Hog Management

The Digital Farmhand: How AI is Solving the Agricultural Labor Crisis

Wed, 13 May 2026 12:00:36 GMT

Agriculture is facing a historic labor shortage at the same time artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how the world operates. Some fear AI adoption will result in job loss and businesses being left behind due to rapidly evolving technology. Others say AI is the digital farmhand agriculture needs right now to handle repetitive data tasks while humans focus on high-value animal husbandry or field work.

Either way, one thing is true – AI is not going anywhere.

“Whether AI replaces jobs or not depends on how the industry chooses to use it,” says Angel Andaya, manager of digital solutions for Silver Support, a managed development center supporting operations, finance, digital solutions, information technology and automation services.

If AI is seen purely as a replacement, she says that is likely the direction it will take. But it could also become a powerful tool to help farm operations thrive despite labor challenges.

The “Why Now” of AI: Accessibility and Adoption

While AI has existed for years (think Netflix recommendations and GPS), the launch of ChatGPT marked a paradigm shift that made the technology conversational and accessible to everyone, says Tracy Soper, senior director of data excellence at Keystone Cooperative.

“At 100 million [users] in two months, ChatGPT’s growth is unheard of – nothing has grown that fast,” Soper said at the National Pedigreed Livestock Council’s annual meeting. “Why? Because it was conversational and easy to access. It was something all of us could touch and could relate to, like, ‘Oh, this is a thing. It makes my life easier.’”

In the past, technology adoption took years. Now, it happens in months, creating a sense of “AI hysteria” and a need for clear strategy, he adds.

Problem First, People Always

Rather than viewing AI as a replacement for human expertise, it should be viewed as an amplification tool, he says. The strategy is to avoid expensive shelfware by starting with specific business problems.

“It can do a lot of things, but how are we going to use it?” Soper asks. “For us at Keystone, AI is not about replacing people; it’s making people better.”

Years ago, Soper says his job was to look over all things related to information technology (IT). Today that looks like AI and automation solutions as the cooperative’s scale has grown.

“For us, it’s starting very specifically with what problem we’re trying to solve today and then asking, ‘Why can’t we solve it with what we’ve got?’” he says.

Keystone takes a four-step approach:

1. Start with the problem, not the technology.

“AI only creates value when it’s solving a real business challenge. Companies that buy a tool, hand it to IT and expect magic end up with expensive shelfware,” Soper says.

2. Data readiness before algorithms.

“Any insight is only as good as the data feeding it,” he says. “We invested significant time building a modern data foundation before ever pursuing AI.”

3. Amplify expertise – don’t replace it.

“AI is not replacing agronomists, breed managers or the people closest to the animals. It’s amplifying their experience and sharpening their decision timing,” Soper explains.

4. Your data is the competitive edge.

“The competitive gap will be built on data readiness as much as algorithms,” he says.

In the future, Keystone is working actively in predictive machine learning and generative AI, using them to improve decision timing, streamline operations and better serve the producers who depend on the cooperative.

Shorten Time-Consuming Tasks

AI helps experts ask better questions sooner, Soper says. With data flowing more freely across the value chain, he believes there is great opportunity where AI and animal data converge.

For example, computer vision for body condition scoring, lameness detection and welfare monitoring is moving from research into practice in many barns. He’s also excited about how AI-assisted genomic prediction and health monitoring are advancing across species and can help make progress more quickly.

Andaya encourages farmers to think about the daily realities on the farm. What tasks are essential, but time consuming and repetitive?

“Even small improvements in how they are managed can free up valuable time and improve decision-making on the ground,” Andaya says.

If these processes are supported through AI, she believes it will enable farmers and their employees to focus more on animal welfare, planning and improving overall farm productivity.

“In this sense, AI is less about replacement and more about giving farmers and livestock teams the space to focus on what truly matters,” she says.

4 Tips for Successful AI Implementation

Agriculture and livestock operations are full of valuable data from daily logs to finances, Andaya explains.

“What’s changing is how effectively this information can be used,” she says.

Soper says Keystone has learned four important lessons in their journey to use AI more efficiently.

1. Data quality is everything.

Start with the data you own. Then budget time for discovery and cleanup.

2. Build for the people doing the work.

The tool needs to make someone’s job easier or it won’t get used. AI should amplify good discipline.

3. Scope tight, prove value first.

Prove it works before you scale. The business has to own the problem – IT enables, but stakeholders drive adoption and define success.

4. Governance can’t wait.

Policies around approved tools, data and data protection need to exist before people experiment. Once people start using AI on their own, it’s harder to rein in.

Winter-Proof Your Workforce: Keeping Employees Warm on the Job

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:52:23 GMT

What started as a mild winter is bound to become brutal as plunging, dangerous temperatures sweep across much of the U.S. While most of the country will stay bundled up inside, farmers and their employees don’t have the luxury of skipping work for a snow day.

To create a safe and comfortable work environment for your farm employees, it’s important to address the specific challenges posed by cold weather on the farm. As temperatures begin to drop, consider implementing the following tips to keep your crew safe, warm and productive:

Make Sure They Have Adequate Clothing

Dressing poorly shouldn’t be considered “cool,” especially when it comes to harsh winter weather conditions on the farm. However, not all employees know how to appropriately dress for the bitter weather. Consider providing them with the following checklist and keeping a few extra items in a bin for employees to use in case they forget.

Some examples of warm winter clothing include:

Lined jackets
Lined overalls
Stocking caps / hats and lined gloves
Long thermal underwear
Lined boots – waterproof and anti-slip
Wicking wool socks
Scarf

Provide Warm Break Areas

Working out in the cold can take a toll on the body. That’s why it’s necessary to take frequent breaks to rest and warm up. To keep employees going, be sure to create designated warm break areas for your employees to recuperate.

Offer snacks that are not only tasty but also provide energy. Nutritious options like trail mix, energy bars, and fruits can help replenish energy levels. You can also supply a selection of hot beverages like coffee, tea or hot chocolate. If employees are coming in from wet or snowy conditions, consider having a designated area with a drying rack for wet outerwear, gloves, and boots.

Adjust Schedules

Adjusting schedules in the winter is a practical strategy to address the challenges and potential hazards associated with cold weather. Along with allowing more frequent breaks to prevent prolonged exposure to the cold, consider scheduling more grueling outdoor tasks during the warmer parts of the day.

Keep Up Communication

Safety concerns rise as cold weather intensifies. This rings true for not only our employees, but livestock as well. Keep the lines of communication open with employees to address concerns and gather feedback on their comfort and to learn if areas of the farm need immediate attention.

Work in Pairs

While farmers are already hard-pressed to find labor, working in pairs allows employees to get the job done quickly and safely. Using the buddy system ensures that every employee is accounted for and that the work gets done in a timely fashion. This system is especially important for employees working in remote areas.

Have an Emergency Kit

Winter weather can be unpredictable. Having an emergency kit in a well-known location can be a lifesaver when it comes to coping with unexpected challenges. Keep your kit filled with the essentials, such as:

Medical supplies
Extra clothing
Blankets
Handwarmers
Flashlights
Non-perishable snacks

Know the Signs of Cold Stress

Hypothermia and frostbite are the two most common forms of cold stress and can be fatal if left untreated. To help minimize the risk of these conditions going unnoticed, make sure to review and be on the lookout for the following symptoms.

Signs of Hypothermia:

Fast and shallow breathing / trouble breathing.
Going from shivering to not shivering.
Hunger, fatigue and confusion.
Lack of coordination.
Increased heart rate.
Weak pulse.
Slurred speech / mumbling.
Dizziness and nausea.

Signs of Frostbite:

Cold skin, prickling feeling and numbness.
Red, white, bluish-white or grayish-yellow skin.
Hard or waxy-looking skin.
Clumsiness due to joint and muscle stiffness.
Blistering after rewarming when severe (expect exposed skin to peel off).
If the skin turns black seek medical attention..

One Farmer's Idea to Avoid Yellowstone Drama When Transferring the Family Farm

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 15:15:23 GMT

At 8 cents a pound, pigs weren’t worth much when Todd Wiley formed Interstate Swine LLC with his dad in 1998. Nobody wanted weaned pigs. Facilities quickly became available as people left the pork industry. With a sincere desire to make a living raising pigs on his family’s farm, Wiley stepped out in faith. Nearly 30 years later, this multi-generational farming endeavor in eastern Iowa has survived some of the toughest times and some of the best times.

Maybe that’s why Wiley has taken a unique approach to bringing the third generation back to the farm.

“There’s no doubt that family is important to Todd,” says Pat McGonegle, CEO of the Iowa Pork Producers Association. “He puts family first, and the farm is a part of that discussion. He manages his family members that are part of that farm in a real professional way, but also with an eye towards the legacy that he and Denise want to leave on their farm.”

Would This Be Good For My Kids?

Growing up, Wiley’s parents talked about succession planning often with their three sons. The concept of planning for the generational transfer of the family farm came naturally to Wiley.

“When we started Interstate Swine, we needed to hire employees,” he says. “One of the things I was conscientious about was making sure the employment opportunity within our business would be conducive to our children filling those roles.”

From the beginning, Wiley instituted health insurance plans, matching IRA funds, paid time off, paid vacation, and other benefits that employees would typically look for when securing a job.

“I constantly asked myself if this would this be good for my kids someday?” he says.

Wiley and his wife, Denise, have four kids: Drew, a Kansas State University animal science graduate and former K-State Football defensive tackle; Isaac, an Iowa State University agribusiness graduate now employed with Ever.Ag; Emma, owner of Auntie Em’s - Event Florist and attended Des Moines Area Community College; and Joshua, a junior at Iowa State University in animal science.

In 2017-2018, the Wileys doubled their sow farm to create more opportunities for the children to have a place on the family farm.

“It was a fairly tedious process – not only from a business standpoint, but about what the next generation was going to do,” he says. “They were all too young back then, and there was no way I could ask them for any sort of commitment to our business. But I did ask a lot of professionals. I remember asking our accountant specifically, ‘In your experience, what is the likelihood of a farm family having the next generation be involved, providing you have a viable business?’”

The accountant’s response was, “It’s pretty high.”

“Denise and I knew we needed to have some economies of scale,” Wiley explains. “There’s not much point in succession planning, if there’s nothing to succeed to or succeed with. We were mindful of that when we moved forward. Now, we have room for additional people, not only for labor, but also in management where we can utilize their skills.”

No Yellowstone Drama Here

As a family, it is easy to recognize each other’s strengths as well as quirks, he points out. But he wanted a better way to evaluate his children’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as interests, on the farm.

“I remember when a successful family in eastern Iowa, with a number of businesses, built a feed mill and elevator,” Wiley shares. “The father of this family passed away unexpectedly. Come to find out, nobody in the family had any interest in this feed mill and elevator, so they end up selling it.”

This hit Wiley hard. What would his kids say about where their farm was investing capital? That sparked the construction of a succession planning instrument for the Wiley family.

(Lori Hays)

“The first page of the instrument (an Excel document) started two years ago with a list of 35 jobs that need to be done on our farm,” Wiley says. “Most of them are pig related, but we do crop farm some. It was pretty much everything I was doing in a spreadsheet.”

Each of their children (and one daughter in-law at the time) was asked to rate those 35 jobs from one to five under this scenario: It’s 2033 and Todd and Denise are serving in an advisory role only. You choose to be an active employee of the family businesses. Please answer by circling the corresponding number that best describes your interest in the listed activity.

“It was interesting to see who had interest in what, but it also told us pretty clearly where we needed to go in the future if we wanted our children involved in our business,” Wiley says. “Initially, I think they saw it as a fun activity, just another of Dad’s crazy ideas. But I learned a lot.”

This past summer, the family completed the exercise again.

“I needed to see if the kids were drifting in their interest,” he says. “In one case, there was significant movement in what one of our kids wanted to do. It surprised me to be truthful about it. In the other three cases, they held true to what they thought two years previous. But bear in mind, our youngest was a freshman in college two years ago and a lot can change in college.”

