Landon and Anne Plagge show how soil-first farming, community leadership and a willingness to innovate can expand conservation efforts far beyond their own acres.

Cattle production is often at the mercy of major influences, such as market volatility, government regulations and feed supplies and shortages. These prominent factors undeniably shape the industry and impact producer success on a broad scale.

A soil health discovery that the Cotter family made decades ago set them on the path to becoming Minnesota’s 2025 Leopold Conservation Award recipient.

With state funding and local collaboration, Wisconsin’s producer-led Watershed Program has grown to support dozens of groups improving soil and water quality. By 2025, its success inspired efforts across the Midwest, proving that farmer-driven solutions can ripple far beyond state lines.

Silage yields are soaring, but what is happening to the soil left behind?

Healthy pastures start from the ground up – and that means healthy soils. Explore five foundational soil health principles – plus a practical, producer-first approach to stewardship that’s less about labels and more about long-term success.

Like nearly every ranch, we want to make sure our operation is one that is not just here for the next generation, but better than it was when we started. That’s why, in addition to herd genetics and efficiency, we pay close attention to conservation and the productivity of our land, too.

Lisa and Cameron Hodgins own and operate Hodgins Farm near Lenore, Manitoba, and direct market some of their beef, pork, chickens and honey. The cattle operation consists of a commercial cow-calf herd of approximately 125 largely Angus-influenced cows, as well as maintaining approximately 250 grazing yearlings as stockers.

In the final NCBA 2025 episode, Carrie Veselka visits with Jared Knock of AgSpire about beef supply chain sustainability and helping operations make improvements from the ground up. David Cooper and Dan Halstrom, president and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, discuss the current state of beef exports and what lies ahead for global market conditions.