2022 Salute to Agriculture - Spring/Summer Edition

Spring-Summer 2022 Edition

We’ve got you covered from

PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT to

• Crop Yields • Water Usage • Efficiency Decisions

• Financial Analysis • Manage Risk • Succession Planning

Precision Agriculture

Ag/Business ManagEment

morgancc.edu/ag or call (800) 622-0216

Katie Roth / Fort Morgan Times

Tractors roll down Riverview Avenue in Fort Morgan during the Fort Morgan FFA chapter’s annual parade celebrating National FFA Week. Find updates on local FFA chapters starting on page 32.

Salute to Agriculture Salute to Agriculture is a special supplement to the Brush News-Tribune, Fort Morgan Times and Sterling Journal-Advocate honoring the predominant industry of the region.

Inside

Ag forum focuses on bridging urban-rural divide in Colorado.................................................. 6 Gene Manuello spells ‘success’ D-I-V-E-R-S-I-F-I-C-A-T-I-O-N.................................................. 10 CSU Extension and partners helping farmers weather drought............................................ 14 Supporting the mental health needs of the ag community .................................................. 16 Agriculture and water issues highlighted at annual meeting................................................ 17 Event helps area youth ready their animals for county fair................................................... 20 Cattlemen’s Association’s 82nd Annual Banquet draws big crowd....................................... 24 Farming Evolution conference highlights sustainable practices........................................... 28 New FFA members excited to be part of Sterling chapter .................................................... 32 Fort Morgan FFA Horse Judging Team’s hard work is paying off............................................ 34 Peetz FFA enjoying a busy year ......................................................................................... 36 Caliche ag students keeping busy this year....................................................................... 38 New manager wants to grow understanding of agriculture................................................... 40 Wiggins FFA sees success in 2022................................................................................... 43 Brush FFA Oyster Fry a big hit........................................................................................... 45 Colorado Farm Show’s return draws cheers from ag community .......................................... 48 Transystems set to haul sugar beets to Fort Morgan factory ............................................... 50

Our Staff

Brian Porter, Publisher Sara Waite, Editor Callie Jones, Assistant Editor Jenni Grubbs, Assistant Editor Jeff Rice, Staff Writer Katie Roth, Staff Writer Steve Buxton, Advertising Kim Francis, Advertising Andrew Ohlson, Advertising Kent Shorrock, Layout

Copyright 2022, Prairie Mountain Media

SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 3

WINDOW ON AGRICULTURE

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a nd nd Bearing

PT HOSE AND BEARING in Greeley prides itself on its extensive inventory of industrial supplies to keep manufacturers, large- and small-scale farms and heavy equipment operating.

“Our goal is to have inventory on a level our competitors may lack,” said Blake Hinchley, regional manager of PT Hose and Bearing in Greeley, adding that orders can be placed if items aren’t immediately available. “We strive to have product on the shelf to satisfy the customer’s requirements on-the-spot.”

The industrial parts retailer opened in Greeley in 2017 and in Fort Collins in 2020. There also are locations in Cheyenne, Wyo., and Gering, Neb. Each of the locations has an inventory of nearly 40,000 items in roughly 10,000-square-foot warehouses.

PT HOSE & BEARING 1543 1st Ave Greeley, CO 970.392.1000 www.pthose.com

4 • MARCH 30, 2022 • SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE

A family-owned operation, PT Hose and Bearing carries an array of industrial parts, including water pumps, hydraulic and industrial hoses, conveyor belts, electric motors, speed reducers, roller chains (and sprockets), gearboxes, bearings, valves, seals, and truck and safety supplies. The retailer welcomes the general public, caters to original equipment operators (OEMs), and serves several industries including construction, agriculture, and oil and gas.

PT Hose and Bearing also offers assembly of hydraulic and industrial hoses on site via a mobile hose truck. All hoses are custom in length

and matched to each individual application from tractors to excavators.

“We can go on site and do it for you,” Hinchley said. “It’s as easy as food delivery. It’s a convenience we are happy to provide.”

PT Hose and Bearing sets itself apart with its inventory, knowledgeable employees and unmatched customer service.

“We have a unique ability when it comes to helping customers in their time of need,” Hinchley said.

PT Hose and Bearing operates 24/7 with phones that roll over after hours.

“Somebody always answers ready to help,” Hinchley said.

The business is tailored to all phases of the agricultural cycle from planting to harvest, helping big and small farming operations as well as dairies.

“We go back to customer service and keeping those guys going yearround. We’re able to help them maintain the equipment they need to keep their operations running smoothly,” Hinchley said.

PT Hose and Bearing is locally owned by two families with the principals being Jamey Fifield and Trent Keller.

“We’re not a big corporation.

We use that to our advantage. We stock and staff our stores to provide optimal value to our customers,” Hinchley said.

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SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 5

Ag forum focuses on bridging urban-rural divide in Colorado Bridge-building has to start from rural side, speakers say

By Jeff Rice Sterling Journal-Advocate

If the rural-urban divide is to be bridged, the bridge-building will have to start on the rural side of the gap.

That was the theme of the 30th annual Colorado Agriculture Forum March 2 in Denver. Conducted by the Colorado Agriculture Leadership Program, the forum was back after a one-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

From the opening remarks of CALP Board President Jerry Sonnenberg to the afternoon breakout session on animal welfare extremism, the message was driven home that it is time for agricultural producers to stand up and sound off, and not by driving tractors around the Capitol.

Sonnenberg, long a staunch advocate of agriculture during his tenure as state representative and senator in Denver, opened with a reminder that, as crucial as it is to human survival, agriculture faces existential threats from several quarters.

“We’re in an interesting dynamic right now,” Sonnenberg said. “Tendollar wheat, seven-dollar corn, we should be making money easily.

And then you run the numbers and try to buy fertilizer, and that’s a whole different story.”

Keynote Speaker Steve House warned that “America is in trouble, and if you’re going to be a leader, you have to navigate some uncharted waters.”

House is senior director of strategic initiatives for Braver Angels, an organization that seeks to de-polarize American society. A former chairman of the Adams County Republican Party and one-time

Jeff Rice / Sterling Journal-Advocate

Jerry Sonnenberg, right, and Steve House discuss the challenges of getting rural representation in a largely urban state legislature.

chair of the state GOP, House said America’s foreign rivals are delighted with the political situation in the United States.

“Our adversaries believe that if we can’t talk to each other, we can’t make the decisions needed to be the power we used to be,” House

6 • MARCH 30, 2022 • SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE

said. “How you can lead if somebody won’t talk to you because of your political party?”

He said political partisans will need to let go of some of their more damaging beliefs if Americans are going to communicate with each other again. Chief

among those is the conviction that there will be lasting damage if “the other side” is elected. Called “affective polarization,” the concept has led to a scorched earth policy in which partisans will do anything to defeat the other party.

The schism isn’t just political, House said, it’s cultural and geographical. He referenced work by author and journalist Colin Woodard, who has identified 11 distinct cultures that have historically divided the U.S. Woodward’s book “American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures in North America” breaks down those cultures and the regions they each dominate, from the uto-

See DIVIDE, pg. 7

DIVIDE from page 7

pian “Yankeedom” to the conservative “Greater Appalachia” and liberal “Left Coast.”

Typical of those divisions is the urban-rural divide. “People in the cities don’t realize how much you conserve the land,” House said.

That has prompted Melody Michel of Fort Collins to found Urban and Rural Allies for Colorado Agriculture. A lifelong city dweller, Michel and her Allies cofounders decided it was time to bridge the urban-rural gap by listening to ag producers and then feeding back her perception of what she was hearing. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing; Michel recently felt the wrath of farmers when she “ruffled some feathers” because of a misunderstanding.

Michel told a morning breakout session of the Forum that bridging the communication gap means turning outward and getting out of one’s comfort zone. She listed three ways people thwart communication by turning inward: I can’t see you because you’re out of sight

Map showing the theoretical 11 "nations" of the United States.

and out of mind; I can’t hear you because my voice matters more; I can’t feel your pain because all I feel is my own suffering. Those behaviors, Michel said, result in justification behaviors that shoot down communication and widen

Screenshot

the gap.

Opening up to communication doesn’t mean abandoning one’s beliefs, but it does mean looking at things from a fresh perspective.

The key to communication is asking whether people share the same

values, something communications experts call “frame of reference.”

“You don’t have to believe what someone else believes, but you have to have the courage to make the most important move to bridge the gap,” she said. “Ask yourself, what values do I share with this person,” Michel said. “Does this person fear the same things I do?

What behaviors do we share?

What similar experiences do we share?”

Michel said the purpose of the communication isn’t just to understand, but to build alliances. Those relationships are the building material for a bridge, Michel said.

During a post-luncheon give-andtake session, Sonnenberg and House again took the stage to talk about whether rural Colorado really lacks a voice in the state Capitol. Predictably, Sonnenberg argued that 45 percent of Colorado’s land mass is represented by two state senate districts. Only seven of the state’s 63 counties govern Colorado, Sonnenberg said, and of

See DIVIDE, pg. 8

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DIVIDE from page 7

Colorado’s Congressional delegation, only one is involved in agriculture or energy production, and all live within 25 miles of the I-25 corridor.

House countered that agriculture is represented by the Colorado Department of Agriculture, which needs to be a strong advocate for ag producers. The argument got no traction with Sonnenberg, who blamed Gov. Jared Polis for the indifference state government shows for agriculture.

