As the U.S. farm economy slows, much attention has focused on farmland values. The questions of “if” and “how much” farmland values might soften are on everyone’s mind. Earlier this year, the USDA released its annual report on farmland values.

It may seem like a scene from a science-fiction movie, but thanks to new regulations passed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the commercial use of drones (technically called unmanned aircraft systems or UAS) is now available in the U.S.

Think about the following question: What do athletes, musicians (or actors) and beef production business employees (or agribusiness employees) have in common? I expect that your first answer was: “Not much.”

Putting a rancher in the hospital is like trying to bag an angry tomcat to haul him to the vet.

The 10-ounce ribeye steak on your plate looks quite a bit different than what your grandparents ate. Through the years, the cattle industry has taken large strides when it comes to genetics and feeding, and these innovations have led to a different class of carcass.

You give me $1, and I’ll give you $20. Wait, where are you going? You probably assume it’s a Ponzi scheme, but I’m talking about utilizing all available technologies to improve growing calves’ performance.

Smartphones are on the rise both for business and personal use. Two new technologies are now available for producers that can be used with the swipe of a finger, each developed with the goal of making management just a little bit simpler.

Veterinary Feed Directives (VFD) regulation will only allow veterinarians to write VFD “orders” (See ‘Prescription vs. Order’ below) to use feed-grade antibiotics for disease prevention, disease treatment and disease control. From a regulatory standpoint:

Grant Vassberg doesn’t let age impede his ability to lead the family seedstock operation. A steady youth movement is largely what defines his entire approach at Kallion Farms – a 1,300-head operation in College Station, Texas.

Bottom line, beef producers are getting more for their money when it comes to genomics. Industry pioneers who have used data from DNA tests to pick bulls and replacement heifers have fully installed genomic selection into their management and production systems and are seeing the benefits.