Rural Life

Producers and Veterinarians Are Taking Back Agriculture’s Story Online

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 21:31:44 GMT

“In agriculture, if we don’t tell our story, someone else will, and they’re not telling it right,” says sixth-generation rancher Tucker Brown .

Most Americans have never set foot on a cattle operation, yet millions scroll past videos every day telling them how livestock are raised, what antibiotics do and whether beef belongs on their plate. Increasingly, that information isn’t coming from veterinarians or producers. It’s coming from influencers, activists and algorithm-fueled accounts that often get the facts wrong.

At the same time, consumer curiosity about animal welfare and food safety has never been higher. Nearly 70% of U.S. consumers say animal welfare is very important to their purchasing decisions. However, there exists a gap between what people think happens in cattle health and what is actually occurring on farms.

Meet the Experts: Real-Life Ranchers and Vets on Instagram

Ranchers Brown and Emma Coffman recently sat down at a Stockmanship and Stewardship event to discuss the importance of online advocacy, building trust and making an impact through educational content on social media.

Brown is a rancher at R.A. Brown ranch in Throckmorton, Texas. With nearly 200,000 followers on Instagram , he has been using his platform to educate, entertain and build trust with consumers for over seven years. Although admittedly, Brown’s purpose for posting shifted from his original intent.

“At first, it was just to help me sell more registered bulls,” he says. “But what ended up happening was there were more consumers watching my stuff than bull customers, and so, this trust was being built between consumers and myself and other ranchers.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tucker Brown (@tuckerbrownrab)

Coffman, the founder and owner of Double E Ranch Advocacy , is a first-generation agriculturalist. Her passion for public agricultural education began when she discovered just how much information was never communicated to consumers.

“When I started getting an interest in agriculture through 4-H and FFA, I had a lot of questions,” she says. “I realized there was a lot of what I thought was very simple, basic one-on-one information about how our food is grown and the labeling behind it that we weren’t talking about to consumers.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Double E Ranch (@double_e_ranch_)

Both Brown and Coffman agree the people with mud on their boots and dirt on their hands from the farm should be the ones to answer consumer questions where their food comes from and how it’s grown.

Bovine veterinarian Dr. Erika Nagorske, who has amassed almost 17,000 followers on Instagram , takes a highly educational approach. She’ll often post about unique cases asking vet students for their diagnosis, following up with the answer a couple weeks later.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dr. Erika Nagorske (@docnagorske)

“The reason why I keep doing it is the educational piece, especially for veterinary students. I love teaching vet students and I really like teaching producers who want the extra information,” Nagorske says. “Nobody wins if the vet doesn’t explain what they’re doing and what they’re thinking. It’s a teaching platform.”

Brown, Coffman and Nagorske view what they do as a way to increase public understanding of where their food comes from and the role of veterinarians in agriculture.

“In the ag space, it’s so hard. I think we always complain that nobody understands us,” Nagorske says. “I grew up in a city, fell in love with the industry, and I want to share it. If we don’t share it, we can’t complain that people don’t know.”

Getting Started: 4 Tips for Effective Ag Social Media

Are you thinking about sharing on social media? Coffman and Brown had the following recommendations:

Remember the why: Your goal should be in the front of your mind
Don’t worry about being polished: Being relatable is more important
Use your personality: People often connect with the human before the information
Keep it simple: Answer one question per post

“It’s really about trying to take complex subjects, bring it down to a baseline level and then build your advocacy off of that,” Coffman says. “And don’t be afraid to repeat yourself.”

In cattle production, there are a number of commonly asked questions. Coffman advises going back to these topics with varying approaches to get the message across. Further, there are a lot of everyday on-farm activities that consumers have never seen before. Above all, conveying the information in a way the audience will understand is most important.

Winning Trust: How to Handle Negative Comments Online

As with all social media, there is the potential for negative interactions. How you handle them can be very impactful.

“I always suggest that when you get a negative comment on what you’re sharing … to respond with facts rather than emotion,” Brown says. “It helps you look better, helps you be more relatable and more trustworthy to the 90% of watchers that will be silent.”

The goal isn’t to “win,” but to build trust, he says.

In the end, the public only sees what we share. Misinformation thrives in silence, not in the presence of experts. When agriculture professionals speak openly, transparently and compassionately on social media, the industry benefits.

“When we tell the truth, ranching wins,” Brown says. “That’s all you have to do. You don’t have to come up with a story. All you have to do is tell the truth.”

For these professionals, transparency means allowing the public to see the core values of their work, a view Nagorske summarizes by focusing on veterinarians’ dedication.

“I want them to take away the deep rooted passion that veterinarians have for animals. Even if it’s livestock. Even if the end goal is to consume them,” Nagorske says.

USDA Offers Support to Address Rural Veterinarian Shortage

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 13:47:00 GMT

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced its latest round of financial support to address the critical shortage of food animal veterinarians in many parts of the United States.

The USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture recently awarded more than two dozen Veterinary Services Grants totaling $3.8 million to universities and veterinary practices working to address shortages of food animal veterinary services across the nation.

The program offers Education, Extension, and Training (EET) grants to provide training and education; and Rural Practice Enhancement (RPE) grants deliver direct financial assistance to veterinary practices in underserved areas.

EET grants provide up to $250,000 over three years to develop specialized training and educational programs, while RPE grants provide up to $125,000 over three years to support veterinary clinics with equipment purchases to enhance services in shortage areas.

In 2024, 6 EET grants and 19 RPE grants were awarded. The winners and descriptions of their programming can be found here .

The USDA’s Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) helps qualified veterinarians offset a significant portion of the debt incurred from receiving their veterinary medicine degrees in return for their service in geographic regions facing veterinary shortages. In exchange for at least three years of service in those areas, the program may repay up to $25,000 of student loan debt per year.

Loan repayment benefits are limited to payments of the principal and interest on government and commercial loans taken for attendance at an accredited college of veterinary medicine resulting in a degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine or the equivalent.

Your Next Read: The Essential Role of Immigrant Labor in the U.S. Dairy Industry

The Best Livestock-Themed Christmas Trees Full of Memories and Meaning

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 16:56:18 GMT

One of the things I love most about Christmas trees is the power they evoke to simply remember. To remember loved ones, past celebrations, milestones and more.

That’s one reason why the Crome family chose to design their Christmas tree with rosettes and ribbons commemorating their passion – showing pigs.