Wiley emphasizes that nobody is required to come back and be involved in the operation. He says there are a million ways to make a living out there and he wants his kids to pursue their dreams. In the version his family filled out in the summer of 2025, he added a second page with 45 statements.

“If you’re going to work with people in a business and a family in any organization, even if you’re not related, you need to have some idea of where they’re coming from,” Wiley says. “On the second page of statements, they were asked to rank their level of agreement with the statement.”

For example, one of the statements was: No matter what I may think of a family member’s job performance, I’ll always have their back publicly.

“If you’ve ever watched Yellowstone, that show creeped me out,” Wiley says. “When I saw the family dynamic portrayed, it made me uncomfortable. We can have our disagreements. But, as a family, you better have each other’s backs out in the community, especially in the business we’re in.”

Getting Out and Getting In

This instrument has been helpful for the Wileys in many ways as they prepare to transfer more of the farm to their children.

“It sheds light on areas where their belief system parallels ours,” he says. “We have a definite place of emphasis now. Our children have a pig feeding business called Fourth Gen Hogs LLC, where they’re each 20% owners, Denise is a 10% owner, and I’m a 10% owner. It has been a great exercise in giving them the responsibility of ownership.”

He says the timing mirrors the situation he was in when Interstate Swine was formed.

“They got in about a year ago when it was pretty doom and gloom. We went to the bank with this idea, and they’re like, ‘You want to do what?’”

He believes this business venture will be the vehicle for he and his wife to exit pig ownership as their children get into ownership.

“Uncle Sam would have his way with us if we sold out all at once,” Wiley says. “But if we can gradually exit individual barns or individual parts of our production flow and have them enter into it, that’s a fairly nice segue for us to get out and them to get in.”

Wiley shares more about his mini adventure raising rabbits, opportunities for talented young people back on the farm and the message he hopes pork producers hear right now and more on The PORK Podcast. You can watch it here on YouTube or listen anywhere podcasts are found.

Watch more episodes here.

Oikonomia on the Farm: Succession Planning is About More Than Wealth

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 14:57:19 GMT

Succession planning is often treated as a legal or financial exercise — a “simple” matter of wills, taxes and transfer dates. Yet for family-owned farms and agribusinesses, it’s something deeper: the deliberate handoff of a way of life.

The ancient Greeks had a word for this kind of management, oikonomia, from which we get the term economy. Understanding what they meant by it can reorient how families think about preparing the next generation.

In classical thought, oikonomia referred to the management of the oikos, the household or estate, but it was never only about efficiency or profit. The oikonomos, or household steward, was responsible for using resources wisely so the entire household could live well and endure long into the future.

Ancient philosophers viewed resources as abundant, not scarce, so economic action was judged not by the accumulation of wealth but by whether it enabled and served a praiseworthy end. Specifically, the flourishing of the family, the land and the community.

Perspective for the Present

That older vision aligns closely with what succession planning should be for agriculture. The task is not just to pass on land and assets, but to ensure the continuity of stewardship, the ethical responsibility to care for what has been entrusted.

From an oikonomia perspective, the senior generation’s goal is to prepare successors capable of managing abundance with restraint, gratitude and wisdom. This calls attention to the education of character. The next generation must learn more than production and finance; they must learn judgment, the ability to distinguish needs from wants and to act for the common good. Mentorship, gradual transfer of responsibility, and open discussion of values all form part of this ethical training.

Perhaps most importantly, oikonomia reminds us that a farm is both a business and a household. Financial plans that ignore family dynamics or the moral vision of the enterprise risk undermining the very legacy they seek to protect.

Succession planning works best when it integrates three elements at once: the technical (who owns and manages what), the relational (how the family communicates and cooperates) and the moral (why the farm exists and whom it serves).

In that light, passing the farm to the next generation becomes not just a transaction but an act of stewardship — a modern form of oikonomia. The question is no longer only how do we divide the assets but how do we preserve the household, the land and the purpose they represent for future generations?

Plan for Now, Adjust Later: Create Your Estate Plan Before It's Too Late

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 13:55:52 GMT

Nobody wants to think about death, but it’s something Polly Dobbs, an estate planning and wealth transfer attorney with Dobbs Legal Group LLC, thinks about every day.

“When I was a new lawyer, I was so nervous to say dead or death,” Dobbs recalls. “I was in a meeting with a partner and his client once when I stumbled over something and said, ‘in the unfortunate event you should pass away.’ After that meeting, the partner yanked me out in the hallway and said, ‘Stop stuttering. Just say when you die. It’s not if, it’s when.’”

She’s been dealing in death ever since, but she says that perspective allows her to serve her clients better.

“What if you got hit by a bus tomorrow?” Dobbs asks. “You should have a plan in place that fits today’s circumstances. If your grandson is playing with John Deere toys in the sandbox, let’s not create a succession plan that hinges on that grandson coming back to farm. Let’s have a plan in place that fits right now, in case you die tomorrow. If you don’t die and you get to see how those grandkids turn out and which direction their lives take, you can adjust that plan.”

People often think they can figure out their estate plan later – when they are older, richer, sicker, free from debt and the list goes on.

“Too often, people don’t have a plan, and they end up dying before they’ve got it just how they want it,” Dobbs says. “Have something that fits for today and dust it off as needed.”

What Should Drive Decisions?

When it comes to estate planning, Dobbs says there is no cookie-cutter-approach.

“You can’t copy what your neighbor did,” she says. “It has to be customized for your family, your facts, your assets, your goals, your family members and your farm.”

She often challenges farmers with tough questions like should your off-farm kids get bought out?

“Should they get bought out of equipment, improvements, grain bins, shops, shed and all of the silver things that we build on top of gravel lots to use in production agriculture?” she asks. “Do you feel like your off-farm heirs are entitled to a share of these operating assets? If so, fine. If not, that’s OK, too.”

Part of what Dobbs does is give permission to people to treat their children differently and to define their children’s inheritance.

“It’s not necessarily one quick check after an auction after your funeral,” she points out. “It is absolutely fine to treat your children differently. I preach over and over again that fair does not mean equal. There is no law that says the columns for your children must tally to the penny and be exactly equal with the assets they receive at your death. You’re aiming for a fair balance, and you define what is fair.”

Ultimately, she says, it comes down to peace of mind when you lay your head on the pillow. Do you have a fair plan in place?

Talk Now, Don’t Wait

Communicating the estate plan during your lifetime is very important, but it’s often the step that farmers fail to complete. She says transparency helps avoid entitlement.

“When someone thinks they’re going to get a certain amount of the value of your assets, they’re already calculating it and counting on it,” she says. “After your death, if the plan is different, that’s when the entitlement rears its head.”

She emphasizes the details must be defined by the farmer.

“A lot of my clients would rather put their head down and have the plan unveiled after death,” Dobbs says. “I understand that’s challenging. But it’s far better to have transparency and throw everything out on the conference room table so you can shine a light on it and talk about it.”

In addition to getting all the family in the room, Dobbs believes there should be more than one adviser at the table at a time.

“This is how you get the best plan, and you will always have a better plan if your advisers speak to each other,” she adds. “There is this falsehood out there that you need to stop your lawyer from talking to your accountant because that means they’re both charging you at the same time. I promise it will always be cheaper in the end, and a better plan, if your advisers talk to each other.”

Touchy Subjects

One of the sensitive subjects many farmers are dealing with today is the issue of sweat equity and treating it like deferred compensation, she says.

“When we have a successor coming in, depending on how long that successor has been working side by side with the senior generation, they’ve earned something,” Dobbs says. “We’re not talking about giving them a handout. If we give them a discounted price, or we give them assets off the top as a part of the succession plan or part of the estate plan, that’s not a handout.”

Deferred compensation says that if a young person had gone to work in a factory right out of school, they would be earning and investing in a 401K or perhaps stock compensation. They probably would have health insurance and HSA accounts that most family farms just don’t have, she explains.

“When the senior generation is putting together their succession and estate plan, consider the benefits the successor gave up by not working off farm,” she says. “Having some sort of benefit, discounts, family-friendly terms in the succession plan and in the estate plan should be considered deferred compensation.”

Read More:
Tax Acts and Estate Plans: What You Need to Know About the Changes for 2026

Tax Acts and Estate Plans: What You Need to Know About the Changes for 2026

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:46:28 GMT

Taxes don’t destroy family farms – people do, says Polly Dobbs, an estate planning and wealth transfer specialist.

“It’s not Uncle Sam – it’s your third wife and your kids from your first two wives, it’s your kids in the city versus your kids on the farm, and it’s ultimately your failure to plan for all that because you don’t want to hurt somebody’s feelings,” she explains. “It’s very lazy to say that taxes ruin the farm. That’s rarely the case.”

All the details matter, says Dobbs with Dobbs Legal Group LLC. She doesn’t believe in sugarcoating the hard truth. That’s why she’s devoted her career to helping farm families navigate estate planning and wealth transfer.

A “Permanent” Estate Tax

On July 4, President Donald Trump signed into effect the One Big Beautiful Bill, which has a significant effect on federal taxes, credits and deductions.

When it comes to gift and estate taxes, Dobbs points out a big change under the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) section.

“The new exemption as of Jan. 1, 2026, will be $15 million per person, or $30 million for a married couple,” she said at the Keystone Cooperatives Co-op Classic in Valparaiso, Ind. “It is one exemption. You either use it during your lifetime to make gifts, or you have it available at death to shield inheritances. You don’t get two.”

This is an increase from $13,990,000 per person in 2025, and a welcome relief from the anticipated “drop off the cliff to around $7 million per person that was looming,” Dobbs adds.

Unlike the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act from 2017, she says the exemption is considered permanent in that it doesn’t have a “self-destruct, sunset date.” However, she warns farmers not to get too excited about the “permanent tax act” because any future Congress and President can change any law on the books.

The new exemption will be indexed to inflation, she adds, and with adjustments made Jan. 1 every year beginning in 2027. IRS recently announced the tax year 2026 annual inflation adjustments for more than 60 tax provisions, including the income tax rate schedules and other tax changes. The annual gift tax exclusion will remain $19,000 in 2026, unchanged from 2025, which is the amount each donor can give to each recipient, without tapping into his or her big exemption.

“During the fourth quarter of every year, we’ll get inflation numbers, and we will know what the new exemption is going to be the following January,” Dobbs says. “It is nice to know there’s no ticking clock on this tax act. We can stop worrying about this dreaded sunset that was to happen at the end of 2025. The fact they got ahead of this and did it in July of 2025 is a gift.”

Dobbs has been working in gift and estate tax laws for 25 years and says there has never once been a permanent tax act.

“This is important information,” she says. “But that’s the caboose. It is not the engine that should be driving the decision making about the farm’s succession and estate planning. Family goals come first.”

Crickets Galore! Why the Mass Accumulation Isn't That Weird After All

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 17:58:19 GMT

If you’re seeing more crickets than normal this year, don’t worry. Experts say cricket swarms — thousands of field crickets assembling in one location — may be annoying, but they pass with time.

Wizzie Brown, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service integrated pest management specialist, says the annual phenomenon can be startling, but it’s nothing to fear and only temporary.

“These swarms happen every late summer and fall to some degree,” she said in a release . “The crickets don’t sting or bite, so they’re not doing anything other than being annoying, especially if a male gets in your house and is chirping to attract females.”

Cricket Coincidence
When and where cricket swarms pop up are random, Brown adds. One year you may see incredibly high cricket numbers and the next two years you don’t. The cause of these mass accumulations of field crickets isn’t so random, however.

The cricket cycle is spurred on by cool fronts, because crickets don’t like heat. They hatch in early spring, reach adulthood in three months and, by the heat of summer, are looking for places to stay cool, she explains.

They forage on dead insects and vegetation at night and keep a relatively low profile during the heat of the day. Cool fronts in the waning weeks of summer and early fall change that, Brown says.

