August 15, 2020

Volume 32 Number 16 • August 15, 2020

®

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

A Look Inside Cleaning and storing eggs properly is important when collecting from backyard flocks..... ...................................... Page 4 Western Governors’ Association is launching a new annual invasive grass management toolkit. ........................... Page 6 UW’s Jeremiah Vardiman encourages producers to look for blister beetles in hay. .......... ...................................... Page 7 Test your knowledge with this month’s crossword puzzle........ .................................... Page 15

Quick Bits U.S. Drought

For all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, the U.S. Drought Monitor showed 28.76% of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 27.98% a week earlier. Drought now affects 53,309,441 people, compared with 52,408,593 a week earlier.

Annual forages planted in late summer can be used as fall feed Dry conditions throughout the nation are challenging producers to consider options for growing additional forage to provide feed for their livestock through fall and winter.

The significant lack of precipitation has impacted forage production from perennial dryland hay fields as well as yields from winter and spring annual forages.

“Dry conditions and

forage shortages are prompting many producers to consider what other annual forages can be planted with what remains of the summer to grow additional feed,” state University of Nebraska-

Lincoln (UNL) Extension Beef Educator Aaron Berger and UNL Extension Range and Forage Specialist Dr. Jerry Volesky.

During an episode of Please see FEED on page 5

Leaders in agriculture Annual Agriculture Hall of Fame Picnic honors four of Wyoming’s finest A gathering of some of Wyoming’s finest ag personnel took place at the 2020 Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame Picnic at Riverside Park in Douglas on Aug. 12 to celebrate the induction of Brad Boner and Jack and Diana Berger into the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame and to recognize Marissa Cornelison as the Wyoming Ag in the Classroom (WAIC) Educator of the Year.

The picnic was hosted by Farm Credit Services of America, the Wyoming Livestock Roundup, University of Wyoming (UW) Extension and Clark and Associates Land Brokers..

Several notable individuals, including Gov. Mark Gordon and First Lady Jennie Gordon, Rep. Liz Cheney Please see PICNIC on page 16

Meat exports

U.S. pork exports jumped sharply higher in the first half of the year, reflecting a big increase in exports to China.

Total pork exports in the first half of the year, not including variety meats, were estimated at 3.797 billion pounds, 817 million pounds or 27.4% higher than a year ago. Beef exports in the first half of the year were 1.376 billion pounds, 113 million pounds or 7.6% lower than a year ago.

Most of the decline was due to the sharp reduction in shipments in May and June.

FSA Funds

On Aug. 10, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced organic producers and handlers can apply for federal funds to assist with the cost of receiving and maintaining organic certification through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). Applications for eligible certification expenses paid between Oct. 1, 2019 and Sept. 30, 2020 are due Oct. 31, 2020.

Soy Futures

The nation’s second-largest soybean harvest on record, reported Aug. 12, did little to suppress rising prices as demand forecasts for the new crop year, as well as demand from end users, increased.

September soybean futures rose eight cents per bushel to $8.885 while new crop November futures added 8.5 cents per bushel to $8.915.

September soyoil futures eased four cents per pound to $31.52 while September soymeal futures sky rocketed $4 per ton higher to $286.2 on Aug. 13 on rising livestock demand.

Agriculture honorees – Four of Wyoming’s finest ag leaders were recognized at the 2020 Agriculture Hall of Fame Picnic. Pictured from left to right, standing in the back: Laurie Boner, Brad Boner, Ed Seidel, Barbara Rasco, Sen. John Barrasso, Rindy West, Andrea Sun-Zink, Garrett Horton, Nikki Cowley, Michelle Butler, Rep. Liz Cheney, First Lady Jennie Gordon, Gov. Mark Gordon, Diana Berger and Jack Berger. Kneeling in front: Rachel Derner, Jillian Balow, JoAnn True, Marissa Cornelison and Jordan Tierney.

CFAP Update USDA announces more inclusive CFAP application and extends deadline Pandemic relief programs have been rolling out payments to producers, with rumors a fourth coronavirus assistance program could be on its way.

In addition, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Aug. 11 nearly 60 new livestock and commodities eligible for payments under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) as well as an extended deadline for applications.

CFAP to include mature sheep Leaders in the sheep industry, including the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) and the National Lamb Feeders Association (NFLA), asked legislators in late June to include replacement and cull ewes in CFAP eligibility, as losses exceeded the five percent or greater price decline threshold.

“Our industry continues to suffer greatly, and USDA’s ability to respond to current and future losses have proven insufficient,” reads their letter to Congressional leaders. “Our initial estimated economic impact to the American sheep industry forecasts a Please see USDA on page 14

Ag women recognized Nineteen Wyoming women were honored for their contributions to the state’s agriculture industry with Heart of Agriculture Awards during a special program Wednesday, Aug. 12 at Riverside Park in Douglas during the Wyoming State Fair (WSF).

The recognition ceremony, originally scheduled during the University of Wyoming (UW) Extension’s Excellence in Ag Seminar in May, had been postponed due to COVID-19.

Nominations were reviewed by a member of UW Extension, along with members of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA), Wyoming Wool Growers Association and Wyoming Farm Bureau.

Honorees received a certificate and a metal “Wyoming Heart of Agriculture Honoree works here” gate sign.

The 19 honorees include, Robin Carter of Albany County, Valerie Murray of Big Horn County, Nancy Tarver of Campbell County, Diana Berger of Carbon County, Rachel Grant of Converse County, Pat Frolander of Crook County, Timmery Hellyer of Fremont County, Morgan Cross-Shoults of Goshen County, Terry Wilson of Hot Springs County, Connie Lohse of Johnson County, Kendall Roberts of Laramie County, Corby McGinnis of Lincoln County, Marcia Campbell of Natrona County, Rhonda Pfister of Niobrara County, Elsie Wagler of Park County, Nancy Foy of Platte County, Jeannie Lockwood of Sublette County, Mickey Thoman of Sweetwater County and Nancy Darnell of Weston County.

Rendezvous City Roundup celebrates beef Central Wyoming College (CWC) is proudly hosting the Rendezvous City Beef Roundup Aug. 29 in Riverton. The event will bring beef consumers and producers together to celebrate the benefits and sustainability of beef production, provide educational opportunities for the public and present a steak tasting to crown a producer with “The Best Beef in Wyoming.”

