Matt McElligott

For much of the past year, the cattle industry was one of the few bright spots for the Ag economy.

As we prepare to start 2026, there are many ranchers and livestock producers across Oregon still trying to recover from 2024, a year that saw record wildfires across the state.

A host of issues being debated in D.C. look to have a direct, or indirect, impact on the farming community across the Northwest.  For the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, the 2017 Tax Relief Bill set to expire at the end of this year is one of the top issues.   “Once ...

Unfortunately, 2024 was one for the record books in Oregon, for all of the wrong reasons.  The wildfire season was one of the worst, acreage wise, with nearly two million acres of the state burning last year.  And Matt McElligott, President of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association said the industry is still feeling the economic impact.   “People are tryi...

The cattle industry was hit very hard by the 2024 wildfires across Oregon, with producers losing grazing opportunities, livestock, fences and in some cases homes.  To try to help producers pick up the pieces and move forward, the Oregon Cattle Association set up a wildfire assistance fund.   “...

The cattle industry was front and center in Pendleton for the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association’s Convention late last week.  Matt McElligott, President of the OCA, said he was happy with the turn out.    “Excellent speakers and committee meeting.  We got a lot done, and so we can mo...

The farming community is paying more attention to mental health, and the needs of everyone connected to the Ag community.  To help address those challenges, the AgriStress hotline was launched in Oregon in late 2023.  Matt McElligott, president of the Oregon Cattlemen's Association, said farmers and ranchers are a pretty independent and prideful people who don’t often talk about their struggles.  

The industry may never know just how many cattle were lost in wildfires in Oregon this year.  But, whether an operator lost one or 100, government programs are available to help offset some of those cattle losses.  Other programs will look to help rehabilitate pasture and rangeland.  Matt McElligott p...

This year has been particularly hard on the Oregon cattle industry, but not because of meat prices, or input costs, but because of wildfires.  Nearly two million acres have burned across the state, which means for many producers they lost their summer grazing land, and some unfortunately lost an outbuilding, or even their home.  Matt Mc...

With the 2023 Oregon legislative session underway in Salem, ag groups across the state will watch a host of issues in the weeks ahead.  Matt McElligott, President-elect of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association says one of the issues they will watch very closely, and with some concern, is the roll out of Ag overtime.   “Coupl...