They also like to swarm to the light. Buildings with bright, dusk-to-dawn lighting attract them.

“You’ll notice they tend to congregate around the front doors of businesses — at gas stations, car dealerships and other businesses and locations that have highly luminous lighting that is on all night,” Brown says. “If you’ve noticed crickets around your house, it’s probably in relation to lighting.”

Seasonal Swarms
If the numbers of crickets seem outlandish, Brown notes there can be multiple generations of crickets in a year, especially in warmer regions. Warm winters can also contribute to the number of cricket generations per year.

Like most insects, field crickets’ numbers rise, peak and fall seasonally. The window for crickets to gather in mass typically lasts four to six weeks before their numbers begin to decline, she says.

Turning off unnecessary lights can reduce the chance crickets will swarm around your home or business. There are also specialty bulbs that are less attractive to insects.

“Attracting crickets can lead to them getting inside structures and homes, especially with poor sealing around doors and windows,” Brown says. “A bunch of dead crickets can be a stinky mess, so it’s smart to leave the lights off as much as possible as that summer-to-fall transition happens.”

Wisconsin Ag Regulators Propose Massive Livestock Fee Increases

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 19:08:28 GMT

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is proposing changes to rules, ATCP 10 and 12 , regulating animal disease and movement and animal markets, dealers and truckers.

According to the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation (WFBF) , these changes include massive fee increases that will be a substantial financial burden to markets, dealers and truckers that will unavoidably be passed down to farmers.

The license fee for what the DATCP calls “Animal Market Class A” would change from $420 to $7,430. A late fee for those markets would also increase by nearly 1,700% by shifting from the current price of $84 to $1,486. The registration fee paid by about 1,000 truckers transporting livestock in the state would increase 517%, from the current price of $60 to $370.

(Wisconsin Farm Bureau)

WFBF Government Relations Director Jason Mugnaini says it is important to clarify that Wisconsin’s program had historically received state funding support through DATCP, but this proposal shifts that onto industry fees.

The WFBF also reports the inspections and public health activity costs of these programs have previously been partially funded by state funding in Wisconsin, as they are in neighboring states. DATCP’s proposal shifts the full cost of these programs onto industry fees.

DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski explains the fees have not been adjusted since 2009 and the increases are needed to maintain critical animal health and transportation services.

“This program is currently in deficit because these have not been adjusted for so long,” Romanski explains. “Costs have increased during that time.”

He is transparent about the financial realities driving these increases. While the percentage increase might seem large, it reflects 17 years of accumulated cost pressures. He summarizes the goal is not to burden the industry, but to ensure the continued provision of critical animal health and movement services.

According to Sam GO, DATCP communications director, the DATCP Division of Animal Health receives federal funding through cooperative agreements for specific goals and objectives, such as animal disease surveillance and animal traceability. The cooperative agreements are separate from the programs in the proposed fee rules and do not fund the programs in the proposed fee rules.

She explains as federal funding for the cooperative agreements has decreased, those activities that are partially federally funded (such as animal disease surveillance and animal traceability) need to have a larger portion of their costs covered by the state animal health general program revenue. That means there is less state GPR remaining to cover the deficit in program revenue for the ATCP 10 and ATCP 12 programs.

The ATCP 10 fees support the following animal health programs: Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) Forms, Intermediate Handling Facilities, Disease Certifications (Brucellosis, Tuberculosis, Pseudorabies), Equine Infectious Anemia Retests, Equine Quarantine Stations, Feed Lots, Medical Separation, National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP), Farm-Raised Deer, and Fish Farms.

The Process

Romanski explains the administrative rule process is collaborative and takes about two and a half years. He says the process is designed to be collaborative with multiple opportunities for public input and engagement. He encourages stakeholders to not just critique the increases, but to offer constructive feedback and potential alternative solutions.

The current stage is specifically about public comment and engagement. He says the department wants to hear from industry members, producers and other stakeholders. They are actively seeking input that can help shape the final rule package.

The public can participate and provide feedback that can be considered by the department’s staff through several channels:

Attending public hearings
Submitting written comments by Oct. 15

The remaining hearings will be hosted virtually and at the Prairie Oaks State Office Building, Room 106, 2811 Agriculture Dr., Madison, WI 53708. For more information, dial-in instructions and to register for online access click on the ATCP 10 or 12.

ATCP 10:
• Monday, Sept. 15 – 1 p.m.
• Wednesday, Sept. 17 – 9 a.m.

ATCP 12 :
• Tuesday, Sept. 16 – 1 p.m.
• Wednesday, Sept. 17 – 1 p.m.

Individuals can submit written comments by Oct. 15 to: Angela.fisher1@wisconsin.gov or Angela Fisher, DATCP, P.O. Box 8911, Madison, WI 53708

Romanski explains after the public comment period, DATCP staff will review all submissions, consider suggested changes, and then present any revisions to their policy-making board. This ensures multiple layers of review and public involvement.

Neighboring State Comparisons

According to the proposal document , programs in adjacent states (Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois) are similar to Wisconsin, as all are based on federal standards. Neighboring states primarily fund these types of programs through general program revenue; therefore, they have lower fees than Wisconsin’s current fees. While Wisconsin’s program fees are collected from a small number of licensees, these critical programs have impacts and benefits across animal health, animal industries and public health.

In Iowa, a livestock market permit is $50 per year. The livestock dealer and livestock market agent permits are $10 per year. A bull breeder license is $20 every two years. A livestock dealer or order buyer permit is $50 per year. A feeder pig dealer agent permit is $6 every two years. A pig dealer’s agent permit is $3 per year.

In Michigan, an action Class I is $400 per year. A buying station (Class II) is $250 per year. The remaining fees are waived for veterans: A dealer (Class III) is $50 per year. An agent broker (Class III) is $50 per year. A collection point (Class III) is $50 per year. A trucker (Class IV) is $25 per year.

In Minnesota, a livestock market agency and public stockyard is $300 per year. A livestock dealer is $100 per year. A livestock dealer agent is $50 per year.

In Illinois, a livestock auction market license is $200 per year. The livestock dealer license is $25 for a new license, $10 for the annual renewal, as well as $10 for each location in addition to the first location, and $5 for each employee. A feeder swine dealer license is $25, the renewal is $10, and there is a fee of $5 for each employee. There is no fee for a slaughter livestock buyer’s license, just a requirement to submit an annual report.

Industry Feedback

Both the Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association (WCA) and WFBF have come out opposed to the fee increases.

Tressa Lacy, WCA president from Rio, Wis., voiced her concern at the first hearing on Sept. 11.

“The Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association is in opposition to the proposed fee increases inspections and registrations related to a variety of activities by Wisconsin animal dealers, truckers and markets in ATCP 10 and 12,” she says. “I raise beef cattle with my husband and our 8-month-old in Columbia County. We both work off the farm in agriculture to financially afford our beef and hay farm operation, and I know the cost of these fees will be passed directly on to producers like us.

“The result of such significant increases will be fewer livestock marketing options, the potential for reduced disease traceability and fewer opportunities to sell livestock in the state of Wisconsin. Fewer options inevitably mean lower prices and thinner margins in an industry that is already being pushed on thin profit lines.”

She explains the inspections and animal health protections funded by these programs serve a broad public purpose — protecting animal health and consumer confidence in the meat raised in Wisconsin.

“It is fundamentally unfair to shift the entire cost onto the users as this is certainly a public food safety conversation,” Lacy adds. “I share the industry concern that these initial proposals are just the start of all programs in Wisconsin shifting to being user funded. Other states fund these programs with state support as the benefits are shared by everyone. DATCP should restore and continue the approach for these outlined programs.”

She concluded her comments saying: “WCA respectfully ask that DATCP reconsider these unreasonable fee increases and maintain a funding structure with state support that is fair, practical and supportive of both public health and Wisconsin agriculture.”

Mitch Giebel a WFBF member from Lyndon Station, Wis., also shared his thoughts on the proposed fee increases.

“I’m very concerned about the massive increases of fees being proposed,” he says. “As a young farmer, every dollar really does matter on our operation. We work hard to raise our livestock, and we already face high input costs, tight margins and unpredictability when it comes to marketing. Adding thousands of dollars in new fees, especially increases as massive as what is proposed doesn’t seem realistic. It’ll undoubtedly make it harder and tighter for the sale barns and livestock markets to survive, and unavoidably, it is probably going to be passed to us as the producers and farmers.”

He also explains programs such as animal health, disease control and traceability benefit everybody in the state, not just farmers.

“Healthy animals and safe food are the best interest for our state; other states recognize that and utilize state funding to maintain these programs and cover these costs,” he says. “Wisconsin needs to restore and maintain its state funding that has historically existed for these programs, rather than shifting a substantial burden on a small number of farmers and marketers. I am asking you to please reject these fee increases as they are written. They are too steep, too fast and out of line with our neighboring states.”

WFBF is calling on producers to share their concerns: “These unprecedented fee increases cannot move forward without your voice being heard. Share how these proposals would impact your farm, your business and Wisconsin agriculture.”

Breaking News: USDA to Invest $750 Million to Build a Domestic Sterile Fly Production Facility

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 17:27:03 GMT

Today in Austin, Texas, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott hosted a press conference announcing new strategies to stop the spread New World screwworm .

“We will continue to take all necessary steps across the entirety of the federal government, working alongside our partners at the state government, and in the local governments, to ensure that we keep this pest — this parasite, and others like it — out of our country that threaten our economy and our way of life,” Rollins says.

I’m in Texas today as we continue to aggressively address the serious New World Screwworm threat endangering our American livestock industry and our nation’s national security. @USDA is announcing a historic investment to STOP screwworm in its tracks — with 5 pillars of action:… pic.twitter.com/ukcWSSamcZ
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) August 15, 2025

Rollins shared five pillars of action to help keep NWS out of Texas and the U.S.:

1. Innovate to Eradicate — Investment in new tech, traps and treatments
Rollins plans to allocate up to $100 million to develop cutting-edge technologies to accelerate the country’s response.

While sterile flies are currently the most effective way to prevent the spread of NWS, technology continues to evolve and as such USDA will provide up to $100 million to invest in viable innovations which could show rapid advancement of promising technologies that will augment the U.S. facility and accelerate the pace of sterile fly production if proven successful.

USDA will support proven concepts that only require funding to scale and implement as well as a number of longer-term research projects focused on: new sterile NWS production techniques, novel NWS traps and lures, NWS therapeutics that could be stockpiled and used should NWS reach the U.S., and any other tools to bolster preparedness or response to NWS.

“I’m calling on the brightest minds in the country to build on our existing tools and help us outpace this pest quickly and in the most innovative way possible,” Rollins says.

2. Build Domestic Production
She announced the plan to invest $750 million to build a domestic sterile fly production facility in Edinburg, Texas, which will be capable of producing 300 million sterile screwworm flies per week. This facility will be located 20 miles from the southern border and near the Moore Air Base in Texas.

Once complete, the facility will triple current fly output and reduce reliance on Panama and Mexico for sterile fly production. Rollins says it will also create 300 jobs in Texas.

Prior to this announcement, the USDA committed Moore Airfield Base as a dispersal facility for sterile NWS flies, which was to be completed at the end of the year. While NWS can be treated, the only proven method for eradication is releasing sterile male flies to mate with wild females collapsing the population over time.

The only sterile fly facility in the world is COPEG in Pacora, Panamá which is currently operating at full capacity, producing 115 million flies per week. The U.S. owned a facility in Chiapas during the NWS outbreak in the 1960s but it has since been closed.

1 of 3:

Leaders of NCBA and TSCRA attend New World screwworm briefing in Texas.

TSCRA

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Leaders of NCBA and TSCRA attend New World screwworm briefing in Texas.

TSCRA

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Leaders of NCBA and TSCRA attend New World screwworm briefing in Texas.

