With the disclaimer that any and all topics being discussed at 8 a.m. on Feb. 4 might be flipped upside down at any given time – given tongue in cheek, of course – the higher-ups of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association provided their Washington, D.C., issues update at their annual CattleCon in San Antonio.
Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane led the session, noting it “has felt like being shot out of a cannon” since President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. However, it’s not unusual. He commented that most of the executive orders being given are standard when transitioning from one administration to another, and from one party to another – but it does mean any forward progress is halted until things settle down.
Allison Rivera, executive director of government affairs and leader of the Agriculture, Food Policy & Animal Health Team for NCBA, said the administration is focused on finishing the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico and better border control. “Securing the border is current NCBA policy,” Rivera said. “However, we have to remind this administration that we do have labor needs, on-farm and at the plant level. We have to keep the economy in a good place and keep the supply chain moving.”
Part of that latter concern is that new Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy is open to increasing truck weights and hours of service for the movement of livestock and ag products.
NCBA Chief Veterinarian Kathy Simmons, DVM, spoke about the evolving issue of HPAI – “We still don’t have a good handle on the disease,” she noted. The best defense against it right now is strong biosecurity. She noted researchers are working on vaccine options, but it is likely there will be some resistance against using them.
Another concern is the New World screwworm, which was eradicated in the U.S. in the 1960s but has been creeping back north from Panama and into Mexico. USDA is working with two ports, in Chihuahua and Sonora, utilizing very close inspection before there is any cattle movement into the U.S. “because we need feeder cattle” from Mexico, Simmons said.
As for her “what to watch for” warning, Simmons mentioned the Asian longhorned tick, an invasive species which can form large infestations on one animal and spread diseases that impact both animals and people.
Ethan Lane (at podium) and the government affairs team from NCBA provided a two-hour update of issues impacting producers in the nation’s capital. Photo by Courtney Llewellyn
Kent Bacus, executive director of government affairs, lightened the mood by telling producers they’re “in the clear for now” in regard to complying with the Corporate Transparency Act, but the entire industry needs “a firm delay” on any further action with it until the end of the year (at least).
As for those America First Trade Policy executive orders, Bacus said this administration is very focused on trade deficits. As of the morning of Feb. 4, a 30-day pause on action against Canada and Mexico was in place, but Chinese tariffs did go in effect, which will impact a lot of the retail sector – “but not beef (yet)”. American eyes are on the EU next.
“Tariffs are the tool of choice for this administration,” Bacus reiterated. “It’s important we all know how they work.”
The Main Street Tax Certainty Act, which Congress has reintroduced to make the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent, would also stop a massive tax hike on small business at the end of this year. Kelsey Kemp, associate director of government affairs, said this is a win, since many farmers take advantage of it.
As for the NCBA’s goal of seeing the “Death Tax” repealed, Kemp said they are working on getting as many cosponsors to sign on as possible. She also noted the Estate Tax Reduction Act would cut the tax from 40% to 20%, providing necessary relief for those affected by the tax.
NCBA’s Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart, in addition to her disclaimer at the start of the session, also reminded producers that “Trump 2.0 is not working under the same framework as the first administration,” so they need to keep paying attention to the decisions being made in Washington.
One bit of good news that carried over from his first presidency, however, is the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule. “We can get back to the tight definition of terms from the Supreme Court decision” and “put WOTUS to bed” without a lot of new rulemaking, Hart said. (This is a prediction, not a proclamation.)
Along those lines, she added it will be “interesting to see how the climate conversation shifts.” While this administration is backing off a lot of climate-centric legislation, such as leaving the Paris Climate Agreement, the consumer demand is still there for environmentally friendly products, as are international partners in commerce.
“Congress and the House are at the whim of whatever the president wants to do,” summed up Tanner Beymer, senior director of government affairs. “That will have a major impact on appropriations.”
And the Farm Bill? NCBA is cautiously optimistic it will be handled this year, but it may not look like any of the Farm Bills of the past.
by Courtney Llewellyn
Leave A Comment