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Western Ag Reporter Podcast

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4:38

National Wildfire Preparedness Level Increased

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/24

On July 12, the National Multi-Agency Coordination Group, which is comprised of fire representatives from every wildland fire agency, raised the wildfire preparedness level from Level 3 to Level 4, unlocking greater resources to be distributed nationally in response to what USDA described as an already “above normal summer fire season.” “We are in peak fire season and are rightfully raising the preparedness level to ensure we are protecting our public lands and communities from devastating fi...

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5:54

Oklahoma Ranch Kid, Eli Willits, Selected #1 Overall...

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/24

For Reggie and Amber Willits, and their sons, Jaxon, Eli, and Hunter, their lives revolve around their faith, their family, baseball, and cattle. At certain parts of the year – like around their bull sale – their registered Hereford and commercial operation – Double Seven Ranch – takes precedence; but most days of the year, the family works around the competitive baseball schedules of their sons. Twenty-year-old Jaxon will be starting his junior season playing for the Oklahoma Sooners, 13-yea...

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2:39

Editor's Perspective - Our Trip to Rapid City

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/24

My little family and I took a few days away from the ranch last week to head to Rapid City, South Dakota. Technically, the idea was that the trip was my birthday present, but for anyone who has little ones in their lives, you know that we really did it to give the kids some new experiences. The prime example of this is that we spent several hours at Reptile Gardens. If you don’t already know this about me, I have an above average fear of snakes. You could probably go so far as to call it a ph...

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3:05

Comments by the Publisher 7.24.25

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/24

One of the main topics of conversation since President Trump took office and assembled his cabinet has been that of the new dietary guidelines that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) will be coming out with here in the very near future. In fact, he is promising to have them out by August. In mid-June, following a press conference held by RFK Jr. and others, Nina Teicholz, PhD, posted a short video from the press conference on Instagram talking about the need for more saturated fat in our diets. ...

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1:03

Goehring Activates Harvest Hotline

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/23

Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring has activated the North Dakota Harvest Hotline. “Farmers who need custom combining and combiners looking for a job should call us at 701-328-5110,” Goehring said. “Your name and information will be entered into the Harvest Hotline database to be matched up with other callers.” Goehring said North Dakota Department of Agriculture employees will answer calls to the hotline weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Callers can also leave a message on evenings and week...

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2:50

Commodity Tour News

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/21

The National FFA Organization plays a large role in the lives of students across the State of Montana. This program first started in 1928 and has since spread across all 50 states and 5 territories. Chartered in 1930, the Montana Association has a membership of over 6900 students, representing 111 chapters. The FFA Motto is “Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve” and members practice this every day. Students have numerous opportunities to learn about potential caree...

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3:15

USDA Accepting Applications for an Agribusiness Trade...

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/21

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is now accepting applications for its upcoming agribusiness trade mission to Mexico City, Mexico, scheduled for November 3–6. U.S. exporters interested in exploring trade opportunities in Mexico’s dynamic agricultural market must apply by Thursday, July 31. “Strengthening export opportunities for American farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses is a top priority of USDA,” said Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Ag...

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6:49

Banjo - Rescue Mission

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/19

Last week Daisy, the pup, and Bailee, the kitten, were lured into a grain bin and found themselves trapped. Will they find a way out or will they be rescued by an unsuspected friend? “It has to be Rascal out there,” Bailee said. “Even Rascal wouldn’t stoop this low and lock us in a grain bin,” Daisy said. “What happens when it gets too hot?” “Don’t worry, like I said earlier, there’s got to be a way out,” Bailee said. She leapt up onto the cat-paw sized ledges on the frame of the bin to searc...

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5:05

Cooking - Tribute to Carol Metcalf

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/18

When I got married nearly 43 years ago, I won the mother-in-law lottery. Carol Metcalf was a truly amazing person that became my second mom. We were more like best friends than in-laws, and I cherish that. She danced with lymphoma and lupus until the music stopped on July 10. I was lucky enough to spend the last nine days of her life with her. This is my tribute to this truly fine woman. . . When the Trail Forks by Susan Metcalf The day has come to tip our hats to a truly fine matr...

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0:13

Agri-Kid of the Week - Knox Arntzen

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/18

Knox Arntzen, age nine, hailing from Arntzen Angus Ranch in Central Montana, north of Lewistown, helping AI cattle. Photo courtesy of Krista Arntzen. Article Link

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1:34

Letter to the Editor

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/18

Terra, In regard to your latest editorial {July 10 “It’s Time to Mourn for Texas”}. It was most poignant and right on the mark. I was on the receiving end of one of those phone calls you mentioned. A person’s life is changed forever. It is Divine Intervention, real friends and family, and, in the beginning, Compassionate Friends that will matter the most. Unfortunately, because of all the news on this flooding, the grieving parents will be inundated by people with their own agendas ...