TSCRA

3. Border Defense — Wildlife Migration Prevention
Animals don’t know borders, and that leaves the U.S potentially vulnerable to NWS from wildlife migrating across the border. USDA is working aggressively to ramp up the hiring of USDA-employed mounted patrol officers, known as “Tick Riders,” and other staff who will focus on border surveillance.

The Tick Riders will be complemented by other animal health experts who will patrol the border in vehicles and will provide the first line of defense against an NWS outbreak along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Rollins explains the tick riders, mounted on horseback, will provide the first line of defense against a NWS outbreak along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Next stop: the Texas-Mexico Border, where I rode along the Rio Grande with @USDA Cattle Fever Tick Cowboys!🇺🇸

This dedicated team patrols the border every day to stop the spread of cattle fever ticks and protect our livestock. Their vigilance is essential to also keeping the… pic.twitter.com/2sdryZAYQg
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) June 18, 2025

USDA will also begin training detector dogs to detect screwworm infestations in livestock and other animals along our border and at various ports of entry. These dogs will be essential to help control the spread of the NWS. USDA is working closely with the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S Customs and Border Protection to monitor the border for NWS-infected wildlife that could pose a threat to the U.S.

“We’re also training our beagles on the beagle brigade, to detect screwworm infections, and we will be significantly ramping up our border surveillance program with those and others,” she says.

4. Partner with Mexico – Contain the pest before it reaches our border by enhancing collaboration

Boost surveillance and training
Halt animal movement in affected zones
Improve real-time tracking and response

“We are working directly with Mexico, perhaps in a way never seen before,” Rollins says.

5. Work with our partners in federal, state, and private sector — Educate consumers and protect the U.S. food supply chain

“Once eradicated in the United States decades ago, [NWS] has now reemerged dangerously close to our Southern border — closest to Texas, but also waging a war with our friends in Arizona and New Mexico as well,” Rollins summarizes. “Its peril is not just in the cause, but because it endangers the livelihood of our livestock. It endangers our livestock industry, and it threatens the stability of beef prices for consumers across America. It’s a dinner table issue, as Governor Abbott mentioned, and one that affects every American home and community — directly affecting the cost of groceries and therefore the cost of living. All Americans should be concerned.”

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association announced continued support for USDA’s aggressive plan.

“American cattle producers commend President Trump and Secretary Rollins for their swift action in combating the spread of New World screwworm. Their leadership and diligence, along with USDA’s collaboration with Texas in building sterile fly production and distribution facilities at Moore Air Base, marks a critical step in stopping the spread of screwworm and protecting the American cattle herd,” says NCBA CEO Colin Woodall. “Today’s announcement of rapid construction of sterile fly facilities, that will boost weekly output of flies to more than 300 million, is vital news for U.S. cattle producers. Producing flies domestically under American oversight will overcome supply challenges in Mexico and Central America — strengthening our fight against New World screwworm and protecting herds on both sides of the border.”

During the question and answer session, Rollins said the ports for Mexican cattle will remain closed until the NWS threat is controlled.

“We’ve been very clear to them over and over again that those ports don’t open until we begin to push the screwworm back,” Rollins says.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller was at the announcement in Austin.

(Texas Department of Agriculture)

“I was pleased to welcome my friend U.S Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins back to Texas and applaud her continued commitment to fight the New World Screwworm threat that puts our state’s $30 billion livestock industry in jeopardy,” he says. “Her announcement about USDA’s plans to construct a new sterile fly production facility in South Texas was welcome news. When completed, it should serve as an important tool in our battle against the screwworm.”

Miller and Rollins have worked together to fight NWS the last six months.

“The Texas Department of Agriculture and I will continue to work side-by-side with Secretary Rollins to develop the tools necessary to combat this insidious threat and protect our agriculture industry and all who depend upon it.”

Annual Survey Reveals Ongoing Mycotoxin Risks in Key Regions

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 10:00:00 GMT

Each year, dsm-firmenich analyzes a large number of feed samples from all around the world to understand and monitor contamination levels of mycotoxins in a variety of feed ingredients, according to a release. This information is shared in the annual dsm-firmenich World Mycotoxin Survey .

When ingested by animals, mycotoxins have a wide range of negative effects such as impaired reproduction, digestive disorders, carcinogenicity and reduced performance. Mycotoxins are naturally produced by fungi and can contaminate feed raw materials in the field and during storage.

The results from the January through June 2025 survey concluded that deoxynivalenol, zearalenone and fumonisins mycotoxins are most frequently found. The highest regions of mycotoxins were found in North, Central and South America, South Asia, China and Taiwan.

Key findings from each region:

• In North America, livestock is at high risk of exposure to DON and ZEN, with occurrence rates of 78% and 83%, respectively
• In Central and South America, high risk is associated with FUM, with average contamination levels around 2,000 ppb
• South Asia continues to be highly impacted by Aflatoxins, detected in 85% of samples
• In the China/Taiwan region, FUM was found in 98% of samples, while East Asia recorded a 100% occurrence rate
• In Central Europe, DON shows a high prevalence at 85%. Southern Europefaces challenges with Aflatoxins (54%) and FUM (76%)

The World Mycotoxin Survey represents 10,868 samples collected and analyzed from 81 countries around the world, resulting in 53,382 analyses.

“This year’s findings once again highlight the widespread and persistent nature of mycotoxin contamination in feed ingredients across the globe,” says Ursula Hofstetter, head of Mycotoxin Risk Management at dsm-firmenich. “With risks continuing to pose a threat to animal welfare, productivity and sustainability, proactive risk management and regular monitoring are more important than ever to maintain the profitability of both the feed industry and animal protein production sectors.”

The survey also includes further details on:
• Prevalence levels for each mycotoxin in each region
• Global and local risk levels for each mycotoxin
• Risk levels posed to each species
• Comparison of prevalence levels from January to June 2024
• More information about Spectrum 380^®, the most powerful mycotoxin detection method used as a research tool
• Overview on the occurrence of the most frequent mycotoxins, their masked and modified forms as well as emerging mycotoxins

Keep Animals Safe and Healthy During Excessive Heat

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 13:25:56 GMT

Excessive heat will once again blast much of the U.S. this week, with heat indices predicted to reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit or more in many locations. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign animal welfare expert Angela Green-Miller says pets and livestock are at risk, and it’s up to humans to keep them safe.

Green-Miller runs the Animal Welfare, Environment, and Sustainability Laboratory as an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and The Grainger College of Engineering at Illinois.

Green-Miller answers common questions from pet owners and livestock producers.

First of all, how do animals cool themselves?
Different animals use different methods, but some broad brush-strokes for all animals include seeking shade and shelter, lowering activity and feed intake to keep metabolism down, and drinking more water. Any of the cooling strategies we would use, they would use too.

Don’t some animals not sweat? How do they keep cool?
That’s true. Dogs and pigs, for example. They dissipate heat through panting, defecation, and urination. They may increase those activities, which makes it that much more important to replenish their water supply.

What can humans do to help animals when it’s hot? Let’s start with pets.
Anything you would do for yourself, you could do for them. Bring them into the air conditioning, if possible, make sure they have access to plenty of water, and try to have them rest indoors or in the shade during the hottest part of the day. For outdoor animals, shade is critically important. Also, if they can be elevated from hot surfaces, such as on an elevated bed, that will let air circulate around them and remove some of that heat.

What about livestock?
We need to make sure the air is moving, bringing fresh air into the barn, even if it’s hot outside. The animals are contributing energy and heat into the environment, so the more of that we can move out, the better. And moving air over their body surface helps them release some of that energy.

For animals in indoor confinement, producers can alter lighting and feeding schedules. The idea is for them to rest during the hottest part of the day, so keep the lights down and withhold feed until it starts to cool down. That’s not an uncommon strategy, but there may be some producers out there who could use a reminder.

It’s also critical to ensure that water lines are working and that there’s fresh water flowing. Double-check those drinkers a little more frequently to make sure they’re not clogged. This is the time of year when we emphasize the critical nature of maintenance. If there’s any deferred maintenance, bump it up to the top of the priority list because a broken fan in this type of weather is one of the worst situations we can have.

What are the potential economic impacts of excessive heat on the livestock industry? Are there predictable dips in productivity every summer?
Absolutely. Feed intake is reduced during heat events, so we see dips in productivity. They’re also losing energy in the form of heat instead of putting it toward growth. We see reproductive impacts as well. Breeding rates tend to drop whenever there’s a heat event, and sometimes we see gestational impacts as well, especially in animals that are late in gestation.

Big Beautiful Bill: What Farmers Need to Know

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:46:05 GMT

President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill (BBB) on Friday July 4, 2025. Here’s an outline of some of the key details farmers need to know. Reference prices and the calculating of effective reference prices get across the board increases and will likely lead to an additional $10 billion of support in 2026.

Many farmers operate their farm as either an LLC or S corporation to save on self-employment taxes and to provide additional legal protection. However, a general partnership provides benefits for farm program payments purposes that an LLC or S corporation does not. The BBB now provides equality for LLCs and S corporation with general partnerships.

Let’s look at an example:

The ABC Farm LLC has three equal owners, all active participants in the farm operation.
The LLC qualifies for $500,000 of payments for the 2024 crop year.
Prior to the BBB, the LLC was limited to $125,000 of payments.
If ABC Farm had been a general partnership, then the payments would be limited to $375,000.
After the BBB, the LLC will qualify for $375,000.

Under pre-BBB rules, farm income typically did not include gains from selling farm equipment. FSA required your other farm adjusted gross income (AGI) to exceed 66.66% of total AGI. The BBB fixes this by simply stating gains from selling farm equipment is farm income along with agri-tourism and the direct-to-consumer marketing of agricultural products.

Crop insurance premium support will get an extra 3-5% increases on subsidies and beginning farmers will now get enhanced premium support for 10 years instead of five.

A farm couple starting in 2026 can now be worth $30 million ($15 million each) and owe no federal estate tax. This will be indexed to inflation and with very simply planning you can easily be worth $40 million and owe no federal estate tax.

Farmers can now take advantage of 100% bonus depreciation for assets placed in service after January 19, 2025, and Section 179 has been bumped to $2.5 million for 2025.

The state and local tax (SALT) limit has been temporarily increased to $40,000 through 2029. However, if your AGI exceeds $600,000, it drops back to the current $10,000 limit. Farmers can continue to fully deduct state income taxes that are paid by a pass-through entity (at least in most states).

The extra 20% Section 199A deduction for next farm income is made permanent with some small enhancements.

Farmers and their spouses aged 65 or older will get an extra $6,000 deduction (each) but only for four years and this will phase out as your income goes over certain levels.

This has been a review of some of the key changes from the BBB and I would grade this Bill as a B+ for most farmers.

Protect Your Livestock: Signs of New World Screwworm

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 15:45:15 GMT

Lizeth Olivarez doesn’t know if people will have the stomach to deal with New World screwworm (NWS). She’s a sixth-generation rancher who runs cattle in the U.S. and in Mexico at Las bendiciones Ranch in Realitos, Texas, and Rancho El Cuellareno in Guerrero, Tamaulipas.

Although she hasn’t experienced it herself, she has grown up hearing story after story about NWS from both her grandfather and father who dealt with NWS when the deadly fly struck in the 1960s. With reports of NWS in seven states in Mexico, the U.S. continues to bolster its defenses to keep the pest out.

(USDA)

“The first time around NWS was eradicated by using sterile flies dropped from planes in a box that look like a Big Mac burger box with a target sign on it,” Olivarez says. “The only way to eradicate the NWS is with sterile flies.”

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a five-pronged plan to combat NWS on June 18 partnering with Mexican counterparts and using this sterile insect technology to stop the spread.

“It’s important to clarify we currently don’t have [NWS] here in the U.S.,” says Russ Daly, Extension veterinarian for South Dakota State University.

He admits it’s a strange name for a fly – New World screwworm – because it makes you think it’s a worm.

