Pearl Snaps

Stories of a cowgirl living life by her own lights

Tag Archives: Beef Producer Magazine


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Young farmers and ranchers wanted

by Jesse Bussard

Some aspiring young producers (Ben Spitzer, Lauren Chase, yours truly, and Rachel Endecott)

For the past couple of weeks there’s been on-going discussion about the need for more youth to become involved in agriculture. There’s been reference to the growing population of older farmers and ranchers (more than 30% of farmers are now over age 65), the difficulty for some young people to become involved in farming, and the need for resources to help these young farmers get the start they need.

In my other blog, Fodder for Thought, I have discussed my thoughts on these issues. There’s no magical answer to solving this problem. As with the way farming has always been, it will take determination, grit, self discipline, and a lot of sweat, blood and tears to make your dreams a reality if you aspire to farm or ranch for a living.

I encourage you to read my latest posts on young farmers by following the links below. Leave your thoughts. I look forward to learning more about your aspirations and thoughts on how we can get more youth involved in agriculture.


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Transportation Bill Could Fund Government Land Grabs

Here’s this week’s post from my Beef Producer Magazine blog, Fodder for Thought.

by Jesse Bussard

Is the government intentionally trying to run our nation’s farming and ranching families out of business?

Maybe, maybe not. It sure seems that way to me.

Between EPA’s Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and now a recent highway bill with a possible amendment that could fund even more government land acquisition, I don’t know which is worse.

The highway bill I referred to was recently approved by the U.S. Senate. The $109 billion bill will provide funding for two years to transportation and transit projects across our nation. Whether the House will approve it or not has yet to be seen. The latest news is that the House and Senate have agreed to a temporary bill to extend Highway funds for 90 days. President Obama signed that bill.

So how might this transportation bill affect farming and ranching families? It all stems from the possible addition of an amendment from Montana Senator Max Baucus. Baucus’ amendment funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), providing $1.4 billion for the fiscal years of 2013 and 2014. That’s a massive increase from the annual $323 million that the LWCF currently receives.

Read the entire post on Fodder for Thought by clicking here.

For an interesting look at percentages of land that is federally owned see the graph below.


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Forage Friday: Change Grazing Strategies to Handle Early Forage Flush

It’s Forage Friday! Here’s my latest post on Fodder for Thought for Beef Producer Magazine.

by Jesse Bussard

This winter was one of the mildest on record and this spring seems to be starting off in similar fashion with unseasonably warm temperatures. Here in Kentucky we are nearly two to three weeks ahead of schedule in our growing season.

This earlier growing season has led cool-season forage grasses and small grains to reach optimum feed quality at a more rapid rate. Ray Smith, extension forage specialist at University of Kentucky, said this is the earliest forages have matured in the seven years he’s been at the university.

This situation creates a need for beef producers to implement a slightly different grazing management strategy than they may usually consider. To take advantage of this earlier grazing opportunity, producers will need to think outside the box. This is where a little knowledge about plant growth cycles and grazing management can come in handy.

Read the entire post on Fodder for Thought by clicking here.

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