2026 Range & Pasture Steward Magazine - v3

03 DIGITAL RESOURCES 18 THE NEXT GENERATION 36 A NEW FORAGE BASE 46 TOP EXPERT RECOMMENDATIONS

16 44 48

02 Ruminations 03 Digital Resources

30 Study Supports Soil Health 32 Pasture Research 33 Better Pastures Start with NovaGraz ™ Herbicide 34 Golden Age Farm 36 A New Forage Base 38 Quality Forage 39 Top 3 Pasture Weeds 42 Technology and Weed Control 44 Rangeland Restoration 46 Top Expert Recommendations 48 Through Your Lens

04 Our Range & Pasture Portfolio 08 UltiGraz SM Pasture Weed & Feed 10 An UltiGraz SM Success Story 14 Honoring Top Stewards 16 Environmental Stewardship 18 The Next Generation 22 Brush Control 23 Improve Your Pastures’ Drought Readiness

24 Smith Family Farms 26 Crow Land and Cattle

Photo provided by Brandon Hall of pasture he treated with DuraCor ® herbicide. Please reach out to your Corteva Range & Pasture Specialist for details.

Get the Info You Need — When and How You Need It Online and digital resources from Corteva Agriscience can help you maximize forage production and quality. Got a new weed you can’t quite identify? Need some recommendations for treatment options? Want to know if a herbicide treatment will pay off in more and better forage? Corteva Agriscience has the online resources and digital tools to help you answer these questions and more. 01 The Range & Pasture Weed ID Guide oers photos, descriptions and treatment recommendations for over 90 troublesome pasture weeds. Plus, you can download the guide to your phone or tablet, so you have access even when you’re out on the back 40! View the guide with the QR code.

MORGAN BOHLANDER // U.S. Range & Pasture Portfolio Marketing Lead // Corteva Agriscience

\\ WELCOME! // History of Innovation Corteva is proud to support U.S.

We’re partnering with families like the McCans of Victoria, Texas, who are at the leading edge of sustainable beef production and the Crows of West Plains, Missouri, who have made a mission — and built a business — out of renovating tired pastures and restoring them to high-quality grazing. We’re supporting research like the recent study from the University of Florida that helps prove the soil-health benefits of pasture weed control. In this edition of Steward, we’re bringing you stories of the ranchers, land managers and applicators who are using technology to drive their businesses forward. We hope you enjoy and take inspiration from the stories we’ve collected here. You can visit KeepSteward.com to have a digital version of this publication, e-Steward, delivered to your inbox throughout the year, or have the magazine sent to a friend who may be interested. Meanwhile, thank you for your confidence in the people and products of Corteva Agriscience. We wish you all the best for a successful 2026 season.

Our Corteva Range & Pasture Return on Investment Calculator can help you determine the ROI potential of a specific herbicide application. Just enter a few details about your operation and you’ll see what that application can do for your bottom line. Crunch the numbers with the QR code.

Agriculture’s drive toward excellence. From our country’s earliest days, U.S. agriculture has been a leader in efficiency, productivity, and technological innovation. And as the only pure- play agriculture company headquartered in the United States, Corteva Agriscience is proud to support farmers and ranchers in their drive toward excellence. We’re helping advance the understanding of what’s possible by offering solutions like NovaGraz™ herbicide, which preserves high-quality forage (White clover and Annual lespedeza) while controlling thistles, buttercup and other problem broadleaf weeds. We’re bringing proven solutions like UltiGraz℠ Pasture Weed & Feed with DuraCor® herbicide, giving ranchers and land managers the ability to combine weed control and fertilizer in a single application to boost forage production, improve pasture quality and increase efficiency.

For a complete overview of native weeds and brush, along with grass-planting guidelines, tank-mix recommendations and other pasture management tips, check out our Eastern Ranchers Guide . View the guide with the QR code.

In the dark about the order in which certain products should be added to a spray tank? Our article “ Tips for Proper Tank Mixing ” has the answer, plus links to video and university resources. Read now with the QR code.

Zero compaction, low carbon emissions, a high degree of accuracy — there are a lot of things to like about drone applications. Learn how one operator got his start in the business and get tips on what to consider before contracting with a drone application service.

Visit our online content hub RangeAndPastureSteward.com for seasonal opportunities; rancher stories; weed control and brush control articles; sustainability information; and more. It brings everything you love about the Range & Pasture Steward magazine to a searchable, online library available to farmers and ranchers 24/7/365.

Having healthy populations of white clover and annual lespedeza in your pastures can help improve overall forage quality, soil quality and herd health. But how do you control broadleaf weeds without harming your white clover? With NovaGraz™ herbicide. It protects your white clover and annual lespedeza, and it controls a variety of broadleaf weeds like common and western ragweed, dandelion, wild parsnip and more. Interested? Learn more about NovaGraz with our digital product guide, white paper and fact sheet — all at NovaGraz.US/StewardByTheNumbers.

As always, get quick-hit news, updates from the field, stories from fellow ranchers and more on all our social channels. Follow @CortevaPastures on X, Facebook and Instagram.