“It’s far too easy to lose track of the specifics of the moments that helped to shape the lives of our children,” says Aaron Crome, father of Megan and Thomas. “Each rosette sparked memories of the mountains of hard work it took for each one to be earned and then brought home to Marshall, Ill. More than anything, it was a great reminder of the time we were fortunate enough to spend as a family all year long working up to the shows. That will be ours forever.”

Nolan Lee of Wellington, Ill., began putting up this special tree in his room last year. He lives for showing cattle - just like his Papaw Bill Couch. The ribbons on his tree are some of Lee’s most special wins, and the hat used as the topper was his Papaw’s, who passed away five years ago.

The Johnson family of Maquoketa, Iowa, originally put up their ribbon tree in 2021 to show off the ribbons they had won throughout the year. But last year, Santa started a new tradition and brought metal photo ornaments for each child with their heifer for the year and five images of them at the backdrop over the course of the year, explains Ashley Johnson.

She admits they had no idea how significant Santa’s gift would be until they got out the decorations this year and started decorating the tree. They uncovered the ornament of their son Ty with his heifer Jorga from 2022.

“She had some success, and we were pretty proud of our bred-and-owned female,” Johnson says. “However, God had other plans and we lost her and her calf due to calving complications this past winter. Seeing the ornament and hanging her on the tree certainly brought a tear to our eyes as she is dearly missed and was a very memorable first heifer Ty showed at a junior national.”

After growing tired of the same decorations year after year, Lizzie Schafer of Owaneco, Ill., was inspired to think outside of the box one Christmas. She gathered mementoes from livestock event travels and went to work creating a tree that was more than just another tree.

“This tree is special to me and my entire family because to us, Christmas is a time to be together and to reflect back on the year. For us, the Christmas tree symbolizes far more than just the ribbons and plaques presented. It reminds us that nothing worthwhile comes easy and that we should be thankful each day for every single opportunity that we are given,” Schafer says. “When looking at the tree, we are reminded of how blessed we are to have the opportunity to be involved in agriculture and to be a part of these organizations that have shaped my brother and I into who we are today.”

Here are some special livestock-themed Christmas trees filled with memories to last a lifetime.

Tammy Heaton of Monroe, Iowa
“I love putting up Christmas trees and loved all of the time my son and I spent in the barn working on show animals. So when it came to decorating a tree in a room that already had pictures from our experiences, what better to do than a ribbon tree! I used 25 ear tags to represent the days in December until Christmas and some of the ribbons my son had won. It was also nice to be able to pull out the ribbons that represented all his hard work that otherwise get forgotten in a container.”

Rachel Torbert of Wapella, Illinois
“This tree is in my office. I work for an advertising agency which has agricultural clients. I’ve worked in ag my entire career, so an ag tree just made sense! Growing up on a farm, farm ornaments were always given as gifts so I had lots of decorations to go with it! I have many ornaments on my tree which have sentimental meaning: FFA (I was very active in FFA) ornaments, ornaments given to me by grandparents or other family, and ornaments that remind me of my time growing up on the farm.”

Marisa Winter, Idalou, Texas
“We wanted to have a tree to remember the great memories we made over Colter’s first stock show season. I added backdrop pictures from throughout the year to ornaments with what he won and his animal’s name on the back. We hope to continue to add each year to our ‘show’ tree.”

Nolan Lee of Wellington, Illinois
“Papaw Bill Couch instilled a love for the livestock industry within me, and it’s pretty special for me to have him be a part of my Christmas tree. The hat is just as it was when Papaw wore it -- sweat stained and dusty, just as he liked it.”

The Johnson Family – James, Ashley, Ty, Lane and Addie of Maquoketa, Iowa
“In addition to ribbons, the tree is adorned with blue, purple and champagne bulbs (the colors of first place, champions and what you drink to celebrate a victory), as well as a paper chain the kids made three years ago that they felt we needed for the tree. We also have a few little show steers purchased out of Canada last year, as well as cowhide flowers handmade by a lady in Wisconsin. It’s our cow tree and we are very proud of it and all the trips down Memory Lane it takes us and will continue to take us each year.”

Beth Gaines of Westmoreland, Kansas
“Christmas trees should be filled with memories. This one my daughter Kara decorated certainly fits that bill as it recollects livestock events, judging triumphs and even a dog show ribbon or two.”

Aaron Crome of Marshall, Illinois
“We are very fortunate to have an in-house creative team consisting of Mary Ann and Megan. We were cleaning out some ‘old’ boxes and came across quite a stash of ribbons and banners from the past 15 years. Megan also created the tree topper out of a variety of extra purple rosettes as a 4-H project that year.”

Wendy Greiner of Keota, Iowa
“We started using ribbons on our tree in 2016. We thought it was a fun idea because it shows what our family enjoys doing – showing sheep. Plus, we never know what to do with all the ribbons! It is so special to me because it shows the kids’ hard work and dedication to something they love.”

Lizzie Schafer of Owaneco, Ill.
“When designing the tree, I looked through every photo taken throughout the year and wrote down which mementos needed to be included. From there, I just put the awards on the tree in empty spaces until it was filled. I noticed that something was missing, so I added the cowboy hat as the star for a finishing touch.”

Heather Roeder of Aledo, Illinois
“I decorated this cheap, 6-ft. tree for my son Kade’s room. I added some burlap garland to fill in the holes, threw on some ribbons and various ornaments. Some of the ornaments were pictures of his cattle and others were cattle ornaments I picked up at shows. I even put ShowTimes stickers on cheap ornaments and our R/B brand. It’s nothing special, but he loves it.”

The McDonnell Sisters of Union City, Indiana
“We chose this theme to celebrate the success of our 2023 show season! We love sharing stories of our favorite pigs and moments with everyone that sees the tree. We even let Marka, age 2, hang her first banner on the tree this year. We don’t have a strategic way we decorate it, other than adding the banners and ribbons where they fit best.”

Amy Smith of Verona, Illinois
“Our kids’ love of their show animals comes out in everything they do. So naturally, they asked for a pig Christmas tree to combine two things they loved. It started with making pigs out of Christmas bulbs. The kids loved making the ornaments look like the different breeds. Then we added more the next year with traditional ornaments (each kid gets a wooden block ornament every year with a current picture) and made tree slice pig ornaments to add to the tree. They were even gifted a paint your own pig ornament kit and painted their ornaments this year to look like favorite show animals from the past. We have had a lot of fun making the ornaments and I love watching the family project come together.”

Jennifer Slagle of Grinnell, Iowa
“This tree is very ‘Anna’ and is one of my favorites. Initially she just wanted blue lights on her tree and then decided on her own to add her ribbons and banners from pig shows (already hanging on her walls). She also added a stuffed pig to the tip with a zip tie from her show box! Over the years, we have added blue and purple ornaments to complete the look. Every ribbon has a meaning and most importantly – a memory.”

Read More:

Green Shavings and High Heels: The High School ‘Lasts’ Aren’t Easy

This Vermont Dairy Farmer Turned into an Epic Track Star - Now She's Heading to the Olympics Again!

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 16:34:13 GMT

Elle Purrier St. Pierre, a Vermont dairy farmer turned track star, has booked her ticket to the summer Olympics once again.

Setting a meet-record performance, the Montgomery, Ver., native won the 5,000-meter race at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Ore., with a time of 14:40.34, a new Trials record. This seals Purrier St. Pierre’s spot on Team U.S.A., allowing her to compete at 2024 Olympic Games in Paris later this summer.

A former Olympian, Purrier St. Pierre finished 10th in the women’s 1,500-meter race at the Olympics in Tokyo in 2021. The Olympian has been training to compete in the 2024 season ever since she gave birth to her son, Ivan, just one year ago.

“I’ve been waiting for this for a bit. The 5k always hurts and I just dug a little deeper at the end there,” St. Pierre said on the NBC telecast after being asked about having her 1-year-old son, Ivan, in the stands. “It’s just so emotional to have Ivan here and I’m really proud to be his mom.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by AW (@athletics.weekly)

Purrier St. Pierre grew up on a 40-cow operation in Vermont, but never left the farm, as she and her husband still live on a dairy farm today. The runner married her high-school sweetheart, Jamie St. Pierre, and would compete against him at 4-H events growing up. Jamie studied dairy management at Cornell, is a dairy farmer, and works on his family’s dairy farm also located in Vermont.

In 2021, St. Pierre’s family made the tough decision to exit the dairy industry, selling the cows on her home farm. Though St. Pierre is still able to get some cow time in on the farm her husband manages, she reflects on how she still misses not seeing dairy cows on the farm she grew up on.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Elle Purrier St. Pierre (@elleruns_4_her_life)

Purrier’s competition at this year’s Trials is far from over. She’ll begin her bid in the 1,500-meters with a first-round heat on Thursday night in Eugene.

Watch the entire 5,000-meter race below:

We can’t stop thinking about that EPIC FINISH to the women’s 5000m final at #TrackFieldTrials24. pic.twitter.com/yv2PqedFQa
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) June 25, 2024

How #88 Became the Most Popular Cow on Social Media

Fri, 17 May 2024 20:28:13 GMT

#88 is quite possibly the most popular cow on social media right now, and it was one social media post that started it all.

“It’s kind of a fun little deal. I put on X a little sarcastic clip about the eclipse, and I saw her walking through the field, and she’s a very large cow even at that time. And I just mentioned something about, ‘the eclipse is coming’ as she walked away,” says Clay Scott, a farmer and rancher near Ulysses, Kansas.

The eclipse is coming!! pic.twitter.com/OZfYESouM2
— Clay scott (@scottwestacre) April 7, 2024

From that one post in early April, to the massive following that’s grown since, what’s transpired in that time is even catching this Kansas farmer by surprise.

“I can’t even believe what it is today. It’s hundreds of 1000s of people a day looking at it. It’s in the millions per week,” says Scott.

88,ooo views - who would have guessed https://t.co/OhhhPHFTFu
— Clay scott (@scottwestacre) April 22, 2024

She’s a 5-year-old Red Angus cow that’s quickly become a social media sensation.

“It’s a very large audience right now. A lot of states and a lot of countries chime in from time to time. So, it’s quite the ordeal,” he says.

Scott raises row crops and cattle in southwestern Kansas. He says they’ve been talking about #88’s size on the farm since February, almost sure she would be the first to calve, but now, it looks like she could be one of the last.

“I am concerned about her size and the size of the calf. I don’t want her to struggle because the calf gets too big. So that’s why we’re actually limiting her intake right now to not cause any more trouble than she’s probably already going to have with her size,” says Scott. “I’m hoping for twins, to be honest. If it’s twins, I’ll feel a lot better.”

As the saga surrounding when #88 will calve continues, her following is tuning in to what transpires next. Many of her followers are now even answering questions for Scott, and it’s sparked a conversation between complete strangers that has been yet another surprise.

“I’m getting well over 1,000 comments a day on this. And people ask questions, or they ask the same question that was talked about a couple days before. And folks are starting to fill in those answers,” says Scott. “That’s very helpful to me, because I don’t have the time or really the desire to go through my social media and answer each one.”

#88’

She’s a trooper. We are planning to move everyone tomorrow as we have done about all we can with this three week limited diet. We bring in feed every morning for her group then watch consumption. She has been on a diet to help keep calf from getting larger. Time will tell pic.twitter.com/H7U301R6yX
— Clay scott (@scottwestacre) May 16, 2024

There’s no doubt #88’s following is growing, and Scott’s daily posts are no longer just updates. He’s now using it as a tool to educate those invested in her pregnancy journey.

“When this popularity started, I thought, ‘well, let’s tell them why we’re doing this, or what this band in her ear is, what that represents,’ and why we do things that are just good doctrine of taking care of cattle. We’re trying to fulfill that mission that we need to do a better job in agriculture about telling our story.”

#88’

Changes. We are looking for the signs of labor. A swelling udder or even dripping milk - relaxing in hips and softening on backside. Raised tailhead often portrays labor is soon
Some display this along with tail twitching - lying and standing often

Some display nothing pic.twitter.com/RDhob9sJyE
— Clay scott (@scottwestacre) May 16, 2024

Scott’s biggest challenge may be cramming that message into 280 characters per post, but he says it’s forced him to put more thought and meaning into what he posts each day. And now, sharing #88’s story in a short and concise way, is now sharing agriculture’s story far and wide.

“I thought it would kind of, you know, peak in about two or three days and then kind of go away. I didn’t think there would be the continued investment,” he says.