“It’s hard to move an administration to support ag when that administration doesn’t care about ag,” Sonnenberg said.

When the question Terry Fankhauser of secession came up – several northeast Colorado counties mounted an unsuccessful effort to secede a decade ago, and Weld County has recently made overtures to becoming Shawn part of Wyoming – Martini neither House nor Sonnenberg thought it would solve anything.

“You can’t solve your problems by running away from them” Sonnenberg said. “What’s best is to figure out how do we carry our message to be bigger and stronger?”

House closed the session by urging the Forum attendees to make themselves understood in Denver.

“How long do we wait before Denver wakes up and says, ‘OK, these people are important?’” he asked.

The Forum ended with a series of breakout sessions, and one of the best-attended was a session on animal welfare extremists and Colorado’s livestock industry. Terry Fankhauser, executive vice president of Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, and Shawn Martini, vice president of advocacy for Colorado Farm Bureau, warned that animal welfare extremists will continue to come after Colorado’s livestock industry because the state is what Martini called “a playground for extremists.”

The problem: Citizen-initiated ballot issues are too easy to put before Colorado voters. Fankhauser said petitioning for ballot issues is more prevalent in the West because, as the new territories were opened up, those creating state governments wanted more direct citizen input into government. Of all the western states, Fankhauser said, Nebraska seems to have the most secure process for getting initiatives on the ballot while Colorado joins Oregon and California with the weakest Livestock growers dodged an electoral bullet when the Colorado Supreme Court rejected Initiative 16 last year, which would have gutted the state’s livestock industry.

Disguised as an “animal safety” measure, the initiative called for elimination of many accepted animal husbandry practices, including artificial insemination and pregnancy testing of cows. Martini said these ballot issues are showing up in Colorado because it’s easy to get on the ballot and because there is a virtual industry that makes big profits getting issues on the ballot.

“There’s no roadblock to challenge the content of these things before they get on the ballot,” Martini said. “All we can do is try to convince voters it’s a bad idea, and that takes millions of dollars that (agricultural interests) just don’t have.”

Fankhauser said ag interests will be working to change the initiative process to something along the lines of the process for amending the state constitution. Coloradans approved Amendment 71, nicknamed “Raise the Bar,” in 2016 to require that signatures be gathered from 2% of voters in each Colorado’s 35 state Senate districts. It also requires constitutional measures to garner a supermajority of 55% of voter approval to pass rather than the simple majority previously required.

Martini noted that it took seven years to get Amendment 71 passed, but he hopes it won’t take that long to amend the initiative process.

“We’re going to have to step up and find the dollars to finance this effort,” he said.

8 • MARCH 30, 2022 • SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE

Jeff Rice / Sterling Journal-Advocate

Jerry Sonnenberg and Cory Pelton, CALP Alumni Committee Chairman, present C.J. Mucklow of Routt County with the "Excellence in CALP Award" during the March 2 Colorado Agriculture Forum in Denver.

Slide from Melody Michel's presentation at the Colorado Agriculture Forum.

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SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 9

Gene Manuello spells ‘success’ D-I-V-E-R-S-I-F-I-C-A-T-I-O-N

Corn, hay and cattle keep this third generation farmer busy year-round

By Jeff Rice Sterling Journal-Advocate

Gene Manuello can sum up his philosophy of successful farming in a single word: Diversification.

Manuello is the third generation of his family to run the operation north of Sterling. His grandfather, Joe, came from Italy at the age of 10 in 1898 and the family first settled in the Graylin area. Joe Manuello purchased the farm on County Road 43.5 in the 1930s and the Manuellos have lived there ever since. Gene’s mother still lives in the house he grew up in.

The family began feeding cattle in 1968 during the rapid growth of the Sterling Colorado Beef Co. Today Manuello and his team of five hired hands grow corn and hay on the Manuello farm and on some leased acreage. He feeds as many as 2,500 head of cattle in the 14 pens on the place, although the operation officially has a capacity for 3,000 head. Most of the cattle in the feedlot are Manuello’s, but he also does some custom feeding. He also has about 200 cows to

Gene Manuello with a pen of cow-calf pairs on his farm north of Sterling.

provide new calves, and puts yearlings on grass.

Manuello is understandably proud of the beef he produces. He tracks the USDA grading of all of the cattle he sells and noted that

in a recent shipment all but one of the animals graded prime, and that one graded choice. For the uninitiated, those are the top two grades and, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, only

Jeff Rice / Sterling Journal-Advocate

about 5 percent of animals harvested in the U.S. grade prime, with about 70 percent grading choice.

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See MANUELLO, pg. 11

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MANUELLO from page 10

Manuello said. “It depends on the quality of the cattle you buy.”

As he drives the alleys of his feedlot, Manuello points out groups of cattle and when they will be going to the processor.

With a lifetime of experience, he can tell by looking at an animal just how many more days of finishing it will need. There is a small window of time when a steer or heifer is perfect for slaughter, and any backlog in the supply line can affect an animal’s condition and the producer’s profits. An animal that stays in the feedlot beyond its prime shipping date will continue to gain weight, but not as fast as it has, and it will cost just as much every day to feed.

That’s where Manuello relies on his operation’s diversification to keep the bills paid. He can take calves off of grass early, especially if rangeland has suffered from drought, and, if necessary, he can buy extra feed to keep cattle in the pens longer.

Journal-Advocate file photo

See MANUELLO, pg. 12 Manuello harvests silage from a cornfield near Sterling. The chopped corn will be fed in the family's feedlot.

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SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 11

Manuello prepares the ground for planting corn in the spring of 2020.

Journal-Advocate file photo

MANUELLO from page 11

For the most part, Manuello’s intake and output of animals remains fairly constant. He ships around two truckloads of cattle a week to packing plants, but has shipped as many as six. A 53-foot “bullwagon” can hold up to 25 head.

“When you consider that the industry slaughters between 650,000 and 660,000 head a week, we aren’t a real big part of that,” Manuello said. “But you see all the smaller operations around (Logan County) and it all adds up.”

Beef producers are fully aware of the rising global demand for their product, but Manuello said not everyone wants a well-marbled prime or choice steak.

“I went to Brazil years ago to see how their operations work, and they just don’t have choice beef down there,” he said. “It’s too rich for them.”

Manuello’s other passion, which goes hand-in-hand with his farm and ranch operation, is water. A past president of Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, he is vice president of the Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District and Logan Well Users, president of the Sterling “No. 1” Irrigation Co., board member of the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy Distrtict, and represents CCA on the Colorado Ag-Water Alliance. He is glad to see a growing acceptance of the need for additional water See MANUELLO, pg. 13

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Jeff Rice / Sterling Journal-Advocate

Manuello checks the pens of his feedlot north of Sterling, The facility can hold up to 3,000 head of cattle.

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Gene Manuello, then-president of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, loads up a roaster pan full of hamburger patties from the grill for the Northeastern Junior College Beef Boosters hamburger feed in 2014.

Journal-Advocate file photo

Gene Manuello harvests corn on County Road 370 east of Sterling in 2017.

MANUELLO from page 12 storage, especially on the lower reach of the South Platte River in Colorado.

“There was a time when ‘storage’ was a dirty word, but people are starting to see that it’s needed,” he said. “We need it if we’re going to continue to farm while they (along the Front Range) continue to grow.”

Manuello agrees that ag producers are driven by a sense of mission, of feeding the world, but the

best part is the independence he enjoys.

“I answer to me, I’m my own boss, and I like that,” he said.

“And then, you’re doing something different every day. Today you’re fixing equipment, tomorrow you’re loading out cattle, always something different. Over the course of the year, yeah, you’re doing the same stuff, but from day to day, it’s always different.”

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SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 13

CSU Extension and partners helping farmers weather drought

NOAA outlook shows drought conditions continuing at least through the spring

By Retta Bruegger and Todd Ballard CSU Extension

CSU Extension, in partnership with the USDA Climate Hub, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union and other organizations, recently completed a 5-part series on drought management with an inperson workshop outside of Fort Morgan at the Riverview Event Center.

This event covered drought planning for agricultural operations, as well as a workshop on stress management and mental health, provided by AgWell, a new program out of Rocky Mountain Farmer’s Union. Participants of the in-person training received the “train the trainer” portion of the Changing our Mental and Emotional Trajectory “COMET” training from AgWell instructor Clinton Wilson.

The intent of the workshop was to increase capacity among those who work in agriculture or ag-adjacent organization and entities, so they are better prepared to plan for and manage well in drought.

The in-person workshop was preceded by a 4-part webinar series, that covered topics such: using forecasts in drought planning, risk management in drought, drought management strategies for livestock and range, and drought management strategies for cropping systems. Contributions to the webinars from northeast region extension staff included a discussion of in-field water conservation by Ron Meyer and Using a Partial Budgeting Tool/

“While drought conditions are not within our control, how we manage for those conditions is something we can influence.”

Retta Bruegger CSU Extension Evaluating Tradeoffs by Brent Young. The in-person seminar included a cropping systems drought decision discussion facilitated by Todd Ballard.

The drought outlook forecasts that drought conditions will continue through the spring.

“While drought conditions are not within our control, how we manage for those conditions is

14 • MARCH 30, 2022 • SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE

something we can influence,” said co-organizer, Retta Bruegger.

“This course was designed to increase the toolbox to manage well in drought.”

