VA SJR178

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

Copenhaver 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 operate his family farm

Copenhaver Brothers Farms, Inc., established by his father and uncle, traces its farming legacy to the mid-1800s and currently operates as a stocker cattle operation focused on forage-based production managed by Gene and his son Will

Leadership roles include past president of the Virginia Cattlemen's Association, past chair of the Virginia Cattlemen's Foundation, and chair of multiple National Cattlemen's Beef Association committees including Policy Division, Tax and Credit, and International Trade

The Virginia General Assembly formally commends Copenhaver for his lifetime commitment to agriculture, grassroots producer advocacy, and preservation of family farm traditions in Southwest Virginia