LMD | 02-2026

Riding Herd Saying things that need to be said.

February 15, 2026 • www.aaalivestock.com

Volume 68 • No. 2

The Pyramid Game

BY LEE PITTS

W

e supposedly live in a free country where we can choose for ourselves what religion to practice, how hard we want to work and what we want to eat. So how is it that our government and big business have long influenced what winds up on our plates?

The Politics of Food You can trace our government’s desire to influence what Americans eat all the way back to 1906 with the passage of the 1906 Act, which outlawed adulterated and misbranded food as well as drugs. Dietary guidance from the federal government in the earlier part of the 20th century encouraged food safety and safe storage of foods and the importance of diet in the prevention of disease. If they’d have stopped there all would have been well and good. But you know politicians and bureaucrats: give them a little power and they only want more. So, in 1980 the USDA started publishing its Dietary Guidelines every five years and President Trump’s Guidelines, which vary greatly

from previous editions, are the tenth edition. The National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act of 1990 set the five years in stone and The Department of Health and Human Services was added to help the USDA set the standards.

To fully understand the crooked path our government has been on we must go all

the seven food groups were.)

Then in 1977 came the Food for Fitness Daily Food Guide which cut the number of basic food groups down to the Basic Four.

Since very few people were digesting the nutritional advice dished out by the feds they decided in 1984 to come out with a more graphic approach that would be more understandable and thus the Food Wheel came into being.

Evidently even this new graphic was being wildly ignored as evidenced by the growing number of obese people in the country. At this point there was a big controversy that focused the public’s attention on the conflict between federal protection of the rights of food lobbyists to act in their own self-interest, and federal responsibility to promote the nutritional health of the public. The USDA’s answer was

The basics to roping and dancin’ are the same: a sense of rhythm, good timing and an eye for distance. the back to the 1940’s when the fed’s introduced their first Guide to Good Eating which introduced the Basic Seven Food groups along with the daily number of servings needed from each of seven food groups.

(I distinctly remember being asked on a fifth-grade test what

continued on page 2

Drivers of Change The Cow Herd in Rural Land Shrinks Some More Values: The Case SDA released the Cattle inventoof Texas ry survey on Friday, January 30th.

SOURCE: SOUTHERN AG TODAY

BY JOSE ANDRES SOLIS AND CHRYSTOL THOMAS / SOUTHERN AG TODAY

R NEWSPAPER PRIORITY HANDLING

the Food Pyramid. Americans being made more healthy, you see, was just a simple matter of geometry... pyramids instead of circles.

So, in 1992 we saw the first food pyramid and it included six categories: bread, rice, cereal and pasta were at the bottom and fats, oils and sweets were at the top, to be consumed only in small amounts.. But this was very confusing. The second version of the Pyramid, which was then renamed MyPyramid, debuted in 2005 and for the first time it placed emphasis on calories and physical activity. The new graphic featured six groups: grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat and beans and a small section for oils.

Despite her lack of credentials as a nutritionist, First Lady Michelle Obama, in 2011, decided to stick her nose into America’s kitchens when she came up with MyPlate, so we were back to a circle again. I thought we’d already done this little test in geometry and found that a pyramid was preferable to

ural land values in the U.S. sit at the intersection of agriculture, housing, energy, and long-term investment.

Land values influence producers’ borrowing capacity and decision making while they influence households’ wealth and tax burdens, affecting the prosperity of rural communities.

There was an increase in rural land and property values in the wake of the pandemic, due in part to high buyer demand. Remote workers were able to relocate from cities to rural areas as broadband access (high-speed internet) expanded and rural infrastructure improved in more remote regions (Smith, 2023), resulting in an emerging trend across the U.S. that further increased demand for rural land.

Understanding the factors affecting rural land values help determine the resilience of ranch and farm operations and the affordability of rural living, both of which are important to the development of rural communities. This becomes even more pertinent given the recent shift in interest rates, along with the volatile nature of commodity prices, and growing competition for land from investors for various purposes such as renewable energy projects.

Texas is known for its rural character, having the most farmland in the country and by far the largest amount in the southern region (U.S Census, 2022, see Figure 1). Despite the continued on page 5

U

We’ve included some thoughts on the report from a few of our Southern Ag Today Livestock Economists.

Kenny Burdine, University of Kentucky.

