National Cattlemen's Beef Association

USDA Threatens To Halt Imports If Mexico Doesn't Step Up New World Screwworm Control

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 16:07:25 GMT

President Donald Trump’s administration warned on Saturday it will restrict livestock imports from Mexico if the Mexican government doesn’t intensify its fight against New World Screwworm.

Washington’s threat came in a letter from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins that said Mexico had limited one of the companies hired to conduct aerial spraying to eliminate the pest to flying only six days a week and had imposed “burdensome customs duties” on parts needed to keep its planes in the air.

USDA is only giving Mexico until April 30 to follow protocol to stop the spread of the pest and eliminate current restrictions slowing eradication. If not, the U.S. will halt imports of Mexican cattle, bison and equine.

Buck Wehrbein, president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, says the threat comes as additional cases of screwworm have been detected in far southern Mexico. At the same time, the sterile insect technique used for eradication has stalled.

“There’s a production facility for the sterile flies to stop this nasty little bug in Panama, so we’re in good shape to do it and things have moved forward, but there’s been some snags now with planes not being allowed to land by the Mexican government and some extra fees and customs,” Wehrbein explains.

He met with senior officials at the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, D.C., last week to press for further action.

“It’s simply a bureaucratic thing that I would think all they have to do is the right person sign the right paper that says you can land these planes,” Wehrbein says.

Mexico’s President said Monday they are strengthening efforts to stop the pest.

Reopening the border to Mexican feeder cattle has been a steady process since the pest was detected last November , yet trade has not fully normalized.

"[Trade is] at about half capacity compared with before,” Wehrbein says. “It’s come a long way and the Mexican government has done a really good job on the border and working with our APHIS people.”

In the 1960s, the U.S. spent million of dollars to eradicate New World Screwworm, but the pest is destructive and could cost producers millions of dollars a year if it reaches the U.S.

Rising Beef Prices and Demand Fuel Big Change for the Dairy Industry

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 15:30:00 GMT

The beef cattle industry is evolving, and dairy producers are playing a pivotal role in that transformation. At the 2025 CattleCon, hosted by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association in San Antonio, Texas, Lance Zimmerman, a senior beef analyst at RaboBank, joined Agri-Talk host Chip Flory to break down the latest USDA Cattle Inventory Report.

Beef Demand Drives More Crossbreds
Despite the U.S. beef cattle inventory hitting a 64-year low, strong consumer demand has propelled beef prices to record highs throughout 2024 and into 2025.

“We’re sitting here today coming out of 2024 with higher per-capita beef consumption than we had in 2022, and we thought that was the cycle high. And yet, we are pushing record-high beef prices—demand is exceptionally good,” Zimmerman noted.

With beef prices remaining strong, dairy producers have fine-tuned their repro programs to capitalize on these market conditions. Many are utilizing sexed dairy semen on their highest-performing cows to ensure a steady supply of replacement heifers while breeding the rest of the herd with beef semen. This approach results in crossbred calves better suited for beef production, offering improved feed efficiency, enhanced carcass characteristics, and greater market appeal compared to straight dairy steers.

The Ripple Effect
Even as more dairy producers adopt beef-on-dairy breeding strategies, overall calf numbers have remained stable. “We had a very prolific cow herd last year,” Zimmerman noted. “And I think part of that is due to the beef-on-dairy mix. We’re keeping these cattle viable longer and managing them more intentionally with better health, genetics, and overall care throughout the system.”

One notable outcome of this shift on the dairy side of the equation is a tighter supply of dairy replacement heifers, which has contributed to rising prices. “We have dairy replacement heifers that have hit $4,000 a head in some areas,” Zimmerman said, emphasizing the supply constraints caused by more selective breeding practices.

USDA data confirms this supply squeeze. The latest annual Cattle Report revealed that as of January 1, only 3.914 million dairy heifers were available nationwide—a 0.9% drop from the previous year and the lowest inventory recorded since 1978. Additionally, USDA made a significant downward revision to its 2024 estimate, cutting its projection by 108,000 heifers to 3.951 million.

