Feedlot Numbers Slip in March

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.5 million head on Mar…

TFI Welcomes Temporary Jones Act Waiver to Support Fertilizer Supply and Access

March 19, 2026 - The Fertilizer Institute thanks the Trump Administration for its decision to temporarily suspend the Jones Act to support the timely movement of fertilizer across the United States as...

Weathering the Financial Storm in Farm Country

March 18, 2026 - Financial stress continues to be a major concern in agriculture, and experts say strong financial planning is more important than ever. During the National Farmers Union 124th Annual...

Nebraska Fires Bring Significant Assistance Need

"So many neighbors and Broadwater folks have been on rigs since 2:30 yesterday afternoon. It's big. And it's raw because it's so close to home and your community is fighting it. Your neighbors are aff...

USFWS and Interior Request Comments on Colorado Gray Wolves, Grizzly Bears, and Mexican Wolves

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of the Interior are requesting comments with regard to the management of the Colorado gray wolf program, grizzly bears, and Mexican wolves. The 60...

Colorado Eyes, Postpones Poultry Depopulation Restrictions

Jerry Wilkins, past president of the Colorado Egg Producers Association, said Colorado has been among the hardest hit by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and each infected premise requires an...

Livestock Indemnity Fund to Include Preparation and Response

The Diseased Livestock Indemnity Fund bill, sponsored by Reps. Karen McCormick, DVM, D-Longmont, and Ty Winter, R-Trinidad, and Sens. Byron Pelton, R-Sterling, and Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, just passed...

JBS Workers Form Picket Lines in Colorado

March 16, 2026 - A strike is now underway at the JBS beef packing plant in Greeley, Colorado—raising concerns across the cattle complex and the broader beef supply chain.

Soil Sampling Helps Farmers Stretch Tight Input Budgets

March 13, 2026 - As farmers prepare for the upcoming growing season, one key message stands out: start with the soil. Stephanie Zelinko with AgroLiquid explains why annual soil testing is one of the s...

WestBred Celebrates High-Yield Wheat Growers at Commodity Classic

March 12, 2026 - One of the highlights of Commodity Classic each year is honoring the winners of the National Wheat Yield Contest, organized by the National Wheat Foundation. The contest recognizes to...

FBI: Agridime Executive Captured at Los Angeles Airport

March 11, 2026 - Agridime executive Joshua R. Link was arrested Monday at Los Angeles International Airport. He faces federal charges tied to a $220 million cattle investment fraud scheme.

Livestock Disease Indemnity Fund Likely to Expand to Preparedness and Response

States are preparing for the worst when it comes to highly pathogenic avian influenza and even New World Screwworm. In Colorado, legislators are putting their money where their mouths are.

Rocky Mountain Farmers Union President Says Profitability Crisis Threatening Family Farms

As delegates debated policy priorities at the annual convention of the National Farmers Union, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union President Chad Franke said profitability remains the top concern for family...

Montana Farmers Union President Weighs in on "Skinny" Farm Bill

Farm Bill 2.0 was a major topic of discussion at this year’s National Farmers Union Convention, where farm policy and market competition dominated conversations among farmers and ranchers from across...

JBS Greeley Beef Plant Workers Vote to Authorize Strike

March 9, 2026 - A potential strike at the JBS packing plant in Greeley, Colorado is raising concerns across the cattle complex and beef supply chain. Union workers at the plant have issued the require...

NFU Convention Highlights Fight for Family Farmers and Need for Modern Farm Bill

The National Farmers Union gathered in New Orleans for its 124th Annual Convention, bringing together farmers, ranchers, and ag leaders from across the country to discuss the future of family agricult...

The Livestock Threat Ranchers Haven’t Seen in Decades—Experts Say Be Ready

As New World screwworm (NWS) continues to be a problem in Mexico and inches closer to the Texas border, entomologists say it's best to be proactive and prepared for the pest to enter the U.S., rather...

Senate Democrats Introduce Legislation to Break Up Meat Packers

In an ironic twist that could have repercussions for the livestock supply chain, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and a group of Senate Democrats are taking a cue from President Donald Trump...

Dairy Checkoff Launches “Dairy Does More”

The dairy checkoff has unveiled Dairy Does More, a national marketing communications platform to help grow demand by reshaping how consumers think about dairy foods. Developed by Dairy Management Inc....

US-Iran Escalation Could Drive Up Input Costs as Spring Planting Season Hits

Farmers will likely see higher diesel prices as they move into planting season with the U.S. attacks on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory strikes across the Middle East. Some early indications also sugges...