In a word – bullish! The 1 percent decrease in beef cow inventory surprised me. With beef cow slaughter down by over 500,000 head in 2025, I expected beef cow numbers to be up slightly coming into 2026. At 27.6 million cows, the US beef herd is still at its lowest level since 1961.

Heifers held for beef cow replacement were estimated at a little over 4.7 million head, which is up 0.9 percent from last year. I like to consider this number as a percent of beef cow inventory, which would be 17.1 percent. This is below the long run average, but higher than each of the last three January reports.

The 2 percent increase in dairy cow inventory is also noteworthy. 2024 was a very good year in the dairy sector and cow numbers seemed slow to respond. However, monthly estimates started rising steadily during 2025 and that was reflected in this January 1 number. While milk prices have fallen sharply over the last 12 months, that is likely being offset by strong values for beefsired dairy calves.

KY beef cow inventory was estimated down another 7,000 (-0.8 percent) head this year. This is the lowest beef cow numbers have been in the Commonwealth since the 1960’s. In addition to production costs, female values (weaned continued on page 4

by LEE PITTS

Putting On the Dog

T

he biggest change in the animal world during my 74 years has been our attitude towards dogs. It’s now a common sight to see dogs running around with people chained to them whose sole purpose is to pick up the dog’s poop.

You see more jet-setting dogs in airplanes whereas 60 years ago you often heard of pets flying in the baggage compartment and freezing to death. Today, in order for a dog to fly it must be in a kennel that’s large enough for the dog to stand up, sit down, turn around and roll over. This is more space than the passengers get. After a tiring flight the dog can get an at-home neck and shoulder massage or acupuncture.

It can even go to a spa (dogs are more spa oriented than cats). There’s now an entire industry of dog clippers who can make a poodle look like a topiary hedge in some billionaire’s botanical garden.

I have a friend who owns a chain of pet stores that offers self-service bathing facilities for dogs. I don’t think I’ve ever washed any of my dogs more than three times in their life and when I did it was probably because they tangled with a skunk. I never could see the point in washing a dog only to see it roll in a pile of cow manure afterwards.

It used to be that the social order of dogs was determined by how high on a fence post or utility pole they could pee, whereas now social status amongst dogs is determined by their name. Seventy years ago dogs were given simple monikers like Lady, Spot, Bear, Blue, Buddy or Bandit.

Fido was the perfect name for a dog, Fido meaning ‘faithful’ in Latin. When’s the last time you heard of a dog named Fido? Nowadays they are more apt to have registration papers with names like Benjamin Rock-a-feller III or Queen Amanda of Omaha.

Even common mutts are now called Britney, Brandy, Buffy or Snoop Dog. Growing up I can’t remember seeing a dog being pushed in a baby carriage or in a doggie trailer pulled by a bicycle. Nor was I ever invited to a dog’s birthday party.

You didn’t kiss your dog back then because you knew what your cow dog had been eating and that a dog’s mouth

continued on page 3

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February 15, 2026

PYRAMID

cont from pg 1

a circle as a visual cue, but that didn’t stop Mrs. Obama from devising a plate divided into four sections with fruits, vegetables, grains and protein. To the side is a cup labeled dairy.

MyPlate went over with the consumer like porcupine stew at the Ptomaine Tavern.

At this point it became obvious that there were too many chefs in the kitchen so, like kindergartners playing with a set of geometric blocks, Health and Human Services decided that we needed to go back to a Pyramid. At this point USDA’s eating games had been politicized to the point of being worthless.

Critics insisted that food lobbies were having too much say in how the Pyramid was constructed saying that pressure from meat and dairy producers was only the latest in a long series of industry attempts to influence federal dietary recommendations. It was also obvious that federal nutritional advice was getting WAY too confusing. Were we to decrease consumption of meat or were we to eat meat with every meal?

Meanwhile the USDA was torn between their mandate to promote U.S. agricultural products and their other mandate to serve up healthy food choices for Americans.

So, what did the USDA do?

They invited famed nutritionist Sleepy Joe Biden to straighten this mess out, or whoever was masquerading as Sleepy Joe at the time. Perhaps it was Dr. Jill Biden (Doctorate in Education). So, Biden replaced sound nutritional science and in its place he stirred in whopping amounts of DEI and “health equity,” whatever that is. I’m sure couldn’t find any at our local grocery store.

