The words and actions of leaders shape the culture of businesses, families and even societies. Leaders have powerful effects on individuals too, instilling thoughts and behavior patterns that may last for a lifetime. Leadership is a privilege, and it should be exercised with care and attention to how it affects others, both immediately and long term.

Two more bills addressing foreign-born agricultural workers have been introduced in the U.S. Senate.

I began working with Jim, Karen and their three sons (Abe, Brett and Chad) last spring. The five had been partners* (joint owners) for the last six years. They knew they needed a buy-sell agreement, but they hadn’t been able to agree on some of the key provisions – chiefly, how ownership would transfer to widows should something happen to one of the sons.

Delivering high-quality forage for your ration starts long before you open the bag or dig into the pile. Now is the time to plan ahead, get it right in the field and focus on quality goals so you and your cows are satisfied when you start feeding next year.

Cover crops are planted to increase health and fertility of soils and to benefit the surrounding environment. In systems producing either beef or dairy cattle, cover crops are also grazed or harvested for feeding.

Alfalfa haylage is a staple in the diets of high-producing dairy cows due primarily to its significant contributions of crude protein and physically effective fiber in most TMRs. However, it remains one of the most difficult and challenging forages to ensile properly.

Dairy producers must be efficiency experts at every phase of the game. And while it is “all about the cows,” dairy operations that focus on improving economic efficiencies as they manage their books have a competitive advantage. In the dairy industry’s unique market, streamlining operations goes a long way to ensure long-run viability.

Corn silage and alfalfa haylage are great forage sources for dairy cattle. However, there are other forage alternatives available to dairy producers. Increasing the variety of forages grown on a farm can decrease the impact of diseases, pests and climatic changes on a farm’s forage supply.

Pinch points – every facility has them. They are the areas in your existing operations where efficiencies die. Daydreaming about new robots, innovative irrigation systems or a new rotary parlor can be fun, but in today’s dairy industry, cash reserves and line of credit availability are not as abundant as they have been in the past.

On March 12, 2017, we celebrated my parents’ 75th wedding anniversary. Many people don’t even live that long, let alone be married to someone for that long. Jay and Charlotte Crandell attended the same school in Heber, Arizona, where they met and fell in love.