Member Services

How Can We Help?

By Melody Benjamin

    The value a Nebraska Cattlemen membership can be reflected in many ways. Many NC members make the choice to be members because they want to take an active role in establishing policy for the industry. Some decide on membership for representation of their interests to legislators and regulators. Still others pay dues so that they can be kept abreast of information through NC’s communications and educational seminars. A few members have said that they belong because of other people who are members. However, the greatest part of being a member could be that NC is a group of people with integrity, compassion and values that each of you can be proud to be a part of.

NC really stepped forward this summer to help their fellow cattlemen. Late in the spring, signs were clear that western and central Nebraska were in the throes of one of the worst drought years ever. As June 1 approached, many pastures had not greened up and most had grown very little forage since the end of the previous growing season. Crops were already struggling to survive. Leadership and staff went to work calling the governor, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA), the congressional delegation in Washington and USDA, explaining that the situation was already dire and people were going to need help.

Soon there were results – from releasing roadsides for haying, providing early release of CRP for haying and grazing, and activating the Department of Agriculture’s Hay Hotline. NC took it one step further. Although the NDA has a hay hotline, NC leadership felt it would be important and helpful for a caller to be able to talk with another person rather than only connect with an impersonal message center or Web site. Therefore, NC established a hotline for people to call if they had hay for sale as well as for those needing hay. Nebraska Cattlemen hired a part-time staff person with a ranching background to man the phones in the Alliance office and help link those people who had hay to those who needed it. During the discussions and plans, the underlying question was, what can NC do to help our fellow producers who are facing a disaster?

One Monday on July, a bad summer was made worse by a fire threatening Valentine. Nebraska Cattlemen was co-sponsoring a BQA Seminar in Valentine on Tuesday, followed by a Regional Roundup the following night. As one producer said, “Our world is focused on getting these fires out; we don’t have room for anything else right now.” The meetings were postponed, but there were meals already planned. NC staff and leadership, along with the other sponsors, made the decision to donate the food to the firefighters. Staff was directed to monitor the situation and take action if it became apparent that NC could help with other needs.

Fewer than two weeks later, the northern panhandle was on fire. Several wildfires were threatening ranch buildings, homes and towns. President McClymont sent an email asking what NC could do to help. The reply was hay for cattle left with no forage and fencing materials to replace miles and miles of burned fences. NC expanded the hay hotline to cover these areas and joined with others to coordinate efforts to help those devastated by the fires, as well as the many volunteers helping to control the fires. One person said they needed help gathering and sorting scattered cattle. Another asked for help rebuilding fences. This information was passed along to NC members, and volunteers stepped up to help.

I write this while fires are still burning. I don’t know if there will be more wildfires this summer or other unforeseen problems. But I do know that whatever arises, NC will be there asking, how can we help? From the guy with four cows, to the feedlot that has more than 20,000 head, everyone in NC is pulling together, looking out for their fellow cattlemen. Each of you should be proud of what your organization represents.    Melody Benjamin is part of NC’s Member Services team. She manages the Alliance office and coordinates the Member Services field staff around the state.