Weekly News and Columns

Week of December 1, 2025

Extension workshop in Dodge to help producers build better farm budgets

Budgeting for crops and livestock production is one of the cornerstones of sound farm business management. To help producers prepare for the year ahead, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Center for Agricultural Profitability and Nebraska Extension will host a workshop on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Dodge, at the Dodge Municipal Building, 226 Elm St.

The program will be led by Glennis McClure, an extension educator and farm and ranch management analyst with Nebraska Extension. It will focus on strategies for projecting production costs, determining breakeven prices, setting marketing plans, and estimating profitability.

Topics will include:

• Key principles for calculating the cost of production and breakeven costs
• A review of Nebraska crop budgets with estimates for 2026 production costs
• How enterprise budgeting can guide management decisions

Features of the free, online UNL Agricultural Budget Calculator (ABC) program, including customizable enterprise budgets, risk analysis, whole-farm pro forma profit and loss, and monthly cash flow tracking

Registrations by Nov. 25, 205. Lunch, sponsored by Nebraska Bank in Dodge, is included at no cost.

Following lunch, participants will take part in a hands-on session featuring an interactive demonstration of the ABC program. Attendees will learn how to get started using the program or enhance their skills if they are already familiar with it.

Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop or tablet with internet access to engage in the hands-on portion of the workshop fully. 

The free Ag Budget Calculator program is available at https://agbudget.unl.edu.

Register online at https://go.unl.edu/abc25dodge by Nov. 25. If you prefer to register by phone, contact the Dodge County Extension office at 402-727-2775 or Nebraska Bank in Dodge at 402-693-2251.

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CONTACT: Glennis McClure, Extension Educator and Farm and Ranch Management Analyst, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 402-472-0661, gmcclure3@unl.edu.

Fall Pasture and Hay Ground Soil Sampling

Fall is a popular time to collect soil samples from pasture and hay fields for nutrient testing. Time invested in soil sampling generally provides a good return on investment versus soil lab testing costs. Samples should be randomly gathered before the ground freezes with 1 composite sample per 15 probe samples (mixed in a plastic bucket) and used for the actual lab testing sample. Ideally, each sampling probe location should be Geo Tagged using a cell phone or other alternative marking methods. Consistency in sampling depths and using the same locations for repeat sampling years with increase comparison accuracy.

For extremely dry or lightly frozen soils, auger probes usually work better than standard cheaper straight cylinder probes. If lots of samples are needed, consider using a hydraulic soil sampling probe with a pickup mount or 4-wheeler to increase consistent 8 inches depth sampling.

For cropping or hay acres, each annual sample might represent 2 acres on a grid or 40+ acres in a field. Conversely, pastures are only core samples once every 3-4 years with two composite samples per rotational pasture. The key is knowing where soil types change and then gather representative samples from the different zones. For example, lower elevation hay meadows nutrient levels are likely higher than side slopes or plateaus. So, splitting pastures into testing zones may be useful and reduce overall fertilizer costs.

Whether you take samples in the fall or spring, be consistent and account for winter mineralization. Warmer average winter temperatures may result in more soil microbes mineralization and thus more nutrients available for spring root update. So, it may pay dividends to recheck soil nutrient levels in the spring and compared to fall tested levels.

In Nebraska, well nodulated, established alfalfa fields usually fix their own nitrogen needs from the air or soil, so the main alfalfa fertility focuses are usually pH, phosphorus, and potassium. Sulfur content levels may also be analyzed with sandy, low organic matter soils.

For native grass hay and pastures, soil water content is the most limiting factor rather than fertility. Livestock producers may still benefit from pH, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur fertility testing especially for differing pastures and soil texture zones comparison. Again, it is recommended to soil test pasture every 3-4 years and at establishment.

