TSCRA Talk

Justin Sexten, farm boy turned ranch tech expert, joins TSCRA Talk host Kristen Brown to discuss utilizing technology at the ranch.  Sexten says the best advancements provide the user with a simpler experience, saving them time. He says technology offers a lot of opportunity in converting data points into usable information to visualize in a valuable way, ultimately leading to making fact-based de...

In this episode, Radale Tiner joins TSCRA Talk host, Kristen Brown, to discuss  buying and selling at seedstock cattle sales.  For cattlemen in the market for bulls, Tiner recommends knowing what your end goal is with the calves that will be produced and make a game plan accordingly.  Tiner also recommends communicating with the seedstock producer as they will want to help their customers be succe...

Jeff Goodwin, conservation stewardship leader and senior pasture and range consultant with the Noble Research Institute , joins TSCRA Talk host, Kristen Brown, to discuss regenerative ranching. Goodwin explains it is the process of restoring the degraded grazing lands using practices based on ecological principles. He shares how both ecology and economics flourish jointly on the ranch. Additionall...

Risk management analyst Casey Mabry joins TSCRA Talk host, Kristen Brown, to discuss basics of risk management for cattlemen. On the episode he discusses tools for managing risk looking at both the downside and the upside of the market. A key factor he says is building a plan and then working through the plan with a long-term vision in place, which helps keep emotions from taking over. Mabry goes...

Texas Beef Council Executive Vice President Molly McAdams joins TSCRA Talk host, Kristen Brown, to discuss consumer trends over the past 15 months (and share which ones are sticking around).  McAdams shares that during the pandemic consumers were learning to cook at home and turned to their online platforms for information. She explains how the Texas Beef Council  team focuses on meeting consumers...

Texas AgriLife Extension Agricultural Law Specialist Tiffany Lashmet joins TSCRA Talk host, Kristen Brown, to discuss the importance of properly setting up a hunting lease. Lashmet shares a variety of topics that need to be included in the written hunting lease as well as who needs to sign the lease. Landowner liability protection is another important factor when it comes to having people on the l...

More than 7,000 bills have been filed for the 87th legislative session in Texas this year. Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Director of Government Relations Kaleb McLaurin joins TSCRA Talk host, Kristen Brown, to discuss top priorities for TSCRA as well as how COVID-19 has shifted many aspects of the session. The conversation covers eminent domain, rural broadband, animal import/e...

Dr. Richard Thorpe is an emergency room physician, rancher and past president of Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. He joins TSCRA Talk host, Kristen Brown, this month to discuss the scientific data that proves beef does fit into a healthy diet.  Thorpe gives insight into the history of inaccurate information surrounding beef and how it was perpetuated through dietary guidelines....

Scott Williamson, TSCRA's executive director of law enforcement, brand and inspection services, joins host Kristen Brown to discuss the importance of a “neighborhood watch” mentality at the ranch. Williamson says all eyes and ears are required when it comes to preventing theft of livestock and equipment. A valuable component is knowing your neighbors and making a phone call to them when somet...

When it comes to marketing calves, the first thing that likely comes to mind is the price. But as Dan Childs, senior agricultural economics consultant at the Noble Research Institute, shares in the December 2020 episode of TSCRA Talk, there are several other factors to consider.  Childs visits with podcast host Kristen Brown about the Livestock Risk Protection program, preconditioning calves and t...

Amanda Radke joins TSCRA Talk host, Kristen Brown, to discuss beef advocacy and connecting with consumers. Radke discusses the importance of being an authentic and transparent resource for people to learn more about beef. As an author of children’s books that show the factual side of agriculture, she talks about the opportunity to engage with even the youngest of audiences to talk about agricultur...

Brian and Morgan Treadwell of Christoval, Texas, join host Kristen Brown to discuss prescribed burning as a management practice. Brian and his dad, John, recently won the Outstanding Rangeland Stewardship Award at the Cattle Raisers Virtual Convention.  In this episode, Brian talks about the importance of using the tool of fire to regenerate the land as well as his experience performing prescribed...

Attorney Jim Bradbury shares insight with host, Kristen Brown, into the hot topic of eminent domain. He shares how the process begins, the importance of the landowner engaging and negotiating, and tips during the construction phase. Additionally, Bradbury talks about the role of the state of Texas in eminent domain.  Closing out the episode, Jeremy Fuchs, TSCRA’s director of public affairs, emphas...

TSCRA Special Ranger Marvin Wills joins host, Kristen Brown, to talk about catching one of the most notorious cattle thieves of modern times, Willie Rittenbaugh. Wills talks in-depth about bringing Rittenbaugh to justice after a total of five charges ending in 37 years in prison and $588,500 to be paid by Rittenbaugh in restitution to the victims. Later, he provides tips that will keep you from be...

Jeff Geider, director of Texas Christian University’s Institute of Ranch Management, joins TSCRA Talk host, Kristen Brown, to discuss the “portfolio” approach to ranch management. He describes the method as “the art and science of selecting and overseeing a group of assets and resources to meet long-term objectives.” Additionally, Geider discusses natural resource management and grazing systems mo...

Stan Bevers, founder and owner of Ranch KPI and practitioner in Ranch Economics at the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management, talks through the importance of keeping accurate, detailed records at the ranch. Bevers and TSCRA Talk host, Kristen Brown, cover accounting systems that include a balance sheet, profit and loss statement, cash flow sheet and projected cash flow. Having a system in plac...

The effects of COVID-19 have raised a lot of questions for cattlemen. Joining host Kristen Brown for the May 2020 episode of TSCRA Talk are Kaleb McLaurin, executive director of government and public affairs; Jeremy Fuchs, director of public affairs; and Peyton Schumann, director of government affairs. They shed light on navigating government programs (no matter how small your cattle operation is!...

Consumers have many options (and questions!) when it comes to selecting their protein. Rachel Chou, director of consumer marketing at the Texas Beef Council, shares how the producer-funded state checkoff works to tell the story of beef and how it fits into a healthy lifestyle. Chou and TSCRA Talk host, Kristen Brown, visit about BBQuest and the Beef Team, as well how the Texas Beef Council is meet...

“Failing to plan is planning to fail.”  Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, agriculture law specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, walks listeners through five steps of estate planning. One size does not fit all when it comes to transition planning. Therefore, Lashmet encourages listeners to take the time to sit down and have the important conversations about the direction and future of the...

Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association President Robert E. McKnight joins us to talk about his experience of attending the historic USMCA signing at the White House and the importance of the new trade agreement to cattlemen. Having been in a leadership role with the association since 1989, McKnight is passionate about being a part of the association. He shares his perspective on the imp...

Welcome to the inaugural episode of TSCRA Talk, a podcast from Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. TSCRA Special Ranger Wayne Goodman joins us to talk about what his role entails, tips for cattlemen and landowners and a few stories about cases he’s investigated. Later, Stacy Fox, the association's executive director of events and education, tells us about the upcoming Cattle Ra...