Immigration is a Priority for Incoming NCBA President

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association President-elect Bob McCan from South Texas knows the importance of immigration reform and what it means to various segments of the beef industry.

McCan: "Well, that is a top priority for NCBA right now -- immigration reform. One of our main focuses there is to make sure that we are going to have a program as far as incoming workers that something that we can deal with on an annual basis. We can't have a seasonal type worker program. When we have these people come in, we got to have them for a long time nine months to 10 months -- if they need to go home for a month that is fine. We do have a labor shortage throughout the industry -- the feedlots, the cow calf guys and packers/processors. It's a big deal."

He discusses the issue of borders

McCan: "The border security -- down where I live, I know a lot of my neighbors south of me there have a lot of problems. If we can get a good comprehensive reform program, culturally it will take care of a lot that. We need to have those borders secure. If there is a program that they come in legally that will help a lot."