The Rural Dispatch
Welcome to The Rural Dispatch, the podcast that delivers honest conversations from the fields, the highways, and the home front. I'm your host, Aly Behrens - headquartered in rural Iowa, I help run a trucking company that specializes in hauling livestock nationwide. I was born and raised in small-town-Iowa and I’m passionate about rural communities and the people who help them thrive. Since becoming a mom, I’ve taken a step away from my own career in finance and into a behind the scenes role in our second-generation family business. I’m proud to help continue the legacy of hard work and dedication that built this business. I’m building a life with a multi-faceted business owner who also holds the title of truck driver, cattle feeder and dispatcher, all while we both work together to manage office operations, oversee business development, and bring the next generation along to show them the ropes, just like their grandpa did with their dad. If you’re anything like us, you wear a lot of hats in your operation. This podcast is for people like you: hardworking men and women in the rural trucking, livestock and business communities who are juggling all the things every day. Whether it’s running loads, managing a herd, staying compliant, or handling the bookkeeping, we know the challenges you face because we’ve lived them. In our weekly episodes, I’ll bring you a mix of my own experiences as I navigate the ins and outs of these industries, stories with my better half, Smoke about the lessons we’ve learned throughout our time in this business, and interviews with experts who tackle the pain points we all probably face at one time or another. From trucking to livestock production to rural entrepreneurship, this show is here to equip you with the tools, resources and a supportive community to help you thrive. Whether you’re in the cab of a truck, out checking cattle, or sitting at your kitchen table, we hope you’ll tune in and find value in conversations that speak your language. No matter your role in the industry, there’s something for everyone here. Buckle up, friends, there's lots to come. If you enjoy an episode, it would mean the world to us if you would share it with a friend. Keep up with us between episodes on our socials, at Behrens and Co., or subscribe to our email list on our website to receive new episodes directly to your inbox every Wednesday. Thanks for being here. We'll talk soon.
Episodes
This episode is for the folks who don’t have time for two-a-days at the gym and green smoothies.
Whether you’re hauling cattle, running a business, raising kids, or all of the above — this conversation with Josh Snyder will give you practical, doable ways to move your body, eat better, and feel stronger.
Josh is the founder of FitNKC, a gym focused on real-life fitness for real people — and the nonprofit BlocLife, which serves vetera...
In this episode of The Rural Dispatch, we sit down with Will Epperly, 2022 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion and co-owner of Dunlap Livestock Auction, to talk cattle, markets, and mentorship.
From growing up in his family's sale barn in Virginia to becoming one of the top voices in the industry, Will shares the path that led him to earn the world champion title and co-own one of Iowa’s most respected livestock markets. We di...
In this episode of The Rural Dispatch, we sit down with Denny Kluver, a retired livestock hauler who spent 30+ years driving for Jeff Behrens, the founder of Behrens Trucking. From the very first load to the day he hung up his keys, Denny witnessed firsthand the growth of a family-run business and the evolution of the livestock hauling industry.
We talk about what it was like to be on the road in the early days, the challenges of ha...
In this week's episode of The Rural Dispatch, we continue last week's conversation with Smoke and Mark Toms to share more raw, (mostly) unfiltered stories from their younger years. From struggling to pay the bills to building successful businesses, these guys have been through it all, and today they're telling the stories that shaped them.
If you're broke, crashing on a couch, or just need a good laugh - this ep...
In this episode of The Rural Dispatch, I’m joined Smoke and guest Mark Toms—a man of many talents and endless stories. Mark takes us on a journey through his career, starting with how he got into the trucking industry and the unique challenges of pulling a tanker compared to hauling livestock.
We also dive into his passion for protecting livestock from predators, specifically his experience as an avid coyote hunter. Mark shares his ...
This week on The Rural Dispatch, we’re talking all things trucks, trailers, and the cattle industry with Smoke. From EPA regulations to the closure of the American Foods plant in Yankton, SD, there’s a lot shaking up the trucking & livestock worlds right now. Plus, we’re breaking down which brand is really best when it comes to trucks and livestock trailers. And, if you’re frustrated with the cattle market, you’re not alone. We...
In this episode of The Rural Dispatch, I sit down with Jeremy Behrens to talk about his journey from hauling livestock with Smoke and their dad, to running his own one-man trucking operation. We dive into what it takes to get started in trucking today, the pros and cons of new technology, and the importance of a driver’s role in the bigger business picture. Jeremy shares his take on FMCSA regulations, ELDs, and the air-mile radius ...
In this episode of The Rural Dispatch, I sit down with Smoke and Jeff "Bug" Schroeder, a cattle feeder from western Iowa, to talk about his journey in the industry. We cover everything from feeding in dirt lots and barns to the realities of hedging cattle and what skills every good cattle feeder should have in their back pocket.
Tune in for an honest look at the cattle business, the highs and lows, and what it really take...
In this episode of The Rural Dispatch: Delivering Stories from Rural America, I sit down with my better half, Smoke, to talk about the journey that shaped him and our family’s trucking business. We start with the story behind his name and his deep-rooted ties to trucking and agriculture.
From its beginnings to where we are today, we break down the evolution of our trucking company, the challenges facing the industry right now, and w...
Welcome to the very first episode of The Rural Dispatch! I’m kicking things off with a solo episode to introduce myself, share my background, and explain how I ended up here—running a livestock trucking business, raising two little boys, and launching this podcast.
In this episode, I talk about:
- How I went from a career in finance to managing the backend of our family business
- The challenges and rewards of working in a family busi...
Welcome to The Rural Dispatch, the podcast that delivers honest conversations from the fields, the highways, and the home front.
I'm your host, Aly Behrens - headquartered in rural Iowa, I help run a trucking company that specializes in hauling livestock nationwide.
I was born and raised in small-town-Iowa and I’m passionate about rural communities and the people who help them thrive. Since becoming a mom, I’ve taken a step awa...
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