Promoting beef producers “The Rendezvous City Beef Roundup is a whole day dedicated to Wyoming beef,” says Tyler McCann of Wyoming Cowboy Cuts, assisting CWC with the event. “We want to promote what CWC is doing with the mobile slaughter unit and showcase Wyo-

ming beef producers.”

“This event is so important for Wyoming and for Fremont County,” says McCann.

“This is an opportunity to educate consumers and promote beef producers in the area.”

McCann explains people are often unaware of who processes and sells their home-raised beef. More so, consumers who are new to directly-marketed beef are unaware of the process.

“Inevitably, we sell a whole or a half of a beef, and we are asked to cut it all into ribeye steaks,” says McCann. “Consumers are always looking to learn more about the products they buy and eat, and this is a great

periodical

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Please see BEEF on page 15

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 16 • August 15, 2020

Lots Of Action During the last week of July, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) held their Summer Conference in Denver, complete with a full agenda.

While I was not able to attend, I’ve seen plenty of information that From the came out regarding topics discussed and Publisher agreed upon. This information reflected Dennis Sun lots of action brought on by long days of meetings. In the end, there was an agreement on a five-year plan. They also identified a policy to help resolve concerns about live cattle market issues and ways to increase profits for producers.

This policy was hard to reach an agreement on, as it took nearly six hours to complete. As we all know, it is a tough issue, and producers have little control of over much of this issue.

Kim Brackett, the Beef Industry Long Range Task Force chair said, “The industry objectives are the corner posts of this long-range plan. To support each of those objectives, we created six core strategies. Those core strategies are beef exports, consumer trust, developing/implementing better business models, promoting beef, the business and political climate and safeguarding and cultivating investment in our industry.”

This task force really laid out some aggressive targets.

NCBA President Marty Smith said, “The policy decisions we made this week show the grassroots policy process at work.

We had tremendous turnout for this year’s summer meeting, clearly demonstrating that cattle producers needed the opportunity to meet in person to hammer out solutions to these important issues.”

He went on to say, “The policy we passed today is the result of every state cattlemen’s association coming together to work through their differences and finding solutions that meet the needs of their members, all of whom agree our industry needs more robust price discovery. This policy provides all players in the industry the opportunity to achieve that goal without seeking government mandates. Everyone who took the time to participate in this process over the past several months and throughout this week’s meetings are to be commended.”

We need to thank NCBA members, members of the board, executives and staff for their good work. This work, plus NCBA’s involvement with Congress and the White House will help cattle producers and feeders across the nation.

Lately, we’ve had around five weeks of beef cattle price increases, some of those increases haven’t been too significant, but the video sales of feeders and calves have been on the rise.

We can’t say it is a trend yet, but rising prices sure beats price declines.

To be profitable, I think we need a strong checkoff, managed by producers, as it currently is. We need to stop complaining about what certain groups or our neighbors are doing. We have had to deal with a long six months of pandemic, and now some of us are getting hit in the rear with drought conditions.

It is easy to be in a bad mood, but we have to stay positive.

As I always say, some days are better than others.

As I write this column from the Wyoming State Fair, I look around at the great groups of 4-H and FFA members showing their livestock and other projects, as well as the gatherings of agriculture personnel to honor those who have given so much of their time to the industry. These are positive things. Complaining will not get the job done.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup Reporting the News by the Code of the West

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DENNIS SUN, Publisher • Cell: 307-262-6132 e-mail: dennis@wylr.net HANNAH BUGAS, Managing Editor • hannah@wylr.net AVERI HALES, Editor • averi@wylr.net BEAU PITT, Production Coordinator • beau@wylr.net JODY MICHELENA, Advertising Director • jodym@wylr.net CURT COX, Director of Livestock Field Services • 307-630-4604 • curt@wylr.net CODY NEGRI, Livestock Field Services Representative • 208-697-1093 • cody@wylr.net ANDREA ZINK, Circulation/Accounting Manager • andrea@wylr.net DENISE OLSON, Classified Sales Manager • 307-685-8213 • denise@wylr.net

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GUEST OPINIONS Animal Disease Prevention is Critical to the Nation’s Public Health

By Dr. Doug Kratt As our country continues to battle COVID19, the most destructive pandemic of our time, we must recognize zoonotic diseases, or diseases transmitted from animals to humans, remain a constant threat to animal health, public health and

the nation’s food supply.

We’ve learned from other zoonotic diseases such as Zika, Ebola and avian influenza that it is not a matter of if we will have another disease outbreak, but rather when and what it will be.

This reality is why it

is critical for Congress to invest $300 million in animal health infrastructure during stimulus negotiations to bolster our response to COVID-19 and ensure our nation is better prepared for future disease outbreaks.

Animal disease pre-

vention and preparedness programs are a key component of our nation’s public health infrastructure. This funding will help safeguard the food supply and bolster our public health capabilities. In a period of uncerPlease see DISEASE on page 7

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 16 • August 15, 2020

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NEWS BRIEFS Fairs Act introduced Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Rep. Billy Long (R-MO) introduced the Agricultural Fairs Rescue Act on July 30 to help preserve agricultural fairs across the country and offset the devastating financial losses they have experienced due to COVID19.

The legislation will provide $500 million in grant funding for agricultural fairs through state departments of agriculture to keep them functioning and preserve them for the future, according to a release.

The Agricultural Fair Rescue Grants would be administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to states or state departments of agriculture based on the loss of attendance those fairs have experienced in 2020.

“County and local fairs are very important to agriculture and our communities all across our country. Fairs provide our producers with the opportunity to market their crops and livestock and foster the next generation of farmers. They also are an economic engine and a gathering place for us to highlight and celebrate our communities. Like many institutions, fairs have been impacted by COVID-19, and we must provide them assistance if we are going to preserve these fairs for the future,” Panetta said.

“The global pandemic has caused fair cancellations around country in unprecedented numbers. As a result of these cancelations, fairs across the country are facing dire financial hardships. This is why National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) supports the Agricultural Fairs Rescue Act to ensure fairs receive the necessary resources to persevere and keep our rural communities strong,” said Barb Glenn, NASDA CEO.