UW Student's AI Model Predicts Bovine Heart Failure Risk

Chase Markel, a University of Wyoming Ph.D. student from Wheatland, is harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to transform how animal scientists study risk factors for congestive heart failure in cat...

Seed Act Killed in Colorado Senate Ag

Don Brown, a Yuma County farmer and former Commissioner of Agriculture during the Hickenlooper administration, testified in opposition of the bill. Having been viewing neonics through the lenses of bo...

Wheat Leaders Respond to New Dietary Guidelines

As the U.S. wheat industry digests the newly released Dietary Guidelines for Americans, leaders are weighing in on the role wheat will play in the nation’s diets. At Commodity Classic in San Antonio,...

ESA Rules Reshape Pesticide Labels for Growers

According to industry experts, what’s different today is how quickly Endangered Species Act requirements are being written directly onto pesticide labels.
According to industry experts, what’s differ...

ESA-Driven Pesticide Label Changes Create New Compliance Challenges for Growers

According to industry experts, what’s different today is how quickly Endangered Species Act requirements are being written directly onto pesticide labels. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is...

American Lamb Board Debuts New Film Celebrating Stewardship and the Future

This new video, now hosted on ALB’s YouTube channel, showcases the diversity, resilience, and craftsmanship behind American Lamb, from the wide‑open west to innovative farm distilleries and leading re...

Rodenticide Prohibition Bill Held Over in Senate Ag Committee

Colorado State Sen. Lisa Cutter, Sen. Cathy Kipp, and Rep. Elizabeth Velasco introduced SB26-062 Rodenticide Use Restrictions and two amendments were passed prior to the comment portion before the Sen...

Wildfires Devastate Cattle Country in Oklahoma and Kansas

February 22, 2026 - The Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Foundation and the Kansas Livestock Foundation have established wildfire relief funds for those who want to help impacted producers. They are also seeking...

Let's Talk Grazing & Raising-Solutions to Help Ranchers Grow More Grass and Increase Bottomline

During CattleCon26 in Nashville, the latest solutions to help producers grow more grass, harvest forage efficiently and keep cattle healthy were discussed at a special "Let's Talk Grazing & Raising" e...

Supreme Court Blocks Trump Emergency Tariffs

February 20, 2026 - The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday struck down President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs imposed under a national emergency law, ruling in a 6–3 decision that the president exceeded...

Trump Signs Executive Order to Strengthen National Defense by Securing Elemental Phosphorus and Glyphosate Supply

On Wednesday, the White House issued a new executive order declaring elemental phosphorus a material critical to U.S. national security and food production. Phosphorus is a key ingredient in military...

NCGA Releases New Report Warning of Pivotal Moment for U.S. Agriculture

As the United States prepares to commemorate its 250th anniversary, the National Corn Growers Association today released a sweeping new report illustrating how far American agriculture has come—and ho...

Baling Out Farmers from the Sawfly Menace

ARS researchers discovered a new biocontrol technique to reduce one of the biggest pests to wheat growers. Wheat stem sawfly (Cephus cinctus) costs wheat growers an estimated $350 million annually. Du...

USDA Issues Final Emergency Livestock Relief Program Payments for 2023 and 2024 Drought, Flood and Wildfire Losses

On Friday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) has issued final Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP)...

USDA Announces Farmer and Rancher Freedom Framework to End Agricultural Lawfare

On Thursday, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the launch of the Farmer and Rancher Freedom Framework (PDF, 11.4 MB), a bold initiative to protect America’s agricultural heritage an...

$6 Calves, Drought, and the Smallest Herd in 70 Years

February 11, 2029 - Video Podcast: Cattle prices are sky-high, inventories are at historic lows, and drought is creeping back into the conversation across the West. So where does the cattle cycle go f...

Trump Announces Plan to Boost Imports of Beef Trimmings from Argentina

President Donald Trump on Friday announced the United States will lower tariff barriers to allow 80,000 metric tons (mt) of beef trimmings to be imported from Argentina. In a proclamation dubbed "Ensu...

House Committee Investigates FFA Over Syngenta Partnership Tied to Chinese Ownership

The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee's oversight subcommittee launched an investigation into what three federal lawmakers say is the National Future Farmers of America Organization's alleged ties t...

National Environmental Stewardship Award Presented to Nebraska Ranch

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has announced that Wine Glass Ranch in Imperial, Nebraska, is the 2025 Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP) National winner. The award, which...

