08/23/2026
Virginia Cattlemen’s Association (VCA) shares the widespread industry concern related to the announced beef imports. It is bad policy that will do more to hurt cattle producers than help consumers. VCA President Bill McDonald said, “This undermines the market from encouraging cattle producers to retain more females to grow the USA herd, which in the long run will make for an affordable and secure national food supply.” VCA encourages producers and stakeholders to reach out to your elected officials and convey that message.
While we are concerned about the announced imports in the short-term, we cannot let that announcement overshadow the long-term implications the recent packing plant closures will have. Cattle producers across the country are being left without meaningful processing access and those closures will be felt for decades to come. In what appears as an attempt to vertically integrate and control the supply chain, packers are deliberately consolidating to fewer plants that predominantly service corporate feeders. The closures of JBS Souderton and Tyson’s Joslin plant directly impact the viability of Virginia’s cattle industry and the farmer feeders who have long sourced Virginia feeder cattle.
In addition to truth in labeling, Virginia Cattlemen’s Association requests the following measures be taken by our elected officials to support the long-term viability of our industry.
1. Improve risk management offerings. Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) has come a long way. But elevated premium costs and the lack of options for breeding cattle both represent areas for immediate improvement. LRP represents one of the best ways to give producers confidence to rebuild the nation’s cowherd through price protection. But it has to be an affordable and workable product to make a meaningful difference.
2. Fully enforce the Packers and Stockyards Act. It is imperative that we have someone calling balls and strikes, especially in an industry as consolidated as ours at the packing level. Rules are meaningless if they are not enforced. We must ensure fair competition, improve transparency and promote price discovery as much as possible.
3. Investigate and guard against captive supply. While vertical integration has its efficiencies, it comes at the cost of the producer. Freedom and independence are what this country was founded on. We cannot let the packers and corporations run our farmer feeders out of business. They are imperative to the industry’s future survival. Mandatory price reporting and captive supply rules need to be revisited to better reflect policies that serve America’s cattle producers.
4. Strategically stabilize regional packing capacity. Agriculture represents Virginia’s largest private industry with cattle production being the second ranking commodity in cash receipts. Cattle production is equally important to the economies of other states across the country that will be harmed by the recent packing plant closures. We must identify and support efforts to ensure cattle producers across the country have meaningful access to processing facilities.
The current state of our industry presents unique challenges for all of us to navigate. We look forward to working with all sectors and stakeholders to ensure America’s cattle industry continues to set the worldwide standard for quality, production and freedom.
