Roundup for 6.17.23

Test your agriculture knowledge in this month’s crossword puzzle Page 5

Wyoming Junior Hereford Association hosts annual field day Page 7

WSGA award winners recognized at summer convention Page 14

EPA continues fight on WOTUS ruling Page 16

Quick Bits

Correction

The Wyoming Livestock Roundup would like to apologize for publishing the incorrect spelling of Cheri Steinmetz’s name in an article titled “Wyoming Joint Ag Committee discusses eminent domain” in the June 10 paper.

BLM Sale

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wyoming Oil and Gas Lease Sale, originally scheduled for June 21-22, will now be held June 28-29. The sale will offer 116 parcels, totaling 127,014.62 acres in all Wyoming Field Offices. The parcels will be offered through an online sale which can be accessed energynet.com. The sale was rescheduled due to computer system maintenance which would interfere with the originally planned dates of the online sale.

SBLC Session

The State Board of Land Commissions (SBLC) would like to inform the public an executive session will be held on June 19 at 2 p.m. in the Capitol Complex Auditorium in Cheyenne. Items for discussion in the executive session will be limited to appropriate items, as described in Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 16-4-405.

ASJA Show

The 2023 American Salers Junior Association (ASJA) National Show will be held in Lewistown, Mont. at the Fergus County Fairgrounds June 26-30. The event will kick off with an opening ceremony, a Stock Show U Clinic and the Barnyard Olympics and Opening Night Dinner on June 26. On June 27, there will be a speech and skill-athon, and on June 28 there will be a team fitting contest. The event will wrap up with the national show beginning at 9 a.m and a banquet dinner at 6 p.m. on June 29. For more information, visit salersusa.org

Elk herd impacts private property rights and rangeland health

Torrington – “Elk cost me a lot of money,” Wheatland Rancher Juan Reyes told the Joint Agriculture, State and Public Lands and Water Resources Committee on June 6. “I believe, if we are

going to make Wyoming the playground of the world, it should not be at the cost of ranchers. We need to get a handle on elk numbers.”

The committee of the Wyoming Legislature met

in Torrington on June 5-6 to discuss a wide array of topics, including elk populations in the Laramie Range, which have been steadily increasing over the past several decades.

Reyes, a longtime rancher in southeastern Wyoming, explained, “In every one of our ranches, we have an overpopulation of elk.”

RANCH TO PLATE

Optimistic outlook

National agriculture update provided at Wyoming Cattle Industry Convention Riverton – National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Todd Wilkinson, a second-generation cattle producer from South Dakota, gave this year’s national ag update at the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) Annual Summer Convention and Trade Show June 9.

During his presentation, Wilkinson highlighted stronger market conditions in the cattle industry and discussed new challenges facing producers, although he remains optimistic for the industry’s future by working together. Current status

WSGA focuses on understanding the role of traceability during annual summer convention

Cattle producers, industry stakeholders and government officials gathered in Riverton to catch up with old friends, share a few meals and discuss current industry issues during the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) Summer Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show June 7-9.

Themed “From the Ranch to the Plate: Understanding the Role of Traceability,” convention attendees spent the entire third day of the event discussing all things

Feeder calf prices start strong

Superior Livestock Auction’s (Superior) Corn Belt Classic video sale, hosted live from South Sioux City, Neb. June 7-8, offered the cattle industry a first glimpse into this year’s fall calf market, and it was anything but disappointing.

The annual sale marked the first large feeder calf sale of the year, consigning over 65,000 head, which sold at prices exponentially higher than in years past.

“We’ve known for a long time the 2023 feeder cattle market was going to be hot, but few believed it would be as good as it’s shaping up to be,” commented DTN Livestock Analyst ShayLe Stewart in a June 12 Progressive Farmer article.

2023 Corn Belt Classic

According to Superior’s sale results, four-weight feeder steers across all regions brought around $311 per hundredweight (cwt) on average, while five weights brought nearly $280, six weights brought $261, seven weights brought $248, eight weights brought $236 and nine weights brought a little over $221.

Four-weight heifers from across all regions, on average, brought a little less than $263 per cwt, five weights brought $254, six weights brought a little more than $240, seven weights brought $224, eight weights brought $218 and nine weights brought $207.

Feeder steers of all weights across regions three through six set record high prices, fetching $8 to $15 per cwt higher than they did at Superior’s previous auctions.

Steers from region three – Arizona, New Mexico,

related to the hot button topic of traceability in the beef industry.

USDA’s proposed rule amendment

During the morning session on June 9, Dr. Alexander Turner, assistant director of the National Animal Disease Traceability and Veterinary Accreditation Center, gave a presentation on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s

Please see WSGA on page 15

The U.S.is facing record exports and demand with the lowest cattle numbers in the past 60 years, according to Wilkinson.

“Things are working, as the industry is delivering quality products in a safe manner. We are doing it right,” he said.

Wilkinson explained, “The cattle market functions best when it is free from governmental interference, where producers are

Please see NCBA on page 5

County Fair Series

Pitts brothers continue family tradition

Bryell and JD Pitts’ four boys – 10-year-old Hunter, eight-year-old Gauge, fiveyear-old Ruger and one-yearold Bo – are in the beginning stages of carrying on the family tradition of raising and showing quality cattle.

The young family resides in smalltown Uinta County, where both Bryell and JD grew up and where Bryell’s family has ranched for many years.

This year, the oldest three boys will show beef projects at the Uinta County Fair and follow in the footsteps of their

mom and uncle Colten Wakley who showed cattle under the same big top years ago.

Project preparations

With school out for the summer, the Pitts brothers have been hard at work with the seemingly endless amount of preparation it takes to ready a beef project for fair week.

Every morning, the boys wake up early to wash, brush, blow dry, walk and feed their five head of mixed-breed show calves. After spending the day helping

Please see PITTS on page 14

Presidential remarks – Wyoming Stock Growers Association President David Kane welcomed convention attendees to the Cattlemen’s Club Luncheon on June 8. WYLR photo

One of Wyoming’s best traits has always been giving – to other people or specific causes. It just seems to come natural to the people of the state and the region. And, in today’s society, there are always plenty of good causes to give to.

Giving to good causes has been around since Native Americans helped pilgrims at Plymouth Rock during their first winter, a deed rewarded by the first Thanksgiving. From then on, giving has become common practice, especially in our region today.

During the Cattlemen’s Club Luncheon at the recent Wyoming Stock Growers Association Summer Convention and Trade Show, First Lady Jennie Gordon spoke on the Wyoming Hunger Initiative (WHI), which she founded in 2019. It has turned out to be quite a success story.

During previous conventions and other agriculture gatherings in the past, the First Lady has given current updates on WHI and what is in the planning. It is always a popular topic, and many people enjoy listening to new happenings and programs under WHI.

In our world today, there are talkers, and then there are doers. First Lady Gordon is a doer.

I read a quote from her stating, “We can make a difference, and we can make a difference as a Wyoming solution versus someone else’s.”

And boy, has she ever!

The First Lady’s latest project is the Beef for Backpacks program, which was started in the spring of 2023. It supplies beef snack sticks made from donated beef to school-age children. These beef snack sticks are a “way to get protein to kids who need it most in a way kids will love.”

The program, which kicked off in Laramie County, is a partnership between the First Lady, 307 Meat Company, the Wyoming Stock Growers Association and the Wyoming Beef Council and part of a pilot program through the Friday Food Bag Foundation.

This foundation provides weekend food options for local children who might not otherwise have access to food away from school.

In Cheyenne, the Friday Food Bag Program packs around 1,100 bags weekly for kids. In these weekly bags, some 18,700 beef sticks were provided during during the 2023 spring semester in Laramie County. The First Lady mentioned, on average, a single donated beef cow will provide around 1,800 beef sticks. That is quite a number of beef sticks.

WHI has three major programs – the Wyoming Hunger Initiative Grant, which provides funding for anti-hunger nonprofits to innovate; the Food From the Field program, which is a partnership between WHI, game processors, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the Wyoming Department of Agriculture to streamline donations of game meat to food pantries statewide and the Food From the Farm and Ranch program, which donates meat and produce to keep locally-grown protein and produce in local communities where it can make the most significant impact on food insecurity.

These programs have many people donating their time and dollars to managing county and community programs for food supported by farmers, ranchers, hunters and others in the communities to provide beef, lamb, pork, wild game and produce to support the goals of the programs.

We salute First Lady Jennie Gordon, all of the people who are a part of WHI and gracious donors who provide the food. One might want to think seriously about becoming a part of these programs.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup

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Animal Damage Control Isn't a "War On Wildlife"

After another long, rainy day, I did one last check of the lambing grounds on private land and found two dead lambs, their heads bloodied as their eyes were pecked out and their tongues severed and consumed by their killer –typical of avian depredation.

Both lambs were a few days old, but the kills were fresh.

Our livestock guardian dogs have been engaged in an active conflict with two bald eagles attracted to all of the newborns arriving during peak lambing season. The dogs have done a great job of scaring the birds away, but no method of deterrence is perfect and even our combined methods fail sometimes.

What do we do now? We’re trying to handle the situation on our own, but if we have any further kills, I’ll call in animal damage control specialists for assistance.

Avian depredation

We rarely have eagle attacks on our flock, but we have had a few kills by both golden and bald eagles in the past.

Because migratory birds are federally protected, we work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Wildlife Services to deter avian predators and to initiate control when we can’t get the damage stopped.

It wasn’t until the 1980s when wildlife researchers finally began believing eagles killed domestic sheep.

A March 1978 paper by Bart O’Gara of the Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit sums up the situation, “Documentation of eagle pre-

By Cat Urbigkit

dation is generally lacking. The public seldom accepts ranchers’ accounts of any type of predation, apparently suspecting ulterior motives. Indoctrination by animal protection groups has convinced many people predators prey only on species detrimental to man.”

“Another theme stemming from the same source is predation on domestic livestock is always the result of poor animal husbandry, and slight changes in management would solve the problem,” it continues.

We now know both bald eagles and golden eagles kill sheep, and not just lambs, but adult sheep as well.

Bald eagles killed 54 lambs on one Idaho farm in 2021. One Johnson County ranch has had eagles congregate to prey on both lambs and adult sheep and has worked to have the eagles trapped and removed – either to distant locations or for use in falconry.

The cooperative response to eagle depredations in Wyoming has been successful and continues to reduce conflicts.

Controversial news causes attack on livestock industry

So, it’s this scenario in which I sat down to skim the news and read a recent news article noting Wyoming is slated to spend $4 million to kill coyotes and other predators, generating a slew of comments expressing contempt for the livestock industry.

Here’s a sampling:

“What a horrendous slaughter of creatures simply living their innocent lives on public lands.”

“Face it, the stock growers just plain hate predators and will use any means possible to hire hitmen to assassinate canines, big cats and bruins. It isn’t reparations, it’s revenge.”

“The damage animals do is greatly exaggerated by those who want to justify their actions and act like a hero for killing an animal which is not all that different than our dogs. It was not long ago most birds of prey were shot on sight by the same kind of people who want to kill our predators today.”

From calling livestock producers “welfare ranchers” to suggesting ranchers aren’t doing anything to protect their herds, many of the commenters were generally disdainful of the livestock industry, of which I am a member.

And it’s no wonder.

When Erik Molvar of the Western Watersheds Project tells the public the livestock industry “still dreams of driving large carnivores extinct once and for all” and is working to “further their goals of accelerating predator extinctions,” how are they to know he is telling a lie?

Those who believe his falsehoods –which are elevated by groups like Wyoming Untrapped – fund his anti-grazing organization and perpetuate the demonization of ranchers, continuing the cycle of conflict, with little interest or knowledge of the complexities on the ground or the science that doesn’t support the anti-ranching agenda.

