{"id":70,"date":"2026-03-31T22:05:23","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T22:05:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmingtoolmagazine.com\/?page_id=70"},"modified":"2026-03-31T22:05:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T22:05:23","slug":"ag-related-topics","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/farmingtoolmagazine.com\/?page_id=70","title":{"rendered":"Hot Topics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Precision and Progress: How One KS Farmer is Conserving Water<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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On the western edge of Republic County near Courtland, Kan., third-generation farmer Richard Lindberg is proving that innovation and conservation can go hand in hand.
Richard and his wife Melanie own and operate Lindberg Family Farms. For many years, they\u2019ve discussed and adapted the farm\u2019s irrigation strategies to meet the realities of limited water resources. The farm\u2019s geography presented additional challenges, split almost in half by railroad tracks. With help from Reinke in the past year, Lindberg met that challenge and even earned the Republic County Conservation District\u2019s Key Banker Award for water conservation.
The honor recognizes Kansas farmers who demonstrate exceptional stewardship of agricultural and natural resources. Lindberg\u2019s operation stood out for its adoption of advanced irrigation technology designed to maximize water efficiency in an area with water use restrictions.
Improving Irrigation
Lindberg Family Farms has been irrigating crops for several decades as the farm was purchased 80 years ago. Like many operations in the region, irrigation began with siphon tubes and eventually evolved into graded irrigation pipe systems. While effective for their time, those methods typically deliver only about 50\u201360% irrigation efficiency. As water supplies have tightened over the years, Lindberg realized a more efficient solution was needed.
The farm moved to center pivot irrigation, installing one pivots in 2009. But the most significant change came recently. In 2024, Richard installed another and retrofitted the original system with variable rate irrigation (VRI) capabilities.
In 2025, Roehr\u2019s Machinery in Beatrice, Neb., helped Lindberg by installing two new Reinke Electrogator II pivots. They also added Reinke\u2019s award winning electronic swing arm corner (ESAC) technology to walk the pivot past their barn, adding valuable acres under pivot. The Reinke dealer installed RPM Touch Screen control panels and the RC10 monitoring system, helping Lindberg with remote management to save valuable resources while still putting down the water his crops needed.
\u201cThe dealer helped us plan the whole thing,\u201d Lindberg said. \u201cWe put up the new Electrogator pivots and got soil sensors out in the fields. Now I can control the whole thing with my phone instead of driving around to check and make sure the pivots were getting water to the crops.\u201d
Water savings a \u201cmajor turnaround\u201d
The time savings was a big bonus, but the best part came later in the season when he could see how much less water they\u2019d used.
\u201cFor the first time ever, we didn\u2019t run out of water during the growing season,\u201d he said. \u201cHistorically, we\u2019d always had to shut off the water well before we wanted. This was a major turnaround for us.\u201d
That milestone marked a major turnaround for the farm. In previous years, water allocations often ran dry before crops finished their growth cycle. With the new pivots and precision controls, the farm managed its entire season without exhausting its water supply.
Lindberg credits Reinke\u2019s irrigation equipment and technology along with the support from the Republic County Conservation District, grant funding and assistance from the local Farm Service Agency to help make the upgrades possible.
\u201cWe couldn\u2019t have made these improvements ourselves,\u201d he said. \u201cThis has all really been a blessing for us.\u201d
Reinke irrigation solutions make all the difference
The technology allowing Lindberg to irrigate fields with precision water application is integrated to work with CropX sensor to monitor soil moisture, crop behavior and soil health. The sensor collects the data and feeds back watering recommendations to the Electrogator II pivot.
\u201cRichard can easily access the information he needs on his smart phone without having to drive out to the field and check the pivots manually,\u201d said Eric Bathel at Roehr\u2019s Machinery. \u201cThe field layout was challenging, but with the addition of a swing arm we were able to get nearly 90% coverage of his total acres and made a dramatic difference in their irrigation water usage. From one year to the next, they could certainly see the difference in how much they saved.\u201d
For Lindberg, investing in modern irrigation isn\u2019t just about efficiency \u2013 it\u2019s about conserving resources and protecting the future of farming that his family has done for generations.
For more information on grants to help purchase precision irrigation equipment, find your state\u2019s Natural Resources Conservation Service office by visiting NRCS.USDA.gov. To find out more about Reinke\u2019s complete line of irrigation solutions or to find a dealer near you, go to Reinke.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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by Olivia L\u2019Ecuyer\/Farming Tool Magazine<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Beef, it\u2019s what\u2019s for dinner,\u2019 is a common saying that many rural living individuals might say or hear a few times a year. This saying is becoming more and more true as the markets for beef cattle continue to rise and make a solid profit for many farmers and ranchers. As the beef cattle market continues to rise, there are more and more concerns from many farmers and ranchers on how the cattle market will be for the rest of 2025 and continuing into 2026.
