Sustaining The Herd

Do you know where Andrew and Brock will be at the time this episode is published? They'll be in Detroit at the American Biogas Council's flagship conference called Biogas Americas! Join the conversation as Andrew and Brock discuss what they're looking forward to in Detroit. They cover everything from networking to seeking answers to some of the industry's most burning questions. If you're at the conference, look these guys up! If you're not there, tune in next week for a recap of the conference!

You've likely heard of the S&P 500 index. Well, this episode may not be about that, but it comes close! Andrew and Brock are joined by Lassana Fisiru of S&P Global Energy, where Lassana is a Senior Pricing Specialist covering renewable natural gas (RNG) in North America. While we typically talk a lot about anaerobic digestion, this episode addresses the end product of the digestion process: RNG and placing a value on RNG. The conversation weaves through everything from carbon intensity (CI) scoring to the various types of markets in which RNG is sold. Andrew and Brock learned a lot in this conversation, and you're bound to as well. Tune in for the full insight-packed episode! 

Cattle handling is more than chutes and alleys - it's all about moving cattle safely and efficiently. Join Andrew and Brock for Sustaining The Herd's 50th birthday as they sit down with their colleague Jake Mayer, a Professional Engineer at Settje Agri-Services and Engineering. Jake has designed many cattle handling facilities and doesn't hold back as he shares what works and what doesn't - along with some considerations to keep in mind when designing a facility. Put on your boots and grab an ear tagger as we go chute-side for Episode 50 of Sustaining The Herd! 

Begin with the end in mind...especially when it comes to anaerobic digestion projects. Join Andrew and Brock in the studio as they take a deep dive on considerations for the development of anaerobic digestion projects. These projects are complex and capital-intensive, so it's important to get things right from the start. Andrew and Brock discuss various aspects of project feasibility, local and state permitting, realistic project timelines, and much more. There's a lot to "digest" in this episode, so sit down and tune in for some industry insight in Episode 49!

Andrew and Brock sit down with Eric Dinger of Landoption to dig into how every piece of land can be leveraged to produce revenue while monetizing sustainability efforts. Eric and his team have built a platform trusted advisors can use to help producers and landowners discover the earning potential of their land. Carbon credits, conservation easements, wildlife programs - it's all on the table with Landoption. Tune in to learn all about how Landoption is turning sustainable practices and program participation into more sustainable revenue on every acre!

Agriculture has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the world’s most hazardous occupations.  Confined spaces like anaerobic digester tanks are particularly dangerous.  Our guest Jared Burma is doing his part to make cleaning confined spaces safer.  Jared and his team at Bristola have developed technology that enables them to clean ADs with a remote control vehicle while keeping the AD system online.  In addition to talking about cleaning digesters, Jared also shares what he sees inside digesters and what designs are more prone to success.  Need to safely remove grain from storage?  Jared has you covered.  Using similar robot technology, Burma Ag offers systems to safely extract grain from grain bins.  Tune it to hear how Bristola and Burma Ag are positively impacting our industry.

What do you get when you pair scientific research with real-world farmer know-how? You get the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network! Join Andrew and Brock as they sit down with Adam Leise, who serves as Director of the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network. Adam shares how he and his team work with agricultural producers across Nebraska to address real research questions that come up in the field. He talks about how farmers bring questions to local extension educators, they talk to Adam to design an experiment, and then a study is conducted right in a farmer's own field. At the end of the day, Adam helps producers to be more sustainable in all ways through research. Tune in for the full insight-packed conversation!

How much does it cost? What does it do? Will I be satisfied with this investment decision? You might find yourself asking questions like these when evaluating a new technology, product, or innovation to potentially adopt on your farm. Join Andrew and Brock as they discuss some common considerations to address when evaluating technologies. A primary consideration? Whether a technology or innovation is new to you or new to the industry - because they come with different levels of risk. Even more, it's important to have the right team in place to make an informed decision you can live with no matter the outcome. Whether you're thinking about adopting anaerobic digestion or a new crop input, there's something for you in this episode. Tune in to Episode 45 of Sustaining The Herd for the full insight-filled conversation!

Crepuscular: appearing or active in twilight.  How can dairy producers benefit by understanding the crepuscular behavior of cows?  Ask Dr. Gordie Jones.  From veterinarian in private practice to dairy farmer to acclaimed international dairy consultant, Gordie has seen a lot throughout his 50 year career in the dairy industry—from his earliest days solving milk quality issues related to hand milking to the design of facilities capable of milking thousands of cows per hour.  Gordie and Andrew talk about his role in the evolution of the cow comfort movement, which is now part of every dairy producer’s vernacular.  Listen in and Gordie wears his dairy farmer and veterinarian hats and talks about some of the most basic things that can be done to increase milk production and overall herd health.

Season 3 is just getting started, and we're already on a roll...roller compacted concrete, that is! Join Andrew and Brock as they sit down with a guest who's back by popular demand (and because he has a lot of great knowledge to share). Zach Settje, Chief Operating Officer of Settje Agri-Services and Engineering, joins The Herd to share all about roller compacted concrete, also known as RCC. Zach walks us through the basics of RCC, talks about design considerations, shares about the construction process, and finally looks ahead at how RCC is paving the way for opportunities in beef cattle production. Grab your hard hat and hi-vis vest as you tune in for a great conversation in Episode 43 of Sustaining The Herd!