Volume 33 Number 23 • October 2, 2021
®
The Weekly News Source for Wyoming’s Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net
A Look Inside Sage Askin discusses the importance of joining ag organizations .......................... Page 2 LCCC team receives awards at ranch horse competition........... ...................................... Page 5 Dick Perue recounts loose bear in the town of Saratoga in 1918 .................................... Page 10 Lee Pitts recalls nicknames of both people and pets given over the years..................... Page 16
Quick Bits Gift Given The Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University is the recipient of a gift to help fund a $9.9 million Animal Reproductive Biotechnology Center. ReproLogix of Fort Scott, Kan. is pledging to contribute to the project. The facility will include research labs, educational spaces, animal holding and handling areas and dedicated research lab space for combining technologies and practices for both academic and industry partner use.
PLC Grant The Public Lands Council (PLC) announced Sept. 30 they will provide over $450,000 in grant funding to multiple cattle groups, university research teams and federal land-focused organizations to support research and educational programs to strengthen the future of public lands livestock production.
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COVID-19 Test The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) announced Sept. 24 there has been a confirmed case of SARS-CoV-2 in a ferret. Samples were taken after showing clinical signs, coughing and sneezing. It’s suspected the disease was contracted after coming in contact with a person with COVID-19.
U.S. Drought For the contiguous 48 states, the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) showed 47.83% of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 46.56% a week earlier. Drought now affects 78,203,258 people, compared with 74,882,768 a week earlier. For all 50 U.S states and Puerto Rico, the USDM showed 40.04% of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 38.98% a week earlier. Drought now affects 78,982,201 people, compared with 75,783,561 a week earlier.
Video auctions and CME inform producers of fall feeder prices University of NebraskaLincoln (UNL) Livestock marketing and Risk Management Economist Elliott Dennis shares the feeder cattle market has experienced significant price variation this summer, with strong retail
meat demand and exports. The feeder cattle market has seen positive price movements, but drought conditions have caused feeder cattle and cull cows to market earlier than normal, and corn prices have lowered feedlot’s
demand for feeder cattle. In a recent UNL Beefwatch podcast and corresponding newsletter, Dennis explains how the increasing supply and decreasing demand of feeder cattle can result in lower feeder cattle
prices, and producers can utilize video auctions and Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) futures to inform fall feeder cattle prices. Venues for information According to Dennis, the Please see MARKET on page 4
30x30 LAND CONSERVATION Panel discusses the America the Beautiful initiative during Public Lands Council annual meeting The 2021 Public Lands Council (PLC) Annual Meeting met virtually Sept. 28 to craft public lands ranching policy, heard from federal agencies and leaders within the industry and discuss the critical issues federal lands grazing permitees face. PLC hosted Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-OR), Idaho Governor Brad Little, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Deputy Director Nada Wolff Culver, California Natural Resources Agency Deputy Secretary for Biodiversity and Habitat Jennifer Norris and U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief Chris French as guest speakers.
To address one of the most recent conservation policies – the America the Beautiful Plan – Wolff Culver, Norris and French served on a panel addressing the plan to conserve 30 percent of the nation’s water and lands by the year 2030. Opportunity for conservation “I want to say I think there is a lot of opportunity in the America the Beautiful Initiative report,” French said. “There are six focus areas that are laid out in the report and many of them are directly related to priorities and needs we have in managing national forests Please see PLC on page 15
2021 Fall
cattlemen’s Edition featuring
Sublette County
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A publication of
check out the fall cattlemen’s edition inside to learn more about sublette county farms, ranches and agribusinesses
Rammell faces AGO Sublette County – Rock Springs Veterinarian Rex F. Rammell again faces the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office (AGO), this time in his civil appeal of a Sublette County judge’s order to allow a deputy’s brand inspection report and citations as evidence against him. Rammell was convicted in May of four misdemeanor violations of the state’s brand inspection law on June 27, 2019. A six-person jury found him guilty in May and afterward, Rammell filed his appeal in Ninth District Court. He is challenging the Circuit Court judge’s decision to not suppress the evidence, as well as receiving four citations instead of one. Recent developments Sublette County Attorney Mike Crosson filed his response to Rammell’s appeal on Sept. 7. On Sept. 10, the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office asked Ninth District Court Judge Marv Tyler to allow Crosson’s response to enter the case, saying it should have received Rammell’s appeal brief when a law’s constitutionality is challenged. Senior Assistant Josh Eames submitted the request and a legal brief upholding the law’s constitutionality, which Judge Tyler accepted on Sept. 15. Eames’ brief refers to a separate, but related civil action Rammell filed before his misdemeanor trial asking Judge Tyler to determine or adjudicate whether Wyoming Statute 11-21-103 is unconstitutional. Eames also filed a motion to dismiss this case and a hearing Please see COURT on page 5
Child Safety Recommendations shared to prevent pediatric ag-related injuries In a Sept. 22 webinar hosted by AgriSafe Network, Dr. Charles Jennissen, a clinical professor at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, shares his knowledge on pediatric agriculturerelated injuries and how to safeguard children who visit or live on working ranches and farms. Jennissen discusses several situations in which children are at risk for serious injury and even death in agricultural settings. Tractor risk “Tractors remain the main cause of fatal agricultural injuries,” shares Jennissen, noting many kids operate equipment at a very young age, sometimes long before they are mentally or physically capable. “In a Successful Farming survey, parents were asked what age they allowed their children to drive and the average age for both girls and boys is 10 years.” “One of the biggest killers is motor vehicle crashes (MVC),” shares Jennissen. A collision involving a farm vehicle is five times more likely to result in a fatality than other types of MVCs. “A very common way for this to happen is a left turn collision,” he explains. In an effort to turn left, tractor operators will often swing to the right to make a wide left turn, and it will Please see SAFETY on page 6
WOMEN in Ag Broda makes lasting impacts in agriculture Cheyenne – Stacy Broda is the fifth generation born and raised on her family ranch northeast of Cheyenne and has been involved in ranching in one way or another. In her early years, she was heavily involved in 4-H and FFA organizations. Stacy shares, “I was a member of both 4-H and FFA, grew up showing cattle and entered decorated cakes, as well as sewing projects.” She goes on to say, “I attended the
University of Wyoming and graduated with an agriculture education and agriculture business degree.” Shortly after graduating, Stacy went on to teach agriculture education at H.E.M. High School in Hanna for three years. After marrying her husband, John, ranching brought her back home to her roots. “We moved back to home to the
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Please see BRODA on page 14