A contributing factor to the drought outlook is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast for a 53% chance of La Niña conditions continuing until at least August ( PowerPoint

Presentation (noaa.gov)). The March 17 rain/snow mix throughout much of eastern Colorado improved the outlook for this year’s wheat crop. But we need to remain vigilant of the drought projection.

As far as next steps, the group will launch a program in summer 2022 that provides incentives for producers who make a written drought plan. For more information on drought planning or the upcoming incentives program, contact Retta Bruegger, Ron Meyer, or Todd Ballard.

Retta Bruegger is a regional specialist in rangeland management for Colorado State University Extension. Todd Ballard is an Golden Plains Area agronomist for CSU Extension.

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SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 15

Supporting the mental health needs of the ag community

He explains, “People engaged in farming have a strong urge to supply essentials for human life, such as food and materials for clothing, shelter and fuel, and to hang on to The pride and progress of their land and other resources Northeast Colorado has been and needed to produce these goods at remains the farming and ranching rado. all costs.” roots that run deep throughout According to The Centers for While it may be necessary to the vast land where much of Colomake changes to an operation, this rado’s agriculture production calls Disease Control, rates of suicide among those engaged in agricultheory suggests it is not easily home. The well-being of those accomplished and may result in who devote their lives to caring for ture production remain high and the land and livestock is truly built farmers are among the most likely impairment of physical and mental to die by suicide, compared to oth- health. on being physically and mentally er occupations. Truly this is a call healthy.

It is helpful to learn about mento action as suicide is a complex It is no secret that agriculture tal health conditions as well as suiissue and never the result of one production is stressful and very cide prevention and local efforts cause. The complexity of suicide uncertain. The factors that are are housed at Centennial Mental constantly plaguing producers are holds true for all age groups while Health Center. A variety of suicide working age men are the most not something they can control. prevention and mental health The weather will do what it will do likely to die. Some common risk awareness trainings are available and production costs are often just factors for suicide that may be to the communities of Northeast as unpredictable. In order to better present especially for agriculture Colorado at no cost. These trainproducers include: financial stress, ings aim to reduce the risk of suiunderstand all of this, the term social isolation, physical injury, “farm stress” is often used. This cide and increase well-being. term refers to the unique blend of chronic pain and access to lethal Some of the trainings only take means. Other contributing factors about an hour to complete while pressures faced by individuals also include lack of mental health experiencing the challenges of others require two days and can maintaining a profession and liveli- services that understand agriculbe tailored to a specific populature production as well lack of con- tions such as first responders, hood in agriculture. This profession has been and will continue to sistent access to physical healthyouth, educators, agriculture procare. Even when service are be highly stressful and that does ducers/workers, working age available, stigma may prevent indi- adults, faith based leaders, menrequire farmers and ranchers as well as their families to continue to viduals from reaching out. tal/behavioral health providers be highly adaptable and resilient and health care providers. CentenMike Rosmann, a farmer and in the face of uncertainty. Truly, nial also provides bereavement psychologist, also explains the not a new concept for those work- mindset of agriculture producers information to those touched by ing the ground and raising liveusing the agrarian imperative theo- suicide loss. For more information stock and crops in Northeast Colo- ry. about these prevention services,

Mental Health Resources

By Maranda Miller Centennial Mental Health Center

16 • MARCH 30, 2022 • SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE

Centennial Mental Health: 970345-2254 (Akron), 719-3468183 (Burlington), 719-3468183 (Cheyenne Wells), 303646-4519 (Elizabeth), 970-8674924 (Fort Morgan), 970-8542114 (Holyoke), 970-474-3769 (Julesburg), 719-775-2313 (Limon), 970-522-4392 (Sterling), 970-848-5412 (Yuma), 970-332-3133 (Wray) Colorado Crisis and Support Line: 1-844-493-TALK (8255) or Text TALK to 38255.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line: Text 741741 from anywhere in the nation to reach a counselor

please contact Maranda Miller at 970.522.4549 or prevention@centennialmhc.org.

It is important to know the resources and services that do exist to help those that might be in need of mental health support and/or possibly contemplating suicide. If someone is struggling, help and hope are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling any of the Centennial Mental Health Center offices or at the Colorado Crisis and Support Line at 1-844-493-TALK (8255) or Text TALK to 38255.

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Morgan Conservation District

Agriculture and water issues highlighted at annual meeting Speakers focus on ag water use and role of politics on industry’s future in Colorado

has been serving Morgan, Adams and Weld counties for over 60 years. MCD continues to serve landowners and the community with educational workshops and forums, tree seedling sales, educational outreach to youth and an annual college scholarship.

At the Jan. 27 event, MCD Board

By Katie Roth President Todd Wickstrom welThe Fort Morgan Times comed guests to the meeting and introduced the night’s two speakers, Greg Peterson and Zack Riley.

The focus was on the latest Peterson, the Executive Director issues related to water and agriculof the Colorado Ag Water Alliance, ture at the Morgan Conservation spoke first about issues related to District’s (MCD) 2022 Annual agricultural water usage both at Meeting in January at the Rivthe state and federal levels. He erview Event Center in Brush.

Katie Roth / Fort Morgan Times MCD was established in 1955 to spent most of his time talking about three topics: anti-speculation Morgan Conservation District Board President Todd Wickstrom presents help landowners conserve and See MEETING, pg. 18 C.W. Scott with a plaque honoring his 41 years of service to MCD. preserve natural resources and

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SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 17

MEETING from page 17

legislation, Waters of the United States (WOTUS) and funding for infrastructure.

Peterson discussed State Bill 22029 Investment Water Speculation, saying the issue of anti-speculation reports on water is not one that will just go away. The state legislature commissioned a committee to talk about anti-speculation reports on water, and he recognizes the opportunity this provides for further education on the subject matter.

“Right now, it’s sitting in the legislature and has very little support at the moment. There’s a lot of concern with the ag groups. What I want to get across is despite that we had a really well-done study out of this issue, and some really smart people were on that committee, there’s this push and this desire to… find a solution for this,” said Peterson.

As for WOTUS, he describes it as “the exciting issue that seems to be changing every two to three months.” He shared that the Clean Water Acts of the 1970s failed to specifically clarify what classifies a body of water as a WOTUS and said many related cases have to go through court because of the vague nature of the term. The issue of defining what falls under federal jurisdiction is ongoing.

Peterson wrapped up his presentation by discussing funding for infrastructure and how good agricultural water projects are likely to get funded through a combination of state and federal funds. In addition to mentioning the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) grant program, he

Katie Roth / Fort Morgan Times

The Morgan Conservation District held its 2022 Annual Meeting on Thursday, Jan. 27 at the Riverview Event Center in Brush.

encouraged anyone with questions about grant support, funding or applications to contact him with further questions at coagwater@gmail.com or 720-244-4629.

Riley, the Director of Public Policy and National Affairs at the Colorado Farm Bureau, spoke next about the future of Colorado agriculture in politics.

He described himself as a “lobbyist for farmers, ranchers and everybody in between that likes to

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grow food or eat it” and as someone who fights to make sure people can continue to live on the land and do what they love. He also stressed the importance and great impact that agriculture has on and in the state of Colorado.

Riley discussed Senate Bill 21087, which is about agricultural workers’ rights, and how he and his team at Farm Bureau are collecting information and opinions about what the appropriate stan-

dards should be. He works to try and find middle-ground solutions to problems like these.

He continued by talking about the H.R. 1603 Farm Workforce Modernization Act (FWMA), the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) and the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) vaccination or testing requirement for private employers.

See MEETING, pg. 19

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MEETING from page 18

Riley transitioned to discuss climate, including climate-smart agriculture, carbon neutrality, the Growing Climate Solutions Act, Biden’s 30 X 30 conservation plan and agro-chemicals. He touched on water and rural issues, as well.

He encouraged anyone with questions to visit fb.org for more information or to reach a specific person of contact.

The meeting’s guests were also given a copy of the MCD 2021 Annual Report. The overview read: “During 2021, the Morgan Conservation District continued operations as best as possible under the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unfortunately, many of the planned projects, workshops, and events were put on hold due to the circumstances at hand. However, the District was still able to continue with its mission of encouraging the conservation, preservation,

and best utilization of natural resources.”

The District’s community work in Morgan County specifically included: a partnership with the City of Fort Morgan Parks and Recreation Department to install a Boot Brush Kiosk at the west entrance of the Nature Trails at Riverside Park, participation in Outdoor Educational Day at Baker Elementary School, hosting the Locally Led Workgroup meeting, awarding a $1,000 agricultural scholarship, sponsoring the Junior and Senior Grand Champions of Natural Resources at the Morgan County Fair and sponsoring Beaver Workshops with Bird Conservancy of the Rockies.

In 2022, the District will be installing two more kiosks at Riverside Park, one at the east entrance of the Nature Trails and one at the north entrance of Twamore Trails.

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SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 19

Northeastern Colorado Stock Show

Event helps area youth ready their animals for county fair Judge impressed with quality of cattle at show

By Callie Jones Sterling Journal-Advocate

County fairs are still a few months away, but it takes a great deal of time for exhibitors to get their livestock ready. As part of that preparation on Saturday, March 12, area FFA and 4-H members had a chance to see how their animals are stacking up against others and if the Northeastern Colorado Stock Show is any indication there should be some high-quality steers and heifers at this year’s fairs.

