The Iowa Beef Industry Council and Iowa Cattlemen's Association work collectively to support the success of beef producers in the state. In this week's episode of "At the Gate," Rex Hoppes shares how the Iowa Beef Industry Council is:

1. Expanding consumer demand for beef
2. Strengthening beef's position in the global marketplace
3. Improving producer profitability

An Iowa Beef Industry Council representative will be present at each ICA BeefMeet. Register for a BeefMeet near you by calling (515) 296-2266.

The Iowa Beef Industry Council and Iowa Cattlemen's Assocation this week recognized The Flying Elbow, of Marshalltown, for Iowa's Best Burger in 2022.

Learn more about the locally-owned restaurant that has been serving burgers for just six months. 

Denise Schwab, Northeast Iowa Extension Beef Specialist, joins us on "At the Gate" to discuss annual forages.

Schwab encourages producers to weatherproof their grazing systems, in an effort to maximize those acres well into the fall. 

*Note: This episode is sponsored by Lactipro, offered by MS Biotec. Learn how more about how Lactipro can maximize efficiency on your operation by visiting: https://bit.ly/37AaOBS.

It's bull sale season! We invite you to join us for an upcoming ICA 'Symbol of Excellence' Sale. We will be selling yearling bulls and replacement heifers at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 8 at the Tama Livestock Auction. On Friday, April 22, we will have another outstanding group of yearling bulls available through the Humeston Livestock Exchange

Patrick Wall, Iowa State University Extension beef specialist, shares how to find your next herd bull in today's "variable" market. Wall also encourages producers to "buy the bull you need instead of the bull you want." 

*Note: This episode is sponsored by Lactipro, offered by MS Biotec. Learn more about how Lactipro can maximize efficiency on your operation by visiting: https://bit.ly/37AaOBS.

Segment 1: The Iowa Cattlemen's Association is proud to support Iowa's Best Burger Contest. This year's contest is well underway, and the Top 10 restaurants have been chosen. Kylie Peterson, of Iowa Beef Industry Council, shares how you can be a part of the contest. 

Segment 2: Weather is great for small talk, but it greatly affects livestock farmers' day-to-day operations. Within the past couple of weeks, Iowa has received multiple rainfall events. Will the forecast remain wet heading into spring? Justin Glisan, State Climatologist of Iowa, speaks to what lies ahead.

The Iowa Cattlemen's Asssociation (ICA) looks forward to hosting three 'Symbol of Excellence' Sales in March and April. 

Our first sale will be at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 14 at the Bloomfield Livestock Market. Click here for event details: https://bit.ly/33JVRvd.

Hear directly from Matt Deppe, ICA CEO, and Skylar Brittain, ICA Bull and Heifer Evaluation Program (BHEP) Coordinator, about this year's performance offerings.

Iowa Cattlemen's Association members effectively represented Iowa's beef business on Wednesday, during Cattlemen at the Capitol.

We caught up with our regional vice presidents: Scott Niess, representing northeast Iowa, Justin Rowe, representing southwest Iowa, and Craig Moss, representing northwest Iowa. The ICA leaders give a brief overview of our legislative priorities and speak to the importance of being involved in the grassroots policy process.

The Iowa Cattlemen's Association submitted four policies at last week's Cattle Industry Convention, in Houston, Texas. In this episode, Iowa cattle industry leaders sit down to discuss the results of policy committee meetings.

Iowa Cattlemen's Association CEO Matt Deppe says, "There is common ground on transparency." Listen to find out how our Association plans to work forward, build off of recent policy engagement, and take action on policy positions.

The Iowa Cattlemen's Association continues to engage on Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS). On Jan. 18, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of the Army held a virtual public hearing on WOTUS. The federal agencies solicit public input, as the Biden Administration seeks to replace the Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR). Sparky Wellman, of southeast Iowa, provided comment on behalf of Iowa cattle producers. 

Lee Schulz, Iowa State University Extension livestock economist, is "cautiously optimistic" in his beef cattle market outlook. Schulz provides a price forecast, as well as risk management strategies.

"In 2021, we enhanced the way we engage on policy topics," says Matt Deppe, Iowa Cattlemen's Association Chief Executive Officer. Learn about policy topics our Association plans to engage on in 2022.

Additionally, ICA will be hosting three educational sessions in late January and early March. Tanner Lawton, ICA field services manager, hopes to see you at one of our Forums.

• January 26 | Carroll Producer Forum
• January 27 | Graettinger Producer Forum
• March 3 | West Union Producer Forum