“It’s not actually a worm – it’s the larvae of the NWS fly that deposits its eggs in animals,” he explains. “They can get big in size, up to two-thirds of an inch. The first person who described them might have thought they look like little worms. They have ridges that are spiral, and that allows these larvae to burrow down into the animal. That’s how they get their name.”

The NWS fly lays eggs and larvae in open wounds of warm-blooded animals. Daly says NWS’s function is similar (but different) to a maggot. Domestic blow flies lay their eggs on dead tissue. The resulting maggots feed on the dead tissue. The difference with NWS is it lays its eggs on living tissue and will feed on living tissue.

“NWS is not easy to recognize,” Daly adds. “You really need an entomologist to recognize the fly and the larvae. For recognizing a problem in the animal, it might come down to recognizing a larval infestation that is showing up in unusual circumstances.”

(Lori Hays)

It’s Not Just a Cattle Problem
Megan Niederwerder, executive director of the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), says it’s important to remember this is not just a cattle disease – it impacts other livestock species and humans as well.

(Lori Hays)

“The fly can deposit its larvae in any open wounds as well as surgical sites such as castrations and umbilical sites after a newborn animal is born. It can also deposit its larvae in any mucous membranes,” Niederwerder says. “Keep an eye on non-healing wounds or wounds that have a foul odor or bloody discharge.”

She says the animals often feel discomfort and pain due to this non-healing wound so they may isolate themselves and be off feed.

“It’s really important to stay vigilant as we think about increasing awareness and understanding of what the fly looks like,” Niederwerder says. “We also need to understand what the clinical signs may look like as the introduction and incursions in Mexico have increased the risk for the U.S., too.”

Although the cases in Mexico have been primarily cattle, she notes there have also been cases in pigs, horses, sheep, goats, dogs and even in humans in Mexico.

“We really don’t like to think about that human part of it,” Daly says. “I don’t want to downplay it, but in people, we would certainly know when we have an irritation or when a fly is on us. But we need to think about the people who potentially are debilitated and wouldn’t know they have a fly on them for a long period of time or that something’s wrong.”

Watch Out for the Unusual
Olivarez urges producers to call their veterinarian immediately if they suspect NWS. During the 1960s outbreak in the U.S., she says most ranchers first noticed it around the umbilical cords of newborn calves.

“It affected ranches the most, especially those that had cattle out on the range where you need manpower to monitor for open wounds, cuts or sores of any kind as well as cows with newborns since the fly will attack the umbilical cord,” Olivarez explains.

She says it’s not only important to monitor cattle but also pay attention to wildlife and pets that live on your property since they could indirectly bring NWS.

Daly challenges livestock producers to pay attention to unusual situations. If you have an animal that suddenly has a lot of necrotic tissue that fly larvae (maggots) are trying to clean up, Daly says that’s a sign producers need to take seriously.

(Lori Hays)

“If there isn’t a wound or a very good reason why there would be an infestation of those larvae that should tip off animal owners, caretakers and veterinarians,” Daly says. “There needs to be some sort of break in the skin to attract the NWS fly, but that something can be so minuscule you wouldn’t even notice it.”

He says it could be as small as a bug bite and is often so tiny producers don’t know how the initial entry even happened.

“NWS does its damage by burrowing into living tissue,” Daly explains. “But they can be drawn to the animal through secretions from that minor break in the skin, and then start to invade the living tissue as well. In addition, once the NWS sets up the wound and causes the infestation, normal blow flies then can come in and get in there, too.”

(Lori Hays)

The females lay their eggs very quickly, he adds. It doesn’t take long for the larvae to develop from there. He says the flies like to deposit their eggs on their “victims” in the afternoon.

“They choose this timing because when it cools off at night, it helps the development of the eggs into the larvae,” Daly says. “This all happens within 10 to 12 hours. If you have a fly that gets into a nick on a pig in the afternoon, for example, by next morning, there’s larvae starting to burrow in already.”

The fly has a lifespan of 28 days, Olivarez shared with followers of Texas Farm Bureau on TikTok.

@txfarmbureau Ever heard of the New World screwworm? South Texas rancher Lizeth Cuellar Olivarez breaks down why this tiny pest is a big problem for livestock. #texasfarmbureau #agtok #farmtok #fyp #screwworm ♬ original sound - texasfarmbureau

“During this time, NWS can lay eggs four times and lay 300 eggs each time,” Olivarez says. “If it goes untreated, after three weeks the larvae will fall and convert to a fly that then goes looking for another animal to attack.”

Treatment Tactics Aren’t Pretty
If an animal becomes infested with NWS, treatment is not easy or pleasant. The larvae have to be removed, Daly explains.

“NWS does respond to some insecticides that we would use for show pigs or horses during the summer to keep the flies off,” Daly adds. “But in order to get that animal healed up, the larvae have to be flushed out and removed by a veterinarian. These infestations can lead to secondary infections to worry about. And, if the infestation has gone deep enough, there could be severe muscle damage or damage to other organs that are beyond help.”

Treatment products need to be considered, adds Lisa Becton, assistant director of SHIC. Because of this, wound care is key during NWS infestation.

“If you have animals that have sores, it’s very important to treat that wound,” Becton says. “You may or may not be able to use a sealant, whether that’s iodine or antibacterial. Wound care is very important to help get a wound healing fast, even if you also have to use antimicrobials for an animal to help prevent other infection.”

It is treatable, but NWS is a painful event for animals and humans alike, Becton says. Rapid identification and action are critical.

Stay Alert, But Don’t Panic
Livestock trade and wildlife migrating due to different issues with climate and weather have helped move the infestation further north.

“The flies actually don’t fly that far,” he explains. “They typically fly less than 10 to 12 miles in their life span. So, they aren’t flying over on the wind and getting into these new places. It has more to do with animal movement.”

Fortunately, Daly says NWS is like any other fly in that they need somewhere to overwinter, so they won’t survive freezing temperatures. However, if they moved into this region in June or July, they would have a foothold until the frost.

“When we let our guard down and don’t look for it as much, or don’t use the sterile flies as often, that’s when things fire up again,” Daly says.

He says it’s not time to panic, but it’s important to be observant. The basics of good animal husbandry remain the most important thing for producers to focus on now.

“Sometimes it’s much easier said than done, especially in outdoor raising situations,” Daly says. “From fly control to monitoring animals, the best way to snuff something out like this quickly is good observation and animal care.”

Your Next Read: New World Screwworm: The Billion Dollar Battle at the Southern Border

If I Could Turn Back Time: Farmers Open Up About Learning Life Lessons the Hard Way

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 15:54:55 GMT

Time is a great teacher. As we age, lessons are learned, perspective is gained and experience is accumulated that makes us more receptive, understanding and humble. When it comes to farming and agriculture, these industry leaders and livestock producers open up about advice they wish they could give their younger self.

“Make plans but learn to pivot and realize that failure is not the end all, be all. It’s nothing to be afraid of. Failure is the way that you learn, and you just keep going. The only failure is when you stop trying. I think in our younger years, we’re so afraid to fail that we just don’t try. I think especially as young women, we get in there and we’ve always done things the right way. We feel like if we screw up, it’s going to affect everything. That stops us from trying things that are new or scary.” – Jackie Ponder, Indiana pork producer

“One of the things that I’ve learned the hard way, and I wish I had taken a little more time earlier on to practice, is taking the time to appreciate and build personal relationships. I’m a very task-focused individual. For me, once I can get through one step, I’m thinking about how I check the box on the next step. I want to get projects to completion so I can feel that rewarding sensation at the end. If I could talk to my younger self, I’d say slow down a little bit and appreciate all the conversations, especially when it comes to relating to peers, coworkers, family and other people who are important in your life. I probably didn’t fully appreciate that when I was younger, and now looking back, I’ve struggled with certain individuals in my professional career that I wish I could have done over. I learned that if I had taken a little more time to think about what I could learn from others, rather than moving on to the next task of what I needed to accomplish, I think my path would have been a little easier than what I made for myself.” – Josh Maschhoff, Illinois pork producer

“One the first things I would tell my younger self is to surround myself with really good people, listen to them and ask them the right questions. It will save you a lot of mistakes over your life. I’d also tell myself that words do matter. Work on your communication skills to be a strong leader, whether it’s for your family or your business or even the National Pork Board. You’ve got to communicate well so people trust you, they understand you, and they want to work with you. That will take you a long way in life to learn those skills.” – Al Wulfekuhle, Iowa pork producer

“As a 20 year old, don’t be afraid of risk. This is the time when you don’t have a lot of equity built and so go forth and try to live your dreams and to find what you really want to do — be that in agriculture, or be it in something else ... don’t have paralysis by analysis, don’t let someone else diminish your dream because they don’t have the vision that you might have.” – Eric Smith, Alabama beef producer

“You’re going to mess up and it’s going to be okay, and you’re going to learn from that. We’re all in such a hurry to to get to where we think we’re going, and, actually it is the whole process of getting there is when we learn. Some of my biggest lessons were from mistakes that I made. And, and I thank my father for letting me make some of those ... things aren’t going to go perfectly. I mean, whether it’s the weather or the markets or or breeding decision, and that’s okay. That’s all part of the journey. I think if we stay disciplined and learn from our challenges, that’s what makes us better and makes us, you know, pay attention, calm down and and stick to the basics to be able to make things better as we go forward.” – Mark Gardiner, Kansas beef producer

“We all have to make decisions, and whether we’re farming or in the business world, you can make a good decision, but your intentions may be totally wrong. That’s where the importance of a mission, vision and core values come into play. Core values and vision help pull together the intentions around all the decisions that you have to make, whether it’s personal or in the business world. It helps you make sure that you stay true. When I was a youngster, I made a lot of decisions that were a good idea, but I did not have the right intentions about how I was going to treat people, how I was going to take care of the profitability and those sorts of things. I believe that if I would have focused on my mission, vision and core values more as a young person, I would have made better decisions and helped more people through the career that I’ve enjoyed.” – Bob Ruth, Pennsylvania pork producer

“I always thought if you worked really hard, you would be rewarded for your hard work. And I do still believe that that’s true, but I think that was too humble of an approach to my younger self. I believe now, looking back, I needed to be more of my own advocate. Because if I didn’t believe in myself, I don’t know why I expected anyone else to believe in me. Being your own advocate and then with that, making your own way is something I wish I could tell my 20-something self.” – Trish Cook, Iowa pork producer

“For a lot of people, when they’re younger, they tend to think that they’ve got a lot to offer. Quite frankly, one of the biggest mistakes I made is that I always looked to surround myself with people who were like me or agreed with me. There’s a lot of shortcomings I have, and I’ve learned I need to leverage the strengths of others. The last thing that we want to do is look for clones or somebody who’s just like us or thinks just like us. We will be better if we surround ourselves with people who have different viewpoints and different abilities. Had I appreciated that more when I was younger, that would have benefited me so much. I’m not saying I don’t have room for growth yet today, but in hindsight, I wish I would have been more open to people challenging me, rather than thinking that I had the answers. The older I get, the more I realize how little I really know. It took me a while to admit that I don’t have all the answers.” – Dwight Mogler, Iowa pork producer

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Feeling Stuck? Ask Yourself These 4 Questions

Wed, 21 May 2025 19:47:26 GMT

Everybody’s been stuck at some point in their life. Maybe you’ve felt stuck about knowing how to move forward in your career. Maybe you’ve felt stuck between two people’s different opinions. Maybe you’ve felt stuck because you are trying to do too many things at once. Maybe you’ve just felt stuck because you are tired or angry or frustrated.

“What happens when you’re on fire?” asks Kacee Bohle, founder and CEO at AGRIMINDS . “You stop, drop and roll. That’s the first thing that I advise when you feel stuck. Let’s stop and see what’s actually going on, then we can go forward from there.”

Feeling Stuck is Normal
Bohle says being stuck is a normal situation people find themselves in. To get unstuck, take a 360-degree evaluation of your reality. What’s actually going on? What’s the root of why you’re feeling the way that you are right now?