What Scott is doing in his part of the world is giving a glimpse at raising cattle in such a simple and intriguing way, and it’s now making meaningful connections that extend way beyond ag.

Mistrial Declared in Arizona Rancher’s Murder Trial

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 18:42:45 GMT

An Arizona judge declared a mistrial in the murder case of rancher George Alan Kelly, 75, who was accused of fatally shooting a migrant on his property near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Fink said the decision was made after jurors failed to reach a unanimous decision after two full days of deliberation.

Following the declaration, Kelly’s defense attorney Kathy Lowthorp revealed outside the courthouse to the media that there had only been one guilty juror in the group, which was why the defense team pushed for deliberations to continue.

“There was one hold out for guilty, the rest were not guilty. So seven not guilty, one guilty,” Lowthorp stated. “We believe in our gut that there was no way the state proved beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Kelly had faced second-degree murder in the Jan. 30, 2023, shooting of Gabriel Cuen-Buitimea, 48, who lived just south of the border in Nogales, Mexico. Kelly had earlier rejected an agreement with prosecutors that would have reduced the charge to one count of negligent homicide if he pleaded guilty.

“It is what it is, and it will be what it will be. Let me go home, okay? That alright with y’all?” Kelly told reporters outside the courthouse following the mistrial. “I will keep fighting forever. I won’t stop.”

Judge Fink had told jurors that if they could not reach a verdict on the second-degree murder charge, they could try for a unanimous decision on a lesser charge of reckless manslaughter or negligent homicide.

The Santa Cruz County Attorney’s Office can still decide whether to retry Kelly for any charge or drop the case all together.

A status hearing was scheduled for next Monday afternoon, when prosecutors could inform the judge if they plan to refile the case.

Related:

Arizona Rancher Rejects Plea Deal in Death of Migrant

Arizona Border Rancher Accused of Killing Migrant, Now Held With $1 Million Bond

Wild Pigs Kill More People Than Sharks, Shocking New Research Reveals

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 14:43:28 GMT

Hogzilla or Jaws? More humans are killed annually by wild pigs than by sharks, a startling new study reveals. By slice, puncture, hook, and gouge, the global number of fatalities from wild pig attacks is rising by the decade.

Between 2014 and 2023, the average yearly number of fatal shark attacks worldwide was 5.8, while the average number of fatal wild pig attacks was 19.7. In 2024 alone, there have already been seven deaths from wild pig incidents.

According to groundbreaking research published in 2023, the number of humans killed by wild pig attacks steadily climbed from 2000 to 2019, for a total of 172 deaths—including a freakishly grisly fatality in southeast Texas.

“Most of the public doesn’t know the facts about wild pig attacks on humans,” says John J. Mayer, lead author of the study and wild pig research pioneer. “It’s not sharks, wolves, or bears that kill the most people—it’s wild pigs, and the numbers are consistently trending up.”

1,532 Attacks and 172 Deaths

In 1973, well before the global pig bomb exploded, Mayer began noting wild pigs’ capacity for habitat destruction. At a steady drip, he also heard anecdotes of pig attacks on humans. Although many of the stories initially could not be verified, by the 1990s Mayer accumulated a folder bulging with confirmed encounters, and in 2013, he published research detailing wild pig attacks.

(Farm Journal)

The public reaction to his findings surprised Mayer: “I got a significant number of negative responses from people who refused to believe wild pigs were dangerous. I had people telling me the stories of attacks on humans were pure nonsense. Interestingly, if you asked those same people about sharks, they would, to a person, say that sharks are dangerous.”

A decade later, after collating a global dragnet of sources with colleagues James Garabedian and John Kilgo, both USDA wildlife biologists, Mayer published Human Fatalities Resulting From Wild Pig Attacks Worldwide: 2000–2019 , and the report is packed with eye-opening detail: 1,532 wild pig attacks on humans from 2000-2019, resulting in 172 human deaths in 29 countries.

Of the 172 fatalities, 88% occurred in non-hunting circumstances; 77% of victims died due to blood loss; 86% of attacks occurred in daylight; 84% of victims were male and 62% of victims were adults; 38% of attacks involved farm workers engaged in agriculture; almost all attacks were by solitary pigs, except for 20 encounters featuring multiple pigs; and average pig size in each incident was 240 lb.

(Farm Journal)

“Tigers, Indian elephants, Nile crocodiles, and venomous snakes kill more people than wild pigs, but wild pigs are certainly worse than bears, wolves, and all shark species put together,” says Mayer, technical program manager at the Savannah River National Laboratory in Aiken, S.C. “Wild pigs are nowhere near the worst of the worst, but they’re far more dangerous than people believe.”

“These attacks can be horrific,” Mayer adds. “Typically, wild pigs don’t bother anyone if they don’t feel threatened, but they can deliver tremendous damage to the human body in a matter of seconds in a very gruesome manner. We found that in fatal attacks, 55% of people died on the scene. A wild pig is at the waist to knee range for most humans, and when pigs slash in that area, they do tremendous damage to the arterial system.”

Sincerely. Boars deliver stab-and-slash wounds, often around the groin area, with tusks that operate as nails and razors.

7x Predatory

Boar tusks are extremely sharp, with 60-70% of a canine enclosed in the jaw and roughly 1”-4” outside the socket. The upper and lower tusks rub against one another each time a boar opens and closes its mouth, honing the lower tusks into cutters via a perpetual sharpening process.

(Farm Journal)

“Boars punch holes with their tusks, making rough-edged slashes and gouges,” Mayer describes. “They can also break bones with a powerful bite. Sows have smaller tusks, proportionally almost like dogs, so a sow tends to bite, rather than stab or slash. Therefore, most fatal attacks are by males with large canines, and often to the inner leg and femoral artery. On top of that, they can run in short bursts up to 30 to 35 miles per hour.”

Mayer’s benchmark report makes clear that almost all fatal wild pig attacks are associated with defensive behaviors. However, he documented seven attacks “during which the pig’s behaviors appeared to be predatory.”

“If they can get their mouths around something, they’ll eat it. It’s rare, but without question, they sometimes attack unprovoked,” Mayer notes. “We found one case in India where a young girl was walking with her father when a wild pig emerged from brush, grabbed her and picked her up in its jaws, and carried her away. The father gave chase and caught up, but both the father and daughter ended up in the hospital and the little girl died from her wounds.”

