Farm Bureau Testimony: Increasing Demand and Opportunity for Homegrown Products Here and Abroad

Increasing Demand and Opportunities for Homegrown Products Here and Abroad

Good morning, Chairman Thompson, Ranking Member Craig, and distinguished members of the House Committee on Agriculture. My name is Carlyle Currier, and I serve as the President of Colorado Farm Bureau. I am also here today representing the American Farm Bureau Federation. I want to thank you for the opportunity to join these committee proceedings and share my testimony.

I live and ranch on Colorado’s western slope, in the rural community of Plateau Valley — home to around 1,400 residents. Ranching is the lifeblood of our community, sustaining families like mine since the 1880s. Our community is home to many legacy ranches that are legally defined by the State of Colorado as Centennial Ranches — ranches that have been continuously owned and operated by the same family for more than 100 years.

Currier Ranch is one of those Centennial Ranches. My son Joel is the fifth generation on the ranch. Joel and I raise beef cattle and ship calves in the fall when they come off our U.S. Forest Service permit at around 600-700 pounds. Our beef is fed, finished, and enters the supply chain for consumers. In our program, we also retain ownership, which allows us to obtain proprietary data used to improve genetic performance. For us, improving genetic performance translates into more efficient use of our natural resources and yields a higher quality product for consumers, as well as a premium price. Like many other businesses, in ranching, return is tied to demand. The return on my investment in my own herd is forever tied to consumer demand for American beef. As an aging rancher, I often run calculations as to how tax liabilities impact today’s bottom line and tomorrow’s next generation of ownership. Fortunately, Congress fortified long-term capital investments into the beef industry by making permanent critical tax provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed last summer. Provisions like permanent estate tax exemptions and business income deductions will enable farmers to invest back into their business, encouraging herd rebuilding and empowering succession planning. Ultimately, I look forward to the day when I can hand the reins over to my son because I know he now has a better chance to succeed in producing American beef and carrying on the legacy of the four generations before him.