There are a few agricultural producers still active who remember the 1980s and the difficult times that persisted throughout much of the decade. For those unfamiliar with the stress many producers experienced during that time, a reflection back provides a comparison and may provide insight into what to expect for the next few years.

My parents moved onto the family farm when I was 2 years old. From that time until my 20s, when I moved away to pursue my own non-farming career, I had the same neighbors. I didn’t realize how special that was until I had my own family and experienced the constant turnover of neighbors as the houses next door changed ownership.

For producers with many or large pastures, portable corrals may be what’s needed to round up and work cattle.

Most of the U.S. is being blessed with rain, which is a good time to review the livestock watering system performance during the recent drought. If a consistent water supply was not available, the system needs to be redesigned to improve reliability.

The new Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) regulations, while in effect now, will not impact the antibiotics cattle raisers have been using over the years until Jan. 1, 2017. VFD regulations seem scary for lots of beef raisers but, actually, the regulation is only directed at medically important classes.

Most farmers/ranchers are unfamiliar with OSHA regulations unless they hire a lot of employees. Even then, there can be misunderstandings about regulations that might apply to them.

Have you ever thought about what you’d like to eat for your last meal? I sincerely hope not, for that would mean you did something very naughty in a state with the death penalty.

There are those who say farming and ranching is a “way of life” more than it is a business. Which helps explain why young people who grow up in agriculture return to work on the farm. Working the land holds a strong lure.

A northeast U.S. study will explore dairy manure treatments’ impact on antibiotic residues and potential antibiotic resistance. The U.S. Supreme Court announces a decision on Obama administration immigration initiatives. Senate leaders reach an agreement on GMO food labels. A proposal expands manure digester tax incentives. The Federal Aviation Administration unveils “drone” rules. Advocacy group says federal agencies use state department of motor vehicle databases to check immigration status. This and other U.S. dairy policy news can be found here.