Rick Naerebout from the Idaho Dairymen's Association is back on the podcast to discuss the current state of agricultural labor and immigration policies.

Rick explains that there's significant uncertainty in the agricultural workforce regarding potential deportation threats. While the current administration is focusing on targeting individuals involved in criminal activity, there's still fear among agricultural workers.

Regarding federal policy, Rick explains that border security needs to be addressed before meaningful reform discussions can take place. He shares his experience from recent DC visits, where he had productive dialogue with delegation members who understand the agricultural labor situation.

We also talk about automation in agriculture and how to overcome negativity in the current political climate. Rick is inspiring as he shares optimism and advice to, as leaders, remain calm and keep moving ahead.

Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode! 

Connect with Rick:

• Check out the Idaho Dairymen’s Association website
• Follow on Facebook @idahodairymens
• Follow on X @idahodairymens

Connect with Valene & Katharine:

• Follow us on Instagram @millennial_ag
• Check out our website
• Email us at [email protected]
• Follow us on X/Twitter @millennial_ag
• Follow us on TikTok @millennial.ag

Resources & Links:

• Our sponsor, Peacock Technology

We welcome Brandon McEndaffer to The Millennial Ag Podcast today. Brandon is a cattle rancher in northeastern Colorado while also working on price and risk management for people across the beef sector. Brandon will discuss the current state of the beef industry and market dynamics.

Brandon covers the current beef demand, noting that consumers are paying higher prices than expected given the supply levels. 

The conversation also dives into the impact of recent tariffs, particularly the 25% tariff on Canadian products. Regarding market challenges, Brandon shares the potential impact of immigration policies on the agricultural workforce.

We finish the conversation with Brandon emphasizing the importance of risk management strategies in the current market environment.

Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode! 

Connect with Valene & Katharine:

• Follow us on Instagram @millennial_ag
• Check out our website
• Email us at [email protected]
• Follow us on X/Twitter @millennial_ag
• Follow us on TikTok @millennial.ag

Resources & Links:

• The Millennial Ag Podcast Ep 195: “Show Me Your Butt!” - On Calving Season with Valene
• Our sponsor, Peacock Technology

In this episode of the Millennial Ag Podcast, Katharine and Valene welcome Dr. Julia Herman, a beef cattle specialist veterinarian with NCBA, to discuss biosecurity in the livestock sector. Dr. Herman leads education development and veterinary outreach for the producer education team. 

Dr. Herman shares her expertise on current threats to U.S. agriculture, including avian influenza and foot and mouth disease. She emphasizes the importance of tailored biosecurity plans for different operations, highlighting that risk levels vary by operation type and location. 

We also cover challenges in implementing biosecurity measures, particularly in the cattle industry. Dr. Herman stresses the need for better communication and collaboration across all levels of animal care, from producers to federal partners. The conversation also addresses the impact of global travel on biosecurity risks and the importance of continuous improvement in biosecurity practices.

You will find several great takeaways from Dr. Herman in today’s episode.

Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode! 

Connect with Dr. Julia Herman:

• Follow on Instagram @juliahermandvm
• Check out their website

Connect with Valene & Katharine:

• Follow us on Instagram @millennial_ag
• Check out our website
• Email us at [email protected]
• Follow us on X/Twitter @millennial_ag
• Follow us on TikTok @millennial.ag

Resources & Links:

• USDA APHIS Livestock and Poultry Disease information and guidance
• Find your state’s Department of Agriculture
• Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Biosecurity Resources
• National Milk Producer’s Federation information on H5N1 in Dairy Cattle and biosecurity resources
• Secure Food Supply Plans and enhanced biosecurity planning for livestock species
• Dr. Herman’s Presentation Livestock Biosecurity: Practical Tools for Current Concerns
• Our sponsor, Peacock Technology

It’s spring. It’s mud. It’s snow. And that means calving in the beef industry is upon us. This week, Valene gives us a glimpse of calving season and its realities on her ranch. 

As always at Millennial Ag, this peek into Valene’s life right now is real and raw. She talks about the challenges, excitement, chaos, heartbreak, and hope that this time of year brings to ranchers, and how to maintain a sense of self and humor throughout. 

A Type A engineer and planner, Valene starts us off with the jolt of this year's unexpected early start of babies arriving (thanks, Steven!) to her honest opinions on why, believe it or not, it’s better for calves to be born in the snow than in mud. She talks about how critical it is to make sure each calf gets a strong start, what predators and pests have been around lately, and how she is taking care of herself during this season. 

Tune into this episode for a little humor, hope, and a whole lot of grace from one of the beef industry’s best!

Connect with Valene & Katharine:

• Follow us on Instagram @millennial_ag
• Check out our website
• Email us at [email protected]
• Follow us on X/Twitter @millennial_ag
• Follow us on TikTok @millennial.ag

Resources & Links:

• Our sponsor, Peacock Technology

Katharine is coming to you solo at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, California with her company, Peacock Technology. Joining her are Jason Hoogenhous, who shares his experience and insights about precision technology's potential for the dairy industry, and Darren Dyer, who is discussing how robotic applications are transforming dairy farms, and Willie Cuthbertson about the importance of building relationships.

This episode is packed with valuable perspectives on the future of agriculture. From Jason's discussion on capital products that improve herd health and productivity to Darren's insights on robotic efficiency and labor challenges and Willie’s emphasis on customer relationships and technological benefits this episode sheds light on the evolving technologies in dairy farming. 

Connect with Valene & Katharine:

• Follow us on Instagram @millennial_ag
• Check out our website
• Email us at [email protected]
• Follow us on X/Twitter @millennial_ag
• Follow us on TikTok @millennial.ag

Resources & Links:

• Our sponsor, Peacock Technology

We are back with another episode with just the two of us, Katherine and Valene. We are catching up, sharing some life updates, and chatting about balancing personal life, professional life, and maintaining our sanity with all that is going on. 

