That green field of alfalfa might look lush from the roadside – but what’s lurking in the mix could be quietly reducing your forage quality, lowering animal intake and even risking nitrate toxicity. Learn which weeds do the most damage, how they impact feed value and what you can do to protect your first cutting and your herd.

Think pesticide regulations only affect farmers? Think again. Recent changes to the federal pesticide registration process could limit how – and where – ranchers can use pesticides to manage rangeland resources. Whether you use zinc phosphide to manage prairie dog populations or malathion to control grasshopper outbreaks, these new rules may directly affect your ability to manage these pests.

Check out new products from John Deere, Kubota and more.

Invasive plants have created novel rangeland landscapes, requiring novel responses in vegetation management. We cannot turn back the clock to a time before cheatgrass, medusahead and ventenata – invasive annual grasses that are part of the new normal in the western U.S.

Here is a five-step system for managing hidden costs. While this example focuses on weed control, the system can be applied across many farming and business management areas.

Take advantage of this window – a time when there are fewer hooves on the ground – to position your grazing acres for when you decide the time is right to grow your herd.

Every day, farmers deal with variables out of their control, from weather to mechanical issues to weed pressure. In recent weeks, a new variable has affected many U.S. growers.

The NRCS, the USDA’s primary private lands conservation agency, supports producers by providing one-on-one, personalized assistance to help them address the specific needs of their operations through financial and free technical assistance.

Poisonous plants cost the livestock industry upward of $500 million annually due to animal losses and increased management costs. It is your responsibility as an animal owner and operator to protect your livestock from toxic plants.