Please see WILDLIFE on page 4

Get

When

Lund represents Wyoming

Ryann Lund of Freedom traveled to Mobile, Ala. on June 14 to participate in the 66th Distinguished Young Women National Finals June 22-24 at the Mobile Civic Center Theater.

Lund, who is a 2023 graduate of Tech Trep Academy and the daughter of Teri and Kelly Lund, is one of 50 representatives competing for $155,000 in cash scholarships and the opportunity to represent the program as the Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2023.

Following her selection as the Distinguished Young Woman of Wyoming, Lund began preparations for the national finals competition, which will include five categories of evaluation – scholastics, interview, fitness, talent and self-expression.

During her two weeks in Mobile, Lund will participate in team building activities, complete community service projects, interact with the Gulf Coast community through various events and engage in many hours of rehearsal in preparation for the three-night scholarship competition.

If selected as the program’s overall winner, Lund will spend the next year representing Distinguished Young Women across the country through various appearances and promoting the program’s national outreach initiative of Be Your Best Self.

The outreach program is designed to combat major issues facing children today including childhood obesity and high school drop out rates, as well as to encourage young people to take an active interest in their communities through service.

The outreach program consists of five elements – be healthy, be involved, be studious, be ambitious and be responsible.

Public comment encouraged

Gov. Mark Gordon is seeking public comment on proposed revisions to the state of Wyoming’s sage grouse core area protection map. The initial revisions were developed and are being proposed by the Sage Grouse Implementation Team (SGIT) subcommittee.

The original sage grouse core area protection strategy and map were developed in 2008, revised in 2015 and again in 2019. The core area map encompasses approximately 15 million acres of sage grouse habitat in Wyoming.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is considering significant land use amendments which may alter the management of sage grouse habitat on public lands. As part of this process, BLM will update its sage grouse habitat map.

It is the intention of the state of Wyoming this takes place in a collaborative manner to recognize and implement SGIT recommendations.

The SGIT subcommittee was asked to consider and review new science and data, and recommendations include input from conservation interests, private landowners, energy development officials, local government and state agencies.

These recommendations have been further informed by a series of meetings with seven local sage grouse working groups and interested parties over the past three weeks.

“Wyoming has a proven track record in sage grouse management and science,” said Gordon. “Public participation is essential, will inform my review, help identify areas where we can improve upon what is already working and better calibrate our overall approach.”

“The process we are using is the same process we have used from the inception of this program,” Chairman Bob Budd said. “Clearly, with the BLM responding to court decisions, their timeline is contracted, but we will continue to work with our partners and the public to maintain a transparent process including adequate opportunity for public comment. It remains our intent to make well-informed decisions to maintain sage grouse, their habitats and our economy.”

Written comments will be accepted through 5 p.m. June 28 through a Google form. The governor will issue a final version of the map to update his executive order.

USCA to hold meeting

The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) will meet in Reno, Nev. July 10-11 at the Silver Legacy Casino Resort for its inaugural Summer Business Meeting.

The USCA Board of Directors, committee leaders and other active association members will discuss organizational business and trending issues facing the U.S. cattle industry. Topics to be addressed include modernizing the Beef Checkoff program, the Bureau of Land Management’s proposed public lands rule and more.

The Summer Business Meeting will also host an “organizational bootcamp” workshop to provide training and insight on how USCA members can continue building a strong, untied voice for U.S. cattle producers on Capitol Hill.

Attendees will work on their recruitment and fundraising skills, as well as reviewing the organization’s foundational bylaws.

USCA would like to extend an invitation to the 2023 Summer Business Meeting not only to its producer members, but also to other cattlemen and women who have an interest in strengthening the U.S. cattle industry. The Summer Business Meeting will provide a forum for producers to add their voice to these important industry conversations.

For more information, visit uscattlemen.org/meeting_registration

USDA grants vaccine license

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB) has granted the animal health company Medgene a license to produce and market a USDAapproved platform vaccine to the pork industry.

The license applies to use of their platform technology to produce vaccines addressing disease targets such as rotavirus, porcine circovirus, influenza A and sapovirus.

Medgene’s vaccine approach leverages a USDA-approved “platform technology,” which is safe and easily adapted to multiple animal disease targets. The result is the development of vaccines and an understanding of how diseases move across species and geographies in a fraction of the time of traditional vaccine approaches.

Medgene announced their licensure on June 8 at the World Pork Expo, held on the Iowa State Fair fairgrounds, located in Des Moines, Iowa.

Medgene Chief Executive Officer Mark Luecke stated, “The pork industry’s importance to our nation’s food supply can’t be overstated. We’ve been working on getting the power of platform technology into the hands of pork industry veterinarians for many years. Our license means we can bring the safety, speed and value of this technology to work for the good of the industry.”

WYldlife Fund raffle announced

The WYldlife Fund, a nonprofit partner of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, announced they are holding a “Your WYldest Dreams Raffle,” which will support Wyoming wildlife and introducing youth to the great outdoors.

Thirteen prizes valued at over $150,000 will be available through the raffle, and 100 percent of proceeds will stay in the state of Wyoming. Raffle tickets can be purchased at e.givesmart.com/events/wwj/, and all tickets will be entered into all 13 drawings.

Raffle prizes include two Wyoming commissioner licenses with full-guide services for trophy elk or mule deer with SNS Outfitter and Guides and G4 Outfitters, a Bass Pro Shops UTV, a BlackTooth Excursions backcountry fly fishing trip, Little Jennie Ranch Outfitters backcountry fly fishing trip, SWARVOSKI OPTIK binoculars and a Jackson Hole EcoTour Adventures wildlife watching family adventure, among others.

Ryann Lund

Controlling a problem, not eradicating a species

A livestock producer seeking to control problem predators is not the same as wanting to eradicate a species.

Do you take action to control mice or rats in your home or use swatters or glue strips to control house flies or take action to kill houseplant pests and/or control mosquitos in your yard?

Just because an animal is found in nature doesn’t mean it doesn’t cause damage or it is unreasonable to take action to control damage.

Think about it from an urban perspective – from termites eating on a house foundation; flickers drilling holes in walls; bats congregating and depositing guano in an attic; ants infesting a kitchen; gophers digging holes in the yard; nesting ospreys starting fires and knocking out power lines; goose damage to public athletic fields, golf courses and town

PAIRS

parks, and the list goes on.

Just because humans seek to control damage caused by animals doesn’t mean anyone is seeking eradication of the species involved.

Don’t harbor ill will against livestock producers based on the assumption we’re animal haters who want to eradicate predators. It’s not true – you’ve been told a lie.

Using funding to control coyote damages

Now, back to the $4 million for predator control in Wyoming and the assumption the money is spent to kill coyotes to benefit livestock.

This ignores the rabies monitoring and control efforts undertaken by local predator boards – 21 percent of skunks removed in Sheridan County tested positive for rabies in 2021 – as well as numerous projects designed to enhance survival of sage grouse chicks and mule deer fawns; relocation of depredating eagles; reduction of

raven damage at industrial sites and congregating near landfills, educational activities and research on methods to reduce depredations by large carnivores.

Yes, the majority of the money is spent on coyote control, and this statement will generate responses such control is ineffective in the medium- to longterm, which is true. This is why coyote control happens every year.

The goal is not to eradicate coyotes, but to control coyote depredation on livestock and other wildlife in some cases.

Coyotes are one of the most successful and abundant predators on the continent, with distribution throughout North America, Mexico and into Central America.

The Canid Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature reports, “Localized control efforts have sometimes temporarily reduced population size but they quickly rebound

through migration and breeding, and coyote populations are generally stable or increasing in most areas.”

The group reports, “There are no current major threats to coyote populations throughout their range. Local reductions are temporary, and their range has been expanding. Conservation measures have not been needed to maintain viable populations. Coyotes adapt to human environments and occupy most habitats, including urban areas.”

New research on coyote control to benefit mule deer fawns mirror what livestock producers know about coyote removal from Western lambing grounds.

The researchers wrote, “We found consecutive years of predator removal increased survival of neonate mule deer more than a single year of removal. We also found removing coyotes from areas near fawn birth sites increased fawn survival, whereas removing coyotes from areas farther from birth sites did not influence fawn survival.”

The researchers noted

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their results “underscore the need for coyote removal programs to employ removal efforts over consecutive years to maximize effectiveness.”

Minimizing risk of predator harm

Although we use lethal control of predators as one strategy, it’s not our only strategy. We use dozens of non-lethal techniques to protect livestock. While we believe these techniques help minimize conflicts and reduce the amount of damage livestock suffer, lethal control remains an important tool as well.

Not every technique is used by every producer, and not every technique works for all situations.

As a comprehensive paper on coyote depredation noted, “Differences in the magnitude, nature and history of problems caused by coyotes, as well as the circumstances in which they occur, dictates a need for a variety of techniques and programs to resolve problems.”

While some animal advocates pretend any killing of a predator is indi-

Independent Banker magazine, the awardwinning monthly publication of the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), announced its fifth annual list of 40 Under 40 Emerging Community Bank Leaders. The award recognizes upand-coming innovators, influencers and civic servants who represent community banking excellence.

cation of a “war on wildlife,” it’s a false narrative. I think most would agree we don’t want a coyote snatching a small child from the front lawn or a black bear attacking children in the driveway of their home or a group mountain lions camping out under the deck of a house. We don’t want conflicts with wild animals, so we take steps to minimize risk of harm, stop the damage when it occurs and reduce the risk of future damage.

Disclaimer: I am an officer of the Sublette County Predator Board and the Wyoming Wool Growers Association, and I serve on the Predator Committee of the American Sheep Industry Association. I am not anti-predator, but I am anti-Western Watersheds Project.

Cat Urbigkit is an author and rancher who lives on the range in Sublette County. Her column, Range Writing, appears weekly in Cowboy State Daily. This column was originally published in Cowboy State Daily on June 6.

“ICBA congratulates Dusty Porter as we celebrate rising talent poised to shape the future of the community banking industry,” ICBA President and Chief Executive Officer Rebeca Romero Rainey said. “Porter’s dedication to his customers and community shines through. ICBA is proud to acknowledge his efforts and looks forward to watching his continued achievements and successes in the years ahead.”

“I’m humbled to have received this honor to be in the company of such a distinguished group of bankers and to represent Jonah Bank of Wyoming on ICBA Independent Banker’s 40 Under 40,” Porter said. “I’m thankful to be part of the Jonah Bank Family and to have the opportunity to work alongside my colleagues to make a positive impact in the lives of our customers and our community.”

Porter has been a member of the Jonah Bank Lending Team since early 2008. He has put in countless hours to develop and grow a zero-percent livestock loan program to help 4-H and FFA participants gain knowledge of livestock financing and improve their financial literacy. Many participants have continued to pursue a future in agriculture as young adults.

Porter is dedicated to helping his customers reach their goals and exemplifies the Code of the West by “doing what has to be done” and “taking pride in his work” every step of the way.

Endowment auction goes live

The second annual Wyoming State Fair (WSF) Endowment Auction will go live June 26.

The auction is only available online from 7 a.m.-6 p.m., and individuals will be able to bid on exclusive items to give them behind the scene access to their favorite shows at the WSF.

A sneak peak of auction items will soon be posted on WSF’s Facebook page.

For more information, visit wystatefair.com/eventcomplex/endowment/

Porter named in 40 Under 40

Dusty Porter

CROSSWORD

Wyoming Livestock Roundup Crosswords, created by Myles Mellor. Solution available in next week's Roundup. Mail your complete crossword to Wyoming Livesock Roundup, PO Box 850, Casper, WY 82602 for a special prize!

NCBA continued from page 1

allowed

tinues to not meet U.S. food safety and animal health standards.

plicate a producer’s ability to be profitable, while activist groups have a bigger agenda for producers.

ers off their land,’” stated Wilkinson.

