Volume 34 Number 4 • May 21, 2022
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The Weekly News Source for Wyoming’s Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net
A Look Inside Publisher Dennis Sun expresses his appreciation for water.... Page 2 Activists vs. Agriculture shares confusion over “real” milk.... Page 7 Paul Dykstra provides a market update.................................. Page 9 Lee Pitts explains the evolution of last names.......................... Page 16
Quick Bits Road Closure
On June 6, The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will begin replacing the Smithsfork Bridge on Dry Fork Road. Dry Fork Road provides the main route to the upper Smithsfork River watershed, and while the bridge is under construction there is no alternative BLM access across the river. The project will continue throughout the summer with completion no later than Sept. 19. For questions contact Assistant Field Manager Blaine Potts at 307-828-4503.
SWE Report
State leaders discuss implementation of infrastructure funds President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) on Nov. 15, 2021, which included a $1.2 trillion dollar package, with $550 billion in new spending, as well as increases for exist-
ing federal infrastructure programs. IIJA covers areas of energy, power and water infrastructure, broadband internet and more. On May 17, leaders representing Wyoming, Oklahoma and Oregon met to
discuss their perspectives on infrastructure implementation within their states during the 2022 Western Prosperity Roundtable Forum. Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon’s Senior Policy Advisor Rob Creager stated
this funding for Wyoming is crucial, as the state has an immense amount of energy resources. “Wyoming is known as the energy state – we have every form of energy you Please see FUNDS on page 6
WEATHER PATTERNS Meteorologist shares long range weather outlook
Lusk – On May 11, Meteorologist and DayWeather, Inc. President Don Day, Jr. presented during the 2022 Wyoming Agriculture Bankers Conference at the Niobrara County Fairgrounds. During his presentation, Day discussed La Niña predictions and a future summer forecast for the state of Wyoming and surrounding states. La Niña patterns During a La Niña pattern, the subtropical Pacific Ocean is cold, Day said. “When the water near the equator is cooled off, the thing to remember is this water puts a lot of energy into the atmosphere, and when there is less energy in the oceans, there’s going to be less energy going into the atmosphere,”
he explained. “Very little energy is stored in the atmosphere where we have our weather,” he said. “Most of the energy driving the weather is in the oceans.” Colder temperatures in the ocean near the equator is one reason the Western states continue to see drought conditions, he noted. “La Niña is a drought indicator for the West, especially for the Rockies, Plains and down into Texas, New Mexico, California and the Pacific Northwest,” he added. “Anytime we hear a La Niña is coming, it’s bad news because there is more wind, drought and extreme weather events.” Please see WEATHER on page 6
Currently, Wyoming’s snowpack/snow water equivalent (SWE) is 74% of median, with a basin high of 117% in the Tongue Basin and a basin low of 65% in the Laramie Basin. Last year, the state SWE was at 63% of median, and at 62% in 2020. To view this report and a map displaying basin SWE percentages of median for the state, visit wrds.uwyo.edu/ wrds/nrcs/nrcs.html.
Tax Refund
The Property Tax Refund Program is open to homeowners who have been Wyoming residents for the past five years and have paid their 2021 property tax in full. Homeowners must meet income requirements specific to the county of residence and personal asset limits. The deadline to apply is June 6. Application forms and additional information are available from local county treasurers and from the Wyoming Department of Revenue. Applications may be submitted online at wptrs.wyo.gov/ or mailed to the Department of Revenue.
U.S. Drought For the contiguous 48 states, the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) showed 52.53% of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 53.02% a week earlier. Drought now affects 88,927,966 people, compared with 88,202,706 a week earlier. For all 50 U.S. States and Puerto Rico, the USDM showed 43.98% of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 44.38% a week earlier. Drought now affects 89,985,931 people, compared with 88,937,221 a week earlier.
WYLR photo
Global market American ag remains strong while facing hardships Lusk – Ag News Daily Founder Delaney Howell discussed “American Ag in a Global Market” during the Wyoming Agriculture Bankers Conference on May 11. Howell acknowledged the disconnect between Washington D.C. and America’s farmers and ranchers. “It’s very evident [lawmakers] don’t always know what they’re talking about when it comes to ag practices,” she said. “They have no idea how the legislation is impacting us in rural America.” Howell also shared her thoughts on moving forward and how to be profitable during times of recordsetting input costs and inflation. “Farmers have the ability this year to produce as much as they possibly can because there will be a market place for it,” she said. “This year is the year to make money and be profitable in U.S. agriculture.” Consumer preferences Howell said COVID19 shifted consumers’ tastes and preferences. U.S. citizens began to seek out Please see AG on page 8
WCHF announces 2022 inductees
Committee considers splitting deer licenses
The Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame (WCHF) selected 36 inductees for the Class of 2022. The WCHF State Board of Directors voted on the nominees from across the state during its annual meeting May 1. The induction ceremony will be at the Little America in Cheyenne, Sept. 23-24 and is open to the public. The event is part of the annual Wyoming Cowboy and Cowgirl Legacy Week established by the Wyoming Legislature in 2019. Regional committees in 10 different areas of Wyoming researched and scored over 70 nominations and sent the top picks to the WCHF State Board of Directors. Formed for historical, cultural, literary and educational purposes, WCHF’s chief goal is “to preserve, promote, perpetuate, publish and document Wyoming’s working cowboy and ranching history through researching, profiling and honoring individuals who broke the first trails and introduced that culture to this state. WCHF plans to collect, display and preserve the stories, photos and artifacts of such individuals and anything else that will honor and highlight their contributions to our history.” WCHF Class of 2022 Region One inductees include Charles L. Reynolds and Rod Smith of Campbell County and Crook County’s Maurice Williams and the Driskill family – this family nomination includes Col. Jesse Lincoln Driskill, Jesse Lincoln “Link” Driskill II, John Wylie “Bud” Driskill,
Casper – The Travel, Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee met May 9 to discuss several issues. Committee members, Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) Director Brian Nesvik and several concerned hunters weighed in on a 2023 bill draft memorandum – splitting the Wyoming deer license into a Wyoming mule deer license and a Wyoming white-tailed deer license. WGFD perspective At a recent Wyoming Wildlife Taskforce meeting, the committee voted on a proposal to the Wyoming Legislature to split the Wyoming deer licenses into two separate licenses for mule deer and whitetailed deer, explained Nesvik.
Please see WCHF on page 16
“Currently, and for many decades, both species have been managed under the same Wyoming deer license and statue,” he said. “There is no separation between the two.” Nesvik suspects the reason is because when these laws were initially made, there were very few white-tailed deer in the state, and today there are many. Today, the WGFD manages deer under one deer license with different types – applying to either a mule deer or whitetailed deer. So far, WGFD has managed the two species separately through the existing license system for a very long time, he explained.
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Please see LICENSES on page 5