RENO, NEV. — Following the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Summer Business Meeting in Reno, Nev., the association announced its priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill.

“Our annual meetings are the cornerstone of NCBA’s grassroots policy process,” said NCBA President Don Schiefelbein, a Minnesota cattleman. “Individual producers set the course for NCBA’s advocacy work in Washington, DC, and we have heard from many producers who value the animal health, voluntary conservation and disaster recovery programs in the last Farm Bill and look forward to improving those programs in the next Farm Bill.”

Each NCBA member has an equivalent vote in the association’s priorities.

The 2023 Farm Bill’s priorities include:

• Protecting animal health through disease prevention programs.
• Strengthening risk management programs that provide producers with added protection against weather events and price decline.
• Promoting voluntary conservation programs that provide support for producers to implement sustainable practices outside of government mandates.
• Supporting disaster recovery programs that help producers return to normal operations following attacks by predators or extreme conditions like drought and wildfire.

NCBA also reviewed existing policies addressing cattle health, federal lands, environmental policy, trade, markets, taxes, transportation and food safety, among other topics.

“Cattle producers have faced yet another challenging year,” Schiefelbein said. “The policies passed at this summer business meeting will help NCBA focus on resolving some of the challenges caused by extreme conditions and supply chain disruptions, ensuring the continued success of beef farmers and ranchers.”