Week of March 2, 2026
The Cuming County 4-H Council will meet on Thursday, March 12, at 6:00 p.m. in the Cuming County Courthouse Meeting Room. The full agenda for the meeting is available for review at the Extension Office.
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SOURCE: Melissa Hagemeister, Extension Associate
RELEASE DATE: February 23, 2026
This year’s Cuming County 4-H Communications Contest will be held on Monday, March 23rd beginning at 6:00 p.m. at West Point-Beemer Elementary School. This contest is open to 4-H youth ages 8-18 and topics that youth can compete in include Public Speaking, Public Service Announcement, Presentations, Impromptu Speech, and Video Communications.
Registration is open and available online at
https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/cuming/about-4-h/cuming-county-4-h/. Registration will close at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, March 16th.
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SOURCE: Melissa Hagemeister, Extension Associate
RELEASE DATE: March 2, 2026
Prepare Now in Case of Drought
This winter has been open and dry across most of Nebraska and according to the Drought Monitor, many areas are increasing in their drought classification intensity. We are a few weeks away from another growing season and who knows how much moisture lies ahead. Today I’ll suggest some ways you can limit the forage problems drought could cause.
Drought is likely to be a problem again this summer, at least somewhere. Because hay can be costly when pastures are short, we need to consider ways to minimize damages if we receive less than average rainfall. Fortunately, early spring is a time you can take action that can minimize some of drought’s problems.
For starters, prepare a strategy for using any remaining hay. One of the better options is to feed hay a bit longer into spring before turning cows out to permanent pasture. I know this action is exactly opposite of my usual recommendation to graze more and feed less hay. But, allowincuming.unl.g pastures to accumulate a bit more growth before grazing begins will provide more total grazable forage if drought prevents much regrowth later on. Leftover hay also can be used later during the grazing season to give pastures more time to recover between grazings.
Another strategy is planting annual forages for pasture or hay. Some excellent choices are oats planted as early as possible or summer annual grasses like sudangrass, sorghum-sudan hybrids, and pearl millet planted once soils are good and warm. Late May or early June usually is best for these grasses. So reserve some ground now for these drought-insurance grasses, before you plant everything to corn, beans, and other crops. And don’t forget about possibly planting these grasses or even some fall cover crop forages into wheat stubble as a double crop after harvest.
If the rains don’t come, planning and acting now to reduce potential forage losses from drought will pay big dividends.
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SOURCE: Jerry Volesky. Extension Range & Forage Specialist
RELEASE DATE: March 2, 2026
In Nebraska, February is usually the halfway point of winter. And since we’re on the back side of the season now, this is a good time to take stock of your feed resources—especially hay.
First, how is your hay stockpile looking today? An open winter can reduce hay use, but don’t assume you’re in the clear. The goal, even in a tough year, is to avoid buying hay late in the game just to reach spring. If you’re short, make a plan now, and then ask the bigger question: how do we keep this from happening again next winter? Annual forages can provide quick yield, and if this is a repeat problem, it may be time to look at expanding grass or alfalfa acres—keeping in mind moisture and the forecast, especially on dryland.
Next, think about last year’s perennial forage yields. Did your grass or alfalfa fields perform the way you needed? If renovation is coming, the planning starts now. For example, if an old alfalfa stand needs to come out and you want that rotation “rest year” before reseeding, don’t wait until summer to decide. Even interseeding legumes into grass should be on the early-season calendar.
Maybe you don’t need a full renovation, it could be a look at fertility will boost yields. If you didn’t soil sample last fall, plan your sampling soon so plant needs match what you are providing. And don’t forget to match fertilizer timing to your dominant species; not all plants grow at the same time of year.
Finally, take a hard look at the forage budget. Do you need new equipment—and can you justify it? Or does it make more sense to buy hay, or hire custom harvesting? Costs matter, but so do labor, timing, and forage quality.
Winter gives us a chance to take stock and plan ahead. A quick check on hay inventory, last year’s yields, and the economics can make a big difference in how smoothly you hit spring.
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SOURCE: Ben Beckman, Extension Educator Livestock Systems
RELEASE DATE: March 2, 2026
NDA OPENS APPLICATION PROCESS FOR 2026 NEBRASKA AG YOUTH INSTITUTE
LINCOLN – The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) is currently accepting applications from high school juniors and seniors for the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute (NAYI). NAYI is one of Nebraska’s largest agriculture youth outreach events. This five-day program brings students together, offering networking opportunities with ag leaders and a chance to learn more about the industry, discover careers and make new friends. NDA helps sponsor and coordinate NAYI every year. This year’s theme is “Passion Meets Purpose.”
