WASHINGTON, D.C. – At this week’s hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Tracy Brunner, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President and rancher from Ramona, Kan., testified on the challenges and outlook of the U.S. beef cattle sector.
Agriculture Committee Chairman Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., held the hearing to review the U.S. livestock and poultry sectors.
In his testimony, Brunner discussed the challenges facing the beef industry, including successful passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the potential reissuance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rule, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife’s implementation of the Endangered Species Act, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ‘Waters of the U.S.’ (WOTUS) rule.
“Tracy is not only a true leader for Kansas agriculture but also for the U.S. beef industry,” said Chairman Roberts. “Ranchers across America should be proud to have Tracy as a voice for cattlemen. I thank him for leaving the beautiful Flint Hills of Kansas to testify before the Agriculture Committee.”
Brunner is the fourth generation rancher from Ramona, Kan., and has served as president of his family corporation since its inception in 1988. A graduate of Kansas State University, Brunner manages the feedyard and the yearling grazing operation while overseeing the cattle and grain marketing decisions, commodity risk management, customer relations and financial reports. The Brunner family also operates a seed stock enterprise raising bulls and replacement heifers for many ranchers throughout the country.