TM ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. White clover and annua lespedeza exhibit some initial injury (such as lodging and loss of vigor) but recover with NovaGraz ™ . NovaGraz is not registered for sale or use in all states. Under normal field conditions DuraCor ® is non-volatile. DuraCor has no grazing or haying restrictions for any class of livestock, including lactating dairy cows, horses (including lactating mares) and meat animals prior to slaughter. Label precautions apply to forage treated with DuraCor to manure and urine from animals that have consumed treated forage. DuraCor and is not registered for sale or use in all states. Consult the label for full details. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. DuraCor is labeled for impregnation of dry fertilizer in the states of AL, AR, FL, GA, IA, KS, KY, LA, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA and WA. Always read and follow label directions. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions.© 2026 Corteva

™ ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. White clover and annua lespedeza exhibit some initial injury (such as lodging and loss of vigor) but recover with NovaGraz ™ . Consult the label before purchase or use for full details. Always read and follow label directions. ©2026 Corteva.

Solutions to Fit Your Pasture Needs Undesirable plants steal important nutrients, moisture and threaten your pasture’s productivity. That’s why Corteva Agriscience offers a diverse lineup of Range & Pasture solutions. Our portfolio of products and services is designed specifically for controlling a variety of weed and brush species in permanent pasture and grazed rangeland. Get details on the products that can help you tackle the most challenging pasture threats and help boost forage production on your operation.

Brush Control Sendero ® herbicide powered by LandVisor ® Advanced Brush Management

Broadleaf Weed & Brush Control Chaparral™ herbicide Solve tough weed control problems.

Sendero® herbicide, the standard in mesquite control, now comes with the state-of-the-art, game-changing LandVisor® advanced brush management. Sendero® herbicide is now powered by LandVisor® advanced brush management in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. This means you can get a comprehensive view of your land, revealing actionable insights to make the right decisions at the right time. LandVisor, a digital support tool, combines sophisticated imagery, data, technology and expert guidance to give you confidence in land management decisions. Spike ® 20P herbicide Flexible, long-lasting brush control. Spike® 20P herbicide offers long-lasting control of tough brush species like big sage, tarbush, creosote, shinnery and other oaks, giving you increased carrying capacity and improved plant diversity and wildlife habitat. Add in flexible application methods and you have a brush control product that can help get the most from every acre.

Chaparral™ herbicide has the broadest spectrum of weed and brush control available for pastures and rangeland. Chaparral controls a range of tough species, including pigweed, buckbrush and Canada thistle; improves hay quality by removing Pensacola bahiagrass from bermudagrass; and is a valuable fescue toxicosis management tool. PastureGard ® HL herbicide One product to control tough weeds and brush. PastureGard® HL herbicide simplifies pasture improvement and renovation by offering two active ingredients — one for broadleaf weeds; one for brush — in one product. PastureGard HL controls tough weeds and woody plants like blackberry, rose and privet — giving you an effective, nonresidual option for weed and brush control.

Broadleaf Weed Control NovaGraz™ herbicide Control weeds, maintain desirable forages with NovaGraz™ herbicide. NovaGraz™ herbicide is a groundbreaking weed control solution that allows you to preserve the nitrogen-fixing capabilities of white clover and annual lespedeza while providing enhanced control of broadleaf weeds like ironweed, cocklebur, wild carrot, buttercup, biennial thistles, ragweeds, plantain, woolly croton, poison hemlock and many others. DuraCor ® herbicide The most extensive pasture weed control available. DuraCor® herbicide provides control of more than 140 broadleaf weeds. But the benefits of DuraCor go far beyond weed control; low use rates, a low-odor formulation, lasting residual control and zero grazing restrictions help make DuraCor the easy choice for

GrazonPD3™ herbicide Control you can trust.

For control of broadleaf weeds and select brush species, trust GrazonPD3™ herbicide. With two proven active ingredients and a low-volatility, low-odor, high-load formulation, GrazonPD3 allows each sprayer load to cover more acres, without sacrificing results. Tordon ® 22K herbicide All-purpose noxious weed control. Tordon® 22K herbicide provides all-purpose noxious weed control as well as basic invasive weed management. Brush Control Remedy ® and Remedy ® Ultra herbicides Brush control on your terms. For down-to-the-roots control of over 35 brush species, choose Remedy® and Remedy® Ultra herbicides. Both Remedy and Remedy Ultra can be applied in-season as foliar sprays or year-round in low-volume basal and basal cut-stump individual plant treatments (IPTs). Smaller package sizes (1 and 2.5 gallons) make Remedy herbicide ideal for IPT, while Remedy Ultra is available in 30- and 250-gallon package sizes. Sendero ® herbicide The smart choice for mesquite control. For control of tough mesquite, through individual plant treatment, choose Sendero® herbicide. Sendero offers best-in-class grass safety; strong, consistent mesquite control; and minimal nontarget species effects. The result? Increased grass production and improved wildlife habitat.

broadleaf weed control in pastures. UltiGraz SM Pasture Weed & Feed One Pass, Better Grass. SM

Ready to maximize the potential of your haying and grazing acres? Visit RangeAndPasture.com/StewardProducts to explore the complete Corteva ™ Range & Pasture Portfolio.

UltiGraz℠ Pasture Weed & Feed combines pasture weed control and fertilizer in one convenient time- and money- saving application. Fewer trips, less time, less money — all with UltiGraz. HighNoon ® herbicide The foundation to rangeland restoration. HighNoon® herbicide offers a new standard in rangeland herbicides offering unmatched weed control, safety to desirable grasses and forbs and use site flexibility. HighNoon is available in Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota for use on rangelands.

