Scrapie is a fatal disease affecting the central nervous system of sheep and goats. APHIS classifies it as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy that leads to “significant production losses” in infected flocks. Currently, the United States is not scrapie free according to World Organization for Animal Health standards. “Essentially, what it {scrapie} is, is mad cow disease for sheep,” Chris Posbergh, assistant professor of sheep production at Montana State University, described. The disease is caused by prions that cause proteins to fold incorrectly, and “once it’s misfolded, then it starts causing havoc, especially in the nervous system,” Posbergh said. “The presence...

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It was a topsy-turvy week as far as cattle futures were concerned last week with big corrections on the board. I am not going to go into every detail, but what I did want to talk about concerning this subject was people talking doom-and-gloom that the cattle markets have peaked and maybe we are heading the other direction. The “bears” were out in full force. Some folks even went so far as to say the correction in cattle futures last week was due to demand for beef weakening. I can’t emphasize enough how strongly I disagree with this line of...

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Independent cattle producers from eight states traveled to Washington, D.C., last week as part of R-CALF USA’s fly-in, delivering a clear message: food security is national security, and the prosperity of America’s ranching families must be central to America First policymaking. The group met with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and other USDA senior advisors, White House staff in the Executive Office of the President, and officials from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), including Assistant USTR for Agricultural Affairs and Commodity Policy Dr. Julie Callahan. On Capitol Hill, ranchers sat down with more than 20 senators...

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Jon and Patty Tebelius of Bowdon, North Dakota, were recognized as the Red Angus Association of America’s 2025 Commercial Producer of the Year during the 72nd Annual National Red Angus Convention in Loveland, Colorado. The award honors cattle producers who successfully use Red Angus genetics to strengthen their herds and employ innovative marketing practices that add value to their calf crops. The Tebelius herd has evolved from a mixed group of Simmental, Hereford, Charolais and Angus-cross cows into a high-quality, uniform Red Angus program. The couple said they were drawn to the breed for its Total Herd Reporting and traits...

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In 2019, a class-action lawsuit alleging anticompetitive practices by JBS, Tyson, Cargill, and National Beef (collectively referred to as the Big Four) was jointly filed by National Farmers Union, R-CALF USA, and four individual ranchers. In February 2025, following an extensive discovery period, the court gave preliminary approval of an .5 million settlement with JBS; the court gave final approval of the settlement on August 15. Specifically, the plaintiffs claim that the Big Four packers violated the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, Packers & Stockyards Act, and the Commodity Exchange Act. Litigators Pat McGahan, of Scott+Scott law firm in Connecticut, and Dan...

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For over 30 years, Barb Larsen has been involved in 4-H in Toole County, Montana. Over the years, she has stepped into leadership roles, developed programs, taught workshops, been a 4-H camp nurse, founded a club, been on committees, along with a whole host of other achievements throughout her years in the program. In a nomination letter for Montana State University’s Agriculture Leader Award, fellow 4-H leader, Lindsey Habets, described Larsen as a “powerhouse” whose “fingerprints are all over the county’s 4-H programs.” Larsen was inducted into the Montana 4-H Hall of Fame in 2019 for her years of outstanding...

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For over 30 years, Barb Larsen has been involved in 4-H in Toole County, Montana. Over the years, she has stepped into leadership roles, developed programs, taught workshops, been a 4-H camp nurse, founded a club, been on committees, along with a whole host of other achievements throughout her years in the program. In a nomination letter for Montana State University’s Agriculture Leader Award, fellow 4-H leader, Lindsey Habets, described Larsen as a “powerhouse” whose “fingerprints are all over the county’s 4-H programs.” Larsen was inducted into the Montana 4-H Hall of Fame in 2019 for her years of outstanding...

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In their regular Agricultural Market Situation and Outlook webinar, extension specialists from North Dakota State University highlighted the state of agricultural outputs and byproducts in the last month including crops, biofuels, and livestock. A highlight this month was Tim Petry’s discussion and analysis of the newly reinstated July Cattle Inventory Report, which was not issued in 2024 due to budgetary reasons. Breaking down cowherd numbers across the country, drought conditions, and the fed cattle market, Petry, who serves as an extension livestock economist, touched on several ways he is seeing modest herd rebuilding starting to occur. Nationwide Decline & Regional...

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I think all of us were anticipating another very bullish Cattle on Feed Report last Friday. Yet some analysts called it slightly bearish, because placements were only down 6 percent instead of the 8.9 percent estimated pre-report. Here is what didn’t make sense at all to me while looking at the Cattle on Feed Report, aside from the fact placements were down 6 percent as compared to last year. Here is the breakdown of the weight categories placed on feed in July. Net placements came in at 1.55 million head. Calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 340,000 head; 600-699...

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On August 18, an opinion piece titled “Wild horses are pitted against grazing cattle in a battle for survival across the West” appeared in the Greeley Tribune and the Denver Post in Colorado. The author, Jennifer Best, is a member of the wildlife law team for the organization “Friends of Animals.” The stated goal of the organization is to “…free animals from cruelty and institutionalized exploitation around the world.” In this piece, Best claims that “Colorado does not have a wild horse problem […] The real issue lies with the meat industry’s grip on our public lands.” She argues that...

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