Special Topics

Sharpen your edge: Mastering sharps safety on the farm

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Sharps play a critical role in agriculture, ranging from standard tools such as syringes and implant needles to ear taggers, tattoo instruments and even pocketknives. While these play a critical role in livestock care by delivering vaccines, administering growth hormones or performing routine procedures, they also pose serious risks.

Wearable technology: Enhancing farm labor health, wellness and safety

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0400

From monitoring environmental hazards to tracking biometric data, these devices offer innovative solutions to improve worker well-being and operational efficiency in agricultural settings.

Reflecting on youth farm safety efforts in rural communities

jdavidson@progressiveag.org — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

When it comes to children being severely or fatally injured in farming and rural communities, the statistics are sobering. According to the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Safety and Health (NCCRASH), about every three days a child dies, and every day around 33 children are injured due to agriculture-related incidents in the U.S.

Training the next generation

jduggin@uga.edu — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Teenagers are not growing up on farms like they used to just 30 years ago. To overcome this gap, it is our responsibility to provide the platforms necessary for the next generation of beef cattle producers and industry experts.

Christmas memories that last

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Christmas is a special time of year, filled with sharing memories of Christmases past and spending time with friends and family. Progressive Cattle staff and a few of our regular contributors share Christmas memories that have a special place in their hearts.

2024 agricultural law year in review

tdowell@tamu.edu — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

As 2024 comes to a close, let’s take a look back at some of the biggest agricultural law stories impacting beef producers across the U.S.

As darkness falls, are you visible to others?

jdavidson@progressiveag.org — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0400

With winter just around the corner, are you prepared for the upcoming time change? As we prepare to "fall back" with the end of daylight saving time on Nov. 3, many of us have already noticed the earlier arrival of evening darkness.

Stay alert, stay alive: Safety facts for train tracks

jdavidson@progressiveag.org — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Did you know that every three hours, a vehicle or person is hit by a train in the U.S.? Annually, more than 2,300 people are injured or killed in railroad crossing or trespass incidents throughout North America.

Meeting the public where they are in their understanding

jennwork@ttu.edu — Fri, 31 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

One of the biggest challenges facing modern society is accurately understanding agriculture and its role in our everyday lives. In an era of information being readily available, it is amazing how quickly that information can be misinterpreted or misunderstood.

Breaking down the barriers to mental well-being

Thu, 09 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Mental health is a critical, wide-ranging topic. Like-minded individuals rooted in the agricultural world, while often skilled at building walls around themselves and their thoughts and actions, are never immune from its wide-ranging influences.

10 best practices to steward a healthy relationship with your veterinarian

arobinson@neogen.com — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Consider implementing Dr. Fahrmeier’s 10 best practices to help alleviate burnout risk and unintended stress placed on your veterinarian and their team.

The silent struggle

linnea.harvey@okstate.edu — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Picture this: A rancher is driving his truck through a field spanning as far as the eye can see. He’s checking his cow herd again, and it’s nearing the end of calving season.

GWP* does right by methane, now we need to do right by GWP*

fmmitloehner@ucdavis.edu — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

When Oxford's Myles Allen talks, I always suggest it’s worth a listen – particularly when he shares information that can help improve sustainability in the cattle sector.

Strengthening the ag supply chain to reduce methane emissions

fmmitloehner@ucdavis.edu — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

In a world where it’s difficult to get anyone to agree on anything, the court of public opinion leans heavily in favor of a reduction in greenhouse gases within our agricultural supply chain. But how to accomplish that goal – and who in the chain is ultimately responsible for it – are other matters altogether.

Growing the industry one heifer at a time

abby@agproud.com — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

MYBEP connects young cattle enthusiasts with cattle producers and facilitates a mentorship relationship between the two. MYBEP participants receive a heifer calf to raise, show and start their own herd with.

Progressive Cattle’s top 10 online articles from the past year

Fri, 24 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Take a look at our most-read online articles of 2023.

Hank the Cowdog’s adventure to the classroom and beyond

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Through a partnership with John Erickson, author of the beloved Hank the Cowdog series, the story of ranching is spreading far and into the minds of school children, one book at a time.

Cultivating hobbies for mental, physical and personal growth

don@dontyler.com — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Activities outside of work provide benefits that go far beyond taking it easy for a few hours.

Exploring the specific stressors faced by cattle producers

cmart113@tennessee.edu — Tue, 23 May 2023 09:47:21 -0400

Including mental health information in a variety of programs and formats may help familiarize livestock producers with mental health resources and remove barriers to talking about stress and depression.

The key to measuring the livestock industry’s warming impact

fmmitloehner@ucdavis.edu — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 15:32:34 -0400

To paraphrase Peter Drucker, you can’t manage what you don’t measure. Ever since the business guru shared his words of wisdom, the principle has become integral to effectively running an organization. But who knew it also applies to animal agriculture, methane emissions and global warming?

Progressive Cattle’s top 10 online articles from the past year

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Here’s a look back at which stories captured the most online attention.

12 days of (rancher) Christmas

carrie.veselka@agproud.com — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

It is a well-known fact that farmers and ranchers love a good practical gift. In a 2019 reader poll, 59% of readers said they’d prefer a practical gift over any other kind. So, in the spirit of the season, we at Progressive Cattle are sharing some of our favorite useful gift picks for the rancher in your life this Christmas.

2022 agricultural law year in review

tdowell@tamu.edu — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Yet again, it has been a big year in agricultural law. Ranchers across the country should be aware of a number of significant legal issues and developments that have occurred over the past 365 days.

Across the Fence: The gift of presence

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 00:00:00 -0500

When our kids were little, we made an effort to go see grandparents over the holidays. We flew south some years and drove five hours to my folks other years.

Could your mental health use a tuneup?

jason@agstateofmind.com — Tue, 24 May 2022 14:00:01 -0400

Last year, I had the pleasure of being on the That Western Life podcast. I was talking with hosts Katie and Rachel about my mission with my podcast, Ag State of Mind, when Rachel made a reference to a bit by comedian Chris DiStefano.

Healthier eating on the go

dellifield.2@osu.edu — Tue, 24 May 2022 14:00:01 -0400

A common theme in American households: Individuals are moving at an always-increasing pace of “go, go, go.” Whether the “go, go, go” is related to work or play, many days you may find yourself moving from work to play to work to play with little time in between.

Carbon contracts: Do you know the science?

jenny.txglc@gmail.com — Tue, 24 May 2022 14:00:01 -0400

I followed a car with “Trees are the answer” plastered all over it last week in Dallas. I laughed. The answer to what? Shade? Beauty? Can’t argue with that.

Safeguarding beef industry longevity: A multifaceted process

Sun, 25 Jul 2021 14:00:01 -0400

The U.S. beef industry is poised to become an even larger provider of animal protein to the world’s growing population, but the question arises – how can it be successful when so many outside forces are striving to influence it?

Opportunities to reduce methane emissions

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 14:00:01 -0400

Climate change, caused in part by release of greenhouse gases, is a frequent topic for discussion and debate. Greenhouse gases of concern are primarily carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.

Stewardship & Sustainability: How One Iowa Cattleman Approaches the Water Productivity Issue

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 07:05:27 -0400

When it comes to tackling environmental issues in the cattle industry, Dave Petty of Iowa River Ranchhas always been one to grab the bull by the horns. Petty and his wife, Diane, are first generation farmers who founded their own ranch in 1987.