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Merced-Mariposa Cattlemen's Fall Dinner Meeting
Nov. 1 | Merced Fairgrounds | Merced
CalWATRS Workshop
Nov. 5 | 12-4:30 | Lunch & Presentation Adin Community Center | Adin RSVP at calcattlemenfoundation.org/events
Siskiyou Cattlemen’s Fall Dinner
Nov. 8 | Yreka Community Center | Yreka
Amador/ El Dorado/ Sacramento Fall Dinner Meeting
Nov. 11 | Amador Co. Fairgrounds | Plymouth
109th Annual CCA/CCW Convention
Dec. 3-5 | Atlantis Casino Resort | Reno, NV
ASSOCIATION PERSPECTIVES
8 14 16 18 22 28
CATTLEMEN’S COLUMN
Fire recap at end of season
BUNKHOUSE
Fresh focus on the future
DUES DOLLARS AT WORK
A deep dive on passage of AB 411
PROGRESSIVE PRODUCER
Considerations for your own direct-to-consumer program
NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
A way of life you can trust in
FOUNDATION FOCUS
Saluting Ag on a college campus
HONORED FOR EXCELLENCE
Certified Angus Beef recognizes Tehama Angus and Borror Family
OWENS VALLEY OUTREACH
Cattle community reaches consumers through unique on-the-ranch experience
CoBank shares quarterly concerns
ON THE COVER
The colors change as seasons evolve across cattle country all around the west. This month's cover photo from the Bridgeport Valley was taken by photographer Jim Brown.
CATTLEMEN’S COLUMN
ANOTHER CHALLENGING FIRE SEASON CALIFORNIA BEEF PRODUCERS BEAR THE BURDEN OF POOR LAND MANAGEMENT
by CCA Second Vice President Anthony Stornetta
California has once again faced another intense and destructive fire season, leaving behind a trail of burned landscapes, destroyed infrastructure, and lasting economic impacts. What is so disheartening is that our state's cattle producers and CCA members do everything right to prevent fire: manage landscapes, put in fire breaks and still the neighbor that does nothing to prevent destruction prevails again.
The “neighbor” I’m referring to is the state and federal government. Year after year, millions of acres of public land remain overgrown, under-managed, and primed for catastrophic fire. Ranchers and private landowners across the state are the ones paying the price for that neglect, losing pastures, fences, water systems, and, in some cases, their livelihoods. State and Federal lands need to do more, I know we have been here time and time again, but the argument needs to stay front and center.
As I write this article I can’t help but think of my many friends and neighbors who are now facing the difficult task of rebuilding. Rebuilding takes months, if not years, and the financial burden can be crushing. Many producers had no choice but to sell their cattle after their feed was lost to the fires. This should be a season of prosperity, with producers enjoying the strong prices at the market.
I have been to many fires across the country in my 33 years in the fire service, but it hits differently when it’s close to home. To see close friends and fellow cattlemen from your own association lose so much, their feed, water, and
years of hard work it’s hard to stay positive. These are people who pour everything into the land, only to have it taken away by forces far beyond their control. I wish I could recognize each of them individually, as their strength and the difficult work ahead weigh heavily on my mind.
Far before my time, CCA has sounded the alarm about this growing problem. They have repeatedly urged agencies to allow more proactive management, grazing, prescribed burns, and mechanical thinning, to reduce fuels and maintain healthier rangelands. Yet red tape, environmental litigation, and a culture of risk aversion within federal and state agencies have created a situation where inaction has become the norm.
Every time we think we are making some ground we run into a roadblock, this time it is the government shutdown and next time it will be something else. We must remain steadfast, keep educating the public and building our membership. ALL producers need to get involved and become CCA members, strength in numbers is our only pathway out.
...CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
The result I saw on some of the fires this year was predictable and devastating: I witnessed a beautiful legacy ranch that is now owned by the Department of Fish and Wildlife sustain fire spread that nearly set a California record, it burned hotter, moved faster, and destroyed more land than ever in an 8-hour period. A ranch once recognized for its biodiversity and wildlife ecology had gone years without any active management or grazing, leaving layers and layers of decadent fuel beds receptive to catastrophic fire.
With no defensible space and no fuels treatment, the area was left vulnerable. Now, there’s nothing left, local water supplies are compromised, soil erosion poses a major hazard, and vital wildlife habitat has been lost.
It’s time to revisit policies that limit grazing on public lands. Open more opportunities for targeted grazing on state and federal property not only helps control fuels but also supports the rural economies that depend on these lands, Grazing can and should coexist with conservation goals, in fact, it’s often the most natural and cost-
effective way to meet them.
The men and women who ranch in California are among the most resilient and resourceful people you’ll find. They’ve weathered droughts, floods, market swings, and fires before, but the scale of what we’re seeing now is unsustainable. Without meaningful change, we risk losing not just working ranches, but an entire way of life for our California beef producers.
As fires continue to take more ground each year, the call for action grows louder. We must insist on better management of public lands, increased use of grazing as a fire-prevention tool, and a stronger commitment from our state and federal partners.
Many members of the CCA Fire Subcommittee are working diligently at all levels of government to open these lands and find creative ways to manage them. Everything is in alignment to be successful; we have great leadership amongst the CCA Officers and Staff and we have the right leadership in Washington to effect change. If we fail to act, we’ll continue to watch our rangelands, watersheds and rural communities burn, let’s work together to prevent anymore destruction from occurring.
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Pictured: M1500 Manual Chute
2025 CCA AND CCW ANNUAL CONVENTION
INDUSTRY TRADESHOW
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3RD
8 am - 7:30 pm Registration Open
9 am - 3 pm California Rangeland Trust Board Mtg.
9 - 10 am Tradeshow Exhibitor/Allied Industry Mtg.
9 - 10 am CCA Officer’s Mtg.
10:30 am - Noon California Cattlemen’s Foundation (CCF) Mtg.
11 am - Noon YCC Networking in the Tradeshow
11 am - Noon A Calif. Cattlewomen Heritage Foundation Mtg.
Noon - 9:30 pm Tradeshow Open
12:30 - 2pm Environmental Media Training w/ CCF & CLEAR Center
5 - 6:30 pm World Without Cows Documentary Screening
5 - 7 pm California Rangeland Trust Reception
6 - 9 pm Tradeshow Welcome Party
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4TH
6:30 - 7:30 am Christian Fellowship
7 - 8 am Fire Subcommittee Mtg.
7 am - 5 pm Registration Open
7 am - 1 pm California Cattle Industry Tradeshow
7 - 8 am Breakfast in the Tradeshow
8 - 9:30 am General Session #2
9:30 - 10:45 am CCW Workshop
10 am - Noon CCA Cattle Health & Well-Being
10 am - Noon Cattle Marketing & International Trade
10 am - Noon CCA Federal Lands
11 am - 1 pm Cowbelle of the Year Lunch
Noon - 1 pm Lunch in the Tradeshow
Noon - 1 pm Past Presidents Lunch
1 - 2 pm General Session #3
2 - 4 pm Cattlemen’s Poster Session
2 - 4 pm CCA Property Rights & Enviro. Mgmt.
2 - 4 pm CCA Ag & Food Policy/Tax and Credit
3 - 5 pm CCW Board and Membership Mtg.
4 - 5 pm Local Presidents and Secretaries Mtg.
5 - 6 pm CCA President’s Reception
6:30 - 9 pm CCA + CCW Reception & Awards Banquet
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5TH
6:45 - 8 am CCA Nominating Committee
7 - 9 am CCW Awards Breakfast
8:30 - 10 am CCA Board and Membership Mtg.
9:30 - 11:30 am CCW New Executive Board Workshop
A LA CARTE REGISTRATIONS
CCW Awards Breakfast: $40
CCW Cowbelle of the Year Lunch: $47
CCA & CCW Awards Banquet: $75
REGISTRATION PRICES INCREASE ON NOV. 13. REGISTRATIONS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.
HUGH ALJOE Director of Ranches, Outreach, & Partnerships Noble Research Institute
MIKE MILLER Director of Global Meat Analysis and Research CattleFax
BRIAN BLEDSOE Chief Meteorologist & Climatologist Brian Bledsoe Weather
TIM CANTERBURY Colorado Rancher & 2024-2026 President Public Lands Council
Don’t miss out on Wednesday night’s Tradeshow Welcome Party with music from Chad Bushnell!
BUNKHOUSE
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Coming back to work more invigorated for the future
by CCA Membership and Events Coordinator Gracie LeCheminant
Coming back to work after maternity leave has brought a mix of emotions — gratitude for the time spent bonding as a new little family, excitement for what’s ahead, and maybe even a bit of uncertainty about what life will look like now. For me, stepping back into work after welcoming my baby, Dally Grace, has been both comforting and challenging. I was eager to return to a sense of familiarity, yet my world has also shifted in the best way possible. Like so many of us in the cattle industry, where family and work often blend together, I’ve been learning to navigate both with a new perspective.
These days, that often means strapping Dally to my chest in a baby carrier and doctoring calves together as a family. Motherhood has changed the way I see my work. I’ve found more patience, deeper purpose, and a renewed appreciation for what we do each day. As a new mother in the cattle industry, I’m proud that our work sustains not only our own families, but also our communities and the next generation we’re raising.
There are few things better than watching my little girl’s eyes light up when she sees her daddy on horseback, or when one of our cow dogs runs up to lick her fingers and toes — and sometimes her face, if I’m not paying close enough attention. She’s already become quite the trooper, sitting in her bouncer nearby, watching, listening and taking everything in as we run cows through the chute.
My husband joked recently that if we started paying Dally for all her help now, she’d have college paid for by the time she’s 12. We both laughed, but there’s some truth to it — life simply adjusts, and before long, your “new normal”
feels right where you’re meant to be.
Since returning, I’ve been excited to jump back into all things membership and events here at CCA. Fall tour meetings are back in full swing as CCA staff and officers travel up and down the state to visit local associations. If your local association hasn’t yet gotten a fall tour meeting on CCA’s schedule, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at gracie@calcattlemen.org — I’d love to get you connected.
As you can imagine, we’re also gearing up for CCA’s biggest event of the year: the 109th CCA and CCW Annual Convention, taking place December 3–5 at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa in Reno, Nev. This will be our first year at the Atlantis, and we’re thrilled about the new venue and all it has to offer our group. We’re also looking forward to hosting the California Cattle Industry Tradeshow once again, where companies that are allies of our industry come together to showcase new technologies, medications, supplements, and programs designed to benefit cattle producers across the state.
Coming back to work has reminded me just how special this community is. The support, encouragement, and shared passion within CCA make it a joy to return to work each day. It’s good to be back doing what I love — serving our members, celebrating this way of life, and now, sharing it all with a little cowgirl by my side.
YOUR DUES DOLLARS AT WORK
A DEEP DIVE ON AB 411 CCA SEES BIG WIN ON COMPOSTING BILL
by CCA Vice President of Government Affairs Kirk Wilbur
In early October, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that he had signed into law CCASponsored AB 411 (Papan), which legalizes onranch composting of routine livestock mortalities and butcher waste. Once the bill goes into effect, California will join 42 other states which already authorize carcass composting.
While California law has long permitted ranchers to dispose of their carcasses in bone piles, it has counter-intuitively prohibited ranchers from surrounding those carcasses with straw, wood chips, manure solids or other carbon-rich materials to create a compost pile. AB 411 eliminates this nonsensical restriction from California regulation.
To be clear, AB 411 does not require ranchers to compost their carcasses, nor does it require ranchers to abandon current practices like bone piling. Rather, AB 411 merely authorizes composting as an additional tool in the toolbox of carcass disposal.
Specifically, AB 411 authorizes ranchers to compost up to 100 cubic yards of material on the ranch at any given time. Compost piles typically have a 3-to-1 volume ratio of carbon bulking material to carcasses, meaning that a 100-cubicyard pile can typically accommodate 6-10 animals at a time (for a total of roughly 40 animals per year, assuming a 90-day compost cycle). Composting must conform to forthcoming best management practices to be adopted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
BACKGROUND
California ranchers have frustratingly few options for disposing of routine on-farm mortalities. With only a handful of rendering facilities remaining in the state (largely concentrated in the Central Valley and Southern California), rendering is completely out of reach for ranchers in the northern third of California and in other pockets of the state. In regions where rendering services remain, haulers and renderers occasionally fail to pick up livestock carcasses in a timely manner, leaving ranchers and dairy farmers in search of alternate means to dispose of mortalities.
State law limits carcass burial to three miles from where the animal died, and many counties outlaw burial entirely. Even if permitted, terrain, weather and other factors may otherwise preclude burial. Finally, landfills typically don’t accept livestock carcasses, and the few that do accept animal mortalities will usually only do so during declared states of emergency.
Ranchers outside of rendering service areas
are often left with only one feasible disposal option: the bone pile.
As the rendering industry continued to decline in the early 21st century, California’s livestock community recognized the need to bring other mortality disposal options online. One potential option was composting, which was already legal in several other states but was explicitly prohibited in California under CalRecycle regulations adopted at the turn of the century.
Beginning in 2008, UC Davis researchers examined the use of dairy manure solids to compost the carcasses of dairy cows, to promising results. In 2017 – the same year researchers published their results – CCA’s membership adopted policy to “support pilot projects in California to further explore the feasibility and safety of composting carcasses.” It was around this time that Kasey DeAtley, Ph.D., Chico, initiated conversations with CCA and other stakeholders about pilot research exploring the potential use of carcass composting on California ranches using readily available materials like straw and wood chips.
Between 2020 and 2022, DeAtley and UCCE Modoc County Director Laura Snell conducted pilot research programs at the Intermountain Research and Extension Center in Tulelake and CSU Chico farm. Their research demonstrated that on-ranch composting of routine livestock mortalities could be done safely and effectively, and also found that compost piles dramatically reduced predator visitations compared to bone piles – a finding with particular significance in northeastern California as ranchers are confronted with a growing population of gray wolves which are fully protected under the California Endangered Species Act.
With the pilot research concluded, DeAtley, Snell and their colleagues published their findings and hosted workshops to educate regulators at the State Water Boards, CaRecycle and CDFA.
At CCA, policy adopted by the membership directed staff to put the pilot research into practice by seeking “legislative or regulatory remedies to allow for the onsite composting of animal carcasses.” Fortunately, a moderate Democrat from San Mateo, Assemblymember Diane Papan, had expressed interest in working with CCA to advance ranchers’ legislative priorities, and in January she agreed to carry the bill.
OVERCOMING STIFF OPPOSITION
The Pacific Coast Renderers Association formally opposed AB 411 shortly after it was
introduced. To be clear, CCA recognizes the need for rendering access to ensure that California’s livestock industry continues to thrive, but nothing in AB 411 would undermine the state’s rendering industry: The volume limitation in AB 411 and the effort needed to create and maintain compost piles mean that most dairy farms and ranches with access to renderers will continue to use those facilities. Additionally, evidence from 42 other states where routine mortality composting is already authorized demonstrates that the practice does not undercut the viability of the rendering industry.
The Pacific Coast Renderers Association was soon joined in opposition by the California Grain and Feed Association, which shares a lobbyist with the renderers, and the California Advanced Biofuels Alliance, which counts a rendering company among its members.
Because employees of California’s renderers are members of the Teamsters Union, the California Teamsters Public Affairs Council also opposed AB 411, going so far as to bring more than a dozen union workers from rendering facilities to a July hearing of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee to voice their objection to the bill. Teamsters’ opposition ultimately drew in additional labor attention, with the United Food and Commercial Workers and the California Labor Federation also opposing the measure.
Fortunately, legislators unanimously took CCA’s side in the fight. “I think that composting is a no-brainer, you know, based on my background in cattle ranching,” Senator Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) said during the Senate Environmental Quality Committee hearing. “And I think [AB 411]’s limited. As I read the bill, anyone who’s dealing with large-scale episodes of [livestock mortality] is gonna have to probably try to find a rendering facility anyway.”
Labor typically has the upper hand in California politics. But despite strong labor opposition, AB 411 never took a single ‘no’ vote in any policy committee, fiscal committee or floor vote, and ultimately earned the Governor’s signature.
Many factors contributed to CCA’s success: a strong author and advocate in Assemblymember Papan; a strong Cattle-PAC that helps elect legislators who recognize the value of California’s ranching families; networking efforts that helped assure a broad coalition of support for AB 411, including wildlife advocates, moderate environmental groups and county environmental health officers (among others); and the aggressive, tireless advocacy efforts of CCA’s government affairs team.
MORE DETAILS OF THE BILL
As discussed above, ranches may not compost more than 100 cubic yards of compostable material at a time – equivalent to roughly 6-10 animals per 90-day cycle. This volume limitation is consistent with existing CalRecycle regulations for other agricultural waste. While CCA has heard concerns from ranchers and dairymen that the 100-cubic-yard allowance doesn’t go far enough,
it is an important first step, and additional authorizations can always be sought in future legislation if necessary and prudent.
AB 411 contains a few additional requirements designed to ensure animal and environmental health. For instance, animals euthanized with barbiturates or which die from an illness on CDFA’s List of Reportable Conditions for Animals and Animal Products cannot be composted under AB 411 (though CDFA may choose to authorize composting under separate emergency authority). Composters must notify their county environmental health agency and the relevant regional water quality control board within 30 days of commencing operations.
Additionally, composting must occur on land owned or leased by the livestock owner, and any carbon bulking material in the compost pile must originate on land owned or leased by the livestock owner, effectively precluding compost-for-hire activities which are regulated by CalRecycle. Similarly, the cured compost which results from the compost pile must be applied to land owned or leased by the owner of the livestock.
AB 411 also contains provisions to avoid conflict with existing law. For instance, to avoid running afoul of animal carcass hauling regulations, composting must take place either in the county where an animal died or an adjacent county.
WHAT’S NEXT
While AB 411 technically becomes law on January 1, 2026, routine on-ranch mortality composting will not be authorized as of that date. As State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones noted in an October 15 memo, “implementation will not begin until the California Department of Food and Agriculture…develops and adopts a Best Management Practices (BMPs) document” to which ranchers will need to conform in composting livestock carcasses. CCA will, of course, be closely engaged in the development of those BMPs, and will keep readers apprised of all developments regarding the implementation of AB 411.
Fortunately, CDFA will not be reinventing the wheel as it outlines composting best management practices: 42 other states have already established guidelines for livestock carcass composting, as have DeAtley, Snell and their colleagues.
CONCLUSION
CCA thanks Assemblymember Papan for authoring AB 411 and for her support of California’s cattle producers.
AB 411 is just the latest legislative victory for the Association; CCA-sponsored AB 525 (Lackey), which extends the agricultural vehicle exemption from the California Highway Patrol’s Basic Inspection of Terminals Program, was signed into law in July. A full recap of CCA’s 2025 legislative priorities will appear in the December edition of California Cattleman
DIRECT MARKETING MEAT A RANCHER’S GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING THE ECONOMICS OF DIRECT MARKETING PROGRESSIVE PRODUCER
by Daniel K. Macon for University of California Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources
When the live cattle market isn’t at record high levels (as it is currently), direct marketing beef from your ranch seems like an attractive (and profitable!) option. Even during these record prices, most of us remember the difficult years when the market is down – and direct marketing can seem like potential hedge against the bottom of the cattle cycle. But the actual economics of raising, finishing, processing, and marketing beef is more complicated than simply deciding to show up at the local farmers market with a cooler full of steaks and hamburger meat! This article is designed to help you evaluate whether direct marketing your beef makes sense. Does direct marketing beef actually add value to your cattle?
From Cow-Calf Producer to Beef Retailer
For most cow-calf producers, the “products” they sell may include weaned steer calves, replacement and/or terminal heifer calves, cull cows, and cull bulls. These sale animals may be marketed through private treaty sales, at the local sale barn, or through video auction – and the buyers are typically other cattle producers – cow-
calf producers, stocker operators, or feed yards. In the case of cull animals, the buyers may be meat processors.
After your weaned calves leave the ranch, where do they go? If you wean a 600-pound steer, that animal needs to double in weight (at a minimum) to reach “finished” size and condition[i]. Most weaned calves are run as stockers (on grass) for at least a season. Following this stocker phase, feeder cattle are placed in a finishing operation (which may be a feedlot or a grass-finishing operation) to gain additional weight and fat cover.
Forage Resources
Many ranching operations design their production calendars around their annual forage calendars. For example, fall calving operations may want to be sure that their calves are big enough to take advantage of the spring flush of forage in our foothill annual grasslands. Spring calving operations may want to ensure that their cows recover enough body condition after calving to increase conception rates. Producers with access to Forest Service grazing allotments for summer forage may look slightly different than operations that rely on irrigated pasture in the summer months.
In all cases, regardless of the your particular forage calendar, you’ll need to start by balancing your stocking rate (your demand for forage) with the carrying capacity of the lands you graze (your supply of forage). Stocking rate will fluctuate during the course of the year, even with a consistent herd size. A lactating cow will need more forage – and higher quality forage – than a dry cow. Similarly, forage quantity and quality vary
by season and from year to year. Most producers stock their ranches conservatively to avoid having to sell cattle during low productivity years (e.g., drought conditions).
One of the primary ways most ranchers adjust their stocking rate to changes in carrying capacity is to wean their calves. Weaning essentially cuts forage demand in half, if those calves are sold. One of the primary considerations, then, for operations that wish to retain and finish their calves is whether they have enough forage for growing calves and for maintaining cows. Alternatively, operations who decide to market beef rather than live animals may purchase stocker cattle from other ranchers.
But forage quantity is not the only consideration. Putting weight – and fat – on growing calves takes high quality forage. Are you set up to put weaned calves onto forage that will allow them to gain weight (typically, green forage with adequate protein and energy to support growth)? And if you are planning to grass finish calves for a direct marketing venture, do you have additional high quality forage to support the finishing phase?
Ranch Infrastructure
Forage quantity and quality are not the only considerations. Are your fences adequate for keeping curious feeder cattle contained? If you plan on feeding cattle through a finishing phase, do you have the facilities and equipment necessary to do this efficiently?
If you plan on marketing meat, your infrastructure needs don’t stop at the pasture! Do you have adequate cold storage to manage beef inventory? Do you have the ability to transport meat from the processor to your storage facility while maintaining temperature control? Do you have an inventory management system in place? What about retail facilities or equipment for marketing beef at a farmers’ market?
Ranch Labor vs. Meat Marketing Labor
Ranch owners and employees, obviously, need a wide range of skills. You need to be able to treat sick cattle, move livestock safely and efficiently, drive and fix equipment, build and repair fence, manage natural resources, and run a business (and the list could go on!). Marketing meat requires different – but equally diverse –skills. You need to be able to determine what cuts of beef your consumers are willing to buy, to understand pricing structure (your own and your competition’s), to manage inventory and distribution. Direct marketing requires someone who likes to talk to people, who doesn’t mind explaining the story of your ranch multiple times during a farmers’ market. You’ll need someone to contact restaurants and retailers – and invoice these customers when they make a purchase. Do you have someone in your business who can handle this work? Alternatively, if you’ll be doing the marketing and sales work, who will be covering the ranch work?
Knowing your Cattle vs. Knowing your Beef
If you’ve raised cattle for more than a few years, you probably know your cow herd pretty well. You know which cow consistently raises a big calf, and which cow will try to take you out when you ear tag her calf. If you’ve sold calves to the same buyer year after year, you may have some data on how your calves perform (as stockers or on the rail).
But do you know the attributes of your beef? What does an animal that is likely to grade choice look like on the hoof? What kind of dressing percentage can you expect from your cattle? More importantly, what kind of retail cutout can you expect? When that 1,400 pound steer is harvested, how many ribeye steaks will you have to sell? How much ground beef and stew meat will you need to market? How will you price these specific cuts
...CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
at a level that consumers will accept and that will generate a profit for your business?
Risks
Most ranchers are familiar with the risks involved in raising cattle. Production risks like drought, disease, predation, and wildfire can impact profitability, as can human risks like injuries, and legal risks like cattle being struck by a vehicle on a county road. Each operation has its own unique risk tolerance, and most operations manage this risk through a combination of planning and insurance.
Direct marketing businesses bring additional risks. From a production risk standpoint, death loss and disease are a risk at every additional production phase (when you sell your calves at weaning, the buyer assumes the risk of death loss; when you keep your calves through harvest, this risk is yours). Even after harvest, you’ll face additional production risks – what if your freezers fail, or a processor closes down? The human and legal risks are different, too. What if a farmers market customer trips and falls in your stall on Saturday morning? What if someone contracts a food borne illness and blames it on the meat they brought from you?
Again, every operation will have its own risk tolerance, but you will need additional insurance. Your ranch liability policy will not likely cover product liability, nor will it cover liability related to you farmers’ market stall.
Customers vs. Consumers
Consumers are the people that eat your beef. Customers are the people who pay for it. In some cases, this may be the same person. In other cases (as with restaurants or direct-to-retail outlets), the customer may not be the consumer. Obviously, you’ll need to understand each customer’s motivation and price sensitivity. For example, a chef tries to keep the food cost to 30% of the menu price. That steak on that $30 menu item must cost the restaurant less than $9. Can you meet that price and still be profitable?
Running the Numbers
To truly analyze whether selling beef is more profitable than your current production model, you’ll need to crunch the numbers. Remember, when you take a load of weaned steers to the auction, you get paid within a week. If you’re going to finish these steers rather than sell them at weaning, the stocker, finishing, and meat segments of your business need to “purchase” the animals going into each phase (even if this is just on paper). In other words, at each step of the business, you must decide – do I sell these cattle to someone else, or do I retain ownership through
the next phase. And each phase has its own unique costs, risks, and potential rewards!
To help you analyze these opportunities, I have created a spreadsheet that is designed to help you look at the bigger picture – at the end of this entire production process, does selling meat actually ADD value to the calves you produce?
Operational Questions
These questions are designed to help you and your team (family, employees, etc.) walk through the complex considerations that go into marketing your cattle. The purpose of this questionnaire is to help you identify strengths and weaknesses in your current business model, as well as opportunities for new revenue streams.
What classes and weights of cattle do you currently market? When do you market them? Where do you market them?
What does your current forage calendar look like? Where are each class of cattle during the course of the year, and what are they grazing in terms of forage type and quality?
Do you have any experience running stocker cattle?
Do you have any experience finishing cattle?
What class(es) of cattle are you considering using in your direct market business? Steers? Heifers? Cull cows?
Have you tested the market? Eaten your own beef? If so, what is great about YOUR beef?
What is the story that goes with your beef? What makes your operation unique?
How will you market beef? Through a farmers’ market, to restaurants, as whole/half/quarter carcasses directly to consumers, through a buying club?
Who is your customer? Who is your consumer? What motivates each of them?
Do you have post-harvest infrastructure in place (commercial freezers, a refrigerated truck, etc.) or will you need to purchase or rent this equipment?
Who will manage the beef inventory? Who will make deliveries and/or service customers? Who will coordinate processing, labeling, etc.? Who will do invoicing and collect payment??
Conclusion
This probably seems like a lot to consider – and it is! Deciding how to market your cattle –whether as weaned calves through a video sale or as packages of beef – impacts your cash flow, profitability, and business equity. Hopefully, the questions above, and the spreadsheet linked to this article, will help you think through your options objectively. If you have questions, or if you would like assistance walking through this analysis, contact the author via e-mail at: dmacon@ucanr.edu.
Vermilion Ranch Vermilion Ranch
Fall Performance Sale
2,200 ANGUS SELL
Selling Friday, November 28 at 1:00 PM
1,500 Fancy Commercial Angus Bred Heifers
One-Iron – Montana’s Best. Bred to Circle L Unified and Vermilion Leo, followed up by top performing Vermilion bulls. Bred to calve in February and March 2026.
100 Commercial Cow Dispersion
All 2018 born Commercial Angus Cows from the Diamond Ring Ranch to calve in March and April 2026.
Selling Saturday, November 29 at 11:00 AM
Bulls are genomic measured with and PAP tested at 6,000’.
Fall bulls are the best of our Fall Breeding Program! Sired by Riverside, Jameson, Conclusion, Long Teton, Leo and top Vermilion Sires.
100 Spring-Calving Registered Cow Dispersion
All 2018 born registered Angus cows. Proven producers that all sell – No Exceptions. Bred to Unified, Jameson, Prosper, Irish
150 Big, Stout Coming Two-Year-Olds Whiskey, Haynes Papa and Congress.
75 Registered Bred Heifers
Vermilion Ranch
Sires by Connealy Spur. AI Bred to Basin Jameson. Progeny WR 102; YR 101.
THE CURRENCY OF TRUST IN THE CATTLE BUSINESS
by National Cattlemen's Beef Association President Buck Wehrbein
In today’s fast-moving world, trust isn’t just a virtue, it’s a competitive advantage. In the cattle business, trust is the currency that fuels everything from policy partnerships to consumer loyalty. And like any currency, it must be earned, protected and wisely invested.
History often offers us our best lessons. If you ever want a long conversation with me, ask me about the Dust Bowl. But today, I’m thinking about the 1980s and ’90s, a time when beef quality faced real challenges. Some of you lived through it; some of you hadn’t even been born yet. But it was a time that posed real problems for the beef business. We only got through it by coming together to find solutions and a new path forward. That path was one focused on the consumer and what they expected from us, particularly beef quality and beef safety. That path forward is one of the things uniting us now. That shared journey is what has created unprecedented demand and record-high prices for our product. A focus on the consumer and the high demand for our product is driven by years of commitment, innovation and the trust we’ve earned.
Every celebration — whether it’s a backyard barbecue, a holiday meal or a quiet dinner with family, often centers around a high-quality beef meal. That’s no accident. It’s the result of decades
of hard work by cattle producers, industry leaders and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, who have strategically invested in tools that support beef quality, safety and animal care. Through bold changes and unwavering commitment, we’ve elevated our product to new heights. Today’s beef is more consistent, flavorful and high-quality than ever before, and I’m confident it will just keep getting better. But progress alone isn’t enough, we must also take credit for it. That means telling our story proudly, proactively and with purpose.
For NCBA, trust isn’t a passive asset — it’s an active strategy. We build it through transparency, consistency and a relentless commitment to representing cattle producers nationwide.
Our relationship with elected officials is a prime example of trust in action. These leaders rely on NCBA not just for policy recommendations, but for integrity. They trust us to be a credible voice — grounded in science, economics and the lived experience of our members. That trust earns us a
seat at the table when decisions are made, not just a reactionary role after the fact.
Whether it’s advocating for fair trade, defending property rights or shaping tax policy, our credibility is our leverage. It’s built one conversation at a time.
There’s something else I’ve been considering over the past several months, I’ve been reflecting on how the landscape of trust has shifted since the pandemic. Across many areas of public life, institutions that were once relied upon are facing new questions and scrutiny. While this scrutiny may, in many cases be warranted and perhaps long overdue, it is also changing the landscape for NCBA and the cattle business.
The tools and technologies that safeguard animal health and food safety are critical for us as cattlemen and women. These tools and technologies help support efficient, sustainable production, these are essential. And just as importantly, so is the trust behind them. When doubt arises, whether here at home or among our international trading partners, we have a responsibility to respond in a transparent manner consistent with NCBA’s longstanding path that is rooted in a strong foundation in science and care that we’ve built for decades.
NCBA’s role has always been to stand firmly behind our industry’s commitment to rigorous standards, quality beef and responsible stewardship. That commitment doesn’t just depend on outside validation — it’s also rooted in our own values and the pride we take in how we raise cattle on our farms and ranches.
Trust isn’t something earned once and kept forever; it’s something we build every day. It’s earned over years, and it can be revoked in an instant. For NCBA, our members and our partners throughout the beef supply chain, trust is what allows us to act with speed, confidence and clarity. As we look to the future, let’s remember that trust is built through relationships. In the beef business, those relationships remain our greatest strength.
HAY • VET SUPPLIES
COMMITTMENT TO EXCELLENCE
BORROR FAMILY HONORED AT CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF CONFERENCE
Stretches of orchard flash by in rows. Tucked into a horseshoe of mountain ranges, sunbeams cascade across a landscape more known for celebrities and coastlines than diverse farmland.
But on a quiet stretch of Northern California rangeland, a different story unfolds. The Borror family’s legacy speaks through the cattle they raise, the ground they steward. The generations who’ve made a life here demonstrate commitment to doing things right, even when no one is watching.
"We don’t take it lightly," Erin Borror says. "We are gifted with this land to be stewards of it, not only for our generations, but for everyone around us as well."
This attitude applies to every aspect of Tehama Angus Ranch. For that, and their dedication to high-quality Angus genetics, the Borror family earned the 2025 Certified Angus Beef (CAB) Seedstock Commitment to Excellence award. They were recognized at CAB’s Annual Conference in September.
Early Transitions
With humble beginnings, William "Bill" Borror, set the foundation decades ago with his passion for cattle. Not a salesman by nature, he believed the cattle should speak for themselves. He relied on data and visual appraisal to make selection decisions. That same quiet approach carried through to his son Kevin, and now his grandson Bryce, who serves as herdsman.
"Dad focused on the cattle," Kevin says. "The cattle were his dream, and his passion was raising the best cattle that he could."
Now in the role of mentor more than
manager, Kevin recalls his own transition into leadership years ago, following a family pattern.
"My dad took over from his dad at a younger age, and I took over from my dad at a younger age. So I’m letting Bryce take over for me at a younger age."
Bryce hit the ground running, paying attention to where the cattle live and what they consume nearly as much as the cattle themselves. The operation makes use of its diversified crops by converting walnut and almond hulls into supplemental feed and growing much of its own forage. Summer rotational grazing on irrigated pastures ensures the land that supported this family for more than half a century is well-equipped for generations to come.
