We live at a time when we can seemingly track everything with the right technology, from the steps we take to our heart rate to our sleep score. Constant data tracking is not for everyone, but information like this can have a positive impact on people trying to make healthy life changes.
Farmers have always used data tracking in one way or another. Some basics, like average daily gain, calving interval, or annual milk production, have been around for decades. But now, using technology, farms can drill down to the nitty-gritty details, measuring feed intake, water consumption, lying time, body temperature, eating patterns, and much more. Nutrient application involves a whirlwind of data, as we strive to measure the nutrients in manure and what fields need so that every gallon can be best utilized.
This type of information and the technology used to track it may not fit every farm, but it benefits animal health and productivity on operations that have embraced it.
When the government shutdown began Oct. 1, it halted the release of most USDA data reports. These reports shed light on harvest progress, export sales, cold storage inventories, milk production, and beyond. While this data gap is likely not affecting day-to-day farm operations, the broader agriculture industry faces uncertainty in the absence of these crucial reports. USDA collects and shares data used by producers, packers, processors, and traders to make informed decisions about inventory, pricing, and future planning. Without this information, markets must rely on anecdotal evidence and private data sources, which can open windows for speculation and misinformation. This underscores the value of good data.
A need for unbiased, science-based information is what drove W.D. Hoard, our publishing company’s founder, to launch Hoard’s Dairyman magazine 140 years ago. He believed in the value of practical research and impartial advice to help farmers care for their animals and their land and to run a profitable business. To this day, we strive to include unbiased, proven research in our three magazines.
This does not mean we believe that everything proven in a laboratory or research plot will work on every farm. There are practices we write about in the magazines that would not work on our own Hoard’s Dairyman Farm, and there are things we do on our farm that may not work for others. During countless farm tours, I’ve explained to visitors that our dairy is not a research farm or a demonstration farm — it is part of our business, and it helps keep our editorial team connected to production agriculture. So, like many of you, our farm manager is sorting through data and recommendations to find what works for our farm. What we hope is that the pages of our magazines serve as a trusted source of information for you to find those ideas, practices, and technologies that are just the right fit.
In this season of thanks, I extend my gratitude to our readers who work hard every day to support agriculture in some way. I appreciate the authors who take time to write for us, and I am grateful for the farmers who allow me to share their stories so that others may be inspired to try something new. I am thankful for the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of W.D. Hoard as an editor, and I hope you found some valuable takeaways in the magazine this year. As we wrap up another year, I wish you good health, farming success, and moments of joy this holiday season.
Until next time,
Abby
This article appeared in the November 2025 issue of Journal of Nutrient Management on page 4.
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