10 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN October 2026 RUMINATIONS 4611 Cattle Drive, Lincoln, NE 68521 Phone (402) 475-2333 | Fax (402) 475-0822 nc@necattlemen.org | www.nebraskacattlemen.org NEBRASKA CATTLEMEN STAFF EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT | Laura Field lfield@necattlemen.org VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING | Je Stolle DIRECTOR OF MARKETING | John Roberts DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS | Libby Schaneman DIRECTOR OF PRODUCER EDUCATION | Bonita Lederer DIRECTOR OF STATE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS | Matthew Melchor DIRECTOR OF PRODUCER RELATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT | TaraLee Hudson ACCOUNTANT | Kathy Abel OFFICE MANAGER | Ashley McClinton MEMBERSHIP FIELD STAFF | Hannah Pearson Nebraska Cattleman is published monthly, except for May and July, by the Nebraska Cattlemen, 4611 Cattle Drive, Lincoln, NE 68521 – (402) 475-2333. --------------------------------------------------------------------- MAGAZINE PRODUCTION: CINCHED UP LLC ncmag@necattlemen.org EDITOR | Lisa Bard MANAGING EDITOR | Jessie Topp-Becker COPY EDITOR | Larisa Willrett DESIGNER & MATERIALS COORDINATOR | Megan Field ADMINISTRATION | Leslie McKibben CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Bill Coe | Natalie Jones STATE & REGIONAL ADVERTISING Amber Coleman | (402) 340-1588 acoleman@necattlemen.org NATIONAL ADVERTISING Wendy McFarland | (334) 271-6100 mcfarlandadvantage@gmail.com Working for Nebraska Beef Producers PASTURE TO PLATE TO PLATE NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN VIEW NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN DIGITAL VERSION BY SCANNING THE QR CODE. COFFEE SHOP TALK LAURA FIELD | NC EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Aphrase often heard in the cattle industry is “co ee shop talk.” The place where problems are solved. Not exclusive meetings with scripts, talking points and unspoken rules of engagement that often tiptoe around the issues and end in frustration. While those meetings have a time and place, just as important are the individuals shaping our industry one sip of co ee at a time. When having a seat at the table is discussed, I want to be at the table where problems are being solved, where cattlemen come together and tackle real issues. Sometimes that table is in the co ee shop, not the table surrounded by press badges. The co ee shop table isn’t any less important. When you read this month’s policy article by NC’s Libby Schaneman, you’ll see several announcements that challenged beef producers as August came to an end and September began. From 300,000 metric tons of beef imports with reduced tari s to the “Ranchers First” initiative outlining new plans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there was much to digest. By the end of that same week, President Trump signed two executive orders addressing additional issues, including elements of gray wolf delisting, new enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act and a 90-day review of mandatory country-of-origin labeling (mCOOL) to determine whether it complies with World Trade Organization (WTO) requirements to name a few. If you have whiplash just reading that list, welcome to the excitement. With diesel prices and other inputs skyrocketing, the focus seemed to be on the price of beef in the grocery store. Beef demand is at an all-time high and consumers have not yet signaled that beef is out of reach nancially, keeping the conversation about beef top of mind and center of the plate. On the other hand, government e orts to intervene in the market have contributed to volatility in cattle prices in recent weeks. That brings me back to the co ee shop talk. With so many announcements and all the attention surrounding the beef industry, countless roundtables, forums, meetings and photo opportunities have taken place. Plenty of comments have made their way around about who was invited, who was in the room, who appeared in the photos – and perhaps most important, who was not. And, as has become all too common, the negative energy and in ghting within the beef industry have created challenges for producers and organizations to navigate. I encourage you to gather at the table where grassroots policy prevails and a list of subscribers is not required in order to be heard. Where problems are solved and a camera does not need to be rolling to prove one’s relevance. Where producers speak and are not required to engage in keyboard warfare in the comments section on a social media platform where real change does not exist. These moments remind us why what we stand for matters. They remind us why we advocate. They remind us that our voices are stronger together than when divided. And they remind us of the important role we play in feeding the world. We may not be in every photo, but we will never stop showing up for an industry worth ghting for. Push past the noise of those claiming to know what the industry wants and use your voice. And show up anyway. I know I will. ~NC~
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTMxNTA5