42 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN September 2026 A family owned and operated Commercial Feedlot located in the heart of Nebraska’s Corn Production. OUR ATTENTION TO DETAIL MAXIMIZES YOUR PROFIT POTENTIAL! DFI also offers: Risk Management • Partnership Feeding Multiple Marketing Options Retained Ownership • Feeder Financing Private Consulting Nutritionist Private Consulting Veterinarian Location Close to All Major Packers Permanent Shades in Pens Two Locations: Columbus & Palmer • 13,500 head capacity Mike Drinnin, Owner/Manager • miked@drinninfeedlots.com Office: (402) 564-7409 • sharib@drinninfeedlots.com drinninfeedlots.com Jarad Drinnin - Columbus Cell: (402) 910-6508 Sam Drinnin - Palmer Cell: (402) 910-0233 PEERS SERVING NEBRASKA AGRICULTURE TIFFANY HENG-MOSS | VICE PRESIDENT FOR AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN VICE CHANCELLOR, INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES Late summer is one of my favorite times of year at the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR). The Nebraska State Fair and Husker Harvest Days bring us together with producers from across the state, and our campuses come alive as students return for another academic year. Their energy and enthusiasm are a reminder that the future of Nebraska agriculture depends on preparing the next generation of leaders while building a stronger Nebraska through impactful research and Extension that serve Nebraskans, communities and the state’s leading industry. This year, our Department of Animal Science is welcoming its largest freshman class in more than a decade, with more than 90 incoming freshmen and another 20 transfer students. They come from communities across Nebraska as well as states from California to Connecticut, drawn by a program that has earned a national reputation for excellence. That reputation isn’t built on tradition alone. In recent years, members of the department, including Department Head Deb Van Overbeke, have expanded their involvement at events including the Nebraska State Fair, Aksarben and both state and national FFA conventions. They’ve engaged with more youth interested in animal science careers and, as a result, have had more opportunities to share what a University of Nebraska-Lincoln education could mean for them. Once new students arrive on campus, they quickly discover that learning extends well beyond the classroom. From their very first animal science courses, they gain hands-on experience working with livestock on-site in the Animal Science Complex. Each year, more than 100 undergraduate students are employed as teaching assistants, animal caretakers and research technicians both in the Animal Science Complex and at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center, while many others compete on judging, rodeo, equestrian and animal welfare teams. Those experiences prepare graduates for careers in production agriculture, veterinary medicine, research, agribusiness and, for many, returning home to family farms and ranches. Strong academic programs like animal science are one reason the University of Nebraska-Lincoln agriculture and natural resources programs recently climbed to 40th in the world in the QS World University Rankings, placing us among the top 9 percent of nearly 500 institutions evaluated worldwide. That recognition reflects the combined efforts of our faculty, students, staff, alumni and partners to advance research, educate future leaders and serve Nebraska’s communities. The same commitment to practical impact can be seen in another university resource that many producers rely on every day: the Nebraska Mesonet. This year, the statewide weather monitoring network surpassed 100 stations, reaching 104 locations across Nebraska. CONTINUED ON PAGE 44
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