Writer Noah Stanton did the best job we’ve seen in putting all this in context. He wrote, “For decades, the federal government handed Americans a nutritional roadmap and promised it would lead to better health.

Millions followed it faithfully.

They swapped butter for margarine, traded whole milk for skim, loaded up on grains at the base of that sacred food pyramid, and dutifully avoided the eggs and red meat they were told would kill them.

“And what did we get for our obedience?,” asks Stanton. “An obesity epidemic that now affects over 40 percent of American adults. A diabetes crisis draining family savings and Medicare coffers alike. The map, it turns out, was drawn by people more interested in protecting agricultural subsidies and food industry profits than protecting American health.

But hey, at least the corn lobby was happy.”

So many political chefs trying to cook dinner for the rest of America would be funny if The Dietary Guidelines published by the USDA and HHS weren’t used in schools to make purchasing for decisions for school lunch programs, all meals served to military members and an alphabet of other federal food programs.

The Insanity Must End So, what do we have to show for 110 years of being told how and what to eat by our government? According to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, “The United States has

the highest obesity and Type 2 Diabetes rates in the developed world. All this after spending two and a half times more per person than the average of developed countries on health care. And our life expectancy is 4 years lower than the average of all developed countries.

Chronic conditions tied to food are major contributors to this.

The US childhood obesity rate is nearly five times higher than some other developed countries like France. In the United States, one-third of teens suffer from pre-diabetes, 20% of children and adolescents have obesity, 18.5% of young adults have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and 77% of military-aged youth aren’t eligible to join the military, primarily due to chronic diseases tied to food.”

According to the CDC, 55 percent of Americans now get more than half their daily calories from ultra-processed junk food and a recent analysis by Johns Hopkins found that, “48% of all federal tax dollars are spent on health care – and 90% of U.S. health care spending is on people with chronic diseases. Many of these conditions are preventable, often reversible, and often tied to the food we eat.”

According to Kennedy and Rollins, “Forty-two million Americans depend on SNAP for nutrition – but some of the most popular items on the program are sugary drinks, candy, and chips. The most expensive thing we can do as a country is continue government incentives for food that sickens Americans and drives up health care costs.

A recent study of Medicare beneficiaries found that a 15% weight loss reduction resulted in nearly $1,000 per year in lower Medicare spending. Because 78% of SNAP recipients are on Medicaid, these incentives for unhealthy food also drives up health care costs. This public policy insanity must end.”

Beef Is Back So, after all the pyramids, circles and pie charts from the USDA it’s clear one of two things has happened: either people simply have not paid attention to all the government’s nutritional advice, or they did pay attention and got fatter and sicker as a result. Either way, all the pyramids and circles from the USDA have been the equivalent of empty calories and junk food and a waste of your tax dollars.

That’s why the news on January 7, 2026, was such a welcome relief. That’s when, in accordance with the law, the USDA and HHS unveiled the new Dietary Guidelines for 2025 through 2030 which totally flipped the script. In their version of the food pyramid, Americans should eat more “real food” marking a major shift towards whole foods and away from previous low-fat recommendations.

And more importantly for cattle raisers, beef is back. According to Kennedy, “While previous Dietary Guidelines have demonized protein in favor of carbohydrates, these guidelines reflect gold standard science by prioritizing high-quality, nutrient-dense protein foods in every meal. This includes a variety of animal sources, including eggs, poultry, seafood, and red meat, in addition to plant-sourced protein foods such as beans, peas, lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy.”

February 15, 2026 According to the Trump administration, “Under the theme of ‘eat real food,’ the new dietary guidelines invert the food pyramid, prioritizing protein, healthy fats, vegetables, and fruits, with whole grains in a much smaller quantity. Additionally, the updated guidelines place a greater emphasis on avoiding processed foods, reaching for full-fat dairy instead of low-fat dairy, and eliminating added sugars or non-nutritive sweeteners for the healthiest diet. The Trump administration projects that widespread adoption could slash $600 billion in annual healthcare costs tied to chronic disease.”

Even The American Medical Association, not usually a friend of meat, applauded the changes, with their president declaring that “the guidelines affirm that food is medicine.”

A Major Victory According to Kennedy and Rollins, “Every American deserves to be healthy - but too many Americans are sick and don’t know why. That is because their government has been unwilling to tell them the truth.

