We kick off 2026 with a forward-looking conversation on where the cattle industry is headed and how ranchers can position themselves for the year ahead. My guest is Jared Wareham, (website: Horizon Venture Management) a beef industry, ag-tech consultant and Southern Colorado rancher. We discuss cattle markets, herd rebuilding, cost of capital, and what may be holding expansion back — without simply rehashing the same talking points. Instead, we focus on the factors influencing real-world decisions at the ranch level and how we, as producers, can think about managing risk, operations, and long-term profitability as we plan for 2026.