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Nation's First Rancher wows Cattlemen's Association By
Samantha Nicholas standing ovation he received from members of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, they agree. Bush spoke to more than 5,000 cattlemen in Denver at their annual convention last week. Waving a cowboy hat while taking the stage at the Colorado Convention Center, the president appeared comfortable among his fellow cattle ranchers. Bush reminded the audience that he too raises cattle on his Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford, Texas. "Cattle raising is not only a big part of America's past, I view it as an incredibly important part of America's future," said Bush. "This nation has got to eat." Bush told the audience that a strong agricultural sector was vital to U.S. security. Bush reiterated his belief that reliance upon other countries for a safe food supply is a weakness in the defense of the nation. "It's in our national security interests that we be able to feed ourselves," said Bush. "Thank goodness we don't have to rely on somebody else's meat to make sure our people are healthy and well fed." Bush's speech covered several topics including the war on terrorism, national security, the economic recession, unemployment, repeal of the estate tax, biotechnology, the $73.5 billion farm bill and international trade agreements. "We want to open up markets, and at the same time, we want to make sure others open up their markets for us, and to make sure that we open up markets in places like Europe for America's healthy beef," said Bush. "It's also going to be good for the world, because America's great producers will help feed the hungry." Bush told ranchers he is committed to a good agricultural policy, a policy that allows individuals to make management decisions for their own property. The collective wisdom of the people who own the land creates better land use policy than if it were handed down from a central source of people, many of whom have never been on the land. "Every day is Earth Day for people who rely upon the land to make a living," said Bush. According to NCBA President Lynn Cornwell, Bush's remarks are "a great tribute to the one million men and women who work our nation's cattle ranches."
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