VA HR406

Ernest Eugene Copenhaver, Jr., a fifth-generation cattle producer from Meadowview in Washington County, Virginia, was installed in 2026 as president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association

Copenhaver is the first Virginian to serve as president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the oldest and largest organization representing cattle farmers and ranchers in the United States

He earned an animal science degree from Virginia Tech in 1983 and spent nearly four decades in agricultural lending with USDA, Farm Credit, and First Bank & Trust Company while continuing to work on his family farm

Copenhaver previously served as president of the Virginia Cattlemen's Association and held multiple national leadership positions including chair of the Policy Division, Tax and Credit Committee, and International Trade Committee

The resolution commends Copenhaver for his lifetime commitment to Virginia agriculture, grassroots producer advocacy, and preservation of the family farm tradition in Southwest Virginia