NCBA commends exemption On Aug. 12, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) released the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (DOT-FMCSA) announcement of a 30-day extension to the Hours of Service (HOS) exemption for livestock and feed haulers.

“Livestock haulers are crucial to keeping beef moving through the supply chain and on to grocery store shelves. We thank DOT and FMCSA for extending this exemption and giving crucial relief to critical infrastructure,” said NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs Allison Rivera.

“While this is a win for the cattle industry, more still needs to be done. NCBA will continue to work with Congress and the Trump administration, to find a permanent fix for Hour of Service regulations.”

FMCSA issued an emergency declaration at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to exempt livestock haulers from burdensome Hours of Service regulations. The most recent 30-day extension to this declaration was set to expire on Aug. 14, 2020. Now the exemption runs through Sept. 14, 2020.

RFID contracts awarded The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently awarded contracts to purchase up to eight million low-frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) ear tags, which will help increase overall animal disease traceability in cattle and bison. The contract allows APHIS to purchase additional tags each year for up to five years.

“USDA continues its commitment to protecting our nation’s animal agriculture by increasing traceability in the cattle and bison sectors, in this case by providing free RFID tags to interested producers,” said Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach. “This will not only help offset the costs of switching to RFID tags, but also help us more quickly respond to potential disease events.”

USDA believes RFID devices will provide states, and the cattle and bison industries, with the best opportunity to rapidly contain the spread of high economic impact diseases. Use of RFID tags better positions the livestock industry, state and federal veterinarians to accurately and quickly trace animals exposed or infected with potentially devastating diseases before they can do substantial damage to the U.S. livestock industry.

These RFID tags will be provided to animal health officials and will be distributed for use in replacement breeding cattle and bison at no cost to the producer.

RFID low frequency official calfhood vaccination (OCV) button tags are available for brucellosis-vaccinated animals, and official “840” white button tags are available for non-vaccinated heifers.

Free metal National Uniform Eartagging System tags will remain available as USDA continues to receive comments and evaluate next steps on its proposed RFID transition timeline. The proposal is available for review and public comment through Oct. 5, 2020.

Contracts for the RFID tags were awarded to three American tag companies, all compliant with the Buy American Act – Allflex in Dallas, Texas, Datamars in Temple, Texas and Y-Tex in Cody.

Bison transfers planned The InterTribal Buffalo Council is shipping 40 Yellowstone bison to new lands this month in a first-of-its-kind set of transfers aimed at saving bison from slaughter and sustaining bison herds around the country.

The InterTribal Buffalo Council is sending the bison to 16 Native tribes across 19 states. The relocations are the result of decades-long efforts, which began in 1992, when conflict surrounding the growing Yellowstone bison population began escalating between the National Park Service, state of Montana and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Changes announced On Aug. 7, the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced changes for emergency haying and grazing of acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

This includes changes outlined in the 2018 Farm Bill that streamlines the authorization process for farmers and ranchers.

“FSA authorizes emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program acres under certain conditions to provide emergency relief to livestock producers in times of severe drought or similar natural disasters,” said FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce. “These program changes will simplify the authorization process with an automatic trigger by severe drought designation, allowing livestock producers to quickly access much-needed forage.”

For more information on CRP emergency haying and grazing, visit fsa.usda.gov/crp or contact a local FSA county office. For more disaster recovery assistance programs, visit farmers.gov/recover.

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4

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 16 • August 15, 2020

Proper cleaning and storing of eggs is important for human health “It’s a good time to talk about food safety, egg handling and storage now that our backyard flocks are laying eggs,” says Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Poultry Specialist Dr. Craig Coufal.

In a Texas A&M AgriLife publication, Coufal notes handling, cleaning and storing eggs safely is important to prevent foodborne illnesses related to poultry.

Collecting clean eggs First and foremost, Coufal says clean eggs start in the coop. He recommends having a regular sanitation practice, which includes removing chicken waste, sanitizing roosts and nest boxes and replacing

nesting litter regularly.

“It’s a good idea to prevent hens from roosting in the nest boxes at night to reduce waste accumulation,” Coufal says. “Clean out nest boxes regularly to reduce egg contamination.

Well-maintained nests also reduce egg breakage.”

Coufal also recommends eggs be collected as often as possible.

“Prompt collection of eggs reduces the likelihood they will be broken or become dirty. Collecting eggs twice a day or once a day at minimum, will translate into cleaner, fresher eggs,” he explains. “The quicker we get those eggs cleaned and stored in the refrigerator, the better.”

From the Kitchen Table

By Lynn Harlan

Bars and the Summer Elk We own a bar. What started out as folly has now turned into reality. In this year of madness it seems like a perfectly lucid idea to own a bar.

I have been reminiscing about some of the bars I visited in my younger days. I grew up in Casper, home of the World Famous Wonder Bar down on Second Street.

In existence since 1941, it was renowned for cowboys riding their horses in the bar and some of their famous visitors.

While filming the “Hellfighters” in 1968, John Wayne was a regular. When I was attending Casper College, we would go down for dime night, where a cup of beer was a dime. It was always a fun spot during the parade for fair and rodeo week.

Sadly, the Wonder Bar was remodeled a couple of years ago, and the great old back bar was sized down, among other changes. It has since changed hands and is now a restaurant.

I wonder how other establishments have fared. The Mayflower in Cheyenne, always a stop during Frontier Days; The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar in Jackson, where you can still saddle up for a drink; The Buckhorn in Laramie, one of Laramie’s oldest; The Occidental in Buffalo and the Mint Bar in Sheridan. The Mint still is a dark shady spot on a hot day, and the Occidental is known for its Thursday night jams.

Most every little town in Wyoming has a drinking

Torrington Livestock Markets PO Box 1097 • Torrington, WY 82240 307.532.3333 Fax: 307.532.2040

Cleaning eggs “Eggs are porous and have active bacteria on the outside, so they should not be dipped or soaked in soapy water,” says Coufal.

He notes there are many ways to properly wash an egg, but the temperature of the water used to wash the egg is the key factor.

“The wash water must be warmer than the eggs,” he states. “Avoid using dish soap or scented cleaning solutions as they can affect the taste of the egg.”