For decades, the U.S. government has recommended and incentivized low quality, highly processed foods and drug interventions instead of prevention.

Under the leadership of President Trump, the government is now going to tell Americans the truth. Today, the White House released the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030, the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in decades.

Under President Trump’s leadership common sense, scientific integrity, and accountability have been restored to federal food and health policy. For decades, the Dietary Guidelines favored corporate interests over common sense, science-driven advice to improve the health of Americans. That ends today.

The new dietary guidelines call for prioritizing high-quality pro-

Livestock Market Digest tein, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables and whole grains – and avoiding highly processed foods and refined carbohydrates.”

“The Dietary Guidelines are the foundation to dozens of federal feeding programs, and today marks the first step in making sure school meals, military and veteran meals, and other child and adult nutrition programs promote affordable, whole, healthy, nutrient-dense foods. Paired with a reduction in highly processed foods laden with refined carbohydrates, added sugars, excess sodium, unhealthy fats, and chemical additives, this approach can change the health trajectory of America.”

Dr Craig Basman MD, FACC, FSCAI, spoke for many when he called the new federal guidance “a major victory for public health.”

Nothing But the Facts According to a fact sheet released with the new reset to the Food Pyramid were these key changes and recommendations:

■■ Focus on “Real Food”:

Strong emphasis on whole, nutrient-dense foods and avoiding highly processed items.

■■ Protein at Every Meal: Recommends prioritizing protein in meals.

■■ Full-Fat Dairy: Encourages full-fat dairy over lowfat versions.

■■ Healthy Fats: Promotes

healthy fats from sources like olive oil, nuts, seeds, and even butter/animal fats in moderation.

■■ No Added Sugar: Stricter limits on added sugars, with no amount considered healthy.

■■ From MyPlate: The new pyramid replaces the MyPlate visual (since 2011),

which emphasized plate proportions.

■■ From Low-Fat Era: Re-

verses decades of advice that favored low-fat dairy and discouraged animal fats and red meat, now bringing them back as acceptable in moderation within a whole-food context.

The new guidelines double down on protein, upping the daily amount — and recommending red meat be part of the mix.

This Isn’t Complicated Writer Noah Stanton: said it best: “Last Wednesday, something remarkable happened.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stood at the White House podium and told Americans three simple words that decades of nutritional bureaucracy couldn’t manage: “Eat real food.”

“The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans finally do what common sense demanded all along. For the first time ever, they recommend avoiding highly processed packaged foods. They declare that no amount of added sugar is recommended, especially for children, capping intake at 10 grams per meal. They call for “ending the war on healthy fats,” embracing full-fat dairy, butter, and yes, even beef tallow for cooking. The government is now telling Americans to prioritize protein at every meal and to support gut health with fermented foods and fiber.

“As one administration official put it, “A four-yearold can determine the difference between a potato and potato chips.” This isn’t complicated. It never was.

But try telling that to the credentialed class who spent decades making it incomprehensible.”

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Page 3

HERD

cont. from page 1

was one big Disneyland for bacteria. Now people take their dogs everywhere with them. It’s a common sight to see dogs in restaurants and I was shocked the first time I saw a dog in a grocery store.

Dogs are even welcomed inside banks... just as long as they don’t leave a deposit.

It takes a lot more money now to raise a dog than it used to. I saw one estimate that said it cost $10,000 over the course of a dog’s life of 11 years. I bet I’ve had over 10 dogs in my life and I only paid cash for one of them.

Dogs used to be given away and if yours had pups before you could get her spayed it was very hard to find homes for all the pups. Now a good cowdog can cost $12,000 and most dogs in the classified ads are offered for between $500 and $2,500.

You can’t let a dog like that sleep on an old tarp so

now almost every dog has a bed that’s bigger than the one I had as a child. Another high cost of raising a dog is the special food they’re now fed. As a youngster we bought dog food in 50-pound sacks of Purina Dog Chow which was always stacked in the front of the grocery store.

Now most folks buy dog food at stores that specialize in more expensive dog food and our pets are healthier and live longer as a result.

History is being repeated with these cute little purse dogs that sit on their matron’s lap. In the Victorian era in Europe it was a big status symbol for socialites to have the most expensive dog sit on the grand dame’s lap. This is where we get the phrase ‘putting on the dog.’

