National Cattlemen's Beef Association

09/04/2026

Decision-makers should consider not only what is being advocated, but also who is advocating for it and the interests they represent.

Just this week, we've seen the U.S. Secretary of Commerce state on national television, and we quote, "the number one product in America that uses water is cattle production," while defending data center development. We've also watched R-CALF launch a public petition aligned with activist-backed organizations such as Food & Water Watch and the Farm Action Fund. At the same time, Joe Maxwell, a former leader of one of the nation's largest animal rights organizations, appeared on a popular conservative podcast as a spokesperson for farmers and ranchers.

Taken together, these developments underscore a larger question: Who is shaping the conversation around cattle policy, and whose interests are ultimately being represented?

At the end of the day, conversations about policies that affect cattle production should be led by farmers and ranchers, and rural communities whose livelihoods are directly impacted by those decisions.

09/04/2026

As discussions around policy impacting the cattle industry continue, it's important to remember what's at stake for cattle producers and rural communities across America. Lower beef prices don’t benefit cattle producers and there is little support for data centers in rural America.

This debate is no longer simply about being "for" or "against" a particular policy proposal. Increasingly, it raises broader questions:

• Who is driving the conversation?
• Who benefits from the policy outcome?
• Are cattle producers leading the discussion, or are outside organizations shaping it?
• What are the long-term consequences for cattle industry growth and producer profitability?

Policies affecting cattle producers should be led by cattle producers. America’s farmers and ranchers deserve a transparent and honest debate about market impacts, implementation challenges, and the long-term effects on the U.S. cattle industry.
Every proposal should be evaluated through one lens: Will it strengthen opportunities for producers and support the long-term growth?

09/03/2026

September will be a month to watch as we transition from our hot/dry summer pattern to one driven by El Niño.

The month starts with late-summer heat holding on across the central and southern U.S., especially the central/southern Plains and mid/lower Mississippi Valley. That heat may hang on into the second week of September before the pattern shifts and relief becomes more likely.

Meanwhile, the West turns cooler and wetter. Monsoonal moisture, potentially mixed with tropical moisture from the eastern Pacific, could bring periods of heavy rain to the Southwest and West. Farther north, a stronger storm system may bring heavy rain and severe storms to the northern Rockies, northern Plains and Upper Midwest early in the month.

Looking at September as a whole, the precipitation outlook shown on the map favors a wetter month across much of the West, including California, the Southwest, the Intermountain West, and the Rockies. Wetter conditions are also favored around the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes.

Below-normal precipitation is favored across parts of the central Plains and central Mississippi Valley, where persistent heat and limited rainfall likely worsen ongoing drought before a wetter turn later in the month through October.

So the big September theme is a split pattern: cooler and wetter at times in much of the West, hot and relatively dry through the central U.S., but transitioning relatively soon. Matt Makens provides free updates for NCBA members. Visit makensweather.com/join to get the weekly updates.

09/01/2026

On Sept. 15, 16 and 17, Dr. Ron Gill and Curt Pate will share their knowledge at Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island, Nebraska.

Whether you're looking to sharpen your own skills, develop your employees, improve animal welfare, or enhance overall ranch performance, Stockmanship & Stewardship delivers practical best management techniques that can benefit your operation for years to come.

Find details for the events here: https://bit.ly/3muYc1m

NEOGEN

08/31/2026

Pasture and ranges are in rough shape right now and the numbers back it up. In late July, 29% of the country's pasture and range was rated good to excellent, down from 45% a year earlier. By mid-August, that number had dropped to 25%, with 52.7% of the Lower 48 in drought.

Spring wheat got hit hard. Acres in drought jumped from 63% on Aug. 11 to 76% just a week later, the fastest one-week jump in years.

This week: severe drought is spreading across northwestern Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota. Extreme drought is holding across the West and Northwest. Exceptional drought, the worst category on the scale, keeps expanding out of the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles; keep an eye on this area, as it may expand eastward, connecting to Arkansas in the week(s) ahead.

This pattern hasn't really reversed direction once since late June. But changes will arrive through September and fall.

Where do things stand where you are? Matt Makens

08/28/2026

More competition. Less unnecessary regulation. Strong food safety standards.

NCBA supports creating more opportunities for small, mid-size and regional beef processors—and eliminating unnecessary regulations that make it harder for those businesses to compete.

But weakening federal meat inspection and food safety standards is not the answer.

America’s cattle producers have spent generations earning consumer confidence in the safety and quality of U.S. beef. That trust is invaluable, and so is the gold standard food safety system that helps sustain it. Neither should be jeopardized for a short-term political solution.

If Washington wants to help cattle producers, the focus should be on:
✅ Reducing legitimate regulatory burdens
✅ Lowering fuel and fertilizer costs
✅ Protecting the U.S. cattle herd from foreign animal disease
✅ Expanding opportunities for small, mid-size and regional processors

American farmers and ranchers know how to produce safe, high-quality beef.

Washington should stop trying to manage the cattle business and let the market work.

08/24/2026

America's cattle producers don't need government interference. They need a fair market and a level playing field to grow the nation's cow herd, reinvest in their operations, and help meet historically high consumer demand.

While beef imports dominate the headlines, the real issue is that government-driven market distortions are undermining producer confidence and preventing the reinvestment needed to expand U.S. cattle numbers.

📢 Tell the White House and Congress: Support policies that strengthen American cattle producers and allow farmers and ranchers to do what they do best, produce high-quality beef.

Use this link to send a letter > beef.quorum.us/campaign/vp4cc3p0

08/24/2026

America's cattle producers are focused on one thing: building a strong and resilient beef supply.

As our CEO Colin Woodall shared on CNBC today, the cattle industry thrives on stable market signals and long-term certainty. Ranchers are already responding to historically strong consumer demand and working to rebuild the national cow herd after years of drought, higher input costs, and other challenges. Policies that create uncertainty can make those decisions more difficult at a time when producers are making critical investments in the future of their operations.

Colin Woodall, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO, joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss the president's plan to ease beef tariffs and why the association opposes the plan.

08/24/2026

☀️ Heat will be the big weather story through the end of August.

From Aug. 24-26, triple-digit heat will continue across the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley, with very warm nights offering little relief. Parts of the Desert Southwest could top 110°F. The two maps show record temperatures and the Cattle Health Index.

By Aug. 27-31, the heat could become even more intense and long-lasting. The Southern Plains may see temperatures above 100°F with heat indices above 110°F, while parts of the Desert Southwest could reach 110-120°F. The heat may also expand farther north into the Interior West, Plains and Mississippi Valley.

⛈️ It won't be all about the heat. Storms could bring isolated flash flooding to the Intermountain West/Rockies, while rain and storms spread into parts of the Midwest, Great Lakes, Southeast and Eastern Seaboard. Heavy rain is also possible from coastal South Carolina and the mid-Atlantic into parts of the Northeast later in the period.

🔥 Continued heat and dry conditions could also worsen drought and increase fire weather concerns across parts of the central U.S.

Matt Makens

08/21/2026

📢 Calling all cattle producers – we need your help!

Tell Congress and the White House to support American cattle producers, not actions that undercut them like importing foreign beef.

✅ Use this link to send a letter > beef.quorum.us/campaign/vp4cc3p0