After washing, Coufal says eggs should be rinsed with clean water that is slightly warmer than the wash water and notes eggs should be allowed to air dry before being stored.

“This is an easy process that can reduce the chances of foodborne illnesses,” he states.

Storing eggs When it comes to storing eggs, Coufal says eggs should be refrigerated as soon as possible, since refrigeration preserves quality and reduces the potential for bacterial growth.

“There is a lot of discussion about keeping eggs at room temperature versus refrigerating them,” Coufal explains. “Eggs will naturally degrade more rapidly at room temperature. An egg stored at room temperature might be edible for only three weeks, compared to 15 weeks if it

is stored in the fridge.”

Coufal mentions the optimum temperature for eggs to be stored is at or below 45 degrees.

Controlling salmonella contamination According to the Center for Disease Prevention and Control, there were 1,134 people infected with outbreak strains of salmonella in 2019.

“The majority of salmonella cases involved contact with chicks or ducklings, but handling eggs can also spread the

bacteria that naturally occurs in the intestinal tract of chickens,” explains Coufal.

“Proper sanitation is the best defense from salmonella,” he adds. “Washing the eggs and properly washing hands and tools used to handle eggs or chickens will help prevent contamination.”

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

establishment of some kind that is frequented by regulars and the occasional visitor.

Maybe we’ll see you soon at the Powder River Pub in Kaycee.

I came across this story last week on social media, written by my neighbor, Hugh Turk. I asked if I could share it, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Thank you, Hugh.

Summer Elk Many of you know the fair in Buffalo is the longest running fair in the state, dating back before Wyoming was a state. It is a long standing tradition that farmers, ranchers, gardeners and pie bakers work around the clock in the weeks leading up to the fair. Then the entire county abandons their former lives for a week at the fair.

We spent the summers on the mountain, and very rarely did we ever venture down to Buffalo to see the fair and rodeo. In the afternoon we would sit in the shade and listen to the radio as they broadcast the rodeo. The Johnson County Annual was never our tradition, but it did play a small part in our own tradition

every summer.

Usually, during the Friday of the fair when the mountain was nearly deserted, Dad would take down his old Enfield 30-06, Windex the lens of the scope and spray a whisper of WD-40 on the bolt. He would also shine a flashlight down the barrel to make sure there was no wasp nest or too many dead flies. Then, in the evening, we would all pile in the old Jeep and go get an elk.

From my earliest memories, Mom and Dad were continually after Raymon and I about how important it was to be honest, tell the truth, follow the rules and obey the law.

After all these lectures, we just assumed whatever Mom and Dad did, involved adhering to those rules. So when they advised us that it was best not to talk about the summer elk, we knew it was somehow governed by those principles.

I don’t know what the Statute of Limitations is on

getting summer elk, but I think it’s safe to tell the story now.

By August, we had been living on canned food, fresh milk and whatever we could make with flour for quite a while, so we were all eager for fresh meat. Dad would hang the elk quarters in the Spring House and wrap them super tight with canvas tarps.

In the evening, he would go down and unwrap the quarters and cut chunks of meat for the next day. Then, in the morning, he would re-wrap everything back tight.

We would not only eat elk three times a day, it seemed we even ate elk for dessert. As we got older, we came to understand Mom and Dad were summer elk outlaws, which we thought was pretty cool. We also began helping Dad with the nightly harvest of meat and the re-wrap in the morning.

The problem with leading children into dishonest and criminal pursuits is it just keeps getting worse.

Part of Dad’s meat harvesting ritual involved scraping the fly eggs off the carcass. We had ample water to wash the quarters, but it was important to maintain the dry crust to prevent the eggs from hatching.

Dad, in a solemn voice, told us, “I’m not telling you to lie, but no good would come from Mom finding out about these fly eggs.”

It was very exciting to now be in the inner circle of our family criminal conspiracy. We Turk men had formed an alliance, a brotherhood even, and it greenlighted lying to Mom. However, lying to Mom was not as easy or as rewarding as I had hoped. It was then I learned the art of misdirection that would serve me well in my life whenever avoiding a direct question was required. I don’t miss those summers of trying to eat an entire elk before it spoiled, but I sure miss those days with Mom and Dad on the mountain.

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“It’s a good time to talk about food safety, egg handling and storage now that our backyard flocks are laying eggs.” – Dr. Craig Coufal, Texas A&M

Public lands event scheduled BLM’s Rock Springs Field Office (RSFO) invites families, individuals, clubs and organizations to help pick up garbage and debris on public lands for this year’s National Public Lands Day (NPLD) project at the base of White Mountain, near Regan Avenue and Summit Drive in Rock Springs.

Participants of all ages are asked to meet at 9 a.m. on Aug. 22 at Sage Elementary School parking lot, 903 Summit Drive, Rock Springs.

Proper work attire including gloves, hats, long pants, sturdy shoes and safety glasses should be worn. In response to COVID-19,

safety protocols like wearing a face mask are optional but encouraged. Additionally, volunteers outside of immediate family members should practice and maintain proper social distancing during the event.

Drinking water will be available at the project site, as well as a limited supply of NPLD t-shirts, work gloves and safety glasses for participants. Sunscreen and insect repellant are highly recommended.

For more information about the Rock Springs Field Office NPLD project, contact Storie Ratcliff at 307-352-0237 or T.J. Franklin at 307-352-0318.

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 16 • August 15, 2020

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UW Extension Specialist offers advice on direct marketing beef “This year has been a different one for folks in Wyoming, including our cattle producers,” states University of Wyoming (UW) Extension Educator Chance Marshall, noting live cattle prices have remained lower than usual and the profitability window has been tight, especially for smaller operations.

“The value of retail beef has remained strong, even though live cattle prices have been somewhat disappointing,” he says.

Because of this unique situation, Marshall notes some producers have been trying new things and get-

ting creative when it comes to marketing their products.

“For example, instead of selling all their calves as usual at lower prices, some producers are opting to retain ownership of a small portion of their calves,” he explains.

“They will feed them to finished weights, have them processed and market them directly to consumers themselves.”

