Is anyone else wondering how it’s May already? Because I am! They say time moves faster as you get older and, at the ripe age of 25, I can attest to that. All jokes aside, May marks my 10th month here at Progressive Cattle. But I’m no stranger to this publication.
I was fortunate enough to work with Progressive Cattle as a summer intern in 2022. From there, I continued freelance writing for the publication as I finished up my master’s degree at Oklahoma State University last May. And, as they say, the rest is history.
The past few months I have been learning the ropes, networking with contributors and producers, attending industry events, recording podcast segments, traveling for feature articles and continuing to develop the herd health and business management beats. I’ve enjoyed meeting so many of our readers and learning all I can to share insightful information with producers across the U.S.
I’ve loved the cattle industry and lifestyle for as long as I remember. It all started on my family’s beef cattle farm in small-town Wisconsin. I started showing at my county fair with a red Holstein steer named Popcorn (my mom told me to name it after something I love, so “Popcorn” it was). Then I purchased some Angus cows at the age of 10 to start my own herd, and it grew from there. My love for the industry was compounded during my career in the show ring and continues today.
How fitting is it that the month I get to share my inaugural Progressive Cattle issue with you all is also National Beef Month, celebrating every beef producer across the U.S.?
The work you do each and every day is anything but easy; however, in those hard moments, I urge you to take a moment and remember why you do what you do. Why you continue to care for your animals, put crops in the soil and build for future generations.
Not only is May National Beef Month, but it is also Mental Health Awareness Month, something that is less recognized, especially in the agricultural industry, an industry that experiences more hardship than most.
A year ago, I was finishing my research and defending my master’s degree thesis titled "Young Farmers’ and Ranchers’ Perceptions of Mental Health," so you could say this topic is fairly close to my heart. While I could talk your ear off on this topic, and would love to, what I really want to say is this: You aren’t alone. So many people, farmers and ranchers included, are struggling silently right alongside you. Your feelings are valid and can be overwhelming; however, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Don’t be afraid to speak up and seek help.
There are multiple articles in this issue and previously published on our website aimed to help producers deal with stress and mental health concerns. I hope you find the strength and perseverance to continue fighting, and I hope you remember why you started.