"These pastures have been planted for 50 or 60 years," Bryce explains. "We try to keep our land in the best shape we can by refreshing it and protecting it."
Balance by Design
Bryce has embraced his role with a focus on data-driven genetics and customer results. Tehama Angus Ranch hosts an annual bull sale, serving a customer base as diverse as the region.
from Certified Angus Beef
But in the high desert or down on the coast, there’s one thing they’re all looking for: balance.
"Our customers are looking for balancetrait genetics," he says. "They’re looking for bulls that’ll sire a really nice set of replacement females. So when we add in some carcass traits, that returns more to them when they go to sell their calves."
Striking that balance means selecting genetics with strong maternal traits and solid carcass value, both tied to customer profitability. The CAB Targeting the Brand™ logo has become an invaluable tool for aligning their cattle with expectations.
"Our customers’ main goal is to hit CAB premiums and get rewarded for those carcasses," Bryce says. "Targeting the Brand is the easiest way for us to bring out bulls that meet those specifications."
For two years running, 62 percent of their bulls have earned the logo, sending a clear signal to customers.
He adds, "Having that information so that they can flip through a sale book and say, ‘This is what I’m trying to shoot for,’ and then make sure it meets the rest of their requirements for their environment."
Since most of their customers sell calves on a video sale, having a reputation for databacked consistency is crucial. Whether it’s weights from start to finish, ultrasound or genomics, the Borrors not only collect vast data, but use it as a tool to help customers.
"We provide most all the information that’s out there," Bryce says. "We prioritize that for both ourselves and our customers. If we don’t share what we collect, then it’s just all a waste."
That deep understanding of customers results in repeat business. The closed cow herd builds their reputation for consistent quality.
"Most of our customers are repeat customers," Bryce says. They expect similarity over the years, "but as we make improvement, they’re going to make improvement."
A Lasting Impact
This theme of tenacity and thoughtfulness led to Tehama Angus Ranch earning the 2025 CAB Seedstock Commitment to Excellence award. For a family that doesn’t ask for recognition, it is meaningful.
"It’s truly an honor," Kevin says. "And for my father, it’s well deserved. He’s put his
heart and soul into these cows."
From Bill to Kevin to Bryce, three generations now tend Tehama land, with likely more to come. For the Borrors, the goal isn’t reinvention but staying true. True to the cattle, true to the land and true to what got them where they are today.
Bryce and Erin’s sons Clayton and Nolan, checking cow-calf pairs out on mountain pasture.
Caption: (L to R) Bruce Cobb, CAB; Bill, Erin and Bryce Borror with John Stika, CAB.
Nolan and Clayton Borror (front) with grandparents Kevin and Linda (left), parents Bryce and Erin (center) and greatgrandfather Bill (right).
OWENS VALLEY RANCH ROUNDUP
by Laura Talbot for the InyoMono CattleWomen
BRINGING CATTLE PRODUCERS & COMMUNITY TOGETHER
The second annual Owen’s Valley Ranch Roundup this September was sponsored by the Inyo-Mono County Cattlewomen's Association. While last year’s event took place at Talbot Ranch, this year it was hosted at Eureka Livestock, owned by Nick and Kimberly Etcheverry
Our mission is to engage individuals who have not previously interacted with the cattle industry and may be unfamiliar with our work. With Bishop located along the busy 395 corridor— traversed by millions of visitors each year—we aim to welcome the community onto the ranch, provide insight into our operations, and offer educational as well as entertaining experiences. Through these efforts, we hope attendees will develop an informed perspective and serve as ambassadors for the industry. We believe that fostering direct conversations is far more effective than allowing social media platforms such as TikTok to shape public understanding.
We aimed to demonstrate our responsible management of land and livestock, noting that many ranches in the valley are operated by fifth and sixth generation farmers and ranchers. In addition to educating others, we use the event to fund scholarships for graduating students who plan to pursue studies in agriculture.
This year's event featured appetizers and beverages, an educational tour, a tri-tip dinner, live music, and line dancing. Attendees were also invited to participate in activities such as dummy roping or branding a coaster to take home as a memento.
The educational walking tour featured four main stations: a historical overview of ranching in Owens Valley, an environmental discussion, a working cow horse demonstration, and a pregnancy checking station by the chute. The history session was led by Rob Pierce, a lifelong resident whose family were among the first cattlemen to settle in the Valley during the mid-1800s. Ziani Paiz, a Deep Springs College graduate, delivered an excellent presentation covering carbon sequestration, the biogenic carbon cycle,
wildlife habitats, fuel reduction, and upcycling. CCA
First Vice President Mike Williams introduced the working cow horse demonstration—performed by Tannyr Ludwick and Annalee Guerero—with one of his well-known cowboy poems. Tom Talbot, DVM, and Nick Etcheverry provided a hands-on demonstration and explanation of moving a cow through the chute, while Talbot performed a pregnancy check with assistance from Mehgan Puget, DVM, who also offered an ultrasound image.
People from all backgrounds gathered for the event, set beneath the vast sky and wide-open fields. As cattle and horses grazed in the meadows, children in cowboy hats played to the sound of western music, adding to the lively atmosphere. Laura Talbot, promotional chairman, said the response was overwhelmingly positive. Our guests were enamored by the cultural heritage, the environmental benefits, and the hard work and integrity that is part of producing beef in the US.
As cattlewomen, we are committed to providing public education and supporting future agricultural students. It is essential that our narrative is communicated accurately and effectively. Greater public awareness is needed regarding the fact that agriculture is fundamental to society; there can be, “no culture without agriculture.”
INSPECTION DATES: Mon, October 13 • 4-6pm; Tue, October 14 • 9-11am; Thu, October 30 • 4-6pm; Fri, October 31 • 9-11am & Wed, November 12 • 3-5pm All attendees must check in at Tract 4 before viewing any of the homes or remainder of farm!
SELLER: Leonard J. Van Ryn & Anthony R. Van Ryn, as the Successor Co-Trustees of the Exempt Trust Created Under the Arie Van Ryn Family Trust established December 28, 1989, & the Marital Deduction Trust Created Under the Arie Van Ryn Family Trust established December 28, 1989 AUCTION MANAGER: Luke Schrader • 260.229.7089 #24028387 Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company, Inc. License #24035603, #2287 In Cooperation with Chuck Yarbro Auctioneers, Inc. License
FOUNDATION FOCUS SALUTING TO AG
Cattlemen help highlight ranching at college event
by Katie Roberti for the California Cattlemen's Foundation
The California Cattlemen’s Foundation was excited to be back under the stadium lights at UC Davis this fall for the second annual “Salute to Ag" football game. The Clarity and Leadership for Environmental Awareness and Research Frank Mitloehner, Ph.D., sponsored this Aggies home game to celebrate agriculture, livestock and California’s ranchers and farmers.
“California is the number one agricultural state, and we want to make sure people understand where their food comes from,” Mitloehner said. “It comes from farmers and ranchers, and we want to salute them and celebrate them and show people how we are connected with them. This campus is deeply connected to farmers and to agriculture.”
Along with the Foundation, The California Rangeland Trust, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, California Milk Board Advisory, and the UC Davis Young Cattlemen’s Association are just a few of the agricultural groups and organizations that lined the interior perimeter of the football arena with booths that game attendees stopped by to learn more about California agriculture.
“When agricultural groups come to events like this, it’s a great chance to close that knowledge gap,” Joe Proudman, associate director for communications for the CLEAR Center said. “From exhibits to one-on-one conversations between farmers and fans, we hope people walk away with a clearer picture of what modern agriculture really looks like.”
The Foundation’s booth highlighted how cattle ranching is part of a resilient California. Visitors could read and take copies of the featured factsheet about ranching families in California, which was produced by the Foundation with support from the California Cattle Council. The booth also offered giveaways, including CalResilient swag directing them to: calresilient.com to explore the ways ranching contributes to a more resilient California.
Other factsheets produced by the Foundation and the California Cattle Council were also available to take home and on display, highlighting how California cattle ranchers are climate champions, why cattle grazing makes California
more resilient, and how research has proven livestock grazing has the power to mitigate the impacts of wildfires by reducing fire spread and intensity by minimizing fuel loads and increasing fuel moisture.
A crowd favorite for many visitors was the chance to take a picture in a cowboy hat. Many posed holding CalResilient’s photo frame with the end zone in the background. Those who spent more time conversing at the booth also got to take home playing cards with facts on them about ranching in California.
“Schools like UC Davis help to educate us in scientific ways that we can then use to help run our ranches better and do a better job with our land and with our cattle, “CCA President Rick Roberti said. “And events like this help us to know how the public feels about agriculture too.”
