Farm Management and Ag Policy

USDA’s Supplemental Disaster Relief program helps farmers who may have suffered from production losses in previous growing seasons. USDA Farm Service Agency State Executive Director Hilary Maricle discusses the different stages of the program and says producers have until April to fill out the paperwork for claims. 

The impending shutdown of a meat packing plant in Lexington is expected to cause serious economic issues in the area. Nebraska Extension Livestock Marketing and Risk Management Specialist Elliott Dennis talks about some of the reasons for the shutdown.

As Lexington grapples with the impending loss of its beef plant, experts say the move reflects long-running structural pressures in the cattle industry, not a sudden shift driven by politics or recent market headlines. Nebraska Extension Livestock Marketing and Risk Management Specialist Elliott Dennis discusses these and other reasons for the shutdown.

Chances are If you raise cattle in Nebraska, you’ve had a good year, but crop producers are telling a different story as they struggle to remain profitable. Nebraska Extension Ag Policy Specialist Brad Lubben talks about the dramatic differences between crop and livestock income forecasts for 2026.

If you read headlines, you know that Nebraska’s net farm income is projected to rise sharply in 2025, but the gains are driven mostly by livestock and government payments while crop receipts continue to fall. Nebraska Extension Ag Policy Specialist Brad Lubben talks about the mixed signals behind the numbers, and what producers should watch heading into 2026.

Making smart business decisions on the farm is critical to success. The University of Nebraska is holding several seminars looking at legislative impacts, risk management and other economic issues in December. Nebraska Extension Ag Economist Jessica Groskopf says these meetings are a great opportunity for farmers to stay ahead of economic trends and remain profitable.