The U.S. ag community can breathe a small sigh of relief, the 2018 Farm Bill has received approval from both the House and the Senate, and only lacks the president’s signature before it is ready to go into action.

The latest meat trade data shows that meat exports are continuing to help offset record meat production in 2018. Each of the major meats – beef, pork and poultry – is projected to reach record levels in 2018 and will combine to push total U.S meat production to a record level of 102.3 billion pounds, up 2.6 percent year over year.

Progressive Cattleman readers love practical Christmas gifts. In a recent online poll, Progressive Cattleman asked, “What is the best kind of Christmas present?”

McDonald’s recently announced that they will be enacting a policy change to reduce the use of medically important antibiotics, which according to their news release, applies across 85 percent of their global beef supply chain.

They say the cowboy is a dying breed. While some may think so, the ranch families that are still around are doing an outstanding job of raising children to work hard and carry on the traditions. As long as there are cattle, horses and people to feed, there will be people in the agriculture industry.

The National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA) is one of the few ways the beef industry can assess both the fed beef supply as well as the supply of market cow and bull beef. Any savvy cattle producer is aware that the dairy industry plays a huge role in the beef supply. Not only do we see a large number of dairy steers entering the feedlot, but dairy cows also make a career change and ultimately contribute to our country’s beef reserve.

A California-based group of Hereford breeders raised $40,800 to donate to cattlemen affected by the California Camp Fire on Dec. 1, 2018, at the Western States National Hereford Sale in Reno, Nevada. The money was raised through the sale of Hereford heifer DF 0245 Emma 907 741 ET.

Bayer AG, the Germany-based parent company of Bayer Animal Health, announced Nov. 29 that it plans to drop animal health services and other brand products in its portfolio.

As the end of the year approaches, don’t miss the opportunity to prepare your agribusiness for the upcoming year and for the tax season. Whether you want to diversify or grow your operation in the new year, taking a step back and assessing your operation and its long-term financial health is a critical step in planning for 2019. The tax filing deadline for Federal Income Tax Returns is Monday, April 15, 2019, so now is the perfect time to begin organizing your receipts and financial paperwork to kick-start the new year on the right foot. In this article we discuss three key steps to prepare your agribusiness for year-end, as well as tax tips to keep in mind during filing season.

USDA and FDA officials reached an agreement Nov. 16 declaring that cell-cultured meat will come under joint oversight from both agencies.