NCBA members have adopted a new governance structure designed to make the organization more responsive to new challenges facing the industry and producers. The NCBA Board of Directors approved recommendations from a special governance task force by a 201 to 13 margin during last week’s Cattle Industry Convention in San Antonio. Manhattan rancher Jan Lyons served as task force co-chair throughout the 18-month process of gathering rancher and feeder input as a basis for the new governance structure.
“There are entities across the country seeking to keep us from succeeding as cattlemen and women,” said Lyons. “The changes we have recommended make it easier for us to move quickly against those groups and ensure consumers know the facts about the great beef we produce and the people who produce it.”
The organizational changes will include a 29-member NCBA Board of Directors. A House of Delegates will elect 26 of the board members. The House of Delegates will include 106 votes for state beef councils, 106 votes for NCBA state affiliates and 38 for industry and breed organizations, as well as the allied industry/product council. Committees approved by the board will make proposals to the House of Delegates. The delegate body will forward policy to the board for final consideration.
Lyons said she and the 20 other task force members sought to maintain grassroots input and control of the organization. This was accomplished through the operations and structure of the House of Delegates and the committee system.
Task force co-chairman John Queen said the smaller board will be more efficient and accountable to the membership. All of this will be accomplished while maintaining strict firewalls between checkoff and dues dollars. Legal counsel and USDA concur the new structure complies with the beef checkoff act and order.
Working groups will be established to develop by-laws, investment schedules and a transition timeline. If proposed by-law changes are approved by the current board during the Cattle Industry Summer Conference in July, implementation of the new structure would begin at that time.