Sorting Pen: The California Cattleman Podcast

August marks one year of Sorting Pen ! Listen to our 27th episode to hear WSR’s Matt Griffith explain what you need to know about the Pasture, Rangeland & Forage (PRF) Insurance product. Stay tuned in to the end of the episode for a look at what’s to come on this podcast in the weeks ahead. Text us your comments, feedback and episode ideas!

Matt is back on the podcast to talk about his experience at Western Video Market’s July sale in Reno. Later in the episode he talks about the upcoming fall bull sale run and gives advice for deciding which bulls to buy. Text us your comments, feedback and episode ideas!

CCA Fire Subcommittee Chair Anthony Stornetta cohosts this episode with Katie, as Len Nielson, CAL FIRE Staff Chief for Prescribed Fire and Environmental Protection joins them for an update. In the conversation hear about the role ranchers and prescribed burn associations have in helping the state reach its goals for prescribed fire, available grants and partnerships for those who want to particip...

For over two decades Duane Lenz has been coming to CCA events to present the CattleFax Outlook. This year’s Midyear Meeting marked his final event with CCA as Duane is soon retiring. In the episode, Duane talks about his 33 year career with CattleFax and changes he’s seen over the years. Katie and Duane also discuss a few of the issues touched on in the outlook given at Midyear. Text us your comme...

Summer grilling is here! On this episode of Sorting Pen , Jess Pryles , meat specialist and advocate, live fire cook, author and founder of Hardcore Carnivore joins us. Hear how Jess, a city girl from Melbourne, got into learning all she could about meat and why she’s passionate about busting false myths about beef and other proteins. Bonus: Later in the episode, Jess shares some of her favorite g...

In this episode we hear from CCA Feeder Council leaders Jesse Larios and Trevor Freitas. The two give a recap on CCA’s Annual Feeder Meeting that took place May 25-27 in San Diego and discuss a few of the big issues impacting California’s feeder industry. Text us your comments, feedback and episode ideas!

As it turns out 20 minutes was not enough time to talk through Foothill Abortion, an issue that has been one of CCA’s top research priorities for decades. Although this update is longer than most Sorting Pen episodes, it is worth the listen as UC Davis professor and researcher Dr. Jeffrey Stott and EBA Product Manager at Hygieia Biological Laboratories Jenna Chandler join Katie for a detailed conv...

A bill intended to prohibit new animal feeding operations and slaughterhouses in California failed to advance in the legislature last week and is dead for the year. CCA’s Kirk Wilbur is back on the podcast to discuss this recent win, CCA’s leadership on it and a few other pieces of good news. Episode resources: Read the latest Legislative Bulletin update and sign up for the newsletter. New York Po...

Happy Earth Week! This episode offers a reminder of how critical grazing is in California. To discuss the role of grazing, her research and more, Dr. Lynn Huntsinger, a UC Berkeley Professor of Rangeland Ecology and Management and the Russell Rustici Chair in Rangeland Management, joins Katie out at the Koopmann Ranch in Contra Costa County. Learn more about Dr. Huntsinger's research by click...

CCA contract lobbyist Jason Bryant joins Katie to talk about the significant changes coming over the next two years to who will make up California’s legislature. Hear about the considerable impact this turnover in legislators will have on CCA and learn about the role of the redistricting process in helping to drive this change. Text us your comments, feedback and episode ideas!

Don't wait! The State Water Resources Control Board recently changed the due date for water measurement and use reporting. The deadline for 2022 is April 1. Noah Lopez of the Rancher Technical Assistance Program joins Katie to talk about the due date change and highlights other issues producers can gain assistance on through RTAP.  Episode resources: To watch the SB 88 Water Measurement &...

In 2021, the CCA Fire Subcommittee helped lead the Association to two major successes: 1) enabling the development of county Livestock Pass programs and 2) reducing prescribed fire practitioners’ liability risk. The Subcommitee is continuing to build on these successes and achieve more progress this year. In this episode, Anthony Stornetta, a San Luis Obispo County cattle rancher and Santa Barbara...