“This process means increased costs, but capitalizing on higher profit margins for their products is also possible,” he continues. “Perhaps they can make up some of their profit losses this year

FEED continued from page 1 UNL’s BeefWatch podcast, Berger and Volesky discuss options producers have for planting annual forages late in the summer to be used as fall feed for their livestock.

Summer annuals To begin their conversation, Berger and Volesky explain summer annuals are a good option when planted through the end of July and into early August.

In fact, Volesky notes some of his research, conducted at the West Central Research and Extension Center, has shown with adequate moisture and soil fertility, summer annuals planted in late July and early August can be quite productive, producing two to four tons of forage per acre.

A few summer annuals the two Extension specialists recommend are foxtail millet, sorghum and Sudangrass.

Spring annuals “Another option is spring annual forages such as oats, spring triticale and barley planted in late July through the middle of August, which can provide high-quality feed,” explain Berger and Volesky. “These can also be planted with turnips, forage rape or other species used in cover crop mixtures.”

“This forage can be

harvested, direct grazed or windrow grazed from October into the winter,” they add.

Berger and Volesky explain spring annual forages can also be planted in a mix with winter annuals such as winter wheat, rye or triticale.

“With this approach, the spring annual will provide the majority of the fall forage, while the winter annual will provide additional grazing the following spring,” they say.

According to Berger and Volesky, spring annuals with adequate fertility, moisture and growing days can accumulate 1.5 to three tons of forage per acre when planted in late July to the middle of August.

“The earlier the planting date the more total forage is likely to be produced,” they explain.

“Spring annuals are somewhat cold tolerant and are able to withstand light frosts. Once the temperatures drop to the lower 20s and upper teens, the plants will begin to die and lose their green color.”

Annuals following wheat For areas where wheat is grown under irrigation, Berger and Volesky note planting annual forages after wheat has been harvested can be an excellent way to grow additional forage.

“This practice can also be applied on dry-

by skipping the middleman and selling their own products directly to the consumer for a better price.”

Understanding the market and product According to Marshall, there are several factors producers should consider if they are going to sell their own beef.

“First, producers need to know their market and know what makes their product unique,” he says.

“Producers must have something to convince people their product is worth buying instead of going with a marked-down deal on a land wheat acres should summer rainfall become abundant and soil moisture adequate enough to support growing an additional crop,” they state.

Utilizing oats While producers have several options when it comes to planting additional forage late in the summer, Berger and Volesky note oats are one of the best.

“Research at the High Plains Ag Lab has shown late summer planted oats can maintain quality amazingly well through the winter,” they say.

The two specialists note data from standing oats planted in late July and early August of 2012, harvested and analyzed in early March of 2013, showed oats at 13 percent crude protein with total digestible nutrient (TDN) values in the mid 60s.

“Similarly, trials at the West Central Research and Extension Center found late October yields of three to four tons per acre with crude protein content ranging from 13 to 17 percent. TDN values were also in the mid 60s,” explain Berger and Volesky. “This is better quality than many types of hay often being fed at this time of year.”

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

big store’s meat shelves.

They can market their product as locally grown, exceptional quality, grass-fed, allnatural, etc. However producers decide to establish their brand, they need to make sure it jibes with what’s important to their target audience,” explains Marshall.

Understanding the limitations In addition to understanding the market and what makes their products unique, Marshall also says producers need to understand their limitations.

He notes the Wyoming Food Freedom Act allows sales of state-inspected meat directly to consumers but not to restaurants, grocery stores or across state lines without inspection from a certified USDA facility.

“Retaining animals will require additional costs per animal in the form of pasture, time and resources.

Ensure the extra costs won’t outweigh the potentially added value,” he states.

“Another priority is that producers will need reservations with their packer to get their beef processed,” Marshall adds. “This can be more difficult than one might expect, and plans should be confirmed well in advance.

Options in Wyoming are still limited.”

“This process means increased costs, but capitalizing on higher profit margins for their products is also possible. Perhaps they can make up some of their profit losses this year by skipping the middleman and selling their own products directly to the consumer for a better price.”

– Chance Marshall, University of Wyoming Formulating a plan Lastly, Marshall encourages producers who wish to directly market their beef to formulate a plan on how they will sell and package their beef and what price they are selling it for.

“Those interested in direct marketing need to decide if they are selling their beef as a whole animal, dividing it into halves or quarters or selling it as boxed beef.

They also need to decide how they will label the packages and how they plan on telling their products’ story,” Marshall says.

He notes this process requires time and hustle.

“Finding buyers should also start well before the beef is ready,” he continues.

“Direct-sale opportunities may be limited in Wyoming, so producers need to keep the number of retained animals realistic to make sure they can get their products sold.

They also need to have a plan for venues to sell the product, such as farmers’ markets,

social media, etc.”

Marshall also encourages producers to have a sound business plan.

“Formulating a sound business plan is very important,” he states.

To do this, Marshall encourages producers to reference articles detailing marketing at farmers’ markets and telling their products’ story. He also explains how important it is for producers to understand the do’s and don’ts of direct marketing and protecting themselves from liability.

“Lastly, use local resources,” Marshall states.

“UW Extension offices and small business development centers are located throughout the state. They have experienced professionals available to help producers develop their business plans for free or at a very low cost.”

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup.

Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

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6

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 16 • August 15, 2020

Toolkit released for annual invasive grass management The Western Governors’ Association (WGA) recently hosted a webinar to launch a toolkit providing for annual invasive grass management in the West.

The toolkit was created in response to a 2019 shared stewardship Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between WGA and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“Federal, state and private managers of forests and rangelands face a range of urgent challenges, among them catastrophic wildfires, invasive species, degraded watershed and epidemics

of insects and disease,” the MOU states.

“The toolkit will help state, federal and local managers address the large-scale infestation of cheatgrass and other invasive annual grasses on western forests and rangelands,” says WGA Executive Director Jim Ogsbury.

WGA and USDA were assisted by the Western Invasive Species Council (WISC) to target cheatgrass, medusahead and ventenata.

WGA, USDA and WISC enrolled help from the U.S. Forest Service, the USDA Natural Resources Conser-

To view the toolkit, visit westgov.org/ images/editor/FINAL_Cheatgrass_ Toolkit_July_2020.pdf or to interact with the invasive grass map, visit rangelands.app/cheatgrass/.

