Cattle producers support House Ag Committee Farm Bill framework

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane responded to the release of farm bill frameworks from the House and Senate Agriculture committees:

“We are very pleased with the farm bill framework released by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson. Since 2023, Chairman Thompson has gone to great lengths to meet with America’s cattle producers in every region of the country and craft a farm bill that supports their unique needs. We are especially pleased by the Chairman’s focus on voluntary conservation programs that are increasingly popular with cattle producers, animal health provisions that protect the U.S. cattle herd, and investments in food security that support our broader national security.

“Unfortunately, the Senate Agriculture Committee majority has failed to engage in the same level of outreach to real cattle producers, and their framework reflects that lack of producer input. While there are some bipartisan elements to the Senate proposal, there are many provisions which would be harmful to livestock producers. We look forward to the House Agriculture Committee’s May Farm Bill markup and will continue engaging with members of the committees to advocate for the cattle industry.”

UN declares 2026 as International Year of the Woman Farmer

The UN General Assembly declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. The resolution, and the U.S. government’s efforts to generate support for it, were spearheaded by USDA and garnered more than 100 co-sponsors, underscoring the global importance of uplifting women throughout the agriculture sector.

“From the field to the factory, from the classroom to the boardroom, women are fundamental to the future of agriculture. As leaders, it is our responsibility to make sure the next generation of women farmers have equal access to economic, educational and leadership opportunities, and that we dismantle the unique barriers they face so they can continue to take on the challenges of meeting the world’s growing food, fuel and fiber needs,” Deputy Secretary Torres Small said. “USDA is proud to have led the U.S. government’s efforts in support of declaring 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, and we thank the many nations that signed on in support. We look forward to working with partners worldwide to scale up efforts that empower and advance women farmers while tackling global food security in 2026 and beyond.”

USDA issues final traceability rule

The USDA final traceability rule amends a previous 2013 rule that requires sexually intact cattle 18 months of age or older, rodeo and exhibition cattle, and dairy cattle moving interstate to have an official form of animal identification. The 2013 rule, which cattle producers already comply with, instituted visual ID tags for interstate movement.

“USDA’s final traceability rule updates the existing requirement for animal identification that has been in place since 2013, switching from solely visual tags to tags that are both electronically and visually readable for certain classes of cattle moving interstate,” said National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Mark Eisele in response. “Many producers are already familiar with using these visual tags and under the new rule, they will instead use electronic tags.”

According to Eisele, NCBA has secured $15 million in funding for producers to reduce the cost of implementing this change.

“We also remain committed to safeguarding producers’ private data and continuing to reduce the cost of ear tags for farmers and ranchers,” he said. “Our industry faces a tremendous threat from the risk of a future foreign animal disease on American soil. To avoid devastating financial losses during a potential outbreak and to help producers quickly return to commerce, we need an efficient animal disease traceability system.”

R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard was less supportive.

“It’s no surprise that while USDA claims this eID (electronic identification) mandate is to improve disease control, it proudly discloses in the rule’s accompanying press release that ‘the most significant benefits of the rule’ is to maintain foreign markets,” Bullard said in a statement.

“This is because the beneficiaries of this rule are not cattle producers or consumers. Instead, this rule is intended to benefit multinational beef packers and multinational ear tag manufacturers who will profit at the expense of cattle producers and consumers,” Bullard continued. “In fact, because the rule is cost-prohibitive for independent cattle producers, the agency is using millions of taxpayer dollars to give millions of their unnecessary eID ear tags away.”

Bullard called the move “government overreach at its worst.”

USDA, HHS take action to reduce H5N1 effects

On March 25, immediately following the first detection of H5N1 in dairy cattle in the Texas Panhandle, USDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) began their work to understand the origin of the emergence and its potential ramifications on bovines and humans.

On May 10, USDA announced assistance for producers with H5N1-affected premises to improve on-site biosecurity in order to reduce the spread. In addition, USDA is taking steps to make available financial tools for lost milk production in herds affected by H5N1. Building on the Federal Order addressing premovement testing, these steps will further equip producers with tools they can use to keep their affected herds and workers healthy and reduce risk of the virus spreading to additional herds.

• Protect against the potential for spread between humans and animals.
• Support producers in biosecurity planning and implementation.
• Provide funding for heat treatment to dispose of milk in a biosecure fashion.
• Reimburse producers for veterinarian costs associated with confirmed positive H5N1 premises.
• Offset shipping costs for influenza A testing at laboratories in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network.
• Compensate producers for loss of milk production.
• Work with states to limit movement of lactating cattle.

At the same time, HHS announced funding investments through the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) totaling $101 million to mitigate the risk of H5N1 and continue its work to test, prevent and treat H5N1. Although the CDC’s assessment of the risk of avian influenza infection for the general public remains low, the Department is committed to the health and safety of the American public.