More information regarding pasture and hay fields soil sampling is available at: https://cropwatch.unl.edu or https://beef.unl.edu 

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SOURCE: Todd Whitney, Extension Educator – Irrigation & Cropping Systems

RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2025

Winter Conditions and Insect Mortality 

Cold winters help prevent many potential pest insects from being established in Nebraska or require species that cannot survive our winters to migrate from southern states each year. The insects that are adapted to overwinter in Nebraska have several methods for avoiding winter conditions.

A few of our most significant pasture and forage pests spend the winter in protected sites that keep them insulated from freezing temperatures. Alfalfa weevils overwinter as adults in leaf litter and debris near alfalfa fields, while stable flies and horn flies spend the winter as pupae in winter hay feeding sites or below cattle dung pats, respectively. Face flies overwinter as adults and find shelter in attics, barns, and sheds.

Other important insect pests overwinter below the soil surface. Army cutworms spend the colder months in soil as larvae while grasshoppers overwinter as eggs in the soil of pastures, ditch banks, and fence rows. While soil temperature is dependent on many factors, it generally does not fluctuate significantly, even during extreme cold snaps. Soil that is covered by crop residue or snow will be further protected from bitter air temperatures. This means that the insects overwintering belowground are protected as well.

Even though insect pest populations will undoubtedly survive whatever this coming winter brings, remember that beneficial insects like parasitoids and natural predators will survive too! 

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SOURCE: Samantha Daniel, Extension Educator – Water & Cropping Systems

RELEASE DATE: December 1, 2025

Common Sense Farming and Ranching

Alfredo DiCostanzo, Beef Systems Extension Educator

University of Nebraska

Week of December 1, 2025

Who will raise cattle in the future?

Have you ever wondered who will raise cattle in the future? For counties like Cuming and surrounding counties, this is an extremely relevant question. For those of us in the beef industry, it is a vital question. 

I don’t need to remind anyone that working with and around beef cattle is not easy. Routinely, work begins before sunrise and ends after sunset. The hours in between are no picnic: cattle with attitudes and equipment and facilities that never seem to be in condition or sufficient to get the job done right. Add to this weather events, rain and snow in winter and extreme heat and humidity in summer and you have the perfect opposite conditions of a cushy job. 

As if the physical strain of cattle production wasn’t sufficiently hard, the economic returns are neither guaranteed nor consistently large. 

This generates serious concern. Who will take over raising calves and feeding cattle in the next 10 years? 

For the United States, answers to these questions aren’t simple. 

Other than the United States, Australia and Canada, where most operations are family owned and operated, the remaining top ten beef-producing countries rely on off-farm ownership and management. For most beef cattle producing countries, the family (or corporation in certain cases) that owns or manages the business lives and conducts business off the farm site. 

In a country like the US, future beef producers are raised with the operation (along with the cattle they will hopefully own and manage someday). In a country like Argentina, future beef producers learn about their family’s beef operation while living in town away from the operation. 

In either case, interest (or disinterest) in cattle production is born out of exposure to the operation. Yet, because for youth in the US, the operation is also home, it is a family activity. 

So, the answer to who will take over raising cattle in the future in America should be simple, correct? Yet, it is not. 

Think of how many families today have grown children making a living and raising their children away from the farm. The longer those families spend making a life away from the farm the lower the chances they or their children will return to the farm. 

Beyond issues of family farm succession and making a living off the farm, the culture of raising cattle may not be as appealing to children today as it once was. 

For youth and families, the hardships of raising cattle, money and time required are in themselves a deterrent. Add to this the variety of school and after school activities young people are given a choice to participate in. 

Interestingly, these alternative activities bring with them the promise of fame and the probability, albeit extremely minuscule, of becoming a professional athlete or performer. These are powerful attractants to our youth (and some parents). 

Through all these years and for all these families, a program has existed to support American families in their efforts to have youth ages 5 to 18 exposed to agricultural activities. The 4-H program has consistently provided an educational environment within which youth explore various activities associated with farms and farming. The program’s role in generating interest and promoting beef cattle production activities is severely underrated. 