GrazonPD3 ™ and Tordon ® 22K are Restricted Use Pesticides. S™ ® Chaparral, DuraCor, GrazonPD3, HighNoon, LandVisor, PastureGard, NovaGraz, Remedy, Sendero, Tordon, UltiGraz and “One Pass. Better Grass.” are trademarks and service marks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. GrazonPD3™ and Tordon ® 22K are Restricted Use Pesticides. Spike ® is a registered trademark of Nutrichem used under license. White clover and annual lespedeza exhibit some initial injury (such as lodging and loss of vigor) after treatment with NovaGraz ™ but recover. Under normal field conditions, DuraCor ® and HighNoon ® are nonvolatile. Chaparral ™ , DuraCor and HighNoon have no grazing or haying restrictions for any class of livestock, including lactating dairy cows, horses (including lactating mares) and meat animals prior to slaughter. Label precautions apply to forage treated with Chaparral, DuraCor or HighNoon and to manure and urine from animals that have consumed treated forage. Consult the label for full details. Not all products are registered for sale or use in all states. GrazonPD3 is not for sale, distribution or use in Nassau and Suffolk counties in New York state. UltiGraz with fertilizer is available for use with specific herbicides in the states of AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, KS, KY, LA, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NV, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV and WY. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. State restrictions on the sale and use of Remedy® and Remedy Ultra apply. Consult the label before purchase or use for full details. Always read and follow label directions. ©2026 Corteva.

Your Range & Pasture Partner. Only one company is a pure play agriculture company headquartered in the United States delivering new active ingredients and backs it all with local expertise — Corteva Agriscience ™ . With game–changers like DuraCor ® , NovaGraz ™ , GrazonPD3 ™ herbicides and UltiGraz SM Pasture Weed & Feed, you get more than products — you get a partner committed to your pasture’s success. No one else can say that. We want to be your partner! Scan the QR code to access the Corteva Range & Pasture Product Portfolio.

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TO ACCESS Corteva Range & Pasture Product Portfolio .

The Starnes Family in Fort Payne, Alabama count on Corteva Range & Pasture products to grow better grass and preserve their land for generations to come.

Visit us at rangeandpasture.com TM® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its afliated companies. GrazonPD3 ™ is a Restricted Use Pesticide.

White clover and annual lespedeza exhibit some initial injury (such as lodging and loss of vigor) after treatment with NovaGraz ™ but recover. Under normal eld conditions DuraCor® is non-volatile. DuraCor has no grazing or haying restrictions for any class of livestock, including lactating dairy cows, horses (including lactating mares) and meat animals prior to slaughter. Label precautions apply to forage treated with DuraCor to manure and urine from animals that have consumed treated forage. UltiGrazSM with fertilizer is available for use with specic herbicides in the states of AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, KS, KY, LA, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NV, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV and WY. Not all products are registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. GrazonPD3 is not for sale, distribution or use in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York State.Always read and follow label directions. ©2025 Corteva. RP - 28853 COR (12/25)

One Pass. Better Grass. SM Streamline pasture care with UltiGraz sm Pasture Weed & Feed.

Combining your fertilizer and herbicide applications with UltiGraz saves time, trips through the field and application costs. For producers looking to streamline their operations, UltiGraz is a perfect tool for efficient, cost-effective pasture management. \\ Fertilizer alone grows pounds of grass, but it also grows pounds of weeds. Using DuraCor ® herbicide with fertilizer gives you a big win-win. // Morgan Bohlander Get Started Retailers and custom applicators offering UltiGraz must complete extensive education and training to become certified by Corteva Agriscience. This elite group is committed to delivering consistent results by adopting the highest standards of blending application and product stewardship. To get started, contact your local certified retailer of UltiGraz, who will provide a herbicide recommendation customized to your pastures and weed spectrum. If you have your own application equipment, UltiGraz gives you the freedom to self-apply as long as your equipment is exclusively used for pastures. Corteva requires retailers to use dedicated equipment for herbicide-impregnated fertilizer — to be used on pasture and nothing else — to avoid potential for the herbicide to be spread onto sensitive crops. Adding a dye alerts users to the presence of the herbicide. The dye also makes it easier for the retailer and customer to tell how well it’s blended. To ensure adequate distribution, the herbicide should be applied with at least 200 pounds of dry fertilizer per acre.

Producers juggle a few priorities when it comes to raising high-quality forage for their herd, especially promoting grass growth and keeping invasive weeds at bay. Fertilizing pastures for grass growth and spraying herbicides for weed control usually require separate processes, equipment and timing for ideal weather conditions, which can cost both time and money. With UltiGraz℠ Pasture Weed & Feed, producers now can combine fertilizer and weed control into one pass for cost and time savings. “Herbicide-impregnated dry fertilizer has been one of the most successful technological advances for pasture management over the past decade,” says Morgan Bohlander, Range & Pasture Portfolio Marketing Lead, Corteva Agriscience. “UltiGraz Pasture Weed & Feed gives producers the peace of mind that comes with a certified retailer program and unmatched product support.” UltiGraz brings together fertilizer and weed control for increased forage production and the potential to raise more pounds of beef per acre. Combining the two saves an application expense and can help you make the most of your lowest-cost feed source — your grazing acres. “Often, fertilizer goes out early in the spring and the producer has the full intention to come back later with weed control,” Bohlander says. “But then the realities of the season hit and unpredictable spring weather and fieldwork get in the way of timely pasture spraying. UltiGraz Pasture Weed & Feed helps ensure both important steps get done — and done right.” UltiGraz keeps pastures clean and improves soil fertility. The resulting increased grass production potential brings flexibility. Whether you choose to increase stocking rates, store more forage, put up extra hay or extend the grazing season, it’s hard to go wrong growing more quality forage. How It Works The concept is simple. UltiGraz requires a soil-active herbicide, such as DuraCor® herbicide, to work. In states where permitted, your Certified UltiGraz Retailer sprays the herbicide onto dry fertilizer granules (prills) during the blending process. Within 30 days of application, a rainfall of at least ¼ inch allows the solution to soak into the soil, where weeds absorb the herbicide and the fertilizer begins to promote grass growth. The spectrum of weeds controlled with treated fertilizer extends to most species listed on the label for DuraCor. The application can be made year-round; however, applying when weeds are young and immature provides the best results and longer residual control.

Certified retailers and custom applicators are committed to the highest

standards of blending, application and product stewardship to ensure consistent results.

Including DuraCor ® herbicide with fertilizer applications via UltiGraz SM Pasture Weed & Feed delivers the one-two punch pastures need for a fast start.

Ask your retailer how you can save time and money by combining weed control and fertilizer into one pass.

If liquid applications better suit your situation, your retailer can likely help with that, too. Unlike products that contain 2,4-D, DuraCor herbicide easily mixes with liquid UAN — even at near-freezing temperatures, making it ideal for early spring applications. Either weed- and-feed option — liquid or dry — offers a great way to ensure two important tasks get done while saving some of the expense. While you’re busy working to steward the land and raise livestock for the growing world, Corteva is right behind you, researching and developing the latest, most innovative products, like UltiGraz Pasture Weed & Feed, to help you boost your pastures to reach their fullest potential. Learn more and find a Certified UltiGraz Retailer near you at UltiGraz.com/Steward.

Retailers and custom applicators offering UltiGraz SM Pasture Weed & Feed must complete extensive education and training to become certified by Corteva Agriscience ™ .

™ ® Trademarks and service marks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. Under normal field conditions, DuraCor ® is nonvolatile. DuraCor has no grazing or haying restrictions for any class of livestock, including lactating dairy cows, horses (including lactating mares) and meat animals prior to slaughter. Label precautions apply to forage treated with DuraCor and to manure and urine from animals that have consumed treated forage. DuraCor is not registered for sale or use in all states. Consult the label for full details. UltiGraz SM with fertilizer is available for use with specific herbicides in the states of AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, KS, KY, LA, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NV, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV and WY. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions. ©2026 Corteva.

More grass is, in fact, good for grazing cattle. For every pound of weeds controlled on pastureland, producers can get 1 to 1.5 pounds or more usable forage back. Including a herbicide with fertilizer helps ensure the fertilizer goes toward growing grass, not weeds. “Too often — cattlemen, ranchers, folks who are trying to raise a little bit of grass for grazing — we have an idea and we’re hesitant to implement it fully,” he says. “We want to do a partial rate or we want to do half of our acres. And, in some cases, it’s OK to test the waters. But in the case of UltiGraz, we went whole hog on it where we don’t have legumes.” Combining Fertilizer and Weed Control To encourage grass growth, Jason works with his local retailer, Kevin Franje at Key Cooperative, to spread dry fertilizer and herbicide together in one pass using UltiGraz℠ Pasture Weed & Feed. Certified retailers and custom applicators offering UltiGraz undergo extensive training to deliver consistent results with the treated fertilizer. Producers with their own equipment can apply the product themselves, as long as the equipment is exclusively used for pastures. In Jason’s case, Franje keeps the fertilizer cart full so he can spread it himself. “Treating urea with DuraCor herbicide via UltiGraz manages a broad range of species in the way it works as a residual,” Jason says. “DuraCor about does it all. If I’m spot-spraying, I like to mix DuraCor with Remedy Ultra. What I can tell with the triclopyr in Remedy Ultra is that it’s rapidly translocated to the root of woody plants — it says it right on the label. That’s what takes care of the mulberry trees in the fencerow.” Remedy® Ultra herbicide simplifies brush control with flexible treatment methods and tank-mix combinations to help stop encroaching brush. Along with mulberry and honeylocust trees in the timber pastures, weeds such as chicory, common ragweed, Canada thistle and multiflora rose pose the greatest threat to grass production on other areas of the farm. DuraCor® herbicide provides extended control of 140-plus weeds, including residual control of those that germinate later. “To check pastures and not see weeds is invaluable,” Jason says. “Honestly, I’m more excited about the weed control that DuraCor provides than even the fertilizer piece.” More Pounds of Beef per Acre Jason notes that there are numerous benefits of fertilizer than just giving cattle more grass to eat. It also boosts forage cover through the heat of summer, supports a stronger root system for challenging weather conditions like drought and can provide quicker regrowth on paddocks. that have been grazed. UltiGraz brings together fertilizer and weed control for increased forage production and the potential to raise more pounds of beef per acre. What it comes down to, Jason says, is more weight gain on the cows and calves. “Without weeds, the cattle are eating more desirable grass,” he adds. “They’re going to wean more pounds per acre. We can stock more cattle and they come off the pastures heavier.” Check out RangeAndPasture.com/DeBruin for more photos and the advantages of using UltiGraz℠ Pasture Weed & Feed.