Just once I’d like to see one of these high society snobs with a $16,000 snarling Australian Shepherd cowdog in her lap.

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Livestock Market Digest

SHRINKS continued from page 1 heifers and cull cows), and interest rates, expansion of the Kentucky cowherd is further constrained by limited pasture availability. A lot of pasture ground was converted to row crops over the last couple of decades.

Andrew Griffith, University of Tennessee.

NASS January 1, 2026, cattle inventory did not perfectly align with industry expert expectations. Frankly, I thought industry experts were a little

too ambitious with their numbers before the release of cattle inventory estimates. I am a little surprised more heifers were retained for beef cow replacement than a year ago, but then again, a year ago was a relatively low quantity of animals.

As it relates to Tennessee, the values look in line with what was expected, which was a decline in beef cow numbers and heifers held for replacement.

Three consecutive Falls have brought drought to Tennessee, which puts a damper on heifer retention.

February 15, 2026

Hannah Baker, University of Florida.

Some small revisions to the 2025 survey were noted. Revisions to the 2025 data reduced total cattle and calf inventory by 190,000 head, while beef cow numbers increased by 28,500 head. After these revisions, cattle and calf inventory declined by less than 1 percent, with beef cow numbers down 1 percent heading into 2026.

In Florida however, total cattle inventory increased by 1.3 percent (20,000 head), with beef cow numbers up 7,000 head (0.8 percent) and dairy cow numbers up 3,000 head (3.1 percent). Following a 3,000head increase in 2025, Florida beef producers appear to be moving toward herd stabilization. Heifers held for beef replacement remained unchanged at 115,000 head.

Prolonged statewide drought conditions, recent freezing temperatures, and high calf prices will certainly influence decisions regarding more significant heifer retention in 2026.

Max Runge and Ken Kelley, Auburn University.

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Total cattle and calves in Alabama increased slightly for a second consecutive year, even as portions of the state experienced drought.

Beef cows that have calved were essentially unchanged from a year ago, while beef replacement heifer numbers increased modestly. At this point, these changes appear to reflect herd stability rather than clear evidence of expansion, and it remains too early to determine whether producers are beginning a broader rebuilding phase.

Will Secor, University of Georgia.

The USDA Cattle report’s headline all cattle and calves inventory was not totally surprising; it showed a slight reduction. However, digging into some of the details reveals interesting shifts. The most interesting national number to me was seeing that the number of beef replacement heifers increased.

This is a sign that producers are starting to re-build or at least slow the pace of liquidation. For Georgia, all cattle and calves dropped by around one percent, largely driven by beef cow numbers dropping by around three percent. Milk cow numbers offset those beef cow declines par-

tially, as these increased by five percent. Finally, Georgia’s 2025 calf crop rose by two percent compared to 2024. This higher calf crop came from fewer cows in 2025 compared to 2024 - a potential indication of improved reproductive efficiency for operations in the state.

David Anderson, Texas A&M. Fewer beef cows but more beef cow replacements, up 50,000 head to 650,000, were noted in the Texas inventory data. Way in the back of the report was the annual estimate of the number of stocker cattle on small grain pastures (wheat, oats, etc.) in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. The report indicated 180,000 more stockers, up 12 percent, than a year ago. That’s interesting given the drought that hurt pasture development, relatively few cattle available, and high prices.

Josh Maples, Mississippi State University.

This report sets up 2026 as

another year of tight supplies and provides support for strong prices. The number of heifers held back for beef cow replacements was 4.714 million head, which is a 0.89 percent increase from a year ago. This was on the low end of pre-report estimates.

This is the first annual increase in beef heifers in a decade, but still a very low total and not a clear signal of herd expansion. Perhaps this report is a sign of the herd stabilizing as we move into 2026, but more retention will be needed to suggest herd expansion. The bulk of the increased heifer retention occurred in Texas, which added 50,000 heifers for beef cow replacement, while the U.S. overall added 41,700.

If more heifer retention occurs in 2026, it will be interesting to track the regional differences in where that growth happens.

Total cattle and calves in Mississippi decreased by one percent to 800,000 head.

Overall, fewer beef cows will keep supplies tight and prices high in the coming months and the next couple of years.

