National Cattlemen's Beef Association

06/04/2026

In response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture detecting one case of New World Screwworm in a calf in South Texas, NCBA CEO Colin Woodall released the following statement:

“NCBA and our state partner organizations have been working for more than a year to combat the incursion of the New World Screwworm, and we are doing everything possible to protect the interests of American cattle producers. We appreciate USDA and other agencies for working rapidly to bolster critical resources that protect producers, including building a domestic sterile fly facility, increasing fly surveillance, and expediting the availability of necessary drugs and treatments for cattle. We defeated this harmful pest before in the 1960s by investing heavily in sterile fly dispersal and NCBA will continue using every tool in the toolbox to ensure Screwworm is eradicated in the U.S. once again.”

For more resources visit:

Learn how the U.S. Government prevents New World screwworm and what to know about risks, surveillance, sterile-fly control, travel, and more.

06/02/2026

This week's weather features severe storms and flooding.

Areas to watch:
📍 Northern Plains – severe thunderstorms
📍 North Dakota – heavy rain and flooding
📍 West Texas & New Mexico – flash flood concerns
📍 Great Lakes & Northeast – weekend storm chances
📍 Eastern U.S. – growing heat and humidity
📍 Southwestern U.S. – watch the moisture from a tropical wave developing near Mexico
📍 Hawai'i – Watch for the tropical wave developing southwest of Baja

Matt Makens covers all the highlights in a weekly update he sends out. The Weekly Weather Watch is available to NCBA members for free. Sign up here: makensweather.com

Tell us what weather you are seeing where you live.

05/29/2026

A stormy and active weather pattern is expected across much of the U.S. from May 31 through June 7.

🌧️ South & Southeast:
Daily rounds of heavy rain and thunderstorms are likely from the Gulf Coast into Florida and parts of the Southeast. Slow-moving storms may lead to localized flash flooding, especially in flood-prone areas. Areas of Alabama, Georgia and Florida could see repeated rainfall through next week.

🏔️ Northern Rockies:
Montana and northern Wyoming may experience widespread heavy rain and even some mountain snow early in the period as a strong upper-level low settles over the region.

⛈️ Plains:
Storm chances increase later next week as the western system shifts east into the Plains.

🔥 Heat Concerns:
Extreme heat may develop first across California’s Central Valley and the Desert Southwest around June 4, then expand into parts of the Plains, Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley and western Great Lakes by next weekend.

💨 California Coast:
Periods of gusty winds are possible along parts of coastal California late next week.
📍 Main concerns through the period:
• Heavy rain & flash flooding in the Southeast
• Heavy rain/mountain snow in the northern Rockies
• Expanding heat risk across the central U.S. later next week
• Increasing storm chances in the Plains
Matt Makens

05/27/2026

Cattle producers pour put their heart and soul into raising their cattle with the highest animal husbandry standards, and when they need their cattle hauled across the state or country, they expect those animals to be well cared for.

That's why the industry needs common sense transportation rules and regulations that allow cattle haulers to be flexible and efficient, to ensure the safety and health of their live-animal cargo.

NCBA's Kent Bacus and Florida Cattlemen's Association's Dusty Holley breakdown the challenges livestock haulers currently face and offer solutions to bolster the beef supply chain.

Hear it all on the Cattlemen's Call podcast!
🔗 https://apple.co/3RmStPk

05/25/2026

Today we pause to recognize and remember those who lost their lives in service to our country. 🇺🇸

05/24/2026

Each spring cattlemen and women and our state affiliate partners from across the country travel to our Washington, D.C., for NCBA’s Legislative Conference.

This event gives beef producers a chance to meet face-to-face with their U.S. Representatives and Senators and speak to them about issues facing their farms and ranches every day.

You can hear more of our interview with NCBA President Gene Copenhaver tomorrow on NCBA's Cattlemen to Cattlemen at 8:00pm ET on RFD-TV, or anytime on our YouTube page.

05/24/2026

We know many, if not most, of our producers are battling drought conditions. There was some recent moisture that improved the pastures and grass health during the past couple of weeks. Although roughly similar to the popular drought monitor product, the two images here represent the health of vegetation currently (on the left, oranges/reds indicate poor plant health relative to what it would normally be this week) and how the health has changed in the past couple of weeks (on the right, browns indicate where plant health has gotten more stressed versus the teals representing areas of some improved health).

NOAA/NESDIS products like these, visualized for us by Matt Makens, are useful for seeing short-term gains from recent precipitation in areas that remain covered by a drought monitor classification. Case in point: in the past week or so, many pockets of grass improved across the West, in localized areas of Colorado and Wyoming, southeastern Oklahoma, southern and central Texas, and southern Florida. Those same areas remain in at least D2 drought, so they are certainly not out of the woods from a long-term drought perspective, but at least they got a short-term boost.

The big picture remains, however, many of our producers are in regions with very poor grass/forage health due to drought. Although El Niño is likely to bring relief to many later this year, the change won't be immediate and takes time to transition, as discussed in the recent National Cattlemen newspapers.

05/23/2026

Rural communities today face challenges that are complex and require collaboration of committed individuals and groups to solve.

For NCBA member Ty Koonce, those realities helped shape the creation of Under the Hat, a nonprofit focused on advancing mental health awareness and expanding access to care in rural communities. Sparked from his own experience and one CattleCon keynote speaker, he is committed to reducing stigma across the industry.

This effort reflects a growing recognition that resilience in agriculture includes both operational and personal well-being.

NCBA members can read Ty's story in the digital edition of May's National Cattlemen. Go to your NCBA online portal to learn more.
https://bit.ly/4nEVV3H

05/21/2026

Stockmanship & Stewardship events focus on practical, science‑based cattle handling and land management skills that can be used every day on your operation. The sessions are led by respected cattle experts and emphasize low‑stress handling, cattle behavior, animal and employee safety, and grazing decisions that improve the land.

This year, we are still headed to New Mexico (this weekend), Nebraska and Georgia! Find dates, details and registration information here: https://www.stockmanshipandstewardship.org/

NEOGEN

05/20/2026

It's time to register for the 2026 Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting.
📆 July 12-14
📍 Aurora, Colorado

At this annual meeting, network with fellow cattlemen and women, participate in committee meetings focused on current industry developments, and join interactive sessions with NCBA staff and cattle industry leaders.

Register and book housing now!
🔗: https://bit.ly/49ZTUJI