Another factor influencing cattle supply is the ongoing decline in veal production. “We’ve seen a long-term trend of fewer calves going into veal production, and that’s expedited in recent years,” Zimmerman noted. This shift means that more dairy progeny calves are staying in the fed cattle supply, further reinforcing the beef-on-dairy movement.

Beef Demand Holds Strong
While the genetic landscape of the beef supply chain is transforming, consumer demand remains resilient. “The strength of demand has been incredible—beef demand is at 30-year highs,” Zimmerman said. He points out that, despite rising prices, beef remains relatively affordable compared to historical income ratios. “In 2014-15, the average consumer had to work 14 and a half minutes to afford a pound of beef. In 2024, they only have to work 13 minutes.”

With consumer demand for beef remaining strong, the beef-on-dairy sector has become a crucial asset to the beef industry. It has also helped dairy farmers diversify by adding a second source of income during a time when milk price margins continue to remain tight.

Click here to hear Zimmerman’s full conversation with Chip Flory on Agri-Talk.

Buckle Up: Here's Why Cattle Prices Are Setting Up for Another Wild Ride in 2025

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 14:13:42 GMT

The cattle markets hit historic highs again to start 2025, and as USDA’s latest Cattle Inventory report showed U.S. beef cattle inventory fell to the lowest level in 64 years , tight supplies and strong demand could push cattle prices to even higher highs in 2025.

USDA’s annual Cattle Inventory Report released Friday shows the U.S. total cattle inventory shrunk another 1% over the past year, with the number of beef cows also down 1%.

Those numbers, along with questions around just how much higher these markets can go, were major topics surrounding the 2025 CattleCon in San Antonio, Texas, (the annual cattle industry convention) this past week.

Signs of a Slowdown?
Economists and market analysts knew the cattle herd was still shrinking, even before the report was released last week. But economists say there are some signs starting to signal that is slowing down.

“We certainly got smaller in 2024. That was actually kind of obvious about a year ago when you looked at heifer numbers,” said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock specialist. “If you look at the heifer numbers in this report, we don’t have a lot. And so we’re going to be challenged going forward to stop this liquidation. I think we might stabilize numbers this year, but I think growth is pretty much a long shot at this point.”

“I think we’re getting close to the bottom, as Darrell referenced,” said Don Close, senior animal protein analyst for Terrain, during the U.S. Farm Report live taping at NCBA’s annual convention. “I think the challenge is retaining enough heifers out of the supply that we have to provide the fuel for the build back.”

Calf Crop Was a Big Surprise
Casey Mabry, with Blue Reef Agri-Marketing, said there actually was a surprise in the latest cattle inventory report, and that wasn’t with heifer numbers.

“The biggest surprise to me was really looking at the total calf crop report, because we’re looking at the total cow inventory numbers. I think that probably caught some people off guard, having the calf crop a little bit bigger than what most people’s expectations were,” said Mabry.

Incentives Drive Outcome
With cash cattle hitting records to start 2025 a question on almost everyone’s mind is, can it continue? Mabry said it really depends on if demand can remain steady, since the supply side will remain tight.

“Incentives drive outcome and obviously with grain prices as cheap as they’ve been, and cattle prices as high as they’ve been, we’ve held on to some cattle. So it’s kept the front end of the market really, really tight and it’s kept packers chasing after cattle. So that ran the market $10 or $15 higher, in my opinion, than what we should have on the front end,” said Mabry. “So, it’s going to be really interesting to watch as we go through the back end of this thing. We’ve probably got to work through some stuff right here on the front end. But if the analysts continue to say we’re going to be tighter and demand stays pretty good, we’ll probably see prices exceed where we were before.”

“We’re Still Bullish”
Peel reminds producers there’s a great deal of risk in these markets. He said the markets don’t like uncertainty. With trade concerns and tariff threats, combined with a strong U.S. dollar, the combination is throwing uncertainty into the market.

