From the desk of Executive Director Meghan Brown:

April 2011

Many Industry-affecting Bills Slated for State and National Legislation

The Legislature is heating up both in Washington and in Carson City. With the state legislature in full swing our lobbyist Neena Laxalt is working hard to represent our values and speak for our concerns. There are several different bills that are coming forth that will affect our industry and they include but are not limited to: AB46, AB73, AB114, AB115, AB326, SB17, SB48, SB130, SB223, SB226, SJR5. There are over 45 bills that we are watching closely and monitoring with staff and our lobbyist to make sure that we are advocating for the needs of our members. If you would like more information regarding this or any other bills please call the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association office at 1-775-738-9214 or you can visit the Nevada Legislature web page www.leg.state.nv.us.

If you visit the Nevada Legislature web page you can find full copies of all the bills that are currently being discussed, watch hearings live, comment on bills you are interested in, and learn more about how the legislature works. If there is a bill that you feel is important to the industry make sure to let the association know and we track it and make sure that our industry’s voice is heard.

Several members of the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association leadership are traveling to Washington DC this month for the Annual Public Lands Council Spring Conference. Leadership will have the opportunity to hear and visit with members of the House and Senate along with individuals in the different federal agencies including: Joel Holtrop, Associate Deputy Chief USFS, Jim Peña, Associate Deputy Chief USFS, Doug Crandall, Director of Legislative Affairs USFS, Rob Roudabush, Chief, Division of Rangeland Resources BLM, Bob Bolton, Senior Rangeland Management Specialist BLM, Erica Rhoad, Professional Staff, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, House Committee on Appropriations, and Jim Streeter, Staff Director, U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee.

Along with members of federal agencies and our state’s delegation NCA leadership will hear from other industry related individuals including: Margaret Soulen Hinson, President, American Sheep Industry Association, Colin Woodall, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

Please look for our next article for a full report regarding our meetings in Washington and the progress of the bills moving through our state legislature.

If you have questions or concerns regarding any legislation nationally or within the state please call the office to make sure that your voice is heard. We work hard to make sure that the voice of Nevada producers is heard loud and clear, and with the pace that Washington moves at and most days our own legislature it can become hard to disseminate all information.

Please become a member and become a part of our email list so that information can get to you quickly. Some bills come to our attention only days before action is taken, so the faster we can get the information to you and to our legislators the better NCA can work for you.