NCBA Vice President Testifies Before House Ag Committee

Oct 12, 2021

The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture held a hearing yesterday to review the state of the livestock industry. Witnesses included U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and NCBA Vice President Todd Wilkinson, a rancher from South Dakota, who was among a panel of livestock producers who testified. Wilkinson said Congress needs to focus on incentivizing expansion of packing capacity and avoid mandates that could interfere with producers’ choice in marketing their cattle. He also cautioned Congress against adopting the Biden administration’s attempt to repeal stepped-up basis and force recognition of capital gains at death.

In addition, Kansas Congressman Tracey Mann questioned Vilsack about the legality of USDA’s announced intention to remove harm to competition as a requirement to prove a violation of section 202 of the Packers and Stockyards Act (PSA). Mann raised the concern that removing the harm to competition requirement would convert PSA from a tool to ensure equal opportunity to one that ensures equal outcomes.

Click here to see more...

Video: Pandemic Risks in Swine - Dr. John Deen

I’m Phil Hord, and I’m excited to kick off my first episode as host on The Swine it Podcast Show. It’s a privilege to begin this journey with you. In this episode, Dr. John Deen, a retired Distinguished Global Professor Emeritus from the University of Minnesota, explains how pandemic threats continue to shape U.S. swine health and production. He discusses vulnerabilities in diagnostics, movement control, and national preparedness while drawing lessons from ASF, avian influenza, and field-level epidemiology. Listen now on all major platforms.

"Pandemic events in swine systems continue to generate significant challenges because early signals often resemble common conditions, creating delays that increase spread and economic disruption."