High prices cure high prices. Low prices cure low prices.This adage has never been truer than in today’s volatile commodity markets.

Ranchers currently have exciting opportunities, but it’s important to position yourself appropriately. Operational costs as well as the price of critical inputs for cattle – such as feed and labor – have increased in recent years. To build a sustainable operation, ranchers should take advantage of the current market to develop financial resilience and thoughtfully manage risks.

One tool for managing these fluctuations and improving returns in all years is the use of value-added programs. While these programs have become increasingly popular due to the promise of higher premiums for “program” cattle, participation costs vary greatly, leaving some producers to ask if it’s really worth enrolling.

Grain producers in the Pacific Northwest know that marketing wheat is rarely straightforward. Prices move constantly, global events can shake markets overnight and input costs continue to rise. Over the past decade, these pressures have made it increasingly difficult for producers to lock in profitable prices.

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.

As an individual farm that relies largely on the sugarbeet crop, Garner recognizes the need to meet current and future challenges with efficiency, water management and “loosening the reins” to involve the younger generation.