NAYI will be held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s East Campus July 6–10, 2026. Current high school juniors and seniors interested in attending must apply online at www.nda.nebraska.gov/nayi. All applications must be submitted by April 15, 2026.
“NAYI is a long-standing tradition in Nebraska agriculture and a one-of-a-kind opportunity for high school students to connect with peers from around the state,” said NDA Director Sherry Vinton. “It is one of the best ways for students to learn more about Nebraska’s diverse agricultural industry and the hard-working people who help make our ag industry great.”
NAYI features motivational speakers, discussions on agricultural issues, career development, networking opportunities, leadership activities, a farm management game, a formal banquet and awards presentation, and a dance. In its 55th year, NAYI is the longest running agricultural youth program of its kind in the nation. More than 225 students attended NAYI last year.
NDA selects students to attend NAYI based on their leadership skills, interests and involvement in agriculture. Students attend NAYI free of charge due to generous donations from agricultural businesses, commodity groups and industry organizations. Space is limited. Those interested in helping sponsoring NAYI can visit https://nda.nebraska.gov/NAYIsponsors for more information.
NAYI is coordinated by the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council, which is comprised of 21 college-aged students selected by NDA for their passion and interest in the ag industry. The Council’s purpose is to provide young Nebraskans with a better understanding of agriculture, including agricultural opportunities available to today’s youth.
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CONTACT: Christin Kamm, Nebraska Dept of Ag
Private Applicators Need Certification
All farmers who use or purchase any restricted use pesticides on property you own, or rent will need to be certified as a private applicator according to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.
Nebraska Extension is conducting the following training session which is approved for renewal or initial certification. Producers are reminded to bring their NDA (bar-coded) letter with the form at the bottom that they received from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture if they are recertifying.
Each session lasts approximately three hours:
March 3 – Pender Fire Hall, Pender @ 1:00 p.m.
March 5 – Dodge County Extension, Fremont @ 6:00 p.m.
March 10 – Nielsen Community Center, West Point@ 9:00 a.m.
March 10 – Nielsen Community Center, West Point @ 1:00 p.m.
March 26 – Madison County Extension, Norfolk @ 1:30 p.m.
April 9 – UNL Extension Madison County, Norfolk, 1:30 p.m.
For other local training dates, check the website at https://pested.unl.edu/.
Pre-registration is requested by contacting the Nebraska Extension office in Cuming County at 402/372-6006 or UNL Extension in the county you plan to attend.
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RELEASE DATE: January 26, 2026
Workshops Aim to Boost Crop Yields by Improving Manure Management
LINCOLN, Neb. — Turning manure nutrients into improved crop yields while protecting water and soil quality will be the focus of seven Nebraska Extension workshops scheduled across the state in February and March.
“Our workshops focus on choosing the best possible field for manure application and therefore are useful for any crop farmer utilizing manure, even though they have traditionally been attended by livestock producers,” said Leslie Johnson, Nebraska Extension’s Animal Manure Management Extension Educator. “The workshops will still meet the educational requirements for permitted livestock operations laid out by the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment’s Title 130.”
The day-long sessions, held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time, provide DWEE Land Application Training certification. Participants must attend the full program, which includes lunch, to earn certification. Sessions will cover regulatory updates and strategies for using manure effectively on cropland. While certification is available, anyone may attend, including crop farmers and smaller livestock operators seeking practical guidance for their operations.
Hands-on activities will help participants evaluate which fields are best suited for manure application. Each session will present a scenario in which attendees assess potential fields and determine whether manure use would be beneficial or if certain limitations make the site less desirable. Participants will then rank fields by priority based on factors such as nutrient value, transportation cost, soil health, water quality, neighbor proximity, and odor concerns. Regulations and record-keeping requirements for manure storage and application will also be covered.
Workshop dates and locations:
· Norfolk – March 4
· West Point – March 5
· Aurora – March 17
Because seating is limited and meals are provided, advance registration is required at least one week before each event. Additional sessions may be added if demand is high. Registration is available at water.unl.edu/lat.
The cost is $100 per operation requiring certification—typically larger livestock facilities—or $25 per person for attendees not seeking certification, including smaller livestock producers, crop farmers, NRCS staff, and landlords.