There are so many things that are out of our control. Whether it be one of your children being sick or the nonstop political updates on social media, taking care of your mental health and taking care of yourself is so important. In this episode, we’re sharing some of the changes and events that have taken us both out of our routines lately, how we are taking care of our own well-being during these times, and the importance of protecting your mental health with the ongoing political climate and social media influences.

Connect with Valene & Katharine:

• Follow us on Instagram @millennial_ag
• Check out our website
• Email us at [email protected]
• Follow us on X/Twitter @millennial_ag
• Follow us on TikTok @millennial.ag

Resources & Links:

• Our sponsor, Peacock Technology
• How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis

In this week’s episode, we are joined by UK dairy consultant, James Hague, to dive into net zero in agriculture. With the search for solutions to climate challenges, we are hearing a lot of focus on reaching net zero in agriculture in the coming years. James is sharing key insights into carbon offsetting, rotational grazing for building soil carbon, and increasing farm productivity while reducing their carbon footprint.

James Hague is a dairy consultant based in the UK. James spent 10 years in dairy research and has used his experience and knowledge to develop Tracker, an online milk prediction and monitoring tool. Tracker is used by hundreds across New Zealand, Australia, and the UK to provide day-by-day dairy costings to monitor feed margins and feed conversion efficiency.

Connect with James:

• Connect with him on LinkedIn
• Check out his website

Connect with Valene & Katharine:

• Follow us on Instagram @millennial_ag
• Check out our website
• Email us at [email protected]
• Follow us on X/Twitter @millennial_ag
• Follow us on TikTok @millennial.ag

Resources & Links:

• Dairy Club
• Our sponsor, Peacock Technology

In today’s episode, we're talking with the hosts of the Unbiased Science Podcast, Dr. Jessica Steier and Dr. Sarah Scheinman, to dive deep into the hot topic of raw milk and its increasing popularity in the face of safety warnings. We're discussing the historical context of milk and pasteurization, milk safety and public health, the myths surrounding nutrition and raw milk, and potential public health implications of raw milk consumption amidst avian flu concerns.

Dr. Jessica Steier is a public health scientist with expertise in public health policy, research and evaluation design, biostatistics, and advanced analytics. She believes strongly in scientific education and health literacy, and the translation of research for the general public in a way that maximizes people’s ability to make informed and evidence-based decisions.

Dr. Sarah Scheinman is a Chicago-based neurobiologist with expertise in basic science, preclinical, and translational biomedical research. Sarah is passionate about scientific education and believes that anyone, anywhere, can understand science and think scientifically. She seeks to alleviate the fear and mistrust that prevents widespread scientific literacy and accessibility. 

Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode! 

Connect with Unbiased Science:

• Follow on Instagram @unbiasedscipod
• Like them on Facebook
• Check out their website
• Email them at [email protected]
• Listen to the Unbiased Science Podcast

Connect with Valene & Katharine:

• Follow us on Instagram @millennial_ag
• Check out our website
• Email us at [email protected]
• Follow us on X/Twitter @millennial_ag
• Follow us on TikTok @millennial.ag

Resources & Links:

• Our sponsor, Peacock Technology

In today's episode, we're discussing the significant changes in the political landscape following the recent election and what these changes mean for agriculture. We are excited to welcome back Tanner Beymer, Executive Director of Government Affairs at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Tanner is joining us to provide insight into the election results and how this political shift could impact agricultural policy and regulations.

Tanner is diving into Trump winning in all seven of the "swing states" and the narrowly held Republican majority in Congress. We're discussing several of the key issues in agriculture including the future of farm bills, trade policies, and regulations. We also explore the priorities for the new Congress, the potential appointment of Brooke Rollins as the new Secretary of Agriculture, and the importance of maintaining national food security.

Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode! 

Connect with Tanner:

• Check out the NCBA website
• Read NCBA’s policy priorities
• Like NCBA on Facebook 
• Subscribe to NCBA’s YouTube channel
• Follow NCBA on X @BeefUSA
• Follow NCBA on Instagram @BeefUSA
• Connect with NCBA on LinkedIn

Connect with Valene & Katharine:

• Follow us on Instagram @millennial_ag
• Check out our website
• Email us at [email protected]
• Follow us on X/Twitter @millennial_ag
• Follow us on TikTok @millennial.ag

Resources & Links:

• Our sponsor, Peacock Technology

In this week’s episode of Millennial Ag, Valene and Katharine dive into a thought-provoking conversation about the rapid evolution of politics over the last eight years and what agriculture can learn from it. The political landscape—whether you agree with it or not—has demonstrated an unprecedented ability to pivot, adapt, and evolve at lightning speed. Meanwhile, agriculture, often rooted in tradition and cautious change, is grappling with the pressure to address a rapidly changing policy, production, and operating landscape in an era of fast-moving trends, policies, and consumer demands.

Katharine and Valene pose a critical question: How can agriculture adopt the same agility and responsiveness without losing its core values and integrity? They discuss the importance of balancing innovation with sustainability, embracing technological advancements, and finding ways to navigate political and societal shifts while maintaining strong connections to the land and people.

Join the conversation as the duo unpacks how agriculture can keep up in a world that refuses to slow down.

If you haven't already, make sure to listen to Episode 188 on the most recent developments in avian influenza in dairy cattle!

Connect with Valene & Katharine:

• Follow us on Instagram @millennial_ag
• Follow us on TikTok @millennial.ag
• Follow us on Facebook
• Check out our website
• Email us at [email protected]
• Follow us on X/Twitter @millennial_ag

Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode!