For the past several years, I’ve spoken to numerous groups about tax policy and where we are headed as a nation. I started these discussions by saying, “Where do we stand today …” and began talking through my views.

Most beef producers prefer working with livestock over sitting at a desk doing paperwork. However, successful farmers and ranchers know that organizing the future of the operation requires some inside time.

With respect to cattle inventories and price levels for both cattle and beef, the cattle industry is experiencing unprecedented times. Certainly, there have been swings both upward and downward in the feeder calf market, but prices have generally been historically high the past couple years, with the same expectations for 2025 and 2026. 

Succession planning is not just another task on your to-do list – it’s a defining moment in your leadership. Are you willing to step up and take ownership of the future of your operation? It’s time to stop waiting for the right moment and start leading with intention.

We could extensively discuss the misuse of the phrase “estate planning” to describe what should be called “transition planning” for ag operations. Instead, I’ll simply summarize by saying an estate plan is more than just a last will and testament, and should plan for the remainder of your life as well as your intentions after your death.

Most agree that a labor shortage is becoming one of the biggest challenges facing the agricultural industry in the coming years. Many producers are already experiencing the crunch. The question then becomes, in addition to retaining current employees, what steps can the industry take to find qualified employees?

We’ve all got them – tasks that seem harder than they should be. “There must be an easier way,” we think, so we start searching for that simpler way and often end up considering a new technology.

Land is our largest investment, asset and expense. So how exactly can we add to its production? One key goal to start with: Convert unproductive land to productive. Cattle perform miracles in converting poor land into production.

Springtime brings greener pastures, warmer weather and, for many seedstock producers, annual spring production sales. Production sales are the culmination of months and years of breeding, calving, growing and fitting in one or two sales per year.