The Progressive Cattle Podcast team discusses the current price market for regular fuel and diesel fuel in the U.S. and how it could affect producers around shipping season. Then David Cooper visits with GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis Patrick De Haan about all the factors creating a record spike in diesel production. The editors also introduce what’s developing with the ag producer panel offering feedback to the Progressive Cattle team.

In this episode, CERES TAG’s Global Commercial Manager Siobhan Smith sits down with Midwest US Sales Lead Matthew Randerson to discuss how technology and data are shaping the future of the cattle industry.

Drawing on their experience in the Australian and US cattle industries, Siobhan and Matthew explore how innovation has always played a role in improving cattle production, from genetics, reproduction and feed technology through to the practical use of the data and technology that’s available to ranchers today.

The conversation focuses on the opportunity to use technology to improve animal efficiency, productivity and profitability, while also supporting the long-term sustainability of the land cattle producers depend on.

The episode highlights how utilising CERES TAG insights into animal behavior, pasture feed intake and reproduction can help ranchers make better decisions around herd selection, productivity and the future sustainability of their operations.

Episode Highlights

• 1:07 — Background in the cattle industry, using technology to improve productivity and profitability, and the role of innovation in building on the knowledge of previous generations.
• 4:06 — Exploring carrying capacity, stocking rates and feed efficiency, and how CERES TAG technology helps ranchers monitor and optimise animal efficiency.
• 6:30 — The benefits of direct-to-satellite technology, with no reliance on cell service or infrastructure, reducing costs, improving scalability and supporting ranchers managing leased or remote ground.
• 8:55 — What agricultural data really looks like, how CERES TAG provides detailed automated herd insights, and how ranchers can turn that data into faster, more informed management decisions while saving valuable time.
• 13:40 — Using CERES TAG data to validate genetics and phenotypes, providing measurable evidence of traits such as calving ease and helping support the performance numbers represented in EPDs.
• 15:20 — How data can reveal changes ranchers cannot see from the ground, enabling faster responses to issues such as grazing patterns, water stress and pasture utilisation while identifying simple, cost-effective management opportunities.
• 20:55 — Understanding ROI from agricultural technology and why collecting data is only the first step, with the real value coming from turning insights around feed efficiency, reproductive performance and pasture utilisation into actionable decisions.

This episode is sponsored by CERES TAG.

CERES TAG is a direct-to-satellite livestock monitoring technology that turns animal data into actionable insights. The smart ear tag automatically captures information on cattle location, behaviour, reproduction and pasture feed intake, giving producers greater visibility over their animals and how they are utilising available resources.

By turning individual animal activity and performance into measurable data, CERES TAG helps producers make more informed decisions around herd management, feed efficiency, productivity and profitability, wherever their cattle are.

Progressive Cattle Editor Tyrell Marchant visits with Erik Kalsta from Western Landowners Alliance about the 2026 wildfire season and how producers can work with each other and government agencies to improve the land for livestock and wildlife. Then the crew gets philosophical about the cattle cycle, county fairs and a new school year.