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Karina Jones is a real-life ranch wife in the Nebraska Sandhills, Field Director for R-CalfUSA and one of the most highly sought-after speakers in the cattle industry nationwide!
And now the NEW VOICE of Farm & Ranch Country, Karina Jones –
Hello, everyone, out there in farm and ranch country.
I am coming to today, with news from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) who according to their press release, “published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to adjust membership on the Beef Promotion and Research Board to reflect shifts in cattle inventory levels since the last board reapportionment in 2020, as required by the rules governing the board. Written comments on the proposed rule must be received by June 1, 2023.
Under the proposal, total board membership would decrease by two members, from 101 to 99, and would include the following changes:
- Domestic cattle producer representation on the board would decrease from 94 to 92 members. The remaining 7 members would be importer representation
- The state of Idaho would gain one member.
- The states of Montana, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin would lose one member.
The revised representation would be effective with nominations in 2023 for appointments effective early in 2024.
Additionally, under the proposal, a technical amendment to the Beef Promotion and Research Order (Order) would correct the list of Qualified State Beef Councils by removing the Maryland Beef Industry Council who voted unanimously to dissolve their council on September 14, 2022.
These adjustments are based on requirements of the Order, authorized by the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985. The Order provides for a review of geographic distribution of U.S. cattle inventories and the volume of imported cattle, beef, and beef products at least every three years, but not more than every two years. After the review, board membership must be reapportioned accordingly.
A state or unit must have an inventory of 500,000 head of cattle to be represented on the board and is entitled to an additional member for each additional 1 million head of cattle. In considering reapportionment, the board reviewed cattle inventories and cattle, beef, and beef product import data from 2020 through 2022.”
I anticipate with the deep culling rates in some of our nation’s top cattle states there could be further adjustments to the CBB as the nation’s cowherd is at 60-year inventory low with no signals of herd rebuilding anytime soon. Hypothetically we could see the importers claim more of these board seats in the future.
As I have mentioned before, additional commodity checkoff reforms are being sought in the legislative branch with the introduction of the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act, or the OFF Act, which has been proposed in a bi-cameral, bi-partisan effort at S. 557 and H.R. 1249. Just this week a coalition of 61 nationally diverse commodity and ag groups sent a letter to Congress supporting this bill and urging its inclusion in the upcoming Farm Bill.
That’s all for today folks. I will see you right back here next week as I bring you ag news from our nation’s capital.
Karina ranches with her husband, Marty, and 4 children near Broken Bow, NE. She grew up in western NE, with roots also in southwest SD. The cattle industry and raising kids is her passion.
Tune in Fridays on The Hot Barn Report, where she deep dives into cattle industry issues and highlights industry reforms or listen to Ranch Raised with Karina Jones a slice of daily life on the Jones Ranch.