Hosted by the Sterling High School FFA Chapter, the NCSS is a prospect cattle and breeding show.

Participants were able to show their animals and also meet Colorado FFA State Officers Zaiden Annen, secretary, TeriAnne Saffer, treasurer and Emma Stumpf, Sentinel.

This year’s show was dominated

by Shae Stone of Eaton. She took home top awards in all three categories, winning Grand Champion Breeding Beef, Grand Champion Senior Showman and. for the second year in a row. Grand Champion Market Beef.

Serving as judge was Christie Gabel. From Eaton, she grew up on a diversified farming, ranching and cattle feeding operation and attended Butler Community College and Kansas State University, where she was a member of their livestock judging programs. She was named to the prestigious AllAmerican Livestock Judging Team in both junior and senior college.

Gabel is currently a strategic account manager for Zoetis Inc. in the beef division. She and her family continue to run a progressive

Callie Jones / Sterling Journal-Advocate

Judge Christie Gabel congratulates Grand Champion Market Beef winner Shae Stone at the Northeastern Colorado Stock Show Saturday, March 12. Stone was also won the Grand Champion Breeding Beef and Grand Champion Senior Showman awards.

SimAngus operation selling bulls and show heifers and they also own and operate Magnum Feedyard, in Wiggins.

“I think it’s a phenomenal thing that this FFA chapter and the school puts on this jackpot. I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for these kids to get cattle out and have an opportunity to get in here in the show ring in kind of a low-stress environment and get out and show,” Gabel said at the conclusion of the show.

She told the youth “even if they came in fourth or fifth in show, you should really be excited for a lot of Callie Jones / Sterling Journal-Advocate these projects and just need to feed and make them better as the sum- Shae Stone, Grand Champion Breeding Beef, left, and Rylie Vetter, second from left, Reserve Champion, coax their animals into position during the mer goes on because I certainly

20 • MARCH 30, 2022 • SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE

See SHOW, pg. 21 Northeastern Colorado Livestock Show.

SHOW

from page 20

think there are a lot of fun projects for you kids to work on throughout the summer.”

The day started off with the breeding portion of the show, which featured five different classes. As she walked around the ring, Gabel paid close attention to structure, skeletal build, maturity, power and movement.

“Five tremendous class winners out here in a show that’s not huge in terms of numbers, but I’ve been very impressed with the quality thus far. I think we’ve got some very nice second place heifers that deserve some credit here in this lineup,” Gabel said during the champion drive.

She then went on to name Stone as the Grand Champion Breeding Beef and Rylie Vetter as Reserve Champion.

Up next was the showmanship contest. During this portion, Gabel Callie Jones / Sterling Journal-Advocate looked for how the cattle moved, Trista Lebsack, Reserve Champion Market Beef, leads her animal into the ring during the grand champion drive at See SHOW, pg. 22 Northeastern Colorado Stock Show.

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SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 21

Callie Jones / Sterling Journal-Advocate

Tyla Thomas, Grand Champion Intermediate Showman, pays close attention to the judge during the Northeastern Colorado Stock Show.

SHOW from page 21 how the exhibitors utilized the ring and their show sticks, and how knowledgeable the competitors were about their projects. She spent time talking to each exhibitor individually about their strengths and weaknesses and what they might do to show a little bit better.

In addition to Stone, the top winners in the senior showmanship contest were Reserve Champion Tristan Lutchka and third place winner TJ Rice.

“I think fundamentally all of these kids do a tremendous job,” Gabel said.

Grand Champion Intermediate Showman was Tyla Thomas, Reserve Champion was Jayme Gitt-

lein and third place was Ty Johnson.

“Very deep, very competitive ring of intermediate showmen, I’m very impressed with the depth in this particular age division,” Gabel said.

She encouraged the exhibitors to pay close attention to how they are utilizing the space in the ring and to make sure they’re not over-utilizing their show stick.

Rounding out the showmanship contests was the junior division.

Winners included Grand Champion Ella Sonnenberg, Reserve Champion Trotter Thomas and Callie Jones / Sterling Journal-Advocate third place winner was Rylie Vetter. Judge Christie Gabel congratulates Ella Sonnenberg the Champion Junior

22 • MARCH 30, 2022 • SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE

See SHOW, pg. 23 Showman at the Northeastern Colorado Stock Show.

Callie Jones / Sterling Journal-Advocate

Judge Christie Gabel looks over the exhibitors animals as they line them up during the senior showmanship contest at the Northeastern Colorado Stock Show. Winners were Grand Champion Shae Stone, third from left, third place TJ Rice, second from left, and Reserve Champion Tristan Lutchka, right.

SHOW from page 22

Gabel was very impressed with the finalists in this division, saying she would put them up against a lot of other junior showmen anywhere around the state.

“I think this is close to an elite level group of young exhibitors that just do a really nice job and

they do things at this stage of the game that there’s an awful lot of kids showing that are intermediates and even seniors and they don’t even know how to do it yet,” she said. “So, my congratulations to all of you kids for really being savvy and understanding how to

use the ring, how to set your animals up, and how to do some of the little style things that really kind of set you apart.”

Closing out the show was the prospect heifer and steer contest, which featured six classes. For this portion, Gabel judged the animals

based on shape and dimension, flexibility, muscle and skeletal width.

It was a close contest, but in the end, Stone took home the Grand Champion Market Beef award and the Reserve Champion was Trista Lebsack.

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SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 23

Morgan County

Cattlemen’s Association’s 82nd Annual Banquet draws big crowd

New scholarship announced in memory of longtime MCCA board member Mike Glenn

By Katie Roth The Fort Morgan Times

The Morgan County Cattlemen’s Association (MCCA) held its 82nd Annual Banquet on Saturday, Feb. 12 at the Fort Morgan Elks Lodge.

After last year’s cancelation, people were excited for the banquet’s return. So excited, in fact, that people had trouble finding open seats in the crowded room. Once everyone did secure a seat at the end of the social hour, tables were dismissed one by one to go through the dinner buffet line.

Cargill Meat Solutions, which generously donates the meat for the event every year, donated prime rib. Donny Edson was recognized for donating his time to smoke the prime rib.

All About the Smoke BBQ took care of the side items, and Fort Morgan FFA members served the baked potatoes and vegetables.

They also made sure guests’ drinks were refilled and plates were cleared in a timely manner throughout the night.

Three Colorado FFA State Officers were also in attendance: President Montana Goodman, Reporter Kambria Wilkin and Sentinel Emma Stumpf.

Following dinner, MCCA Board President Cody Millar welcomed special guests like Cargill’s Kevin Bell and board member Brandi Goodman for the efforts and contributions they made to ensure a successful event. He welcomed the other guests, as well, of which he said about 35% are dedicated

Katie Roth / Fort Morgan Times

The Morgan County Cattlemen's Association's 82nd Annual Banquet is held on Saturday, Feb. 12.

supporters who consistently attend the banquet each year.

“With this dinner and auction, we’re able to give out a lot of successful scholarships every year, so we appreciate your support,” said Millar.

He then passed the microphone off to Morgan County CSU Extension Agent Marlin Eisenach, who provided some information about the history of MCCA’s scholarships. Eisenach credited Brian Christensen and Stan Sailsbery for bringing the idea to him over 30 years ago. The scholarship fund initially gave two recipients $250 each. In 2021, MCCA was able to award $6,000 in scholarship money.

Eisenach recognized the scholarship winners, specifying which students were awarded with the MCCA Trade School Scholarship

24 • MARCH 30, 2022 • SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE

and the newly introduced Mike Glenn Memorial Scholarship.

The Mike Glenn Memorial Scholarship was created after the passing of longtime MCCA Board member, supporter and friend Mike Glenn on Jan. 5, 2021. Glenn did not have an agriculture degree, but instead had a business degree. So for the scholarship, it was not a requirement to have an interest in pursuing an ag degree.

It was a requirement, however, to have an interest in returning to Morgan County someday and to potentially make it their home.

The Glenn family has a long history of involvement with the MCCA, and though this year’s banquet was missing a beloved member, Mike’s wife Julia was in attendance and received a standing ovation for her continued See BANQUET, pg. 25

Katie Roth / Fort Morgan Times

Morgan County Extension Agent Marlin Eisenach models a sturdy sled during the auction.

BANQUET from page 24

involvement and support.

Recipients of the Mike Glenn Memorial Scholarship included: Selan Gebremeskel and Megan Andrews at Morgan Community College (MCC), Jayce Lorenzini at Colorado State University, Jordan Kendrick and Kamryn Herrera at the University of Northern Colorado and Alicia Hilzer at Fort Hays State University (FHSU).

The MCCA Trade School Scholarship was awarded to Brodie Boyer at MCC and Kelly Spradlin at Aims Community College.

Other scholarship recipients included: Paige Finegan and Garrett Fritzler at Northeastern Junior College, Quinton Draegert and Kaytlyn Keating at MCC, Courtney Griffith at Texas A&M University and Kathryn Schoonveld at FHSU. Auctioneer Bryson Miller — who received an MCCA scholarship himself back in 2003 — then began the night’s live auction. A total of 34 sponsors — local businesses and individuals — donated one or more auction items each,

Katie Roth / Fort Morgan Times

Fort Morgan FFA members helped serve dinner at the Morgan County Cattlemen's Association's 82nd Annual Banquet.

ranging from gift baskets to framed artwork to last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts, like a massage gift certificate.

