Stories about beef
Wet and hot conditions in northern Illinois are impacting crop growth, as well as providing an opportunity for increased disease pressure this year.
During my travels, one question seems to be always popping up, one which many producers are not sure of answers. That is: What is regenerative agriculture?
A significant share of a cow-calf operation’s revenue is generated by the sale of cull cows.
The Illinois Beef Association is focused on outreach to all sectors of the beef industry.
Clay Geyer, former From the Fields columnist, is back this year to share updates from his farm in northern Indiana.
The Stars Over Illinois announcement of the top four FFA members in the state was just one of numerous highlights of the 96th Illinois FFA State Convention held in the state’s capital city.
Brazil has hundreds of millions of cows, but one in particular is extraordinary. Her massive, snow-white body is watched over by security cameras and an armed guard.
As I write this we are halfway through our lamb slaughter event. This celebration involves eating the native foods along with processing the lambs, so Ruth and I are introduced to some new — to us — foods and customs.
The story of the newly married couple and their dream of continuing the family farming legacy is a tale of determination and resilience in the face of challenges.
During the first two weeks of June, the Rahn family is going in many different directions, including making hay and spraying a second pass of herbicides to control weeds in their crop fields.
Last month I mentioned the long list of jobs and projects that needed to be done here at the farm. That list hasn’t gotten any shorter. Even though we have been able to cross off some of those tasks, we seem to keep adding to it.
My last article had just been sent off when I got word that my good friend, Jamie Willrett, had left suddenly to be with the Lord. This tragic news shook me and the rest of the cattle industry as we all lost a trusted friend and leader.
The last two weeks have been an absolute flurry of activity here at River Oak. I have been involved more with the cows than usual with Carson tied up with chopping triticale and then mowing, raking, baling and hauling the following week.
Two years ago, the Masters of Beef Advocacy program managed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, hit 20,000 graduates. This year, the program celebrates an additional 5,000 graduates.
Bird flu has been detected in beef for the first time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced, but officials said the meat from a single sickened dairy cow was not allowed to enter the nation’s food supply and beef remains safe to eat.
More than 4 million chickens in Iowa will have to be killed after a case of the highly pathogenic bird flu was detected at a large egg farm, the state announced.
Exceptional projects of FFA members from across the state will be highlighted during the 96th annual Illinois FFA State Convention, set for June 11-13.
The winner of the Star in Agricultural Placement award will be announced during the Wednesday afternoon session of the Illinois FFA State Convention starting at 2 p.m.
The Star in Agriscience award will be presented during the Stars Over Illinois ceremony on Wednesday, June 12.
We in agriculture have a long tradition of marketing our bounty by more pleasant, if not less-than-truthful, names in hopes that less-informed eaters buy the sizzle rather than the fact.
Agricultural reports across Federal Reserve Districts in the Corn Belt were mixed, as drought conditions eased in some districts, but farm finances and incomes remained a concern.
Budget constraints forced the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service to eliminate four crop and livestock reports.
Soil health and quality play a significant role in the nutritional value of pastures and cover crops, determining grazing strategies and sustainability.
Farmland values in the Seventh Federal Reserve District averaged a 4% increase from a year ago, the smallest year-over-year gain in three and a half years.
Livestock Marketeers, an organization of livestock marketing professionals, will award a $1,250 scholarship to a college-aged student interested in pursuing a career in the livestock marketing industry.
These longer, warmer and sometimes wetter days are really giving the crops and pastures a great start. While most of my neighbors are done or close to finishing planting, we’ve just got a good start.
Brooding is the foundation for the life of chickens, ducks and turkeys.
With baseball and softball season underway and the kickoff to summer grilling season fast approaching, the “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” brand, funded by the Beef Checkoff, has announced its partnership with the Little League World Series.
More weather events are bringing more challenges here at River Oak. The corn is planted, but a few acres will be on the list for replanting due to standing water after frequent rain the last 10 days.
We live back in the woods, so the only time I witness the sun rise is when we get started at o-dark-thirty and get out and about on the ranch somewhere. Turkey season came in mid-April and is soon to wrap up.
One thing about having livestock on your farm, you always have job security. By that I mean there is never an end of something needing to be done.
This Illinois Beef Foundation announced eight young people from across the state as 2024 scholarship recipients.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association announced that applications are now open for two internships that give students an opportunity to support the cattle industry and gain valuable experience.
While overall economic activity expanded slightly since late February, ag sector concerns remain due to income prospects and weather.
A new group of ag industry leaders is ready to make a difference in their communities after graduating from the AgrIInstitute’s Indiana Agricultural Leadership Program.
Visitors learned about farm animals and other ag-centered topics at the 2024 St. Joseph County Ag Days.
The annual county crop and livestock estimates along with the July cattle report and cotton objective yield survey are now history after the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the cancellation of those reports.
We have some water standing on pastures and fields. I had almost given up seeing that this spring. Looks like some other events may follow. Ponds aren’t full, but have been improved.
The pastures have greened up nicely and the cows still receiving silage head out as soon as they have hoovered their daily allotment.
Spring has arrived and it is good to see grass growing and greening up. I won’t say that grass growth is exploding, because over the last few weeks, winter has tried to hang on.
Students at Purdue University celebrated Ag Week — a tradition of student-led events hosted by the College of Agriculture.
This is my favorite time of the year. It is the time when new life is created.
Fifteen Indiana farm families will share their stories at the Indiana State Fair this summer, showcasing the diversity of agriculture in Indiana.
The Rahn family operates a centennial farm in northern Illinois that includes row crops, hay production, cattle feeding and a cow-calf herd.
If an important part of your business is flying between the United States and New Zealand — like it is for Air New Zealand — you get pretty skilled at making the tedious, 13-hour flight go smoothly.
Overall economic activity increased slightly since early January, with eight of the 12 Federal Reserve districts reporting slight to modest growth while ag conditions dipped, according to the latest Beige Book.
It looks so far like spring has arrived early this year. Even if we get a last blast of winter, spring has a pretty good head start — so much so that I missed my best opportunity to frost seed some clover.
A new resource developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and CattleFax helps cattle producers maximize profitability from their culling decisions.
World agriculture has undergone significant transformation over the past six decades.
Cattlemen learned about options for their operations at the Illinois Beef Expo trade show.