NCBA Prepares for Officer Transition at CattleCon 2026
NCBA President-elect
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) will officially change officers during CattleCon 2026, scheduled for February in Nashville, Tennessee. As the organization prepares for the transition, NCBA President-elect Gene Copenhaver is already focused on the priorities he hopes to advance when he assumes the presidency.
Copenhaver recently shared what he is most looking forward to in his upcoming role, highlighting the value of connecting directly with cattle producers across the country.
“Traveling across the country and seeing producers with different God-given assets and how we do things so different and meet a lot of new people,” Copenhaver said.
That exposure, he noted, reinforces the diversity of the U.S. cattle industry and the need for NCBA to advocate for all segments of beef production. A major focus moving forward, according to Copenhaver, will be maintaining profitability beyond strong cattle markets.
“But for NCBA to try to focus on the continued profitability of all sectors of our industry, we’ve had the markets being good. It’s still good, though we’ve had a blimp here in the last month, but it’s still good,” he said. “But we need to work on the other side of the equation, the expense side, the input side, and regulatory side.”
Copenhaver emphasized that regulatory reform will be a key priority as NCBA works with policymakers in Washington.
“We need to continue to work with the Trump administration and Congress to make sure the regulatory side, there’s some focus on that. It’s been upended in the last four years and we need to change some things,” he said.
He specifically pointed to recent developments around Waters of the United States (WOTUS), noting that updated rules may better align with Supreme Court guidance.
“And Waters of the USA came out this week and WOTUS is going to follow more of the Supreme Court’s decision on SACIT and maybe have some stand power because of that,” Copenhaver said. “And there’s some common sense things where a mud hole in Virginia is not a Waters of the USA.”
Looking ahead, Copenhaver said NCBA must also focus on the future of the cattle industry by supporting young and beginning producers.
“And if we can work on the input side and maybe find some more tools for our young producers that’s coming on, whether they’re first-time producers or legacy families to stay in business,” he said. “95% of our operations are family operations and we need to continue that for food security and national security.”
As NCBA transitions leadership at CattleCon 2026, Copenhaver’s message underscores a continued emphasis on profitability, practical regulation, and preserving family-run cattle operations across the nation.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.