IARN — Cattlemen and women convened virtually this week for the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association Annual Meeting.
The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) this year conducted its annual meeting in a virtual setting, due to gathering and social distancing restrictions. ICA President-elect Bob Noble said members and staff embraced the change.
“One big and unexpected plus was the amount of involvement in the policy development process. We figured there were over 300 contacts through the committee meeting process and today’s meeting on policy ratification. More people involved than in a normal face-to-face setting,” Noble says.
The annual meeting allows producers to weigh in on policy, which staff will carry forward and advocate for in the new year. Instead of introducing new policies this year, members chose to “move forward with those developed over the past couple of years,” according to Noble.
“ICA has spent most of its time, over the last several years, on the marketing issue. Live cattle marketing with negotiated trade, leverage, and transparency,” Noble says. “ICA has been tip of the spear in developing and implementing policy for marketing.”
“We (also) have a Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (MCOOL) Task force, which was formed one year ago at the Leadership Summit. That was extended another year to finish information gathering and report to the Board and membership for policy development,” Noble says.
Noble encourages fellow cattle producers to remain optimistic, as he feels “there are brighter times ahead.”
Story courtesy of the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network