However, Wilkinson added, “We are facing future industry challenges which include foreign animal disease, activist groups and federal regulations, and we need to wake up and work together to protect our rights as producers.”

“There is an agenda out there to put producers out of business. They are coming after all of us,” he stated.

Foreign animal disease

Wilkinson noted one of the biggest challenges U.S. producers face is animal disease.

Currently, producers’ livelihoods are being compromised by Brazilian beef imports as the country con-

Wilkinson pointed out Brazil’s history of failing to report diseases found in their herds in a timely and accurate manner.

“This poses a significant threat to both American producers and consumers, as consumers should be confident in the beef they purchase. Importing beef from Brazil needs to halt, as it will kill consumer faith,” he said.

Wilkinson continued, “The best way to stop Brazilian beef from entering the U.S. market is for producers to get involved.”

He encouraged producers to contact their local NCBA state representatives and voice their concerns on the issue.

Federal regulations

Federal regulations and government mandates com-

“Overregulation and costly litigation are funded out of the producer’s pocket,” said Wilkinson.

Wilkinson debated this issue on May 17, while testifying before the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry.

During the hearing, he discussed the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act, which was introduced in the House of Representatives earlier this year.

“The act claims to benefit checkoff organizations, while in reality, the policy inhibits a producer’s ability to market and promote their respective industries,” he noted.

“House representatives introducing the OFF Act and activist groups have a bigger plan for the industry ‘to move produc-

During the update, Wilkinson also explained, “What is happening is a conservative effort to move producers off of their land and put them out of business, but producers need to look beyond each issue and at the bigger picture.”

“We have to be ready to swing and protect our rights,” Wilkinson encouraged as he closed his speech, further noting issues are out there and producers need to come together and fight for the industry.

Wilkinson testified in May before Congress, addressing current issues producers are challenged with. He shared he is a true believer in NCBA and encouraged producers to get involved and let their voices be heard.

Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Reyes noted elk overpopulation impacts private property rights and the health of the rangelands on his private lands.

History of elk in southeast Wyoming

Charlie Farthing from Iron Mountain said his family has ranched in Wyoming since 1886, and they have been on the same property since 1903.

As the third generation on the ranch, Charlie has both children and grandchildren who are interested in continuing the family legacy.

“My grandfather never saw any elk, and my father didn’t see elk until the mid-1970s,” Farthing said. “These elk were planted on the Plumbago Canyon Ranch in 1976. Elk were transplanted out of Yellowstone by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) to a ranch off of Highway 34.”

Farthing noted, “Elk didn’t stay on the Plumbago Canyon Ranch.”

The original herd objective was 150 head, which increased to 300, 500, 800, to 1,000 and now up to today’s levels of 1,800 head.

Reyes called WGFD’s

model for managing elk a “failed model.”

“This is gross mismanagement by the WGFD,” Farthing said. “Instead of trying to manage or control the elk, the objective was raised. When we got to the next objective, the population objective was raised again.”

Current populations

In Hunt Area Six, WGFD has stated their objective population for elk is 1,800 head. Hunt Area Six is west of Highway 35, from I-25 to I-80.

“We’ve been after WGFD for at least the last two years, trying to find out how many elk are actually in Hunt Area Six,” Reyes said. “The population objective has moved in the last several years.”

After recent flight counts, Hunt Area Six has between 4,500 and 5,000 elk, according to WGFD counts, which costs Reyes hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, as a result of purchasing hay and leasing additional ground.

“Elk are affecting not only our hay crops and grass, but they impact the carrying

capacity we have for cattle,” Farthing said. “We have fences we fix every week to 10 days because of elk.”

Private property impacts

“I feel strongly about private property rights,” Reyes emphasized. “Every time we go over herd objectives, the WGFD is depriving landowners the opportunity of profitability.”

Over the last 20 years of drought, Reyes explained ranchers have been forced to make the choice of selling cows, leasing more land or buying more land.

“While we are taking these measures, elk populations keep increasing,” he said. “We’ve been taught to leave one-third of the grass behind and leave some aftermath in the meadows. Our practices have changed recently.”

Pastures set aside for calving or left with forage for the next year are destroyed by elk throughout the year.

“How can I manage a ranch if I don’t know how many animal units we have?” Reyes asked, noting each elk is approximately 0.6 animal units.

Solutions

While Reyes noted some progress has been made in

For more information on the June 5-6 meeting of the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Agriculture, State and Public Lands and Water Resources committee, visit wyoleg.gov. To hear the update on elk herds, view the June 6 recording beginning at 01:11:00.

conversations with WGFD over the last several years, he believes more progress must be made to avoid further costs to landowners.

In addition, Farthing said numerous meetings over many years have resulted in conversations about what WGFD cannot do and where their hands are tied.

Increasing elk tags will never address the problem, Hicks explained, partially as a result of private lands which create refuges in hunt areas.

“Licensing is not going to be able to fix this problem,” Reyes said. “The problem is public access.”

“All the good, responsible hunters can come, but if they don’t know the area, all that happens is elk are chased around and fences are destroyed,” he explained.

“We have the longest hunting season in the state of Wyoming,” Farthing said. “There are a tremendous number of cow tags, and they can’t sell them all. We need something to reduce elk numbers.”

Compensation

In an attempt to compensate, Hicks noted the task force looked at options like forage compensation.

“I think it was you, Mr. Reyes, who said, ‘I don’t want your money. I want to raise cows. Don’t pay me to raise elk when I want to raise cattle,’” Hicks commented. “We heard loud and clear we need to reduce the

Wildlife Task Force

In 2021, the Wyoming Wildlife Task Force convened to study top priority wildlife policy issues facing the state. The 18 members of the task force included Joint Ag Committee Member Sen. Larry Hicks of Baggs.

“We took considerable testimony and worked on this issue, as well as the other extraneous issues associated with it – like access,” Hicks said. “One of the biggest issues driving this, which the task force was unable to come to any resolution on, was the refuge-type situations existing all over the state where large, absentee landowners want their own national park at the expense of their neighbors.”

The Wildlife Task Force made recommendations after hearing testimony, and Hicks noted several options were provided, including unlimited landowner tags and other mechanisms to allow population control.

“We found out there is pretty broad public acceptance to allow landowners to have cow tags to control the populations,” Hicks said. “Our recommendation went back to the WGFD.”

However, Hicks noted, “There was not broad scale public support to allow landowners an unlimited number of bull tags. The public was pretty vociferous about bull tags.”

Other recommendations included removing limits on non-resident permits as necessary.

“There was also a recommendation to go to a regional type of elk license that the WGFD is working on,” he said.

Hicks continued, “The task force was also sensitive to other issues raised. Elk are a public resource causing private damage.”

elk populations.”

Reyes commented compensation would be helpful, but it isn’t the solution or the end goal, saying, “Let’s just get numbers down to where we manage elk.”

Farthing continued, at the end of the day, “I’m a cattle rancher. I don’t want compensation for elk. I want to raise cattle. We need to get

numbers under control.”

“If this isn’t addressed soon, we’re going to get to the point where it’ll be impossible to deal with elk,” he added.

Saige Zespy is a corresponding writer for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net or saige.zespy@gmail.com.

Wyoming Junior Hereford Association hosts Annual Field Day in Casper

The Wyoming Junior Hereford Association held their Annual Field Day June 9-10 at the Grace Werner Ag Pavilion on the Casper College campus. Landon Eldridge of Laramie and Austin Vieselmeyer of Amherst, Colo. evaluated the cattle exhibited by juniors from across Wyoming and surrounding states.

PRICES continued from page 1

Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana – across all weight divisions brought $84 to $91 per cwt more than they did during the 2022 Corn Belt Classic Sale.

“Regions three through six weaned calves moved at levels $15 to $25 higher than our auction two weeks ago as drought areas continue to shrink grazing demand grows along with lower costs of feed,” reads a Superior press release, published after the 2023 sale.

Steers of all weight divisions from Region two –Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado and Utah – brought $59 to $76 per cwt more than they did at the same time a year ago.

“Region one and two calves on cows were $50 to $70 higher than this time last year,” notes Superior.

“Heifers also shared in a strong market, moving at $10 to $20 higher. Program steers and heifers were also in strong demand with $20 to $25 higher, and beef

and dairy crosses were well received by a wide base of buyers at levels $12 to $18 higher,” Superior continues.

A promising future

While the Corn Belt Classic doesn’t encompass the entirety of future feeder calf prices or mark its peak, it does help producers, buyers and sellers understand the current market and give them an indication of what to expect in the future.

“This week’s sale benefited from longer-term optimism in the markets regarding tighter supplies, better weather conditions and expansion taking more numbers out of the feeder cattle and calf supply availability. In addition, the markets are also projecting cost of gain relief for cattle feeders,” states a recent CattleFax article.

“There simply aren’t enough feeder cattle in today’s market to keep up with demand,” shares Stewart. “Between the U.S. cow herd being culled to historically low levels because of prolonged drought and a lack of profitability, to the

brutal storms this late winter and early spring which put a big dent in produc-

ers’ calf crops, feeder cattle prices will soar as buyers fear they won’t get their

–

from

to

Reserve Champion Junior Showman Wynn West of Sheridan, Reserve Champion Intermediate Showman Sarah Birdsall of Torrington, Reserve Champion Senior Showman Sara Harfst of Sheridan, Champion Junior Showman Chloie Wardell of Sheridan, Champion Intermediate Showman Jhett West of Sheridan and Champion Senior Showman Saige Ward of Laramie. Lindsay Ward

orders filled.”

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyo-

ming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Champion Bred and Owned Female – Exhibited by Saige Ward of Laramie. Lindsay Ward photo

Reserve Champion Bred and Owned Female – Exhibited by Sara Harfst of Sheridan. Lindsay Ward photo

Reserve Champion Bull – Exhibited by Braden West of Sheridan. Lindsay Ward photo

Champion Cow/Calf Pair – Exhibited by Sara Harfst of Sheridan. Lindsay Ward photo

Reserve Champion Cow/Calf Pair – Exhibited by Saige Ward of Laramie. Lindsay Ward photo

Champion Owned Female – Exhibited by Sara Harfst of Sheridan. Lindsay Ward photo

Reserve Champion Owned Female – Exhibited by Samantha Campbell of Eaton, Colo. Lindsay Ward photo

Champion Market Steer – Exhibited by Wynn West of Sheridan. Lindsay Ward photo

Reserve Champion Market Steer– Exhibited by Halle Crozier of Buffalo. Lindsay Ward photo

Showmanship Champions

Pictured

left

right,

photo

Champion Bull – Exhibited by Samantha Campbell of Eaton, Colo. Lindsay Ward photo

Getting Started in Ag: Gaining Livestock & Livestock Services

A livestock enterprise offers many benefits. This is especially true in Wyoming, where it can be difficult to rely solely on crops as a source of income. Diversifying income streams and maximizing the use of available land resources provides a form of risk management.

Conversely, adding livestock can be an expensive undertaking. Prices for most classes of livestock, especially cattle, are at or near all time highs, and often require extensive capital investment in equipment, land and facilities. As a new or beginning producer, it can be difficult to cashflow the purchase of all the necessary components—land, livestock and facilities/ equipment—outright. Fortunately, creative

FOR MORE INFORMATION

mechanisms exist to help new and aspiring livestock producers enter the business without a large initial capital outlay.

YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION

It is important to thoroughly understand your overall financial situation before entering into any livestock purchase, lease or other agreement. This includes accurate, up to date records of receipts and expenditures, as well as a precise cash flow projection and income statement.

