Over 6500 cattlemen attended the National Cattlemen's Beef Association regular annual board meeting and membership meeting Friday. The meeting capped the 2007 Cattle Industry Annual Convention in Nashville, Tenn.
After renewable energy was a hot topic at the annual convention, the NCBA Agriculture Policy Committee brought forward a resolution to voice support U.S. efforts to reduce dependence on foreign oil. However, the resolution calls for a market-based approach to renewable energy production in order to level the playing field for feedgrain users.
NCBA members also approved policy with regard to live cattle trade with Canada. A pending USDA proposal would change current rules limiting cattle and beef import from Canada to cattle 30 months or younger to allow beef from Canadian cattle of any age, and live cattle up to eight years of age. A policy resolution approved by NCBA members demands permanent identification of all live cattle imported from Canada through harvest, and calls for USDA to develop an orderly market transition plan before expanding the scope of cattle and beef imports from Canada.
Cattlemen adopted a policy supporting the further development of cloning as one of many reproductive technologies that can be used to enhance the beef industry. But they also urged all technology companies and owners of cloned animals to voluntarily keep these animals and their offspring out of the food supply until FDA makes a final decision on its risk assessment.
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