic purchases so that we could pay off that tax bill. To protect our food security and national security, we need to make sure no other farming family experiences that same burden, which is why Congress must pass the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ and deliver lasting tax relief.”
Kester raises cattle with his wife, children, and grandchildren. His grandchildren are the 7th generation of his family involved in agriculture. Over 30 years ago, he inherited the ranch from his grandfather and faced a $2 million Death Tax from the IRS. Today, land values near the Kester ranch have soared as billionaires and non-ag companies buy up thousands of acres, driving up costs for working farmers while removing productive land from agriculture—a double hit to those hardworking Americans producing our nation’s food. These are not just challenges for the Kester family, they’re a growing threat to farmers and ranchers across the country.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Ag Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