“And then there was the 2019 case in Texas where a lady endured the worst,” he adds. “That case is as terrible as it gets.”

As in, maneater. Wild pigs as maneaters.

Feeding Frenzy

The Sunday before Thanksgiving, Nov. 24, 2019, arguably ranks as the most savage wild pig attack on record.

As caregiver at the home of an elderly couple living in rural Chambers County, Christine Rollins, 59, arrived to work at roughly 6 a.m., in clockwork fashion. Rollins parked a Chrysler sedan in the yard of the well-kept property, directly beside the driveway, and exited her vehicle. She likely was dead within minutes, partially consumed while alive.

(Farm Journal)

At approximately 7:45 a.m. law enforcement arrived at the property and found Rollins—5’1” and 130 lb.—on her back against the manicured lawn, 6’ from the Chrysler. Rollins’ clothing was torn away. A shirt and jacket were bunched high on her torso; pants and shoes were gone.

Her body, head to toe, was a roadmap of injuries—bites, punctures, and lacerations, including large portions of her legs devoid of flesh. Gone. Eaten.

Arriving on site as an investigation unfolded, nothing in Sheriff Brian Hawthorne’s 35-year southeast Texas career prepared him for the scene.

“I’d never seen anything like it in my life,” he recalls. “Miss Rollins was annihilated. A third of her body was mutilated and in ghastly condition. We could see that she’d been attacked by wild animals and we could see clear signs of hog rooting in the yard. The area around the property was rural and partially wooded, and the elderly owners told us they had major wild hog problems.”

“The owners also had two dogs outside, a 14-year-old Lab and a dachshund, a classic wiener dog. The Lab was extremely friendly toward us and was happy to see the deputies.”

(Farm Journal)

Designated as an “unknown death,” the incident automatically triggered a criminal investigation. Hawthorne reserved judgement, pending an autopsy.

The autopsy was telltale.

“It was tragic. Miss Rollins bled to death,” Hawthorne says. “She had wounds over her whole body, but the lower extremities were horrific. People tried to attribute the attack to dogs, but the evidence was clearly to the contrary. The pathologist found no canine bites on the body. There certainly were bites and tusk marks of all sizes and different widths, but they were made by hogs. Material was sent to labs for DNA testing, and those results confirmed the wild hog attack.”

“It can only be speculation, but we believe she exited her car while the wild pigs were coming around the house,” he continues. “Initially, she was an obstruction, but then became the center of a feeding frenzy by multiple adult hogs and multiple juveniles of various sizes. I’d compare it to the frenzy of domesticated pigs when slop is dumped in a pen, or the frenzy normally associated with sharks at feeding.”

(Farm Journal)

Glaringly, the 2019 wild pig attack in Chambers County accords with Mayer’s research and study. “Every part of me wishes Christine Rollins’ death was attributable to something other than wild hogs, but every bit of evidence says it’s not so,” Hawthorne concludes. “This attack was an exception, but I tell people all the time: Wild hogs are problematic and a danger to be around. Period.”

No More Skeptics

Why do most of the attacks and deaths from wild pigs go unnoticed? Over half (51%) of all fatal pig attacks occur in India, followed by China (8%), with the U.S. well behind at six recorded fatalities in the past 100 years, as noted in Human Fatalities Resulting From Wild Pig Attacks Worldwide: 2000–2019 .

(Farm Journal)

However, the attack rate is trending up everywhere, Mayer says. “In the last 30 years, the global wild pig population has exploded, and we expect encounters to climb alongside, and now the news media is also catching up and the data is more available. In America, for example, I’m certain there were more wild pig fatalities in the past century, but those accounts were never documented. No doubt, there are more lost in family histories.”

In the early 1970s, when Mayer first began giving presentations on wild pig expansion, he was met with puzzled looks and a frequent question: “Why study an animal with no relevance?”

(Farm Journal)

Fifty years later, with the U.S. wild pig population ballooning to 7 million, and annual damage to the agriculture economy at $1.5 billion, according to USDA estimates, no one questions Mayer over the impact of wild pigs.

“You hear about shark attacks all the time in the news, but you almost never hear about wild pig attacks. I hope our study increases awareness about wild pigs and makes people more cautious,” he says. “Wild pig attacks are rare and fatal attacks are rarer, but the rate is still much, much higher than people think—high enough to place wild pigs over sharks in cause of death.”

Sincerely. By the numbers, Hogzilla defeats Jaws.

For more articles from Chris Bennett ( cbennett@farmjournal.com or 662-592-1106), see:

Corn and Cocaine: Roger Reaves and the Most Incredible Farm Story Never Told

American Gothic: Farm Couple Nailed In Massive $9M Crop Insurance Fraud

Priceless Pistol Found After Decades Lost in Farmhouse Attic

Cottonmouth Farmer: The Insane Tale of a Buck-Wild Scheme to Corner the Snake Venom Market

Tractorcade: How an Epic Convoy and Legendary Farmer Army Shook Washington, D.C.

Bizarre Mystery of Mummified Coon Dog Solved After 40 Years

While America Slept, China Stole the Farm

USDA Issues Permit for Santa’s Reindeer to Enter the U.S.

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 20:58:37 GMT

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today issued a transit permit to Mr. S. Nicholas Claus of the North Pole, a distributor with Gifts and Good Cheer, Inc. The permit will allow reindeer to enter and exit the United States between the hours of 6 p.m. on Dec. 24, 2023, and 6 a.m. on Dec. 25, 2023, local time, through or over any U.S. border port.

“USDA is delighted to grant Mr. Claus and his reindeer a special permit to enter the United States, ensuring a seamless journey for the joy they bring each holiday season,” said Jenny Lester Moffitt, Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. “We extend a warm welcome to Mr. Claus and recognize the vital role of U.S. milk and cookies in fueling his festive flight.”

Veterinary officials ensured the reindeer met all entry requirements before issuing the permit. Dr. Rosemary Sifford, USDA’s Chief Veterinary Officer, stated: “At a recent inspection, the reindeer were found to be healthy and able to prance and paw with each hoof.”

It was noted on the health certificate that one reindeer, Rudolph, has a minor physical anomaly. However, APHIS indicated that Rudolph’s red nose, while bright, was normal for him and not a concern.

APHIS regulates the movement of cervids, including reindeer, to protect the health of America’s livestock population. The permitting process provides assurance that only healthy animals enter the United States.