Although there isn’t one magical way to get unstuck, Bohle suggests it starts by looking inside.

“It’s going to be different for everybody, and it really depends on all the other factors you have going into this as well,” she says. “For example, what season of life are you in? Who else is involved in your decision making? What can you actually do right now? What resources are available to you? It’s just not this cookie cutter answer where I can say, if you’re stuck, do this thing and you’re a feel all better. That’s just not reality.”

But everyone can sit back and evaluate what’s going on in their life a little more. Bohle uses a Japanese concept called ikigai to get her started.

Ikigai is a Japanese concept that translates to ‘a reason for being’ or ‘a reason to get up in the morning.’ Bohle says it’s essentially about finding what gives your life purpose, meaning and joy.

The four questions are simple ways to get yourself thinking, she says. They include:

Am I doing stuff that I love?
Am I doing stuff that I’m good at?
Am I able to get paid for it?
Does the world need what I have?

Finding a healthy balance leads to a more fulfilled life, Bohle says. But sometimes, it’s not possible to do any of those things.

“Sometimes we’re leaning really heavy in one of those areas and not even touching the other three,” she explains. “But if you know what your center could be – if you know what to get back to or what you’re working towards – it’s a lot easier to know what your next step is going to be.”

Action Creates Clarity
So, then what? Bohle says if you’re not sure what your next step is, just start doing something.

“If it feels aligned, keep doing more of that,” she says. “If it doesn’t, then shift gears and pivot into something else. Start dipping your toes into different areas.”

This can look like many things from making a big decision to make a career move to volunteering in your community. For others, it can look like having conversations and meeting new people to get that spark back, she says.

“Take small steps toward feeling something positive. The more that you do that, the more clarity you’re going to get,” Bohle says.

Do Something Unpredictable
It’s easy to get analysis paralysis when you feel stuck.

“I am a big thinker,” she says. “Sometimes I overthink it to death to the point I have considered every possible solution, and now I’m still stuck and don’t know what to do. You must do something, and that something is going to tell you whether this was the right move or not. But at least you’re doing the process of elimination, and realizing that’s the thing I shouldn’t be doing.”

In one of Bohle’s favorite shows, Covert Affairs, a spy shared that the best spy advice she ever received was to “be unpredictable.”

“I’ve always loved that advice,” Bohle says. “Don’t be ordinary. Change your routines. Do something people wouldn’t expect you to do. When you start doing stuff differently, it changes something inside of you.”

From taking a different road home than you typically do to ordering something new the next time you go to a restaurant, she says breaking out of routine can help you get unstuck.

Stop Spinning
Everything that we know or believe has either been caught or taught, Bohle says.

“If you think about our industry and who we’ve learned from, who we’ve been around, we’ve probably been influenced by them and conditioned by them,” she explains. “It takes a conscious effort to change what we’ve been taught.”

Bohle believes there’s been a lack of knowledge about available resources.

“When I think back to my professional career, and even my education, I don’t recall anybody sharing that with me,” she says. “It wasn’t until I sought out these resources that I came across them. I think there’s a lack of knowledge about how many resources exist to support you in whatever thing that you’re dealing with.”

She also says there’s a fear that it may not work, will hurt someone’s feelings or inconvenience others.

“It’s one of those endless cycles,” Bohle says. “We’re stuck spinning, spinning, spinning, and we don’t know how to get out of the whirlwind, which is why it’s so important to communicate with either your trusted circle or a professional. It can be as simple as raising your hand and saying, ‘I need some help.’”

Your Next Read: Don’t Ignore the Nudge: Why Listening Matters More Than You Think

New Food Security and Farm Protection Act Protects Farmers and Consumers From Government Overreach

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 16:24:08 GMT

After the U.S. Supreme Court left an open invitation for Congress to strike down California’s Proposition 12, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) says it’s time to end this “unjustified and burdensome regulatory overreach” in order to protect family farms and bring down prices for U.S. consumers.

On April 8, Ernst and fellow Senate Agriculture Committee members Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) introduced The Food Security and Farm Protection Act that prohibits any state or local government from interfering with commerce and agricultural practices in another state outside their jurisdiction.

“Proposition 12 is dangerous and arbitrary overregulation that stands in direct opposition to the livelihoods of Iowa pork producers, increases costs for both farmers and consumers, and jeopardizes our nation’s food security,” Ernst says. “I’m proud to be leading the charge to strike down this harmful measure and will keep fighting to make sure the voices of the farmers and experts who know best – not liberal California activists – are heard.”

Pig Farmers Speak Out
This policy averts a disastrous patchwork of contradictory state-by-state farm regulations that would hit hardest small and medium-sized pork producers, says National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Duane Stateler, a pork producer from McComb, Ohio.

“U.S. pork producers have just suffered the worst 18 months of financial losses in history, and many farm families are contemplating whether they can pass along their farm to the next generation,” Stateler says. “We urge the Senate to take up this legislation immediately to provide us much-needed relief.” Learn more about Stateler’s story here.

Without certainty from the Food Security and Farm Protection Act , NPPC says there will be many consequences, including:

Widespread, damaging consequences for farmers and consumers alike.
Significant fees forced on producers to pay for outside regulators to audit their farms due to the whims of consumers outside their state’s borders.
Risk of putting farm families out of business by significantly increasing the cost of raising pigs.
Increased prices at the grocery store , as much as 41% for certain pork products.

A Dangerous Patchwork of Regulations
For reasons like these and more, bipartisan support for providing relief from a patchwork of state laws continues to grow with support from President Donald Trump, former President Joe Biden, and their respective Agriculture Secretaries Brooke Rollins and Tom Vilsack, NPPC said in a release.

“The United States is constantly faced with non-tariff trade barriers from protectionist countries, which hurts American agriculture’s access to new markets. The last thing we need is for states like California imposing its will on ag-heavy states like Kansas with regulations that will also restrict our ability to trade among the states,” Marshall says. “Midwest farmers and ranchers who produce our nation’s food supply should not be hamstrung by coastal activist agendas that dictate production standards from hundreds of miles away.”

And it’s not just the pork industry rallying around this legislation.

“Iowa soybean farmers are grateful for Senator Ernst’s leadership to address challenges Prop 12 creates for Iowa farmers,” says Iowa Soybean Association President and farmer, Brent Swart. “Not only do the increased costs of compliance threaten to put pork farmers out of business, Prop 12 increases the price of pork at the grocery store by as much as 40%. Higher prices for pork dampen demand for this high-quality protein which negatively impacts market demand for soybeans used for pig feed. This legislation gives us a chance to protect our farms, our livelihoods, and ultimately, families that need affordable food.”

Iowa Cattlemen’s Association President, Rob Medberry, points out that the Iowa Cattle industry has made it clear that government overreach and overregulation is incredibly burdensome to industries that provide safe, quality and sustainable products for the world.

“Proposition 12 has the potential to further dismantle the livestock industry with the lack of science-based measures. Proposition 12 has already proven to be an unfunded mandate with consumers unwilling to pay premiums for the products that must be compliant with the proposition,” Medberry says. “The inherent cost to become compliant is overbearing and the simple fact of dollars and cents does not add up.”

Opponents Strike Back
Opposition such as the Humane World Action Fund, formerly called Humane Society Legislative Fund, argue against this legislation.

“This bill would hand over sweeping power to a narrow segment of the agriculture industry, overriding the will of voters, dismantling state laws and eliminating hard-won voter-supported protections for the humane treatment of farm animals, food safety and farm workers,” says Sara Amundson, president of Humane World Action Fund. “Let’s be clear: this is a federal overreach that serves Big Pork, not the American people.”

Amundson claims this legislation has been driven by a small group of pork industry lobbyists.

It’s Not Just About Pigs
But Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) President Stu Swanson disagrees.

“With barriers like Proposition 12 cutting off our ability to supply fellow Americans with Iowa grown pork, it’s not only those families who are being affected, but also our farm families here in Iowa,” Swanson points out.

Iowa Turkey Federation Executive Director Gretta Irwin adds that these inconsistencies create unnecessary burdens for farmers operating across state lines, hinder efficient production, and undermine well-established, science-based practices developed in coordination with industry experts.

Swanson says this is an issue for all of agriculture and one his organization plans to continue to work on with their livestock partners until it gets resolved.

“Consistent with its authorities under the Commerce Clause, it’s time for Congress to solve this problem by passing legislation,” Grassley says. “Our bill will end California’s war on breakfast and make sure delicious Iowa pork can be sold everywhere.”

Stay up to date on Prop 12 here.

3 Steps To Honestly Evaluate Your Farm's Performance

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 20:01:20 GMT

You’re only ever in three stages of life:

As good as you think you are
Better than you think you are
Worse than you think you are

Most of the time it’s No. 3. “But, Shay, my feelings!” Settle down, this isn’t to make you feel bad about yourself. It’s to reflect on how you’re treating yourself.

Step 1
The first step is expectations and goal management. Your perception of how well you are doing is probably dictated by the ability to achieve your expectations. Do your expectations only live in your head? Then you need to write them down. People who write down their goals are 80% more likely to achieve them. Then you need to evaluate, are these realistic expectations?

Step 2
The second step is prioritizing. You can only improve what you measure, and you shouldn’t measure what you aren’t willing to manage. Whether it is time management, work-life balance, profitability projections, marketing plans or yield goals, if you don’t measure how you’re doing, how will you ever improve? On the other hand, why are you worried about the markets if you aren’t going to forward market? Does stressing about the price of fuel matter if you’re going to keep the grain cart tractor idling all day at $175 per engine hour anyway? Prioritize what matters and measure it diligently.

Step 3
The third step is being honest with yourself. It’s important to look at each aspect of your business and rate yourself. You can come up with your own metrics, but it might look something like this.

Are my financial reporting mechanisms in order: cash flow, balance sheet, accounting system, tax preparation, etc.?
How would my team rate my leadership and engagement over the past 90 days?
Am I communicating effectively to landowners, team members and stakeholders?
Are opportunities being fairly assessed for economic progress and determination of alignment with our business?
Is my equipment maintenance plan what it should be and am I doing the work in a timely manner?
Am I taking care of my personal health and family obligations, as well as prioritizing the things that really matter to me in life?

Design your own metrics for business success. Honestly, my scores are pretty darn low in a lot of these categories right now, but it is an important metric for me to track and implement changes where I can to steer the ship in the right direction.

Set your expectations appropriately and get them on paper. Prioritize what needs to be done and spend less time doing what you aren’t willing to change. Be honest with yourself and assess how your farm is performing.

As you read this, are you as good as you think you are, better than you think you are, or worse than you think you are?

Take the Stress Out of Social Media: Navigate Detractors

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:56:23 GMT

Have you ever wanted to post on social media but were worried about potential backlash? You want to share your farm, but are worried about receiving potentially negative comments about sow housing? Maybe you are worried about getting tough questions about the use of hormones or antibiotics when it comes to feeding your animals or treating them for illnesses?

Unfortunately, this scenario is all too common for farmers, veterinarians and others in the ag community advocating for animal agriculture on social media. Negative comments have the potential to steer the conversation down an unproductive path. However, if you know how to handle contentious issues online then you can help people understand the animal agriculture community’s commitment to animal care, responsible antibiotic use, sustainability and other core values.

Before deciding how (and if) to respond to comments, take a deep breath and ask yourself a few key questions:

1. Is the comment relevant or is it completely off-topic?

2. Who has made the comments? Are they genuinely curious or are they a known extreme animal rights activist?

3. Consider, “Is it possible they have a different perspective?” or “Is there something that could have shaped this person’s opinion?”

4. Will responding to the comment help other people who will read your response?

If the person has left a completely irrelevant comment, don’t feel obligated to respond. If the comment included offensive remarks, feel confident in hiding the comment or blocking the person from commenting again. Remember, your social media page is your space, and you can set community guidelines.

