Numbered ear tags appear in the ears of a high percentage of cows and calves in southwest Missouri. They are obviously put there for a reason but some producers may not be using the full potential of those tags for herd management according to Eldon Cole, a livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension. “I don’t know of many farmers who take the tags as far as they could to effectively evaluate the individual performance of the cattle in their herd,” said Cole.

As anyone involved in the stocker business can attest, they are operating within a new market reality. With grass and calf prices historically high – along with every other input cost – summer grazing programs are going to tie up a lot of capital ... and carry the resulting high level of risk.

On April 20, Chairman Frank Lucas wrapped up the House Agriculture Committee's field hearing series in Dodge City, Kansas. It was the final hearing that was held across the country to listen directly to producers on the ground and gather input in advance of writing the 2012 Farm Bill. Members heard from producers of a variety of commodities and beef about the tools they need to continue to produce a safe and affordable food and fiber supply. Witnesses explained that one of the goals of the Farm Bill should be to provide opportunities for effective risk management for all of agriculture. “As the witnesses explained today, agriculture is one of the few bright spots in America’s economy and yet still has room to grow. However, agricultural prosperity faces dangers that are both real and present. Overregulation from Washington directly threatens not only the continuity of our family farms, but also the existence of our way of life in rural America. Our farmers need to be freed from the regulatory grips of eager bureaucrats.”

In this issue, we publish a popular article that first appeared in our electronic newsletter. The article describes a group of producers who are early-adopters of robotic milking technology who meet regularly – both in person and online –to share ideas about how to improve their automated operations.

It’s fitting that Progressive Dairyman include a marketing article in the issue focused on peak milk production and quality. After all, these days, dairy producers need to have as much confidence in handling markets as they do handling their high-producing cows. To gain that confidence, it’s best to examine what success looks like. Much like dairy producers group cows to manage their care, we could group our clients according to the characteristics they have as marketers – from the high-confidence group that has been through many market cycles on through to the newest clients who are still learning.

When was the last time you stopped to think about your personal “business philosophy?” In other words ... when it comes to work, what do you value and focus on the most? Regardless of how often your day-to-day challenges change, your “business compass” should remain pretty constant as you navigate through these ups and downs. So what’s at the center of the way you make decisions and prioritize your time?