For the cattle industry – National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Vice President of Government Affairs Collin Woodall says the denial of the Renewable Fuel Standard waiver by the EPA is an indicator of things to come. He expects cattle producers will soon see guidance on the Clean Water Act and the dust rule – along with other potentially burdensome regulations. Woodall also expects other important priorities for cattlemen and women will be more difficult to achieve – as the gridlock seen the past two years in the House and Senate will likely continue. According to Woodall – that means there won’t be an opportunity to address big ticket items like the estate tax or Endangered Species Act reform for the next several years. He believes those are completely off the table.

That won’t stop NCBA from making the estate tax a priority. The so-called Bush-era tax cuts expire at the end of the year. If the estate tax rates aren’t extended before that time – farmers and ranchers will be taxed on assets over one-million dollars. The top tax rate will revert back to 55-percent. Woodall says NCBA hopes for at least a four-year extension of the current five-million dollar per individual exemption and top tax rate of 35-percent. He says maintaining these levels for the next four years is needed to provide a little certainty – noting it’s hard to make plans on a two-year basis.

NCBA will also tackle a wide range of other issues. Woodall encourages cattlemen and women to engage with their elected officials on the issues that impact their operations at every opportunity to help make in-roads.