Farmers and ranchers across the country are expressing frustration – but very little surprise – at Congress’ continued inability to make any progress on a new farm bill. The omnibus legislation, which historically has received strong bipartisan support, expired on Sept. 30 after receiving a one-year extension in 2023.

In this Progressive Cattle Podcast episode, David visits with Kent Bacus, Vice President of Governmental Affairs for the National Beef Cattle Association at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference about trade negotiations with Canada, and Tyrell visits with Charley Martinez with the University of Tennessee about a study using AI and tracking eye movement to gauge interest in what genetic information producers are looking at in bull sale catalogs. Also, the podcast crew shares their favorite Halloween costumes and experiences. 

Ensuring the health and productivity of starter cattle is a complex challenge. One of the critical aspects of managing this is understanding and supporting their immune systems, especially during the stressful transition from pasture to backgrounder or feedlot.

In a recent article put out by the USDA, studies show beef cow-calf production continues to be a lifestyle choice for some farmers. The 2022 USDA Census reported 85% of the total U.S. cattle operations are cow-calf or seedstock, and the majority of these operations are small scale, with 55% having fewer than 20 cows.