Wildfires have become more frequent and severe across the U.S. and globally. Since the 1980s, the area burned by wildfires has increased, peaking in spring and summer. The primary driver is climate change, which extends fire seasons, raises temperatures and intensifies droughts. These conditions, along with wind, humidity and temperature shifts, contribute to unpredictable and fast-spreading fires.

A new guidance by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), lobbied for by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to the president last week, has led to a reversal of raids on ag operations that hired illegal immigrant labor.

All things New World screwworm (NWS) were the topic of conversation during a recent Texas A&M AgriLife Extension webinar on June 9, 2025. With growing concern of the pest making its way to the U.S., a panel of industry professionals covered the questions of what it is, preventative and treatment measures, and livestock, wildlife and human concerns.

Biosecurity must be seen as more than just a reactive measure – it’s the proactive backbone of a resilient beef operation. Integrating enhanced biosecurity practices into your daily routine not only protects against everyday animal health risks but also positions your operation to participate in the Secure Beef Supply (SBS) Plan during a significant disease outbreak, like foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

Open your weather app. Is it 80ºF, or do you see 80ºF in the forecast? Are nighttime temperatures staying above 70ºF? If so, your cattle are at risk for heat stress. Even if you didn’t answer “yes” to either, chances are high that your cattle will be exposed to heat stress conditions at some point this summer.

Collecting and recording cattle health and production data is a worthwhile endeavor, but even more important than where to store it is ensuring it’s of high quality. To meet this standard, it should be confirmed, useful and actionable for producers and experts alike to deliver the right information at the right time.

“By nature of its excellence and rarity, this elite beef should not be viewed, marketed or sold as a basic commodity,” says Amanda Radke. “In 2023, we put this concept to work through a new auction platform called Bid on Beef.”

In this episode of the Progressive Cattle Podcast, Ted and Elizabeth join the show to unpack key management strategies for today’s beef producers.