How many successful cattle operations began with a 4-H beef project is not easy to determine. Yet, for many youth, particularly those not raised on a beef farm, this is the best way to explore cattle production activities. 

For children of urban and suburban families, and those from immigrant families, 4-H is an excellent opportunity to learn about and be active in farming. 

Ask yourselves: How many children from Hispanic families who have parents working at cattle operations currently participate in 4-H? How many more children from these families should participate in 4-H? 

Raising cattle in America is a cultural experience first and a business or profession second. Please consider enrolling your children in 4-H beef projects and encouraging immigrant or suburban families to enroll their children in 4-H beef projects. The future of your beef cattle operation depends on it and everyone’s children and grandchildren benefit.

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Week of November 17, 2025

When will imports of Mexican cattle resume?

Last week a feedlot consultant asked me when I thought imports of Mexican cattle would resume. Before I go any further, I must declare that I know as much as most of you about the border closure and efforts by Mexico and the US to control the spread of the New World screwworm (NWS) fly. 

Yet, I composed a response to this individual that might be worth sharing; if nothing else for pure reflection. It is based on observation and limited information, some of it gathered while I was in Mexico a few weeks ago. So, one might file this column under the "conjecture” heading.

On the one side, the Trump administration has demonstrated fair measures that protect American interests (nothing wrong with that!)  on various fronts, particularly in dealing with trade, immigration and the NWS issue. 

The first case of NWS in Mexico occurred in November 2024. This led USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to suspend the imports of live cattle, bison, and horses through the southern border with Mexico (note the wordsmithing between suspension and closure). Early in 2025, a phase process was initiated between Mexico and the US to continue imports of live cattle, bison, and horses. Yet, actions by the Mexican government regarding the US efforts to deal with this issue on Mexican soil demonstrated hesitation, delay, or downright deception. 

Currently, the import suspension continues month-to-month. This situation has led to continued speculation and, sometimes, false reports that imports would resume. 

In the meantime, the two cases reported by Mexico close to the US border resulted from cattle that were derived from southern Mexico and were already carrying the maggot. According to local sources, the protocols in place worked so that the maggots did not reach the fly stage. The fact that no further cases resulted from these supports that assertion.

Interestingly, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins recently returned from a trade mission in Mexico. The following is an extract from USDA’s news release on the topic of NWS: “we had a productive and positive conversation about how we will continue to work closely together to eradicate the NWS which is negatively impacting both our economies, including conducting a comprehensive joint review of our NWS response...”

Meanwhile in the US, because of the cattle import suspension, over 1 million head of feeder cattle usually sourced from Mexico have not been imported. Although a proportion of these cattle end up in many states, most of them are fed in the Texas panhandle. 

This is reflected by the drop in cattle on feed inventory. During spring and summer of 2024, Texas cattle on feed inventory ranged from 2.74 to 2.84 million head with highs in April and June and lows in August and September. This year, the high was reported in April (2.67 million head) with a steady decline in cattle on feed that reached 2.5 million head in September. 

The suspension of imports of live cattle from Mexico could not come at a worst time for a cattle feeding state such as Texas. Supplies of US-sourced feeder cattle are at an all time low and, if herd expansion proceeds as expected, there will be fewer cattle going into feedlots.

This leads one to wonder: how long can Texas feedlots operate with low inventories or by purchasing American sourced cattle at high prices? (In a state where feeding cost of gain is high.) 

Contrary to one might suspect, Mexico cattle business is not suffering from an excess in beef cattle supply. One reason for this is that they experienced drought during the same years as we experienced it. This led to a reduction in their cow herd and feeder calf supply. Also, like their American counterpart, the Mexican consumer rediscovered beef. This led to greater interest in consuming beef. Mexican retail beef prices increased over 20% since 2024.