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3:38

Ride Easy Pard - The Mountain Lion and the Shearer

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/17

We used to shear in the hot days of summer when the “grease” (lanolin) was high. The fleeces were supposed to be heavier. I don’t know if that is true. I tied fleeces for a shearing crew for a couple of summers, and I don’t know if the grease is higher in the summer than in the winter, but I suspect that it is. I do know that wearing leather shoes or boots and handling the fleeces, with the lanolin and dirt in the wool, ruined the leather. Fortunately, Pops told me to wear tennis shoes before...

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7:43

New World Screwworm Advances North, Border Closes Again

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/17

On June 30, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a tentative schedule for reopening various ports along the United States-Mexico border for cattle, bison, and equines based on perceived risk of spreading New World screwworm. This announcement stated that “good progress” had been made in Mexico to increase vital pest surveillance efforts and boost sterile fly dispersal since May 11 when the border was closed. Based on the Sonoran geography and the “history of effective collaborati...

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4:47

Extensive Greenthread Bloom "Noteworthy"

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/17

Driving from Limon, Colorado, to Kiowa, Colorado on Highway 86 in the month of June exhibited a spectacular display of thelesperma filifolium, more commonly referred to as greenthread – a type of aster. The Colorado native aster is an annual, but certain years, with the right conditions, create a brilliant display across the rolling plains as entire hillsides turn golden yellow with the blooms. The last time greenthread flowers put on such a display in southeastern Colorado was in 2015 – 10 y...

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5:20

Enhancing Animal Safety Act Seeks to Delist Mexican Wolf

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/17

On June 30, 2025, Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ) introduced the Enhancing Animal Safety Act (H.R. 4255), which seeks to delist the Mexican gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The Mexican gray wolf is a smaller subspecies of gray wolf, and is a non-essential, experimental population currently listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. They inhabit Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico. Under the current listing, wolves must meet recovery goals in Arizona, New Mexico...

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2:40

Comments by the Publisher 7.17.25

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/17

Well, so much for the Mexican border reopening to cattle, bison, and horses! Secretary of Agriculture Rollins closed the border effective immediately upon the discovery of another animal with New World screwworm detected just 370 miles south of the United States border. See our top story this week for more details on this decision and for information about Rollins’ plan to combat an outbreak in the U.S. This closure will have a large impact; we all need to keep in mind that recent years have ...

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4:03

Editor's Perspective - A Praise for Dally Hodgens - a...

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/17

I wanted to start this week off with a huge praise. If you’ll recall, I recently wrote a story about Dally Hodgens, a seven-year-old cowgirl from Buffalo, Wyoming, who was involved in a serious horse accident on June 7. She had significant surgery on her brain, and it was pretty uncertain what life would look like for her in the days, weeks, and months that followed. I reached out to close friends of the family recently to see how she’s been progressing, and I learned that she was able to com...

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3:09

RAAA Rebrands FCCP as Angus Access to Increase Market...

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/16

The Red Angus Association of America has officially rebranded its Feeder Calf Certification Program as Angus Access. More than just a fresh look, Angus Access reflects a bold evolution of the beef industry's first genetic, age and source verification program – built to USDA-approved standards and trusted by Red Angus producers for more than 30 years. Red Angus cattle undeniably produce high-quality Angus beef, which remains one of the most sought-after beef products among consumers. The new A...

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0:36

Alan Sears' 2024/2025 Sale Season Recap

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/16

Congratulations and thanks to all Western Ag Reporter customers in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and Wyoming. It is a true privilege to work with so many industry-leading seedstock producers and successful marketers of livestock. The volume and price levels reflect what we have all been seeing across the beef complex: less cattle, higher prices. The increase in prices paid for quality herd sires is the most dramatic number. A true testament to the seedstock industry's commitment to quality and ...

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3:40

Protecting Your Land, Your Herd, and Your Neighbors

Western Ag Reporter Podcast ·

2025/07/02

National Forage Week is recognized by the American Forage and Grassland Council each year. For ranchers across the United States, maintaining a healthy food source is critical. Livestock depend on an abundance of healthy forage for grazing and growing, and ranchers depend on healthy forage as a cost-effective way to feed and grow their herd. Additionally, when the root systems of desirable plants are strong, it promotes soil health, reduces erosion, and increases water retention – all critica...

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