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vation Service (NRCS), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), representatives from Western state agencies, land grant universities and stakeholder groups to develop the toolkit.

“The project is an example of the cross-boundary, cross-jurisdictional cooperation needed to tackle some of the West’s largest problems,” Ogsbury states.

The toolkit is based on a new conceptual model, “Defend the Core, Grow the Core, Mitigate Impacts,” and is comprised of three main elements including a roadmap for invasive grass management practices, case studies highlighting the practices and a data layer for land managers to utilize.

The elements were designed to be easily customizable to local areas for implementation.

Management model The toolkit suggests defending large cores from invasion and annual grass conversion be the first step and a top priority for management. Cores are defined as areas of little to no annual grass invasion that serve as important anchor points for conservation and restoration.

While defending cores from invasion, the toolkit recommends growing the core areas by pushing back any invasion with early detection and vigorous management to prevent the spread of invasive species.

“Prevention, early and aggressive management of annual grass invasions and promotion of a healthy perennial system is needed to maintain and build resis-

tance and resilience of cores,” states the toolkit.

Addressing transitional zones where annual invasive grasses already exist or where the land is susceptible to new invasions is critical in maintaining cores in a cost-effective manner, according to the toolkit.

“As an invasion starts, management is low cost and can be very effective at eradication and control if we attack the invasion early by being proactive,” says USFWS Sagebrush Ecosystem Invasive Species Coordinator Lindy Garner. “But, as the invasion increases over time, the management costs increase, and we return to a reactive mode of trying to respond with longterm management that is very costly and less likely to be successful.”

Mitigating impacts is the last element of the model, focused on degraded areas severely impacted by invasive grasses. Actions for mitigation include fuels reduction and fire suppression as asset protection, according to the toolkit.

“While this toolkit emphasizes the importance of proactive management of intact areas and identifies the preferred direction of action, it acknowledges that continued management of other lands will be needed, so the third element is to continue to mitigate the most severe impacts of the cheatgrass cycle,” continues Garner.

Data-driven roadmap With help from the Rangeland Analysis Platform at the University of Montana and the National Land Cover Database from the USGS, a combined data layer was created to show

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the percent cover of herbaceous annual plants on rangelands to help managers better understand the condition of the land.

“On our rangelands, annuals don’t make up a large proportion of plant cover most years,” says USDA-NARCS Ecologist at West National Tech Support Center Jeremy Maestas.

“If we see persistent annuals from year to year on the landscape we think that is a pretty good surrogate for the extent of invasive annuals on our grassland.”

The interactive map predicts what percentage of the land is made up of annual grasses. The map can be viewed at large-scale areas like regions and states or at the pasture level.

The map has been an integral tool for land managers to keep tabs on cores and transitional zones and monitor any changes in the plant communities.

“We can identify areas with environmental conditions making them susceptible to invasion by annual grasses,” says University of Wyoming Sheridan Research Center Director and Associate Professor Brian Mealor. “The map is valuable in identifying important places to monitor for this invasion and implement prevention management practices.”

“We can’t possibly prioritize the landscape like local land managers, so we are providing products with a tremendous amount of flexibility,” says Maestas on the availability of the map and toolkit for land managers.

“Combine the map in this toolkit with expert knowledge in the local area to refine a approach for

managing annual grasses,” Mealor recommends.

Collaboration “The ranchers I talk to have told me cheatgrass has become a deciding factor to whether or not they are profitable, losing useful feed to a less than useful source is a real tragedy,” notes National Audubon Society Sagebrush Ecosystem Initiative Director Brian Rutledge. “We have to find a way to pull together across all boundaries to make this work together.”

“In summary, the challenge of invasive annual grasses is widespread, but we have an opportunity to increase our collaboration and move the needle with more proactive management,” says Garner.

“We hope the toolkit provides some inspiration. It’s a set of ideas, data and examples of how these ideas have been implemented. Hopefully, it will start to be contagious around the West, and we end up with a somewhat unified approach of how to tackle this really persistent and serious threat,” says Maestas.

“The toolkit is a great baseline,” says Northeast Wyoming Invasive Grasses Coordinator for the University of Wyoming Extension Jaycie Arndt. “More land managers can be on the same page when it comes to annual invasive grass management.”

“We must continue to learn and refine our management processes as we move forward,” adds Mealor.

Averi Hales is the editor for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@ wylr.net.

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 16 • August 15, 2020

EXTENSION EDUCATION

By Jeremiah Vardiman

Watch for Blister Beetles in Hay High populations of grasshoppers on a property or in hay fields are the best indicator to be watching for blister beetles. Hay contaminated with blister beetles or the potential of blister beetles could affect the market and/or value of hay. Here is what hay producers should know about blister beetles.

Blister beetle is the common name given to members of a family of insects native to the United States which contain the chemical cantharidin as defense against predators. There are more than 300 species of blister beetles in the United States. Many blister beetle species can be found feeding on the leaves and flowers on alfalfa, beans, potatoes and various horticultural plants.

However, the black, ash-gray and spotted blister beetles are the most common species found in Wyoming’s alfalfa fields. The major concern is when mating swarms of blister beetles contaminate alfalfa hay during harvest.

Cantharidiasis or blister beetle poisoning, from eating contaminated hay is reported most often in horses. However, sheep and cattle can be affected as well.

Adult blister beetles of the problematic species are slender, soft-bodied beetles with fairly long legs measuring approximately onehalf inch in length. The head, thorax and abdomen are clearly visible.

Adults of the pest species emerge in late spring to early summer and are most active during the summer months. Typically, first cutting hay in Wyoming escapes blister beetle infestations because their peak swarming activity occurs

later in the growing season. This is because the larvae of the pest species that mate and feed on blooming alfalfa must find grasshopper egg pods to develop in, and grasshopper egg pod numbers increase through the summer months.

Blister beetle populations usually increase within areas that had high grasshopper populations the year prior because their larvae found more grasshopper eggs to survive on. High grasshopper populations in or around a producer’s alfalfa field, even on native rangelands, can indicate a hay producer should be on the lookout for blister beetles the following growing season.

USDA grasshopper surveys can be found at aphis. usda.gov/plant_health/ plant_pest_info/grasshopper/downloads/hazard.pdf.