Proper planning through detailed budgets, especially partial and enterprise budgets, can help you make better, more informed buying decisions. Breaking operations into enterprise segments, each

Many resources are available for new and beginning producers interested in learning about different ways to enter the livestock business. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Beef Center (beef.unl.edu) is an important resource for all things beef cattle, covering a wide range of topics from management to leasing and more. Farmanswers.org also offers collections for new producers on a wide range of topics. Visit RightRisk.org for numerous tools, courses and other resources for learning to manage risk associated with the livestock business.

with a separate budget, can be an excellent way to identify strengths and weaknesses as well as opportunities for expansion with new enterprises.

ADDING A LIVESTOCK ENTERPRISE

Numerous options are available to add a livestock enterprise for most operations. First, there is the outright purchase option. This option involves the greatest risk in terms of price and production risk, among the alternatives discussed here. However, it can also provide the greatest return.

Livestock can be purchased directly from breeders or brokers. Working with an order buyer or service can help reduce any issues that inexperience might present if livestock are bought at auction. An ever increasing number of livestock, especially cattle, are sold remotely over the internet, presenting another purchase option.

If you prefer not to purchase outright, consider boarding or pasturing livestock on a fee basis instead. For example, if you have access to crop residue in the form of corn stalks but no livestock, an alternative to buying cattle would be to rent the stalks to a cattle owner. Pasture fees can be set by the acre, by the head or by the animal unit month (AUM), depending on what is customary in your area.

LEASING ARRANGEMENTS

Leasing livestock is another common way for new producers and those with limited financial resources to enter the business, without the large capital outlay required for outright purchase. Leases can be beneficial to established livestock owners who wish to remain in the business, but are unable to cover the daily management duties or are unwilling to shoulder all of the production risk involved.

James Sedman is a consultant to the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics in the University of Wyoming College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources, and John Hewlett is a farm and ranch management specialist in the department. Hewlett may be reached at (307) 766‑2166 or hewlett@uwyo.edu

Photo courtesy: John Hewlett, University of Wyoming, Farm/Ranch Management Specialist

Livestock leases can also provide benefits to the livestock owner as a mechanism to transition ownership to a new owner over time without incurring a large tax burden.

CASH AND SHARE LEASES

Cash and share leases are the two main types of leases. Cash leases are usually used when the owner of the breeding livestock gets paid by the lessee on a per bred female basis. The lessee then receives the offspring (calves, lambs, etc.) to market at the end of a production season.

For example, a cattle owner might lease to the lessee on a cash basis for $200 per bred cow, and the lessee then receives the resulting calf crop. Breeding animals, such as bulls, are often leased in this manner; it is often convenient for the lessee, who only needs these animals for the breeding season and otherwise has limited space available. Cash leases transfer the production and price risk directly to the lessee.

Livestock share leases, sometimes called rental arrangements, are typically a situation in which the livestock owner provides cattle to the lessee. The resulting offspring are shared on a percentage basis, depending on what each party contributes to

the agreement. Usually the lessee provides the land, labor, other supplies or inputs, and at least a portion of the management.

A livestock share lease can be a way for both parties to bear a portion of the production risk, depending on the agreement reached. Both parties are paid when the offspring are sold; this can be set ahead of time as a fixed percentage. For example, the owner takes 30 percent and the lessee 70 percent. Alternatively, the split may be set as a fixed number of head for each party.

It is important that all the important details are outlined in a written lease agreement. This can help reduce potential problems and ensure that both parties are working towards the same, mutually beneficial outcome.

KEY POINTS OF A LEASE AGREEMENT

There are a few key points to consider when entering into any kind of livestock lease. Most importantly, both parties must be comfortable with the terms before signing the agreement. In addition, a certain degree of trust and comfort with the other party can go a long way toward ensuring a good outcome.

Methods, operating style, type of agreement, marketing preferences and other aspects all play an important part in allowing each party to work together and depend on each other. This is especially true in a share lease agreement, where both parties are sharing in the risks of operation. Agreements should be in writing and updated at least yearly. Finally, the working agreement should be fair and equitable in its treatment of both parties.

RIGHTRISK ANALYTICS BUDGETING TOOLS

The RightRisk Analytics toolbox offers several tools covering budgeting, forage leasing, machinery costs, financial statements, record keeping and whole farm budgeting.

To view or download the toolbox, visit RightRisk.org and select the Resources tab.

Photo courtesy: John Hewlett, University of Wyoming, Farm/Ranch Management Specialist

June 17-18 World Famous 62nd Annual Woodchopper’s Jamboree and Rodeo, Encampment. For more information, visit woodchoppersjamboree.org

June 19 State Board of Land Commissions Public Executive Session, 2 p.m., Capitol Complex Auditorium, Cheyenne. For more information, visit lands.wyo.gov

June 19-21 Casper College Livestock Judging Camp, Grace Werner Agricultural Pavilion, Casper. For more information, contact Colby Hales at colby.hales@caspercollege.edu or 307-268-2040. To register, visit caspercollegee.edu/events/agjudging-camp

June 19-24

Boys 2023 Inspire a Kid Camp, Little Jennie Ranch, Bondurant. For more information, e-mail chris@thewyldlifefund.org or call 307-316-3863.

June 20 Wyoming Livestock Board Public Meeting, 9 a.m., Hampton Inn, Pinedale. For more information, visit wlsb.state.wy.us

June 21 University of Wyoming Sheridan Research and Extension Center Field Day, 8:30 a.m., Wyarno Farm. To RSVP, e-mail shrec@uwyo.edu or call 307673-2856.

June 26 Wyoming State Fair Endowment Auction, 7 a.m.-6 p.m., online. For more information, visit wystatefair.com/event-complex/endowment/

June 26-30 2023 American Salers Junior Association National Show, Fergus County Fairgrounds, Lewistown, Mont. For more information, visit salersusa.org

June 26-July 1 Girls 2023 Inspire a Kid Camp, Little Jennie Ranch, Bondurant. For more information, e-mail chris@thewyldlifefund.org or call 307-316-3863.

EVENTS

June 27-28 Nebraska Soil Health School, West Central Research, Extension and Education Center, North Platte, Neb. For more information, e-mail nheldt@unl.edu or call 308-632-1233.

June 29 Nebraska Extension Beef Systems 2023 Stocker/Yearling Tour, 8:30 a.m., Harrison, Neb. For more information, contact Erin Laborie via e-mail at erin. laborie@unl.edu or call 308-268-3105. To register, call the Sheridan County Extension Office at 308-327-2312.

June 30-July 2 Wyoming Wool Growers Annual Membership Meeting and Wyoming Sheep and Wool Festival, Kemmerer. For more information, visit wyowool.com

July 1 First Annual Sheepherders Come Bye, 6 p.m., South Lincoln Training and Event Center, Kemmerer.

July 1-8 2023 National Junior Angus Show, Grand Island, Neb. For more information, visit njas.info

July 1-10 Laramie Jubilee Days, Laramie. For more information, visit laramiejubileedays.org

July 3-6 2023 Beef Improvement Federation Symposium, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. For more information or to register, visit beefimprovement.org/symposium

June 22-23

Worland, WY

Visit Cattle USA for broadcasting and online bidding – auctions.cattleusa.com

3 Blk Cows, avg. 1432# $9900

3 Blk Cows, avg. 1412# $9700 Fabricius, Dale - Burlington

2 CharX Cows, avg. 1308# $10000 Coble, Mike - Burlington

1 Blk Cow, 1275# $9950

2 Blk Cows, avg. 1223# $9300 Fulfer, Makayla - Glenrock

2 Blk Cows, avg. 1310# $9950 Arnold, William - Basin

2 Blk Cows, avg. 1505# $9900 Sage Creek Land & Cattle - Worland

1 Red Cow, 1625# $9850 Paumer, Dave - Hyattville

1 Blk Cow, 1260# $9800 Lewton, Lonnie - Ten Sleep

1 Blk Cow, 1260# $9750

Bjornestad Land & Cattle - Manderson

2 BWF Cows, avg. 1425# $9700

Harvey, Scott - Thermopolis

1 Hrfd Cow, 1340# $9500

Durbin Creek Ranch - Thermopolis

2 RWF Cows, avg. 1363# $9400

3 Hrfd Cows, avg. 1357# $9150

Redland, R. Rolly - Basin

1 Blk Cow, 1275# $9200

Crumley, Chad - Burlington

1870# $11100

Hubbell, Mark - Deaver 1 Blk Bull, 2080# $10950 Sage Creek Land & Cattle - Worland 1 Hrfd Bull, 1795# $10500 COWS

Terry - Shell 2 Blk Cows, avg. 1205# $12600 3 Blk Cows, avg. 1397# $10100 2 Blk Cows, avg. 1383# $9600

Caines Land & Livestock - Hyattville 1 Blk Cow, 1635# $11650 2 Blk Cows, avg. 1623#

Blk Cow, 1590# $10250

Ramon - Powell

Blk Cows, avg. 1443# $10250 Crowfoot Ranch, Inc. - Worland 3 Blk Cows, avg. 1423# $10200

Creek LLC - Ten Sleep 2 Blk Cows, avg. 1228# $10050

1 CharX Cow, 1565# $9100

Weber, Landis - Thermopolis

2 Hrfd Cows, avg. 1525# $9100

HEIFERETTES

Brewster Ranch LLC - Ten Sleep

1 BWF Hfrette, 825# $16250

Baird, Jack - Thermopolis

2 Blk Hfrettes, avg. 1000# $14600 PAIRS

Karst, Rusty - Powell

2 Blk Pairs $2800/Hd.

Pindell, Jason - Powell

13 Blk Pairs $2720/Hd.

8 BWF Pairs $2400/Hd.

B&W Cattle

• Upcoming Sales • June 29 – All Class Cattle, Sheep & Goat July 13 – All Class Cattle July 27 – All Class Cattle, Sheep & Goat Aug. 10 – All Class Cattle Aug. 24 – All Class Cattle, Sheep & Goat

Northern Livestock Video Auction Early Summer Special, 866-616-5035, northernlivestockvideo.com

July 6 Cattle Country Video High Plains Showcase Sale, Goshen County Rendezvous Center, Torrington, 888-322-8853, cattlecountryvideo.com

July 10-12

July 22

July 24-26

Western Video Market, Silver Legacy, Reno, Nev., 530-347-3793, wvmcattle.com

South Dakota Sheep Growers Association Premium Yearling Ewe Sale, Magness Livestock Auction, Huron, S.D., 406-581-7772, sdsheepgrowers.org

Northern Livestock Video Auction Summertime Classic, 866-616-5035, northernlivestockvideo.com

Aug. 8-9 Cattle Country Video Oregon Trail Classic Sale, Gering Civic Center, Gering, Neb., 888-322-8853, cattlecountryvideo.com

Aug. 14-15

Aug. 21-22

Western Video Market, Little America, Cheyenne, 530-347-3793, wvmcattle.com

Northern Livestock Video Auction Early Fall Preview, 866-616-5035, northernlivestockvideo.com

POSTCARD from the Past

Compiled by Dick Perue rrichardperue@gmail.com

Today is Father’s Day



Father also has a day set aside for him 

SALES Big

Don’t forget dad – let this Father’s Day be your day of showing appreciation for him 

Thus proclaims the headline and subheads in the June 15, 1930 issue of The Cheyenne Citizen followed by the accompanying column: Roughened hands, a stooped, toil-worn figure, rundown heels and a shabby coat with frayed cuffs, days in the heating sun or the blighting cold, long hours of overtime when the irresponsible might gather and make merry – all of these things and more must have been in the mind of the founder of Father’s Day.

Daily, these unsung heroes by the thousands – too often poorly fed and poorly clad – leave for the offices, banks, stores, mines and factories of this country to return in the evening to homes, often cheerless and ill-kept.

But finally, someone with vision saw with appreciation the things our fathers have been doing. And so, the second Sunday in June was set aside as a day to honor fathers for all they have sacrificed for mothers and their children.