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for NWS. FDA Issues Emergency Use drugs Ivomec is available over the counter without a prescription.

Authorization for OverProducers are responsible for using Ivomec in accordance the-Counter Injectable with the product labeling and Drug to Prevent New World fact sheet. To reduce the risk of antiparasitic resistance and preScrewworm in Cattle serve drug effectiveness against CVM UPDATES

T

he U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Ivomec (ivermectin) injectable solution against New World screwworm (NWS).

The agency has concluded that based on the scientific evidence available, it is reasonable to believe that Ivomec may be effective for the prevention of infestations caused by NWS larvae (myiasis) in cattle when administered within 24 hours of birth, at the time of castration,

or when a wound appears, and the known and potential benefits of the product outweigh its known and potential risks.

Ivomec is not for use in female dairy cattle producing milk for human consumption and calves that will be processed for veal. The slaughter withdrawal period for cattle is 35 days.

This EUA will be effective until it is revoked or the HHS Secretary terminates the declaration that the potential public health emergency presented

by NWS justifies the emergency use authorization of animal

both NWS and other parasites, producers are encouraged to use antiparasitic drugs like Ivomec only when medically necessary and as part of a comprehensive parasite management strategy.

The FDA has previously approved Ivomec to treat and control other parasites in cattle, swine, reindeer and American bison.

Ivomec is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health USA, Inc. based in Duluth, Georgia.

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February 15, 2026

DRIVERS continued from page 1 state having one of the lowest land values in the region, second only to Oklahoma (Figure 2), its land value increased by

Livestock Market Digest ture as factors influencing the low land values in this region.

To examine the factors that influence land values, this article uses Washington County in Texas as an example. The

Figure 1. Farm & Land: Operations & Acres by State, 2024 Source: USDA-NASS (2025)

Figure 2. Cropland, Pastureland, and Farmland (including buildings) Values per Acre by State, 2024 Source: USDA-NASS (2025)

county is in the Blackland Prairies region of southeast central Texas, an area influenced by its proximity to urban centers and its availability to those markets.

Specifically, a 250-acre case study property was examined.

The site features hilly topography, a mix of wooded and open areas, recreational infrastructure, and five building improvements, including a main house overlooking a small lake.

To analyze the property’s market value and the factors influencing it, data from 136 comparable property sales in the county were used. A simple regression analysis was performed to identify significant factors that influenced land prices. The variables used in the analysis to determine the factors that influence property values in Washington County were minutes to Brenham (urban center), percentage of surface water, percentage of floodplain, percentage of wooded area, plot size, and market conditions.

The variables found to have a statistically significant impact were reduced drive time to Brenham (urban center), percentage of surface water, percentage of floodplain, and market conditions. The regression analysis showed that for every 5-minute increase in drive time to Brenham, land value decreased by 12 percent, while each 0.5 percent increase in surface water coverage added 5 percent to property value.

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about 55 percent over the past 10 years (Smith et al., 2025).

Average per-acre land prices increased from $1,951 in 2017 to $3,021 in 2022, mostly driven by an increased recreational use potential (Smith et al., 2025).

The 2024 Texas Land Trends report found that rural land values were highly influenced by demand for lifestyle-oriented buyers and investors rather than traditional farm income from production (ASFMRA-TX, 2024). Rural land in Texas was valued at nearly $300 billion in 2021, representing about 10 percent of the total rural real estate value in the U.S. (Su et al., 2024).

Although farm income and commodity prices have shown peaks during the past decade, they have since returned to more stable levels, placing a significant financial burden on both new buyers trying to enter the market and long-time landowners struggling to hold on to their property. According to the ASFMRA- TX (2024), the strongest increases in land value in rural Texas were observed in Central Texas (48 percent) and the Upper Gulf Coast Region (12 percent) given their proximity to intense growing urban centers like Austin and Houston, respectively. In contrast, Far West Texas showed the slowest growth in value. Gilliland et al. (2020 & 2010) alluded to the sparse population, lack of urban development, and limited agricultural infrastruc-

Similarly, properties with more floodplain coverage saw a reduction in value by 4 percent for every 5 percent increase in floodplain, reflecting the risk for recreational buyers. Market conditions showed that land values are rising at about 1 percent per month, highlighting the constant rising demand. A characteristic that is important to note is that land size was deemed statistically insignificant, reinforcing the idea that amenities and accessibility influence more than acreage in recreational markets.

