By now the hue and cry have died down, and the name of California Chrome – this year’s threat to win the Triple Crown of horse racing – is written in the books as a gallant and courageous near-miss.

Recently, farm protection statutes, known in the media as “ag gag” laws, have been in the news across America. The details of each law vary by state, but they generally prohibit a person from taking unauthorized photography or videos of an agricultural operation, making doing so a criminal misdemeanor offense.

Several of my previous columns have emphasized the importance of taking the time to get to know your employees and train them, with the growth in the number of Hispanic employees of Mexican or Central and South American descent now utilized as part of our agricultural workforce.

You’ve worked hard to create the equity in your farm or ranch. When it comes time to sell, you need to work smart to preserve that equity and to make your money work as hard for you as you’ve worked for it.

Soil-moisture conditions in the Southern Plains have continued to deteriorate, and drought-affected areas appear to be expanding northward.

A couple years ago my wife and I spent a fantastic two-week vacation in Italy (with Road Scholar educational programs). It had been an embarrassingly long time since I took a true vacation – no work, no emails, no phone calls.

Low-stress stockmanship is a beneficial way to handle cattle in feedlots, dairies, small pastures or when working them in corrals.

Biosecurity is a combination of many practices related to the protection of the agricultural industries.

Stockmanship can be defined as the art and science of handling cattle in a proper manner.

In today’s world, proper cattle handling is key. Employees must be trained and use the skills learned each time they handle cattle. However, sometimes people are less attentive, and mistakes happen.