Roundup for 5.1.2021

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Volume 33 Number 1 • May 1, 2021

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The Weekly News Source for Wyoming’s Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net

A Look Inside

A stepped-up basis repeal impacts agricultural estate planning

Anowar Islam discusses benefits of novel endophyte fescue ...................................... Page 6

A study commissioned to Ernst and Young by the Family Business Estate Tax Coalition (FBETC), including the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), American Soybean Association (ASA) and the National Cattlemen’s

Beef markets send mixed price signals.................. Page 8 Spring returns in the Postcard from the Past............... Page 10 Wyoming wool helps to raise funds for sheep program........... .................................... Page 15

Quick Bits Heart of Ag The 2021 Wyoming Heart of Agriculture and University of Wyoming (UW) Excellence in Agriculture Symposium has been rescheduled for Aug. 20 in conjunction with the Wyoming State Fair in Douglas. The event will take place in the Ruth James Williams Memorial Conference Center in the Wyoming Pioneer Museum. For more information, contact UW Extension Educator Scott Cotton at 307-235-9400.

Beef Association (NCBA) as contributors, shines light on the negative impact eliminating the stepped-up basis tax provision has to family farms and ranches, as well as jobs and the economy. “The Ernst and Young

study sheds light on the facts we at NCBA – among others in the agricultural community – have long known,” says NCBA Senior Executive Director of Government Affairs Danielle Beck. “Simply put, the repeal of the

stepped-up basis would have catastrophic impacts on the ability of farmers and ranchers to transfer their operations to the next generation.” The elimination of the stepped-up basis in tax code Please see TAX on page 16

ALLEVIATING CONFLICTS Researchers propose to study relocating predatory eagles

In an effort to study the best methods for relocating golden eagles preying on livestock, researchers from Colorado State University (CSU) have proposed removing the eagles to alleviate conflict and learn from the eagle’s reaction to relocation. The three-year study plans to relocate up to 12 golden eagles from ranches in Wyoming with the objective of identifying the best method for relocating birds of prey as a means to reduce eagle predation on sheep through nonlethal means. While removing the predators from livestock, the study hopes to determine which factors influence eagles to either stay in the location they were relocated to or migrate back to the feedgrounds they were removed from.

Nate Bickford, a CSU professor based in Pueblo, Colo., proposed the project to benefit both eagles and stock growers. The research permit was approved April 6, and the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission voted to approve the proposal on April 22. Radio telemetry tracking In comment to the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission, Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) Deputy Chief of the Wildlife Division Doug Brimeyer shared researchers looked into scarecrows, hazing and relocation of predatory birds in the 1980s. However, at the time, researchers didn’t have as much access to radio telemetry Please see EAGLES on page 9

Meat in Diet Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack denied there is any effort by President Joe Biden and his administration to reduce meat consumption in order to meet the new U.S. pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions. He said, “There is no effort designed to limit people’s intake of beef coming out of President Biden’s White House or coming out of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.”

SWE Update Statewide snowpack or snow water equivalent (SWE) is 98% of median as of April 26. Several basins east of the Continental Divide experienced SWE increases ranging from 5-15% the week before due to snowfall and cooler than normal temperatures. Increased mountain snowmelt, especially below 9,000 feet, is expected the first week of May with above average temperatures in the forecast.

Brand Trial The one-day, six-person jury trial in the Sublette County Circuit Court for brand-inspection violations is postponed. The trial of Veterinarian Rex F. Rammell was expected to bring closure to a case which began in June 2019 when Rammell was stopped without brand inspections for four horses and a nursing colt. The trial will be rescheduled due to a witness’ heath concerns.

Averi Hales photo

Sustainable beef Campaign and program recognize producer efforts to produce high-quality beef sustainably Conversation regarding environmental stewardship, sustainable production practices and climate-smart agriculture will only continue into the future. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), along with the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) both work to recognize producers in their efforts to improve beef production efficiency and conserve the land. Sustainability campaign On April 26, the “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner” brand, managed by NCBA, launched a new beef campaign to highlight real farmers and ranchers. Beef consumers are invited to learn more about how farmers and ranchers utilize sustainable practices to care for the land and produce high-quality beef, according to a news release, which noted only 24 percent of consumers say they are knowledgeable about how cattle are raised for meat consumption. The news release states, “This sustainability campaign aims to address this by introducing consumers to farmers and ranchers across the country and showcasing the many Please see BEEF on page 6

Drought expected to persist La Niña, decreased precipitation and drought are all phrases producers are hearing more regularly. In an interview with “Wakeup Wyoming” on April 19, Meteorologist Don Day shares the chance of the ongoing drought continuing through 2022 is eminent, all thanks to the oscillating La Niña pattern. “In the western U.S., La Niñas are dry and El Niños are wet,” Day explained, noting western states are entering the second year of a La Niña cycle. “Although it may not be as strong, the opportunity for the drought to break this spring and summer is low, as long as we continue to see this La Niña.” He continued, “We’ve seen this before, and this is a pattern that repeats itself. But, we have to get out of this pattern, and honestly I don’t think it will be until 2022.” The three-month outlooks for temperature and precipitation probability released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for May through June, made April 15, predict a stronger chance of above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation for the time period. Day explained even though this spring and summer might be warmer and dryer than normal, he doesn’t think it will be as dry as last summer. The outlook for this summer greatly depends on the moisture the area receives in May. “May is the wettest month on average in Wyoming and we are not at average, which does not bode well,” said Day. “A lot of the summer’s dryness is going to hinge on what precipitation we get over the next five weeks.” He added, “May is supposed to be wet, and it will be wet. But, it has to be wetter than normal to put a dent into the Please see DROUGHT on page 15

Producers should consider testing for BVD Hosts of the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute (BCI) Cattle Chat podcast Brad White, Dustin Pendell, Bob Larson and Phillip Lancaster discussed several current events and topics related to livestock production, including bovine viral diarrhea (BVD). “Many of the cattle vaccines we administer, whether it’s a respiratory or reproductive vaccine, include an immunization for BVD,” says the BCI team, noting now might be the best time for cow/calf producers to test for the virus if they think it may appear in their herd. BVD implications Though commonly vaccinated for,

BVD can cause major implications in any exposed herd. Infected cows can abort their calves or exhibit a lower percentage rate of conception, and the virus can cause ripple effects through young calves. Vaccinated cows exposed to the virus between approximately 60 and 120 days of pregnancy may still occasionally produce persistently infected carrier calves, according to a 2019 study at Cornell. Calves may be exposed to the virus as a fetus and born with problems or show symptoms after they’re on the ground. Once infected, calves are more

periodical

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Please see BVD on page 4


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