Welcome to a SPECIAL Monday edition of the HOT BARN REPORT
Heard ONLY on American radio stations across the nation and online at hotbarnreport.com!
Karina Jones, Field Director for R-Calf USA joins us from her ranch in the heart of Nebraska covering what’s new and important to the family farm and ranch.
Welcome to a Monday morning edition of Hot Barn Report. I coming to you today with a lot to report about last week.
There was a House Ag Committee hearing last week about the state of the Livestock Industry. Only the DC regular lobbying organizations were asked to represent the pork, sheep and cattle industry. A representative from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association who testified was quoted as saying, “NCBA opposes government mandates in the cattle market at this time. Our industry led effort to achieve price discovery must be allowed the opportunity to succeed or fail before our membership decides to seek a legislative or regulatory solution. Simply put, the midst of an ongoing market crisis is never a good time to make long-term, market altering statutory changes.” Unquote. Wow. So while that was happening in DC last week. Let me tell you a little bit about my week.
I had a busy week traveling last week as my girls were showing cattle and participating at Western Junior Livestock Show in Rapid City. Then I headed to the South Dakota Women in Ag conference where I was asked to be on a cattle industry panel.
I got to witness a couple hundred young kids who want to be the future of our cattle industry. The pride beams from their little faces as the lead their projects around and as a momma I could read the big dreams they have behind those eyes. They want to be the next chapter of cattle producers in our story. Then at Women in Ag I got to listen and have some tough conversations with women who shared my real and raw view that right now is really tough and the future of our industry is truly in jeopardy.
So I pose the question to NCBA, if during the midst of the market crisis isn’t the time to make changes, then when is? When we are all out of business? Do we make changes after the next generation never has a chance to enter the industry? The conversations with those women in SD are still fresh in my mind and on my heart. This generation is working for a break even right now, in a good year. The next generation doesn’t even have a chance to enter let alone be able to raise a family. Yet, NCBA says just leave the market alone. Let it swallow us all.
That capitol switchboard number is 202-224-3121. Call your senators and let no one speak for you or the future of your operation any longer! Senator Grassley was the only one who firmly stood for the independent cattle industry during that hearing last week. Let’s all get behind S.949, the 50/14 Spot Market Bill and The American Beef Labeling Act, S. 2716. We are all going to have to lobby for ourselves because that are having the rooftops BBQs in DC don’t seem to represent the cattle producers like you and I!
A busy fall run week at the best barns in the nation that power this program! Make ‘em bid this week at Presho Livestock, North Platte Stockyards, Lemmon Livestock, Bassett Livestock Auction, Crawford Livestock Market, Mobridge Livestock, Platte Livestock Market, and Stockman’s Livestock.
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Lemmon Livestock, INC.
Presho Livestock Auction
Mobridge Livestock
Platte Livestock Market
Stockmen’s Livestock
Lamoni Livestock Auction
Crawford Livestock Market
North Platte Stockyards
Bassett Livestock Auction