The workshops are sponsored by Nebraska Extension’s Animal Manure Management Team, which works to help livestock and crop producers maximize the agronomic and environmental benefits of manure. For more information, visit manure.unl.edu or contact Leslie Johnson at 402-584-3818 or ljohnson13@nebraska.edu.
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Common Sense Farming and Ranching
Alfredo DiCostanzo, Beef Systems Extension Educator
University of Nebraska
Week of March 23, 2026
As 500-lb feeder steer prices reach past $5/lb., the influence of two key elements of husbandry, herd health and reproduction, becomes more obvious. Take a herd of 100 cows exposed to bulls in the summer of 2025. If all the cows exposed would deliver a live calf at weaning in the fall of 2026 weighing 500 lb and selling at $5/lb, the gross income for that hypothetical herd would be $250,000: a worthy financial objective.
The moment any of us reads this, reality drives our reaction: there is no way we could ever gross $250,000 from these 100 cows. Pregnancy or weaning rates of 100% are difficult to achieve in the best of circumstances. Many factors including those external to management contribute to pregnancy or weaning rates under 100% (examples: accidents or predators).
Author’s note: calculations and scenarios are oversimplified to permit reflection on the importance of the concepts. Example, we know we must keep heifers for replacements from this calf crop.
A calf weaned from this herd could gross $2,500. Any cow failing to become pregnant or any live calf at birth failing to reach weaning age will detract from this value.
So, can we make up the gross income at weaning each open cow fails to bring? One way to make this income loss is to wean heavier calves. In a herd of 100 cows, the remaining calves must weigh at least 5 lb more to make up for loss in productivity from one open cow. (5.05 lb heavier to be exact but for the sake of this discussion, it will be rounded down).
If breeding failure is low, it is easy to make up production lost to open cows. As more cows are open, it becomes increasingly difficult to make up for them.
Five cows open at pregnancy check represent 2,500 lb to be divided by 95 calves reaching weaning (26 lb extra per calf). Ten open cows would represent 5,000 lb to be made up by 90 calves requiring these calves to weigh 56 extra lb at weaning. If the lactation period is 200 days, a 100-cow herd with 5 or 10 open cows would demand 0.13 and 0.28 lb greater daily gain from the remaining calves.
By now, the reader should be wondering how this extra gain will be achieved, how price slides for heavier calves or how “fleshy” calves will affect price.
Now, assume that this hypothetical herd had 100% calving rate from 100 cows exposed: there were 100 calves born alive. In the subsequent 200 days of lactation, 5 calves succumb to preventable diseases. Again, to achieve equal productivity, the remaining 95 calves must make up 2,500 lb, or, if 10 calves are lost prior to weaning, the remaining 90 calves would have to make up 5,000 lb.
Cows open at pregnancy check are the result of poor reproductive health (reproductive disease, poor body condition, poor nutrition) or poor reproductive management (insufficient cow:bull ratio, poor body condition, etc.). Calf losses between birth and weaning are likely the result of poor herd health, poor nutrition, or management.
If we take the difference in gross income between the hypothetical herd weaning 100 calves weighing 500 lb selling at $5/lb from 100 cows and the same 100-cow herd weaning only 95, 90 or 85 calves weighing the same weight and selling at the same price, then, under these circumstances, the differentials in gross income would be $12,500, $25,000, or $37,500, respectively.
A producer with average weaning rates of 85% successfully investing up to $125 per cow in better herd health and reproductive management to improve weaning percentage to 90% would break even with their current gross income prospects.
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Week of February 9, 2026
USDA Cattle inventory analysis
The last few weeks, I have made some projections for the US cattle inventory as we awaited the release of the official USDA cattle inventory. Also, I contributed my projections on beef production using USDA reports through October of 2025.
It is time to review how well these projections aligned with actual reports and either accept defeat and go back to my role as a nutritionist or continue playing with statistics released by the USDA. Incidentally, this country is blessed to have a reliable and consistent statistical service such as the USDA and other government agencies. This information helps producers make informed decisions.
The USDA inventory reported a total of 37.175 million beef and dairy cows in 2026. In 2025, the inventory was at 37.272 million cows. (I carried figures out to three decimal places as these reports are quite close). My projection, listed in this column in the second week of the year, was 37.6 million cows. The difference is a 1% over-projection from my estimate. This value is close to the error range of USDA reliability estimates.
At the end of 2025, the US produced 25.6 billion pounds of beef under federal inspection compared to 26.6 billion pounds of beef under federal inspection in 2024: a difference of 1 billion pounds. My projection, listed in this column in the last week of 2025, was 25.6 billion pounds.