USDA has confirmed that the reindeer will arrive pulling a wooden sleigh with jingling bells attached, filled with brightly wrapped gifts. Port personnel will clean and disinfect the runners and underside of the sleigh at the time of entry. They will also conduct a short visual inspection of the reindeer. Mr. Claus has been asked to disinfect his boots and thoroughly wash his hands. These measures are intended to prevent the entry of any livestock diseases the team may encounter during deliveries to farms and houses around the world prior to entering the United States.

Mr. Claus also provided an advance list of what port personnel should expect upon their arrival. This includes a variety of food items, all of which come from approved locations and none of which pose a threat to U.S. animal or plant health.

“It’s important that Gifts and Good Cheer, Inc. take all the right steps and precautions to protect against the potential introduction of pests and diseases,” explained Mr. Claus. “I appreciate USDA’s assistance every year as we gear up for our big night.”

9 Spooktacular Dairy Treats to Hand Out this Halloween

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 14:13:42 GMT

With Halloween only a few days away, trick-or-treaters will soon be knocking on your doors looking for a fun treat to add to their baskets. While candy is always a go-to option, why not get creative and hand out some delicious dairy-themed goodies instead? Not sure what to go with? Don’t worry, we’ve compiled a list!

String cheese – Arguably the perfect snack for kids (and adults,) string cheese is low in calories and high in protein. Plus, it’s just dang fun to eat!
Chocolate milk – Want to be the cool house on the block? Hand out individual cartons of chocolate milk!It’s a chocolaty treat that is sure to win kids over. Not sure how to keep it cool? Consider this shelf-stable option.
Yogurt tubes – Yogurt is a staple food in most young children’s diets. Why not include it during Halloween? To keep tubes nice and cold, pop them in the freezer for a few hours before handing them out.
Microwavable macaroni – If you really want to win over the kids, consider handing out the individual microwavable cups of macaroni that every child drools over. Imagine their cheesy smiles when you drop one of those into their Halloween baskets!
Mini cheese wheels – Similar to string cheese, mini cheese wheels are a fun treat to be enjoyed by all. Everyone loves mozzarella, but why not mix up the variety? Cheddar, swiss and parmesan are all great options!
Milk straws – We’ve all seen the milk straws that “magically” turn a child’s glass of white milk into chocolate or strawberry milk. They may not taste the best, but they are fun nevertheless. Plus, it gets kids to drink milk!
Cereal cups – After a long night of trick-or-treating, the kids will have worked up an appetite come breakfast time. That’s where you step in! Consider passing out individual cups of pre-packaged cerealfor kids to enjoy with milk the next morning.
Cheese crackers – Not a sweet treat kind of person? Give this savory option a try. Individual packages of cheese crackers are a fun way to add a little variety to Halloween baskets. Want to be mean? Sneak in a few pepper jack flavors!
Cow-themed candy – While real dairy options are the preferred treat for dairy farmers to hand out, we won’t bash these cow-themed candies. Give these options a try:

Meet Howdy Doody: The Famous Watusi Bull

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 19:28:22 GMT

He is not your average Watusi bull. He enjoys long walks in the road ditches and joy rides with his owner Lee Meyer of Neligh, Neb.

After last week, Howdy Doody is essentially famous.

In case you missed Howdy Doody’s rise to fame, here’s a look at how he gained a bit more attention:

As a local news source reports , the sight of a full-grown Watusi bull riding shotgun in a car is quite peculiar. Yet, Meyer’s wife, Rhonda, says it’s just another outing of two best friends.

Howdy Doody joined the Meyer family when he was five or six months old, which was around eight or nine years ago, Rhonda recalls.

Over the last several years, Howdy Doody’s become somewhat of a local celebrity, taking weekly walks in the road ditch, appearing in parades riding next to Meyer and taking photos with onlookers.

However, Wednesday’s traffic stop and the viral recognition was out of the ordinary for this team. Rhonda says Lee has taken the event in stride. “He’s fine. Lee thinks he’s a movie star,” she adds.

A local news source reports Howdy Doody’s stardom may help lead to potential new event in their small town. Rhonda says participants would get to meet and celebrate the Watusi bull on “Howdy Doody Day,” should the event become a reality.

YouTube Michigan Dairy Farm Star Showcases His Farm Messages to Thousands

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 17:37:14 GMT

There is a reason why Michigan dairy farmer Kip Siegler’s YouTube channel is growing. His upbeat personality and his ability to show viewers firsthand what it is like to farm in fast-paced videos resonates well with his audience and has resulted in more than 42,000 subscribers.

Siegler kicked off his YouTube channel back in 2019 after seeing his nieces and nephews captivated by YouTube videos over the Christmas holiday.

“I thought to myself, ‘Man, I think I can do that,’” he said, sharing that his most successful video showcases them chopping hay.

The goal of starting his YouTube channel was to reach people who don’t know much about farming, but today, with nearly 10 million YouTube views, a high percentage of the viewers is the 65-plus crowd.

“Guys are interested in how we make it as a relatively small family farm, and I try to show them that we are in it for the long haul and the goal is to pass this onto the next generation,” he says.

(Farm Journal)

Siegler Dairy Farm

The farm behind the growing YouTube channel is Siegler Dairy Farm, located in Imlay City, Mich., owned by Kip, his father, Jeff, and his brothers, Greg and Mark. The farm began in 1952 and today they milk 200 cows twice daily and farm around 2,000 acres.

Siegler enlisted in the Army after high school and shared his parents didn’t really talk about him coming back to the farm and encouraged him and his brothers to do other things first. After serving for three and half years, Siegler felt the inkling to come back to the family farm.

(Farm Journal)

Today, he talks openly about the challenges that face his Michigan dairy farm, including high feed costs, but Siegler says that transitioning the farm from one generation to the next is also a big challenge that isn’t talked about much on farms.

“We just transitioned the farm to me and my brothers and I think it’s important to continue this conversation about where we want the farm to go on from here,” he says.

Siegler YouTube video, “10 reasons family farms fail,” resonated well with his audience.

“I try to be realistic as possible,” he says. “It’s so easy to push this topic [succession planning] under the rug and not talk about it. You need someone in the middle that has no stake in the game and it’s best if it’s not a lawyer.”

(Farm Journal)

Outlining the farm’s long-term goals has helped the Siegler family with their recent succession planning transition.

