Happy May, everyone! As usual, there’s a lot going on policy-wise lately that impacts cattle production, so I’ll dive right in.
NCA recently attended the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association & Public Lands Council Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. During the conference, we heard from U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Shultz, Bureau of Land Management Deputy Director Mike Nedd, Congressman LaMalfa (CA), Congressman Bentz (OR), and Congresswoman Maloy (UT). Additionally, senior staffers from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, House Natural Resources Committee, and Senate and House Agriculture Committees briefed attendees on upcoming natural resources and agricultural legislation.
This year’s fly-in focused on several key topics, including expanding the use of grazing as a management tool, reforming BLM grazing regulations, updating the Endangered Species Act, addressing outstanding issues in the Forest Service handbook and directives, and determining priorities for grazing within the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations process.
During the trip, we also had productive meetings with Senator Cortez Masto, Senator Rosen, and Congressman Amodei, where we discussed the above priorities. We also advocated for sound tax policy, continued management of wild horses and burros, and reminded our delegation of NCA’s net loss of AUMs policy when it comes to the potential sale of public lands, as well as several other important topics. I’m very hopeful that around this time next month, I’ll be able to report on a legislative effort that would significantly increase the ability to graze cattle in order to reduce wildfire fuel loads and prevent the spread of annual invasive grasses. Overall, we had a very productive trip and look forward to seeing results.
Last but not least, the Nevada Legislative Session is about a month away from wrapping up. Here’s a brief summary of where a few key bills stand:
Senate Bill 31, which NCA opposed, proposes to exempt federal agencies from being required to file proof of their vested water rights by December 31, 2027. All other entities would still be required to submit proof of vested claims by that deadline. The bill passed out of the Senate Natural Resources Committee and is likely headed to the Assembly.
Senate Bill 172, the “Ag Worker Bill of Rights” or “Overtime Bill,” also passed out of its respective Senate committee. The bill was amended to remove the proposal requiring overtime pay for agricultural workers. However, the “bill of rights” portion remains, allowing ag workers to collectively bargain, establishing required meal and rest periods, and requiring ag employers to provide unfettered access to “key service providers,” among other provisions.
Senate Bill 180 was passed out of the Senate Growth and Infrastructure Committee. It calls for minimum liability insurance of $1.5 million on vehicles with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of 26,000 lbs. or more that transport freight within Nevada. The liability insurance requirement would increase incrementally: $1 million in 2026, $1.25 million in 2028, and $1.5 million by 2030.
NCA intends to work hard to ensure these pieces of legislation don’t saddle our industry with additional regulatory nonsense or financial burden for those who are simply trying to feed people. On the flip side, NCA is aggressively working on Senate Bill 382, which aims to eliminate the annual or three-year trailer registration fee. Instead, it would establish a one-time, lower-cost permanent registration for trailers used to transport livestock, agricultural products, or for general ranch and farm use.
At this point in time, several bills—both good and bad—that NCA has provided testimony on are continuing their way through the process. NCA is gearing up to respond accordingly as these bills move from the Assembly to the Senate, or vice versa, for approval. This is just a snapshot of some of the work NCA is doing on your behalf. If anyone has any questions, concerns, or input on the above or any other issue, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at nca@nevadabeef.org or (775) 738-9214.