It is characteristic of the sentiment long given credence in America Mother’s Day was established before it occurred

to anyone fathers must have their day too.

But, as time goes on, Father’s Day is observed more and more, and finally it will take its place in the calendar where it should.

Fathers will be honored and acclaimed on the second Sunday in June, while mothers will be recognized on the second Sunday in May.



Another article in the June 15, 1926 Wyoming Reporter reads:

Father’s Day

The third national observance of Father’s Day will occur throughout the U.S. today.

Come to think of it, fathers need a special day to let this hectic world of ours know they are still an “honored institution,” entitled to their share of love, reverence and filial obedience, for the old time conception of fathers has become terrible dimmed to say the least

in this rapid day of an age which seems to have gone pleasure mad as it wallows around in the maelstrom of the Great War’s inevitable reactions.

Yes, undoubtedly a father’s status has undergone a great change as compared to what it was in the past.

Dandelion is flower

The dandelion is the national Father’s Day flower. It was chosen first by the Martin Callener Bible Class of Williamsburg, Pa. The thought prompting the choice was the dandelion always springs up again, bright when stepped on.

Judging by the interest shown last year, Father’s Day will be celebrated most extensively this year. It is at home where dad is made happiest on his day.

Last year, it was just like Christmas to him, with showers of neckties and other gifts, so for those who are one of the fortunate and have a father living, give him a tie or some other little gift and wear a flower in his honor, to let him know of your love and esteem for him. – Wheeling Register of West Virginia.

Have a Happy Father’s Day!

LLC - Scottsbluff

3 Blk Pairs $2450/Hd.

Father and son enjoy a great day of fishing on the Upper North Platte River as it runs through Saratoga. Early 1900s photo from Dick Perue/Bob Martin collection. Historical Reproductions by Perue

MARKETS

Compiled from USDA Market News Service information and other sources

FOR THE WEEK ENDING June 16, 2023

WEEKLY CATTLE AUCTIONS

FOR THE WEEK ENDING May 24, 2019

USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News, Torrington Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News, Greeley, CO

As of June 9, 2023

Compared to last week traditional slaughter lambs 1.00-4.00 lower, others firm to 15.00 higher, instances 20.00 higher on lambs over 90 lbs at San Angelo. Slaughter ewes mostly steady to 10.00 higher. Feeder lambs not well tested. At San Angelo, TX 9,235 head sold in a two day sale. Equity Cooperative Auction sold 460 feeder lambs in California. Western Video sold 1025 feeder lambs in California and 500 feeder lambs in Idaho. In direct trading slaughter ewes and feeder lambs not tested. 3,568 lamb carcasses traded with no trend due to confidentiality. All sheep sold per hundred weight (CWT) unless specified.

Slaughter Lambs: Choice and Prime 2-3

San Angelo: wooled and shorn 125 lbs 168.00.

Ft. Collins: wooled and shorn 100-110 lbs 200.00.

South Dakota: wooled and shorn 100-130 lbs 165.00-185.00..

Billings: wooled and shorn 100-115 lbs 191.00-194.00.

Equity Coop: no sales.

Slaughter Lambs: Choice and Prime 1-2

San Angelo: hair 40-60 lbs 226.00-245.00; 60-70 lbs 220.00-

235.00; 70-80 lbs 196.00-228.00; 80-90 lbs 200.00-223.00; 90100 lbs 190.00-222.00, few 225.00. wooled and shorn 55 lbs

230.00; 60-70 lbs 228.00-230.00, few buck lambs 279.00; 70-80 lbs 208.00-230.00, few buck lambs 261.00; 80-90

mixed age hair 95-140 lbs 122.00-148.00/cwt.

Ft. Collins: no test. South Dakota: no test.

Billings: yearlings 130-140 lbs 80.00-102.00/cwt; young 162 lbs 68.00/cwt; middle age 133 lbs 45.00/cwt. Sheep and lambs slaughter under federal inspection for the week to date totaled 35,000 compared with 29,000 last week and 33,000 last year.

Source: USDA AMS Market News, San Angelo, Texas

National Wool Review

As of June 9, 2023

Domestic wool trading had no confirmed trades reported this week. Prices reflect trades FOB warehouse in original bag or square pack, bellies out, some graded, and 76 mm or longer. No allowance made for coring, freight, or handling fees at the warehouse level to reflect net grower prices. Wools shorter than 75 mm typically discounted .10-.20 clean. Classed and skirted wools usually trade at a .10-.20 premium to original bag prices. Australian Wool Exchange

lbs 194.00-212.00. hair 65 lbs 190.00; 71 lbs 180.00; 107 lbs 165.00. Slaughter Ewes

San Angelo: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) hair 60.00; Good 2-3

(fleshy) 60.00-84.00, hair 84.00-108.00; Utility and Good 1-3

(medium flesh) 74.00-88.00, hair 106.00-116.00; Utility 1-2

(thin) 62.00-88.00, hair 70.00-112.00; Cull and Utility 1-2 (very thin) hair 68.00-84.00; Cull 1 30.00-60.00.

Ft. Collins: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) 70.00-98.00; Good 2-3

(fleshy) 65.00-92.50; Utility 1-2 (thin) no test.

South Dakota: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) 40.00-55.00; Good

2-3 (fleshy) 45.00-70.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) 40.00-65.00; Cull 1

As of June 15, 2023

C Compared to the last report, all reported forages sold steady on a thin test. Very limited supply of old crop hay still available. Who would have thought most of the state would be wet, so wet in some areas that producers cannot get first cutting of alfalfa down let alone think of it drying. Per NASS: barley emerged is at 80%, corn planted at 91%, edible beans 31% planted, sugarbeets emerged at 67%.. Eastern Wyoming Alfalfa Pellets 15% Suncured 390 Western Wyoming

Alfalfa - Premium Small Square 3 Tie 300

Alfalfa - Fair/Good Large Square 3x4 220

Alfalfa Cubes 380

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News Torrington Nebraska Hay Summary

As

Compared to last week, new and old crop hay sold steady. First cutting alfalfa has been slow to kick off in some areas of the state. Most of first cutting is baled in the east, just getting a good start in the central and the west is waiting for the rain showers to stop for everyone to get started.

Notice

NOTICE: Publication in this newspaper does not guarantee the legitimacy of any offer or solicitation. Take reasonable steps to evaluate an offer before you send money or provide personal/financial information to an advertiser. If you have questions or believe you have been the victim of fraud, contact the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Unit, 109 Capitol Building, Cheyenne, WY 82002, 307-777-6397 TFN

Help Wanted

MADDUX CATTLE CO. FOREMAN NEEDED to develop stocker steers and replacement heifers in the backgrounding yard, on cornstalks, irrigated pasture and range. We offer a superior benefits package and competitive salary. Call 308-636-8175 or visit www. madduxcattle.com, e-mail resume to mdxranchjobs@ gmail.com 7/1

MTC LOGISTICS HAS

PART-TIME DRIVER POSITIONS AVAILABLE FOR DRIVER CLASS B & A CDL

IN CASPER (downtown area) AND WORLAND, WY: Must have clean driving record, no felony record and able to pass extensive background check and drug test. Class B license also required, $28/hour. E-mail resumes to dingoboy6342@ yahoo.com or call Matt, 801641-4109 6/17

RANCH/FARM HAND WANT-

ED: Year-round, full-time position. Housing included with arrangement. Utilities paid by employee. Couple preferred and both would be employed. Pay $100-220/day. Call 775224-3283 or e-mail clairsjr@ yahoo.com 7/1

FARM HAND NEEDED with equipment and haying experience. Pivot system operation a plus. Year-round employment for the right person. Wage is hourly with benefits, DOE. Call Kim, 307-3500350, Farson, WY 6/24

HOT SPRINGS COUNTY

WEED & PEST DISTRICT IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF WEED AND PEST DISTRICT

SUPERVISOR: The position is in Thermopolis, WY. Send letter of application, resume and 3 references by June 27 to Hot Springs County Weed & Pest District, PO Box 543, Thermopolis, WY 82443. For additional information, call 307-864-2278 or e-mail hscwpcd@rtconnect.net. Hot Springs County Weed & Pest is an EOE 6/24

FARM MANAGER WANTED:

Expertise in pivot sprinkler irrigation, operation and maintenance of farm equipment.

Farm planning, planting, harvest, etc. Self-motivated. Full time. Must relocate to southeast Wyoming. Housing will be provided as well as other benefits. Send resume and references to faughtck58@ gmail.com or call Kirk, 307247-1190 6/17

SUMMER HELP WANTED: Haying and fencing. Call 605-3473403 or 605-499-9088 6/24

Services

Services

Brands

WYOMING BRAND FOR SALE: Paid through January 2033, RSC, RSH, $2,000. Call 307-851-4099 6/3

WYOMING BRAND FOR SALE: LHC, dues paid to 2033, no irons, $2,500. Call 307-746-5557 6/24

REGISTERED WYOMING BRAND FOR SALE: 94. LHC, LSS, LTH. Renewed to Jan. 1, 2033. $3,500. Call 830-481-0845 6/17

Dogs

AKC LAB PUPPIES: All colors available, whites, blacks, yellows, dark chocolates and dark reds. Excellent hunters, family companions. Full AKC registration. Shots, wormed, dewclaws removed. All puppies are cute, but it’s what they grow into that counts. Not all Labs are the same. Proud to own!! Been raising quality AKC Labradors for 25-plus years. Look at the rest but buy the best. Both parents on site for viewing. Will sell quickly!! $200 deposit, picking order is when the deposit is received. Doug Altman, Mitchell, S.D. Call/text 605-999-7149, click the our Labs tab on the website for pictures, www. southdakotayellowlabs.com WILL DISCOUNT!! 6/24

FIVE PUREBRED WELSH

CORGI PUPPIES: Tri-colored, 9 weeks old, 4 males and 1 female. Ready to go. $1,000 each. For more information, call 406-686-4058, 406-224-1806 or 636-699-5305 6/24

BROWN FAMILY FARMS LP/ TIMBERLINE STOCK RANCH

HEELER PUPS FOR SALE: Reds and blues. Call 406-8552211 or 406-855-6237 6/24

WORKING BORDER COLLIE

PUPPIES FOR SALE: Born March 30. Located in Powell, WY. Parents onsite. Asking $500 OBO. For pictures or more information, call 307899-3533 6/17

WETSTEIN SHEEPADOO-

DLES!! Eight weeks old on June

6. Standard size Old English sheepdog and poodle F1. Will have first shots, mother on site, raised in home, been around children since birth. Mom is registered, dad can be registered if need be. Two males and 3 females available. Black and white are $2,000, black are $1,800. Call 406-860-2284 or e-mail wetstyn@yahoo.com. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds 7/1

Dogs

KELPIE CROSS PUPS FOR

SALE: Mother is a working purebred kelpie and father is a working cross of border collie/ Idaho shag. Both parents know how to take time off from work and be a family dog as well. Mother is more inclined to work the head but heels too. Father is predominantly a heel dog. They mind commands very well and are loyal partners. There are 2 pups available, $400 each. Call Kindle, 406-202-1826 6/17

YOUR FAMILY AND PROPERTY PROTECTORS ARE WAITING!! We have beautiful guardians just wanting and waiting to make you their priority!! Please don’t postpone your next best friend, companion and protector. $1,000. Have been raising these fantastic LGD for 48 years. For more information, call 406-207-7674 6/17

Cattle

We have LOTS of hunters and we pay top $$ to ranchers. DCPC Varmint Hunts Est. 1992

Call Dick • 406-366-3858

Angus

SimAngus

FOR SALE BY PRIVATE

TREATY: Semen tested yearling SimAngus bulls. Moderate birthweights with added performance. Jordan Cattle Company, Hulett, WY. Call for more information 307-660-1380 7/8

