Last Sunday, September 15, the Nebraska Cattlemen hosted their Fall Cattle Marketing Outlook Meeting.
This event featured several key updates from the Nebraska Cattlemen on both local and national levels, including branding news, and market insights.
Laura Field, Executive Vice President of the Nebraska Cattlemen, provided an update on recent policies and sessions attended by the organization. Field elaborated on the special session called by Governor Jim Pillen in late July, focusing on property tax reform.
After legislative negotiations, the sales tax on agriculture and manufacturing equipment was removed from the bill. A compromise was reached by front-loading some tier two tax credits, aimed at easing the property tax burden on agriculture. The session initially set out with the goal of reducing property taxes by around 40%, but by its conclusion, only a 3% reduction had been achieved.
Brenda Masek from the Nebraska Brand Committee announced that the brand inspection fee will rise from $0.85 to $1 per head, effective October. 1, 2024. The Nebraska Brand Committee operates as a cash-fund agency, with its activities financed entirely through the fees collected for brand inspection, brand recording, and other related services within the brand inspection area.
Mark Goes from the Nebraska Beef Council discussed current funding requests for research projects and his recent trip to Japan. The research requests include:
- Microbiome Research: Investigating the ruminant animal’s microbiome to find ways to modify microbial populations in the rumen, aiming to reduce methane emissions per unit of beef production.
- “If we can develop animals that produce the same amount of beef with fewer greenhouse gas emissions, we’re making progress,” Goes said.
- Consumer Acceptance Research: Studying the color of beef, including high-pressure treatments to improve the appearance of older beef and darker meat cuts, with research conducted at the University of Nebraska.
- Animal Handling Research: A new project at the NREC Center will examine different animal handling facilities and their impact.
Goes also shared insights from his trip to Japan, noting that Japanese consumers place high value on beef tongue, similar to how Americans value ribeye. He highlighted that U.S. corn-fed cattle offer a different quality and taste compared to grass-fed cattle, with Japanese consumers particularly appreciating cuts like chuck eye rolls, inside rounds, inside and outside skirts, and hanging tenderloins.
Audience questions highlighted key market drivers, and the challenges younger individuals face when trying to enter the industry and start an operation from the ground up.
The evening wrapped up with a fundraiser for the Nebraska Cattlemen Political Action Committee, featuring a dummy roping contest.