Some of the scholarship recipients in attendance helped show off each auction item as members of the MCCA board kept their eyes peeled for bidders.

In total, the banquet raised over $18,000 from the sale of tickets

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and auction items. The funds raised will be put towards future MCCA scholarships and other events throughout the year, including agricultural education programs. Every year, MCCA conducts classroom presentations and helps provide transportation for third graders to travel to the National Western Stock Show in Denver, where they continue to

WE SALUTE THE GROWERS, BUSINESSES, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF LOGAN COUNTY.

learn more about agriculture. This year was no exception and every third-grade class in Morgan County was able to participate.

The night concluded with more socializing and people making their way to the dance floor to show off their moves to county favorites, like Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” and George Jones’ “The Race Is On.”

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SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 27

Farming Evolution conference highlights sustainable practices

New emphasis is on soil health and profits, not on inputs and yield

By Jeff Rice Sterling Journal-Advocate

One major criticism of modern production agriculture is that it’s not sustainable. That’s something many farmers and ranchers are trying to change as they look at their fields and pastures and ask themselves, “What would Mother Nature do?”

To that end, agricultural producers are moving away from the century-old pattern of more-is-better; more water and more fertilizer means more bushels per acre. The process of intensively cultivating land has pretty much reached the point of diminished returns; no matter how much more you spend on your crop, you won’t get your money back out of it.

The trend, then, for all of the 21st century so far — and even back into the 20th — has been to reduce inputs, or the dollars that are spent getting a crop planted, raised, harvested and sold. That has led to a re-thinking of tillage practices and a boom in minimumtillage and no-tillage practices.

Minimum tillage itself isn’t new;

Dennis Schwartzkopf / Courtesy photo

Low-lying companion crops protect soil moisture and keep soil cooler on hot summer days.

as far back as the 1970s, Logan County Extension Agent Jim Read was preaching minimum-till. “The

We Salute Our Farmers!

more times you drag a piece of iron through the ground, the less profit you make,” he once said.

Read’s advice was aimed at helping farmers save money at a time

See SUSTAINABLE, pg. 29

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SUSTAINABLE from page 28

when the ag sector was coming under intense economic pressure.

It would be fair to say the pressure has never really let up, which has kept minimum-till and no-till practices among the options producers could choose. In recent years there has been the additional pressure to make agriculture truly sustainable, and that has caused many farmers and ranchers to decide that traditional cultivation practices are anything but that.

That has led to a shift away from the old idea that success in farming is measured in yield per acre and toward the position that success can be better measured in profits. And that increased profits can result from truly sustainable practices.

To that end, farmers and ranchers are experimenting with and, in some cases, completely adopting a new set of practices that emphasize soil health, biodiversity and following Mother Nature’s lead.

It starts with the soil. Healthy soil has all kinds of stuff growing in it. Every teaspoon of healthy soil is home to billions of microor-

ganisms — bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and more — as well as larger organisms like insects and earthworms.

Healthy soil also has a structure, called the aggregate, that is held together with a sugary glue that helps stabilize the soil so it can resist disruption from outside forces, usually water. In other words, water can flow through and be retained by the aggregate, but doesn’t break it down.

Dragging iron through the soil, as Read put it, disrupts the aggregate and exposes the life forms, killing them. On the other hand, leaving plants in place to use the aggregate and even contribute to it keeps the soil healthy and able to provide nutrients that crops need.

In its simplest form, no-till farming simply means planting through last year’s stubble – called “crop residue” – and harvesting whatever grows. Or, as one old-timer called it, “letting the weeds grow.”

And while that certainly would meet the criteria of no-till, just letting the weeds grow isn’t really an

John Rutherford / GreenCover

See SUSTAINABLE, pg. 30 Healthy soil with good aggregate is home to many living organisms.

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SUSTAINABLE from page 29

option. Instead, no-till adherents have developed some pretty sophisticated methods of leaving plants growing to preserve soil health.

Enter: The cover crop.

A maxim among the no-till crowd is that if you love your land, you should never be able to see it.

Cover cropping means just that; planting an off-season crop that keeps the soil covered, protects the moisture content, and puts back nutrients the primary crop has taken out. Commonly used grass cover crops include the annual cereals (rye, wheat, triticale, barley oats), annual or perennial forage grasses such as ryegrass, and warm-season grasses such as sorghum-Sudan grass.

The crops are popular because they can be either harvested as animal feed or grazed, usually by cattle, thus adding the benefits of manure and paring down fertilizer costs.

Cover cropping is becoming a sub-industry of its own. Dennis Schwartzkopf of Hillrose, a veteran seed provider, is building his

Jeff Rice / Sterling Journal-Advocate

Winter grazing livestock in corn and other summer crops is one way to add nutrients to the soil and cut back on fertilizer use.

business on cover cropping and an are cover cops grown in tandem increase in seeding a companion even more advanced practice with a cash crop at a lower seeding crop during the corn V4 to V7 called companion cropping. Com- rate. stage with a seeding rate of 10 to panion crops, Schwartzkopf said, “We have especially seen an See SUSTAINABLE, pg. 31

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SUSTAINABLE from page 30

14 pounds per acre,” Schwartzkopf said. “Seventy-five percent of the fields where this has been done have shown a yield increase (in the cash crop.)”

A typical companion crop situation may involve dryland corn planted with a low-lying crop like turnips, forage peas or clover. As the plants grow alongside each other, the companion crops help hold moisture down close to the ground. As the corn grows to become a “canopy,” it works with the companion crop to create its own micro-environment that blocks light, thus lowering the temperature of the soil. It discourages weed growth, encourages microbial growth and hosts insect predators.

Cover and companion cropping aren’t something a farmer wants to do all at once. During a panel discussion of the practice at the 2022 Farming Evolution symposium in Holyoke in February, several converts said the practices need to fit an individual producer’s needs.

For Jay Young of Tribune, Kansas, that meant putting cattle on his

cropland in the off season.

“You have to do what drives you, and cattle drive me,” Young said.

“It’s up to you to find out what works, and you have to embrace failure because new things are going to fail. But when you find success, it will increase your profitability.”

Brice Custer of Hays, Kansas, told the symposium he either had to do something new and different or lose the family farm.

“I was going broke doing highinput farming,” he said. “That’s what drove us to try something different.”

Roy Pfaltzgraff of Haxtun said there was a learning curve involved and his solutions came from trial and error. His cover crops yield seeds he sells to other farmers, which diversifies his operation and increases profits.

“There’s no checklist; you have to do what you think will work,” he said. “If it doesn’t work, that’s not a mistake if you learn from it. I found the pieces that work for me, and our revenue has tripled.”

Pfaltzgraff also cast a critical eye

on the practice of letting land lie fallow, long a part of crop rotation practices. The Haxtun farmer said fallow land costs money in taxes and returns nothing. Instead, he plants a cover crop that will produce seeds for sale and help rebuild the soil. He said producers need to take a long-term approach to soil health.

“I’m not doing this for me, I’m doing this for the people who come after me,” Pfaltzgraff said.

“You look at history and civilizations fell when their soils were depleted.”

Surprisingly, converts to no-till and cover cropping say extension services from land grant universities have little or no expertise to lend the production farmer. Nick Vos, a Hugoton, Kansas, farmer, said getting good results from notill and cover cropping takes several years.

“Most university studies are three-year studies, and that’s not enough time to see real change,” Vos said. “It’s after the third year that you start to see real profitabili-

ty. I’m trying to build something so my kids will have a choice, so I have to look at the long term.”

Pfaltzgraff has yet another reason to farm “outside the box.” His search for good cover and companion crops led him to plant millet. The flour from millet is glutenfree and is used in the farm’s Pfz Farms-branded items like brownie, biscuit, bread and pancake mixes. During a break in the sessions, Pfaltzgraff told of a young woman who attended a trade fair where Pfz Farms was handing out samples of the brownies made with millet flour. The woman suffered from celiac disease, which causes the body to be intolerant to gluten.

“She was surprised at how good the brownie tasted,” Pfaltzgraff said. “She said she’d given up on eating anything that tasted good again. She had tears in her eyes, she was so happy to find something she could eat that tasted good.”

Pfaltzgraff became visibly emotional while telling the story.

“It’s changing people lives by raising good food,” he said.

SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 31

Sterling High School FFA members are pictured at the National Western Stock Show.

Courtesy photo

New FFA members excited to be part of Sterling chapter Recent chapter activities have included stock shows, FFA Week celebration

By Callie Jones Sterling Journal-Advocate

There has been no shortage of activities for Sterling High School’s FFA members to get involved in over the last couple of months.

In January, chapter members attended the National Western Stock Show for FFA Day. While there, they enjoyed walking

around looking at the different exhibits and they were also able to attend the rodeo, “and that was a lot of fun,” said freshman Alie Sator.

Next, the chapter celebrated FFA Week, which was Feb. 19-26, with a pep rally for the entire school, a staff breakfast and state officer visits to the ag classes. The state officers got the members excited to attend the Colorado FFA Convention, which will be June 7-9.

Just recently, on March 12, Sterling FFA hosted its annual Northeastern Colorado Stock Show at the Logan County Fairgrounds, a prospect and breeding cattle show that the chapter uses as a fundraiser. It gave area FFA and 4-H mem-

32 • MARCH 30, 2022 • SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE

See STERLING, pg. 33 Pictured are the Sterling FFA Chapter Officers.