On one end, this appetite for beef by Mexican consumers helped consume beef from cattle otherwise destined for export to the US. Consuming Mexican beef by Mexican consumers also reduced to need to import feeder cattle. (Incidentally, the border between Mexico and Central America is closed to imports of live cattle.) 

What next?

Last week, Secretary Rollins announced that a fly dispersal facility will begin operations in Tampico, Mexico covering northeastern states in Mexico. Although no specific time was given for when this facility will begin operations. Another facility being renovated in southern Mexico (Metapa) will begin producing and releasing sterile flies in the summer of 2026. This is in addition to the plan being built on US soil (in Edinburg, TX) where 300 million sterile flies are expected to be produced weekly “as early as 2026” the report indicates. 

Thankfully, winter temperatures should prevail soon. This should stop or delay fly movement within Mexico. 

Back to the original question, and based on this information:

When: when will imports of Mexican cattle resume? Likely not until one of the sterile fly facilities in northern or southern Mexico is in operation and cases of NSW in feeder cattle brought in from southern to northern Mexico stop.

Despite the adjustments made by the beef industry on both sides of the border, when imports of live cattle from Mexico resume, it is likely that movement of live cattle from southern Mexico (or even illegal crossings into southern Mexico) will increase. This will likely increase the risk of NSW flies or larvae crossing the border into the US. 

Therefore, I consider it wise to have FDA fast-track approval of specific protocols for the control of the fly or larvae in the US.

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Week of November 3, 2025

What will it take for cow-calf operations to thrive?

Although recently shaken down by news that Argentinian beef imports would be sought to reduce retail beef prices, feeder calf prices have hit new highs nearly every week this year. With 5-cwt feeder steers selling at or above $450/cwt (nearly $2,500 for a 550-lb calf), one might think this is a large windfall for cow-calf operators.

Yet, the most recent Nebraska Farm Business report indicates that the cost of producing a calf in 2024 was $1,737 per cow. Although this value is derived from five farms, simple tallying of costs associated with keeping a cow a year on most Nebraska farms and ranches supports this observation.

Even during this period of high feeder calf prices, at this high cost, the net margin narrows rapidly. Assume that 90 out of 100 cows wean a calf for sale weighing 550 lb ($225,000 or $2,250 not $2,500 per cow). This figure brings the net margin to $513 per cow ($2,250 - $1,737). 

We all know these high feeder calf prices will someday adjust based on larger cow and calf inventories. Therefore, it is probably worthwhile considering what it will take for cow-calf operations moving into the next peak in inventories to thrive.

Simply put, a $1,000 annual cow cost with 90% of the cows weaning 550 lb calves requires $200/cwt feeder calf price to break even. Extending the $1,000 annual cow cost to $1,500 and keeping weaning percentage and weight the same brings break-even price to $300/cwt.

Where prices go is anybody’s guess. What is most likely assured is that the cost of doing cow-calf business is not going down. Cow-calf operations that will thrive in the next 10 years will have to keep annual production costs below $1,500 per cow and/or output greater than 550-lb calves from 90% of the cows. As mentioned, costs of doing business are not decreasing. Therefore, what is a cow-calf operator to do?

The only option is to dilute production costs with greater output. In other words, are there opportunities for the cow-calf operation to wean more and heavier calves? I believe the answer is yes. This will increase the cost of production, but the incremental gain achieved from weaning more or heavier calves should offset that. 

What strategies should be considered? In the long term, producers should evaluate the possibility of increasing weaning weight by reintroducing heterosis or simply by careful selection of sires that will add growth pre-weaning. In some cases, the use of terminal sires to increase weaning weight will add pounds without affecting cow size. However, calves with greater pre-weaning growth potential will require a higher plane of nutrition to achieve this potential.

Although difficult to obtain for a given region, there is indication that weaning weight trends over time are flat. This demonstrates one of two things: 1) zero or no selection pressure for pre-weaning growth or 2) energy supply pre-weaning does not match growth potential. Because many post-weaning traits including growth have improved over time, selection pressure for growth is likely incorporated in cow-calf production systems. 