Going ‘Whole Hog’ on Pasture Management Iowa producer boosts forage production and simplifies operations by pairing fertilizer with weed control. “Managing grass takes intention,” says Jason DeBruin, who operates Black Oak Angus near Leighton, Iowa. “It’s in the details. It’s in the timing,” DeBruin says, “and there has to be profit on the back end, in the beef cow, to continue investing in that grass.” Black Oak Angus is a family farm in south-central Iowa with a commercial Angus cross cow/calf herd, corn and soybeans and a hog finishing business. The farm got its start in the 1970s when Jason’s father, Bruce, became friends with Dr. Stewart Kanis, a medical doctor in Pella, Iowa. Kanis acquired land locally and asked Bruce to manage it after he graduated from college.

UltiGraz SM Pasture Weed & Feed with DuraCor® herbicide was applied to the hill (above dotted line). Below the dotted line is untreated grass filled with dandelions.

This healthy, uniform pasture at Black Oak Angus showcases the results of intentional forage management.

Jason DeBruin; his wife, Karissa; and their children, Avery, Kaylee and Ethan.

“That’s when they put together this pasture that’s really our home pasture,” Jason says. “Because of the close connection they had, Dr. Kanis asked my dad to manage the farm. My dad ended up succeeding his friend and taking ownership. They had a good transition plan, so that’s how it got started.”

fence upkeep. “We’ve taken decades to fence it,” Jason explains. “Ten of those paddocks have a rural water supply and it’s taken real effort to install those over the years. That water supply is key. We’re right along the Skunk River and we have four creeks, but they go dry quickly in the summer. And to utilize the grass, we have to have water.” Rotational grazing in the paddocks also is a lot of work, Jason says, but they dive in headfirst to set up their pastures to produce as much grass as possible. “Farmers have to use more observational data than numerical data sometimes,” Jason shares. “You have to trust what’s obvious and make inferences on what is right. There are times when something is visually appealing but not beneficial. I believe in this case, though, how can having more grass not be good?”

Jason joined his father on the farm after earning an agronomy degree from Iowa State University, where both men are alumni. After several years of farming part time while working as an agronomist at Key Cooperative, Jason now manages Black Oak Angus full time. “We don’t work on Sundays, but on some Sunday mornings before church, we check the cattle and pastures,” Jason says. “While we’re driving along, we see different things. Dad’s looking at a calf or cow and I’m looking for weeds and looking at the grass. I manage the forages and he checks the animals.” Raising Grass for Grazing It takes strong teamwork to manage approximately 440 acres of grass in one connected parcel. That’s unique in this part of Iowa, Jason says, to have all the land connected. The land is divided into 13 paddocks of about 34 acres each and requires ongoing maintenance and

Cattle graze on pasture treated with UltiGraz SM Pasture Weed & Feed at Black Oak Angus.

™ ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. Under normal field conditions, DuraCor ® is nonvolatile. DuraCor has no grazing or haying restrictions for any class of livestock, including lactating dairy cows, horses (including lactating mares) and meat animals prior to slaughter. Label precautions apply to forage treated with DuraCor and to manure and urine from animals that have consumed treated forage. DuraCor is not registered for sale or use in all states. Consult the label for full details. UltiGraz SM with fertilizer is available for use with specific herbicides in the states of AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, KS, KY, LA, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NV, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV and WY. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. State restrictions on the sale and use of Remedy ® and Remedy ® Ultra apply. Consult the label before purchase or use for full details. Always read and follow label directions. ©2026 Corteva.

One Pass, Better Grass. SM Fertilizer grows grass — and weeds.

UltiGraz SM Pasture Weed & Feed with DuraCor ® herbicide feeds pastures and fights weeds in one powerful pass. O Fertilize and control weeds in one trip O Save time, money and hassle O Fewer delays, less drift and more results O Scales to any operation size

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TO VISIT UltiGraz.com/Steward to find a Certified UltiGraz Retailer near you.

Visit us at rangeandpasture.com ™® SM Trademarks and service marks of Corteva Agriscience and its afliated companies. Under normal eld conditions, DuraCor ® is nonvolatile. DuraCor has no grazing or haying restrictions for any class of livestock, including lactating dairy cows, horses (including lactating mares) and meat animals prior to slaughter. Label precautions apply to forage treated with DuraCor and to manure and urine from animals that have consumed treated forage. DuraCor is not registered for sale or use in all states. Consult the label for full details. UltiGraz SM with fertilizer is available for use with specic herbicides in the states of AL, AR, CO, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, KS, KY, LA, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NV, OK, OR, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV and WY. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions. ©2025 Corteva. RP - 28853 COR (12/25)

Meet the 2025 Regional ESAP Winners As committed stewards of the land, cattlemen and cattlewomen must continuously evolve and innovate as they strive to be better producers and caretakers. For more than 30 years, Corteva Agriscience has proudly supported the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and fellow sponsors in celebrating these leaders in stewardship. Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP) winners are nominated by local organizations, conservation groups, or fellow producers. ESAP winners are selected annually by the Environmental Stewardship Award Selection Committee — a blue-ribbon group of representatives from universities, conservation organizations and federal and state agencies. The 2025 class includes six regional winners. The committee selects one national winner from these regional award recipients. That announcement is during the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Convention in February 2026. Congratulations to the following 2025 Regional Environmental Stewardship Award winners!

private, state and tribal leases and a grass-finished direct-to- consumer beef business. The families focus their sustainability and conservation efforts on weed control, grazing management, and water development. Region VI Wine Glass Ranch – Imperial, Nebraska Jeff and Connie Pribbeno and their son and daughter-in-law, Logan and Brianna Pribbeno, own and operate Wine Glass Ranch in southwest Nebraska where they, on average, raise 2,000 cows and 3,000 stockers annually. The Pribbenos have 23,000 acres under their direct management and they lease an additional 12,000 acres for grazing purposes. Growing a mixture of warm- and cool-season grasses, the rotational grazing model used on Wine Glass Ranch allows up to 95% of the ranch’s land to be resting at any given point of the year, giving forage a chance to thrive and regrow.