Angus

FOR SALE: 70 head of 2-year-old Black Angus heifers with Black Angus calves. Call Ron Hoffman, 307-9211544 7/8

REGISTERED YEARLING

BLACK ANGUS BULLS FOR SALE BY PRIVATE TREATY, 449 Carroll Lake Rd., Laramie, WY. PAP, BVD and fertility tested. Sires include: Deer Valley Wall Street, Page All Profit 9604, Page Blackfoot 7760, GAR Ashland, WXW Timberline and Worthington All Profit 576. Call to preview anytime. Page Angus Ranch, Page Family Limited Partnership. Call Tom Page, 307-7608429. EPDs on Facebook @ Page Angus 6/24

REGISTERED BLACK

ANGUS YEARLING AND 2-YEAR-OLD BULLS: Private treaty, large sire groups, performance and fertility tested, delivery available. TRANGMOE ANGUS RANCH, Glendive, MT. Call 406-687-3315 or 406-989-3315 6/24

COMMERCIAL BLACK

ANGUS BULLS FOR SALE

Yearlings and twos. We select for fertility, milking ability, calving ease, gain and disposition. Reasonably priced. Call Shippen Angus 307-856-7531

BULLS FOR SALE

Registered Yearling and Two-Year-Old Black Angus Range Bulls for sale Private Treaty. Good selection for heifers and cows. From popular sires & industry leaders including Spur, Rito 707, Encore and others. Semen tested & ready to go. www.claycreek.net

Clay Creek Angus • 307-762-3541

Longhorn

RED ANGUS HIGH-ELEVATION YEARLING BULLS FOR SALE IN NORTHEASTERN UTAH: Out of AI and bull-bred sires. Will be trich and semen tested, $2,000/ head. Bar Lazy TL Ranch, David, 435-828-1320, barlazytlranch@gmail.com 6/24

REGISTERED YEARLING

Submersible Pump Specialist

Scott Blakeley, Owner ppr@pronghornpump.com www.pronghornpump.com

(307) 436-8513 • Cell: (307) 267-1022

AGRI-ONE FINANCIAL: Farm/ ranch and all commercial loans.

RATES AS LOW AS 5%. We have been helping with all aspects of agricultural, commercial financing and management for years. LET US HELP YOU on a consulting level with management to increase profitability, deal with and fix credit problems and for all your financing needs. WE CARE AND HAVE WORKING PROGRAMS designed for the farmer/rancher and not the banker. Please call Steve, 303-773-3545 or check out our website, www.agrionefinancial.com. I will come to you and get the job done!! 6/17

PUREBRED GREAT PYRENEES PUPPIES: Born Easter 2023. Great livestock protectors. Never aggressive toward humans or livestock they are acclimated to. These females have spent time with chickens, guineas, cats, turkeys, sheep, goats, cows and other dogs. They are looking for homes where they have space to do their job. Located in Wheatland, WY. $750 each. Call or text Anthony at 307-331-3427. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds 7/1

RED ANGUS BULLS: Low birthweight and semen tested. Call 307-247-2296 6/17

Red Angus Herefords

REGISTERED TEXAS LONGHORNS FOR SALE: Gentle pairs, trophy steers, heifers, solid and colorful bulls. Foraging, hardy, low-maintenance cattle. Horn Showcase championship lines for show, beef and pasture ornamentation with traffic stopping colors and excellent horns. Easy cattle accustomed to simple handling, great for youth. Westhaven Ranch in California, 209-2749917, e-mail swestmoore@ gmail.com or visit www.westhavenlonghorns.com To view photos, go to www.wylr. net in the classifieds 7/1

Herefords

Gene Stillahn: 307-421-1592

Wagyu

THREE YEARLING WAGYU BULLS FOR SALE: 100% Wagyu, not registered. Call 308249-0562, 308-249-2373 or 308-254-5780 6/24

weights on your baldy calves through the heterosis factor. Come early to select your top bulls!!

2-Year-Old Registered Limousin Bulls

RIDE, WORK, ROPE AND PLAY!! Great selection of: Quality GLOVES, mohair CINCHES, wool saddle PADS and blankets. OVER 300 bits in STOCK!! It’s ALWAYS a great day to SAVE on BOOTS: HONDO, BOULET, JUSTIN WORK BOOTS, TWISTED X (boots and shoes) and more!! WE CAN ship!! Shop Moss Saddles, Boots and Tack, 4648 West Yellowstone Highway, Casper, WY; 307-472-1872. Our family serving yours for 50 years!! Check us out on Facebook or our website 6/24

LS CUSTOM LEATHER: Belts, tack, cell phone cases and much more!! Contact Lester, 307-6311053, leave a message. Located in Riverton, WY 7/1

OROGRO 307: Get the best of your crop!! All Natural and Organic Humic and Fulvic Acid Chelated Mineral Fertilizer. Made in Byron, WY. Restores the soil and enhances all other fertilizers and WILL NOT settle or clog your sprayers. Call Noel, 307-250-9092 6/17

24' Free Standing Panels

5’ High 7 Rail

5’6” High 8 Rail

Delivery and Truckload Prices Available Big Horn Livestock Services, Inc. 307-851-1634 • www.bighornlivestock.com

Irrigation Systems

The choice is simple.

Good time management is essential to farming success. That’s why more farmers are turning to T-L center pivot irrigation systems. Hydrostatically powered, T-L’s simple design gives you the low maintenance time, cost, safety and reliability to let you manage your farm instead of calling electricians or replacing gearboxes. Simplify your complex world and make irrigation easier on you.

SUMMER PASTURE NEEDED FOR 60-100 COW/CALF PAIRS. Good references. Call 605-3473403 or 605-499-9088 6/17

PASTURE WANTED for 2,000 yearlings and 500 pairs. Can split into smaller bunches. 701-5231235 7/29

YEARLING PASTURE WANTED for 1,500 head steers/spayed heifers for 2023 and beyond. Take all or part, smaller places okay. CO, WY, OR and ID preferred. Competitive rates, reference available. Call or text Jon, 831-240-5795 7/1

Clinic

August 4 - 6, 2023 Circle T Arena Hermosa, S.D.

Classes: Foundation & H1 $550/per class/per rider FMI call or text Lori at 605-415-8701

FOR SALE: 2002 APHA black and white overo mare along with 2023 sorrel and white overo stud colt, born April 30, 2023. Registration application is up to date. Can send pictures of sire’s papers, Hotshot Hancock Three and the dam's papers, E K Delaney, along with the pictures of dam's 2021 black and white filly. The breeding on this mare goes back to Dry San Peppy, Peponita, Poco Bueno, Doc Bar and Tanner McCue. Mare stands 14.3 HH. Stallion stands 16

HH. The mare has been pasture exposed to the same stud. Asking $4,000 for the pair. For more information, call 701-641-9933. To view photos, go to www.wylr.net in the classifieds 7/8

MINIATURE HORSES FOR

SALE OR TRADE: Pretty lawn ornaments, sweet and gentle. One stallion, 2 mares and 1 two-yearold colt. Call or text Tuesdays, Thursdays or Fridays, 307-2582175. To view photos, go to www. wylr.net in the classifieds 7/8

PRQHBA IS NOW TAKING

CONSIGNMENTS FOR WELL

BROKE RANCH AND ARENA

TYPE HORSES AS WELL AS

YOUNG STARTED PROSPECTS!! If you are looking for a great place to meet new prospective buyers and have a funfilled weekend, please join us in Broadus, MT the first weekend in September. WE OFFER ONLINE

INTERNET BIDDING FOR ALL

SALE HORSES CONSIGNED. All accepted consignments are eligible for online internet bidding at no extra cost. All ride horses are eligible to compete for the PRQHBA futurity saddles. CONSIGNMENTS WILL CLOSE JULY 1 For more information, call 406427-5420 or 406-853-3554 6/24

GRASS SEED FOR SALE: Manifest wheatgrass, Manska wheatgrass, Cache Meadow Brome, good germination, $3.90/lb. Call Big Horn Seed Company, 307-202-0704 or 307-645-3322 TFN

THREE SEMI LOADS ALFALFA/

GRASS MIX AND 8 LOADS ALFALFA: First cutting, net-wrapped rounds. Hemingford, NE. $225/ ton. Call 307-421-9116 7/8

VALLEY VIDEO HAY MARKETS, LLC: New crop of alfalfa available soon. Go to www.valleyvideohay.com or call Barry McRea, 308-235-5386 7/1

WANTED: STANDING HAY, damaged wheat straw, alfalfa, CRP or cornstalks. ALSO LOOKING FOR pivot leases or meadow ground. Southeast Wyoming, western Nebraska or northern Colorado. Call for competitive rates, 307-214-5290 307-6303046 6/24

HAY FOR SALE: 2023 alfalfa, alfalfa/grass mix and intermediate grass. ALSO, 2 loads of 2022 CRP grass mix, cut early, good green. All in net-wrapped round bales. Semi load delivery available. Call for pricing, 701-6908116, please send a text if no answer or keep trying 7/8

BENNY HERNANDEZ IS IN THE AREA AND HAS PLENTY OF HELP TO CLEANUP AND HOE YOUR CROPS. Call 307431-7160 6/17

1971 KENWORTH W9, Cummins 400 with an Eaton 13 speed transmission, wet kit, no tank. In good condition, clean title, $8,500. Call or text 307-389-4070 7/8

FOR SALE: Rawhide large portable corral, WW hydraulic chute. ALSO, 2021 John Deere C500 MoCo, only cut 60 acres. R2800 Vermeer hydraulic rake. Kramer 14 bale retriever. Call 605-842-5515 6/17

FOR SALE: 1983 GMC GENERAL DUMP TRUCK, V6-92 Detroit with 10 speed, $10,000 OBO. Located in Rawlins, WY. Contact Steve Hays, 307321-1713 7/1

FOR SALE: Shelbourne CVS 32 stripper header, good fingers, 60-70 hook up, $20,000. Call 719-691-5280 6/17

QUICK SLEDGE HYDRAU-

LIC POST POUNDER for skid loader, $5,000. Call 307-7156184 6/24

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE: White 30’ disk; John Deere 960 26’ cultivator; Lawson 12x30 double drum land aerator; 3 John Deere 9600 combines; New Holland 1075 balewagon; John Deere 567 baler; CIH 8570 3x3 baler; Massey Ferguson 2190 4x4 baler; Freeman pull type 3 string balers; Vermeer R23 rake; CIH 1015 pick-up header; New Holland 357 grinder mixer; Modern Mill (mix mill) feed mill; Freightliner grain truck; Freightliner sleeper truck; WS sleeper truck; Ken worth crane truck, 18 ton, 82’; WS 90 bbl vac truck, Pete 80 bbl vac truck; IHC 80 bbl vac truck; Wilson 53x102 tri axle cattle pot; Cat 262D skid steer; Mobile Tech 9 yd. volumetric concrete mixer; Degelman 570 rock picker. View equipment at www.bigskyeb.com. Call 406-254-1254 6/24

2019 JOHN DEERE 560M ROUND BALER: In good working condition, has 9,000 bales on it. Large flotation tires. Net wrap and twine tie options included. $40,000 OBO. Near Pinedale, WY. Call 307-3609386 7/1

TWO THUNDERBIRD WHEEL LINES, one is about 1,000’ and the other one is 940’. Complete with movers and 5” pipe, extra pipe and parts. Already disassembled. In good condition, $3,500 each. Call 307-250-7358 7/8

RANCH AT MELVILLE, MT, SWEET GRASS VALLEY:

DBL TREE TRACTOR RESTORATION LLC: Tractors, stock trailers and flatbeds, total repair, sandblast and paint. Call Mike, 406-930-0720 6/17

LODGEPOLE PRODUCTS, 307-742-6992, SERVING AGRI-BUSINESSES SINCE 1975!! Treated posts, corral poles, buck-and-rail, western rail, fence stays, rough-sawn lumber, bedding. SEE US at www.lodgepoleproducts. com and click our “Picking A Fence Post” tab to see why folks choose our posts!! TFN

IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT FOR SALE: Two used Wade Rain wheel lines, new in 2000. 5” pipe, 5’ wheels, 40’ pipe. Well maintained. Includes inlet or center feed, hose, end plug and valve opener so irrigation ready. As is, you dismantle and haul. 1,720’ long, $9,000. 1,560’ long, $8,600.