Hurd Secures $1M Appropriation to Rebuild Potato Research Station Storage

In 2018, the San Luis Valley Research Center, located in Center, Colorado, experienced high winds, ending in severe damage to a potato storage unit. This week staff learned that nearly a decade later,...

Koontz's Market Outlook: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

In terms of trade, he said the U.S. is currently importing beef for ground and exporting very little because the price is currently so high. The trade insulation, he said, is good news and indicates a...

EPA Guidance Allows Farmers, Independent Shops to Repair Equipment Emissions

In a single guidance document from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Trump administration on Monday essentially wiped away the stated reason why equipment companies restrict farmers and in...

PLC and BLM Sign MOU to Promote Grazing Allotment Cooperative Monitoring

The Public Lands Council (PLC) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to promote cooperative monitoring of grazing allotments on Nati...

NCBA Releases 2026 Policy Priorities at CattleCon

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) today announced its 2026 policy priorities following approval by the organization’s Executive Committee at CattleCon 2026. NCBA’s focus centers on poli...

Montana Stockgrowers Call for H-2A Rule Changes

February 2, 2026 - The Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) has submitted a formal request for rulemaking to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) urging the agency to amend and clarify its regulation...

The American Lamb Board Welcomes New Leadership to Advance the Future of U.S. Lamb

The American Lamb Board (ALB) is pleased to share U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced new appointments to the Board. These leaders, representing diverse sectors of the American lamb supply...

Sheep Producers in Reno for ASI Annual Convention

This week sheep producers are in Reno, Nevada for the 2026 American Sheep Industry Association Annual Convention.ASI President and Montana rancher Ben Lehfeldt says it’s going to be a busy week coveri...

Western Ag Network and Ag Information Network Announce Strategic Merger

January 27, 2026 - Western Ag Network (WAN) and Ag Information Network (AIN) today announced a strategic merger under Nemetz Communications, Inc., bringing together two respected agricultural media or...

USDA Launches New Online Portal for Reporting Foreign-Owned Agricultural Land Transactions

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is launching a new online portal to streamline reporting of transactions involving U.S. agricultural land by foreign persons, which can include businesses and...

Show and Sale Records Broken at 120th National Western

In the inaugural year of exhibiting livestock in the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center, the largest agriculture building in the U.S. bearing the name of a woman, female junior exhibitors swept al...

Corn Growers Furious with New Development on E15

The president of the National Corn Growers Association vented farmers' frustrations Thursday after learning House leadership not only prevented year-round E15 from being included in a must-pass fundin...

New AFBF Market Intel Report Reveals H-2A Program Use Continues to Soar

According to new market analysis from the American Farm Bureau Federation, the lack of a domestic workforce in Ag Country continues to push farmers and ranchers to utilize foreign labor. Nationwide, 3...

Colorado Cattlemen’s Association Responds to CPW Decision Not to Release Wolves This Season

The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) acknowledges this week's announcement from Colorado Parks and Wildlife that no additional wolves will be released in Colorado this season. CCA views this dec...

USDA Announces New World Screwworm Grand Challenge

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the launch of the New World Screwworm (NWS) Grand Challenge. This funding opportunity marks a pivotal step in USDA’s comprehensi...

New Analysis Reinforces Urgent Need for Additional Farm Support

American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall highlights the urgent need for legislation expanding the bridge support program for farmers, reinforced by new analysis indicating the economic crisis in fa...

Brucellosis Found in Wyoming Cattle Herd

The herd is located within Wyoming’s Brucellosis Designated Surveillance Area (DSA). With the addition of this herd, the Wyoming Livestock Board (WLSB) has two herds under quarantine for brucellosis,...

BLM: APR Bison Weren’t “Domestic Livestock” Under Taylor Grazing Act

January 16, 2026 - The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has issued a Notice of Proposed Decision that would rescind its 2022 approval allowing bison grazing on federal allotments in Phillips County, Mon...

Cramer, Daines Urge President Trump to Secure Favorable Pulse Crop Trade Deal with India

In the midst of President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade negotiations with India, two U.S. senators are calling on the president to strike a deal on pulse crops. U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and St...

Sakata Steps into Acting Colorado Agriculture Commissioner Role

Robert Sakata delivered his first update to the CPW Commission as acting Commissioner of Agriculture on Wednesday. He reported that Commissioner of Agriculture Kate Greenberg welcomed a baby girl earl...