The first six months of 2025 have been marked by higher cattle and beef prices which has been driven by high cattle inventories and supply restraints. In Nebraska, feeder steer prices continue to set record highs and in April prices hit nearly $400\/cwt which was nearly $150\/cwt higher than that same time last year. In Kansas, fed cattle traded at US$237, steady to $2 higher, while Nebraska saw dressed trade up to $5 stronger. Wholesale beef values also surged, with the choice cutout climbing nearly $15 to $393.80. Packers are running on negative margins, trimming kills and tightening supply, while demand remains absolutely amazing.
So what is driving the prices to go up in the cattle market? That would be due to the U.S. cattle numbers that have declined over the past few years. In 2024, Nebraska\u2019s calf crop was down 18 percent from 2018, which was the most recent high and the smallest in at least 35 years. In 2025, Kansas ranked third nationally with 5.95 million cattle on ranches and feedyards as of January 1, 2025 and in 2023 cattle and calves represented 58 percent of Kansas\u2019s agricultural cash receipts. The prices over the first seven months of 2025 have increased tremendously compared to a year ago for all classes of cattle. Because prices have continued to increase for all sectors, profits will generally be seen by cow-calf producers, stocker-yearling operators and cattle feeders. In previous years, they have begun moving towards increasing calf supplies through retaining heifers for breeding. With the current, widespread rain,, it seems likely that cow herd building through the retaining of heifers will soon be underway; if it is not already.
An article by Aaron Berger, a Nebraska Extension agent and livestock educator shares some of his knowledge about price risk management and how farmers and ranchers are reacting to this change.
\u201cWhen prices are at profitable levels, have been going up and are going higher, there is usually the temptation to do nothing from a price risk management standpoint,\u201d Berger said. \u201cFrequently folks who spend money on price protection or forward contracted cattle, just to see the price go roaring higher, find themselves questioning if using price protection is prudent when they are feeling the recent disappointment of having left \u2018money on the table.\u2019\u201d
This is usually where taking the time to pause and look back at what has occurred with high prices in the past can bring perspective. In previous times, periods of exceptional profitability, those seasons have been followed by times of significant price decline. How soon and how far prices will fall is unknown. However, cattle are still a commodity, and the prices paid for a commodity, over time historically, have generally moved towards breakeven.
So how will the cattle market look for the rest of 2025 and going into 2026? Based on a report from the USDA economic research website, the mid-year Cattle report, a further tightening is expected of calves available for placement in late 2025 and early 2026. The report also suggests steady but gradual changes to inventories of beef cows and replacement heifers. Due to this, 2025 and 2026 beef production forecasts are reduced from last month. Cattle prices are estimated to rise significantly in both the second half of 2025 and in 2026 on recent cattle price reports, strong beef prices, and tighter cattle supplies. Beef imports for 2025 and 2026 have also been revised considerably downward as limited imports from Brazil are expected.
The beef export forecast for 2025 is raised on recent trade data and continued strong demand from key export markets. The beef import forecast is also raised on strong imports from Oceania and South America, as well as robust domestic demand for lean processing beef. Cattle price forecasts for 2025 are raised on recent price strength and continued demand for cattle. The increased price forecasts are carried over into 2026 as well.
Stephen Koontz, researcher at Colorado State University, reports his estimates for cattle in late 2025 and going into 2026.
\u201cFor 500- to 600-lb. calves, first-quarter projections are $310 to $315\/cwt., second quarter $325 to $340, third quarter $310 to $315 and fourth quarter $300 to $310. First-quarter calf price to average $300\/cwt. For the second quarter, the forecast is a $305 average price, third quarter $300 and fourth quarter $300,\u201d Koontz said. \u201cIf we were to start to see rapid herd rebuilding, then prices would increase even more due to the lack of heifers on the market. Fewer calves for sale boosts prices for 2025. It\u2019s likely that we need higher prices to get ranchers to increase herds. First-quarter projections for 700- to 800-lb. prices average $250\/cwt. For the second quarter, the estimates are $260 average price, third quarter $270 and fourth quarter $270.\u201d
Koontz forecasts first-quarter, fed cattle prices to range between $187.50 and $190\/cwt, second-quarter prices from $190 to $200, with third quarter from $190 to $195, and fourth quarter at $195 to $200.
\u201cAgain, tight supplies will remain. We will make up for lost numbers with much heavier weights,\u201d he says. \u201cI also think we\u2019ll continue to see corn prices pressured \u2013 and this leads to heavier weights and more future pressure on the topside.\u201d Koontz also sees strong cull cow prices, as consumers spend more of their beef dollars on ground beef. Prices will vary, depending on the number of cattle imported for hamburger. Forecasts for the first-quarter, cull cow prices at $85 to $115\/cwt., with the second-quarter prices from $115 to $130. His third-quarter projections are from $110 to $130 and fourth quarter at $100 to $120.
With the cattle markets increasing and being predicted to stay at a somewhat steady pace, it looks like farmers and ranchers will be able to earn a solid profit for the rest of 2025 and into 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Precision and Progress: How One KS Farmer is Conserving Water On the western edge of Republic County near Courtland, Kan., third-generation farmer Richard Lindberg is proving that innovation and conservation can go hand in hand.Richard and his wife Melanie own and operate Lindberg Family Farms. For many years, they\u2019ve discussed and adapted the farm\u2019s irrigation<\/p>\n

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