CCA is proud to be a member of the Animal Agriculture Alliance, a nonprofit organization with the mission to safeguard the future of animal agriculture and its value to society by bridging the communication gap between farm and food communities. Katie caught up with the Hannah Thompson-Weeman, the Alliance’s Vice President for Strategic Engagement to share what the Alliance does, including their w...

On Feb. 2, all eyes were on the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Live Cattle Marketing Meeting and the policy that would come out of it. California producers showed up to the meeting in Houston with a unified goal and plan. In this episode, CCA President Tony Toso talks about that game plan and CCA leadership’s decision to push for a “no cash mandates” policy at that meeting. Later in the e...

The California legislature is back for the second year of its 2021-22 legislative session and CCA’s government affairs team is already working hard to block bad legislation and sponsor some of CCA’s own bills. Listen now as Kirk explains.   Text us your comments, feedback and episode ideas!

In December, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved new amendments to the Small Off-Road Engine (SORE). California Cattlemen’s Foundation Public Policy Advocate Victoria Rodriguez joins Katie in this first episode of season two to talk about these changes and about what this means for equipment important to ranching.  The new California Cattlemen’s Foundation website: http://calcattlem...

Happy Holidays! Tune into our final episode of the year to hear from Annette and Christie at the California Beef Council about the work they do to drive beef demand this time of year. Check out the links below to see some of  CBC's current holiday promotion.  Healthy and Hassle-free Recipes for the Holidays https://storystudio.sfgate.com/health-and-convenience-with-california-beef/ Make Your...

What’s the weather going to do this winter and looking later into 2022? Following his presentation at the 105th CCA/CCW Convention, Meterologist Brian Bledsoe talks with Katie answers this question as he shares about the weather outlook. Text us your comments, feedback and episode ideas!

Recording from the 105th CCA/CCW Convention, Dr. Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Specialist for Livestock Marketing and Professor, talks with Katie about the general session presentation he gave on cattle markets. Listen as they quickly talk about the markets, price discovery vs. price determination and options for solutions currently being discussed. Episode resources: Dr. Peel...

Don’t have the fear of missing out (FOMO) on the 105th CCA/CCW Convention! In this quick episode Katie and Tony highlight some of the speakers and workshops set for the event and preview upcoming episodes to come after it. See you in Reno! Text us your comments, feedback and episode ideas!

California Cattle Council Chairman Dave Daley gives producers an update on where their Council dollars are going and a refresher on how the Council operates. Then we talk about future opportunities for the Council. Text us your comments, feedback and episode ideas!

Dr. Frank Mitloehner, a professor and air quality specialist in cooperative extension for the Department of Animal Science at UC Davis, shares an update for producers on the recent work he’s doing pertinent to cattle and the environment. We also ask his advice on the best way ranchers can share about the positive role cattle have on California rangelands. Text us your comments, feedback and episod...

In this extended episode, Kirk Wilbur and Jason Bryant of CCA’s government affairs team take over the podcast to reflect and provide a recap on CCA's success in the first year of California's 2021-2022 legislative session. Text us your comments, feedback and episode ideas!

Celebrating 20 years with The California Cattleman Magazine, Matt Macfarlane joins Katie for this episode. Listen as he shares insights from the fall bull sale run in the West so far, and talks about some of the people he’s worked with and changes he’s seen in the industry over the years. Also tune in to find out why he says this on the episode, “Strap your hats on. It’s gonna get Western.” Text u...

Over the last decade, WSR Insurance Services, the exclusive insurance broker of CCA, has helped hundreds of CCA members and other livestock producers throughout the Western States obtain insurance for lack of precipitation through the PRF program. On this episode, Jim Vann and Matt Griffith of WSR join Katie to talk about what PRF is as the December 1 deadline for obtaining PRF policies for 2022 i...