“We’re very bullish and still bullish in general going forward for average prices,” said Peel. “But we also know that we’re subject to a lot of shocks right now. We’ve seen a couple already. We’re certainly vulnerable. There’s a lot of air below us since this market is so high. So producers really need to still do that risk management. Producers need to think about those marketing windows. If you got caught in a shock in one of those, it could really be devastating to you.”

Close has similar advice. He said with the development of insurance products, plus futures and options contracting, there are several ways for producers to manage risk today.

“At the price level we’re at, and just any measured retracement in the market, it could take you out of the game. At these price levels, it is absolutely imperative to have some kind of price risk management program in place,” said Close.

“I think you just need to run with what I call a keen sense of paranoia,” said Mabry. “I mean, be bullish, be excited about the market, but don’t get overly euphoric. We’ve got to remember back a short three or four years ago, we were all in the doldrums and very scared. And there’s a lot of people that were telling their kids to get into a different business. And now all of a sudden, we’re all jumping on the bandwagon of cattle and getting excited about this. So, we want to make sure that you guys are running your businesses like businesses and not gambling on cattle.”

Your Next Read:

Are More Record Cattle Prices Ahead in 2025?

NCBA Adopts Policy To Support U.S. CattleTrace

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 05:28:54 GMT

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) board of directors adopted a new policy in support of U.S. CattleTrace and its mission of advancing disease traceability in the U.S. cattle industry. The policy resolution was brought forward by state cattlemen’s associations in Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.

“The NCBA policy process starts with individual producers – it’s a true grassroots process. To see this policy resolution receive unaminous support through the committee process and with the board of directors further demonstrates that U.S. CattleTrace is a producer-led, industry-driven effort to advance disease traceability,” said Callahan Grund, U.S. CattleTrace executive director. “We thank NCBA for its support and are excited to work with the organization going forward. Support from NCBA, individual cattle producers from across the country, and our partners throughout the industry will be paramount to the success of achieving a robust animal disease traceability system in the United States.”

The policy resolution calls for NCBA to support the expansion of U.S. CattleTrace and directs the organization to encourage and help facilitate state affiliate support and educational efforts. Animal disease traceability is a priority in the U.S. beef cattle industry and has been included in both the 2016-2020 and the 2021-2025 Beef Industry Long Range Plans. In 2016, the plan called for a feasibility study, which has been a guiding document for U.S. CattleTrace, and the newly released plan supports aggressive animal disease traceability growth and expansion targets.

“We are humbled to have NCBA’s support and partnership,” said Brandon Depenbusch, U.S. CattleTrace Board of Directors chairman. “To truly achieve a nationally significant animal disease traceabilty system in the United States we need partners across the industry – individual producers in all segments, industry organizations, like NCBA, technology, data and identification companies, and private-sector traceability organizations. This new partnership is a critical step in the expansion of U.S. CattleTrace and disease traceability.”

In August 2018, CattleTrace Inc. was formally established as a private, not-for-profit corporation to securely maintain and manage the data collected as part of the disease traceability pilot project. A board of directors with representatives from cow-calf, livestock market and cattle feeding sectors was named to lead CattleTrace Inc. In January 2020, the board voted to change the name to U.S. CattleTrace Inc. to formally establish the multi-state initiative to advance disease traceability. To learn more about U.S. CattleTrace or receive information on how to participate, visit www.uscattletrace.org

NCBA Kicks Off Campaign to Generate Dietary Guidelines Comments

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 05:28:54 GMT

Last week the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) launched a nationwide campaign to encourage cattlemen to submit public comments supporting beef’s role in updated dietary guidelines.

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) last week released its Scientific Report, laying the groundwork for five years of federal nutrition guidance. Americans now have until Aug. 13 to submit official comments as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) work to finalize the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs).

NCBA has engaged for the past two years to ensure the Dietary Guidelines are focused on nutrition and based on sound science. NCBA applauded the DGAC’s recommendations released last week, but anti-meat advocates are already working to downplay the important role meat plays in these guidelines.