“We want the kids to have a chance at the farm,” he says. “In order for that to happen, everybody’s going to have to sacrifice and you’re not going to make a plethora of money. You’re going to reinvest back to the farm to allow it to continue to the next generation.”

And that is what excites Siegler the most— bringing on the next generation. His nephew, Lonnie helps on the farm and the older generations strive to be leaders, teaching him the ropes.

(Farm Journal)

“That’s the circle of life, right there,” Siegler says. “That is how we keep the family farm going.”

To learn more about Siegler Dairy Farm, go to (399) Kip Siegler Farming - YouTube

For the Love of the Game, How Agriculture Helped Birth the Game of Basketball

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 18:31:34 GMT

As March Madness continues this weekend, it’s a toast to the birth of basketball, which has farming roots.

It may not seem like basketball has a strong connection to agriculture, but from the basketballs used in the NBA, to the sport itself, agriculture has direct ties to a sport that takes over television from mid to late March.

James Naismith , who grew up on a farm in Ontario, Canada, invented the game of basketball at a YMCA in Massachusetts. Naismith actually struggled in school, but stories about him say he excelled with farm work and loved being outside. According to the Naismith Basketball Foundation, James learned many lessons in honestly initiative, independence and ruggedness by doing his assigned chores around the farm. And if a problem arose, he was expected to take care of it himself.

While Naismith didn’t always excel in academics, he was a leader in his class and a promising athlete.

Fast forward several years, as a great athlete in high school and college, once he graduated, he taught physical education. That role ultimately leading him to YMCA.

In 1891, Naismith was a physical education instruction at the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Mass. Tasked with coming up with a new indoor sport. The main objectives were to “make it fair for all players, and free of rough play.” From that task, along with tapping into his favorite childhood game called “Duck on a Rock,” James invented basketball.

He nailed a peach basket to a wall and had the players try to toss a ball into it. Eventually, he figured out to cut the bottom out of the basket to speed up the game.

Farmer Ingenuity of the Breakaway Rim

The agricultural ties don’t stop with just the birth of the sport. In 1975, Illinois farmer Arthur Ehrat created the breakaway basket rim. Ehrat, who managed Farmers Elevator Co., had already invented two field spreaders. According to FarmWeekNow, his nephew, who was an assistant coach at St. Louis University, asked his uncle for ideas on a rim that wouldn’t break when players dunked the basketball.

Ehrat tried various springs that would allow the rim to snap back into place, but car valve springs weren’t strong enough. So, he he tried a spring from a John Deere cultivator he had on hand, and it did the trick. The prototype was dubbed “The Rebounder.”

In 1982, after years of legal work, that invention finally received a patent, and he licensed the invention to 18 manufacturers.

FarmWeekNow.com shares the full story invention of the breakaway rim, an invention that literally changed the game of basketball.

Cowhide to Basketball

Today, agriculture is still at the root of the game. The NBA game ball, which is exclusively sourced from the Horween Leather Company, is made of leather from cowhides.

The company receives shipments of 3,000 cowhides per week, which then go through a rigorous three-week process to become basketballs.

As March Madness continues, don’t forget to check AgWeb’s Bracket Busters to see who’s in the lead.

Arizona Border Rancher Accused of Killing Migrant, Now Held With $1 Million Bond

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 20:02:26 GMT

An Arizona rancher has been arrested in connection with the death of a Mexican national who was shot and killed on the rancher’s property, literally yards north of the Mexican border.

(Farm Journal)

George Alan Kelly, 73, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Gabriel Cuen-Butimea, 48, from Nogales, Mexico. Authorities say Cuen-Butimea was shot Jan. 30 in a remote desert area near Kino Springs, a tiny hamlet in Santa Cruz County. Kelly is being held on a $1 million bond.

Law enforcement have not divulged a motive for the shooting, and details remain sketchy. The incident, however, could develop into a powder keg and further escalate the tense political issue regarding the U.S.-Mexican border.

Here’s what we know. Kelly lives with his wife on their ranch – Vermilion Mountain Ranch – and routinely see migrant trespassers. The couple have reported they fear members of the drug cartels and their heavily armed soldiers trafficking people and drugs.

On the day of the shooting, a sheriff’s dispatch reported a call at around 2:40 p.m. from U.S. Border Patrol about a “possible active shooter” in the area of Sagebrush Road, which is Kelly’s address. CBP apparently received a report from a witness about a “group of people running” and said he was “unsure if he was getting shot at as well.”

At around 5:50 p.m. on the day of the shooting, sheriff’s deputies received another report of shots fired at the property. By 6:42 p.m. they recovered Cuen-Butimea’s body. Authorities have said there was no weapon on the victim at the time, and investigators had collected two assault-style rifles from Kelly’s property in the aftermath to determine whether either was used in the shooting.

Cuen-Butimea was identified by authorities from his Mexican voter card, and his body was found approximately 150 yards from Kelly’s home. News outlets have reported U.S. federal court records “show Cuen-Butimea has had a history of illegal border crossings and deportations in and around Nogales, with the most recent documented case in 2016.”

While an investigation into the shooting is ongoing, officials have said they don’t have a clear motive and that they don’t think Kelly and Cuen-Butimea knew each other.

Under Arizona law, deadly force is allowed on one’s own property if the homeowner believes it “immediately necessary” to prevent trespassing. Other statutes — known as the “stand your ground” laws — also defend the use of physical or deadly force when a homeowner fears a threat and believes force is necessary.

At a preliminary hearing Jan. 31, Kelly asked a judge to reduce his bond so he could help his wife.

“She’s there by herself … nobody to take care of her, the livestock, nor the ranch. And I’m not going anywhere. I can’t come up with a million dollars.”

A GoFundMe account was established to help with Kelly’s legal fees, but the account was quickly taken down, FOX News Digital reports.

“GoFundMe’s Terms of Service explicitly prohibit campaigns that raise money to cover the legal defense of anyone formally charged with an alleged violent crime. Consistent with this long-standing policy, any fundraising campaigns for the legal defense of someone charged with murder are removed from our platform,” a spokesperson for GoFundMe said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Donors who contributed to the fundraising campaigns for George Alan Kelly’s legal expenses have been fully refunded.”

An active fundraiser for Kelly remains on the Christian crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo which had raised over $16,000 on Friday morning.