The interactions had with students at the Foundation’s booth were positive and encouraging. Many students shared with Roberti and other booth staff that they love beef and appreciate the work of ranchers. The Foundation was also fortunate to have a great spot next to the UC Davis Young Cattlemen’s booth and to see the engagement they had with attendees. They were busy most of the football game face painting cows on attendees and sharing about their efforts as young cattlemen’s members.
Stream the recent episode of Sorting Pen with guest Tracy Sellers, senior content writer and media strategist for the UC Davis CLEAR Center, to hear more about the success of the Salute to Ag Day event and to find out more about the CLEAR Center’s efforts to use “research and extension to advance sustainability in animal agriculture.”
CCA ADVOCATES FOR ENHANCED NEW WORLD SCREWWORM PROTECTIONS
Led by Congressman David Valadao (R-CA22), a bipartisan coalition of California’s Congressional delegation issued a letter to USDA on September 30 requesting “enhanced surveillance at the California-Mexico border to help secure our country against the threat of New World screwworm” (NWS).
The request came after USDA announced on Sept. 21 that NWS had been detected just 70 miles south of the U.S.-Mexico border. As the Congressional letter notes, California’s 140-mile border with Mexico was at that time the only state border “without a robust NWS surveillance program,” representing a weak spot in USDA’s NWS prevention efforts which could be shored up with “relatively modest investments.”
“Livestock [are] one of the Central Valley’s top commodities, and we can’t afford to risk an outbreak of New World screwworm in California,” said Congressman Valadao. “Strengthening surveillance at the California-Mexico border is critical to protecting our herds, and I’m committed to working to defend our producers from this dangerous threat to our food supply chain.”
In addition to Congressman Valadao, the letter was signed by Representatives Jim Costa (D-CA21), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA19), John Garamendi (D-CA08), Salud Carbajal (D-CA24), Jay Obernolte (R-CA23), Vince Fong (R-CA20), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA01) and Young Kim (R-CA40).
CCA coordinated the Congressional letter with Congressman Valadao’s office; the document arose in part from meetings with California’s Congressional delegation on Sept. 16 during CCA’s Washington, D.C. “Flyin.”
Additionally, shortly before press time USDA released a “response playbook” which will guide the agency’s activities in the event of a NWS detection within the United
States. According to USDA’s press release announcing the response playbook, “The activities outlined in the playbook will allow a flexible, science-based approach and data-driven decisions to allow responders to plan, act, and adapt across all phases of an outbreak.”
USDA has suggested that playbook is a “living, dynamic document[s],” and the agency is accepting feedback to inform the response. CCA staff is carefully reviewing the documents and will share insights with USDA.
SHOULD YOU ORDER THE
ANAPLASMOSIS VACCINE?
Anaplasmosis is an infectious parasitic disease in cattle, spread primarily by ticks and blood sucking insects like mosquitoes. The killed anaplasmosis vaccine protects cows and bulls of any age from infection and requires a booster given 4 to 6 weeks after the inital vaccination. Find out below if you should order the vaccine!
Do
you own cattle?
You don’t need it, but should still support the California Cattlemen’s Association
Do they graze in areas where Anaplasmosis is a problem?
Do you want to prevent the effects of the disease including severe anemia, weakness, fever lack of appetite, depression, constipation, decreased milk production, jaundice, abortion and possibly death?
You don’t need to
ECONOMIC INSIGHTS
TARIFF POLICY, DECLINING IMMIGRATION AND MASSIVE A.I. INVESTMENTS CLOUD U.S. ECONOMY
from the CoBank Quarterly Report
Significant downward revisions to monthly payroll estimates in August led many market observers to anticipate the Federal Reserve would begin cutting interest rate cuts more aggressively. However, recent economic data has generally been positive, tempering expectations for more significant cuts before the end of the year.
According to a new quarterly report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, the most likely scenario is an additional four or five cuts of 25 basis points through 2026, leaving the overnight rate around 3.0 percent by the end of 2026. The actual outcome will depend heavily on how the economic data looks and how successful the White House is in influencing monetary policy.
Tariff policy uncertainty, the sharp decline in immigration and the massive surge in artificial intelligence (AI) investments have made interpreting traditional economic reports more difficult. The CoBank report suggests sharp swings in monthly import volumes, a flattening of working-age population growth and a soaring stock market make it difficult to gauge how “Main Street” America is doing economically.
“The intense politicization of attitudes has rendered longstanding public sentiment surveys erratic and unhelpful in gauging actual economic conditions,” said Rob Fox, vice president of CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange. “The federal government shutdown and potential loss of scheduled economic reports will make it even more difficult for businesses to gauge the economy and make prudent business decisions.”
Despite rising fears that the rapid adoption of AI will soften the labor market and dim job prospects for college graduates, Fox said there is little evidence to support those fears. “New technologies have always raised concerns about job losses. The recurring theme is job
transformation, not elimination. This time isn’t any different. Today’s college graduates are already deeply familiar with AI and are using it to sharpen skills hiring managers value most.”
U.S. Economy
Personal consumption and unemployment rates, arguably the most important economic signals, have held steady in the face of ongoing uncertainty. However, other signs suggest the economy may be slowing. Personal income growth, adjusted for inflation, has fallen from 4 percent in early 2024 to about 2 percent today. Consumers have responded by dipping into savings to maintain their spending, which cannot be sustained indefinitely. While a potentially slowing economy and declining interest rates should put downward pressure on the dollar, the effect for U.S. agricultural exports has been muted. Row crop exports have not experienced the benefit of the weakening dollar relative to the currencies of America’s largest grain importers.
U.S. Government
The government shutdown and lack of congressional action are contributing to widespread political and economic uncertainty. With no more funds to support most federal programs or pay many public servants, the suspension of most revenue-generating capabilities are halted and will likely negatively impact the economy as time goes on. Meanwhile, the abundance of American agricultural commodities is no longer an asset but rather a liability for many U.S. farmers. Tariffs have ultimately shut out American commodities to many countries. The administration is expected to announce $10 billion-$15 billion in farm aid to struggling producers but that may be delayed because of the government shutdown.
Grains, Farm Supply & Biofuels
U.S. farmers are harvesting a record-large corn crop and the second-largest soybean crop in five years following the largest wheat harvest in five years. The supply abundance is welcomed news for grain elevators looking to capture bigger carries in the futures market. But the record grain crop will strain U.S. storage and transportation infrastructure. The demand outlook for U.S. grains remains clouded by geopolitical uncertainty. Corn and wheat sales enter the fourth quarter historically strong, but soybean sales are abysmal due to the lack of Chinese purchases. Low water levels on the Mississippi River threaten to slow grain and oilseed exports during the peak shipping season.
Elevated crop input costs will further erode producer profitability during the current low commodity price cycle. Producers will likely reduce fall fertilizer applications and stall overall input purchases for 2026 due to higher prices. Tariffs are also driving up input costs. The average tariff on crop inputs imported to the U.S. has increased from 1% to nearly 12%, according to data published by North Dakota State University. Fertilizer prices remain the biggest headwind for producers. Farmers will be reassessing and potentially reducing their usage rates of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. If farmers shift more applications to the spring, high seasonal demand could lead to supply chain hiccups.
Biofuel demand remains a silver lining for the crop side of the agricultural economy. But the delay in regulatory policy on renewable volume obligations and small refinery exemption reallocation are casting a cloud over future demand. The EPA is unlikely to finalize next year’s renewable volume obligations before 2026. Renewable diesel and biodiesel margins will stay in the red as producers work through the long transition from the Blenders Tax Credit to the 45Z Tax Credit. Ethanol producer margins should remain positive to close out the year, due to plentiful corn supplies and low prices for natural gas and corn.
Animal Protein & Dairy
Dollar sales of retail ground beef grew by double digits in August, up 13% year-over-year at $1.7 billion, according to Circana. While beef prices remain elevated on tight cattle supplies, persistent demand boosted overall sales, and volume kept pace. Domestic cattle prices rose throughout much of the third quarter, setting new records and boosting returns to ranchers,
but complicating beef market dynamics otherwise. Beef packer margins struggled during the third quarter. Despite strong demand for beef, several factors are limiting production growth.
A slimming U.S. hog herd served to lift market prices. Price rallies for lean hog futures and feeder pigs persisted over the summer, settling at 20% and 48% higher year-over-year, respectively, in late September. In August, farrowto-finish profit margins reached $52.58 per head, the highest since June 2021, according to Iowa State University. Pork producers have now posted profits for 17 consecutive months. Export demand has slowed slightly compared to 2024, which was a record export year for U.S. pork. Mexico remains the largest buyer of U.S. pork.