“Study after study shows that beef plays an important role in a balanced, healthy diet across the lifespan,” said NCBA President Marty Smith. “NCBA has made it a priority to protect the scientific credibility of Dietary Guidelines and promote accurate information about the nutritional advantages of beef as part of a balanced diet.”

No process is perfect and NCBA believes there is room for improvement when the final guidelines are released later this year.

“The science is on our side when it comes to the #BenefitsofBeef. We’re now in the home stretch of this process. NCBA is calling on cattle producers to submit public comments to ensure the strong science reinforcing beef as a food for health is adequately reflected in the final 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” Smith said.

NCBA will generate public comments by reaching out to cattle producers via e-mail blast, text messages, social media, and earned media between now and Aug. 13. Producers can also file comments by clicking here.

Tony Romo Spokesman For 'Beef. It's What's For Dinner.'

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 05:28:35 GMT

The iconic Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. brand, managed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and funded by the Beef Checkoff, announced a new partnership with celebrity athlete and former football star Tony Romo at the 2022 Cattle Industry Convention. The partnership, which will last one year and tap into Romo’s vast fanbase, will promote all things beef – from beef nutrition, to how beef is raised, and of course beef’s great taste.

“Kicking off this partnership in early 2022 is the perfect time to gear up for summer nutrition and grilling, spending time with friends and family and of course, tailgating,” said Sarah Reece, Senior Executive Director of Brand Marketing. “From his nutrition expertise to his love of beef and family, Romo is the perfect spokesperson for the brand.”

“I’m really excited to be your new spokesperson,” said Romo. “Me, my wife and the kids eat beef all the time and I think we’re going to eat it even more if that’s even possible at this point. Hearty and sustainable beef is my new team.”

In addition to the general consumer appeal associated with celebrity spokespeople, Romo will be featured promoting beef in photo and video advertisements on digital and traditional media platforms. Additionally, social media content will be developed for organic and promoted posts across the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. social channels and on Romo’s personal pages.

To view the latest content and updates on the partnership, make sure to check out BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com and follow the brand on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter .

Webinar Symposium to Discuss Small Tick Causing Big Problems for Cattle

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 05:28:31 GMT

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is hosting a two-day webinar symposium to address concerns regarding the Asian Longhorned Tick and the pest’s possible impact on the U.S. cattle industry. The free virtual event will be held Aug. 23-24 from noon to 3:45pm (Eastern) each day.

“Our goal is to inform and educate cattle producers across the country about this potential threat,” said Dr. Kathy Simmons, NCBA’s chief veterinarian.

The two-day webinar is designed to provide cattle producers, state animal health officials, veterinarians, and other key stakeholders with current information from industry experts about how to identify and manage the tick. Veterinarians from currently affected states and USDA officials will discuss disease implications as well as possible treatment options and prevention of ticks on animals and in pastures.

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture is pleased to work with producers, industry stakeholders, and animal health experts to identify ways to mitigate the spread of invasive species and the diseases they carry,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, assistant director of the Ruminant Health Center at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS), Veterinary Services Strategy and Policy Unit. “We thank the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association for their partnership in organizing this event and we look forward to a constructive conversation on reducing the threat posed by the Asian Longhorned Tick.”

The Asian Longhorned Tick is an invasive exotic pest first found in the United States in 2017. Since then, it has spread to 17 states ranging from the South all the way up through the East Coast. The tick is extremely mobile, spreading to new locations by attaching to people, birds, pets and wild animals, however, it can survive for up to a year in the environment without attaching to a host. Because it is smaller than a sesame seed, it is also difficult to detect.

The tick is extremely aggressive and can cause stress and severe blood loss in cattle. The tick also carries diseases such as bovine Theileriosis, a disease that causes anemia, failure to grow (ill-thrift), persistent infection, reproductive problems, and in some cases, death. There is currently no approved treatment against Theileria orientalis, leaving cattle at risk.

