Join the Progressive Cattle crew and guests as they discuss the current cattle market, the best pickups on the market, third-party verification programs and antimicrobial resistance in beef cattle.

Nearly 900 attendees convened in Red Deer, Alberta, for the 2026 Western Canadian Dairy Seminar on March 10-13. Sessions covered a variety of topics, such as milk components, heat stress, feeding trace minerals, calf management, biosecurity and more.

Doug Lathem and Chad Schoonover weren’t trying to prove any kind of point when they made the decision to convert their farming and beef cattle operation near Dalhart, in the Texas Panhandle, to organic production. But when they sat down and took a good, long look at their resources, operating costs and market, it became clear: If they wanted to give the next generation a shot at coming back and making a living on the place, the conventional route wasn’t going to cut it.

As autumn nears, ranchers and livestock owners across the country gear up to wean calves, take cattle or sheep to feedlots, or move livestock to winter pastures. But before you hit the road, there’s a crucial step: understanding the maze of interstate livestock transportation laws.

Beef producers face countless obstacles in raising high-quality, nutritious products. Deficiencies, avoidances and half-hearted energies directed toward any management area will result in mediocre performance, reduced profitability at a minimum and financial disaster in the worst cases.

As 2024 comes to a close, let’s take a look back at some of the biggest agricultural law stories impacting beef producers across the U.S.

A recent USDA cattle behavior-based grant focused on beef production decentralization, especially among small farmers.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) issued its final ruling regarding e-ID tags on April 26, requiring these tags as a way to increase disease traceability.

The usage of technology has also been utilized in the beef industry, such as with RFID tags, genomic testing and robotics. The newest technology to enter the ring is artificial intelligence (AI), which is continuing to develop for the use of facial recognition in cattle, which is being implemented, and which can contribute to a national disease animal traceability program with a developing app called CattleTracs.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) issued its final ruling on traceability, now requiring electronic ID (e-ID) tags with the goal of better responding to foreign animal diseases.