With beef prices hitting all-time highs, the U.S. broiler segment capitalized on the opportunity to provide consumers a value offering this summer. A strong focus on chicken at retail and foodservice boosted white meat values through August. The quick-service restaurant segment featured a multitude of chicken options focused on strips and new flavors. Softening white meat values during the remainder of the year are likely to crimp margins but will continue to position chicken as a competitive value offering in 2026. Broiler production is expected to remain elevated through the end of 2025.
U.S. dairy farmers continue to enhance their revenue by producing calves destined for beef production. Beef’s contribution to the bottom line has moved from $1 to $4 per cwt. over the past four years. The U.S. dairy herd has climbed to its highest level in over 30 years, in part, to capitalize on revenue from beef-on-dairy calves. While milk production margins had been somewhat favorable, strong output in recent months significantly changed the price forecasts. Butterfat production is in overdrive and ample supplies have sent milk futures lower. Typically, that would prompt dairies to reduce production. But the combination of the lowest feed prices in five years and profit margins for beef may be a stronger signal.
Power & Digital Infrastructure
The cost of electricity is becoming a chief economic concern for Americans as prices are rising twice as fast as inflation. While data centers’ enormous appetite for power is
...CONTINUED ON PAGE 32
frequently assigned blame, the problem of rising electricity prices pre-dates data centers. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation has long warned of supply challenges. Large load growth customers such as data centers could be a catalyst for modernizing the U.S. electric grid, ultimately helping to lower rates for all customers. However, regulatory misalignment or the misapportionment of system costs could deter the beneficial load growth needed to temper electricity costs. The imperative for utilities is to insulate consumers from data center cost sharing. Historic investments continue pouring into data center and AI infrastructure development. Capital expenditures could approach $400 billion in 2025, up from $235 billion in 2024. Investments will surge even higher in 2026, with Oracle, Microsoft and Broadcom signaling continued growth in AI infrastructure. That momentum creates a unique opportunity for rural America, as data center developers and hyperscalers search for land and a clear path to power. But the road ahead is not without challenges. The looming supplydemand imbalance in U.S. energy markets could become a bottleneck for growth and increase the risk of critical AI training activities migrating overseas.
HDPE for Ranch Water Systems
All livestock producers should know the risks of the New World Screwworm (NWS), how to recognize signs of NWS infestations and how to prepare for its possible introduction into California. NWS refers to a species of fly similar in size and appearance to the common blow fly but has maggots that burrow (screw) into wounds with devastating consequences to livestock.
Tom Talbot, DVM, CCA Animal Health Committee Chair, says that “If NWS were to be detected within the borders of California, I am deeply concerned not only about the health and welfare of our animals, but also about our ability to move animals within the state as well as across state lines.”
Given the significant threat of NWS to the livestock industry, the University of California Cooperative Extension, in partnership with California Cattlemen’s Association and California Wool Growers Association, is holding a webinar covering this returning threat to the US livestock industry. Eradicated from the US in the 1960s and later pushed as far south as Central America, NWS has recently migrated back north and as of early October is close to the US-Mexico border. NWS is a unique parasite in that it lays eggs in wounds as small as a tick bite resulting in maggots growing under the skin often undetected un-til a large wound appears. NWS can have devastating effects on animal health and welfare, livestock movements, and can be lethal to the animal.
When: Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. Mark your calendar!
Topics Covered: NWS life cycle, history, current situation, USDA response plans, preparation on the ranch and current and potential insecticides to use on NWS.
Webinar Registration: You need to register for the webinar in order to receive the webinar link. Register at https://link.ucanr. edu/nws-webinar or scan the QR code below. The registration deadline is 1 p.m. on Nov. 18 so that the webinar link can be sent to all registered participants that afternoon.
CATTLEMEN’S REPORT
July, August and September 2025 California Cattleman advertisers are represented in this sale report.
20 semen units ................................................ $1,200
VINTAGE ANGUS RANCH
39th Annual Genetic Gold Female Sale
Oct. 12, Modesto
Col. Steve Dorran
129 registered Angus female lots ..... $21,264
ARELLANO BRAVO ANGUS
Inaugural Female Sale
Oct. 13, Walnut Grove
Col. Steve Dorran
Managed by Parnell-Dickinson, Inc.
69 females
7 late fall bulls
THOMAS ANGUS RANCH
Bull Sale
Oct. 16, Baker City, Ore.
Col. Trent Stewart
110 Angus bulls $7,227
94 females $4,835
LEACHMAN CATTLE BULL SALE
Oct. 18, Dinuba
Col. Jon Dolieslager 91 total bulls.........................................................$6,571
LAMBERT RANCH
Butte Bull Sale with Sunbright Angus, Diamond H Angus and Westwind Angus
Oct. 18, Oroville
Col. Rick Machado
FAMOSO ALL BREEDS BULL SALE
Oct. 18, McFarland
Col. Justin Mebane and Col. Bennett Mebane 67 total bulls $6,423
Quanah Gardiner, Col. Rick Machado, Dick Hubman, Jake Pickering and Ryan Cotton at the Thomas Angus Bull Sale.
Clayton Lambert and Steve Lambert with bull buyer Seth Ferreira at Lambert Ranch's Butte Bull Sale in Oroville, Oct. 18.
IN MEMORY
JOHN OWENS
John Burton Owens, 77, of Red Bluff, and Fort Klamath, Ore., passed on Oct. 6, after suffering from a stroke.
He was born in Red Bluff, to Jack and Elaine (Alford) Owens and into a family deeply rooted in livestock production, raising sheep and cattle. From an early age, he embraced the ranching lifestyle, dedicating himself to it throughout his lifetime. John attended the Reeds Creek one room school house from second through eighth grade before continuing on to Red Bluff High School. There he played football and was involved in FFA, graduating in 1966. John went on to attend California State University, Chico, where he excelled at football and the livestock judging team. He earned a degree in Agribusiness in 1970.
John met the love of his life, Candy Clough, in 1971. Eager to begin their journey together, they were married on his birthday, July 14, 1973, on the front porch of her childhood home. From the first days to the last, John and Candy stood shoulder to shoulder, building a life together through hard work, love, and unwavering companionship.
John and Candy were anxious to begin a family of their own, and their children were the center of their lives. Their first son, Nathan Owens, was born in 1976. Their second son, Bryan Owens, was born in 1980. Nathan’s marriage to wife, Nicole Hall and Bryan’s marriage to wife Sheena Miller were both joyfully celebrated at the same ranch where John and Candy had exchanged their vows. John was endlessly proud of his boys and they shared countless hours of meaningful work with their cattle. He faithfully came out of the mountains each week during the high school football season to cheer them on. A tradition he had just begun to carry on with his grandsons-watching with the same pride and devotion.
John cherished every moment spent with his grandchildren-Ally and Macy (Nathan and Nicole’s daughters) and Ceinna, Marek, and Jack (Bryan and Sheena’s children). Whether he was watching them play sports, celebrating holidays, or working cattle together, those moments were among his greatest joys. He took special pride in their abilities horseback, seeing in them the same love of ranch life that had shaped his own. John spoke often of their talents and accomplishments, and he rarely missed a chance to be present at their activities. To him his grandchildren were not only a source of pride and joy, but also a reflection of the values and traditions he was proud to pass down.
John took the utmost pride in his cattle, dedicating himself to building a herd that reflected his remarkable eye for genetics and quality. Alongside his cattle, John had a deep affection for his horses and dogs, treating each with respect
and care, as both loyal companions and essential partners in ranch life. His devotion to the land and the animals he tended was a legacy he carried with pride, and one that continues to live on through his family.
John’s commitment to the cattle industry and his community was evident throughout his life. He began helping at the Red Bluff Bull and Gelding Sale as a teenager, served as a Director for many years, and went on to serve as its president from 2011 to 2019, devoting countless hours of energy to the event. Over the years he was the volume bull buyer many times, a reflection of his belief in the quality the sale represented.
John was a member of the California Cattlemen’s Association, Tehama County Cattlemen’s Association, Tehama County Farm Bureau, American Stewards of Liberty, and also a lifelong Elk’s Club member. In 1999, John was honored as ‘Top Hand’ by the Red Bluff Round Up Association for his years of volunteer service. He was named the Tehama County Cattlemen's Man of the Year in 2005 and recognized as the Tehama County Farm Bureau’s Farmer of the Year in 2007. In 2023, John received the Jack Alford award from the Red Bluff Bull and Gelding Sale in recognition of his support and dedication. John was a true cattleman, devoted steward of the land, and a respected pillar not only in the beef industry but also in his community.
