NC in Action! > Nebraska Cattlemen > Nebraska Cattlemen Magazine

The calendar may say spring, but with early magazine production deadlines, this feature is still reporting winter activities. And for NC leaders and staff, winter means legislative lobbying and local affiliate meetings.

Executive VP Michael Kelsey is one of NC’s two registered lobbyists. He says that in January he met with state senators on livestock waste management, eminent domain, UNL funding, state brand laws, state highway right-of-way hay harvesting, property tax relief, school levy limits, community college levy limits, NRD levy limits, ag land valuation rates, sales tax relief on certain agriculture items (ear tags, personal property, etc.), teacher salaries, road maintenance, regulating exotic animal sales and swap meets, updating Nebraska’s fence viewer laws, animal damage control, including prairie dogs, starlings and coyotes, Nebraska’s Noxious Weed Control Act, restructuring the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund board, local and state road funding and maintenance, mandatory price reporting, Nebraska’s Noxious Weed Control Act, clean air regulations, school funding, livestock modification incentives and animal ID.

Below is a sample of other NC staff and leadership activities conducted on members’ behalf:

Staff met with all five of Nebraska’s congressional offices to discuss CAFO regulations, Endangered Species Act reform, mandatory price reporting and beef trade with Japan. They also met with Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley and Virginia Rep. Bob Goodlatte’s staff to encourage passage of mandatory price reporting.

Separately, the staff says they communicated with Nebraska’s congressmen on issues including mandatory price reporting, livestock manure classified as a hazardous waste under Superfund, CAFO regulations, tax relief, federal appropriations, the 2007 Farm Bill, conservation programs and beef trade with Japan and Korea.

Staff represented NC at the Lincoln Agribusiness Club.

Staff represented NC at the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Symposium for Foreign Affairs.

NC Member Services staff set up a conference call with Lincoln and the 48 local cattlemen’s affiliates across the state to provide a statewide update on NC’s activities.

NC worked to set up a series of QSA meetings across the state, as well as a series of low-stress, cattle-handling seminars.

Staff gave a presentation to UNL faculty and students about NC governance and current issues.

Communications staff sent out at least six press releases and five pre-packaged radio interviews.

Staff and leadership met with at least seven candidates for political office to inform them about NC’s priorities.

EVP Kelsey alone conducted about a dozen media interviews involving animal ID, beef trade with

Japan

, mandatory price reporting and the Endangered Species Act. President Pete McClymont says he did nearly a dozen media interviews on Jan. 20, when Japan halted U.S. beef imports.

Staff and leadership went to Boone-Nance to discuss environmental issues with four producers.

Field staff helped the Platte Valley, Boone-Nance, Cuming County, Elkhorn Valley, Cedar County and Boyd-Holt affiliates find speakers and plan their banquets and annual membership meetings.

Staff and leadership met with the governor’s office to discuss several issues, including livestock waste, property tax relief, beef trade and the 2007 Farm Bill.

NC field staff helped serve beef during the social held after the Feedlot Roundtable at Columbus.

Staff manned an NC booth at the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic in mid-February.

A strong delegation of NC staff and officers attended the Saunders County Banquet.

Staff and leadership met with NDA director Greg Ibach and NDA promotion director Stan Garbacz to discuss trade possibilities for Nebraska’s beef industry.

Staff and leadership held a very successful NC Legislative Dinner in January, with attendance by more than 30 of the 49 state senators. Reports said it was the first time that both the governor and the lieutenant governor attended this annual “senator appreciation” banquet. Most of the NC Board of Directors were there, giving them a chance to meet the legislators.

A delegation of staff and leadership carried policies from NC’s December convention to Denver for consideration nationally by NCBA’s convention.

Communications staff provided state NET radio with an update on our environmental task force efforts.

NC leadership conducted a conference call with UNL vice chancellor John Owens to discuss budget cuts at the university and how NC can help the college of agriculture. Separately, leadership also met with University of Nebraska President J.B. Milliken on the sidelines of the Legislature to discuss agricultural budget concerns. NC also met with other industry groups to examine a private fundraising campaign for UNL.

Staff and leadership attended the Southwest and Central affiliate meetings, as well as Furnas and Harlan county meetings.

Comments

By J.P. Rhea @ Saturday, April 29, 2006 12:51 PM

Nice job! Keep up the great work.

By Jed @ Thursday, May 04, 2006 7:33 AM

This is the best I've read in some time.

By Jed @ Thursday, May 04, 2006 9:21 AM

I read it again it's so good.

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