CALIFORNIA CATTLEMAN WEEKLY
Sept. 14, 2026
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Recent Trump Admin. Moves Impact Cattle Production and Beef Markets
In recent weeks, President Donald Trump has issued several announcements, proclamations and executive orders impacting cattle ranching, beef processing and cattle and beef markets. Late last month, the President issued a proclamation allowing up to 300,000 metric tons of lean beef trimmings to be imported into the United States without being subject to the existing out-of-quota tariff. The move met with opposition from industry representatives including CCA and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
In recent weeks, the Trump Administration has made several moves to quell that industry opposition. At the end of August, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the “Ranchers First Initiative,” which builds on existing USDA programs aimed at supporting regional beef processing and rebuilding the U.S. cattle herd. Then, earlier this month, President Trump signed two Executive Orders regarding cattle ranching and beef production. The first, titled “Supporting America’s Ranchers,” directs the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to explore federal delisting of gray wolves and directs the U.S. Trade Representative to “review all statutory and regulatory authorities that may permit the establishment of mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef products,” among other provisions. A second executive order aims to promote competition and expand market access.
For additional details and analysis regarding the Trump Administration’s recent actions, see last week’s edition of California Cattleman Weekly (and prior editions). CCA will continue to keep members apprised of Trump Administration actions impacting cattle ranching and beef production.
Wolf Program Funding Materializes in Final Hours of Legislative Session
California’s 2025-26 Legislative Session gaveled to a close on September 1. CCA’s legislative priorities fared incredibly well this legislative session, including a last-minute win as the Legislature approved $5 million for the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Wolf Program, including $2.5 million for the Wolf-Livestock Compensation Program, via new Budget legislation. Governor Newsom now has until the end of the month to sign or veto any bills advanced to his desk by the Legislature. For more information, see the August 31 edition of California Cattleman Weekly and the forthcoming October and November editions of the California Cattleman magazine.
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 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.
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 CCA Events
CCA & CCW Convention and California Cattle Industry Tradeshow
Dec. 2 – 4, Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, Reno, Nevada
Registration is now open! Visit calcattlemen.org/convention2026 to register and make your hotel room reservations. | Interested in being an exhibitor at the California Cattle Industry Tradeshow? See the exhibitor packet. | Click here to see the sponsorships available to support CCA. | Collegiate opportunities are available here.
Upcoming Industry Events
September 15-17, Copper Mountain, Colorado
The Public Lands Council will host its Annual Meeting at the Copper Mountain Conference Center in Copper Mountain, Colorado from September 15-17. All California federal lands permittees are encouraged to attend. Early bird registration ends August 14. To register, click here.
Beef Margin Management Seminar
September 29-30, Coalinga, California
The Beef Margin Management Seminar, offered by CIH, is designed to help beef producers maximize their profit margins by effectively utilizing the full range of available contracting methods. The cost of this seminar is $550 per operation, or free for CIH clients. For more information, click here.
UCCE Offers AB 589 Water Measurement and Reporting Course
October 5, 9:00am-12:30pm, Davis
The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) will offer a water measurement and reporting course, as authorized by CCA-sponsored AB 589 (2017) and SB 880 (2022), on Monday, Oct. 5. Registration is $35 and pre-registration is required. For additional details and to register for the training, click here or contact Larry Forero or Sara Jaimes.
Siskiyou North Fork Meat Summit
Oct. 15 -16, Scott and Shasta Valleys
The North Fork Summit brings together Northern California’s regional meat supply chain – including ranchers, processors, distributors, and buyers – to learn, connect, and explore opportunities that strengthen both individual operations and the region as a whole. Early bird registration ends 9/13. To register and for more information, click here.
Two-Day Grazing Planning Workshop
Oct. 19 – 20, 9:00am-4:00pm, Santa Margarita
Join the Central Coast Soil Hub for a grazing planning workshop where you will learn the tools & planning for profitable, regenerative grazing management. Time will be spent learning to read the landscape and in-field indicators of rangeland health and developing a grazing plan that fits your context and goals. Attendees will walk away with the tools and step-by-step instructions to write their own holistic grazing plan – You will learn each step by doing it yourself! To RSVP, visit the link here.
CCA in the News
Ranchers to be paid for wolf kills, but there’s a catch Agri-Pulse “‘I will give props to Sen. Blakespear and the other cosponsors of the measure,” said Kirk Wilbur, the California Cattlemen’s Association’s vice president of government affairs. “They brought us in — both California Cattlemen and the California Farm Bureau — in January. … They wanted to find a compromise we could live with.’ … Wilbur said SB 1135 isn’t ‘ideal,’ but ag advocates negotiated ‘some really good amendments’ in the bill.” To continue reading, click here.
Industry News
California sues over Trump’s changes to Endangered Species Act, arguing they threaten habitat CalMatters “Trump’s changes, finalized in July, rescind a definition of harm that made it illegal to damage the places that endangered species call home — effectively opening up habitat where they shelter, breed and eat to mining, logging and other development.” To continue reading, click here.