Washington County serves as an example of how non-agricultural factors are driving rural land valuation in Texas. Multiple factors influence land values in Texas that extend from traditional farm income and production capabilities. The statistical analysis done highlights that the tract location and accessibility are the factors that influence land value the most.

As land near major cities often has a market rate significantly higher than those in remote areas. In Washington

Page 5 County, for example, public road frontage was found to be the most significant quality for impact on land prices, reflecting the importance of development potential and easy access. Soil quality and water availability also play major roles as fertile land and reliable water sources reduce production costs and enhance productivity (ASFMRA-TX, 2024).

Other than traditional agricultural uses, recreational demand has become a powerful driver of land value, especially during the pandemic in 2020, when individuals sought for a rural homesites as comfortable retreats, prioritizing lifestyle and recreation over traditional farm income (Smith, 2023).

Additionally, infrastructure and government incentives shape land value by determining how a tract of land can be used and improved. Research show that non-farm factors now play a crucial role as commodity prices or farm returns, highlighting the complex nature of Texas rural land valuation (Su et al., 2025).

Understanding the key driv-

ers of rural land value, especially in counties like Washington, has various implications for a wide range of buyers. Landowners and investors can use this information to make more informed decisions about when and where to buy, sell, or how to develop rural properties, especially as recreational demand continues to rise.

Local governments and planners benefit by recognizing how access to land, water features, and proximity to urban areas influence land use trends and can proactively manage growth through development and zoning decisions. Moreover, developers can use these findings to balance the competing interests of development and land preservation, especially in high demand areas. The growing trend of recreational land and displacement from agricultural income also raises concerns for new farmers and policy makers.

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Page 6

Livestock Marketing Association Opens Applications for 2026 Scholarships

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he Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) has announced that applications are now open for its 2026 scholarship programs, offering two distinct opportunities to support students pursuing education and careers connected to the livestock marketing industry. LMA members are encouraged to en-

Livestock Market Digest dorse applicants—customers, family members, employees, or students from their communities—who demonstrate interest in or understanding of the importance of livestock marketing.

LMA will offer the Career & Academic Education Scholarship for traditional postsecondary education pathways and the Auctioneer School Scholarship for individuals pursuing training in the auction method of marketing livestock.

Applications for both scholarship tracks are online at www.

LMAWeb.com.

Career & Academic Education Scholarship

The Career & Academic Education Scholarship supports graduating high school seniors and students currently enrolled in accredited postsecondary institutions, including trade schools, community colleges, junior colleges, universities, and programs in veterinary science, veterinary medicine, or law.

Applicants must include the name and contact information of an active LMA member endorsing their application. Each LMA member may endorse up to two (2) applicants per academic year, and relatives or employees of LMA member businesses are eligible.

A review panel composed of allied‑industry representatives, LMA leadership, and/or LMA members—who are not sponsors or relatives of applicants— will evaluate submissions after the deadline. Up to nine (9) students will each receive a one‑time $2,500 scholarship, paid directly to the academic institution.

Auctioneer School Scholarship The LMA Auctioneer School Scholarship provides a one‑time award to applicants who plan to attend auction school and use their training to support the auction method of marketing livestock.

Applicants must be between the ages of 16 and 25, provide an essay demonstrating their understanding of the livestock marketing industry, and be endorsed by an active LMA member. Each LMA member may endorse up to two (2) applicants per scholarship year, and relatives or employees of LMA member businesses may apply.

Following the submission deadline, a panel of allied‑industry representatives, LMA leadership, and/or LMA members—who are not sponsors or relatives of applicants—will review submissions. One applicant will receive a one‑time scholarship award of up to $2,500 toward auction school tuition.

Deadlines & Contact Information All applications must be received—whether emailed or mailed—by March 13, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. CST. Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered. For questions regarding the LMA Scholarship Program, please contact lmainfo@lmaweb.com.

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February 15, 2026

MSU Researchers Show Sport Hunting Benefits Wildlife Conservation SOURCE: MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

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or millions of people across the globe, consumptive use of wild animals is key to their livelihoods. From food security and economic prosperity to cultural traditions and societal identity, many depend on the wild meat and revenue generated from hunting. However, the value of wildlife and resulting high demand for wild meat can lead to over-exploitation, jeopardizing the existence of some species.

