“An important change is coming to the frontlines of precision agriculture. In 2026, the U.S. National Geodetic Survey will launch a new reference system for global positioning system (GPS) data. The old standards like the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83) for horizontal positioning and the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD 88) for elevation, will be replaced with the North American Terrestrial Reference Frame of 2022 (NATRF 2022) and the North American-Pacific Geopotential Datum of 2022 (NAPGD2022). While that may sound like a minor technical update, the change could move mapped field coordinates by several feet, said Iowa State University extension specialist Doug Houser in an Integrated Crop Management Blog.

These datums serve as the foundation for every GPS-based activity on the farm, including things like autosteer lines, yield maps, tile drainage, and field boundaries. The current system is slightly off from Earth’s true center, creating small errors that could have larger effects later down the road. The new datums will better align with global navigation satellites and improve accuracy nationwide.

Most farmers using the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) or commercial Real Time Kinematics (RTK) correction services may not notice much difference. But those using local base stations or state Real-Time Networks (RTN) tied to NAD 83 could see their GPS points shift by 1 to 4 meters. “If you’re using the Iowa Real-Time Network continually operating reference stations (IARTN CORS), you’ll definitely want to plan ahead, as your reference positions will shift, and field alignments may no longer match,” he said. That means an autosteer line that ran perfectly straight this fall could suddenly cut across a field boundary after 2026.

For Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), such as dairies, feedlots, pork and poultry farms, and egg producers, managing nutrients efficiently is crucial to both environmental stewardship and operational success. A key component of this process is soil sampling, typically conducted in the spring and fall, to support the development of an accurate Nutrient Management Plan (NMP).

Integrating Soil Sampling Results into a Nutrient Management Plan

Soil test results are the cornerstone of an NMP. By understanding the existing nutrient levels, operators can:

• Apply manure or fertilizer at rates that meet crop needs without exceeding regulatory limits.
• Adjust crop rotations, implement BMPs, cover crops, or soil amendments to improve soil health over time.
• Ensure environmental compliance by preventing nutrient runoff into waterways.

Why Soil Sampling Matters

Soil is the foundation of crop production and nutrient management. Regular soil testing allows operators to:

• Determine nutrient levels: Assess existing concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and other essential nutrients.
• Optimize fertilizer use: Utilize the optimum amount of manure in conjunction with the current soil conditions to meet the needs of the crop planted.
• Comply with regulations: Soil sampling for CAFOs is generally guided by state agency requirements, and most states require it. The specific nutrients analyzed and the sampling depths can vary by state and/or region. The Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) requires CAFOs to follow nutrient management plans that ensure proper handling and application of manure. Soil Sampling is required annually for NMPs considered a surface water risk.
• Phosphorus Indexing (P Indexing): NMPs written as Index plans must be updated annually with current soil samples to ensure proper application of manure and fertilizers

Purina Animal Nutrition has created a report regarding the beef on dairy trend and its impact, titled, “Telling the Story of Beef on Dairy Cattle Across the Supply Chain. It was written by Laurance Williams, Beef on Dairy Development, Purina Animal Nutrition.

Report excerpts:

With an estimated 12-15% of the annual fed slaughter being beef-on-dairy, this group of cattle is becoming foundational in meeting consumer demand for premium beef. A year round supply of quality cattle offers an opportunity to deliver consistent beef demand among consumers. The opportnity exists to collaborate across the supply chain and improve an already important part of the fed slaughter.

Beef-on-dairy calves are proving their worth by consistently achieving quality traits, particularly in marbling. With native beef cattle numbers remaining low and demand for high-quality beef holding strong, there’s growing opportunity and a responsibility to raise these crossbreds with intent. That means beginning with the end in mind and using every tool available, from genetics to nutrition to on-farm management, to ensure they reach their full potential at harvest.

Purina Animal Nutrition became an early leader in the beef-on-dairy space because we saw the moment as both a challenge and an opportunity for producers and packers. This report is a commitment to sharing industry knowledge, connecting key players across the value chain and continuing to optimize animal performance through science-backed nutrition programs like PrimeStart™.

In the News Again: Prop. 12, and Mass. Question 3

The Battle Over Animal Agriculture

The campaign against modern animal agriculture is back in the news, not because of animal mistreatment, but due to misinformation, ballot box activism, and regulatory overreach pushed by groups that ultimately aim to eliminate meat, dairy, and eggs from the American food supply. Two of the most prominent tools in this campaign are California’s Proposition 12 and Massachusetts’ Question 3. These laws, which were heavily funded and promoted by animal rights groups, Humane World for Animals (formerly HSUS) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), are not about animal welfare. They serve as a Trojan horse for a broader animal rights agenda aimed at reshaping American food production through regulation, not science.

