I just removed about three inches of wet snow off of the hood of my pickup to go feed this morning and even though I usually do it with a grumble, this morning I had a cheery demeanor. As I sit down to write this article, the heady wet snow is still coming down. Normally I’m not a huge fan of snow and cold so why the cheery demeanor during this “Ides of March” storm you ask? I maintain the theory that a warm wet spring will do more for range conditions than a long cold deep snow winter. This is a warm wet snow we are having! Even though the snow and mud bring on some challenges they also bring opportunity and promise. When you’re trudging through the mud you have to have faith something better is on the other side and it always is.
I have to maintain this same attitude when I turn on the news and begin to worry that the Trade Negotiations this administration are working on may begin to affect the US Cattle Markets and the US Economy as a whole. I’m fairly certain that no one really knows just how things are going to play out and what effects all the negotiations will have for certain. As President Trump warned there may be some “bumps in the road” but that is to be expected if you want to get some meaningful change in global policy. I personally have to have faith that as we go through the “hiccups” and trudge through a little mud it is going to get us to a better more level and fair playing field of global trade. As global trade becomes increasingly important so will our trade agreements. We just might as well engage in those agreements now, even though it might be a little painful in the short term.
I feel obligated to note that foreign trade is above our pay grade at the Nevada Cattlemen’s office. We engage where we can with our delegation but President Trump hasn’t called us to see what we think the right move would be and frankly I wouldn’t know what to tell him. I do have a level of comfort knowing that there are folks in Washington DC watching our back and engaging heavily on this issue and NCA does talk to them on a regular basis.
As we “keep marching” through these uncertain times I would encourage everyone to strap on your mud boots and keep smiling because green grass is on the horizon!
Cheers,
Hanes Holman
By Hanes Holman, President, NCA