“This tick species is of great concern, but producers can protect their herd through frequent inspection and by reporting sightings to their veterinarian or local animal health official,” said Dr. Simmons. “The first step is knowing what to look for, and I encourage producers to participate in this important webinar to receive the most current information.”

For more information, and to register, visit www.ncba.org .

The ‘Beagle Brigade’ Receives Industry-Wide Support in Protection of U.S. Agriculture

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 05:28:31 GMT

Today, over 116 agricultural canine teams provide screening at border crossings, airports, cruise terminals, cargo warehouses and mail facilities, according to the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

To protect the U.S. agriculture industry, natural resources and food supply, canines are used at U.S. ports of entry to detect and prevent foreign animal diseases, such as foot and mouth disease and African swine fever, as well as invasive species, plant diseases and pests from entering the U.S.

Industry groups, including the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the National Pork Producers Council, have submitted a letter to U.S. Congress leaders in favor of passing the Beagle Brigade Act of 2022 (S. 3678/H.R. 8432), congressionally authorizing and funding the National Detector Dog Training Center.

The Center in Newnan, Ga., is the primary training facility for the so-called “Beagle Brigade,” where canines and the Agriculture Canine Teams of the CBP handlers are trained to sniff out contraband fruits, vegetables and meat products in international passenger baggage, mailed packages and vehicles entering the U.S.

“Healthy animals ensure consumers have safe food and allow American producers, their communities and the U.S. economy to thrive. That is why NPPC joined over 50 organizations spanning the entire agriculture sector in support of the Beagle Brigade Act of 2022,” says Terry Wolters, NPPC president and owner of Stoney Creek Farms in Pipestone, Minn.

See the full letter and list of supporting groups here .

Canines have been successful at several border detections in 2022, including:

• 230 pounds of prohibited pork bologna seized at Bridge of the Americas and Santa Teresa border crossings

• 120 pounds of prohibited fresh pork and poultry meat at the Laredo Port of Entry

CBP seizes more than 4,600 plants, meat and animal byproducts per day on average , NPPC reported in its Capital Update.

Industry Needs Action, Despite ‘No Nothing Burger’ Hearings

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 05:28:31 GMT

After a week filled with congressional hearings on the Cattle Market Price Discovery and Transparency Act including CEOs from “The Big Four,” Don Schiefelbein, president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) described it as “kind of a big no nothing burger.”

Despite a “no nothing burger” hearing, in a recent “AgriTalk” segment, Schiefelbein joined host Chip Flory to highlight where he feels the industry needs to see action.

Processing Capacity

Cattle capacity and hook space, as well as lifting regulations and the burden of getting a packing plant up and running are a priority to Schiefelbein. He believes this will be valuable to ranchers in regaining leverage.

Cattle Contract Library

Starting as a pilot project, “How we construct [the library] determines whether or not we’re going to be truly successful,” Schiefelbein said. He appreciates the fact the library can be tweaked or changed as needed in its early stages.

Transparency is also important to Schiefelbein regarding the library. He hopes it will be effective in helping producers and not just be a tool to help the packer.

Packers may be able to decipher their contracts from their competitors, which Schiefelbein describes as a concern. This project, originally designed to help the producer, might end up being more beneficial to the packer.

Livestock Mandatory Reporting

Oversight on Livestock Mandatory Reporting is extremely important to Schiefelbein, ensuring it gets renewed and reauthorized.

Department of Justice (DOJ)

There needs to be some results from the DOJ about where they are on their investigation, Schiefelbein believes. The JBS settlement from earlier this year had Schiefelbein saying, “It’s hard for a rancher to accept that somebody would settle for tens of millions of dollars and not have wrongdoing.”

Alternative Marketing Agreements (AMA) and Cash Trade

The Cattle Market Price Discovery and Transparency Act is not set out to kill AMAs, Flory said. “We just need more transparency. We need more on-the-ground price discovery happening in that southern market in particular.”

“We want more cash trade,” Schiefelbein explained. “We just want it in the hands of producers to control it.”

