DENVER –Three groups have been appointed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (N.C.B.A) to continue developing an improved governance concept, which the association’s Board of Directors approved 201-13 at its Annual Meeting in San Antonio in January. The three Working Groups are: Bylaws, Policies and Procedures; Investment Schedules and Transition Timeline.

“At the San Antonio meeting, the Governance Task Force received a lot of producer feedback, and they revised their governance recommendation based on this feedback,” said Steve Foglesong, N.C.B.A. president and producer from Astoria, Ill.

“As a result, the board overwhelmingly voted to move forward with the governance concept. Today, we continue this producer-driven process with these working groups.”

These groups, which are beginning their work late March and early April, will send their recommendations to N.C.B.A.’s Board of Directors by the beginning of July for the members to review prior to the summer Board meeting Aug.1 in Denver.

Each working group includes a diverse group of producers and executives from state organizations. Group members were appointed by N.C.B.A.’s officers based on recommendations the officer team received from state beef councils and state cattlemen associations.

The approved governance model creates:

* Committees open to all N.C.B.A. members, members of the Federation of State Beef Councils and members of state cattlemen association affiliates, as well as invited guests. Producers are currently appointed to committees. This change is more inclusive, creating greater producer voice in demand-building programs and organizational policy.

* A House of Delegates, not unlike N.C.B.A.’s current board, which will be charged with developing recommendations for Board consideration. The current governance model creates a House of Delegates with 250 votes. Of those votes, 106 will go to State Beef Councils, 106 to state affiliates and 38 to industry and breed organizations, as well as the allied industry/product council.

* A Board of Directors comprised of 29 members, 26 of who are elected by the House of Delegates. This body will be able to respond more quickly to producer direction than N.C.B.A.’s current 274-member Board.

*A Federation of State Beef Councils, which will continue to elect its chair, vice chair and its members to the Beef Promotion Operating Committee.