With the spring thaw comes its own fair share of challenges, and contending with the mud while many are in the thick of calving season is no fun at all.
But with the promise of warmer days, green grass, and plenty of hay to be cut, I keep telling myself that all of this moisture is an answer to prayers, with much of the country finding relief from the ongoing drought that has caused many producers to decrease their cow inventory or disperse altogether.
With cattle inventory down 3% and the smallest U.S. beef cow herd numbers since 1962, opportunities abound in this space — if you can find and afford to rent the grass, handle the rising input costs, and find ways to capture true value in a space where it is growing increasingly challenging to sell in the commodity market.
Yet, for those willing to innovate, pivot, and drive their product to meet the demand for wholesome, nutritious, well-marbled beef, the sky is the limit. It’s really a shift in perspective — refusing to be a price taker and focusing on becoming a price maker instead.