Volume 32 Number 9 • June 27, 2020
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The Weekly News Source for Wyoming’s Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net
A Look Inside
FSA provides details on Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
Water flows to Goshen County following a tunnel collapse last July................................ Page 7
During the weeks beginning June 8 and June 15, the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) hosted a series of webinars outlining the details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).
WJHA Field Day showcases top youth and Hereford cattle... .......................................Page 8 African horse sickness is a critical disease to keep out of the U.S........................ Page 14 UW Extension provides financial tools to help producers calculate COVID-19 impacts.......... .....................................Page 16
Quick Bits U.S. Drought For the contiguous 48 states, the U.S. Drought Monitor showed 25.45% of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 23.36% a week earlier. Drought now affects 28,576,488 people, compared with 24,037,964 a week earlier. For all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, the U.S. Drought Monitor showed 21.36% of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 19.61% a week earlier. Drought now affects 31,380,803 people, compared with 26,746,999 a week earlier.
CFAP According to USDA, CFAP is a financial assistance program for producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a five percent or greater price decline or who had losses
due to market supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. CFAP uses funding and authorities provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Fam-
ilies First Coronavirus Response Act and other existing USDA programs to provide the $19 billion to directly support agriculture producers as well as the Farmers to Families
Please see FSA on page 15
Wyoming’s premier summer event A full Wyoming State Fair planned for August
Despite months of canceled concerts, rodeos and festivals, Wyoming residents can still look forward to the state’s premier summer event – the Wyoming State Fair (WSF), slated to take place Aug. 11-15 and jam-packed with twinkling carnival lights, deep-fried food and some of the most competitive livestock shows in the region. Although actually being able to attend the big event
may be the most exciting aspect for some, WSF attendees will be welcomed by some charming new changes this year. “We are so excited we are able to have the fair this year, because for awhile we didn’t know how things were going to shake out,” states WSF Manager Courtny Conkle. “We Please see FAIR on page 5
Corn Prices Favorable weather forecasts across the Corn Belt on June 25 raised prospects of a bumper crop, weighing July corn futures down by 0.0125 cents per bushel to $3.23. September corn futures followed 0.015 cents per bushel lower to $3.255. Cash corn prices fell at two Illinois processing plants on June 24 but rose three cents per bushel to five cents under July futures at an Iowa processor.
Soy Futures New coronavirus cases across the globe sent global stocks tumbling on June 25, dragging soybeans with them. July soybean futures dropped 0.0125 cents per bushel to $8.695. July soyoil futures traded 0.12 cents per pound lower to $27.53 and July soymeal futures shed one cent per ton to $286.6.
Wheat Exports New crop wheat export sales are expected to range between 9.2 million and 23.9 million bushels in the June 25 export sales report. The U.S. shipped 14.2 million bushels of wheat to international customers as export demand early in the year attempts to keep up with USDA’s 950 million bushel forecast for the 202021 marketing year.
It’s a go – The Wyoming State Fair is scheduled to take place Aug. 11-15 and will offer a week full of live music, parades, rodeos, exciting entertainment, diverse vendors and competitive horse and livestock shows. Hannah Bugas photo
Volatile markets
Continued monitoring of sheep markets is critical In a recent installment of American Sheep Industry Association’s (ASI) Lets Grow webinar series, Livestock Marketing Information Center Senior Agriculture Economist Jim Robb made clear producers should continue to monitor the volatile lamb market situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic and drought across the U.S. and other sheep producing regions. “First of all, I want to stress the importance of sharing accurate data with USDA. This is where I retrieve most of the data for my presentations,” Robb stressed. “I know a lot of producers don’t want USDA to know their exact lamb crop, but research funds are allotted based on this data, and we could be missing out on a lot of potential research for the industry if we aren’t honest about numbers.” He continued, “People in D.C. don’t know our industry and will make decisions based on the data on hand at USDA.” Monitoring the environment Robb noted volatility is inherent in the sheep market. “This is a hand and mouth market,” he explained. “From the consumers and restaurants to the packers, people don’t buy ahead and prices run up or Please see SHEEP on page 14
Stewardship Day proclaimed On June 23, Gov. Mark Gordon signed a proclamation declaring July 16 as Wyoming Environmental Stewardship Day, during a virtual ceremony in Cheyenne. Every year, the Wyoming Environmental Stewardship Day marks the date of the Environmental Stewardship Tour, hosted by the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) and the Wyoming Department of Agriculture. The annual event showcases the conservation efforts of that year’s award recipient. This year’s award is sponsored by Audubon Rockies. This year, the Double 8 Ranch, established by the Richardson family in the 1870s, is the award recipient. “The Double 8 Ranch has shown for generations that stewardship and ranching go hand in hand,” said Dusty Downey of Audubon Rockies. The Double 8 Ranch will celebrate this prestigious award and Wyoming Environmental Stewardship Day with their community on July 16 in Elk Mountain. They will also be recognized at the 2020 Wyoming Cattle Industry Convention & Trade Show in Rock Springs on Aug. 28 in the presence of WSGA members and ag industry leaders. “It’s a real joy when you get to go to these other states and talk about the producers we have here, the heart we have and just the work ethic and joy we have in our state,” stated Gordon. For more information about the WSGA Environmental Stewardship Program, please contact Olivia Sanchez at the WSGA Office at olivia@wysga.org or 307-638-3942. More information about the program can be found online at wysga.org.
Vaccination practices discussed Preparing calves to remain healthy throughout summer turnout and setting them up for success for the rest of their career, whether that be as a replacement female in a cow/calf operation or to enter the feedlot, heavily relies on pre-weaning vaccination practices. Dr. Ben Abbey of Beaverhead Veterinary Clinic in Dillon, Mont. and Dr. Dan Goehl of Canton Veterinary Clinic in Canton, Mo. discuss the importance of an effective pre-weaning vaccination program to overall herd health as well as marketing practices for producers in the June 18 webinar presented by BEEF Magazine.
Vaccination preparation Both veterinarians begin by stressing the importance of preparing calves to respond positively to any vaccinations they might receive. Nutrition and following vaccination guidelines are critical to the effectiveness of the vaccine. “Vaccination done poorly can actually be a detriment,” said Goehl. Nutrition is specifically important to the calf, especially when the ultimate goal is producing and selling pounds of beef. “Providing calves necessary requirements will ultimately affect the pocketbook
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Please see VACCINE on page 6