Courtesy photo

•

Environmental Engineering •

Sterling FFA members practice for their meat judging contest.

Environmental & Agronomy Consulting

Courtesy photo

•

STERLING from page 32

bers a chance to see how their animals are measuring up compared to others in preparation for county fairs.

Following the stock show, the chapter geared up for the District Speaking Contest, which included employment skills and extemporaneous speaking competitions, and District CDEs (career development events). This year for their CDE events the students are competing in livestock meat judging, ag mechanics and conduct of chapter meetings contests. After the district contest, students will then compete in the state CDEs, May 1-2.

For those looking to support the FFA students, the chapter will be hosting its annual Oyster Fry on Monday, April 11, with dinner served from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and a community service auction to follow. The evening will also include a silent auction and live auction of some of the FFA members’ projects.

Freshmen FFA members have enjoyed getting involved in the organization this year, though some were a little unsure about it at first.

“I wanted to be in FFA and join an ag class because agriculture is something that I’m already really

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Sterling High School FFA members practice for their livestock judging contest.

involved in, but I wanted to find more ways to be more involved in agriculture and be involved in FFA, like my dad and others ahead of me were,” Sator said, adding that “FFA provides a lot of opportunities, not only for me, but every student involved and it’s become something that I’ve really enjoyed and am really passionate about.”

See STERLING, pg. 39

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SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 33

Fort Morgan FFA Horse Judging Team’s hard work is paying off

Trio won State, medaled at Nationals after overcoming obstacles of past four years

By Katie Roth The Fort Morgan Times

The last few years have been a learning experience full of opportunity for the Fort Morgan FFA Horse Judging Team.

The team was invited to a recent Re-3 Morgan County School Board meeting to reflect on the obstacles, rewards and experience of competing at the district, state and national levels.

FFA Advisor Greg Ditter opened the presentation by expressing his appreciation to both the Board and the Horse Judging Team.

“Thank you, and I mean that.

You don’t know how much it means to get your support and dedication and commitment for the FFA. Not just the FFA, but all student organizations because they really are an extension of the classroom,” said Ditter, addressing the Board before recognizing his team.

“These three individuals, what an experience they had. (They) started out as freshmen. For the last four years, they’ve become sisters and brother… really, really super close. Never put each other down… but always lifted each other up,” he said. “This team was always making the best of every situation. I got to witness that, so

Katie Roth / Fort Morgan Times

From left: Greg Ditter, Isaac Strauss, Kirstin Dahl and Jenna Fritzler smile alongside Rob Carruth (far right) after receiving plaques to honor their hard work and dedication to the Fort Morgan FFA Horse Judging Team.

I’m honored to have these guys as a team. I’m going to miss them so much.”

What began as a team of six freshmen dwindled down to just three after challenges like COVID19 cancellations, virtual evaluaThe Horse Judging Team was tions and rule changes. comprised of three FFA officers: “We really worked hard to learn President Kirstin Dahl, Vice Presi- together and grow,” said Strauss, dent Isaac Strauss and Reporter sharing that they practiced twice a Jenna Fritzler. Strauss and Dahl week for three months when first had experience showing horses, starting out. but Fritzler didn’t have much As freshmen, the three competexperience with horses at all. ed in the district-wide competition None of the three had experience and learned by making mistakes. judging horses, so since the spring As sophomores, they faced a globsemester of their freshman year, al pandemic along with canceled they have been learning together. and virtual events. But they

returned as juniors to compete in another district competition where they placed second overall, securing them a spot in the state competition.

At the State FFA Convention, all three team members individually placed in the top 10 of their division. Dahl placed second; Fritzler placed seventh; and Strauss placed ninth. They also won gold as a team, qualifying them to compete in the 94th National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis in See FORT MORGAN, pg. 35

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FORT MORGAN from page 34

October 2021.

At Nationals, the team won bronze, and all members placed again individually. Fritzler and Strauss won silver, and Dahl won gold.

“We were pretty shocked that we won State,” said Fritzler. “It was a really cool experience to be able to represent (our) state at Nationals. We were also surprised at how we placed at Nationals.

When you go, you’re competing against these teams who go to national competitions all year, and we only compete at the state level.

We were already behind because there’s only three of us and they judge by teams of four.”

Dahl then stepped forward to further explain details about the judging process itself to the Board members. The two different divisions include halter classes and performance classes. Four horses are judged in each class.

Halter class evaluations are based on how the horse looks and moves, while performance classes are based on English or Western

riding.

“When it comes to performance classes… they perform patterns, and you have to judge how the rider and horse work together to perform the pattern(s),” said Dahl.

Competitors then judge each horse, ranking them first through fourth. Those scores are compared to the scores of a certified master judge. Competitors then must present a list of reasons to the judge as to where the horse was placed and why. Only one set of reasons is required at the district level, and two are required at the state level. However, four sets are required at the national level.

“It was pretty scary, but with the help of our coach, we had it under control,” said Strauss of their longtime coach Megan Hunter. “Our freshman year, we got a coach who volunteered many hours to coach us and to teach us the format of reasons. Reasons (are) what really gets us a lot of times…”

In addition to thanking their coach, Dahl, Fritzler and Strauss,

Courtesy photo

FFA Advisor Greg Ditter, left, accompanied (from left) Isaac Strauss, Kirstin Dahl and Jenna Fritzler on their trip to compete at the 94th National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis on Oct. 27-30, 2021.

expressed their appreciation for Ditter, as well as the Re-3 Board and the Fort Morgan community.

“We would like to thank Mr. Ditter. He kind of took us under his wing. Mr. Ditter just really made sure that we were prepared and knew what we were doing even though it felt a lot of times like we didn’t know what we were doing,” said Strauss on behalf of the team.

“We’d just like to thank all of you guys — Mr. Ditter, the school

board, administration, community members — for helping us get to where we were. It was a great learning experience, and we created a lot of memories and friendships.”

Following the presentation, Rob Carruth, Board member and representative for the Agriculture Committee, presented each member of the Horse Judging Team with a plaque recognizing their accomplishments.

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SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 35

Peetz FFA enjoying a busy year

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Peetz FFA was able to visit the National Western Stock Show in Denver. They visited on FFA Day and were able to go to a rodeo and had a fun experience at the new CSU Spur Center. Front row, from left: Steve Schumacher, Lyle Schumacher, Addison Ramey, Khira Gipfert, Makayla Motzkus, Rachael Motzkus. Second row, from left: Michael Kissell, Chance White, Aaron Bernhardt, Grady White, Aiden Hill, Chance Segelke. Third row, from left: Collin Fehringer, James Narjes, Jacob Hawkins, Keaton Speer. Back, right: Advisor Carissa Weber.

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On the way to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Peetz FFA was able to stop at Hawkeye Breeders in Adel, Iowa, which is an artificial insemination farm that specializes in A.I. collection and sends it off to other breeders around the world. Students were able to learn about their processes in the A.I. business. Pictured, from left, are Lyle Schumacher, Khira Gipfert, Addison Ramey, Jacob Hawkins, Collin Fehringer, Colton Howell, Joe Fehringer, and James Narjes.

Activities included National Convention, National Western Stock Show and FFA Week celebration

By Carissa Weber Peetz FFA Advisor

The Peetz FFA has been busy this school year. Our first-year students participated in the BIG Conference, a leadership conference for all of the Intro to Ag Students or Greenhands. The Greenhands from northeastern Colorado came together and had learning opportunities and mingled with students from other schools in the area.

At the end of October, eight students of the Peetz FFA were able to go to National FFA Convention, which takes place in Indianapolis every year. Over seven days, we made our way to the Lucas-Oil Stadium for the chance to finally see what FFA was all about. The questions running through our heads were why should we be in FFA? What can we take away from this experience and apply it to our own lives?

We were able to go on tours during the drive to Indiana and beyond. Some examples are The Bayer Research Farm in Gothenburg, Nebraska, where we witnessed “Short Corn,” a new breed of corn that they are working on producing, or Hawkeye Breeding Services, a world-class Artificial Insemination Company. Hawkeye Breeders have some of the most sought-after bull semen in the world!

We also participated in leadership workshops, witnessed sessions where there were keynote speakers, speeches from National FFA Officers, and celebrations for thousands of awards for students throughout the FFA Organization.

After the busy and fulfilling time at National FFA Convention, our chapter participated in the District Leadership Conference or DLC. FFA members in the District 16 of FFA did the creed speaking comSee PEETZ, pg. 37

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ONE STOP – ON THE SPOT AUTO HEAD QUARTERS Courtesy photo

Peetz FFA students are pictured at the very first session of the FFA Convention, where they saw award ceremonies, motivational speakers, and National Officers speak, in the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Peetz FFA students pictured here are: Colton Howell, Joe Fehringer, Collin Fehringer, Jacob Hawkins, James Narjes, Khira Gipfert, Addison Ramey, and Lyle Schumacher.

PEETZ from page 36

petition, the Quiz Bowl competition, and participated in leadership workshops that our District Officers put on for us!

Before Christmas break, we had our Fruit and Meat Sale and had a successful fundraising event. Due to our efforts at the Fruit Sale, the Peetz FFA joined several other FFA Chapters around the state at the National Western Stock Show, where we were able to see the sights of the expo hall, watch a rodeo, and visit the CSU Spur building on the grounds of the NWSS. We witnessed a spay and neuter of different animals at the CSU Spur building and the Temple Grandin horse therapy center.