American Farm Bureau Establishes 2026 Policies

Farmer and rancher delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 107th Convention today adopted policies to guide the organization’s work in 2026. Key topics ranged from labor to animal health to...

Agriculture Secretary Rollins Speaks at American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Anaheim

One of the highlights at the 2026 American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Anaheim, California, was an address by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. During her remarks, she thanked Ame...

Corn Growers Alarmed by New Supply Projections

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today released its World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate projecting a 17-billion-bushel corn supply in 2025-2026, raising alarms among the nation’s corn growe...

Farm Bureau Names 2026 Farm Dog of the Year

The winner of the 2026 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year award is Max, a 4-year-old Border Collie owned by Oklahoma Farm Bureau members John, Charla and Brynley Enns. AFBF, with support from Nestlé Pur...

Montana Senator Steve Daines Sends Letter Urging Efforts to Support American Sheep Industry

On Friday, U.S. Senator Steve Daines led a letter to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer, voicing support for American sheep producers who have been disadvantaged by surging imports into t...

Colorado Cattlemen's Association Returns Home to the Exchange Building

The Exchange Building was built in 1898 and was home to the Denver Union Stock Yard Company, the Record Stockman newspaper, 14 commission firms, a café, the Stockyards National Bank. The Colorado Stat...

New Durum Variety Creates Exciting Opportunities for U.S. Farmers and Baking Enthusiasts

A new USDA-ARS Soft Spring Durum wheat, being released as USDA ‘Morris’ in honor of the late ARS Scientist Dr. Craig Morris, who spearheaded soft durum research, represents a new variety of soft sprin...

Trump Administration Releases New Dietary Guidelines Urging Americans to Eat More Real Food

The guidelines include recommendations to consume dairy, including full-fat dairy with no added sugars as well as prioritizing protein, including animal sources including eggs, poultry, seafood, and r...

Saddle Up for Success at Potato Expo 2026 in Texas

Each year, the Potato Expo brings together growers, suppliers, and industry leaders from across the country and beyond. And this year is no exception in Dallas, Texas.
Kam Quarles, National Potato Cou...

Wyoming Game and Fish Review 2025, Brimeyer Retires

Other big news from the department is the recent announcement of the retirement of Game and Fish Deputy Director for external operations Doug Brimeyer. With the Department since 1991 as a project biol...

Catching History Marks 90 years of NWSS Catch a Calf Program

Dr. John Matsushima, a long-time sponsor of the CAC program, and his daughter, Nancy Oliver, have maintained records of the participants, sponsors, buyers and winners. Using that information, Western...

Sheep Producers Call for Trade Action

January 1, 2026 - As U.S. sheep producers continue to raise concerns about the impact of imported lamb on domestic markets, the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) is urging producers to step up...

Payment Rates for Farmer Bridge Assistance Program Announced

December 31, 2025 - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the next phase in the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program (FBA), the eligible commodity per-acre payment rates.

USDA Sets New Research Priorities to ‘Put Farmers First’

December 30, 2025 - Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, signed a Secretary’s Memorandum that puts forth a focused effort to establish new priorities for future research and develo...

Top AG Stories of 2025

December 30, 2025 - As we wrap up 2025, we’re taking a look back at the stories that had the most interaction from farmers and ranchers across Western Ag Network’s Radio, TV and Digital Media Platform

La Niña, Snowpack, and What Comes Next: Meteorologist Brian Bledsoe

December 28, 2025 - Lane Nordlund sits down with meteorologist Brian Bledsoe to break down what producers across the Northern Plains and beyond need to know about the weather ahead.

USCA Calls "Product of USA" Labeling Guidance A Major Win for Clarity

December 23, 2025 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has released updated voluntary labeling guidance for meat, poultry, and egg products ahead of the Jan...

BLM Finalizes Updated Sage-Grouse Plans that Expand Energy Access and Support Western Communities

December 23, 2025 - The Bureau of Land Management announced updated plans that enhance conservation of Greater sage-grouse habitat while balancing access to public lands for responsible energy and min...

NCBA and PLC Secure House Passage of Gray Wolf Delisting

Today, the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, introduced by Reps. Tom Tiffany (R-WI) and Lauren Boebert (R-CO) passed the House with a bipartisan vote. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA)...

Whole, 2%, and Flavored Milk on the Way Back to Schools

The changes the dairy industry has been lobbying for since 2012 has come to fruition in the form of those little cartons of milk on school lunch trays. With the Dec. 16 unanimous Senate passage of the...

