Cattle grazing in pasture. A webinar in March will look at grazing conditions under expected drought this season. Photo by Maria Tibbets Nebraska cattle producers facing ongoing drought conditions have an opportunity to learn more about the current weather outlook and potential impacts for the upcoming grazing season during a Nebraska Extension webinar on March 30. Nebraska Extension will host “Drought Conditions and Weather Outlook,” a webinar featuring agricultural meteor

Press Release from R-CALF USA The New Civil Liberties Alliance asked the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota for summary judgment today in R-CALF USA, et al. v. USDA . Representing ranchers, farmers, and livestock producers, NCLA urges the court to vacate an unlawful rule promulgated by USDA and its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) that requires electronic identification (EID) eartags for certain cattle and bison transported across st

Thanks Chabella Guzman, communications specialist, UNL Extension The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Agronomy and Horticulture Department offers several scholarships for students pursuing studies in agriculture, crop, or plant sciences. The following scholarships offer $1,000 for freshmen or sophomores and above pursuing agriculture, crop, or plant science studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. * Dennis Thompson Crop Improvement Scholarship - $1,000 for freshmen

R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard issued the following statement in response to the legislation Today, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) introduced the “ Family Grocery and Farmer Relief Act ” that aims to deconsolidate the U.S. beef-packing industry, address foreign ownership of beef-packing facilities, and focus on eliminating unfair and unjustly discriminatory pricing practices in retail and wholesale meat markets. R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard issued the following sta

The legislation imposes a 30% tariff on sheep and lamb products from Australia or New Zealand. In late January, Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., introduced H.R.7276 in the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation imposes a 30% tariff on sheep and lamb products from Australia or New Zealand. Reps. Celeste Maloy, R-Utah and Burgess Owens, R-Utah, are cosponsors of the legislation. In 2023, America’s sheep producers, who control approximately 22% of the West’s sheep inventories,

Press release from NE AG Mike Hilgers Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers today led a 15-State coalition that filed an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court to support uniform labeling requirements for critical farming inputs, ensuring farmers have access to glyphosate, one of the safest, most environmentally friendly, and most widely used herbicides on the market. The case concerns the labeling requirements set by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodentic

Senator Ricketts Talks FFA For His Weekly Roundup This week, we celebrate national Future Farmers of America (FFA) Week. Agriculture is the heart and soul of what we do in Nebraska. The Nebraska FFA is doing tremendous work to cultivate the next generation of ag leaders. Nebraskans who participate in FFA are the future of our state’s agriculture industry. Nebraska FFA was the 6th state to charter in 1928. Today, it has nearly 12,000 members. FFA helps young Nebraskans bu

Spring-born calves are gathered and sorted in a corral. Image Courtesy Natalie Jones Nebraska Extension will host a webinar titled Confinement Feeding Cow-calf Pairs in the Face of Limited Perennial Grass Options on March 17 at 6:30 p.m. Mountain time. As drought continues to expand across Nebraska and the western Great Plains, pasture rental and purchase prices remain high while many harvested feed commodities are moderately priced. The webinar will explore the potential

R-CALF's National Convention will take place at The Monument in Rapid City R-CALF USA will host its 2026 National Convention and Trade Show, “Fire in the Brand,” June 16 – 18 at The Monument in Rapid City, South Dakota. It is the largest event in the country dedicated exclusively to American independent ranching families. The convention is expected to draw hundreds of cattle producers and industry leaders from across the country for three days of education, community and cand

Tractors East of High School part of National FFA week

Western wheat grass can be a cost-effective option for perennial forages. In light of current market dynamics, there has been growing interest in converting marginal dryland crop acres to perennial pasture. Additionally, several government and non-governmental organizations have cost-share dollars available to help facilitate the establishment of perennial forages. To address this opportunity, UNL Extension and the Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition will host programs on Monday

The Nebraska Extension will offer a webinar on the drought outlook and risk management for ag producers on March 2. The Nebraska Extension will offer a webinar on the drought outlook and risk management for ag producers on March 2. The webinar, "Drought Outlook 2026: Weather, Water and Risk Management," will be held at noon CT, hosted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Center for Agricultural Profitability and Nebraska Extension. It will bring together climate, water, an

Governor Jim Pillen signed legislation aimed at improving county zoning processes for ag producers. At the Nebraska Dairy Convention and Trade Show in West Point, he put his signature on LB 663, which creates a uniform, transparent and expedited process for the application, review and approval of conditional use and special exemption permit applications. Gov. Pillen was joined at the signing event by Senator Tanya Storer, Senator Rita Sanders who chairs the Government, Mil

Longtime Sandhills rancher Al Davis and others were recognized by CFRA The Center for Rural Affairs has announced recognition of outstanding people and businesses building strong and vibrant rural communities. “Each year, we honor the rural champions who help us accomplish so much for rural America,” said Brian Depew, executive director. “This group of award winners has gone above and beyond to lay the foundation for a better rural future.” Awards include: Seventh Gener

This week, Senator Ricketts discusses Nebraska agriculture Agriculture is the heart and soul of what we do in Nebraska. Family farms and ranches are the backbone of our communities. But times in farm country are tough. Corn and soybean prices are low, and input prices are high. The economic challenges of the last several years have placed stress on our farm families. The National Farm Bureau reports Nebraska farm bankruptcies were up 29% last year. But this statistic doesn

Workshops will be hosted by the Nebraska Rural Response Hotline Nebraska farm and ranch families are invited to attend a free educational workshop focused on succession and estate planning. Hosted by the Nebraska Rural Response Hotline in collaboration with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture's Beginning Farmer Tax Credit and Negotiations Programs, Nebraska Extension, and the Nebraska Farmers Union Foundation, these workshops are designed to help producers prepare for the

Dr. John Westra, UNL Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center Director (left), presented the 2025 Outstanding Service to Agriculture Award to son and father, David and Butch Schuler, owners of Schuler Red Angus. Photo by Chabella Guzman Input, leadership, and education were all words used to describe the collaborative efforts of Schuler Red Angus when owners Butch and David Schuler received the 2025 Outstanding Service to Agriculture Award from the University of Nebr

David Lott provides this information about the seemingly annual "false spring" in North Central Nebraska. Warmer weather and longer days are starting to show up, giving so many of us hope and excitement for the new growing season. Beware of "False Spring", where the warm days can be followed by cold snaps and potential spring blizzards that will visit the region at some point in March and April. Here are some tips to consider now, and through mid-April on gardening related jo

Valentine FFA competed in their last round of CDE contests February 11. We were back in North Platte today for our last round of CDE contests on February 11th. Our chapter was well represented yet again and results are as follows: Agriscience- DISTRICT CHAMPS State Qualifiers Gage Sandoz- Purple Lily Kornely- Purple Ali Weller- Purple Bayley Burdick- Blue Ag Biotechnology- DISTRICT CHAMPS State Qualifiers River Doyle- DISTRICT CHAMP Landen Mooney- Purple Duncan Mosner- Blue

This report from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln Beef Quality Assurance, a program developed by cattlemen in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is central to ensuring beef products are raised with animal welfare, food safety and responsible management in mind. In Nebraska, veterinarians are directly involved in that work, helping producers apply research-based practices to their operations, which ultimately affects what reaches the consumer. Sierra Rus