After a water-issues presentation from Stan Stabb and Rick Wozniak of the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District, the board heard updates from members and staff:

• Member Services director Melody Benjamin reported that Rishel Angus and Summitcrest Angus have bought a one-year membership to NC and NCBA for all of their recent bull buyers.

Benjamin also distributed copies of NCBA’s Long-Range Plan to NC’s regional directors.

• Executive vice president Michael Kelsey reported that NC’s BEEFTrax contract with AgInfoLink is set to expire in May. The association is currently working on a new three-year contract, with key changes. The new proposal does not commit NC to AgInfoLink exclusively, enabling NC to establish similar affinity programs with other companies.

• Kelsey provided a staff update. Cody Weitzenkamp has been in a newly created position for four months and is progressing well with his combined BQA/MRS responsibilities.

Meanwhile, there has been a change in Membership Services staff and areas of responsibility. In an effort to provide better service to local affiliates (and with unanimous approval from the Executive & Finance Committee) staff areas of responsibility were changed so that the Western staff person will be responsible for Regions 1, 2 and 6. Melody Benjamin is handling those responsibilities as well as overseeing the entire Member Services Department and managing the Alliance office. The South Central staff will be responsible for Regions 5 and 9. The Northeast staff will be responsible for Regions 3 and 4. A new part-time Southeast staff position has been established to cover Regions 7 and 8; Dave Doeschot started there May 1. The Northeast region was reduced and the staff position changed to part-time. Deb Hansen has resigned her position in the Northeast

• Technical Services vice president Duane Gangwish provided an update on environmental issues. NC is following public groundwater discussion and recently responded to misleading newspaper articles in the Lincoln Journal Star and Grand Island Independent concerning the monitoring process. NC continues to work with NCBA staff on issues, including manure (Superfund), coarse particulate (dust) and phosphorus.

• In a financial update, Kelsey estimated that the 2005-06 budget will end the fiscal year (June 30) about $75,000 in the black, about $25,000 better than budgeted. Dues are running above budget and expenses below.

• Kelsey provided an update on the status of Nebraska Corn-Fed Beef. The program is investigating a partnership with a major packer to label and market NCFB-branded products.

• NC Taxation Committee Chairman Dave McCracken reported that property valuations have been lowered somewhat through work done during this year’s legislative session. In addition, the committee continues to work with NCBA on full repeal of the federal estate tax.

• NC Natural Resources & Environment Committee Chairman Chuck Folken provided an update on some of the issues the committee is following, including the Step 7 investigation, phosphorus, water advisory group, livestock advisory group and the Sand County Foundation Aldo Leopold Award.

Folken is the new Natural Resources chairman after Craig Utter resigned. Barb Cooksley has agreed to serve as vice chair.

In other environmental action, NC President Pete McClymont announced that he has established the NC Water Issues Subcommittee with the following members: George Cooksley, Eric Hansen, Chuck Folken, Lee Bose, Art Brownlee, Jack Maddux, Galen Frenzen and Pete Lapaseotes.

• NC President-Elect Jay Wolf and Education Chairman Todd Schroeder provided an update on NC’s UNL Task Force. After several meetings with university leadership, UNL agreed to fund the salary for a replacement for Jim Gosey if NC and NC’s Research & Education Foundation can come up with $150,000 over three years for non-salary support. Any additional positions will require a commitment of $500,000 from industry. Separately, NC is working to help UNL’s Animal Science Department recruit more students.

• NCR&EF is working to establish a Martin Viersen Range Management Scholarship for students majoring in range management at a Nebraska college. As part of its goal of furthering industry education, the NCR&EF covered the expenses to send Dave Lamb of Anselmo and Bill Garrelts of Arcadia to NCBA’s spring legislative conference in Washington.

• Kelsey provided an IRM update. The IRM Subcommittee is planning to coordinate another Cattlemen’s College this November in Lincoln. Topics considered include technology advances, animal ID, animal health and marketing outlooks. The subcommittee has nominated TC Angus ranch of Franklin for the BIF Seedstock Award and the Eatinger Ranch of Thedford for the Commercial Award.

 • President McClymont reported that NC has been receiving questions concerning immigration. Currently, NC has no policy on immigration. A motion was passed directing staff to answer immigration inquiries by stating that NC has no policy on immigration but would support efforts that help maintain a valuable workforce for the beef industry.

• The board approved a $500 request from the Ogallala Rotary Club to support its “Great Western Cattle Trail Days” celebration May 5-6.

• The board agreed to hold the 2008, 2009 and 2010 conventions in Kearney. The 2006 convention is in Lincoln and 2007 finds NC back in Kearney.

NEXT BOARD MEETING: The board plans two meetings on June 9 in Holdrege – one before Midyear meetings start and another immediately afterward.