In February, the Peetz FFA put on several various events for the whole school during National FFA Week. We had a fun Ag in the Classroom where students of all ages made butter, among other fun activities; an Egg Drop, where all of the students made fun contraptions to see if they could save their egg from breaking after it’s dropped. We also had an Ag Olympics day, where upper-level students (and staff!) were put head to head to see who could go through an obstacle course the quickest.

Finally, our shop became a farm animal petting zoo for the day for our elementary students to see, smell and touch some farm animals!

Our FFA week was a great success, and we are excited to see how it evolves!

Our next event was our Annual Oyster Fry and Hired Hand Auction on Thursday, March 24. We served chicken strips, Rocky Mountain Oysters, onion rings, many different sides, desserts, and drinks. There were door prizes from several of our local sponsors. During our Hired Hand Auction, we all volunteered eight hours of our time and sold goodies and gifts from our sponsors for our fundraiser this year.

To wrap up the school year, we will have our District Speaking contest where we will present speeches about current agricultural topics for a spot to do the same thing at State Convention this summer!

FFA is great, and I would recommend students give it a try. Not only are the agricultural and leadership aspects important, but the social ones too. Bringing each other together is part of why FFA was created in the first place!

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SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 37

Caliche ag students keeping busy this year Activities included Feeders & Friends Rodeo, FFA Convention, PTO Carnival and the District Leadership Conference

Courtesy photo

Caliche FFA President Trista Hernandez instruct kids at the Caliche PTO Carnival.

By Abbey Adolf Caliche FFA Reporter

Courtesy photo

The 2021-2022 Caliche FFA Officer Team: (from left) Stormy Lyons, Karli Green, Abbey Adolf,Makenna Armstrong, Trista Hernandez, Nevada Mitchell, Braydon Hill, Aden Young and Haylee Marick.

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Three students in Caliche High School's Ag Mechanics and Technical Systems Class build sprinklers. L- R Zack Ralston, Trista Hernandez and Abbey Adolf.

38 • MARCH 30, 2022 • SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE

This year has started and we are off and running. The officer team had their retreat during the summer and set some amazing goals for the chapter as well as themselves. The team is busy working on the POA (Program of Activities) and making sure our committees are set up for success. The officer/leadership team consists of President Trista Hernandez, Vice President Nevada Mitchell, Secretary Makenna Armstrong, Treasurer Brandyn Hill, Sentinel Aden Young, Reporter Abbey Adolf, Ex. Committee Haylee Marick and Stormy Lyons, and Parliamentarian Karli Green.

The Ag-Ed I Class has been busy setting up their AET online record books and studying Parliamentary Procedure. The Ag-Ed I class also attended the BIG (Becoming Involved as a Greenhand) Conference. This conference is held each year and run by the State FFA Officer team to showcase the many opportunities that are available to members of the FFA. The Ag-Ed I class is also busy in the shop doing welding and wood working skills. In welding, they are making a buildup pad and in wood working they are making a pair of sawhorses or an Adirondack chair.

The Ag Business Class has been See CALICHE, pg. 42

STERLING from page 33

Her classmate, Macie Doherty, said when she first started high school she didn’t really know much about FFA and wasn’t sure that she wanted to join because she thought the organization was only for those who wanted to go into farming. But, she eventually did decide to join and throughout the year she learned “a lot more about FFA and how you get to meet people and it’s just so much more than what the name is.”

Tyla Thomas knew she wanted to be in FFA when she started high school. The program wasn’t offered at her parents’ schools, but they strongly wanted her to get involved in it so that she could experience new things and figure out what she might want to do in the future.

“I am very glad that I did take FFA. I am part of agriculture, my family and I, and so I’m really glad that I got to be in the Sterling FFA program and be able to learn and make a lot of connections,” she said.

Whitney Reed, who is in her first

Sterling FFA members served a teacher appreciation breakfast as part of FFA Week.

year as FFA advisor at Sterling, is very proud of the way her students have come together and how hard they’ve worked.

“We have a good officer team that’s been a lot of help and we

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appreciative of all of those members who have taken advantage of all the opportunities that I’ve presented to them and I’m excited to see how we finish out the year,” Reed said.

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SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 39

Logan County Fair

New manager wants to grow understanding of agriculture Guy McEndaffer brings wealth of knowledge to his new position

has the opportunity to bridge rural and urban gaps through education and friendly conversation.

It’s a story as old as community service itself; giving something back for what was given to him and his family. In his words, “I’m trying to give today’s youth, no

By Jeff Rice matter their background, the Sterling Journal-Advocate tools to succeed, just as my kids were given these tools. In my Guy McEndaffer likes to grow mind, events like the Logan Counthings. He and his wife, Rose, ty Fair and NWSS are perfect grow wheat, millet and milo on vehicles for that.” their farm west of Sterling and, in Building a sense of community partnership with their son Branis imperative to the success of don and his wife Cheyenne run a agriculture and the continuing herd of registered Gelvbieh and education needed among the conAngus cattle. sumer base, McEndaffer said. He But the thing McEndaffer really gives back as a member of the likes to grow is understanding. rural fire district board of direcEspecially, an understanding of tors and an avid supporter of the what it takes to get agricultural annual Feeders & Friends Benefit products from farm to table. It is Rodeo each year.

McEndaffer’s belief that continu“Events like these are where ing education around agriculture Jeff Rice / Sterling Journal-Advocate you really see a community come in both rural and urban areas is together.” McEndaffer said. “PeoGuy McEndaffer with a pen of cow-calf pairs his family raises on their farm imperative to building a symbiotic ple may not even know each othwest of Sterling. relationship between those who er, or even know the people benegrow it and those who eat it. fitting from the event, but they In January, McEndaffer accept- being long-time participants at the mittee and board of directors for come together always seeming to Logan County Fair, McEndaffer the National Western Stock Show find common ground.” ed the position of Fair Manager was a natural fit. & Rodeo (NWSS) since 2013, for Logan County. Having three When talk turns to mispercepIn addition to managing the working to continue the 116-year children grow up in the 4-H orotions around agriculture, Logan County Fair, he has served tradition that is the National West- McEndaffer believes it’s a multigram as members of the Willard on the Executive Livestock comern. It is there that McEndaffer Wildcats 4-H club and the family See MANAGER, pg. 41

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MANAGER from page 40

faceted issue that will take everyone coming to the table with an open mind and willingness to learn.

“As agriculturists, it’s important for us to take advantage of opportunities to share our story with those who are interested and vice versa, have an open mind to hearing different perspectives,” he said.

McEndaffer believes the urbanrural divide is bridgeable, and that the lack of understanding about agriculture isn’t confined to the big cities, it’s here in local communities as well. That’s why he’s dedicated to building educational programs at events under his care like the Logan County Fair.

“My background, experience and having the opportunity to bring talented, passionate people together offers the perfect chance Courtesy photo / National Western Stock Show to give back and work toward finding common ground through Guy McEndaffer, right, and Pete Coors ride through the old stockyards at the National Western Complex in 2020.

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CALICHE from page 38

working on balancing their AET records and filling out Balance/ Net worth Sheets. Currently, we are working on Cash Flow sheets for farm scenario. Along with that, we are playing the Commodity Challenge Game where students are given crops and can market them through the Cash or the Futures Market.

The Crop Science Class is just offered during spring semester.

The students have been busy learning about different soils and their horizons. We have also been learning about the differences in Monocot and Dicot seeds and plants.

The Ag Mechanics and Technical Systems Class ended the fall semester with a sprinkler project where they built a sprinkler from PVC pipe gluing the connections and adding the threaded end piece and the sprinkler head.

The Ag-Ed II Class has been working on a Range and Pasture management unit. They have gone out and identified Decreaser, Increaser and Invader plants and

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Caliche High School Ag 1 students package boxes for the annual fruit and snack sales in 2021.

know how they grow and can be an indicator of range condition(s) this past fall. The students are also working on personal projects in the Shop. We have been building small redwood decks, lambing jug dividers, gates and the annual Adirondack chair.

The Ag-Ed III and IV Classes this semester have been working on personal shop projects studying for Parliamentary Procedure and filling out Proficiency Award Applications and State FFA Degrees.

Also as a community service project, the class has also been designing and fabricating signs for the teacher’s classrooms utilizing the X-Carve machine that we have in the shop.

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Each student was to select one of the eight Agricultural Career Pathways and select an area of interest. Then during the course of the quarter, they were to develop through research a presentation on the topic to present to the rest of the class. The subjects were as diverse as the students. The students will have an opportunity to do this again each quarter.

42 • MARCH 30, 2022 • SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE

Courtesy photo

Courtesy photo

Caliche FFA members L – R Brandyn Hill, District Officer; Makenna Armstrong, Nominating Committee Rep; Nevada Mitchell, District Officer.

Caliche FFA – Activities

Caliche FFA is represented on the District 16 FFA Officer Team

by Brandyn Hill, District Officer; Makenna Armstrong, Nominating Committee Rep; and Nevada Mitchell, District Officer.

This school year the Caliche FFA chapter has been involved in several activities. We helped serve at the Annual Feeders and Friends Benefit last fall at the New

Raymer/Stoneham Fairgrounds and hosted our annual fruit and snack sales.

We were only able to take one student, Aden Young, to the National FFA Convention in October, since Homecoming and the FFA Convention were on the same week.