The Truth About Proposition 12 and Question 3

Prop. 12 and Mass. Question 3 were marketed to the public as animal welfare laws. However, there is no peer-reviewed consensus showing that the arbitrary mandates the public voted to implement improve animal health and welfare:

Monday Morning All-Staff Meeting with Weld County Commissioner Candidate, Sheriff Steve Reams

At AGPROfessionals, our Monday morning All-Staff meetings are an important part of our commitment to continual learning and collaboration. These sessions provide opportunities for our team to connect, share insights, and learn from experts whose work intersects with the agricultural and development sectors in Colorado and beyond.

A Visit from Sheriff Reams

This week, we were honored to welcome Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams as our guest speaker. Sheriff Steve Reams is running for Weld County Commissioner in the upcoming election scheduled for November 2026. Sheriff Reams spoke with our team about the important role that county commissioners play in local governance and how their decisions directly impact communities, businesses, and industries throughout Weld County.

Sheriff Reams emphasized that understanding the responsibilities and influence of county commissioners is essential for anyone working in planning, development, and land use, areas that are central to the work we do at AGPROfessionals. As he explained, county commissioners serve as the governing body of the county, overseeing policymaking, budgetary decisions, and administrative operations that affect everything from infrastructure and public safety to land use and environmental regulations.

There is a huge variety of careers in animal agriculture, and many of them are jobs you normally don’t even associate with this industry. Sure, people may immediate think of veterinarian as the staple profession, but when you study animal science, there is much more to the landscape than becoming a vet.

Being a part of animal agriculture means that you can choose to monitor and track animal wellness, work at barns or boarding facilities, specialize in dairy or meat products, or be involved in the greater supply chain.

Agriculture as a whole has a variety of professions, and animal ag as a sector is no exception. It has a bunch of interesting and unique careers that you can look into. Here are five of my favorite careers in animal agriculture that work directly with animals:

1. Animal Welfare Auditor

Animal welfare auditors perform welfare audits on farms and in animal processing facilities. Auditors conduct inspections to ensure that appropriate animal welfare guidelines and procedures are being followed. Typically, people in this position work for the government, animal production companies, food and restaurant companies, animal processing facilities or animal welfare organizations, and agencies that oversee or provide services to producers.

“Time is running out for the seven states in the Colorado River Basin, as well as 30 tribes and Mexico, to reach a long-term deal for managing the overtapped river.

The current guidelines and drought contingency plans for the river expire at the end of next year, and negotiators have until Nov. 11 to reach a new agreement or risk intervention by the federal government.

Meanwhile, after one of the river’s driest years on record, reservoir levels at Lake Mead and Lake Powell have again declined, prompting warnings from federal officials and hydrological experts.

“The urgency for the seven Colorado River Basin states to reach a consensus agreement has never been clearer,” Scott Cameron, acting assistant secretary for water and science at the U.S. Department of the Interior, said last month in a statement. “We cannot afford to delay.”

The Colorado River supplies water and hydropower to 40 million people in the West and irrigates more than 5 million acres of farmland. During the past two decades, unprecedented drought has depleted the river’s flow and threatened to sink reservoir levels below the threshold needed to supply water and electricity to the Lower Basin.

"California's Proposition 12 unlawfully interferes with the federally regulated pork industry and unfairly discriminates against out-of-state pork producers and processors in violation of the U.S. Constitution, Triumph Foods LLC argues in a federal lawsuit filed on Tuesday.

The company based in St. Joseph, Missouri, becomes the first meat processor in the country to challenge Prop 12, but is using a legal approach that was successful in Triumph's lawsuit against a similar law in Massachusetts known as Question 3.

Although forbidden under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, Triumph argues in the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, that California provides an exemption from Prop 12 for federally inspected facilities to sell non-compliant pork in the state.

Prop 12 makes it a criminal offense and civil violation to sell whole pork meat in California unless the pig it comes from is born to a sow that was housed within 24 square feet of space and in conditions that allow a sow to turn around without touching an enclosure. Prop 12 applies to any uncooked pork sold in the state, regardless of whether it was raised in California.