The Cattle Business Weekly

  Farmland pressure is often discussed as a national acreage-loss problem, but for farmers and ranchers the more immediate challenge is land access. Land can remain technically “agricultural” while becoming harder to rent, buy or keep in production. At the same time, acres converted to development, energy infrastructure or other built uses often do not return to farmland or ranchland. The U.S. is not facing a sudden farmland cliff, but agricultural land is being reshaped by two concurrent forces: physical land-use change and ownership transition. Some acres are shifting among cropland, pasture and the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), while others...

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  For a young woman who has worked with cattle all her life, one moment was all it took to take her from a simple check on a momma cow to ending up in the hospital with multiple injuries. With grit, determination, and inspiration, she’s back on the farm, doing what she loves.  “February 25 was just a typical day. I checked on a cow who’d had her baby,” Jamie Hart, 35, of Frederick said. “She’s been a good cow and had her calf next to another cow. I wasn’t next to her or her baby. I turned my back...

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  Through the first half of the year, year -to- date cattle slaughter is 8.7% lower than last year, and placements have been higher this year compared to last year. These two stats provide information about current and future beef production. Another insightful/helpful stat is dressed weight. As supplies have become lower in the last 2 years, dressed weights have increased to help offset the lower slaughter amounts. Weights have increased so much; in March we hit a record average dressed weight of 902 pounds across all cattle. But, as we get into the dog days of summer, we can...

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  For many cow-calf operations in the region, significant culling may be required to match cow numbers to the forage available, not only for 2026, but also for the next few years. For operations that have spent generations building the type of cow they want, there is a strong commitment to retain a core of foundation females from which to rebuild the herd when it rains again.  This article covers considerations and possible strategies to retain a core of females to rebuild a cowherd.  1. Conduct a comprehensive herd assessment Before proceeding with retention and culling decisions, consider conducting a...

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Shrinking margins, declining grain prices, and growing financial pressure have defined recent years for crop producers. But while agricultural economist David Widmar doesn’t believe those challenges are over, he also doesn’t think the outlook is as bleak as many producers may believe. Speaking at the recent South Dakota Governor’s Ag Summit, Widmar says he sees several demand drivers beginning to line up that could gradually improve the grain economy over the next year. “I think there are some opportunities to see some improved prices,” Widmar said during his presentation on the farm economy. “We have put some demand things in...

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June 2026 featured several widespread heavy rain events across the Northern Plains, with some communities receiving more than a month's worth of rain in just a day or two. Oglala, South Dakota, received almost 7 inches of rain on June 2-3. In north-central Nebraska, multiple June events reported 4-6 inches of rain, but the occurrences were isolated and not widespread. North Dakota was somewhat drier overall, but still had pockets of very heavy rain. Most of central and eastern North Dakota received 2 to 4 inches from late-June thunderstorms. The above-mentioned rains have done little to dampen the dryness felt across...

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The challenges facing row-crop agriculture aren’t likely to disappear with the next policy announcement or another round of government assistance, according to agricultural economist David Widmar who spoke at last week’s South Dakota Governor’s Ag Summit in Pierre, South Dakota. Instead, Widmar, who is part of Ag Economic Insights, says equal doses of reality and optimism will be needed for the long term. “You must never confuse this faith that you will prevail in the end, which you can never, ever afford to lose, with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of the current reality,” Widmar told producers,...

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  When Grey Zabel talks about farming, he lights up much the same way one would expect him to when talking about his first Super Bowl Championship win. Zabel, an NFL football player with the Seattle Seahawks, was back in his hometown of Pierre, South Dakota, on June 25, speaking at the South Dakota Governor’s Ag Summit. Zabel’s family farm is near Selby, South Dakota, and he spent hours there as a youth. During his off-season from the NFL, Zabel has been farming the land he purchased under his farm name, Northland Farms. “There are so many parallels between football...

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A lot has been said about beef prices in 2026, and there has been a lot of productive discussion about what is driving them. Some point to historically tight cattle supplies. U.S. cattle inventories are at their lowest since the 1950s, and federally inspected cattle slaughter through May is 1.12 million head below the same period in 2025 and 2.56 million head below 2022, the cyclical peak for the current cattle cycle. Others argue that exceptionally strong consumer demand is the primary reason why beef prices have reached record highs. Both explanations are correct, and the market is more nuanced...

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  The South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation was thrilled to donate 2,620 to Feeding South Dakota during the 13th Annual Prime Time Gala held on June 20 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Held annually, this brings the fundraiser’s total donation to Feeding South Dakota to ,319,275 over the last 13 years. The funding has made it possible for Feeding South Dakota to purchase beef for South Dakotans who are in need. “On behalf of the Board of Directors for the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Foundation, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who attended and supported the 13th Annual...

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