Sorting Pen: The California Cattleman Podcast California Cattlemen's Association

With dairy cattle testing positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza for the first time a few weeks ago, this episode is to give California beef producers an update on the situation. 
Joining Katie to have this conversation and talk through what producers should know about the virus, current industry concerns, how it is being monitored and more is Dr. Tom Talbot, veterinarian and cattle rancher in Bishop, California. Tom is also a past CCA President and remains an active member of the Association.

Since December, San Diego County cattle rancher John Austel has served as a CCA Second Vice President. In this episode, learn more about John, the unique perspective he brings to the officer team, and his time as a CCA officer so far. John also shares about the experience of running his regenerative, natural Angus herd on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Ecological Reserve Rancho Jamul—a property that was part of an old Spanish Land Grant with a history of over 250 years of agricultural use. 

CCA’s Vice President of Government Affairs Kirk Wilbur joins Katie for this year's first CCA legislative update on the podcast. 

Assemblymember Jim Wood was elected to California’s Assembly 10 years ago to serve the North Coast. In that time, he has become a good friend of CCA's. In this conversation, hear why Asm. Wood has a kinship for cattle ranching, why he loves CCA's Steak & Eggs Breakfast, about the handful of priorities he's worked on in the legislature that positively impact ranchers and more. 

Have you ever worried about the mental health of someone you love or know in a rural area? You're not alone. On this episode, Vice President of Communications for Rural Minds Julie Lux, shares about the mental health emergency America's rural communities are facing and provides resources to help be part of the solution to this crisis. Learn about the Rural Mental Health Resilience Program, the goal of the program and how you can access materials for free.
Episode Resources:
Rural Minds: How to start a conversation about mental health factsheet
Visit ruralminds.org/resilience for all the factsheets, materials and information we talked about on this episode.

NCBA’s Director of Animal Health and Food Safety Policy Rebecca Barnett joins Katie at the 2024 CattleCon in Orlando. Rebecca grew up in Adin, Calif. and attended UC Davis. Hear about her journey to Washington D.C. and what issues she is tackling with NCBA, including traceability.

Episode Resources:
NCBA Backs FAIR Labels Act to End Deceptive Fake Meat Labeling Practices
2024 NCBA Legislative Conference
RSVP for CCA's Steak & Eggs Legislative Breakfast