Volume 30 Number 31 • December 1, 2018
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The Weekly News Source for Wyoming’s Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net
A Look Inside December’s forecast predicts a wet, warm start to winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 8 Nitrate toxicity poses a potential problem, and producers should be wary of potentially toxic feeds . . . . . . . . . Page 10 Targeted grazing may provide an important weed reduction tool for ranchers. . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12 Turkey prices across the U.S. were lower this year, as oversupply plagues the industry . . . . . . . . . . Page 20
Quick Bits Farm Bill
On Nov. 29, House and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairmen Mike Conaway (R-Texas) and Pat Roberts (R- Kan.) and Ranking Members Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said, “We’re pleased to announce that we’ve reached an agreement in principle on the 2018 Farm Bill. We are working to finalize legal and report language, as well as Congressional Budget Office scores, but we still have more work to do. We are committed to delivering a new farm bill to America as quickly as possible.”
Economy stimulating consumers to spend more for beef Torrington – Sharing the latest quarterly domestic product report, University of Wyoming Extension Marketing Specialist Bridger Feuz said the report for beef has been positive the last several quarters due to a consistent
economy and consistent moderate growth. Solid growth has stimulated consumer confidence in products like beef. Feuz spoke to more than 100 cattle ranchers during the Southeast Wyoming Beef Production
Convention in Torrington, on Nov. 20. “The consumption of beef has been pretty steady, but poultry is increasing year after year in per capita consumption,” he said. Despite that, beef per capita consumption is
expected to increase again in 2019 and be at least stable in 2020. Feuz explained, “Consumers are willing to spend more of their disposable income on beef than on pork or poultry. It has been Please see BEEF on page 5
Remembering a rodeo legend
Looking at size
Gore inducted into Rodeo Hall of Fame
Wheatland – Les Gore is remembered by many for his success in rodeo and his contributions to the rodeo world, but his wife, Kay Gore, says, “Rodeo was basically his life.” Though Les passed away as the result of a fourwheeler accident in 2016 at the age of 91, the Wheatland
rancher was inducted into the Rodeo Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Oklahoma City, Okla. on Nov. 10, 2018. “This is a wonderful honor for Les. I wish he could have been there to accept the honor himself, but his family and I all went to Oklahoma to accept it for him,” says Please see GORE on page 8
20 Years
At the 2018 Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) Winter Roundup and Trade Show, Jim Magagna will celebrate 20 years with the association as executive vice president. WSGA President Dennis Sun says, “The relationships Jim has formed with others has helped WSGA grow immensely. We’re grateful for his leadership.”
House Leader
House Democrats nominated Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to serve as the next speaker of the House. If approved by the full House, Pelosi would again wield the gavel in January, 12 years after she became the first female speaker in 2007. The vote was 203 voting for Pelosi, 32 opposing her and three members leaving their ballot blank. One member was absent.
More CWD The Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Wildlife Health Laboratory has confirmed that an adult buck mule deer from Grand Teton National Park has tested positive for chronic wasting disease. The deer had been struck by a vehicle and tissue samples were collected by National Park Service personnel and submitted for testing.
Gayle Smith photo
Early ride – In 1949, Les Gore won the amateur bronc riding at Cheyenne Frontier Days, and he competed across the country, earning titles at many of the rodeos he attended. Courtesy photo
Wyoming studies leaning toward smaller to moderate size cows Torrington – Despite a sharp jump in cow size, rangeland in Wyoming has still stayed in consistent condition, according to University of Wyoming (UW) Extension Rangeland Specialist Derek Scasta. Scasta spoke about how cow size impacts Wyoming rangeland during the recent Southeast Wyoming Beef Production convention in Torrington. In 1975, the average beef cow in the U.S. weighed 1,000 pounds, which has become the range management standard for calculating animal unit months (AUM). Increasing size However, recent data suggests the average beef cow now weighs 1,400 pounds. “In 2010, 16 percent of the U.S. beef cows were more than 1,500 pounds,” Scasta said. “That’s millions of beef cows that weigh more than 1,500 pounds on range and pasture in the U.S.” Despite a more than 400pound increase in cow size in the last 40 years, Scasta says Please see SIZE on page 19
Roundup welcomes Pitt to team
Tariffs impact Wyoming businesses, economy
With Production Coordinator Amanda Bell leaving the Wyoming Livestock Roundup, Dennis Sun and the Roundup staff welcomed Beau Pitt, formerly of Lander, to the team this week. Pitt moved to Casper and started at the Roundup on Nov. 27. He will be responsible for design and layout of the paper and advertising. Originally from Beau Pitt Lander, Pitt attended the University of Wyoming, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in geology and later a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design. He has experience as a pesticide applicator for Weed and Pest, as a field geologist and as a graphic designer. “Beau’s friendly and helpful attitude are a welcome addition to the Roundup team,” comments Sun. “We’re looking forward to him joining the paper.” Pitt says, “The welcoming atmosphere and friendly nature of everyone at the Roundup have made my decision to move to Casper very easy. The Wyoming Livestock Roundup team puts out an amazing paper, and I look forward to seeing where we can go with it in the future.” To welcome Pitt to the Roundup, e-mail beau@wylr.net.
Cheyenne – As business opportunities continue to expand in the state of Wyoming, the subject of tariffs and global trade was a topic of extensive conversation at the 2018 Wyoming Governor’s Business Forum “Over the past few years, we’ve seen a variety of twists and turns in U.S. policy related to international trade,” said Gregory Pulliam of XTO Energy. “This is extremely relevant in that Wyoming’s economy is an export economy. From natural resources to agriculture, others are using Wyoming’s products, powering jobs for Wyoming’s citizens.” A panel including Canadian Con-
sul General Stéphane Lessard, Consul General of Mexico Berenice Rendon, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Colin Woodall and Puma Steel President Rex Lewis discussed the implications of trade and recent trade agreements in a discussion moderated by Wyoming Stock Growers Association Executive Vice President Jim Magagna. “Twenty-five to 30 years ago, or even just 10 years ago, a conversation of trade and tariffs would likely not have risen to this level in the state of Wyoming,” Magagna said. “We have
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Please see TRADE on page 11