Two Nelson P200 Big Guns on carts for 6” ringlock pipe. Includes cart, $1,500 each. Approximately 1/3 mile A&M 6” ringlock Series 55 aluminum pipe. 6”x30’ pipe. Selling as is, pipe stacked, ready to go $135 each pipe. Call 406-6004146, Bozeman, MT 6/17

OILFIELD PIPE: RPJ Enterprises, Inc. 2 3/8, 2 7/8, 3.5, 5.5, and 3/4” sucker rod is available. Used for fencing, corrals, cattle guards, etc. 2 3/8 and 2 7/8 are on average 31.5’ long per joint. 3.5” and 5.5” are 42+ lengths. Pierce, CO. Call for details, 970-324-4580 8/26

PIPE FOR SALE!! 2 7/8, 3 1/2 tubing, 4” drill pipe, 4 1/2 casing, 5” casing, 7” casing. Rods 3/4, 7/8 and 1” located in Montana, can ship anywhere. Call Mike, 602-758-4447. To view

Beneath the majestic Crazy Mountains lies 1,410 acres that have been under the same ownership for over 90+ years. 840 acres irrigated. Sweet Grass Creek flows through the ranch providing cover for wildlife and fishing. A full complement of improvements plus 2 homes. Call for pricing. Sidwell Land & Cattle Co., Richard Sidwell, 406-861-4426, 406-322-4425 or e-mail sidwell@sidwellland.com 6/24

OREGON RANCH, Baker City, Baker County, OR. The Alder Creek pasture contains over 2,000 acres of native spring, summer and fall pasture. The rangeland is situated just east of Baker City, OR. The property is in good condition and has good perimeter fencing. The range is gently south facing slope with a variety of native grass. FIRST TIME OFFERING at just over $500 per acre for deeded and contiguous ownership, $1,095,000. Give us a call at 541-523-4434, Intermountain Realty, Inc., Greg Sackos, Principal Broker, James Dunlap, Broker, www.intermountainland. com 6/17

COUNTRY LIVING ON THE EDGE OF TOWN, STERLING, Newer ranch style home, 5 bedroom, 3 bath, many upgrades with an open floor plan, 3,800 sq. ft., lots of storage. Large barn with indoor riding arena, 6 heated stalls, wash bay, tack room, indoor hay storage, bathroom. Outdoor riding arena, 3 runs, 3 corrals, 3 loafing sheds, dog run/kennel, RV hookup. 42.25 acres, recently surveyed, 3 adjacent parcels available for sale. Call Steve Robinson, Real Estate Broker Associate, 970-6315023, A. Stephen and Company, Inc 6/17

On June 9, the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) held its annual Awards Luncheon just before closing the 2023 Wyoming Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show.

Clifford P. Hansen

Scholarship

The Clifford P. Han-

WSGA annual award winners recognized at summer convention

sen Memorial Scholarship is given in remembrance of Sen. Clifford Hansen, and the memorial scholarship was established through contributions received in memory of Hansen and other departed WSGA leaders.

WSGA believes continuing education is an

important asset for youth, and this year, the association recognized two outstanding students pursuing an education related to Wyoming agriculture and/ or natural resources, Gracie Keiter and Jackson Kirkbride.

“The Clifford P. Hansen Memorial Scholarship serves as a reminder of the dedicated leadership provided to WSGA and the state of Wyoming by past and current leaders of our industry,” stated WSGA Executive Vice President Jim Magagna during the ceremony.

Environmental Stewardship Award

lished in 1878 and is currently owned by the Gates Family.

Mark Dunning serves as ranch manager for Big Creek Ranch, where he oversees the cow/calf and yearling operations.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department explained Big Creek Ranch has been an integral partner in managing aquatic and terrestrial resources in the Platte Valley for many decades.

Scholarship recipients – Gracie Keiter, left, and Jackson Kirkbride, center, received the Wyoming Stock Growers Association’s (WSGA) Clifford P. Hansen Memorial Scholarship, which recognizes outstanding students pursuing an education in agriculture and/or natural resources. WSGA President David Kane, right, presented the students their awards. Courtesy photo

WSGA’s Environmental Stewardship Program and Award partners with the Wyoming Department of Agriculture and recognizes Wyoming cattlemen whose natural resource stewardship practices contribute to the environment and enhance productivity and profitability.

According to WGSA Marketing and Communication Director Olivia Sanchez, “Each year, a different Wyoming ranch is chosen based on these qualities.”

According to the Saratoga-Encampment-Rawlins Conservation District, Big Creek Ranch’s stewardship practices focus on adaptive rotational grazing, ranching conservation projects and cooperation with local conservation initiatives.

Outstanding Rangeland Professional

Additionally, WGSA awarded their Outstanding Rangeland Professional Award to Rod Litzel from Johnson County Weed and Pest. WSGA’s Region Three Vice President Leif Hanson offered Litzel his award.

Preserving agriculture – Kelly Crane, associate dean and director of University of Wyoming Extension, received the Wyoming Stock Growers Association’s (WSGA) 2023 Guardian of the Grasslands Award, to recognize the time and effort he has put in to preserving Wyoming’s agriculture industry. Pictured from left to right are WSGA Executive Vice President Jim Magagna, Kelly Crane and WSGA President David Kane. Courtesy photo

Celebrating stewardship – Big Creek Ranch, located in Encampment and owned by the Gates family, was the 2023 recipient of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association’s (WSGA) Environmental Stewardship Program Award. The ranch has focused on managing aquatic and terrestrial resources in the Platte Valley for decades.

WSGA President David Cane and Executive Vice President Jim Magagna, pictured on the right, presented the family with their award. Courtesy photo

PITTS continued from page 1

their grandparents punch cattle or competing on the baseball diamond, they return home to do it all over again every evening.

Hunter and Gauge are also actively involved in their 4-H club, Heartland, and spend a week every summer attending 4-H camp. Hunter notes 4-H camp is his favorite part of being involved in the organization.

“My favorite part of 4-H is going to 4-H camp because I get to hang out with my friends, and we do a lot of fun activities there,” he said.

Looking forward to fair

Fair week is the pinnacle of excitement for the majority of 4-H kids, who spend their entire summer anxiously awaiting and preparing for the big event.

Like many fellow exhibitors, Gauge and Ruger agree going to county fair is their favorite part of showing cat-

tle, although they each like it for different reasons.

“My favorite part is going to fair because we get to show our animals, make money and play at the carnival,” said Gauge.

“My favorite part is winning stuff,” added Ruger.

After months of preparations, the boys will head west to Evanston for the Uinta County Fair, held July 29 through Aug. 5.

Hunter and Gauge will show two market steers a piece, respectively named Post Malone, Haystack, Socks and Something In The Orange.

Ruger will show his white-faced heifer Indigo in the open breeding show, and baby brother Bo will offer his best moral support.

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@ wylr.net.

This year, WSGA honored Big Creek Ranch of Encampment as the Environmental Stewardship Award winner. Big Creek Ranch was originally estab-

Litzel has been employed with the Johnson County Weed and Pest since 1988 and is a district supervisor.

Guardian of the Grasslands WSGA also presented their Guardian of the Grasslands Award.

Outstanding Rangeland Professional – Johnson County Weed and Pest District’s Rod Litzel was honored by the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) as the 2023 Outstanding Rangeland Professional. Pictured from left to right are WSGA Executive Vice President Jim Magagna, Rod Little and WSGA President

This honor is given to an individual who has put time and effort into preserving Wyoming’s agriculture industry, and this year’s award was given to Kelly Crane, associate dean and director of University of Wyoming Extension.

Crane stated, “I would like to thank Dennis Sun

for nominating me. Much of my professional success can be attributed to the mentorship and experience of Dennis and many other WSGA members.”

Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Precipitation leads to increased flows

According to Natural Resources Conservation Service data, on average, the Big Horn River Basin receives 2.74 inches of precipitation during the month of June. June 2023 has seen above average precipitation throughout the southern Montana and northern Wyoming region.

The Big Horn River Basin has already received 3.33 inches of rain as of June 12, not even halfway through the month.

Due to the high levels of precipitation, inflows to Yellowtail Dam are expected to peak above 16,000 cubic feet per second (CFS), and in response, releases are scheduled to increase from the current release of 8,000 CFS to between 11,000-12,000 CFS by June 20.

“Reservoir levels and river flows were in line with Yellowtail Dam operating criteria through May. Snowpack was melting off early with below average precipitation. However, the precipitation in the last two weeks added a lot of water to actual and forecasted inflows. This increase is needed to manage current and projected inflows, reservoir levels and utilization of flood control space in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,” said

Montana Area Manager Ryan Newman.

Bureau of Reclamation (BuRec) has been in contact with partners to discuss the increased flows and potential impacts regarding the needs of the reservoir to safely pass this event. Additionally, if the wet weather pattern continues the rest of June and into July, there is a potential for the flows to increase beyond 12,000 CFS based upon inflow volumes to the reservoir.

“While we understand the increased flows may be a challenge to people recreating, boating or fishing in the area, we must emphasize the importance of managing reservoir operations for flood control and safety. Visitors to the Big Horn River and surrounding areas should use caution and practice water safety recommendations like wearing a life jacket and not swimming alone,” said Newman. BuRec will continue to release updated information concerning flow rates as they are evaluated and changed.

For more information about Yellowtail Dam water supply and projected operations, visit usbr.gov/gp/lakes_reservoirs/wareprts/main_ menu.html

Preparing for fair – Eight-year-old Gauge, pictured with his uncle Colten Wakley, has been spending the summer preparing his two market steers for the Uinta County Fair, which is his favorite part of being involved in 4-H. Courtesy photo

Carrying on the tradition – Ten-year-old Hunter Pitts is the oldest of four boys and the beginning of a new generation carrying on the family tradition of raising and showing cattle. Courtesy photo

A family affair – Fiveyear-old Ruger will show his white-faced heifer Indigo in the open breeding show at Uinta County Fair this summer. Ruger notes his uncle Colten Wakley, pictured, helped him pick Indigo from his grandpa’s herd. Courtesy photo

WSGA continued from page

(APHIS) proposed rule to use electronic identification (EID) ear tags as official identification (OID) in cattle.

Turner explained APHIS announced its proposal to amend animal disease traceability regulations in January, which currently requires any animal – with a few exceptions – crossing a state line to have visual OID and documentation.

The comment period for the proposal closed on April 19 following a 30 day extension, and USDA received 2,004 comments during this time.

Under the proposed rule, official ear tags would have to be both visually and electronically readable for interstate movement of certain cattle and bison.

“The proposed rule says visual-only ID will no longer be approved by APHIS as OID,” Turner said. “All animals currently wearing visual-only ID will be grandfathered in over the course of their lives. We didn’t want to immediately discount IDs that are already in ears, so we realize there will be a transition period.”

APHIS also proposed the revision and clarification of record requirements related to cattle and some of the terminology used in the rule.

Turner explained one

revision which has been proposed is removing the term radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags to broaden the scope of approved EID.

“We didn’t want to specifically hitch our wagon to RFID,” he stated. “We wanted to be broad enough for all EID because there are other technologies being invented, and who knows what will come out over the next five years.”