Region IV McFaddin Ranch – Victoria, Texas

Bob McCan, great-great grandson of James Alfred McFaddin, is a co-owner and general manager of McFaddin Enterprises, Ltd., representing the fifth generation of the family to operate McFaddin Ranch. Each year, the family markets about 80 to 85 commercial bulls and 300 to 400 commercial Victoria Braford heifers. Under Bob’s leadership, the McFaddin Ranch began implementing a rotational grazing system to preserve and restore the natural coastal prairie. The program revitalized native grasses such as big bluestem, now flourishing on 30% to 40% of the pasture forage and improved land quality. Region V G&G Livestock and Cathey Cattle Company – Polson, Montana G&G Livestock and Cathey Cattle Company is owned and operated by the Gardner and Cathey families, which include Greg and Lynn Gardner and their daughter, Brittany and son-in- law, Wacey Cathey. The families manage a 950 head cow/calf business on approximately 28,700 acres among deeded land and

Corteva Agriscience is proud to support the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and fellow sponsors in celebrating the 2025 Regional ESAP recipients.

Region I Whispering Hills Farms – Lawrenceburg, Kentucky When Mike Wilson and his wife, Tammy, purchased Whispering Hills Farms in 1999, they knew the land was special. With about 60% of the 197 acres being Eden flaggy silty clay, Mike knows this highly erodible acreage must be handled with care. By using rotational grazing during summer months and utilizing Bo Renfro structures, heavy-use feeding pads and geotextile fabrics to mitigate the effects of winter feeding, Mike has created a thriving and profitable operation. His theory: As a farmer, it’s his job to take care of the land and if you take care of it, it will take care of you.

Region II M&D Overstreet Ranch – Kathleen, Florida Spanning 6,000 deeded and leased acres in the heart of Florida’s Green Swamp, M&D Overstreet Ranch is a third-generation cow/calf operation and a testament to the Overstreet family’s ability to adapt, innovate and protect the land while carrying forward a legacy built on both tradition and conservation. Mark Overstreet, paralyzed from the waist down since 1970, has never let his disability keep him from stewarding the land. With modified equipment, sheer determination and an unbreakable spirit, he continues to oversee rotational grazing, soil restoration and water conservation projects that benefit not just the 600 cattle on his farm, but Florida as a whole.

Region III Smith Family Farms – Bankston, Iowa Smith Family Farms is a 425-head Red Angus/Charolais cow/calf operation owned and operated by Jack and Maria Smith and their sons, Ted and Nick, in the Driftless Area of northeastern Iowa. A fifth-generation farmer, Jack is passionate about the practices used to maintain soil health, water quality and a thriving herd on his family’s land. The three pillars of success for Smith Family Farms are rotational grazing of cows, planting cover crops and employing no-till cropping systems. By implementing these three complementary strategies, the Smith family has built a sustainable and profitable operation for generations to come.

Learn more about each of these outstanding cattle producers at EnvironmentalStewardship.org.

Getting Back to the Basics on Downey Ranch, Inc. Family incorporates stewardship, new techniques to manage pastures and raise cattle.

Bale Grazing Saves on Labor, Input Costs In addition to having cattle graze the pastureland, the couple have incorporated bale grazing into the operation for winter feeding. The approach saves time and labor while also improving brome grass and farm fields. “The idea is to never pick up the bales and move them — (the bales) are fed right where they come out of the baler,” Downey explains. “We’re not moving the bales off the field. We’re moving the cows to the bales. We estimate with just labor and machinery savings that we save a dollar per head per day. With this system, we’ve seen our soil organic matter increase and we’re saving thousands of dollars in fertilizer.” Trial and error also were part of the bale grazing process. Initially, plastic netting was used on the bales, but that led to netting being found in paddocks over time. Now, using sisal twine, a more natural binder, bale grazing works well for the ranch. “Our most productive grass is on an old bale site,” she adds. “We are seeing clovers and trefoil thrive on these sites.”

Managing woody encroachment is one of the biggest challenges Barb Downey and her husband, Joe Carpenter, face in their continued effort to keep the 6,000 acres of native tallgrass prairie that make up Downey Ranch, Inc., (DRI) as natural as possible. DRI, the 2024 National Environmental Stewardship Award winner, was founded by third-generation cattle producer Joe Downey in Kansas’ Flint Hills in 1986. Today, it is owned and operated by his daughter, Barb; her husband; and their daughters, Anna and Laura. Located southwest of Wamego, Kansas, DRI is a 550-head registered and commercial cow/calf operation that produces Angus and SimAngus seedstock bulls and females and feeder calves. “We have to make sure that we are getting proper use of the land and being the most efficient that we can be,” Joe Carpenter says. “That means getting rid of the trees that don’t belong here and getting the prairie back to the way it belongs.”

Downey Ranch, Inc. (DRI), the 2024 national winner of the Environmental Stewardship Award, was founded by third- generation cattle producer Joe Downey. Today, DRI is owned and operated by his daughter, Barb; her husband, Joe Carpenter (both pictured); and their daughters, Anna and Laura.