“Neighbors say that he had been having difficulty keeping invaders out and say that Mr. Kelly would have acted in good faith,” the fundraiser’s organizer, Shannon Pritchard, wrote. “It is a tragedy that a simple farmer, who should be protected by the government, has been abandoned and had to defend himself.”

A Magical Rural Minnesota Christmas Tree

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 19:00:00 GMT

In 2012, Jerry Lageson flipped the switch and transformed an oak tree into a landmark for thousands of passersby. Along Interstate 35 south of Faribault, Minn., Lageson annually adorns this tree with 50,000 white lights.

When Lageson began his adventure, he had no idea the impact it would have: “A lot of truck drivers have been on the road for six or eight hours and then they go by this tree, and it gives them a little lift and they honk their horn.”

Lageson has received letters over the years from people who pass the tree on their way to and from hospitals, nursing homes and family.

“It makes me feel like I bring joy to a lot of people,” he says. “I’m not personally involved with them but my tree touches them – touches them right in their heart.”

Every holiday season thousands of people drive past this magical tree, and whether they are seeing it for the first time or many times, each finds their own piece of joy from those 50,000 twinkling lights.

(Farm Journal)

Montana Stockgrowers Association Elects Lesley Robinson As President

Fourth generation rancher, Lesley Robinson, was recently elected the first woman president of the Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA). Robinson’s family has been ranching in Phillips County, which is in the north central part of the state, since the early 1900s. She and her husband, Jim, have been married for 39 years and have ranched their entire lives. Currently they own and operate the Lazy JD Cattle Company, a ranch purchased in 1958 by Jim’s family.

“You have to have a passion for ranching to love it,” Robinson says. “If you don’t have a passion for it, it’s going to be very hard to get up every day and go through everything that you have to do to make a ranch successful.”

Robinson’s interest in leadership was inspired by her parents, who were both involved with livestock associations.

She previoulsy served on MSGA’s board of directors from 1996-2000 and has spent the last two decades dedicating her time and knowledge to the livestock industry on the local, state and national levels.

“My vision for the cattle industry in Montana and across the nation is to keep agriculture land in production,” Robinson shares. “We need to keep the ranchers on the land producing beef and encourage young people to come into ranching. It’s important we find ways to help people be successful in ranching, so that we can keep the land in production.”

With a record number of dispersions in Montana and other states, Robinson says remaining sustainable is a top priority.

“Right now we have the good markets, but we need to be able to be sustainable when the markets drop also,” she says. “It’s important to find ways to make your place sustainable in the bad times along with the good times.”

This cattlewoman recognizes not everyone agrees on all the issues, but it’s important to work together.

“We need to work on the tax rules that are going to sunset next year in 2025 and I think that most of the organizations, if not all of them, can agree on estate tax needs to be either get rid of estate tax or at least keep the limits that we have in place right now,” she says.

A quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald inspires Robinson daily. She has a sign on her wall with it that reads ‘Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat.’

“You can still have a loss, but don’t give up, because not every everybody can win, so just keep trying and come back,” Robinson says. “We have losses every day in ranching, so we’re resilient, and we have to just keep going.”

For more information, visit mtbeef.org .

Your next read: Nutritional Requirements of Cattle in Winter

Rural Life

Producers and Veterinarians Are Taking Back Agriculture’s Story Online

Meet the Experts: Real-Life Ranchers and Vets on Instagram

Getting Started: 4 Tips for Effective Ag Social Media

Winning Trust: How to Handle Negative Comments Online

USDA Offers Support to Address Rural Veterinarian Shortage

The Best Livestock-Themed Christmas Trees Full of Memories and Meaning

This Vermont Dairy Farmer Turned into an Epic Track Star - Now She's Heading to the Olympics Again!

How #88 Became the Most Popular Cow on Social Media

Mistrial Declared in Arizona Rancher’s Murder Trial

Wild Pigs Kill More People Than Sharks, Shocking New Research Reveals

USDA Issues Permit for Santa’s Reindeer to Enter the U.S.

9 Spooktacular Dairy Treats to Hand Out this Halloween

String cheese – Arguably the perfect snack for kids (and adults,) string cheese is low in calories and high in protein. Plus, it’s just dang fun to eat!

Chocolate milk – Want to be the cool house on the block? Hand out individual cartons of chocolate milk!It’s a chocolaty treat that is sure to win kids over. Not sure how to keep it cool? Consider this shelf-stable option.

Yogurt tubes – Yogurt is a staple food in most young children’s diets. Why not include it during Halloween? To keep tubes nice and cold, pop them in the freezer for a few hours before handing them out.

Microwavable macaroni – If you really want to win over the kids, consider handing out the individual microwavable cups of macaroni that every child drools over. Imagine their cheesy smiles when you drop one of those into their Halloween baskets!

Mini cheese wheels – Similar to string cheese, mini cheese wheels are a fun treat to be enjoyed by all. Everyone loves mozzarella, but why not mix up the variety? Cheddar, swiss and parmesan are all great options!

Milk straws – We’ve all seen the milk straws that “magically” turn a child’s glass of white milk into chocolate or strawberry milk. They may not taste the best, but they are fun nevertheless. Plus, it gets kids to drink milk!

Cereal cups – After a long night of trick-or-treating, the kids will have worked up an appetite come breakfast time. That’s where you step in! Consider passing out individual cups of pre-packaged cerealfor kids to enjoy with milk the next morning.

Cheese crackers – Not a sweet treat kind of person? Give this savory option a try. Individual packages of cheese crackers are a fun way to add a little variety to Halloween baskets. Want to be mean? Sneak in a few pepper jack flavors!

Cow-themed candy – While real dairy options are the preferred treat for dairy farmers to hand out, we won’t bash these cow-themed candies. Give these options a try:

Meet Howdy Doody: The Famous Watusi Bull

YouTube Michigan Dairy Farm Star Showcases His Farm Messages to Thousands

Siegler Dairy Farm

For the Love of the Game, How Agriculture Helped Birth the Game of Basketball

Farmer Ingenuity of the Breakaway Rim

Read More: Meet the Illinois Farmer Who Helped Change the Game of Basketball with the Breakaway Rim

Cowhide to Basketball

Arizona Border Rancher Accused of Killing Migrant, Now Held With $1 Million Bond

A Magical Rural Minnesota Christmas Tree

Montana Stockgrowers Association Elects Lesley Robinson As President