Perceptions of hunting also vary widely. For some, hunting is a valued pastime and an opportunity to connect to the natural world, while others believe hunting to be inhumane or damaging to the environment. Similarly, different types of hunting may have different impacts. In contrast to hunting primarily for food, sport hunting— taking wildlife for recreational purposes—is more highly regulated compared with many other forms of hunting. These multifaceted aspects of hunting suggest a need to better understand the impacts of hunting, and that’s where MSU researchers come in.

A newly published paper by Fisheries and Wildlife Department researchers and Wild Foods Institute members Dr. Jacob E. Hill, Dr. Kenneth F. Kellner and Dr. Jerrold L. Belant (Boone and Crockett Chair of Wildlife Conservation) Nature Sustainability, offers a closer examination of these relationships revealing that properly managed sport hunting can be a beneficial component of sustainable wildlife management.

Hunting for food and sport hunting occur in part for different reasons and consequently have different impacts. Motivations can differ and enforced laws and regulations take different shapes which could result in differing impacts of subsistence and sport hunting on wildlife conservation. To provide a clearer view of this reality, MSU researchers analyzed use and trade data from the IUCN Red List—a global inventory of species’ conservation statuses—on more than 1,600 mammal species worldwide to test their hypotheses about relationships between the type of hunting and conservation status of these species.

Considering that revenue generated from sport hunting is often given back to wildlife management agencies or local communities to aid in supporting public services, researchers hypothesized there might be a more favorable conservation status for sport hunted species. Conversely, researchers also hypothesized that wild species hunted for food would have a less favorable conservation status compared to those not used for food, due to potential over-hunting and the crucial nature of food for human survival.

The study results confirmed the hypothesis that sport hunted species were less likely to be threatened and were more likely to have stable or even increasing populations compared to non-sport hunted species. Researchers suggest this is in part a consequence of highly managed and sustainable sport hunting creating revenue.

These funds are used to bolster anti-poaching efforts and support large expanses of suitable habitat and other management activities, furthering wildlife conservation and preventing habitat loss for wildlife and humans alike.

The results also indicated that species hunted for food were not more likely to have decreasing populations or be classified as threatened, a surprising result as household consumption and commercial benefits were more likely the reason for illegal wildlife killings. However, in some regions, habitat loss is the primary driver of species loss, with hunting a secondary factor.

Additionally, the research showed that some areas have gone beyond a sustainable hunting system. Certain areas experienced over-harvesting of larger species, leaving only smaller animals for continued sustainable hunting. Consequently, the negative effects of hunting for food on species’ conservation may be hidden by the previous removal of species most likely impacted by hunting.

Ultimately, this research sheds light on a longstanding debate by indicating that among other benefits, sport hunting can positively contribute to wildlife conservation. From the resulting meat contributing to food security, to generated funds supporting economic growth and conservation, sport hunting emerges from this new research as an important part of sustainable wildlife management.

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Read the full paper by FW researchers Dr. Jacob E. Hill, Dr. Kenneth F. Kellner and Dr. Jerrold L. Belant at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-025-01714-6

Texas Ag Commissioner Floats Tax Credit to Rebuild Cattle Herd

BY TOM JOHNSTON / MEATINGPLACE.COM

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exas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is pitching a federal tax credit to incentivize ranchers to retain heifers to rebuild the nation’s cattle herd.

Miller’s idea came on the heels of the latest USDA inventory numbers showing the herd at 86.2 million head, the lowest level in 75 years.

He framed the situation as a

“crisis,” and the credit to help lower beef prices for consumers and bolster the US beef industry.

“The way we lower beef prices and restore affordability is by putting American beef first,” Miller said in a news release. “That starts with rebuilding our cattle herd.”

A Heifer Retention Tax Credit, as he’s dubbed it, would allow cow-calf operators to receive a tax credit for retaining heifers and expanding their herds.

“Congress has a key opportunity for our next Farm Bill to send a clear message that America has our producers’ backs,” Miller said. “We need to treat American beef like the precious, life-giving resource it is, and do everything we can to promote a strong supply, fueled by our great beef producers.”

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February 15, 2026

Livestock Market Digest

Page 7

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Page 8

Livestock Market Digest

February 15, 2026

35 Annual th

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