January 2024 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN 17 Down the Road While these challenging times are not unheard of, it’s true that there is much at stake. “Nebraska cannot afford to be a commodity cow-calf operation,” Uden said. “Between the cost of land and taxes, if you’re below-average earning, you won’t be in business long. There are a lot of opportunities for young folks to get into these systems. We’re growing and developing, and it’s the way of the future.” Securing future opportunities relies on some changes at a congressional level. “The domestic market remains massively important going forward,” Schlake said. “The advantages of selling within the U.S. – no tariffs, massive economy demanding quality, etc. – we need to always prioritize our domestic customers. Should there ever be a trade disruption, our export markets could dissolve overnight. But domestic? Nothing is going to shut down our access there.” Schlake urged those concerned with the future export market potential to find ways to engage with congressional representatives. “We haven’t had any progress in the last couple of years when it comes to new market access and lowering tariffs or other artificial barriers,” he said. “It’s keeping us out of a lot of places, particularly Vietnam. Our competitors have tariff advantages on us, so engaging with our congressional representatives is a good step to take toward progress.” ~NC~ Opportunities to Look for in Tight Markets: • Collaboration and communication opportunities to build vertical systems. • Ways to engage with your congressional representative as a beef industry advocate. • Improve systems-based approaches in your operation. • Use today’s higher cull rates to build a stronger herd for the future.
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