Members also assisted with the Caliche PTO Carnival and attended the District 16 FFA Leadership Conference.

Wiggins FFA sees success in 2022

Hired Hand Auction draws over 400; Parli Pro team qualifies for state

By Sara Waite The Fort Morgan Times

The Wiggins FFA chapter is calling its annual Hired Hand Auction and Alumni Steak Sandwich Supper a success.

The auction, held on March 7, serves as a fundraiser to help send members to state and national FFA leadership workshops and conventions, state career development events and various local activities. This year’s event saw 42 members along with advisor Rockie Ernst auctioned off, with each committed to providing eight hours of work in a variety of setSee WIGGINS, pg. 44 The Wiggins FFA served over 400 people at their Hired Hand Auction and Steak Supper on March 7.

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WIGGINS from page 43 tings.

The chapter also made four Adirondack chairs that were sold to provide aid to Marshall Fire victims. The proceeds from the meal supplement the FFA Alumni Scholarship Fund.

This year’s event had a great turnout, according to chapter Reporter Ashley Clement.

“Our members helped feed over 400 people in under an hour for our steak supper. We had great participation from our members helping out and doing as much as they can.” Clement said. “The Wiggins FFA thanks all of our Alumni, supporters, members, for

helping out and making this auction successful. We also would like to thank Chuck Miller for being our auctioneer and giving everyone a good laugh.”

Earlier this year, the chapter participated in the District 14 Quiz Bowl and Parli Pro competition.

The competition was held Feb. 16 at Prairie High School. Two teams from Wiggins competed against New Raymer, Weld Central, Brush and Weldon Valley in the quiz bowl. In Parli Pro, WigCourtesy photo gins’ team of six girls took the The Wiggins FFA Parli Pro team, which has qualified to compete at the state championship over New Raymer contest, is (from left) Aubryn Ferguson, Ashley Clement, Madison Thomas, and Weld Central, qualifying for Jacy Dreier, Makayla Midcap and Sydney Franzen. the state contest in June.

Courtesy photo

Courtesy photo

The Wiggins FFA members were auctioned off to provide eight hours of labor The services of Wiggins FFA Advisor Rockie Ernst are auctioned off by to the highest bidders.

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Brush FFA Oyster Fry a big hit

Photos by Katie Roth / Fort Morgan Times

Brush FFA members serve dinner to the guests at the annual Brush FFA Oyster Fry, held at the Brush Secondary Campus on Feb. 7. The annual dinner and auction raised an estimated $40,000 for the chapter. “I’m still new to this community and the support and generosity just blows me away!” said Brush FFA Advisor Corie McDonald.

Brush FFA officers collect entry tickets.

Hundreds attended the event, which was postponed a few days at the last minute due to a safety issue with the propane tanks.

Members sell Brush FFA apparel to those waiting in line.

SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 45

Brush FFA Oyster Fry a big hit

Brush FFA members Noah Eklund (left) and Bryson Holman (right) help out in the cafeteria during the Oyster Fry. Oyster Fry dinner options include fried oysters, fried chicken, fries, coleslaw and cheesecake.

Photos by Katie Roth / Fort Morgan Times

Rows of tables are set up in the Brush Secondary Campus gymnasium for the FFA Oyster Fry fundraising event.

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Brush FFA Oyster Fry a big hit

Guests make their way through the serving line at the Brush FFA Oyster Fry.

Photos by Katie Roth / Fort Morgan Times

Guests finally near the front of the line, which stretches all the way outside of the building.

Tables of silent auction items are set up along the edges of the gym.

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Colorado Farm Show’s return draws cheers from ag community

Event was canceled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic

By Trevor Reid Greeley Tribune

Amid snowy weather on its final day, the Colorado Farm Show on Thursday still drew thousands of people to Island Grove Regional Park in Greeley with a glad-to-beback attitude in the air.

Though icy and snowy weather somewhat dampened crowds throughout two of the Colorado Farm Show’s three days, spokesman Eric Brown estimated attendance was just “a little below” the average of about 30,000 guests.

“Even with numbers down just a little bit, everyone seemed to be pretty ecstatic just to get back in front of people and all that good stuff,” Brown said. “Everyone we do hear from is excited that it’s back on again.”

COVID-19 conditions last year led organizers to cancel the annual event for the first time since its founding in 1964. Many large events have struggled to recover the crowd sizes seen before the pandemic. Attendance at the 116th National Western Stock Show in Denver this year was down about

Alex McIntyre / Greeley Tribune

Attendees take a look at farming equipment as they walk through the aisles at the 2022 Colorado Farm Show at Island Grove Regional Park in Greeley Jan. 26, 2022.

18% from pre-pandemic attendance, according to The Denver Post.

Taylor Webb, office administra-

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tor for West Greeley Conservation District, said the event was definitely different with the impacts of COVID-19, including fewer vendors. Webb’s attended the show for years, having worked for the West Greeley Conservation District the past few years and helping run front booths as a student at Greeley West.

Though Webb was able to speak with different students and attendees passing by — helping spread the word about the district’s scholarship for students in the district’s boundaries as well as its seedling tree sale in which it partners with the Colorado Forest Service to offer seedling trees at a nominal cost — it wasn’t the same marathon of outreach she’d seen before

the pandemic.

The district was also advertising another ag event scheduled this year at Island Grove: the Northeastern Colorado Progressive Ag Symposium, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.

For more information, go to wgcd.org.

Brown, who was also at the event working outreach for Northern Water, said it was exciting to be back at an event the size of the Farm Show.

“We’re always trying to do outreach, tell the public about the projects we’re doing,” he said. “To see as many people in one place as we do, this is just an event that’s as good as it gets.”

At the entrance, area students in See RETURN, pg. 49

RETURN from page 48

the National FFA Organization welcomed guests, helped with registration and finding vendors or event rooms. Others walked through the aisles of vendors and farm equipment, surrounded by farmers, ranchers and members of the general public.

“The kids were really excited to finally get to come back,” said Kelly Longacre, director of the Greeley West chapter of FFA. Longacre’s FFA students, in addition to helping at the event and exploring the booths, were assigned classwork related to new technology or practices on display at the show. Longacre said the Farm Show is the only event of its kind the local chapter works, making the return all the more exciting.

Brown said the event’s weather outlook and dairy talks continued to be major attractions, as in previous years. The massive farm equipment set up throughout the event drew another familiar sight, he added.

“Farmers, they come here to

Photos by Alex McIntyre / Greeley Tribune

A piece of farm equipment stands outside near a sign indicating it is available at 4Rivers Equipment at the 2022 Colorado Farm Show at Island Grove Regional Park in Greeley Jan. 26.

Both vendor and attendance numbers were down slightly at this year’s Colorado Farm Show, which returned after being canceled last year for the first time since its founding in 1964.

Farm implements are always a major attraction for visitors at the Colorado Farm Show.

look at what’s new and talk to their dealers that they’re used to, and they’re kind of used to seeing this stuff,” Brown said. “But when the general public comes in here, you see them just gawk and awe over this type of stuff.”

If you’re doing what you love, with the ones that you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.

SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE • MARCH 30, 2022 • 49

Transystems set to haul sugar beets to Fort Morgan factory Company signs 10year contract with Western Sugar

secured a renewal of its existing contract at the Western factory in Billings, Montana. As discussions continued, it was logical to examine the combination of Billings, Scottsbluff and Fort Morgan,” the news release stated.

Special to The Times Those discussions resulted in Transystems securing a 10-year contract with Western Sugar.

Come September 2022, Fort Activity for the Fort Morgan Morgan residents will be seeing a project has already begun, accordlot more green as Transystems ing to Transystems. The company begins hauling sugar beets for is scouting locations for mainteWestern Sugar Cooperative, nance facilities. according to a company news “Ideally, these facilities are on, release.

Transystems’ fleet of state-of-the or very near, the factory to assure art green trucks already works for high quality equipment and great Western Sugar at its Billings, Mon- communication with the sugar company,” the news release stated. tana, location. The expansion to With a need for more than 100 Fort Morgan was an evolution of employees to drive and maintain Transystems’ relationship with the trucks and loaders scheduled Western Sugar.

“Last summer, the company to go to work in Colorado, recruit-

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Courtesy photo / Transystems

Come September 2022, green trucks like these will be a common sight in Fort Morgan as Transystems begins hauling sugar beets for Western Sugar Cooperative.

ing and training are beginning to ramp up.

“Transystems offers truck driving schools that take non-licensed individuals through a hands-on, individualized training course that makes them ready and capable of obtaining a CDL,” the news release stated. “This is a great way to begin a career as a professional driver.”

Family owned and operated, Transystems brings years of beet hauling experience to the job, according to the news release.

Founded in 1942 by John Rice in Great Falls, Montana, Transystems is now in the hands of the second and third generations.

Errol Rice is president of the com-

pany.

In the beginning, the company “fleet” was two well-used dump trucks. In the early decades, the company expanded to haul dry freight and petroleum products.

The territory covered included the Western United States, Canada and Alaska.

In the mid-1960s, it became apparent that with some innovative trailer design and configuration, sugar beets could be economically moved by trucks over greater distances. Ultimately, almost all beets in North America turned to trucks rather than railroad cars.

For more information about Transystems and job opportunities, contact Kari Franks at 406727-7500.

The root of all commerce comes from you!

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