Depending on who has left the comment can determine how you respond. By clicking on the commentor’s profile you can quickly learn if their comments come from a place of true concern and interest, like a parent concerned about feeding his or her children safe, nutrient-dense foods, or potentially an animal rights extremist with no intention of having a productive conversation about animal agriculture.

If you have concluded that the commenter is likely not open to having a dialogue, still ask yourself if responding to the comment will help others understand your perspective. Social media is a very public space and there are many more people reading your posts and comment sections than actually engaging.

Once you have asked yourself these questions and have decided that responding is your next step, look for common ground on a related topic – such as food safety and family values. Before jumping into the safety and animal welfare benefits of using antibiotics, validate their concerns and offer empathy. Then, ask permission to share your personal experience with using antibiotics on the farm. If the conversation is going well, follow up with the science and offer resources or other people to follow on social media if they are interested in learning more.

Most importantly, know that you can always ask for help. Bring in your friends who also have experience responding to contentious issues, reach out to your local partners, or the Animal Agriculture Alliance to help you moderate difficult conversations.

This is just a preview of the content and training available in the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s Animal Ag Allies program. To sign up to become an Animal Ag Ally, go to and fill out the interest form to join our next class!

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2025 Ag Workplace Trends: What Employers are Saying

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:24:00 GMT

“What are you hearing out there? Are employers still hiring?” These are common questions posed to AgCareers.com as a job board and human resources service provider specific to the agriculture and food industry.

To help agricultural employers compete for top talent, we not only analyze what is happening on our job board and learn from conversations with employers, but we also aim to identify issues, opportunities and trends by surveying agricultural employers in our annual HR Review.

Pressure is on for Employers
AgCareers.com recently analyzed the 2025 Agriculture and Food HR Review data to provide an outlook of what agricultural employers experienced in 2024 and what they expect in 2025. Retention continues to be top of mind for employers, persistent even into the focus of recruitment strategies in the new year. Employers are also feeling the pressure to get compensation right, along with concerns about rising wage rates. Most employers are experiencing recruitment difficulties, amplifying compensation and retention issues.

Agricultural employers need people, and keeping those they already have in place is a top priority. Staying on top of how to reward their employees is essential to retention. From flexibility to bonuses and appropriate salary increases, employers in the industry are increasingly aware of the competitive nature of keeping their top talent while enabling the ability to effectively recruit new talent when posed against both competitors inside and outside the industry.

The AgCareers.com HR Review details employers’ plans for salary increases, workforce development and training, benefits and more.

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Nothing Lost but the Handshake: The Rise of Virtual Recruiting

Fri, 08 Nov 2024 22:37:13 GMT

Taking the entire hiring process online, without meeting a candidate in person, seems drastic, but it has become the standard today for many organizations. Recruiters rely on technology to reach potential new hires, from virtual events to online applications, interviews and assessments that allow remote evaluation of potential candidates.

Some might argue this takes the personal touch out of the hiring process and creates a negative candidate experience. Still, the fact is many employers report that “nothing was lost but the handshake” during virtual recruitment. Along with flexibility on the job, candidates expect flexibility in the hiring process. Most employers also find significant cost-saving and efficiency improvements when using virtual recruitment methods.

Virtual recruiting, including career fairs and interviews, caught on before the pandemic, but now they’ve become the norm. Some virtual recruitment benefits organizations noted include:

Eliminates travel time for both the interviewer and candidate, saving time and money.
Speed: Accelerates the hiring process with easier scheduling.
Inclusive — the ability to invite remote coworkers to be involved in the interviewing process.
Flexibility: Candidates can schedule interviews during lunch or join a virtual career fair between classes or breaks.
Diversity and Employment Brand Expansion: Traditional recruiting often targets local areas, familiar organizations and specific college programs. Virtual methods expand your reach to diverse locations, groups and a broader range of education and experiences.
Consistency: Virtual interviews lend themselves to greater consistency, helping to reduce bias in the hiring process.
Formality: Online interactions tend to be more casual, giving both the employer and the candidate a clearer insight into their everyday behavior.

We recognize and value the importance of in-person meetings and face-to-face communication, but virtual recruiting serves as a valuable addition to the hiring process. Beyond posting a job on AgCareers.com, expanding your employment brand and receiving job applicants, AgCareers.com hosts a series of Feed Your Future virtual career fairs, virtually connecting agri-food employers with candidates nationwide. Most participants say the Feed Your Future virtual career fairs were as good or better than in-person events.

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How to Store Manure on a Small Farm

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 18:29:30 GMT

By Sarah Fronczak, Michigan State University Extension
(Updated from an original article written by Shelby Bollwahn.)

Small farms can choose to spread or store manure. Most small livestock or horse farms are handling solid manures usually with some form of bedding – straw, wood shavings, sawdust, etc. Rather than collect the manure and bedding daily, load it in a spreader and spread it on cropland, hay land or pasture, farmers may choose to store the manure until a time when it can be spread or hauled away. Options for storage include stockpiling, dry stacking, composting, liquid storage or hauling away. The goal of proper manure storage on all farms should be to minimize nuisance issues like pests and aesthetics and environmental impacts on water and air quality. Michigan State University Extension recommends that small farms keep in mind the following principles when planning or maintaining their manure storages.

Principles of Manure Storage
1. Keep the clean water clean – divert rooftop or surface runoff away from manure storage.
2. Treat the dirty water – use of vegetated filter strips.
3. Store the manure out of a flood hazard area.
4. Store the manure where it is easily accessible to load and unload.
5. Avoid steep slopes when deciding the location of your storage area.
6. Have a nutrient management plan.

Storing Manure on Small Farms – Solid Storage
Stockpiling manure is essentially piling solid manure and soiled livestock or horse bedding in a convenient location that align with the recommendations in the Manure GAAMPs. It is an acceptable method to store manure on small farms. The base soil of the pile must be compacted and sealed to prevent manure nutrients from leaching into the soil profile. Clay soils are an excellent base for piles as opposed to sandy soils which allow nutrients to leach through. The loading area should be firm to prevent rutting in wet periods (rainfall events or spring thaws). There should be a very slight slope (1-3%) to allow the pile to drain toward a vegetated filter strip. Using a plastic tarp to cover the stockpile will help to reduce odor and pests. It also reduces the concern for leaching as it prevents rainwater from contacting and soaking through the pile. Compared to all other storage methods, stockpiling is the lowest cost option.

Dry stacking manure is the most common and most practical method of manure storage for small livestock or horse operations. The key components of a dry stack facility are the impervious floor, and three walls used to contain the manure. A poured concrete floor is an excellent example of an impervious floor. The floor should be slightly sloped for drainage towards a vegetated filter strip or sump. The walls of the facility should be a minimum of four feet high and small farm owners should consider the outward pressure on the walls from piled manure. The walls can be poured concrete, cinder block, horizontal or vertical timbers. It is also critical to secure anchoring for the facility below the frost line. The cost for this type of facility can be moderate.

Composting manure and bedding on small farms is gaining in popularity. One of the reasons for this is that the finished product of composting is crumbly, low in odor and resembles rich topsoil. It is a highly marketable product, popular with gardeners and landscapers. Composting reduces the amount of available nitrogen, kills pathogens, reduces the odor and reduces the volume of manure and bedding. Composting requires careful management to produce the final end product. An important management practice is tracking the temperature cycles of the compost piles. The center of the pile should reach 131 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for a minimum of 72 hours, which kills the pathogens and renders a relatively stable product. When the compost pile is properly mixed, or aerated, the manure compost can turn into a finished product in as little as six weeks. The cost of this method of storage can be moderate to high depending on the complexity of the facility. Get additional information on composting manure from the livestock and poultry environmental learning center.

Storing Manure on Small Farms – Liquid Storage
Liquid manure storage is used by many larger dairy or swine farms. Liquid manure is transferred or collected into a pit or lagoon structure. It may be mixed, pumped into manure spreading equipment and land applied. This form of manure storage is the most complex and expensive system. It is usually not practical for smaller livestock operations.

Storing Manure on Small Farms – Hauling Away
When manure storage availability is limited on a small farm there are still options available for producers. If the manure generated daily on the farm is small enough utilizing a small manure spreader as storage may be the right option for some farms. When the spreader is full simply hook up the tractor and spread on cropland or hay land according to a nutrient management plan. Another option may be to hire or contract with a certified manure hauler to come and remove the manure. Haulers may take the manure to a centralized composting facility or may spread the manure on farmland. It is important to remember that the manure will still need to be stored in between visits. The use of dumpsters, though expensive, may be a viable option when there is inadequate land for spreading or composting is not an option. Small farms may use dumpsters to store manure until it is removed. Dumpsters should be placed on an impervious surface such as concrete that may allow for collection of any liquids that leave the dumpster.

The last option for small farms is to consider marketing the manure or the compost. For more information about this check out this resource from MSU. Livestock or horse owners may give their composted or non-composted manure away for off-farm use. Gardeners are frequently willing to take composted manures. Crop farmers may be willing to spread the manure on their land during certain times of the year.

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Opposition Grows Against Denver Slaughterhouse Ban Ballot Initiative

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 14:59:13 GMT

A group of Democrats in Denver announced their position to reject a proposal to ban slaughterhouses within the Denver city limits, joining other groups opposing the measure.

The Central Committee of the Denver Democratic Party recently voted 207-12 to endorse a “no” position on the proposal, which voters will address next month, according to Complete Colorado .

The measure titled “Prohibition of Slaughterhouses” would outlaw “the construction, maintenance, or use of” any meat processing facilities in Denver beginning Jan. 1, 2026, as well as “require the city to prioritize residents whose employment is affected by the ordinance in workforce training or employment assistance programs.”

The vote lines up with other organizations that are opposing the measure , including the Denver Area Labor Federation, the Denver Pipefitters Local #208, Service Employees International Union Local 105, the Teamsters Union and the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, the article said.

Proponents of the measure say they are seeking an increase in consumption of plant-based protein sources, as well as pushing the claim that the livestock industry is a major contributor to climate change. However, no explanation is provided as to how pushing existing meat processing outside of Denver city limits would reduce greenhouse gas emissions or lead to more vegetarian diets.

Wendy Howell, state director of the Colorado Working Families Party, told Complete Colorado that it’s important that Democrats stand with workers and she’s glad the Denver Democrats recognize the importance of protecting these slaughterhouse jobs.

Two of the ballot initiative’s supporters — Pro-Animal Future and Pro-Animal Denver — are the targets of a campaign finance complaint filed last month by former Denver City Councilwoman Kendra Black with Secretary of State Jena Griswold. In her complaint, Black alleges that the two are conspiring with each other to hide their donors.

La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal Chef Jose Avila and II Posto Chef Andrea Frizzi are teaming up with president and CEO of the National Western Stock Show and Complex Paul Andrews, operations manager/employee owner of Superior Farms Isabel Bautista, president of the Colorado Livestock Association Kenny Rogers along with other Superior Farms employee/owners to oppose this citizen-initiated measure.

The slaughterhouse provides many jobs in one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods. This ban puts 160 jobs at stake and according to one study , at least $215 million in economic benefits, which could be as high as $860 million, counting indirect factors.

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3 Leadership Trends You Need to Adopt in 2024

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 17:06:42 GMT

What leadership goals did you accomplish in 2023? Did you reduce turnover on the farm? Improve employee engagement? Set aside more time for fun activities? Hopefully, one of these items was knocked off your list. As the calendar page flips to 2024, however, it’s time to tackle a new goal in the new year.

Setting goals is a powerful way to guide your efforts and measure your progress, especially when it comes to leadership on the farm. Leaders need to remain flexible and responsive to the evolving needs of their operation.

“Effective leadership will be more crucial than ever,” says Adrian Gostick, employee engagement columnist with Forbes magazine. “Leaders who can help their teams navigate through the coming year’s transitions with resilience and agility will create the greatest value.”

For long-term success, farm leaders should regularly assess the landscape of their operation and adjust their strategies accordingly. Gostick suggests implementing the following three strategies for improved employee management in 2024.