Driving around summer observing pastures and pasture management gives the indication that pre-weaning energy supply is likely the limiting factor in improving weaning weights. The simplest option to improve pre-weaning growth is to use creep feeding. For quite some time, calf prices relative to feed prices have been favorable to use of creep feeding. 

Alternatively, cow-calf operators, particularly in areas where forage or grain cropping occur, should ask themselves whether there is access to cover crops or double cropping on their fields to support pre-weaning calf growth. Is there an opportunity to use cover crops before or after harvesting corn for silage or earlage? Will a summer harvest of small grains or silage permit a window of time to graze cover crops late summer and into the fall? Grazing cover crops by growing calves or wintering cows should reduce the reliance on using equipment to feed these cattle in a drylot.

Lastly, during years when corn prices are low (and calf prices are high), should cow-calf operators consider growing grass on corn fields including under pivots instead of corn? A single cow nursing a calf from an acre otherwise dedicated to raising corn for 180 days would produce at least 360 lb calf gain valued at $1,620 ($420 cwt) and maintaining herself for that time at a savings in pasture rental of $400. The same acre harvested as corn would bring $1,000 in a $4/bu corn market.

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Rural Health

Hannah Guenther, Extension Educator

Week of November 24, 2025

Are We Trusting Labels More Than Food? 

When you are shopping at the grocery store or picking up a snack, what is the first thing you do to determine its nutrient density or level of “health.” Look at the nutrition facts label, right? We quickly scan the calories, fat, sugar, fiber and maybe take a peek at the ingredients label to ensure it meets our standard of health and then we proceed. 

Now let’s get something straight here - nutrition facts labels are very useful tools. They can help us compare products, understand portion size, and let us know exactly what is in the food we are eating. But I recently had two instances that made me realize that we are trusting labels to tell us if something is healthy instead of looking at the food itself. 

Whole foods are foods that are in their whole, complete form. There is little to no processing, what you see is what you get. For example, an apple is a whole food. It is the most nutritious form of that food source, but it is missing one thing - a label. If you really take a birds eye view of our food system, the healthiest foods usually are the ones without packaging or a nutrition facts label: a head of romaine from Graybeal’s, a dozen eggs from Brunsing Farms, a bag of apples from a friend, or even a box of hamburger from a local feeder. 

Recently, I attended a presentation from a chef who works with traditional Indigenous foods, and he shared a story that really stuck with me. The foods that he grows, harvests, and cooks with cannot be served in institutional settings, like schools,  because they don’t have a nutrition facts label. It isn’t because the food is unhealthy - it is because they cannot trace where it came from. Doesn’t that seem backwards?

It caused me to stop and think about our relationship with labels and how we have been conditioned to believe something is healthy only if it says so right on the package. So how do we shift our thinking? 

• Remember that whole foods are the healthiest option. 
• Look at the ingredient list and not just the numbers. Do you recognize the foods that are listed? Can you pronounce all the ingredients listed? 
• Support local and traditional food producers. The closer your food is to the person who grew or raised it, the better! 

So next time you’re in a grocery store, I encourage you to step back. Look at the food itself. A nutrition facts label can tell us a lot but just because food has one doesn’t mean it’s healthier. 

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Week of November 10, 2025

My Sourdough Story, Part II: Healthier Bread or Just Another Loaf 

Back in 2020 during peak pandemic, I contracted a certain virus. I was confined to my home for 10 days and I got pretty bored, so like everyone else I started on my (first) sourdough journey. I researched how to start my own starter and I did it! It took me about a week to get my sourdough starter ready to bake and I made my first loaf of bread. After 18+ hours of folding and fermenting, I bit into my first piece of homemade sourdough to ultimately realize a few things. Number 1 being that I don’t really like sourdough and the second being that taking care of a sourdough starter is as much work as taking care of a puppy. So, I made the decision to dispose of my starter and that was that. 