Pillen: Value-added Agriculture is the Answer

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said no options are off the table when it comes to helping cattle producers and the 3,200 employees of the Tyson plant in Lexington.

Election of Matt Perdue as New President Highlights NDFU State Convention

The election of a new state president capped off North Dakota Farmers Union’s 99th annual state convention Dec. 12-13 in Bismarck. Matt Perdue, a farmer from Ray, was elected to lead the state’s large...

Secretary Burgum Steps In on Long-Stalled Grazing Case

December 11, 2025 - Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has assumed jurisdiction over long-running appeals challenging the Bureau of Land Management’s approval of American Prairie’s bison grazing on...

USDA Launches New Regenerative Pilot Program

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, alongside U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr....

Trump's $12 Billion Farm Aid Package

December 8, 2025 - President Donald Trump presided over a roundtable on Monday afternoon with a handful of farmers, along with lawmakers and members of his administration to announce the aid package....

Trump Orders Investigation Into Rising Food Costs

December 7, 2025 - President Donald Trump has ordered his administration to examine anti-competitive behavior, price-fixing and the effects of foreign ownership on the food supply chain and its impact...

Bill Rishel inducted into Saddle and Sirloin Portrait Gallery

The Saddle and Sirloin Portrait Gallery added another legendary name to its historic walls during the 2025 North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) in Louisville, Kentucky. On Novembe...

CRP Payments Should Be Going Out From FSA Soon

Farmers and landowners waiting for their annual Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) rental payments should start seeing those funds hit bank accounts this week or next at the latest. CRP pays more than...

Ag Secretary Rollins Promises Bridge Payments for Farmers While Pressuring States for SNAP Data

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that she and President Donald Trump will announce a "bridge payment" program for farmers next week. Rollins also warned she...

Nebraska Agencies Support Lexington Tyson Workers

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen announced a collaboration between multiple agencies and community organizations to assist Lexington families impacted by the upcoming closure of Tyson’s meat processing fa...

Understanding the Role of AWEX Wool Price Reporting

Although reports on domestic sales are limited, the Australian Wool Exchange-Eastern Market Indicator (AWEX-EMI) provides key insight into the larger global wool market. ASI shares Australian wool mar...

Groups Press USDA to Tighten Standards for Expected Trade Aid Payments

n a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, the groups said they don't necessarily agree on the need for USDA to dip into emergency spending to help farmers with aid payments, but any trade ba...

President Trump Pardons Gobble and Waddle in Annual Thanksgiving Tradition

In true Thanksgiving fashion, this week President Trump continued the time-honored tradition of pardoning two turkeys from the Thanksgiving dinner table. The National Turkey Federation says the turkey...

USDA Launches Centralized New World Screwworm Website

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is excited to highlight the launch of the new unified New World screwworm (NWS) website, screwworm.gov. This dynamic new site centralizes NWS information avai...

Lexington Hopes for Compassion from Tyson to Allow Facility to Find New Use

“That’s where it left us in a lurch of we’re not retraining these people, we’re not relocating them, this is a Dear John letter of your employment ends on January 20, good luck, thanks for the help,”...

Legendary Bulls Sell at Denver for Generations

In January of 1945, as told in a Time Magazine spread titled Range Royalty, the Brown Palace Hotel was prepared and seemed to be awaiting royalty. A curious mink-draped woman asked a bellhop who they...

Tyson Foods to Close Lexington, NE Beef Processing Plant

The company will end operations at its Lexington, Nebraska, beef facility and convert its Amarillo, Texas, beef facility to a single, full-capacity shift. To meet customer demand, production will be i...

Trump Administration Revises Endangered Species Act

The Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced four proposed rules to restore Endangered Species Act regulations to their proven 2019 and 2020 framework. The actions adv...

New Generation Supplements Welcomes Dr. Paul Davis and Dr. Janna Block to Nutrition Team

New Generation Supplements is pleased to announce the addition of two accomplished animal nutrition professionals to its team. Dr. Paul Davis has joined as Director of Research and Nutrition, and Dr....

Low-Risk Strategies to Transition from Conventional to Adaptive Grazing

As course participants gathered ‘round in the pasture, the instructor started the timer at the word ‘go.’ The ranchers began by observing the animals and the available forage. How much grass would the...

Young Farmers & Ranchers top $100,000 donation to the Montana Food Bank Network

he Montana Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) Committee presented a check for $8,000 to the Montana Food Bank Network (MFBN) on Monday, November 17 at their new warehouse...