First grid premium offered for genetic merit

For the first time, cattlemen can earn grid premiums based on the genetic merit of their cattle, stemming from their investment in superior genetics. National Beef Packing Co. LLC (NBP) announces the addition of new premiums on their U.S. Premium Beef LLC (USPB) grid for qualified cattle based on their AngusLink^SM Genetic Merit Scorecard^SM (GMS).

AngusLink value-added programs are administered by the American Angus Association in partnership with IMI Global.

Effective for cattle harvested Aug. 5, a grid premium of $5 per head will be paid for cattle with an AngusLink GMS Beef Score of 100 or greater. This will be exclusively available for cattle marketed through USPB and delivered to NBP plant locations in Liberal and Dodge City, Kan.

On Dec. 1, a second grid premium, $10 per head for cattle with a GMS Beef Score of 150 or greater, will take effect. Those scoring 100-149 will continue to receive the $5-per-head premium. These premiums will be in addition to all other premiums and discounts available based on grading and carcass performance.

“National Beef is pleased to offer U.S. Premium Beef members this grid premium and new program in cooperation with the American Angus Association,” says Chad Barker, vice president of cattle procurement with NBP. “We’re excited to be adding another chapter to our history of creating innovative ways to reward producers for high-quality cattle.”

Mark Gardiner of Gardiner Angus Ranch and chairman of the USPB board of directors says he hopes the premium will inspire others to feed better beef through supporting advancements in genetics.

“This is revolutionary from the standpoint that there has never been a grid incentive based upon genetic merit,” Gardiner says. “We’re very thankful for National Beef and U.S. Premium Beef recognizing the value of genetics as identified by the AngusLink program.”

Brian Bertelsen, USPB vice president of field operations, says, “For over 26 years, the USPB value-based grid has rewarded cattle that excel in carcass quality. This new program is an incentive for cattle feeders who market on the USPB grid to seek out and buy feeder cattle that are genetically designed to not only excel in carcass traits, but also growth and efficiency.”

THE SCALE. The GMS objectively describes performance potential across four areas using a range of 0 to 200, with the industry average being 100. Beef Score predicts genetic potential for feedlot performance and carcass value, and is calculated using the Association database and genetic information on sires and the cow herd.

“This is a significant step for the industry and speaks to the continued evolution of value-based marketing,” says Mark McCully, CEO of the American Angus Association. “National Beef understands the importance of genetics, and is directly rewarding producers for their investment.”

The third-party verification provided by IMI Global was a key factor in the decision to move forward with these plans.

“This new value-added opportunity rewards commercial cow-calf producers for the superior Angus genetics they have developed over the years in their operations,” says Doug Stanton, senior vice president of sales and business development with IMI Global. “The Genetic Merit Scorecard values, along with third-party age and source verification, provide a complete package of product predictability and traceability to the beef industry and our loyal consumers.”

Cattle will need to qualify with their GMS Beef Score at least two weeks before harvest. Most cattle currently receive a GMS prior to leaving their ranch of origin.

eID PREMIUM. In addition, USPB is instituting a $1-per-head premium, effective May 13, for each low-frequency electronic identification (eID) tag that is read and assigned to a carcass ID number within each lot. No minimum number of tags will be required within a lot.

There is no additional cost associated with the GMS program, aside from IMI Global’s age- and source-verification enrollment, which includes an eID tag.

REASON TO BUY. Troy Marshall, director of commercial industry relations with the Association, says the timing of the announcement is beneficial for cow-calf producers.

“Not only will previously enrolled cattle be eligible starting the first part of August; but, as we enter the summer video sale season, it will also provide an additional incentive and additional buyers for those cattle selling with the GMS,” he says. “Cow-calf producers will have the opportunity to enroll and take advantage of this program with this year’s calf crop. The investment in time and money to enroll in AngusLink is extremely small, and the ROI is growing exponentially as the market continues to embrace the scorecard.”

To qualify for the GMS, sires must be predominantly (50% or more) registered Angus, and 75% of the bull battery must be registered.

“Obviously, this is a transformative change, but the real impact will be longer term,” Marshall says. “This is a big step forward in rewarding producers for investing in genetics, and will help to facilitate information flow and feedback between the segments of our business.”

Bertelsen says feeders can lease USPB delivery rights, when available, to market cattle through USPB. Those interested should call USPB at 866-877-2525 or visit www.uspremiumbeef.com for more information.

For questions about the GMS or AngusVerified^SM, call 816-383-5100, or contact AngusLink via email at anguslink@angus.org. IMI Global can also be reached to help start an enrollment at 303-895-3002, or producers can complete its contact form to get started at www.imiglobal.com/contact.

— by Sarah Kocher, communications specialist, American Angus Association