Toxicity levels of blister beetles vary among the different species. The most toxic blister beetle contaminating alfalfa is the threestriped species Epicauta occidentalis. Just 120 of this species of beetle is required to cause mortality to an 800 pound horse.

In comparison, the black blister beetle requires an estimated 1,700 beetles to cause mortality to the same size horse. Luckily, the three-striped beetle has not yet been documented in Wyoming. The black blister beetle is the most commonly found in the state.

The spotted blister beetle, being the most toxic of the three species common to Wyoming, requires an estimated 520 beetles to cause mortality to an 800 pound horse.

So what can a producer do if they have blister beetles in their alfalfa field?

DISEASE continued from page 2 tainty, this is the swift and decisive action the country needs.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) member labs are being leveraged to augment public health laboratory capacity and expand and expedite COVID19 testing in humans.

NAHLN equipment, supplies and personnel are being used to supplement the ongoing response.

Given the NAHLN’s COVID-19 response efforts, funding is crit-

ical to maintaining the capability for the diagnostics and surveillance of foreign animal diseases, the heart of their core mission. COVID-19 is a turning point in our nation’s preparedness and response to infectious disease.

A pandemic affecting food animals, like African swine fever or a potential zoonotic pathogen such as avian influenza, would cause even more severe disruptions and economic harm to our agricultural industry.

Collectively, the USDA animal health infrastructure helps us prevent, prepare, detect and

The best management is to avoid trapping or crushing blister beetles during hay harvest. The risk of including blister beetles in hay can be reduced in two ways.

The first way would be harvesting alfalfa hay prior to bloom because blister beetles swarm into fields to feed on the blossoms. The second way would be to harvest the hay with equipment that does not have a hay conditioner, such as an old sickle bar mower or disengaging the conditioner on a swather.

Crushing the beetles will contaminate the hay with the bodily fluids, which contain the toxin, even if the beetle carcass does not remain in the bale. This method cuts the hay without crushing or injuring the beetles, allowing them to crawl away and leave the windrow as it dries prior to baling.

Both methods can be combined to achieve the highest mitigation of blister beetle contamination.

There are labeled insecticides that are effective at controlling blister beetles, however this is usually not the most effective management strategy. This is especially true with insecticides that have long pre-harvest intervals.

This interval is the amount of time required between application of the insecticide and the harvesting of the crop and is usually measured in days. During the pre-harvest interval, more of the alfalfa will come into bloom and new populations of blister beetles can re-infest the field negating the insecticide control.

This hay season, keep an eye out for high populations of blister beetles within alfalfa hay fields prior to and during harvest.

Contact a local Weed and Pest Office or University of Wyoming Extension Office for assistance identifying blister beetles.

Jeremiah Vardiman is an agriculture and horticulture Extension Educator at the University of Wyoming. He can be reached at jvardima@uwyo.edu. respond to high-consequence foreign animal disease outbreaks. They are our nation’s only defense against animal diseases that threaten our food supply and can spill over into the human population.

When the consequences of inaction impact the well-being of the American people, we must respond assertively in an appropriate and timely manner. Congress can’t miss this opportunity to safeguard us from another pandemic.

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7

Black blister beetle

Ash gray blister beetle

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8

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 16 • August 15, 2020

BARNYARDS &

Protect your your operation from ID theft Protect Weallallhave havesome somelevel levelofofawareness awarenessabout about We identity theft through personal experience the identity theft through personal experience ororthe media. media.

Businessesare arebecoming becomingan anincreasing increasingtarget target Businesses market for identity theft, with business identity theft market for identity theft, with business identity theft up100 100percent percentinin2019 2019and andestimated estimatedtotohave havegrown grown up 258percent percentso sofar farinin2020 2020(according (accordingtotoDun Dunand and 258 Bradstreet).

Bradstreet).

Unfortunately,we wecan canthank thankthe theCOVID-19 COVID-19 Unfortunately, pandemic for some of this increased fraud.The Theinflux influx pandemic for some of this increased fraud. of funding opportunities in the form of government of funding opportunities in the form of government grantsand andloans loanshas hasencouraged encouragedcriminals criminalstoto grants use their identity theft skills to take advantageofof use their identity theft skills to take advantage vulnerable businesses. vulnerable businesses.

Identitytheft theftoccurs occurswhen whensomeone someonegains gains Identity access to your personal information, through either access to your personal information, through either a breached email account or database, and then a breached email account or database, and then pretendstotobe beyou. you.Typically, Typically,the thepredator predatorwill willopen open pretends credit accounts in your name, for example, small credit accounts in your name, for example, small

Aboutthe theWyoming WyomingSBDC SBDCNetwork Network About

TheWyoming WyomingSBDC SBDCNetwork Networkoffers offersno-cost no-cost The advising and technical assistance to help advising and technical assistance to help Wyoming entrepreneurs think about, launch, Wyoming entrepreneurs think about, launch, grow, reinvent, or exit their businesses. In 2019, grow, reinvent, or exit their businesses. In 2019, the Wyoming SBDC Network: the Wyoming SBDC Network: • Helped Wyoming entrepreneurs start 108 • Helped Wyoming entrepreneurs start 108 new businesses, new businesses, • Created or saved 3,402 jobs, and • Created or saved 3,402 jobs, and • Brought a capital impact of more than • Brought a capital impact of more than $24 million to the state. $24 million to the state.

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retailcredit creditcard cardaccounts accounts or or even even aa mortgage, mortgage, and and retail you won’t know this has happened until you apply you won’t know this has happened until you apply foraaloan loanand andare aredenied denied or or receive receive aa call call from from aa for creditor. creditor.

Whyisisbusiness business identity identity theft theft so so prevalent? prevalent? Here Here Why aresome someof ofthe thetop top reasons: reasons: are Businessestypically typically receive receive higher higher credit credit •• Businesses limitsthan thanindividuals. individuals. limits Businessesdo do not not have have the the same same level level of of •• Businesses protection consumers have. protection consumers have.

WithCOVID-19, COVID-19, businesses businesses have have access access to to •• With new financial opportunities. new financial opportunities.

Dormantor orclosed closed businesses businesses means means fraud fraud •• Dormant could go undetected. could go undetected.

