Nebraska FARMcast - Farm and Ranch Management Center for Agricultural Profitability

The quest in Congress to pass a new farm bill continued on May 23 when the House Agriculture Committee finished their markup on the bill after a long session that saw major amendments proposed by the minority fail, leaving a bill generally resembling the one that was introduced. Dr. Brad Lubben, an agricultural policy specialist with the Center for Agricultural Profitability wrote about how this signifies the “starting line” for the bill’s ultimate passage in his policy report column for Nebraska Farmer. He discusses what this step means and what the road ahead now looks like for the Farm Bill.



Read more at https://cap.unl.edu/policy-legal/farm-bill-just-making-it-across-starting-line.

What's the impact of cover crops on the profitability and sustainability of livestock systems?



Dr. Jay Parsons, a professor and farm and ranch management specialist and director of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Center for Agricultural Profitability, discusses a new USDA Economic Research Service report on the integration of cover crops into livestock operations, highlighting the economic and environmental benefits.



Read more and find the full report at https://cap.unl.edu/livestock/nebraska-researchers-contribute-study-cover-crops-livestock-operations.

The newly published Nebraska Feedlot Labor and Management Survey Report, by Nebraska Extension and Nebraska Cattlemen, looks at data through 2021 and reveals significant changes in labor costs, compensation, and management practices within Nebraska's feedlot industry over the past few years. To discuss the key findings from the survey, including the challenges and trends feedlot operators face in navigating labor costs and industry shifts, is Dr. Elliott Dennis, assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist at Nebraska, and a co-author of the report.



Find the report at https://cap.unl.edu/feedlotlabor21.

Cindy Houlden, a Cooperative Development Specialist with the Nebraska Cooperative Development Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, joins to discuss g a pressing issue facing rural Nebraska and much of the country – the challenge of aging in place and the innovative solutions being developed to address it. Houlden shares insights from her recent article on the establishment of the Homecare Worker Cooperative Academy and how it's helping communities like Arapahoe find sustainable ways to support their elderly residents.

Read more: https://cap.unl.edu/rural/aging-place-rural-nebraska-homecare-worker-cooperatives

More about the Nebraska Cooperative Development Center: https://ncdc.unl.edu.

Borrowing a loan can be a useful tool for farmers and ranchers, especially to fill in gaps when cash or working capital is short to cover current obligations or to make necessary or planned capital purchases. Before signing for a loan, understand the loan terms and repayment requirements as spelled out in the loan documents.

Jessica Groskopf, an agricultural economist with the Center for Agricultural Profitability, defines and explains important lending terminology and considerations for farmers and ranchers.

More at: https://cap.unl.edu/finance/basics-loans-farmers-and-ranchers

This episode explores how federal policy shapes the market for biofuels, a critical aspect impacting farmers nationwide. Nebraska Extension Policy Specialist Dr. Brad Lubben’s latest Policy Report column for Nebraska Farmer magazine dives into how U.S. policy drives the development of the renewable fuels markets and how the increased use of products like renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel might help to propel the ag economy. He joins to discuss.



More at https://cap.unl.edu/forage/how-policy-can-drive-market-biofuels