Despite the Economy, the discussions, crowd and weather were all good for the NC Convention and Trade Show in Kearney. NC membership conducted the association’s business with over 500 attendees participating.

Officers elected are President Todd Schroeder of Wisner, President-Elect Bill Rishel of North Platte, and Vice President Chuck Folken of Leigh. New NC Board members and leadership include Region 6 Director Rod Krab of Paxton, Region 8 Director Doug Ferguson of Blue Springs, Farmer-Stockman Council Chairman Greg Weidel of Hebron, Farmer-Stockman Council Vice Chairman Doug Parde of Sterling, Feedlot Council Chairman Buck Wehrbein of Mead, Feedlot Council Vice Chairman Ray Carr of Bassett, Seedstock Council Chairman Doug Keiser of Gothenburg, Seedstock Council Vice Chairman Lowell Minert of Dunning, Brand and Property Rights Committee Chairman Art Brownlee of Ashby, Natural Resources and Environment Committee Chairman John Young of Whitman, Taxation Committee Chairman John Greer of Edgar, Marketing and Commerce Committee Vice Chairman Craig Uden of Cozad, and Taxation Committee Vice Chairwoman Robin Coulter Lapaseotes of Bridgeport. Key resolutions and policy statements adopted by members Dec. 12 during the Annual Business Meeting include: Ethanol Markets and Mandates. The most noted resolution discussed by Tax Committee attendees was ethanol and government mandates. The discussion was aided by opinions on both sides of the issue. Past Presidents Dave Burkholder of Cozad and Jay Wolf of Albion defended the belief that government mandates and subsidies have put beef producers at a competitive disadvantage in purchasing corn.

Ethanol interests at the Tax Committee meeting were brought forward by Duane Kristensen, NC cow-calf member and long time plant manager of the Chief ethanol plant located in Hastings. Also adding to the spirited and well informed debate were NC cow/calf member and Nebraska Ethanol Board chairman Jim Jenkins of Callaway, NC Associate members Todd Sneller and Don Hutchens. Sneller is the administrator the Nebraska Ethanol Board. Hutchens is the Executive Director of the Nebraska Corn Board.

After much debate, a new resolution was approved by the attendees. Debate continued after the committee activities concluded and a new resolution was brought forward at the annual business meeting in the true air of understanding and compromise.

NC modified its position on ethanol, noting the following three points. First, NC supports the domestic ethanol industry based on its importance to our nation’s security, energy policy, agricultural industries, and rural communities. Second, NC believes competitive markets are the most efficient way to allocate resources between the livestock industry, ethanol industry, export markets and other corn users. Third, the current import tariffs and blenders credit, which helped develop the ethanol industry and serve to protect it from unfair foreign competition, are scheduled to sunset in December 2009 and December 2010, respectively. Therefore, NC seeks transition of the ethanol blenders credit and import tariffs to a counter cyclical payment system that will serve as a safety net in times of severe economic challenges to the ethanol industry. In addition, NC is opposed to any additional increases to existing federal or state mandates for ethanol usage. Further, NC opposes government incentives including subsidies for cellulosic ethanol production from corn ethanol co-products. BQA Feedyard Assessment. Because animal stewardship issues affect the health of Nebraska’s cattle herds and the quality of the beef produced in Nebraska and customers want assessment of animal stewardship in animal feeding operations, Nebraska Cattlemen supports the Beef Quality Assurance Feedyard Assessment created by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. In addition, NC will work to incorporate the BQA Feedyard Assessment into the Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance Program. CME Feeder Cattle Index. There are four primary reasons NC wants to change the Feeder Cattle Index. First, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Feeder Cattle contract’s primary purpose is to serve as a viable risk management mechanism for producers. Second, the contract is meant to represent steer cattle that are destined to be placed directly into feedyards to be finished to harvest weight. Third, the current environment of record grain prices will dictate that cattle remain on forage or roughage based diets for as long as possible before placement into feedyards to be fed to harvest weight. Fourth, the current cash index parameters for the CME Feeder Cattle contract tend to include many cattle that are destined to go back to grass or into backgrounding facilities while excluding many cattle that are being placed directly into feedyards. So, Nebraska Cattlemen is calling for the removal of 650-699-pound steer cattle from the calculation of the CME Feeder Cattle Index. In addition, NC supports the inclusion of 850-899-pound steer cattle in the calculation of the CME Feeder Cattle index. Health Insurance Costs. Another key resolution brought to the Tax Committee addressed rising costs health insurance costs for school districts. Kevin Cooksley, cow/calf producer from Berwyn, brought forth a resolution, amended and approved at the business meeting that supports efforts to lower health insurance costs through state/local cost-share programs, de-coupling teacher’s health insurance from local negotiated agreements, moving teachers’ health insurance program to the state employee health insurance pool or other efforts resulting in both cost-savings on premiums and local property tax relief. Greenhouse Gases. Because Nebraska cattlemen are committed to being ardent stewards of all natural resources, specifically the land, water and air; and because concern over greenhouse gases is leading to probable legislation and regulation; and because nitrous oxide and methane are considered powerful greenhouse gases and are produced by many biological systems, Nebraska Cattlemen will work with law makers and regulatory agencies to ensure animal agriculture is recognized as part of the solution to problems associated with greenhouse gas emissions. Applied Research. Nebraska Cattlemen believes in the importance of applied research to our industry and supports a balanced approach between basic and applied research at University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Also, Nebraska Cattlemen believes the State of Nebraska will continue to need a University of Nebraska-Lincoln Veterinary Diagnostic Center and supports the study of the future viability and funding of the Center.