High prices means that beef producers need protections as well

Crop growers are not the only ones needing a risk management system this year. Farm analysts say now is the best time for cattle ranchers to check out their options.

“Some people are checking cattle at night. We’re calving heifers. We’re calving cows. Those calves are hitting the ground, and just think about if you could insure those cattle for today for, let’s just say, $1,600, and you’re spending about $50 to $60. Maybe you don’t want to spend that much. Maybe you want to insure that calf for $1,000 and spend $10 or $15. Those are some of the options that we could look at on those cattle that are hitting the ground right now,” said Clay Burtrum.

Butrum says at the end of the day, you want to make sure you keep yourself profitable while protecting the business for the next generation.

Related Stories
APHIS Veterinary Medical Officer Dr. Chelsey Shiveley discusses USDA’s biosecurity resources available to poultry producers ahead of spring migration, increasing the risk of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) threatens commercial flocks.
This year at CattleCon 2026, RFD Network’s Kirbe Schnoor caught up with Donna Emick from Pneu-Dart to get her perspective on why education, safety, and accountability matter in the field.
Nebraska’s largest wildfire on-record has burned 650,000 acres, with three other major fires also burning across the state, destroying pastureland and threatening cattle.
NCBA President Colin Woodall states that misinformation like this is damaging to cattle producers, the beef supply chain, and consumer confidence
Producer input costs are rising faster than expected — and this latest PPI report does not reflect the last two weeks of geopolitical tension.
NMPF’s Alan Bjerga discusses pending trade agreements with Indonesia and Ecuador and how they will benefit U.S. dairy producers and improve overall global competitiveness of U.S. ag products.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Corn Refiners Association VP Kristy Goodfellow offered insight into the Feeding the Economy Report’s key findings, showing the breadth of agriculture’s economic impact and the challenges ahead.
RealAg Radio’s Shaun Haney discusses Canada’s new soil health strategy, its implications for producers, and its potential to support sustainable agriculture in Canada compared to USDA funding for conservation.
National Association of Wheat Growers President Jamie Kress discusses how rising fertilizer prices pressure wheat producers and the Administration’s consideration of lowering duties on Moroccan phosphate.
Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Michael Kelsey joined us to discuss wildfire impacts across the Southern Plains, the importance of community support, and the path forward for affected producers.
RFA and ACE leaders join us to discuss the latest developments in ethanol policy, market impacts, and the path forward
ASFMRA’s Tony Toso joins us with an update on California farmland values, ongoing market uncertainty, and key discussions shaping agriculture in the Golden State.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.