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.

Ranchers shifting from cattle production to other endeavors are driven by many reasons and goals. Operations must have a solid plan backed by knowledgeable direction and commonsense experience for a greater chance of success.

Have you ever heard the saying, “Farmers are the poorest millionaires you’ll ever know”? Millionaire status is not based on the amount of money someone has sitting in the bank but rather their overall net worth.

Improving plant biodiversity on your ranch will often increase forage supply, forage quality, and soil health, along with carbon capture potential. Increasing plant biodiversity often comes in the form of interseeding or overseeding desirable grasses and/or legumes to change the composition or productivity of a forage base. Forbs can also be of interest but are not considered here.

“I’m just a farmer,” says Andrew Donnell. But this farmer does much more than your typical farming operation. Diversification is a huge part of the success of Donnell Century Farm, and will continue to be for future generations.

After surviving an economic freefall in the 2008 recession, the horse market is at an all-time high. The reasons include a resurgence of lucrative rodeo events.

“It is another piece of the puzzle for the next generation,” says Pat Wiebe of Deep Creek Cattle Company and Wiebe Farms Inc. in Buhl, Idaho.

During the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) convention, Justin Benavidez, assistant professor and extension economist at Texas A&M University, encouraged producers to consider their “why” before starting this new venture and provided some answers to questions that often arise when getting started.

Since the dawn of time, mankind turned, and continues to turn, live animals into protein to feed the world. Whether it be by raising livestock or hunting wildlife, the job gets done and people get fed – and in some cases, these two paths cross.