Volume 32 Number 39 • January 23, 2021
®
The Weekly News Source for Wyoming’s Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net
A Look Inside The future of agriculture’s voice in the Capitol is explained....................... Page 2 Check your answers to last week’s crossword puzzle.......... ...................................... Page 3 Harsh winters from the early 1890s are described by Dick Perue............................. Page 6 Lee Pitts shares cattle trading stories.......................... Page 12
Quick Bits CWD Found The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has confirmed a new deer hunt area is positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). CWD was confirmed in Deer Hunt Area 138 with a positive test from a mule deer buck, which was found dead. Deer Hunt Area 138 is southeast of Pinedale and bordered by Deer Hunt Area 139 to the north and Deer Hunt Area 171 to the northeast, where CWD was found in 2017 and 2015, respectively.
Tips for avoiding winter freezing provided Although temperatures this winter have remained mild, Wyoming residents are never completely safe from a cold winter chill and frozen water resources. In the November-December edition of the Acreage Liv-
ing Newsletter, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Field Agricultural Engineer Shawn Shouse discusses a few options and considerations for protecting water sources from freezing. “Every year, people across
the U.S. face freezing conditions in the winter, and those conditions put water supply for people, pets and livestock at risk,” Shouse states, noting freezing temperatures may also cause damage to equipment and water infrastructure.
“A little preparation can provide significant protection.” Adding heat One way to keep water lines, pipes and water tanks from freezing is to add heat using one of three common Please see WINTER on page 5
Custom processing
AN OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK
Hog and cattle prices look optimistic moving deeper into the new year Although 2020 proved there are no guarantees and being flexible is a critical trait to possess, several livestock industry experts are optimistic about hog and fed cattle futures as they look toward the second quarter of the new year. Hog market rebound Following a sluggish first quarter, Iowa State University Extension Livestock Marketing Economist Dr. Lee
Schulz believes hog prices will rebound in the second quarter. “First quarter lean hog prices should average between $63 and $67 per hundredweight but will push into the $70s over the next several months,” says Schulz. “Second quarter prices should be in the $70 to $74 range, with prices averaging between $74 and $78 in the third quarter and Please see PRICES on page 5
Retail Food The annual Retail and Food Service Report from the U.S. Census Bureau reported $6.3 trillion in 2020, which is slightly above the same period in 2019. This indicates, despite the pandemic, the economy in 2020 was able to recover and reach just above the prior year. Retail and Food Services rose 4.8%, or $28.7 billion to $620 billion for December, which is also the highest value for the month of December in the data series back to 1992.
Young leaders - The 2018-19 Wyoming FFA State Officers retired from their year of service on April 13, after traveling the state, interfacing with members and business leaders and promoting the agriculture industry for the last year. Photo courtesy of Teresa Milner.
Averi Hales photo
Cattle Futures For the week ending Jan. 15, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported packers sold 565 loads of beef for delivery 90 days or more in the future. For the comparable week last year, packers sold only 204 loads and the five-year average is 145. The choice beef cutout has been trending higher.
U.S. Drought For the contiguous 48 states, the U.S. Drought Monitor showed 45% of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 44.85% a week earlier. Drought now affects 66,927,452 people, compared with 66,842,769 a week earlier. For all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, the U.S. Drought Monitor showed 37.64% of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 37.52% a week earlier. Drought now affects 67,394,792 people, compared with 67,310,110 a week earlier.
Board members elected The Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust (WSGLT) has recently announced Steve Sharkey of Jackson, Bobbie Frank of Meriden and Reg Phillips of Dubois were elected to serve on the board. Sharkey grew up in Colorado Springs, Colo, and moved to Jackson in 1999 where he owns an investment firm. He also serves as a director of the Knobloch Family Foundation, which makes grants to land protection and other conservation projects. Sharkey says, “As a funder of conservation easements through the Knobloch Family Foundation, I’m excited to join the board of this terrific land trust and deepen our relationship.” Frank is a Laramie County resident with a ranch in Meriden. Horse Creek Angus, LLC and Horse Creek Market Garden are Frank’s family operations, focused on raising quality Angus cattle and providing locally grown, seasonal produce. Frank recently retired from serving as the executive director of the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts (WACD) and the Wyoming Natural Resource Foundation. “I am excited to join the WSGLT Board and contribute, where I can, to the organization’s successful work of conserving Wyoming’s working lands,” says Frank. PhillipsistheranchmanagerforDiamondDCattleCo.andthe property manager for Wind River Land and Building Company. He is currently the chairman of the Dubois-Crowheart Conservation District and an Area Four board member for the WACD. “Listening, courtesy and a large dose of common sense go a long way towards getting the job done,” says Phillips on working to conserve Wyoming’s agricultural lands.
Panel shares viewpoints from a custom processing operation during YF&R Conference During the Wyoming Farm Bureau’s (WyFB) Young Farmers & Rancher’s (YF&R) Conference in Douglas Jan. 15-16, WyFB President Todd Fornstrom sat down with Logan and Kesly Ellis, the owners of Henderson Meat Processing, to discuss the meat processing business and challenges processors face. The Ellis’ bought Henderson Meat Processing, located in Lyman, in 2018. The plant processes beef, hogs and lambs year-round, as well as wild game during hunting season. Selling retail beef Henderson Meat Processing sells some retail beef, although Logan notes they haven’t had retail beef in their cooler for roughly a year. “We do retail, but the retail animals have to be slaughtered in a federal facility,” Logan says. “Retail animals are shipped to us for processing from a federally inspected plant in Utah.” Kesly shares selling retail beef has been a challenge. Many customers don’t plan for Please see MEAT on page 5
Lethal predator control options discussed In the second part of the American Sheep Industry Association’s (ASI) Research Update podcast regarding predator control, Host Jake Thorne is joined by Director of Texas Wildlife Services Michael Bodenchuk. Following the November episode, which focused on nonlethal predator control, ASI’s December podcast delves into lethal predator control. “We don’t control predators, we control predation,” Bodenchuk says to lead off the episode. “We realize native predators play a large role in the ecosystem, so we intentionally try to minimize the impact on their populations while still
meeting the goal of reducing damage to livestock.” “Accomplishing this with nonlethal methods is preferred, but sometimes it isn’t practical or cost effective,” Bodenchuk adds. “Lethal removal of predators, when necessary, is part of an integrated predation management program.” Important predators in sheep industry Bodenchuk notes coyotes are the number one predator of sheep, lambs, calves and goats nationwide. Additionally, he says feral dogs, free-roaming dogs, mountain lions, bears, bobcats and fox are the most important predators in
periodical
periodical
Please see ASI on page 4