The Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) presented the 2025 Baker/Cundiff Awards to Elizabeth Dressler and Miranda Zuvich on June 10 during its annual symposium in Amarillo, Texas. The annual Frank Baker/Larry Cundiff Beef Improvement Essay Contest for graduate students recognizes outstanding student research and writing in honor of Frank Baker and Larry Cundiff. Dressler, a doctoral candidate at Kansas State University, won with her essay, "Genetic Selection for Feed and Water Efficiency to Improve Water Resource Use in Beef Cattle." Dressler was raised on a small cow-calf operation in Berryton, Kansas. She earned her bachelor’s degree in animal sciences and industry...

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U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins this morning launched an .5 million sterile New World screwworm (NWS) fly dispersal facility in South Texas and announced a sweeping five-pronged plan (PDF, 434 KB) to enhance USDA’s already robust ability to detect, control, and eliminate this pest. These urgent actions are necessary to finish the fight against NWS and protect the United States. NWS is a devastating pest that causes serious and often deadly damage to livestock, wildlife, pets, and in rare cases, humans. While NWS has been eradicated from the United States for decades, recent detections in Mexico as far north as...

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American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented on EPA’s proposed Renewable Fuel Standard requirements for 2026 and 2027. “Farm Bureau applauds the Environmental Protection Agency and Administrator Lee Zeldin for recognizing the importance of biofuels for farmers and America’s families. EPA’s proposed Renewable Fuel Standard for 2026 and 2027 would increase domestic biofuel production, prioritize home-grown crops, and enable producers to meet the demands of emerging international markets. America’s families who choose to use biofuels could see much-needed relief at the gas pump, with savings of 10 to 30 cents per gallon. “Renewable fuels have been a tremendous success...

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  Memorial Day was first celebrated as a national holiday on May 30, 1868. In 1971, Congress changed Memorial Day to the last Monday of May, making it fall on May 26 this year. It had been celebrated on May 30 since 1868. It was apparently first thought of by Mary Ann Williams, who came up with the idea of “strewing the graves of Civil War Soldiers, Union and Confederate,” with flowers. It was originally called Decoration Day. In my mind, Memorial Day, or Decoration Day was on May 30, which happened to be my Dad’s birthday, so I have to remind...

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    By Matt Wznick, Field Rep - MT The one thing that stood out to me the most over the past sale season was that price was quality driven. It felt like no matter what you were selling, the best brought more than what we had ever seen it sell for. The most obvious answer to this trend can be attributed to the weigh-up market. Ranchers are selling weigh-up cows and bulls for more money than they ever have, and it almost felt like they were saying “we need a bull (or these cattle), we have the money to...

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Last night, we ventured up to Lockhart to watch our friend Dave’s steel guitar trio at a local club. Dave is one of the most accomplished, well-known steel guitar (and guitar) players in the country, and we have been lucky enough to have him play with us when he’s able. His main job is with the current Texas Playboys group, led by Jason Roberts. In his own group, Dave plays steel, and he also has a drummer and an upright bass player. I had a blast listening to Dave play a bunch of classic country and also thought about how...

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  A colleague complained that he was forced to reschedule his golf game. The light, soaking rain mucked up his shoes. This friend works hard – he never quits at five, and he uses his weekends to catch up on professional commitments. Golfing provides a bit of work-life balance. I admire him for making time to get some exercise, breathe outdoor air, and think about something besides his demanding job. The stress relief will probably extend his life, and it is always a good thing to have a little fun. But I told him to never complain about rain ever...

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On May 11, 2025, United States Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, suspended the imports of live bison, cattle, and horses through U.S. ports of entry along the southern border due to the rapid, northward expansion of the New World screwworm through Mexico. Today, livestock officials, veterinarians, and lawmakers are increasingly concerned about the spread of the New World screwworm and the economic impacts the pest could have if it reaches the U.S. Epidemiology and Spread. . . The New World screwworm is a fly that “only invades live flesh” where they lay their eggs in a wound or orifice of...

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May 16 marked the conclusion of a four-day USDA trade mission to Hong Kong where 37 agriculturally-based businesses from all corners of the United States convened in hopes of expanding their reach internationally. According to USDA, Hong Kong was the 18th-largest market for U.S. ag goods in 2024, with a total of [post_excerpt].4 billion in products. “As a free port and a gateway to South China, Macau, and Southeast Asia, Hong Kong plays a crucial role in facilitating food and agricultural exports. Hong Kong is also considered Asia’s culinary capital and ranks as the 11th-largest market for U.S. consumer-oriented agricultural...

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“Because of targeted grazing, we’ve turned a threat – the negative perception of utilizing livestock to graze – into a positive for the {sheep} industry,” Erica Sanko, director of analytics and production programs with the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) said in a recent webinar outlining ASI’s newly published Targeted Grazing 101 Guidebook. “It is now a strength for the industry regardless of the project.” The term “targeted grazing” is used to describe the business practice of utilizing livestock, particularly sheep and goats, to achieve specific “vegetation management goals,” Sanko said. Livestock can be used to control invasive plants, conserve...

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