The analysis of departures from actual estimates obtained officially is helpful to determine if the projection methods are correctly applied and whether they should be deployed in the future. It also helps to have some expectations of what inventories and beef supply levels are to provide anticipated action.
Given the current inventory and knowledge of beef supply in 2025, I might suggest that beef production in 2026 might not differ much from that in 2025. Recently, I also provided information that suggests that Mexican feeder cattle will not be crossing the border any time soon or in 2026.
This leads one to think that the US cow herd is in a short-term balanced state between the cow inventory and beef production. This is important as rapid oversupply of feeder cattle will quickly lead to declining prices. Maintaining the current situation or permitting the herd to expand to moderate levels (about 28 million beef cows), but no more, will prevent prices from dropping dramatically leading again to overcorrection in the opposite direction.
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Week of January 26, 2026
Figures don’t lie!
Slowly but surely beef is overcoming the negative image wrongly ascribed by health professionals and others in years past. The implications of this trend for beef supply are noteworthy, particularly when the US cattle inventory is at an all-time low.
Demand for beef is also increasing in other countries, namely Mexico. Focusing on beef demand and supply in Mexico is important as Mexico exported, on average, 1.1 million head of feeder cattle to the US yearly between 2022 and 2024. This process has been interrupted by suspension of imports of feeder cattle (and other species) from Mexico due to the ongoing New World screwworm (NWSW) situation in that country.
In 2024, Mexico also exported 597 million lb of beef to the US (as of October 2025, Mexico had exported 567 million lb of beef to the US: 82% of all beef exported by Mexico). These figures are expressed as pounds of carcass weight equivalent. Using 701 lb carcass weight (average for cattle harvested in Mexico in 2025), beef exports to the US represent carcasses from 850,000 head of cattle imported to the US as beef trimmings and no-roll cuts.
Why such detailed focus on Mexican cattle inventory and harvest?
For 2025, USDA projected an inventory of nearly 12 million beef and dairy cows which delivered 8.7 million calves. Total harvest was projected at 7.1 million cattle of which 5.3 million head were steers and heifers.
Combined one-time feedlot capacity in the largest four feedlots in Mexico is at least 1 million head. Incidentally, the level of technology and sophistication at these feedlots is par with most corporate feedlots in the US. Furthermore, most of the larger feedlot firms own their own packing and fabrication plants or have arrangements to access plants. Most of the beef exported to the US is sourced from these plants.
Grain-fed cattle in Mexico are generally finished at a given weight not degree of finish endpoint; generally, 1,250 lb. Cattle are mostly received as yearlings weighing 600 or more lb. Feeding periods last 140 days.
At a turnover rate of 3x yearly these feedlots require 3.3 million incoming cattle yearly: 62% of the projected calf crop destined for slaughter.
Obviously, these four feedlots do not feed all the grain-fed cattle in Mexico, and a significant proportion of beef is derived from grass-finished cattle. Therefore, this analysis strongly suggests that domestic Mexican calf production simply cannot meet demand for growing cattle in feedlots or on pastures.
This analysis leads to three questions:
Firstly, if feeder cattle imports from Mexico would resume, would US cattle feeders have access to 1 million head coming from Mexico?
Secondly, considering the strong demand for feeder cattle by the Mexican feedlot sector, what incentives does Mexico have to effectively stop the flow of cattle originating from Central America, legally or illegally?
Lastly, extending the implications of the second question, how effective do you suspect are NWSW barriers in Mexico?
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Rural Health
Hannah Guenther, Extension Educator
Week of February 16, 2026
The Great American Melting Pot
Did you watch the Super Bowl? We sure did. Charlotte is an avid Seahawks fan, so our house was tuned in (me especially for commercials and snacks). As the confetti settled, I couldn’t help but notice some of the conversation afterward, including criticism that the halftime show “wasn’t American enough.” I promise this isn’t a politically charged article, and I’m not here to point fingers or take sides. But it did get me thinking about what we mean when we say American especially when it comes to food.
So many of the foods we proudly label as “American” were brought here by immigrants, adapted over time, and eventually woven into our everyday lives. My own family history reflects that. My family comes from Swedish immigrants, which has shaped our gatherings with foods like potato sausage, rice pudding, and rye bread. Adam’s family has German roots, and I still remember trying dumplings simmered in sauerkraut for the first time at Grandma Irene’s table.
So today, I wanted to shed a little light on the origins of some of our country’s favorite foods, in hopes that we can better appreciate the many hands and cultures that shaped our food system.