In addition, he’s concerned about how a mandatory level of trade could affect producers in AMAs. In an area where cash trade needs to be increased to meet the minimum level, will the larger or smaller producers lose their agreements?

The implementation and unintended consequences of government involvement concerns Schiefelbein. “Those of us who lived when the government got into the dairy buy-out in our marketing world … remember quite well it was not intended to be that way, but the impact was absolutely devastating,” Sciefelbein said.

He also brought up the old quote from former president Reagan saying whenever the government comes to your place and says ‘I’m from the government, I’m here to help.’ Maybe you better close the door.

Listen to the full “AgriTalk” interview with NCBA’s Don Schiefelbein here .

NCBA Backs Food and Energy Security Act

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 05:28:26 GMT

Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced support for the Food and Energy Security Act introduced by Sen. John Thune, R-SD. The bill would require federal regulators to disclose how proposed rules would impact food and energy prices.

“Earlier this year, the Biden administration proposed a massive climate disclosure rule that will create new reporting burdens for every farm, ranch, and small business in the country. This plan will harm producers and consumers alike,” said NCBA Environmental Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart. “NCBA is proud to support the Food and Energy Security Act because rules like the SEC’s emissions disclosure mandate add a costly burden to cattle producers, rural communities, and consumers across the country.”

Additionally, the bill would prohibit federal regulators from implementing any rule that would increase food or energy prices if inflation is higher than 4.5%. Since the start of 2022, inflation has consistently been over 7% with the inflation rate hitting 9.1% in June—a four decade high.

Background

In March, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed a rule that would require publicly traded companies to disclose their direct (scope 1), energy/electricity consumption (scope 2), and supply chain emissions (scope 3). By requiring the inclusion of scope 3 emissions, cattle producers who supply beef to publicly traded processors, restaurants, and retailers would be subject to these overreaching financial regulations. The SEC is a Wall Street regulator, not an environmental or agricultural agency, and their proposed climate rule goes far beyond the agency’s jurisdiction.

NCBA submitted technical comments in opposition to the rule and individual cattle producers sent over 7,400 letters to the SEC commissioners and members of Congress.

The Food and Energy Security Act would prevent the SEC from implementing their broad climate rule, protecting cattle producers from red tape while ensuring that consumers continue to have access to affordable, wholesome proteins like beef.

NCBA Urges Senate Committee to Pass Livestock Regulatory Protection Act

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 05:28:26 GMT

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) urged the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works to approve the Livestock Regulatory Protection Act.

“American cattle producers’ commitment to reducing their environmental footprint while simultaneously improving efficiency makes our farms and ranches the most sustainable in the world. Unfortunately, overregulation and excessive permitting would jeopardize the cattle industry’s progress towards greater sustainability,” said NCBA Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart. “NCBA strongly supports the Livestock Regulatory Protection Act, which protects farmers and ranchers from onerous regulation. We thank Senators John Thune (R-SD), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), John Boozman (R-AR), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) for their sponsorship and we urge all senators to support this bill.”

The Livestock Regulatory Protection Act aims to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from issuing Clean Air Act Title V permits for emissions like carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, water vapor, or methane that result from livestock production.

These emissions are naturally occurring due to cattle’s biological functions and cattle producers continue to employ innovative practices to mitigate the impact of these emissions on the environment. Overall, emissions from cattle production represent only a very small portion of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. For example, methane emissions from cattle account for just 2% of total U.S. emissions.

“SDCA thanks Senators Thune and Sinema for working to prevent the EPA from requiring unnecessary air quality permits for livestock producers,” said Eric Jennings, president of South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association (SDCA). “America’s beef producers, like consumers and regulators, are focused on continuous improvement in environmental conservation and sustainability. Creating burdensome permitting requirements that aren’t firmly backed by sound science aren’t an effective solution to improving the environment, incentivizing good environmental management is.”

Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works heard testimony on the legislation. The committee will now need to vote on the bill before sending it to the full Senate for consideration.