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Posted on May 21, 2025
Often on farms, we get so busy in the day-to-day management we don’t get the time to step back and evaluate our operations from a 30,000-foot view. As the calendar turns the page on spring, I encouraged many of my farmer clients to prioritize the time to zoom out and look at their big picture. Fundi...
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Courtney Llewellyn 
Posted on May 14, 2025
At the annual CattleCon event earlier this year in San Antonio, one of the more well-attended sessions was the Checkoff Highlights. Representatives from different organizations talk about where the $1/head fee producers pay is utilized. U.S. Meat Export Federation A nonprofit organization that’s bee...
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jkarkwren 
Posted on May 14, 2025
Managing an efficient meat animal operation involves not only running a farm but also selling each part of the animal. Tanya Cauthen, owner of Belmont Butchery in Richmond, VA, presented “Selling Lesser-Known Cuts: Tips & Techniques from Belmont Butchery” as a FACT webinar recently. Cauthen worked a...
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Betsy Busche 
Posted on May 14, 2025
With May designated National Beef Month, let’s discuss why farmers sell beef as custom cut bulk animals directly to customers. This is a great option for farms that raise multiple species. Farms that are raising beef animals to supplement other income streams often focus on faster turnaround with an...
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Sally Colby 
Posted on May 14, 2025
Manure isn’t always just manure. It’s often loaded with pathogens that can cause serious illness in livestock and people. Al Dam, a poultry specialist, said there’s a real risk of spreading disease through manure. Livestock often harbor mycobacteria, Listeria , E. coli , Salmonella and Campylobacter...
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Greg Hitchcock 
Posted on May 14, 2025
Agrivoltaics – overlaying solar arrays with agriculture – is a newer method of farming being tested for such operations as animal farms, crops, greenhouses and parks. Research gaps exist, according to Crops in Solar Agrivoltaics Project Manager Caroline Marschner, and large-scale agrivoltaics need f...
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Enrico Villamaino 
Posted on May 14, 2025
Take heed, farmers and ag workers: May marks National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection & Prevention Month . Farmers are among the most sun-exposed professionals, often working outdoors during peak sunlight hours. According to Dr. Vinh Chung , a dermatologist specializing in the diagnosis and treatment...
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Sally Colby 
Posted on May 7, 2025
The price of eggs has prompted many to consider raising chickens at home, but before starting a flock, would-be poultry owners should understand basic chicken first aid. Dr. Jonathan Moyle, University of Maryland poultry specialist, encourages new chicken owners to establish a relationship with a ve...
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Sally Colby 
Posted on May 7, 2025
Raising livestock means dealing with parasites. Although parasites cannot be completely eliminated, good treatment protocols keep them at bay. “We know parasite burdens have a large impact on production,” said veterinarian Dr. Carling Matejka . “They truly are silent profit thieves. Having a large p...
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Sally Colby 
Posted on May 7, 2025
Snakes aren’t at the top of most people’s “favorite animal” list. But they have a purpose and can be useful in rodent control on farms. Anna Wiker, outreach coordinator with the Kentucky Master Naturalist Volunteer Program , is aware that many people aren’t fond of snakes. “Snakes can be an environm...
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jkarkwren 
Posted on April 30, 2025
SCHAGHTICOKE, NY – There’s an iconic phrase that says “Tell me and I forget; teach me and I remember; involve me and I learn.” It aptly describes the connection farmers had with the New York Beef Council ’s two-day “Pasture to Profit: Maximizing Beef Sales in 2025” farm tours and beef producer works...
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Sally Colby 
Posted on April 30, 2025
Organic agriculture is a vital aspect of the ag sector’s bottom line, and the industry is working to ensure continued efficiency. Scott Rice, senior director of regulatory affairs for the Organic Trade Association (OTA), described updates to the organic rule at the recent USDA Ag Outlook Forum. “ St...
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Andy Haman 
Posted on April 30, 2025
“Many farmers tend to invest in assets instead of showing or paying themselves wages, utilizing the tax code to reflect as little taxable income as possible – but they run the risk of not qualifying for retirement benefits,” Jodi Gauker, business development Extension educator with Penn State Extens...
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Sonja Heyck-Merlin 
September 24, 2025
According to Tim Terry, farm strategic planning specialist with Cornell University’s PRO-DAIRY , the calf hutch is still the gold standard for raising...
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Sonja Heyck-Merlin 
September 24, 2025
The Asian longhorn tick (ALHT), native to eastern Asia, was first found in the U.S. in 2017. In less than a decade, ALHT populations are thriving. Est...
Crop Comments
jkarkwren 
September 24, 2025
On the evening of March 15, 2025, a fairly serious electric storm hit central New York and much of the Northeast. The flash-to-bang time for the first...
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Karl H. Kazaks 
October 1, 2025
LOWESVILLE, VA – Deer Creek Farm is a registered Simmental and SimAngus operation owned by Mark and Dana Campbell. Located in western Nelson County wi...
