Nebraska FARMcast - Farm and Ranch Management

Center for Agricultural Profitability
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Produced by the Center for Agricultural Profitability in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska FARMcast offers essential farm and ranch management information for agricultural decision-makers. Find more resources at https://cap.unl.edu.

  1. OCT 21

    A Tradition of Trust: Nebraska Farmer and Nebraska Extension with Curt Arens and Brad Lubben

    For generations, Nebraska Farmer magazine and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Extension programs have helped farmers and ranchers stay informed, adapt to change, and make better business decisions. This episode brings together two milestones in that shared mission. Nebraska Farmer is celebrating 166 years of publication, and Brad Lubben, Extension policy specialist with the Center for Agricultural Profitability, has reached 20 years of writing his monthly Policy Report column for the magazine. Lubben and Curt Arens, senior editor of Nebraska Farmer, join Ryan Evans to reflect on how these two platforms have covered key developments in farm policy, markets, risk management, and rural life—helping producers make sense of complex issues that shape their livelihoods. They also discuss how the relationship between Nebraska Farmer and UNL Extension continues to evolve, ensuring that trusted, research-based information reaches producers when and where they need it. The conversation looks back on the past two decades of agricultural change and looks ahead to the next, exploring what issues and opportunities will matter most for Nebraska’s farms and ranches in the years to come. Read Brad Lubben's Policy Report Column, published in October 2025 by Nebraska Farmer, at https://cap.unl.edu/news/what-are-biggest-issues-facing-farmers-today/

    37 min

  2. OCT 3

    Bigger Farms, Bigger Challenges: The Costs of Growing with Tim Meyer

    Expanding acres, adding livestock, or investing in bigger equipment can spread out costs and boost efficiency — but growth also brings new challenges. In this episode, Tim Meyer, associate professor of practice in agricultural economics at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, joins Nebraska FARMcast to discuss why bigger isn’t always better for family farms. He explains how expansion can stretch labor, complicate management, and add hidden costs that cut into profitability. Meyer also shares what signs producers can watch for that growth may be working against them, and how to strike the right balance between efficiency and sustainability. More: https://cap.unl.edu/news/diseconomies-scale-family-farm/

    10 min

  3. SEP 30

    Veterinary Drug Residue Regulations in Major U.S. Export Markets with Elliott Dennis and Akinbode Okunola

    When U.S. beef, pork, and poultry are exported, they’re tested to make sure residues from antibiotics, dewormers, or other animal health products stay below certain limits. The catch is that those limits aren’t the same everywhere. What’s considered safe under U.S. rules might not pass in places like the European Union, Japan, or Mexico. That mismatch can lead to trade barriers, rejected shipments, and lost market opportunities—even if the product is perfectly fine by U.S. standards. To help us understand what this means for producers, we're joined by Akinbode Okunola, a graduate research assistant and Ph.D. student in Agricultural Economics here at Nebraska. He and his advisor, Dr. Elliott Dennis, recently published an article about how U.S. veterinary drug residue regulations compare with those in major export markets and how that may impact trade. More: https://cap.unl.edu/news/veterinary-drug-residue-regulations-major-us-export-markets/

    15 min

  4. AUG 26

    Smart Spending in a Record Cattle Market with Brock Ortner and Glennis McClure

    Record-high calf prices in 2024 and 2025 have given cow-calf producers a welcome boost, but deciding how to reinvest those earnings can be tricky. Should profits go toward tax savings, new equipment, or strategies that build long-term strength in the operation? Nebraska Extension educators Brock Ortner and Glennis McClure join Nebraska FARMcast to discuss how producers can evaluate investments through an economic lens, manage liquidity, and make decisions that improve efficiency and resilience beyond the current cattle cycle. Brock Ortner is a livestock systems extension educator based in Rushville. Glennis McClure is a farm and ranch management analyst and statewide extension educator. More: https://cap.unl.edu/news/where-should-i-invest-pre-tax-earnings-record-high-calf-market/

    34 min

  5. JUL 10

    The Big Beautiful Bill Act: Impacts on Ag with Brad Lubben

    Dr. Brad Lubben, ag policy specialist with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Center for Agricultural Profitability breaks down the massive reconciliation bill – officially the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” -- signed into law early this month, which brings significant new support for farmers and ranchers. While the headlines have focused on tax changes and cuts to social programs, this sweeping legislation quietly delivered some of the most substantial updates to farm programs in years. From increased safety net protections to enhanced crop insurance and disaster assistance, Brad is here to get us up to speed as he has written about the increased farm support for his latest policy report column for Nebraska Farmer. More: https://cap.unl.edu/news/whats-big-beautiful-bill-agriculture/

    15 min

  6. JUL 9

    2025 Nebraska Grocery Industry Summit to Support Rural Grocers with Ansley Fellers and Charlotte Narjes

    The 2025 Grocery Industry Summit is Aug. 25, 2025, in Kearney. The third annual event brings together grocery store owners, industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to address some of the biggest challenges — and opportunities — facing grocery businesses across Nebraska and the region. Hosted the Nebraska Cooperative Development Center here at UNL, and the Nebraska Grocery Industry Association, the summit will focus on everything from next-generation ownership and rural grocery sustainability to cooperative partnerships, local foods, and emerging retail technologies. Charlotte Narjes, Director of the Nebraska Cooperative Development Center, and Ansley Fellers, Executive Director of the Nebraska Grocery Industry Association, join to share what’s in store for this year’s event and why a strong grocery industry matters for rural communities and the state as a whole. More: https://cap.unl.edu/news/grocery-industry-summit-returning-kearney-august-21-focus-future-local-stores/

    14 min

  7. JUN 27

    Farm Succession Without a Next Generations with Jessica Groskopf

    This episodes returns to an important conversation around farm and ranch succession planning—specifically for those who don’t have a family heir lined up to take over the operation. We're joined by Jessica Groskopf, agricultural economist with Nebraska Extension, to walk us through several key steps in this process. In the latest installments of her series on succession without a family heir, Jessica covers how to clarify your goals, build a team of trusted advisors, and put foundational legal documents in place to ensure your wishes are carried out. Find Groskopf's most recent article in her series on succession planning without a family heir, along with other articles in the series, at https://cap.unl.edu/news/navigating-farm-succession-without-family-heir-everyone-needs-these-documents/

    17 min

  8. JUN 13

    Home Care Worker Cooperatives in Rural Nebraska - Arapahoe, Nebraska, Leads the Way

    On this episode of Nebraska FARMcast, we’re exploring how a simple phone call sparked a movement to build a new kind of business model in Nebraska — one centered on worker ownership and community care. Cindy Houlden, Cooperative Development Specialist with the Nebraska Cooperative Development Center at Nebraska, joins us to share the story behind the Republican River Valley Homecare Cooperative, a worker-owned business recently incorporated in Arapahoe, Nebraska. More: https://cap.unl.edu/news/introducing-republican-river-valley-home-care-cooperative/

    18 min
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Produced by the Center for Agricultural Profitability in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska FARMcast offers essential farm and ranch management information for agricultural decision-makers. Find more resources at https://cap.unl.edu.

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