8 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN September 2024 NC BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT: Jerry Kuenning*, Lemoyne, (308) 883-8382 PRESIDENT-ELECT: Dick Pierce*, Miller, (308) 440-2489 VICE PRESIDENT: Craig Uden*, (308) 325-0285 TREASURER: Laura Field, Lincoln, (402) 475-2333 SECRETARY: Melody Benjamin, Lakeside, (308) 760-6464 PAST PRESIDENT: Steve Hanson*, Elsie, (308) 289-0225 MEMBER SERVICES VICE CHAIR BY REGION 1 – Jaclyn Wilson, Lakeside, (308) 762-3196 2 – Kat Kennedy, Purdum, (308) 645-7036 3 – Allan Louthan, Stanton, (402) 841-6601 4 – John Ecklund, Atkinson, (408) 602-5905 5 – Scott Reynolds, Berwyn, (308) 870-0970 6 – Chuck Graff, Ogallala, (308) 289-5841 7 – Heath Clausen, Leigh, (402) 750-4433 8 – Allen Bruntz, Friend, (402) 525-2651 9 – Shannon Peterson, Gothenburg, (308) 529-2116 COW-CALF COUNCIL CHAIR: Travis Chrisman, Wauneta, (308) 883-6781 VICE CHAIR: Jake Johnson, Hastings, (402) 984-8824 FARMER-STOCKMAN COUNCIL CHAIR: Marc Hanson, Morrowville, Kan., (402) 729-7174 VICE CHAIR: Dwight Dam, Hooper, (402) 720-4250 FEEDLOT COUNCIL CHAIR: Ryan Danehey, Manhattan, Kan., (308) 440-8267 VICE CHAIR: Daron Huyser, Lexington, (308) 233-4368 SEEDSTOCK COUNCIL CHAIR: Reiss Bruning, Bruning, (402) 768-3332 VICE CHAIR: James Felt, Wakefield, (402) 287-2488 ALLIED INDUSTRIES COUNCIL Jake Pullen, Aurora, (308) 380-9040 ~ COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP ~ ANIMAL HEALTH AND NUTRITION CHAIR: Jared Walahoski*, Overton, (308) 746-1965 CHAIR-ELECT: Jeff Heldt, Scottsbluff, (308) 641-5781 BRAND AND PROPERTY RIGHTS CHAIR: Brock Terrell, Hay Springs, (308) 430-1213 CHAIR-ELECT: Matt Blackford, Brownlee, (402) 322-1377 EDUCATION AND RESEARCH CHAIR: Marcus Urban, Leigh, (402) 276-3830 CHAIR-ELECT: Suzanne Jagels, Davenport, (402) 469-3374 MARKETING AND COMMERCE CHAIR: Joe Eisenmenger, Humphrey, (402) 920-0665 CHAIR-ELECT: Chance McLean, Stromsburg, (402) 366-2254 NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT CHAIR: Eric Hansen*, North Platte, (308) 530-3899 CHAIR-ELECT: Sam Drinnin, Grand Island, (402) 910-0233 TAXATION CHAIR: Scott Peterson, Valentine, (402) 322-0225 CHAIR-ELECT: Steve Sunderman, Norfolk, (402) 750-0149 MEMBER SERVICES CHAIR: Jim Edwards, Ord, (308) 750-0881 NEBRASKA LIVESTOCK MARKETING ASSOCIATION REP. Bryce Dibbern, Interior, S.D., (308) 293-7766 UNL EXTENSION REPRESENATIVE Erin Laborie, Beaver City, (419) 494-3872 UNL REPRESENTATIVE Deb VanOverbeke, Lincoln, (402) 714-5879 * member of the Executive & Finance Committee INSIGHTS WHY BE A MEMBER? DICK PIERCE | MILLER | NC PRESIDENT-ELECT Recently, Nebraska Cattlemen (NC) members traveled to San Diego for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Summer Business Meeting. The meetings focused on policies that give staff and leadership guidance to deal with the issues of the day. In addition to attending policy meetings, three NC staff members, three NC past presidents and other NC representatives gathered for an impromptu meeting/brainstorming session that evolved into a lively discussion about membership and ways to invigorate and grow our current membership. We decided that the Executive Committee should filter and concentrate these ideas and present them as a plan to the NC Board and membership. As you know, NC is a member-driven, grassroots organization that is heavily involved in policy and lobbying efforts to support and protect the beef industry. This is the main reason for emphasis on membership and why it is so important to keep adding to our rolls. There definitely is strength in numbers! With those thoughts in mind, I’d like to attempt to answer the question I posed as a title for this article. Why be a member? NC is the foremost ag organization in Nebraska, and NCBA is thus so nationally. The credibility our organizations have is second to none. The Governor and many senators seek our counsel and input when it comes to Nebraska legislation, and the same holds true on the national level. By the time this article is published, the Unicameral will have come through a special session devoted to solving the property tax dilemma. NC has been actively involved with the Governor, legislators and other ag groups to forge lasting legislation to fix this cancer that is eroding not only our farms, ranches and businesses, but also the personal finances of our families. NC has been involved with tax reformation for as long as I can remember. We get small victories every now and then, but we keep pushing for the permanent fix to relieve us from this burden, which is exceptionally heavy in Nebraska. Taxes are the biggest – or at least maybe the most talked about – issue, but we also work hard on marketing, education, environmental and natural resources issues, property rights and the Farm Bill. In this global economy, we are not only affected by issues within Nebraska but also nationally and internationally. Nebraska Cattlemen influences the national landscape with several NC members serving on NCBA committees and the officer team. A recent and ongoing issue that NC and NCBA have been deeply involved with is Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) with the dairy industry. In April, we discovered that the current administration intended to issue a stop-movement order for all cattle in the United States. NCBA stepped up to the plate to convince the administration that such a plan would be disastrous for the industry and was able to get the White House to abandon their plan. You can read more about our active voice in the July issue of National Cattlemen magazine in the article “Where Was NCBA?” by NCBA CEO Colin Woodall. CONTINUED ON PAGE 49
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