Contact:	Joe Snyder	303/850-3349	jsnyder@beef.org	
Image is Clear, NCBA CEO Says

01/29/2003 
NASHVILLE (January 29, 2003) – “NCBA is us, not them; we not they,” said National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Chief Executive Officer Terry Stokes at the Cattle Industry Annual Convention today.  Stokes, who has held the top staff position with the cattle and beef industry’s largest trade association for just under one year, delivered a management report to NCBA’s executive committee.  
 
“We’ve made a great deal of progress toward crystallizing NCBA’s image in the country,” Stokes said.  “I, along with my senior staff and producer leaders, have participated in more than 30 town hall meetings in 15 states since our summer conference in Reno.  It is very difficult to understand the intensity of issues for producers without meeting with them in their hometowns and on their terms,” he said.  These meetings have reinforced our commitment to increasing profit opportunities for members and enhancing the business climate for cattlemen.
 
NCBA membership renewal and recruitment increased 13 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2003 compared to the same period last year.  NCBA continues to tackle financial challenges, but the outlook looks favorable, Stokes said.  The Bush Administration provides a favorable political climate for NCBA to get the job done for cattlemen, while on the consumer front research shows that three-quarters of the U.S. population has a passion for beef and that beef demand has increased nearly 10 percent since 1998.
 
Stokes also reported on several key management initiatives that have been successfully accomplished since the last regular meeting of the Executive Committee.  Results include the development of a strategic plan for recruiting and retaining NCBA members, a proposed change to the organization’s dues structure to simplify affiliation for producers and state organizations, and a very deliberate redesign of NCBA’s membership publications.  The proposed dues structure will be discussed throughout the annual convention and through coming months, leading to NCBA Board action at its summer conference in July.
 
In conclusion, Stokes said, “NCBA’s focus is on protecting your business, promoting your product and preparing for your tomorrow.  We will continue to carry that message to the country.”
 
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