MFA's Mike John is elected vice president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

Health Track Beef Alliance manager Mike John was recently elected vice president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Election to the post means he will become president elect of the organization next year and president the year following.

An MFA employee since 2000, John has been actively involved with state and national cattlemen's associations since 1980, serving as the president for the Missouri Cattlemen's Association in 1996.

John said that understanding the beef business is critical to helping build better marketing programs for beef producers, and that being involved in industry organizations is critical to improving knowledge.

"Being active gives you a perspective on the whole industry. It has prepared me for the changes that are occurring and given me a knowledge base and a networking environment where I can stay in contact with all the segments and know what's going on out there. The alternative to that is that you stay in your own little world and not be prepared for change."

As for the term ahead, John sees several things that will be important for the beef industry.

"As an industry, we desperately need to end any divisiveness within the ranks," said John. "Doing so will make us more effective in all the aspects of our industry; we can be more effective in export negotiation, legislation efforts, regulatory restraint and similar areas."

John said the accelerated adoption of a national ID system will be one of the most immediate results from discovery of BSE in the United States.

"Obviously the national ID issue is breathing down our neck. In order to serve our members we'll have to be very active in that and participate at every level. The regulation will have a great deal of effect," he said.

"But probably a more immediate concern will be re-opening our export markets so that we don't end up with a backlog of beef here.

"There are some things going on worldwide, which no one could predict, that are affecting beef prices, and perhaps the decisions being made as to when to resume importation of U.S. beef. Avian flu, as awful as it is for producers there, is creating a shortage of not only beef but pork and poultry as well."

John added that countries tend to overreact to issues like BSE, concentrating less on truly scientific risk assessments in favor of placating a nervous public and protectionist agriculture system.

Contrasting the short-term export situation, John sees strong potential for U.S. producers on the horizon.

"One thing we see today is that the world gets smaller, at least as concerns trade issues. We know domestic demand is a finite number, but world demand is huge. As populations get more affluent, they are willing to spend more money on the food they eat. We have to expand our markets, and the basis for that expansion is outside of our borders. Increasing our exports will keep farmers and ranchers in business," he said.

On the domestic front, John is wary of continued consolidation in the beef segment, but says that certain aspects of today's market won't change.

"Consumers say they want certain things, and consumers ultimately control what we do. The best way to deliver what they want, from a producer's perspective, is to build a system of commerce-sized units of trade so that you can supply a Krogers or Wal-Mart," he said.

"Some people don't appreciate the size of those businesses or what's going on in a more integrated industry. But given where we find ourselves, it makes sense to try to do business with those systems without damaging the integrity of individual, family farming systems."