Clear terms and communication protect both sides in custom forage harvesting.

The difference between a fair easement and a long-term problem often comes down to easement terms that get overlooked. Estate planning, financial planning and other long-term strategies often get the most attention in discussions about keeping a ranch intact for the next generation – and for good reasons; those tools are critical to ensuring an operation can transition smoothly.

What the heck is a carbon credit? Nicki Nimlos, a doctoral student at the University of Wyoming, says that’s a question she’s heard often over the last couple of years. Around 2023, when Nimlos was beginning her Ph.D., carbon market programs were becoming more widely available to ranchers.

The carbon markets are maturing. While some may remember early attempts, it has been since the Paris Agreement in 2015 that demand for carbon credits has really strengthened. There have been dynamic shifts over the last five years, in particular.

Crop prices are volatile, and for many producers, the market price at harvest in 2025 was below their cost of production. While no one has a crystal ball, a producer with a basic marketing plan can take steps to mitigate their price risk and increase their chances of long-term profitability.

Cattle theft may look different today than it did back then, but that doesn't mean you can't protect yourself from it. Check out some practical advice to keep your cattle business safe.

What do these three things have in common? Most farmers and ranchers would tell you that they miss the “good old days.” You know, the days when a man’s word was much more trustworthy than any piece of paper.

Beef producers face countless obstacles in raising high-quality, nutritious products. Deficiencies, avoidances and half-hearted energies directed toward any management area will result in mediocre performance, reduced profitability at a minimum and financial disaster in the worst cases.

Succession planning is being addressed across the nation to help farmers and ranchers plan to pass down an operation to the next generation.

Many farming arrangements rest on handshake deals, wherein two people essentially trust in one another’s word. When stakes are fairly low and flexibility is paramount, unwritten handshake deals can be a helpful tool. However, when farmers are investing money, time and other resources of considerable value in a farm operation, reliance on a handshake can sometimes prove to be a costly error.