Five years later … I’m back on the sourdough train. This time around my motivation was because I was weirded out by the fact the bread I was buying wasn’t molding and after the recent passing of our dog, I needed a pet. Being in the kitchen is my happy place and this sourdough journey has truly forced me to slow down and take time to do things that I enjoy which is so important when life gets a little crazy. So now that I am back on my sourdough train, I want to dig into the question – is it the healthier option or am I just dedicating 18+ hours for another loaf of bread?

What the Research Says: Studies have shown that sourdough bread does have a lower glycemic response or a lower spike in blood sugar after consumption. This can be helpful in diabetes or metabolic syndrome. Studies also have shown that due to fermentation that sourdough does have better digestibility. Fermentation also may be attributed to nutrient availability. But here is the deal, research on sourdough is tricky because not all sourdoughs are the same. Fermentation and flour type may vary from loaf to loaf. So, while sourdough can be healthier, the degree of benefit truly varies from loaf to loaf. 

My Takeaway: For me it is less about the health benefits and more about the joy of creating something that can be shared with my family. And isn’t that what food is all about? 

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Week of October 27, 2025

Let’s Taco about It! 

I don’t know about you, but tacos are on the menu at least once a week at our home. I love them because they are a nutritious meal that can be made in a matter of minutes. But I also love that when I say, “we are having tacos” I am always greeted with an enthusiastic “yes” rather than a downhearted “ok.” So today I want to dedicate some time to tacos and share with you new takes on this family favorite. 

1. Vary your proteins. 

Ninety percent (90%) of the time when we make tacos, we use lean ground beef as our protein of choice, but you can get creative by using a variety of proteins. One of our favorite alternative proteins is shredded chicken. Place four boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a multi-cooker or slow cooker with one cup chicken stock and a pack of taco seasoning. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes followed by a 15-minute natural release or in a slow cooker on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Shred with two forks and serve with your favorite toppings. Other proteins great for tacos include ground turkey or chicken, fish like tilapia or salmon, shredded pork or even eggs!

2. Homemade Taco Seasoning 

Recently it was taco night at our home, and I was out of taco seasoning. At this point, I had already told Adam and Charlotte that this was on the menu, so there was no I could go back on my word without a full out mutiny on my hands. So, I was forced to improvise! Homemade taco seasoning is so simple to make and dare I say more delicious than the store-bought version. Here is a simple taco seasoning recipe for 1 lb. of protein: 1 tsp chili powder, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, ½ tsp garlic or onion powder, and ½ tsp salt. 

3. Taco Salad, Bowls, or Pizza 

Taco meat is so versatile, so whenever we make tacos, I always try to double the meat mixture so that we have leftovers to enjoy throughout the week. To repurpose your leftovers, use taco meat to make a taco salad instead use lettuce, tomato, cheese and crushed up tortilla chips. One of our favorites is making burrito bowls with taco meat, rice, beans, cheese, salsa, and fresh lettuce. If you are still trying to find a new take on tacos, try pizza! Using a store-bought pizza crust, start with a layer of salsa and taco meat. Top with cheese and bake at 400 degrees until crust is cooked through and cheese is melted. Top with lettuce and tomato and serve! 

4. Simple Salsa 

Salsa is mandatory on Taco Tuesdays and if time allows, I always try to whip up a batch of my simple salsa that can be made year-round because it only uses canned tomatoes. Yep, you read that right and I promise you this salsa can stand up to any restaurant! In a large bowl, add a 28oz can of diced tomatoes, two cans of Rotel, one diced onion, one bunch of cilantro chopped, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp salt, and the juice of one lime. Use an immersion blender to puree until “restaurant style” consistency. Serve with chips or tacos. 

Whether you like them in a hard shell, a soft shell, with chicken, beef, or seafood, or even in a salad, tacos are a menu staple for us all and that is something to taco about! 

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Week of October 13, 2025