Spot-spraying Helps Maintain Prairie By using a measured approach of spot-spraying stumps and doing prescribed burns, the couple can manage woody encroachment of cedar trees while enhancing the mix of grass species in the pastures, including leadplant, purple prairie clover, wild alfalfa and white prairie clover. “Tordon (22K) and Remedy are my go-tos when I’m doing spot-spraying,” he adds. “We try not to spray entire pastures because of the native tallgrass prairie forbs that are part of the complete prairie system. We prefer a more measured approach.” Musk thistles and sericea lespedeza, or Chinese bush clover, are the noxious weeds that infest the pastures and are the main targets for spot-spraying. Although deer like sericea, cattle will not eat it, as it has higher tannin concentration and upsets their stomachs. Downey Ranch, Inc. (DRI), is owned and operated by Barb Downey (center, left) and her husband, Joe Carpenter (center, right), along with their daughters, Laura (left) and Anna (right). DRI is located southwest of Wamego, Kansas.

Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan Having a plan in place to eradicate invasive species and head off woody encroachment is another piece of the puzzle that makes up the work plan at DRI. Enrolled in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Great Plains Grassland Initiative (GPGI), both through USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the couple utilize the plans that are developed through the programs to improve efficiencies. “The NRCS programs give us a road map on what we are going to do,” Downey explains. “This helps us develop a plan of attack, so we can be most effective with our time and our resources.” Now in Year 3 of the five-year plan, the ranch has made some changes and adaptations along the way. Luckily, the NRCS has updated policies to allow flexibility and adaptations, depending on the operation. “We do a lot of adapting,” she continues. “It has been important to be flexible. Operations that are only 40 miles apart are completely different, so the adaptability and flexibility has been key.” Trying New Things Downey and Carpenter are the first to admit that part of their success is the ability to learn from others, especially when reading about other Environmental Stewardship Award winners like themselves. “My dad is gone now, but he would be immensely proud that the ranch has won this award and that Corteva is helping to shine a light on what individual farmers and ranchers are doing to improve the environment and remain sustainable,” Downey says. “Nothing that we have done on our farm or ranch is unique to us. We’ve learned it from somebody else.” Downey’s father, Joseph “Joe” L. Downey, started the ranch while working for The Dow Chemical Company, where he spent his entire career. He served as Chairman of DowElanco from 1988-1997 and retired from the Dow Chemical Company’s Board of Directors in 1999. Dow AgroSciences later merged to become part of what Corteva Agriscience is today. His true vocation was cattle ranching. “If our grasslands, our cattle and our ranch are thriving, then our family thrives and that is the foundation for everything we have built. The land is sometimes hard for a rancher to talk about, because it is part of you. It’s just who you are — your soul,” Downey says. “We’ve given our lives to it, so our kids can continue on.” Established in 1991, the Environmental Stewardship Award Program celebrates outstanding land stewards in the cattle industry. Regional award winners come from every corner of the country and undertake stewardship efforts unique to their environment, landscape and resources. Corteva Agriscience has proudly served as the longest- tenured sponsor for this prestigious industry program for the last 33 years. For more photos of Downey Ranch, visit RangeAndPasture.com/DowneyRanch.

Bales are fed right where they come out of the baler, resulting in labor and machinery savings of roughly $1 per head per day with winter feeding.

Downey Ranch, Inc. (DRI), is a 550-head registered and commercial cow/calf operation that produces Angus and SimAngus seedstock bulls and females and feeder calves on 6,000 acres of native tallgrass prairie in the Flint Hills southwest of Wamego, Kansas.

16 Tordon ® 22K is a Restricted Use Pesticide. ™ ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. State restrictions on the sale and use of Remedy ® Ultra apply. Not all products are registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions. ©2026 Corteva.

“Good succession planning takes good leadership. We think of succession planning as another aspect of stewardship,” McCan continues. “We’ve actively involved younger family members in our discussions because it doesn’t make sense to make decisions without the input and buy-in from the people who will live with the consequences of them.” McCan, along with the other family heirs, including the next generation of owners and managers, has formalized the concept of sustainability and used it as a guiding principle for the family properties. “We have to have a sound, profitable enterprise because it is essential to keeping the land intact and the family on it,” McCan says. “We consider economics as just one leg of the three-legged ‘sustainability stool’ that has been embraced by our family as an overarching model to guide our decision-making. The other two legs are environmental and social.” Supporting Sustainability Through Environmental Efforts The environmental leg of the sustainability stool includes the

extreme weather is noticeably improved. “Now, across the properties, we’re probably in low- to- highexcellent condition.” Striking a balance between livestock and wildlife is also an important part of the ranch’s long-term sustainability. “Our goals for the wildlife enterprise are integrated with our goals for the livestock enterprise,” he continues. “Before we undertake any management activities, whether it’s grazing or applying herbicides, we ask ourselves, ’How will this affect the livestock and the wildlife?’ We want to ensure that every action is complementary not counterproductive.” Diversification Vital to McFaddin Ranch Sustainability McFaddin Enterprises is primarily a cow/calf operation focused on raising Victoria Brafords, a three-fourths Hereford and one-fourth Brahman commercial breed, developed by McCan’s grandfather, Claude K. McCan Sr., in the 1930s. Each year, the family markets about 80-85 commercial bulls and 300-400 commercial Victoria Braford heifers. But along with the livestock operation, the family operates a recreational hunting

(Photo, L) Bob McCan and his son, Robert August “Augie” McCan: “We’ve actively involved younger family members in our discussions,” says Bob. “It doesn’t make sense to make decisions without the input and buy-in from the people who will live with the consequences of them.” (Photo, Above) Establishing and maintaining healthy wildlife populations is a critical component of both the profitability and sustainability of McFaddin Ranch.

