Roundup for 12.23.23

Page 1

Volume 35 Number 35 • December 23, 2023

Merry Christmas! ®

The Weekly News Source for Ranchers, Farmers and the Agribusiness Community • www.wylr.net

A Look Inside Ag policy experts discuss their Christmas wishlists for ag policy change.................Page 2 Heart of Ag outlines four affordable ways to eat beef during the holiday season...............Page 6 Postcard from the Past recalls the origin of a few popular Christmas carols...........Page 10

Wyoming ranchers brace for Colorado to get wolves With wolves from Oregon released in northwest Colorado this month, some ranchers on both sides of the Wyoming-Colorado border are bracing for what they think will be bad out-

comes, including losses to big game herds and possibly an existential threat to smaller endangered Mexican wolves. “Everybody’s concerned,” Wyoming Rancher

Pat O’Toole told Cowboy State Daily. “The wolf reintroduction is a complete failure of any semblance of management, and it is an example of the agenda of the governor of Colorado.”

O’Toole’s family runs the Ladder Ranch, which straddles the Wyoming-Colorado state line roughly 50 miles north of Steamboat Springs, Colo. Please see WOLVES on page 8

Roundup readers share their favorite winter photos....Page 15

Quick Bits The Wyoming Livestock Roundup Office will be closed Dec. 25 through Jan. 1 in observance of the holiday. We wish all of our readers a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

North PoLe PostaL

Movie List

By George and Hannah Bugas

Office Closed

Recently, entertainment experts at HubScore delved into the top 25 Christmas movies to analyze the top five most popular in each state. “Home Alone 2” emerged as the nation’s favorite, however the people of Wyoming chose to watch its counterpart, deeming “Home Alone” Wyoming’s favorite Christmas movie. Finishing out the top five, in order, are “A Christmas Story,” followed by “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” “Die Hard” and It’s a “Wonderful Life.”

’Twas the week before Christmas, the office was humming. The Roundup needed sent ‘cause Christmas was coming. Of course, it’s December, the weather turned polar. A Don Day storm warning – there’s an 1-80 closure. The postal service called, bad news – couldn't make it. No mail will be delivered, there is no way to take it. The Roundup was frantic, Andrea was a mess. Would they get the paper out if it couldn’t leave the press?

Public Input The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is requesting public input – due by Feb. 16, 2024 – on how foreign filers report agricultural land holdings in the U.S. USDA’s Farm Service Agency is proposing to update the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act Report form so reporting can include data on long-term lessees, data to assess the impacts of foreign investment on agricultural producers and rural communities and to gather geospatial information. For more information, visit usda.gov.

APHIS Rule

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will reopen the comment period on a proposal published on Nov. 14 for five additional exemptions for plants with modifications which could be achieved through conventional breeding. APHIS is reopening the comment period for 21 days to allow interested persons more time to prepare and submit comments. For more information or to submit comments, visit regulations.gov.

The pressure was mounting, it was over the roof. Hannah and Melissa were sweating to get out the proof. Artwork by Hannah Bugas

Please see NORTH POLE on page 14

Spotlighting American ag Popular holiday traditions wouldn’t be possible without agriculture From freshly-cut Christmas trees and vibrant poinsettias to ugly sweaters and big family feasts, the holiday season is the perfect time of year to spotlight America’s agricultural producers. Horticulture Found in millions of homes, on countless holiday cards and in every Christmas movie, the Christmas tree is perhaps the most obvious holiday tradition connected to agriculture. According to “The History Channel,” the history of Christmas trees has many roots, ranging from the use of evergreens in ancient Egypt and Rome to the German tradition of candlelit trees, which made its way to America in the 1800s. Today, erecting a Christmas tree during the holiday season is so popular, Christmas trees can be found in 75 percent of U.S. households or 94 million homes, according to 2021 data published by the American Christmas Tree Association. The National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) reports there are currently close to 350 million Christmas trees growing on 15,000 farms in all 50 states.These farms span 350,000 acres, Please see HOLIDAY on page 5

WNFR wraps up in Las Vegas Las Vegas – The 64 Annual Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) took place Dec. 7-16 at the Thomas and Mack Center, where 2023 WNFR champions were crowned. Top-ranked cowboys and cowgirls from across the nation competed in the 10-day event where local favorites, Hillsdale’s Brody Cress and Daniel’s Tanner Butner, competed in saddle bronc riding and Buffalo’s Cole Reiner competed in bareback riding. Bareback riding Keenan Hayes from Hayden, Colo. secured the world champ title with an incredible 90-point ride in the final round. Dean Thompson from Altamont, Utah finished in second place with an 89-point ride on Game Trail, and Leighton Berry from Weatherford, Texas, who entered the 2023 WNFR in the fifth position, ended his season third in the world standings. Reiner, a Wyoming native, entered the bareback riding competition in the 13th spot this year and ended up tying for the fourth-fifth place position with an 87.5-point ride on OLS Tubs Stevie Knicks. Reiner tied with fellow contestant Tanner Aus from Granite Falls, Minn. in round 10, rounding out the top-five winners. Steer wrestling Tyler Waguespack, four-time world champion from Gonzales, La., was crowned the WNFR Steer Wrestling World Champion following a 3.8-second run, which tied him for the go-round win with Will Lummus of Byhalia, Miss. Bridger Anderson, a native of Carrington, N.D., won the th

Please see WNFR on page 7

CattleFax looks into future of beef market The Colorado State University (CSU) Department of Animal Sciences hosted the 28th Range Beef Cow Symposium Dec. 13-14 at The Ranch in Loveland, Colo. The symposium is sponsored by the Cooperative Extension Service and animal science departments at CSU, South Dakota State University, University of Nebraska and University of Wyoming and offers practical production management information specific to the region’s cattle producers. This year’s event included various industry speakers who delivered valuable information on beef cattle management strategies, ranging from consumer drivers

of sustainability to feeder calf marketing. Additionally, break-out sessions included up-to-date information and data from nationally and internationally known speakers, including several producer panels focusing on issues and opportunities in the beef cattle industry. The symposium also hosted a topnotch trade show, showcasing a variety of commercial displays from more than 50 allied industry vendors. During the symposium, CattleFax Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Randy Blach presented on the future of the cattle market. Blach was raised on his family’s farm

periodical

periodical

Please see MARKET on page 14


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.