When John wasn’t working on the ranch he enjoyed traveling, playing pinochle, golfing, reading western novels, and watching classic western movies. He also loved following sports on television and was a devoted San Francisco Giants and 49er fan through and through. These pastimes reflected his love of both adventure and tradition.
John was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Elaine, his brother David, and many dear friends. He is survived by his loving wife Candy, his sons, Nathan (Nicole) and Bryan (Sheena), and brother, Kenneth (Sheree), niece, Lacy (Cole) Hook, nephew, Roy (Casey) Owens, and a wide circle of extended family and friends who will carry his memory forward.
John was humble and lived with integrity, generosity, and pride in the traditions he upheld passing them down to his children and grandchildren. His life was defined by hard work and a deep love for the land and animals he cared for. To know John was to witness steadfast loyalty, quiet strength, and a deep appreciation for life’s simple blessings. Though he will be deeply missed, the love he shared and the values he lived by, including his guiding principle that “My word is my reputation,” will continue to inspire all who were fortunate enough to know him.
Family and friends gathered in his honor at a Celebration of Life Oct. 19 in Red Bluff. Memorial donations can be made to: Tehama District Fair: John Owens Memorial Youth Livestock Fund, 650 Antelope Blvd., Red Bluff, CA 96080.
EARL DOLCINI
Earl Dolcini, a lifelong rancher and fourthgeneration Californian, died on Friday, June 6. He was at home, just three miles from the ranch of his childhood in Marin County. Earl was dedicated to family and agriculture. In addition to these interests, he served in the U.S. Navy, was a Farm Credit Bank director including the Farm Credit Council, and served on nonprofit boards.
He attended one-room Lincoln School in Hicks Valley through eighth grade. At St. Vincent High School, where he graduated, he was student body president and Boys State representative. As a member of the Class of 1951 at St. Mary’s College, he majored in economics and liberal arts, graduating with a bachelor’s degree.
Earl joined the U.S. Navy and was a seaman in Japan. While home on a brief leave in 1952, he and Mary Margaret “Micky” Lane of Petaluma were married. He was admitted to Officer Candidate School, and was commissioned as an officer in 1953. Most of his active duty was served in the Seattle area.
After Earl completed active duty, he and Micky returned to Petaluma, and he joined his father and brothers in the dairy business. The family dairy tradition began after his Swiss great-grandfather arrived in the 1850s. There was also agriculture on his Irish side. His Irish great-grandfather came to California in the 1840s.
Earl eventually became the sole operator of the all-Jersey dairy.
In the 1960s, he and Micky started their own beef herd with four cows that served as the foundation for the business that operates today in Marin and Sonoma County. In the mid 1970’s Earl began backgrounding his own calves then soon after began retaining ownership and feeding them with AL Gilbert Feedyard in Oakdale, then later with Agri Beef.
Earl maintained his Navy connection in the Naval Reserve, serving as commanding officer at reserve facilities in Petaluma and Santa Rosa. He retired as a lieutenant commander.
At age 57, he was elected as a Farm Credit Land Bank director and served 20 years, including 12 years of chairmanship at various institutions within the organization. His bank responsibilities took him to 40 states and Washington, D.C. His service included time on the Farm Credit Council, with two of those years in the position of chairman of the board.
He was also a founding board member and past chairman of the landmark Marin Agricultural Land Trust, the first agricultural land trust in the United States. He served as a Marin County Farm Bureau director. In the 1970s and received their “Lifetime Achievement Award," for Dedication to
Marin County Agriculture in 2010. Earl joined the Parent-Faculty Council at St. Vincent High School when his students were enrolled. He supported agriculture as a board member for the former St. Anthony Farms, an addiction-recovery center that ran farm businesses in Bloomfield. For over 50 years, he enjoyed the camaraderie of Sonoma County Trail Blazers.
His Catholic faith was integral to his life and guided all decisions. He belonged to St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Petaluma.
Earl and Micky enjoyed traveling to Europe and in the U.S. to visit friends and family.
Earl is survived by Micky and their eight children: Anne Starr (Tom), Joan Coudray (Mark), Peggy Dolcini (Joe Catania), Tim Dolcini (Lisa), Phillip Dolcini (Bonnie), Mimi Bundesen (Karl), Sam Dolcini, and Becky Castillo (Brian). His 17 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren will miss him dearly.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Arnold and Katherine (Connolly) Dolcini; his siblings Anita, Arnold Jr., Ruth, Marguerite, and Peter; and one grandson, Daniel Coudray.
A rosary vigil was held June 17 at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Petaluma. The funeral Mass was celebrated on June 18 at the church, followed immediately by interment with military honors at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Petaluma.
John Teixeira: (805) 448-3859 Allan Teixeira: (805) 310-3353
Hill: (541) 990-5479
(707)
BALD MOUNTAIN BRANGUS, SONORA (209) 768-1712
RUNNING STAR RANCH, LINCOLN (916) 257-5517
SUNSET RANCH, OROVILLE (530) 990-2580
DEER CREEK RANCH, LOS MOLINOS (541) 817-2335 THE SPANISH RANCH, NEW CUYAMA (805) 245-0434
GLASGOW BRANGUS, SANTA YSABEL (760) 789-2488
TUMBLEWEED RANCHES, GREELEY HILL (209) 591-0630
SPANISH RANCH
SPRING RANCH
422± acres of pasture, timbered hills and draws. Multiple water sources for stock & wildlife. Great hunting! $2,350,000
LEMHI ROAD RANCH
357± acres near Salmon, Idaho with irrigated pasture, barns, corrals, and adjacent to BLM. $1,990,000
Sire: Hoover No Doubt • Dam: Baldridge Isabel B082
Dam’s Sire: G A R Prophet
Don’t miss this opportunity to flush this standout with a CW of +80 and MARB of +1.35 to the bull of your choice! Flush carries a minimum of 6 (no cap) with a pregnancy guarantee of 2.
STERLING ISABEL 905 FLUSH
SELLING CHOICE OF CELL CLONES OF BALDRIDGE ISABEL Y69 STERLING ISABEL Y69-1 OR Y69-2 STERLING ISABEL Y69-2
Offering this standout out of Baldridge Isabel E318 sired by the $600,000 Basin Jameson 1076. She ranks in the top 5% or better for WW, YW, Milk, Angle, CW, $W, $G, $B and $C.
PICK OF THE ‘2016’ SPRING 2026 HEIFER CALVES
G A R SUNRISE 2016 +*18635927
Sire: G A R Sunrise • Dam: G A R Ingenuity 3132
Dam’s Sire: G A R Ingenuity
Selling the pick of ‘2016’ heifer calves (after DNA) that are due late February 2026 by: Baldridge War Cry K041 • ST Wizard 1585 • Schiefelbein Executive • Poss Pendleton.
G A R SUNRISE 2016 HEIFER PICK
watch for dixie valley long-yearlings and yearlings selling in the Great Basin Bull Sale: February 14, 2026 • Fallon, NEVada An tremendous opportunity to purchase your pick of these cell clones of the infamous Baldridge Isabel Y69. Each sells with a late fall calf at side sired by EXAR Jameson 3789B.
THE FEMALE SALE
VINTAGE ANGUS WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR 2025 FEMALE BUYERS...
We would like to thank everyone that took the time to be with us on sale day. It was an honor to host such a great group of cattlemen. You made it a special day that saw 86 lots gross $2,743,000 to average $31,895!
VINTAGE RITA 5105
A special thank you to Pollard Farm and Maple Lane Angus/ Nowatzke Cattle Company for their 160,000 selection of Vintage Rita 5105.
VINTAGE RITA 5310
Thank you to Wilks Ranch and 4 Sons Angus for their $120,000 selection of Vintage Rita 5310.
VINTAGE LUCY 5126
Thank you to 44 Farms and Circle F Farms for their 150,000 selection of Vintage Lucy 5126.
VINTAGE LUCY 5255
Thank you to Triple A Farms for their $100,000 selection of Vintage Lucy 5255.
Also, thank you to these breeders:
Vintage Rita 4277, the 80,000 selection of Brumfield Angus
Vintage Blackbird 5076, the 90,000 selection of Grimmius Cattle
Vintage Blackbird 5017, the 80,000 selection of Deer Valley Farms
Vintage Lucy 5010, the 80,000 selection of Edisto Pines Farm
Vintage Blackcap 5183, the 70,000 selectopn of Hopson Angus
Vintage Lucy 5030, the 70,000 selection of Bar KJ Angus