Focus on Transparency

“The best leaders create workplaces that value truth, encourage constant up and down communication, and insist on marked transparency,” Gostick says.

Not only is transparency a key quality to effective leadership, but it also promotes trust, credibility and open communication.

“Keeping your team informed and engaged is essential not only for maintaining trust but also for preventing misinformation,” Gostick adds. “Thus, put some thought into developing a clear and transparent strategy to communicate with your team that includes regular updates on the reasons for the ‘why’ behind any change, the expected impact, and the role each team member will play in the process.

Prioritize Your Employees’ Feelings

Dealing with the feelings and emotions of others is not something most farm leaders would put at the top of their resumè. However, according to Gostick, it’s a skill more and more leaders need to possess.

“Leaders must now learn to understand and diagnose what their employees are facing on the job: whether that be overload, work-life balance challenges, or mental health issues such as stress, burnout, anxiety, or reduced energy levels,” he says. “As leaders, we must be on the lookout for changes in employee behavior that might signal potential problems and be willing to compassionately address the issues.”

Cultivate Adaptability and Resilience

Whether we like it or not, change is inevitable. Farmers are no stranger to this as they deal with the ups and downs of the markets, new industry regulations and supply chain challenges. Despite this, it’s important to help your team adapt to bounce back from potential setbacks.

“Great leaders will provide opportunities for learning, cross-training and upskilling to ensure that their team members feel they are growing more versatile, valuable and can handle a variety of tasks,” Gostick says.

By helping your employees learn to overcome the dynamic and unpredictable changes that come with farming, your team will not only strengthen together but also become more resilient as you face upcoming challenges.

For more on farm leadership, read:

Prevent Quitting: Keep Employees Top of Mind in 2024

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 15:57:14 GMT

As the calendar page flips to a new year, farmers are focusing on ways they can improve their operation in 2024. For many, labor – or lack thereof - sorted its way to the top of the ‘biggest headaches’ list. To help prevent this issue from reoccurring, Jorge Delgado, a training and talent development specialist at Alltech, says now is the perfect time to give your employee management plan a brief overhaul.

Before your best employee walks out the door, consider implementing the following steps to give retention and performance a needed boost.

Conduct Annual Reviews: “This is a concept many have of heard of but few people are using,” Delgado shares. However, he recommends treating annual reviews as a chance to sit down with each individual in your team to review expectations, goals, what needs to be improved and what needs to change.

“This is a good opportunity to hear feedback from your employees and share with them your appreciation in a very formal way,” he adds.

Go Over Mission Statement: Another important aspect to look over going into the new year is your farm’s mission statement. Delgado says if your operation doesn’t currently have a mission statement, this is the time to start creating one with your employees in mind.

“Let them be part of this process and include them in your mission statement,” he says.

Review and Update Protocols: Similar to looking over your farm’s mission statement, reviewing protocols is another important area to analyze.

“This is an area that often gets lost in time,” Delgado says. “People start deferring from original protocols and make decisions that may not be the best for your operation and/or animals. Get together with employees and/or your veterinarian to update information and procedures.”

Perform an Anonymous Survey: “An anonymous survey can help you find information to improve your internal culture and to discover areas of improvement,” Delgado says. “You will be surprised with the information generated from this kind of survey.”

Delgado suggests creating a questionnaire with simple questions that can help you finding opportunities about your organization.

Adjust Payroll: When was the last time you reviewed your employees’ salaries? According to Delgado, many workers might be due for a raise that was forgotten during the year.

“This is also a good time to adjust those numbers based on inflation and other costs,” he adds.

Terminate Bad Apples: While labor shortages continue to be one of the biggest issues facing agriculture, not every employee is cut out to work on our operations. Delgado agrees, adding, “There are some employees who just don’t fit in our culture or business mode. The new year can be a good time to start thinking about how to replace those individuals in our business.”

Calculate Annual Turnover Rate: Chances are you may have had a few employees leave your farm in 2023. Was this number higher than previous years? Lower? According to Delgado, it’s important to keep a pulse on your farm’s turnover rate.

“Find areas to improve on if this number is too high for your operation,” he adds.

Start Planning an Educational Calendar: As the chapter closes on 2023, Delgado says now is a good time to ask your employees what they would like to learn in 2024 and set up dates in your new calendar.

“Consider also reaching out to external resources to get them on your calendar” Delgado “They can offer free, professional training.”

Plan Social and Cultural Events for the Coming Year: Farming is a stressful occupation for both farm owners and employees. Therefore, it’s important to keep fun activities on the calendar to increase morale and engagement. Consider hosting a team dinner or

“Employees value the social aspect of any organization,” Delgado says. “This also helps with retention and motivation.”

Review Safety Guidelines: No matter the time of year, keeping employees safe should always be top of mind. Going into 2024, set intentions to review and update safety guidelines to ensure every position in your operation has a plan.

“If you don’t have a safety plan, you need one,” Delgado shares. “Review what went well and what went wrong this year. Use this information to increase safety around the farm.”

For more on labor, read:

Protect Your Farm From Animal Rights Extremists

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 17:47:18 GMT

Let’s take a minute and get back to basics. Farm security is important for many reasons but can often be overlooked as farmers are busy with so many other important tasks. It can be easy to be lured into a sense of complacency when you know your neighbors, but those targeting animal agriculture are looking for any opportunity to strike.

Animal rights extremists continually attempt to gain access to farms and facilities by any means necessary – and oftentimes that comes with a lack of biosecurity measures like proper clothing and sanitizing. In the times of avian influenza and other contagious diseases, it’s more important than ever that we ensure we’re not opening up our farms to extremists and any potential new pathogens they may bring in. As you work to protect your animals, your property, and your employees, there are several aspects of implementing a strong farm security plan that can serve as your first line of defense. Here are three tips to get you started:

1. Start by making your farm “YouTube proof.”

Pretend someone is taking a video of your farm to share on YouTube. Are you comfortable with that scenario? Typically, we don’t get a heads up or time to prepare when anti-animal agriculture visitors stop by. Be proactive in ensuring you’re doing everything right ahead of time.
Protect yourself and your animals by always using science-based animal care and environmental policies. Make sure family members and employees are trained on these policies as well.
Conduct self-audits to find new ways to improve and ensure current practices and protocols are being properly followed.

2. Make yourself a harder target!

Put up “No Trespassing” signs.
Install motion sensor lighting and security cameras.
Have gates and fencing with locks – and make sure they’re locked when not in use!

3. Be cautious with hiring.

You might have done all you can do to protect yourself from unwanted visitors entering your farm, but extremists know other ways to gain access to your property, including through employment. It’s important to never cut corners on your hiring process and to always have a formal policy. This should include a written application with references and past employers. It’s imperative that you take proper precautions and call the employers to verify that this person is who they say they are.
Trust your gut. If something feels off, trust your instincts. Don’t hire someone that could be a potential liability down the road.

As we continue to combat animal rights extremism, it is increasingly important for everyone in the animal agriculture and food communities to keep security top-of-mind. America’s farms, ranches and food processing facilities are the front lines of our food supply. Keeping them safe and secure is essential to animal health and well-being, in addition to ensuring the safety of our milk, meat, poultry, eggs and seafood and protecting the reputation of our community.

Click here for more detailed advice.

Your Next Read: Animal Activists Persist: What It Means for Your Farm

Abby Kornegay is the manager of issues and engagement for the Animal Agriculture Alliance.

4 Quick Succession Planning Tips With Attorney Jim Angell

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 15:53:26 GMT

A farm’s succession plan is complex. And with ever-changing laws and family dynamics, it can be hard to make sure everything gets taken care of in the process. Kansas attorney Jim Angell recently joined the Top Producer podcast to share four things you should consider for your operation’s transition.

1. Trusts For Gifting
The IRS Lifetime Gift Tax Exemption is currently $13.6 million, but there’s speculation that limit could be cut in half in 2026. If you’re going to be gifting a considerable amount before the end of next year, there are two types of trusts he recommends putting in place.

“We might use an entity, an LLC or Limited Partnership, and do some transfer gifting on that,” Angell says. “Or, we could use what’s called an Intentially Defective Trust. That allows you to maintain the income at the first level, freeze the assets and pass those on to the next generation. We use that quite a bit.”

2. Include Your CPA
Angell says your CPA is a more valuable asset in this process than you may think.

“One of the first things I do is if I don’t have the CPA in the first meeting, I make darn sure the CPA is in the second meeting,” he says. “The clients are out there grinding, surviving, and doing what they do best on the farm. The CPA professionals have a much better understanding [of the overall finances] generally, and so we rely on them very heavily in doing the advanced tax planning.”

3. There’s No Such Thing As One Size Fits All Succession Planning
It’s important to remember fair isn’t always equal, especially in situations with on-farm and off-farm children.

“We’ve got to find a way to keep the farm intact and transition it potentially to to the farming child, but at the same time be fair to the remaining heirs,” Angell says. “That farming child may end up with more equity, but they’re going to end up with a bigger challenge of the debt, worrying about drought, making the operation work, taking the risk and taking the lower return. So, when you really step back and look at it, if you’re looking at it economically, some of these children that are getting less value after the estate is fully settled are really better off in the short run.”

4. Set Up Protection From Unintended Beneficiaries
In some situations, a parent will remarry after the other passes away. Angell says it’s important to make sure this doesn’t have an unfortunate outcome for the farm children.

“Most estate plans, especially the larger ones, are going to need some protections built in there for at least a certain portion of those assets being held in an irrevocable trust upon the first death,” he says. “We try to push a pre-nuptual agreement and get the kids involved in for when dad does decide to remarry. Those situations can potentially tear families apart and the farm apart.”

Hear more from Angell on the Top Producer podcast

10 Things Women in Agriculture Need to Remember

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 11:37:33 GMT

A hush went over the room of women representing varying stages of life – some just starting out in the workforce, others smack-dab in the middle of motherhood and career balancing, and even empty-nesters facing the final years of their career.

“How do you silence the negative voice of doubt?”

The question wasn’t an overly difficult one at face value. But it’s a question many women in agriculture face wrestle with as they try to succeed at their career while creating a life they want to live.

Doubt can be an overpowering voice in your head, but it’s one you need to silence fast, explained Annie Grinstead, owner of Positive Energy, Inc., during a panel discussion at the Elevate Women in Agriculture event.

She joined Crystal Blin, rural entrepreneur; Kylee Deniz, Oklahoma Pork Council executive director; and Cara Haden, DVM, director of animal welfare for Pipestone Veterinary Services in a thought-provoking and challenging address to women in agriculture. The panel, led by Kacee Bohle of Kacee Bohle Coaching was a highlight at this first-time event hosted by Zinpro in West Des Moines, Iowa, on June 3-4.

The seasoned career advice and personal encouragement inspired women of all ages. Here are some of my favorites.

1. “Don’t overjudge yourself.” – Annie Grinstead

2. “Know when to step away. When you close a chapter, it allows you to start a new one.” – Crystal Blin

3. “Comparison is the thief of joy. Seasons of life may look different. Stop comparing your season to theirs.” – Cara Haden, DVM

4. “Are you showing up to earn a living or are you living and earning an income along the way?” – Kacee Bohle

5. “Don’t pull so many all-nighters and drink fewer Red Bulls. (Take care of your health.” – Annie Grinstead

6. “Your tribe attracts your vibe. Value people. I can’t emphasize how important people are in your journey. The people along the path will make your life great.” – Kylee Deniz

7. “Your mentors don’t need to look like you. A diversity of perspectives is good.” – Cara Haden, DVM

8. “Deadlines drive results.” – Kylee Deniz

9. “Step outside your industry. It will open your eyes and refresh your creativity.” – Crystal Blin

10. “You have value, worth and dignity as a human. Rest in that. That’s enough.” – Cara Haden, DVM

Read more:
Tired of Doing It All? Why You Need to Set Boundaries Now

Stop Judging Women By Their Highlight Reel On Social Media