Alan Miller has a long list of Angus champions associated with his Prairie View Farms prefix, but the roster shouldn’t be mistaken for a simple overnight success. He’s a third-generation Angus breeder who, along with his family, grew the small cow herd of his childhood into a premier show cattle operation near Gridley, Ill. At the same time, Miller was helping beef producers across the state in a position with the University of Illinois. The duality of his experience — both commercial and show ring — gives him a unique perspective on the future of the beef industry, how to serve a breed with multiple end targets and the importance of recruiting youth back into agriculture. In this episode, Miller shares everything from his judging philosophy and use of IVF to his favorite herd animals over the years.

HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully

GUEST: Alan Miller, Gridley, Ill., is a third-generation Angus breeder. His grandfather, Adam Schlipf, began an Angus cattle herd in the late 1940s and was active in the purebred Angus business through the 1960s. Forty-plus years ago, Miller’s parents, Orlan and Carol Miller, began revitalizing the Angus herd and named the operation Prairie View Farms (PVF). Alan and his wife, Theresa, operate PVF in close cooperation with their three children, Amelia, Adam and William, and Miller’s brother-in-law and sister Brandon and Cathy Jones.

Miller graduated from the University of Illinois in 1995 with a degree in animal sciences. He went on to earn his master’s and doctorate from Illinois in ruminant nutrition. He worked for 15 years for the University of Illinois Extension running its SPA/IRM Program. Miller is a former member of the American Angus Association Board of Directors, where he served as Angus Genetics Inc., (AGI) chairman.

SPONSOR:

It's a great time to be in the cattle business, and it's the perfect time to invest in genetics that will move your herd forward. You’re invited to Deer Valley Farm’s Spring Bull Sale, Friday, March 28, at noon near Fayetteville, Tenn. It will feature 90 service-age bulls ready for heavy service, including sons of Statesman, Craftsman, Commerce, Gettysburg and many more. Visit https://deervalleyfarm.com/ for more information.

Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.

The beef industry is a beautiful blend of long-standing traditions and forward-thinking innovation. How much technology to embrace, when to use it and for what purpose — those are questions that often challenge producers, no matter the size of their operation.

Trey Patterson, Padlock Ranch, and Janette Barnard, Merck Animal Health, share how they think about the future of the business. Covering everything from artificial intelligence for decision-making and virtual fencing to genetic progress and new marketing ideas, the duo talks about how to focus on practical application of data and the need for more advancements vs. greater adoption of current tools.

HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully

GUESTS:

Janette Barnard is bullish on the future of animal protein, and passionate about the intersection of animal agriculture and innovation. Janette currently leads the Vence business within Merck Animal Health and is the creator of Prime Future, a weekly newsletter for innovators in livestock, meat and dairy that draws on her background across agribusiness (Elanco, Cargill, McDonald’s Global Supply Chain) and the startup ecosystem (The Poultry Exchange, DecisionNext, Merck Animal Health Ventures).

Trey Patterson, president and CEO of Padlock Ranch Company, received a bachelor’s and master’s in animal science from Colorado State University and a doctorate in ruminant nutrition from the University of Nebraska. He served as an Extension beef specialist for South Dakota State University for five years, where he led statewide extension and research programs in beef cattle nutrition and management. Since 2005, Trey has been with Padlock Ranch Company, a multigenerational and diversified family-owned agribusiness with operations in northern Wyoming and southern Montana. Trey now holds the position of president and CEO. In 2008, he was listed in the Top 10 Industry Leaders Under 40 by Cattle Business Weekly. Trey and his wife Amy have five children and reside near Ranchester, Wyo.

SPONSOR:

Angus Media: Are you ready to level up your herd’s genetics? With the Angus Bull Book: Spring 2026 Angus Sire Directory, you can find your next great sire. The spring issue went live in March, but you’re able to view the book online all breeding season. Live EPDs will help you pair the right bull with your breeding objectives. Search the Angus Bull Book here: https://shorturl.at/p06OD

Angus Media: A solid herd starts with the cows. Commercial cattlemen need to know that your foundation is built on maternal traits. Tell them in the Female Foundations special section published with the September Angus Beef Bulletin. Get an advertisement, feature and social post all in the same package. Contact your regional manager or our advertising team to learn more. Find them at www.angus.org/angus-media/about/contact-us.

Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.

If the last U.S. herd rebuild can be described as a “jackrabbit” rebuild, this current period is completely the opposite, says Oklahoma State University economist Darrell Peel.

The beef industry is on pace for a slow rebuild, and this episode of The Angus Conversation dives into the “why.”

Cattle feeder Steve Sunderman and stocker-operator Gene Copenhaver join Peel to discuss tight supplies, margin pressures and how producers are adapting. From heavier finishing weights to rising capital requirements for the next generation, the guests explore what’s shaping today’s dynamics and long-term outlook. The guests share why they’re “cautiously optimistic” and yet emphasize the importance of risk management.

HOSTS: Miranda Reiman and Mark McCully

GUESTS:

Derrell Peel is an ag econ professor at Oklahoma State University, holding the Charles Breedlove Professorship of Agribusiness in the Department of Agricultural Economics. He has served as the extension livestock marketing specialist since 1989, focusing on livestock market situation and outlook and marketing/risk management education for producers.

His work covers all areas of livestock production economics and marketing for beef cattle including meat supply chain and international cattle and beef trade with an expertise in the Mexican cattle and beef industry.

Gene Copenhaver is a fifth-generation cattleman whose family dates to the 1850s in Washington County, Va. Copenhaver currently manages his family’s stocker operation in southwest Virginia with his son, Will. He was an agriculture loan officer for 38 years and served his clients who were primarily cattle producers in five East Coast states.

Copenhaver is currently serving as National Cattlemen’s Beef Association president.

He has been married to his wife, Jodi, for more than 35 years, and they have three grown children, Brad, Will and Jaymee, and one granddaughter.

Steve Sunderman is a sixth-generation farmer rancher who works alongside his parents near Norfolk, Neb. Sunderman Family Farms is a farming, cow-calf and cattle feeding operation.

Steve has served the board of the Nebraska Cattlemen Association and is currently vice chair of the taxation committee as well as past chair of the marketing & commerce committee and past member of their executive committee. He is also a past chair and vice chair of the National Cattlemen Beef Association’s live cattle marketing committee.

Steve is a co-founder and president of Sunderman Investments, an investment firm focused on rural downtown development and value-added ag investments.

SPONSOR:

Angus Media: Are you ready to find your next influential Angus sire? Angus Journal subscribers will receive a free copy of the Angus Bull Book: Spring 2026 Angus Sire Directory, mailed right alongside their March edition. Visit www.AngusJournal.net to subscribe to the Angus Journal today.

Angus Media: A sale book isn't just a sale book. You have options. Big or small, private treaty or live auction, Angus Media’s Pasture to Publish online portal is here to serve you. Visit www.AngusMedia.org to learn more.

Don't miss news in the Angus breed. Visit www.AngusJournal.net and subscribe to the AJ Daily e-newsletter and our monthly magazine, the Angus Journal.