Another proposed revision to the rule is to clarify the definition of an approved tagging site – where the tag is applied and not where the tag is identified – as well as the definition of dairy cattle, which currently includes any animal born to an identified dairy breed dam.

“There is a lot of business right now in beef/dairy crosses. Many of those animals are considered beef animals under 18 months of age, and they don’t need OID under the current rule,” Turner explained. “The proposed change to the definition clarifies dairy cattle are any animal born on a dairy farm or to a dairy dam.”

Readily available records

The last notable change included in the proposed rule is ensuring vet records are readily available in the instance of an emergency trace.

“We would prefer electronic records but we aren’t going to require them in

Board meeting scheduled

The Wyoming Air Quality Advisory Board will hold a public meeting July 11 at 9 a.m. The meeting will be held in person at 200 W. 17th St. in Cheyenne on the third floor in room 313, as well as virtually via Zoom. Those interested in attending the meeting online must register at deq-wyominggov.zoom.us/meeting/register

During the meeting, the Air Quality Division will request the board’s consideration on proposed changes to Wyoming Air Quality Standards and Regulations (WAQSR) including Chapter Two, Ambient Standards; Chapter Three, General Emissions Standards; Chapter Four, State Performance Standards for Specific Existing Sources; Chapter Five, National Emission Standards; Chapter Eight, Nonattainment Area Regulations; Chapter 11, National Acid Rain Program and Chapter 14, Emission Trading Program Regulations.

The Air Quality Division will provide the board with updates on current activities and topics pertaining to air regulation which may affect Wyoming.

The public may comment on all matters during the board meeting. The comment period is currently open and will run through July 11.

All oral comments made during the meeting will become part of the administrative record.

Written comments will also become part of the administrative record if they are signed by the commenter and submitted to Nancy Vehr via fax to 307-635-1784.

Electronic comments may only be submitted by filling out the public comment form provided at aq.wyomingdeq. commentinput.com?id=NeSu9HfWY. E-mail comments will not be accepted.

Copies of the agenda, public notice and proposed rule changes are available for public inspection at the Department of Environmental Quality Air Quality Division office or electronically at deq.wyoming.gov/aqd/rule-development/proposed-rules-and-regulations/

Questions regarding the meeting can be directed to Amber Potts at 307-777-2489.

For additional information, contact Nancy Vehr at 307777-3746.

the rule. We just want them to be sufficient, complete and accurate,” Turner said. “Currently, if records are incomplete or insufficient there is nothing in the current rule to say what they have to contain or that they need to be complete to get a trace done.”

Therefore, he noted, the new rule will require records to be available within 48 hours upon request or those keeping the records will be penalized.

“In most cases, these kinds of traces happen much faster, but we wanted to set a time stamp to work from,” he said.

Following concern from an audience member regarding the potential risk for producer privacy, Turner explained USDA uses a very specific set of random numbers in their database, which they do not share with anybody else.

He also noted the federal government does have some movement records on file, but for the most part, they are safekept in individual states along with premise ID numbers.

During a panel discussion later in the morning of June 9, the topic of database privacy came up again.

Wyoming Livestock Board (WLSB) President Steve True explained since Wyoming’s state veterinarian works under the livestock board, WSLB would be the holder of records at the state level.

Additional concerns

Other overarching concerns, expressed several times throughout the convention, were supply and availability of EID tags and tag retention.

Turner noted because there have been huge supply chain issues with ear tags in the past, USDA has specifically, clearly and repeatedly approached manufacturers with the question of if they can handle the challenge.

“Last year in New Orleans, we flat out asked them if they would be able to do it if we need this many cattle tags, if we need this many cattle tags plus pig tags and if every other manufacturer went out of business. They all told us, ‘Yes, no problem,’” he said.

“We are not going to be putting producers in a position where we force them to comply with a federal rule requiring a product that is not available,” True stated.

Turner noted tag retention is also a valid concern, since there are a lot of variables affecting how long an ear tag will stay in an animal’s ear.

“Companies are showing us their tags have a 99 percent retention rate for the criteria we have set forward in their studies,” he said. “When we have new companies approach us with brand new devices that have never been used before, we actually want to see it work well. It needs to not melt in Phoenix, and not break to

pieces in Cutbank, Mont.” Industry support

Although there were still several concerns regarding USDA’s proposed rule, WSGA’s panel expressed their general support for beef traceability.

“I think what we need to understand is they are not talking about requiring national OID for the sake of having national OID. They are talking about requiring a national OID for the sake of animal health traceability,” stated WSGA President David Kane.

“My concern, the reason I want the protection, is because I am a selfish guy,” he continued. “I am worried about our industry and how disease will affect it. I see this rule as insurance protection for my ranch, the state of Wyoming and even the Western U.S.”

South Dakota Cattleman and NCBA President Todd Wilkinson reiterated the importance of being able to trace animals in the wake of a disease outbreak.

“The projections we’ve heard say the U.S. would take a $228 billion hit if there were a foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak,” he said. “I don’t have an unlimited bank account so I won’t be standing after that. I just don’t think we can afford it.”

WSGA held a business and board meeting following the presentations on the last day of the convention. During the meeting,

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the association amended and passed their traceability rule.

According to WSGA Marketing and Communications Director Olivia Sanchez, the most significant change was to make traceability a voluntary program.

“Whereas WSGA recognizes the critical role an appropriate traceability system can contribute to assuring the health of our cattle herd and marketability of our high-quality beef and whereas a national EID system, if properly developed with producer input, can best achieve these goals, therefore be it resolved, WSGA will support development of a voluntary EID system that meets the following criteria,” reads WSGA’s new policy.

The criteria outlined by WSGA says the system must provide maximum protection against the disclosure of EID information to any outside parties and its use for any purpose other than disease traceability except as authorized by the owner of the livestock and is compatible with the use of the same RFID tags for cattle marketing purposes unrelated to animal health.

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@ wylr.net.

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Market Report • June 14, 2023

Another good run of weigh up cows today, with fat cows still in high demand. Feeding cows steady to slightly lower due to the bigger runs of cows. Bull market still very strong. Thank you and we appreciate your business!

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by Lee Pitts

What Were They Thinking?

What were those adventurous vagabonds who came west 150 years ago thinking when, in the first 400 miles of their journey from the Platte River to Fort Laramie, they saw 12 graves to the mile, documented by shallow graves and crosses made from bedposts, wagon boards and double trees?

I don’t know about you, but I’d have given serious consideration to doing a quick about-face and running back home to momma.

How did past generations survive without childproof

lids on pill bottles or seatbelts in vehicles? The teeth marks in the rails of the family crib, which was painted with leadbased paint are still visible, yet here I am 71 years later and not yet totally demented or deranged.

When I think of the busy roads, avenues and streets we darted in and out of on our bikes, not always following our mother’s advice to “look both ways,” it’s a miracle most of us survived. Especially considering our miniature and not fully developed brains weren’t cushioned,

insulated and sheltered from our own stupidity by the nowmandated hard hats.

Was life simply worth less a couple centuries ago when mothers often gave birth to a dozen or so kids knowing several of them would die before they reached the age of five from eating lye, falling down wells or from scarlet fever, smallpox, polio, the grip, dropsy or other diseases which no longer strike fear in households?

Were mothers having “extra kids” or “spares” to insure there would be enough help during harvest or was their loss just considered “shrink,” as if kids were a steer on the hoof? Did mothers love their kids any less than they do now?

What were African American slaves thinking when they were put on the auction block and sold like cattle or

swine? And, how did one man ever get it in his head he had the right to “own” another human being? Even Native Americans owned slaves.

What were those brave young men thinking when they stormed the beaches of Normandy and saw fellow soldiers being mowed down in front of them? Were they simply better men than we?

And, what were American grunts on the ground in Vietnam thinking as they got sprayed by their own planes with cancer-causing Agent Orange and then came home to an ungrateful nation?

I wonder what it was like in the Old West to order up a bride from a catalog not knowing who would step out of the stagecoach. And, what did the women think when they ended up with a toothless, alcoholic loser?

I suppose it’s no different

than having an Internet relationship nowadays. But, still.

What was my mom thinking when she got my brother and I a chemistry set for Christmas with dozens of small bottles filled with dangerous chemicals, including acids I used to etch the number of my Cub Scout troop on my mom’s favorite furniture?

Did the remote possibility of having your child become the next Marie Curie, Alfred Nobel or Louis Pasteur outweigh the higher probability of having your house blow up because your rugrats accidentally built a bomb?

After John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth, did it make every simple Sunday drive which followed seem rather mundane? Did a speech writer back home at NASA write Neil Armstrong’s now-famous soliloquy when he stepped on

the lunar surface for the first time and called it, “One small step for man?”

And, where did Alan Shepard get the golf club he used to hit a golf ball further than anyone had ever hit one before? Did he yell “Fore?”

What was the “risk versus reward” ratio when the first man ever hopped on the back of a bull to ride him? What makes a person want to drive 300 miles per hour? And, why did those in charge of building the Golden Gate Bridge wait until 23 men had fallen to their death before they thought to put up a net to catch them?

Did we discount the value of human life in the past? Were lives just worthless?

The answer lies in a newspaper headline from long ago which reported on the loss of life in an accident as, “Fatal, but not serious.”

Environmental Protection Agency keeps fighting on Biden's Waters of the U.S. rule

Despite a significant loss in the Supreme Court which will likely require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to rewrite the Biden administration’s Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule, the agency filed an appeal seeking review of a preliminary injunction against the rule in 24 states.

Appeal filed in years-long battle

On May 26, the Supreme Court sided with Michael and Chantell Sackett in their ongoing wetlands battle with the EPA.

In particular, the court ruled the agency has no legal basis to use the so-called significant-nexus test when

making Clean Water Act determinations. The significant-nexus test is the backbone of the Biden administration’s rule, meaning the administration likely has no choice but to withdraw and rewrite the rule.

On the same day as the court’s ruling, the Biden administration asked for and received an extension to June 29 of a court deadline in the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota.

This court issued a preliminary injunction, stopping the EPA from enforcing the rule in 24 states.

On June 12, EPA filed an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Cir-

cuit in St. Louis asking for review of the preliminary injunction.

So far, the Biden administration has given no indication of its intentions with the WOTUS rule.

This injunction is in effect in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously the significantnexus test used by the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers was illegal.

A turning point in determining EPA’s reach EPA Administrator Michael Regan issued a statement following the court’s ruling, saying in part, the decision “erodes longstanding clean water protections.”

Regan added, “The Biden-Harris administration has worked to establish a durable definition of ‘WOTUS’ which safeguards our nation’s waters, strengthens economic opportunity and protects people’s health, while providing the clarity and certainty farmers, ranchers and landowners deserve.”

“These goals will continue to guide the agency for-

ward as we carefully review the Supreme Court decision and consider next steps,” he continued.

The Sackett case is considered by many experts to be a turning point in determining the reach of the Clean Water Act (CWA).

Writing the majority opinion in the May 26 ruling, Justice Samuel Alito said the CWA’s reach was far narrower than EPA and the Corps of Engineers have interpreted for years.

“The EPA, however, offers only a passing attempt to square its interpretation with the text and its ‘significant-nexus’ theory is particularly implausi-

June 13 Market Report • 861 Head Sold

ble,” Alito wrote. He said the definition of WOTUS is more limited.

“And, in any event, the CWA never mentions the ‘significant-nexus’ test, so the EPA has no statutory basis to impose it,” Alito stated.

The Sacketts have been battling the EPA since 2007 for the right to build on land the agency has deemed to be a wetland. Their property sits on a lakefront and they’ve argued there is no surface connection between the lake and their land.

Todd Neeley is a DTN staff reporter and Lincoln, Neb. native. This article was originally published in Progressive Farmer on June 12.

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