Washington - Today, during the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) virtual Winter Reboot conference, NCBA CEO Colin Woodall and NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane discussed the state of the industry and priority issues in Washington, D.C. that could affect cattlemen and women.

Woodall and Lane discussed the availability of USDA programs to assist farmers and ranchers from the damage done by the frigid temperatures that were seen across the country last week, the impact COVID-19 has had on cattle markets, and the work NCBA has done to provide opportunities for increased profitability while ensuring a steady food supply chain.

They also shared the many wins that the NCBA policy team has had including, working to ensure the beef industry is eligible for pandemic relief programs including USDA's Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) and the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), two programs that farmers and ranchers across the country utilized during the market disruptions caused by COVID-19.

They went on to discuss the outlook for the Biden administration and the 117th Congress. When talking about the priorities of the Biden administration, Lane shared that NCBA has a robust relationship with senior level leadership across various agencies and that those individuals are willing to listen to NCBA's perspective.

"They really want to start these conversations at the ground level. They are making it clear that we have a seat at the table," he said. "We can find some common ground and help them see the benefit of some of the things that have been propagated over the past couple years."

When referencing the work that NCBA is doing to ensure the beef industry's success Woodall said, "What we're doing is what we do best and that is being the most effective advocate for cattlemen and women in Washington, D.C."

The Virtual Winter Reboot, sponsored by Corteva Agriscience, is a two-day event that gives members the opportunity to hear an update on the work NCBA has been doing in D.C., participate in educational sessions with industry leaders, and interact virtually with other members.