LaneCast Ag Podcast

Lane is joined by auctioneer Ty Thompson of the Northern Livestock Video Auction. Ty shares insights from their Fall Premier Sale, where over 15,000 head of feeder and bred cattle sold. From record-setting feeder calf prices to the outlook on bred cattle and the realities of drought and feed costs, Ty gives ranchers a front-row seat to today’s cattle market.
Whether you’re marketing calves this fall, eyeing bred heifers, or just want to know where the cattle business is headed, this is a must-listen conversation packed with numbers, perspective, and a few laughs along the way.
#LaneCast #AgPodcast #CattleMarkets #AuctioneerLife #NorthernLivestock #FeederCattle #BredCattle #MontanaAg #RanchingLife #BeefBusiness #AgTalk

Lane Nordlund visits Drange Apiary east of Billings, MT with Jodie Drange and Dana Jansen. Jodie shares the story of her family’s 6,000-hive beekeeping business, the honey harvest, and challenges from foreign imports and urban growth. Dana highlights her family’s century-old cattle ranch, the opportunities in today’s cattle market, and her work directing Montana’s Ag Safety Program. Together, they discuss the Farm Bureau ACE leadership program, the power of advocacy, and carrying forward Montana’s ranching and beekeeping legacies.
#LaneCastAgPodcast #AgLeadership #FarmBureauACE #MontanaAg #WomenInAg #AgAdvocates #FutureOfAg #AgSafety #AgEducation #RanchAndBees #AgLegacy #MontanaFarmBureau

Lane visits with Ty Thompson, auctioneer with Northern Livestock Video Auction, following their 2025 Early Fall Preview sale. Ty shares firsthand insights on record-setting calf prices, unprecedented demand in the beef market, and what it means for ranchers, feeders, and replacement heifer buyers. They also discuss herd size, the outlook for bred cattle, and a few notes on the lamb market. With 33,000 head of cattle and 3,000 head of sheep selling, this sale reflects the strength — and challenges — of today’s livestock industry.
#CattleMarkets #LivestockAuction #BeefIndustry #RanchLife #NorthernLivestock #LaneCastAgPodcast #CattlePrices #Ranching #CowCalf #AgTalk #CattlePrices

Nick Courville, Young Farmer & Rancher Chair of the Montana Farm Bureau, shares how he and his wife run a horse breeding program, raise cattle, and more. He talks about challenges like land access, high costs, and sale barn closures, while stressing the importance of showing up, networking, and stepping into leadership roles to shape the future of agriculture.
 
 
#LaneCastAgPodcast
#YoungFarmers #RanchLife #MontanaAg
#FarmBureau #AgLeadership #NextGenAg
#HorsesAndCattle #AgAdvocacy #RuralVoices
#FSAloans #LandAccess #MontanaRanching
#RotationalGrazing #SupportLocalAg #FoodSecurity
 
 

Cheatgrass is costing ranchers big—and it’s not going away on its own. In this episode of LaneCast Ag, Podcast Lane Nordlund sits down with Justin Hossfeld of Envu to dig into real-world solutions for reclaiming rangeland from invasive annual grasses like cheatgrass, medusahead, ventenata and red brome. From first-hand success stories using Rejuvra® to smart application timing, return-on-investment tools, and the power of mapping tools like RangeView™, this episode is packed with insights every Western rancher should hear.
 
#CheatgrassControl #RangeManagement #Rejuvra #EnvusRangeAndPasture #RangelandRestoration #PastureManagement #RegenerativeAg #AgTech #CattleRanching #InvasiveSpecies #RanchLife #westernagnetwork #LivestockProduction #BeefCattle #AgPodcast #FarmTalk #GrazingManagement #SoilHealth #AgInnovation #SustainableRanching

In this LaneCast Ag Podcast, Lane Nordlund talks with Don Close of Terrain about the booming 2025 cattle market and what’s driving record-high calf and bred cow prices. They break down the July USDA Cattle Inventory and Cattle on Feed reports, which confirmed bullish market conditions, the smallest U.S. herd in decades, and continued strong demand despite high prices.
Close discusses herd rebuilding trends, the struggle for young producers to enter the market amid high interest rates, and the challenges of deciding whether to keep or sell heifers this fall. They also examine $5,000 bred heifers, cow-calf dispersals, and whether the industry is on the verge of another rapid expansion cycle like 2014–15.
#LaneCast #AgPodcast #CattleMarket #DonClose #USDAReports #BeefDemand #Ranching #HerdRebuild #AgTalk ##CattlePrices #cattleprices #cattlemarket #cattle #westernagnetwork 
 

Lane visits with Nicole Rolf, Senior Director of Government Affairs for the Montana Farm Bureau Federation. Nicole shares updates from Washington, D.C., where she’s meeting with lawmakers and regulators on key issues impacting Montana’s farmers and ranchers—from grazing rule reforms and predator management to tax policies, the Farm Bill, and the “Make America Healthy Again” initiative. She also highlights Farm Bureau’s legislative wins in Helena, the importance of grassroots advocacy, and the challenges and opportunities producers face across Montana.
 

Lane checks in with Don Close of Terrain at the Cattle Industry Summer Meeting in San Diego. They discuss soaring cattle prices, surprising consumer loyalty to beef, heifer retention concerns, and the outlook for herd rebuilding. Don also highlights the importance of risk management and the potential impact of dairy trends and protein-driven diets on the beef sector.
#CattleMarket #BeefIndustry #AgPodcast #LaneCast #CattlePrices #HeiferRetention #RiskManagement #BeefDemand #RanchLife #DonClose #TerrainAg #LivestockMarkets #AgNews  #SummerMeeting #AgTalk #WesternAgNework #AgEconomics #DairyTrends #ProteinDemand #RanchingInsights

Lane Nordlund sits down with ag economist Dr. Derrell Peel of Oklahoma State University to discuss key factors shaping the cattle market in 2025. They cover slow herd rebuilding, tight feeder supplies, and what recent Cattle on Feed numbers signal for the months ahead. The episode explores why prices remain strong, how imports and exports impact demand, and the growing role of beef-on-dairy cattle. Dr. Peel also shares insights on managing risk, long-term market strength, and why cow-calf producers are in the driver’s seat.
 
#CattleMarket #BeefPrices #Ranching #CowCalf #CattleProducers #HerdRebuilding #AgEconomics ##HeiferRetention #LancastAg #WesternAgNetwork #AgPodcast #BeefDemand #cattleindustry #cattlemarkets #cattleprices #lanecastagpodcast #LaneCastAgPodcast

Idaho rancher and NCBA Vice President Kim Brackett joins Lane Nordlund at the 2025 Montana Stockgrowers Midyear Meeting in Butte to discuss the growing threat of the New World Screwworm, market reactions to false reports, and key federal policy efforts—from animal disease preparedness to tax reform and the next farm bill.