CALIFORNIA CATTLEMAN WEEKLY

August 24, 2026

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Non-Lethal Gray Wolf Management Trainings Available
Ranchers in wolf territory are encouraged to participate in a free training session for the ability to use non-lethal projectiles (paint/powder projectiles) and pursuit to haze wolves interacting with livestock. The training sessions are authorized by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and administered by USDA APHIS Wildlife Services.

Training courses are currently planned for August 31 and September 1 in Siskiyou County; September 10 in Sierraville; September 11 in Taylorsville; September 15 in Susanville; and September 16 in Alturas.

These training sessions are free and offered for livestock producers in wolf territory on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information and to register, click here. CCA will keep members informed as additional training dates are added.

President Trump Announces Plan to Ease Tariffs on Imported Beef
On Friday, President Donald Trump announced a plan to allow up to 300,000 metric tons of product for ground beef to be imported into the United States over the next three months without being subject to the existing out-of-quota tariff. According to the President, “this beef will be sold at 25 percent below current market prices.”

As of press time, it was not clear which foreign nations were parties to the deal or how the discount would be implemented at the retail level. According to media reports, President Trump intends to sign an executive order in the coming weeks to implement the proposal.

Since Friday’s announcement, CCA staff have been engaging with members of California’s Congressional delegation, the White House and our national cattle industry partners to communicate the potential harm such a plan would have to American cattle producers and to push back against the proposal.

This weekend, CCA issued a statement strongly opposing the plan, noting that “If we want more affordable and abundant American beef in the years ahead, we need policies that encourage American ranchers to produce more cattle—not policies that increase our reliance on foreign beef.” CCA partner the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association also issued a statement expressing disappointment in the President’s announcement.

For more information, see CCA’s recent statement opposing the plan. The Association will keep members apprised of further developments on Trump’s beef-importation proposal as details emerge.

Douglas Port Reopens to Cattle Crossing
The US Department of Agriculture has confirmed that the agency “reopened the Douglas, AZ port to cattle imports from Mexico” today, “guided by overlapping safeguards and a science-based import protocol jointly agreed upon between the United States and Mexico.” The southern border had been closed to cattle crossing since July 7 of last year due to the northward spread of New World screwworm.

Douglas borders the Mexican State of Sonora. When USDA first announced the phased reopening of the southern border a month ago, the agency noted that Sonora was then 325 miles from the nearest active case of New World screwworm. While Sonora reported its first detection of New World screwworm last week, officials have moved forward with reopening the Douglas crossing amid heightened prevention efforts.

For more information on the phased reopening of the southern border, see the July 27 edition of California Cattleman Weekly.

USDA Forest Service Initiates Repeal of 2001 Roadless Rule
The USDA announced last week that the US Forest Service has initiated a proposed rulemaking to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which the agency called “a one-size-fits-all restriction that has frustrated land managers and served as a barrier to wildfire risk reduction work across large swaths of America’s national forests.” USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins promised to rescind the Roadless Rule more than a year ago.

The 2001 Roadless Rule prohibits road construction (and reconstruction) and timber harvesting on more than 44 million acres designated as roadless areas throughout the nation’s forests, including more than 2.5 million acres within California.

For the past 25 years, the regulation has imposed barriers to effective wildfire preparedness efforts, including timber harvest and grazing management. As a result, USDA finds that 28 million acres of inventoried roadless areas are “at high or very high risk of wildfire.” Rescinding the Roadless Rule will permit land managers to undertake active forest management efforts previously precluded by the Rule. Should the recission be finalized, forest projects would still be subject to a wide array of other environmental regulations, including the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and others.

The Forest Service is taking public comments on the proposed rescission of the Roadless Rule through September 21. To comment, click here.

CCA Priorities Fare Well During Appropriations ‘Suspense Day’
Thursday was “suspense day” in the State Legislature, during which appropriators in the Senate and Assembly considered more than 850 bills with significant costs to the state. Fortunately, CCA’s legislative priorities fared incredibly well on suspense day. CCA-supported AB 1699 (Rogers), dubbed The Good Fire Act, and CCA-supported AB 1891 (Connelly), which would establish the Beneficial Fire Capacity Program within CAL FIRE, both advanced out of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Additionally, CCA-opposed bills which sought to reintroduce grizzlies to the state and aimed to impose onerous permitting regulations for wetlands both died in committee. For a full rundown of how CCA fared on suspense day, read last week’s edition of California Cattleman Weekly.

Share Your Favorite Recipe from Your California Ranch!
The California Cattlemen’s Foundation is collecting recipes from California ranching families to share with Californians through upcoming storytelling projects, including the CalResilient newsletter and a special event celebrating the International Year of the Woman Farmer. We’re looking for recipes that tell a story, such as family favorites, meals made after a long day working cattle, dishes passed down through generations, or seasonal recipes that bring people together. Right now, we’re especially looking for late-summer and fall recipes, but recipes of all kinds are welcome. If you’d like to participate, please send your recipe to katier@calcattlemen.org. If you’re able, include a few sentences about the recipe’s story or significance to your family, along with a photo of the finished dish, your family, or the people who make it. Have questions or want to learn more? Reach out to Katie.

2026 California Cattlemen’s Association Scholarships are Open Now! 
In 2025, CCA awarded over $51,000 in scholarships to students studying agriculture. Applications must be typed and returned in full to the California Cattlemen’s Association office by Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 11:59pm via email to Gracie at gracie@calcattemen.org. For more information about CCA’s offered scholarships and to access the scholarship application, click here.

Upcoming Industry Events

Upcoming CCA Events

CCA in the News

Inside Day One at Douglas: How USDA and Arizona Will Clear Cattle and Block Screwworm at the Border Drovers “‘What the Mexican cattle do is they provide a nice diversity,’ says Mike Sulpizio, California Cattlemen’s Association feeder council chair and Superior Cattle Feeders cattle buyer and marketing manager. He says multiple feedlots in the Imperial Valley feed the Mexican cattle. Sulpizio and Eade were recently featured on the Sorting Pen: California Cattleman Podcast discussing why reopening the border is key for cattle feeders.” To continue reading, click here.

Cattle Industry Prepares for Border Reopening California Ag Today “USDA announced late last month that it plans a phased reopening of southern cattle ports, beginning with Douglas, Arizona, on August 24. The border has been closed to cattle crossings because of the northward spread of New World screwworm. So, consider this a reminder from the California Cattlemen’s Association, which has been vigilant in following the issue.” To continue reading, click here.

Industry News

California passes the toughest wildfire rules in the U.S. for home landscaping NPR “As severe wildfires burn across the Western U.S., California has adopted the toughest rules in the country to help protect communities from burning. Homeowners in wildfire-prone areas will be required to limit plants within 5 feet of their house, a protective measure that wildfire experts say can help prevent homes from igniting.” To continue reading, click here.

Nevada sues to challenge Trump administration’s Colorado River plan Los Angeles Times “The state filed the lawsuit on Monday, just three days after the Trump administration released the plan, which requires Nevada, Arizona and California to cut water use by about 20% for the next two years. The plan allows for much larger mandatory cuts over the next decade if necessary to prevent the river’s drought-depleted reservoirs from reaching critically low levels.” To continue reading, click here.