Hamburgers & Fries - When I think of classic American meals, a hamburger and fries is usually the first thing that comes to mind. But the hamburger has German roots. The “Hamburg steak” (a seasoned ground beef patty) was popular in the 19th century and brought to the United States by German immigrants. Over time, it was adapted into the sandwich we know and love today.
And French fries? They aren’t French at all. (There’s your fun fact for the day.) Fried potatoes are believed to have originated in Belgium, where fried foods were a staple. European immigrants brought this tradition to the U.S., and fries eventually have become the perfect companion to burgers across diners and drive-ins.
Apple Pie - Apple pie is often called “as American as apple pie,” but the apples we use today like Granny Smith aren’t native to North America. They were brought by European settlers, along with pie-making traditions. Early colonists embraced pie because it was a practical way to preserve fruit, and it quickly became a staple in American kitchens.
Hot Dog - What feels more American than eating a hot dog at a baseball game? Once again, we can thank German immigrants. Their sausage-making traditions were introduced to the U.S. and quickly adopted because they were affordable and easy to preserve.
Corn - If there is one food that truly is American, it’s corn. Corn was cultivated, prepared, and stewarded by American Indian tribes long before Europeans made contact. It formed the foundation of Indigenous food systems across North America. Cornbread, grits, tortillas, and many other staples all trace their roots back to this land. It’s hard to imagine what the world’s food system would look like today without corn!
Our food, our country, and our culture have always been shaped by many backgrounds coming together. That’s what makes the American food system so great! Each culture brought something: ingredients, techniques, traditions and over time, those contributions have blended into something we can proudly call American.
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Week of February 2, 2026
Sleepless in Nebraska
Eat fruits and vegetables, drink water, move your body, increase your protein – we all know that these are important aspects of taking care of our health, but what about sleep? Sleep plays a huge role in our health, safety and overall wellbeing and unfortunately many of us aren’t getting enough of it. 1 in 4 Nebraskans is not getting the recommended about of sleep each night. So today let’s talk about sleep including how much we need to be getting, the stages of sleep we go through each night, and finally 3 tips to help you sleep better.
Are you getting enough sleep?
- Infants (4-12 months) need to be getting 12-16 hours per 24 hours
- School Age (6-12) need to be getting 9-12 hours per 24 hours
- Teens (13-18) need to be getting 8-10 hours per 24 hours
- Adult (18-60) need to be better 7 or more hours per night!
What happens when you sleep? During our nightly rest, we travel through a series of stages of sleep that each play a vital role in restoration and restfulness.
- First, we drift into light sleep which is the beginning of sleep. Our heart rate decreases, our body temperature decreases as our body prepares to enter deep sleep. During this stage we can be easily woken up and this makes up for about 50% of our sleep each evening. This means it is very important to reduce any outside stimuli from phones to pets for a goodnight of sleep
- Next, we enter deep sleep which is only about 15-20% of our sleep but it’s extremely important because this is where learning and memory storage take place along with energy restoration, cell regeneration, growth and repair of tissues and bones, and the strengthening of our immune system. While in deep sleep, we can sleep through most disturbances but if we are woken up you will feel groggy and disoriented.
- Lastly, we have REM (rapid eye movement). In this stage our body actually becomes paralyzed because we are actively practicing and rehearsing skills along with problem solving and neuro stimulation which is associated with behavior.
We travel through each of these stages 5-6 times each night!
So what can you do to sleep better? Here are three tips …
- Set your nighttime room temperature to 60-68 degrees. Your body has to cool down in order to sleep which means it is important that your sleeping room remains cool. Keep the doors closed, the curtains drawn, and think about using a fan. Traveling soon? Most hotel rooms are set between 72-75, drop the temp so you can enjoy a quality night’s sleep.
- Set a caffeine curfew. Try to limit caffeine consumption 8hours before bed time. It is possible to sleep with caffeine in your system, but it is going to reduce your quality of sleep keeping you in the light sleep stage most of the evening. Try to reduce or limit caffeine consumption after 3pm.
- Limit blue light before bed. Scrolling has become apart of the nighttime routine for many, but bluelight actually has the ability to stop melatonin production making it challenging to fall asleep after looking at a phone, tablet or TV. Instead of scrolling try to read, journal or incorporate some light stretching into your nighttime routine.
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Weekly News
- Cuming County 4-H Council Meeting
- 4-H Communications Contest
- Prepare Now in Case of Drought
- Taking Stock
Private Applicators Need Certificiation