Volume 34 Number 14 • July 30, 2022
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The Weekly News Source for Wyoming’s Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net
A Look Inside Rep. Doug LaMalfa discusses EPA overreach................ Page 2 Extension educator provides information on invasive grasses. ....................................... Page 6 Dick Perue shares rodeo horse history........................... Page 10 Activists vs. Agriculture thanks county fair helpers......... ..................................... Page 16
Quick Bits Dairy Data
The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Services April through June quarterly milk production data for the Mountain Regional West shares Colorado dairy herds produced 1.35 billion pounds of milk, down 0.9% from the previous year. Montana dairy herds produced 57 million pounds of milk, down 8.1% from the previous year. Wyoming dairy herds produced 60.3 million pounds of milk, up 8.3% from the previous year.
WGFD discusses long-term elk feedground management The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) is drafting a long-term elk feedground management plan in an effort to help guide elk management in western Wyoming for the foreseeable future.
Since late 2020, WGFD has worked with the public to address rising issues with elk feedgrounds throughout Wyoming. Currently, WGFD manages several elk feedgrounds in Teton, Sublette and Lincoln counties,
as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Elk Refuge. Over the year, supplemental winter feeding of elk has grown in complexity, particularly with wildlife diseases such as chronic wasting disease.
Phase one To assist future management decisions, WGFD initiated a multi-phase effort from January 2020 to February 2021 to gather public input. The initiative, Elk Please see WGFD on page 4
RODEO FINALS NHSRA crowns champions in Gillette
High school students from ninth through 12th grade represented 43 U.S. states, five Canadian provinces, Australia, Mexico and New Zealand at the National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) Finals Rodeo July 17-23. The Cowboy State had several contestants placing among the top contestants in the world.
Timed events In the barrel racing competition, Morgan Beckstrom from Spanish Fork, Utah took home the NHSRA Barrel Racing Champion title with a total time of 51.351 seconds. Second place was awarded to Rayne Grant of Wheatland Please see RODEO on page 9
Wyoming champion – Rayne Grant of Wheatland took home top honors as the National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) Pole Pending Champion. Other honors included the NHSRA Reserve Barrel Racing Champion, All-Around Cowgirl and NHSRA Girls Horse of the Year Award with her horse VF A Famous Lady, otherwise known as Chili. Acentric Rodeo photo
WGFD Hire
Jordan Winter has been selected as the new Powell area game warden for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD). Winter replaces Chris Queen, who recently retired after 28 years of service. Winter can be reached at 307-754-5290. Queen served as the Powell game warden since 2005. He began work with WGFD in 1994 as a wildlife technician and served as the Kemmerer game warden from 1999 to 2005.
USTSA Award
The U.S. Targhee Sheep Association inducted two members into the Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees include the Montana Experiment Station in Bozeman, Mont. and Lisa Surber. The station was the first member of the association, and Surber has been in the forefront of developing and promoting the protocol for ultra-sounding ribeye depth. She travels a large portion on the Western U.S. encouraging the advancement of quality sheep.
U.S. Drought
For the contiguous 48 states, the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) showed 51.94% of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 51.87% a week earlier. Drought now affects 118,458,541 people, compared with 116,264,960 a week earlier. For all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, the USDM showed 43.61% of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 44.57% a week earlier. Drought now affects 121,649,004 people, compared with 119,493,816 a week earlier.
Fuel prices Working group hears potential solutions during meeting Cheyenne – Conversations continued during a Gov. Mark Gordon Gas and Diesel Price Working Group meeting July 15 and July 22. “Fuel prices have hit yet another high this past week, driving inflation affecting our seniors, veterans and all Wyoming citizens,” Gordon said. “Yet, all we hear out of Washington, D.C. is it’s someone else’s fault, and there’s no end in sight. Here in Wyoming, we need to look for any possible way we can provide some relief for our citizens.” Petroleum Association of Wyoming Executive Director Pete Obermueller commented it’s not as simple as just producing more gasoline. “Gas prices rise like a rocket, but fall like a feather,” he said, noting fuel price is also beyond the control of up-stream oil and gas producers. Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) Director Luke Reiner suggested, “Really what we need fundamentally, both state and nationally, is the ability to refine more.” Wyoming Representative and Worland native Mike Greear asked, “Is increased pipeline capacity Please see FUEL on page 14
Sheep festival planned Sheep enthusiasts, history lovers and everyone in between is invited to attend the 26th Annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival Oct. 5-9 in the neighboring towns of Hailey, Ketchum and Sun Valley, Idaho in the Wood River Valley Region. Each fall, the festival honors the 150 plus year annual tradition of moving sheep from high mountain summer pastures down through the Wood River Valley to traditional winter grazing and lambing areas in the south. The festival celebrates the sheep, herders, history and food of this unique cultural tradition of Idaho’s sheep ranching families. Trailing of the Sheep Festival Executive Director Laura Drake says the festival’s mission is “to gather, celebrate, present and preserve the history and cultures of sheepherding in Idaho and the West.” She says passing on the stories and history of sheepherders is becoming increasingly crucial for the survival of the industry. “Each year, the festival strives to keep the stories and history of sheepherding alive,” she says. “Even if people don’t see as much open land around them or roaming animals, they can still learn about the history and culture of this region of sheepherding and ranching in Idaho and in the West.” Event history The festival had a humble beginning, with just a few curious people starting it all. A few years prior to the official start of the festival in 1996, the Blaine County Recreation District wanted to put in a paved trailway connecting various townships in the Wood River Valley for recreational use, says Drake. Please see FESTIVAL on page 15
COUNTY FAIR SERIES Summer fun found at fair Sheridan County 4-H exhibitors are gearing up for the Sheridan County Fair July 29-Aug. 8. For most exhibitors, fair week is the most fun and exciting time of the summer. Ten-year-old 4-H exhibitor Kathryn Swinyer is going into fifth grade and is excited to exhibit her nine breeding goats and market goat Apollo at this year’s fair. Kathryn has been participating in 4-H since she was eight years old and says she loves the club. “I like 4-H because it’s the people I know and people that love goats too,” she
says. “It makes me happy.” Sisters Willow and Amia Koltiska have both been exhibiting livestock at the fair since they were eight years old, and they enjoy working together in the summer preparing their exhibits for the fair. Amia is 15 and will be going into 10th grade. She is exhibiting two steers, two horses, two pigs and a cow/calf pair at this year’s fair. Willow is 13 and will be going into eighth grade. She is showing a steer, three pigs and six dairy goats.
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Please see FAIR on page 7