Keeping the Ranch Intact is About Sustainability and Family For Bob McCan, keeping the McFaddin Ranch in Victoria, Texas, intact is just as much about stewardship and sustainability as it is about family heritage and a desire to pass the land on to the next generation. “Large tracts of land are also large tracts of habitat. Any time that’s divided up into smaller tracts, you lose that contiguous habitat,” he says. “I’m the fifth generation of my family to manage the property; my son, Augie, is taking over and will be the sixth. In the past, they cared for the land a little bit differently than I would, but for the time, they had a very good idea of what they needed to do to keep the property in good condition.” Today, McFaddin Ranch encompasses 13,000 acres of native coastal prairies. Additionally, McFaddin Enterprises, Ltd. owns and manages another 6,400 acres of rice-based farmland and native pastureland, where the ranch develops all its replacement heifers for the operation and leases and manages another 55,000- acre ranch in Bee and Refugio counties. “We must constantly consider each decision against the question, ‘Is this going to be a sustainable endeavor for the land, the environment and the family,’” McCan says. “And, keeping the land intact is one of my biggest responsibilities for those future generations.” Surviving the Threat of Urban Sprawl Encroachment of urban sprawl on farmland is nothing new for farmers and ranchers around the United States and especially in Texas where the population has almost doubled since 1990 to 30.5 million. For McFaddin Ranch, while they are protected from sprawl in the short term, Victoria is the county seat and the largest city in their vicinity. From 1990 to 2023, Victoria County grew from 74,361 residents to 91,065 — a 22% increase. “The value of ranchlands has escalated and being able to prove a return on investment for this value is a challenge that becomes greater every year,” McCan says. “We have a well-valued asset and if we’re not getting enough return on it, then we must look at how to maximize it.

“Good succession planning takes good leadership,” says Bob McCan. “We think of succession planning as another aspect of stewardship.”

The Victoria Braford breed was first established on McFaddin Ranch in the 1930s. A cross between Brahman and Hereford, Victoria Braford are well- suited to the South Texas climate and still deliver excellent beef quality.

rotational grazing system that McCan put in place in 1990. To help cover the cost of the necessary infrastructure, the family engaged in its first cost-share program. Over the years, they have partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the Sam Houston Research and Development Council and many more. The grazing system is a one-herd, multi-paddock system; one herd, numbering between 200 and 300 cows, is rotated through six to eight pastures ranging in size from 500-750 acres twice each year. Each pasture has at least three and up to five, reliable water sources. Troublesome species like Macartney rose are treated with MezaVue® herbicide; GrazonNext® HL herbicide provides general broadleaf control along with suppression of huisache, one of South Texas’ most prolific invasive species. Since its inception, the grazing program at McFaddin Ranch has helped to both reinvigorate native grasses and improve soil conditions. “When we started our rotational grazing system, I think any NRCS range professional would have characterized our range condition as fair,” McCan says, noting the ‘bounce back’ after

If we’re not able to achieve appropriate returns, then some family members may begin to think that agriculture is not the land’s highest and best use and may consider selling it. We’ve had one family partition [in the late 1980s] and we never want another.” Although there is currently no solar or wind energy infrastructure on the family property, McCan recognizes that future generations may need to evaluate these resources as potential revenue sources to maintain ownership of the land. And, with the ranch situated across the Guadalupe River from an industrial zone, offers have already been extended to explore alternative energy opportunities. Good Planning Equals a Great Future With his son, Augie, active on the ranch, Bob is keenly aware that succession planning is important for ensuring the long-term stability of the McFaddin Ranch. Establishing a succession plan can help address the needs of both current and future family members. In family businesses, clear succession planning provides guidance for future transitions and can help prevent the need to sell the property or business.

enterprise for all game species, including whitetail deer, waterfowl, quail and wild turkey. “My father was very interested in wildlife, so we’ve always tried to integrate wildlife management with our livestock operations and the rotational grazing systems that we use for the cattle are highly beneficial for the wildlife populations.” McCan says. “Since we’re not grazing everything to the ground, there’s plenty of ‘wildlife chow’ left in the pastures.” In addition, the family runs an equine breeding and sales program — a passion project for McCan and a valuable alternate revenue stream for the ranch. “We feel the hunting and breeding operations provide vital economic support while also promoting land conservation and diversity, he continues. “Hunting revenue is reinvested into habitat improvements and the breeding program enhances the ranch’s equestrian legacy and diversifies the ranch beyond livestock.” These additional enterprises ensure long-term sustainability at McFaddin Ranch by blending tradition with innovation to support the land and ranching lifestyle. To learn more about McFaddin Ranch and the history of the Victoria Braford, visit RangeAndPasture.com/McFaddin.

™ ® Trademarks of Corteva Agriscience and its affiliated companies. MezaVue is a Restricted Use Pesticide. GrazonNext HL and MezaVue are not registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Label precautions apply to forage treated with GrazonNext HL and to manure from animals that have consumed treated forage within the last three days. Consult the label for full details. Always read and follow label directions. © 2026 Corteva

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