Unlikeyour yourpersonal personal information, information, most most •• Unlike business information is publicly available. business information is publicly available.

Whatmakes makesbusiness business fraud fraud tempting? tempting? Business Business What information is accessible through secretary of states’ states’ information is accessible through secretary of websites, websites like Opencorporates.com, and websites, websites like Opencorporates.com, and professionalnetworking networking sites sites like like LinkedIn, LinkedIn, and and itit professional is easy for the criminally minded to build a fairly is easy for the criminally minded to build a fairly accurateprofile profileof ofaa target target business business and and its its people. people. accurate With some simple forged documents, for example With some simple forged documents, for example tax documents or updating false information with a tax documents or updating false information with a Secretary of State’s office, it isn’t difficult to assume Secretary of State’s office, it isn’t difficult to assume a business’ identity. a business’ identity.

Sometimes criminals even rent fake office space, Sometimes criminals even rent fake office space, create websites, or use other tactics to make the create websites, or use other tactics to make the business’ identity seem more legitimate. Business business’ identity seem more legitimate. Business fraudsters have also taken the extra step to register fraudsters have also taken the extra step to register with Dun and Bradstreet to get their 9-digit DUNS with Dun and Bradstreet to get their 9-digit DUNS number, which is often what banks and other number, which is often what banks and other business’ use to verify identity and credit-worthiness. business’ use to verify identity and credit-worthiness.

So what can you do? Assuming your business is So what can you do? Assuming your business is listed with Dun and Bradstreet (a free online business listed with Dun and Bradstreet (a free online business registration company), you can check your business’ registration company), you can check your business’ credit via their Credit Signal (bit.ly/dnb-credit-signal). credit via their Credit Signal (bit.ly/dnb-credit-signal).

Their email email alerts alerts for for changes changes in in your Their your business’ business’ credit credit report, ratings, and scores could help report, ratings, and scores could help as as an an indicator indicator something is is amiss. amiss. something If your business is asked asked to to extend If your business is extend credit credit to to another business, engage in the following another business, engage in the following ‘Five ‘Five C’s C’s of of Fraud’ as as recommended recommended by

by Dunn Dunn & Fraud’ & Bradstreet: Bradstreet: Confirmation: Make Make sure sure the •• Confirmation: the company company or or person truly truly exists. exists. person Condition: Check Check if if the the company company has •• Condition: has the the hallmarks of a normal, functioning hallmarks of a normal, functioning business. business.

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Continuity: Determine Determine whether whether the •• Continuity: the company’s company’s operational status has changed operational status has changed and and might might be be posing new risks. posing new risks.

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Jim Drever is an SBDC regional director for Albany and Jim Drever is an SBDC regional director for Albany and Carbon counties. He can be reached at (307) 766-3505 or at Carbon counties. He can be reached at (307) 766-3505 or at james@uwyo.edu. james@uwyo.edu.

Understanding how drought affects Understanding rangeland plants plants offers offers strategies strategies rangeland to combat combat moisture moisture shortage shortage to Management of rangeland before, during, and Management rangeland before, during, and after drought is of critical. afterIndrought is critical. desperate times, producers may be tempted desperate producers may be tempted toInget what theytimes, can out of rangeland to preserve toherds. get what they can out of rangeland to preserve Just remember, the drought may last more herds.

Justseason, remember, may last than one and the the drought effects of one or more two than one andcan the lead effects of onemore or two years of season, overgrazing to many years of years of overgrazing can lead many moreand years of soil erosion, decreased planttoproduction, weed soil erosion, decreased plant production, and weed infestations after the drought. infestations after the drought.

Shock to a Plant’s System Shock to ainfluences Plant’s System Drought plants at the cellular level,

Droughtall influences plants the cellular processes level, affecting biochemical andatphysiological affecting all biochemical and physiological processes used to make food and survive. The plant may not used to make foodresources and survive.

The plant maysonot expend valuable for reproduction, seed expend valuable resources for reproduction, seed heads do not so develop. heads do notcases, develop.

In extreme Inthere extreme are acases, reduced there are of a reduced number plant basal number of plant basal buds, which results buds, which results in fewer shoots inproduced fewer shoots the following produced following year. Thethe plant will year.

The plant eventually die ifwill this eventually dieaifperiod this occurs over occurs over a period of years. of years.

Plants have above Plants above and belowhave ground and below ground components – shoots components – shoots and roots. They and roots.

Theyto must be able must be able support bothto through support both through photosynthesis, photosynthesis,

transpiration, and respiration. During drought, a transpiration, and respiration.

During drought, robust root system is important for the plant toa robust root system is important for the plant to extract what little soil moisture is present. When extract what little soil moisture is present.

When soil moisture is limited, shoot growth is reduced and soil moisture limited, shoot growth is own reduced plants have aisharder time making their food.and plants a harder makinghealthy, their own food.

There have is less energy time to support growing There less energy to support healthy, growing roots is and shoots. roots and shoots.

Grazing Effects on Plant Growth, Soil Grazing MoistureEffects on Plant Growth, Soil Moisture Understanding how livestock grazing affects

Understanding howmoisture livestockisgrazing plant growth and soil key to affects making plant growth and soil moisture is key to making proper management decisions. Rangeland that has proper management decisions.

Rangeland has a diversity of plant species, optimum plantthat cover, aand diversity of plant species, optimum plant cover, plants with robust root systems, has greater and plants with robust root systems, has greater infiltration of moisture into the soil compared to infiltration moisture intoovergrazed the soil compared to rangeland of that has been or is in poor rangeland condition.that has been overgrazed or is in poor condition.

Rangeland in poor condition typically has Rangeland in poor typically has less plant cover, morecondition soil compaction, and less less plant cover, soil This compaction, and less productive plant more species. can intensify drought productive species.

This can soil intensify drought effects likeplant runoff and decreased moisture. effects runoff forage and decreased moisture.

Leavinglike standing and plantsoil litter on the soil Leaving standing forage and plant litter on the soil surface lessens these effects. surface lessens these Proper grazing can effects. increase and maintain plant Proper grazing can increase and maintain plant health, while improper and overgrazing can lead to a health, improper overgrazing can leadselect to a declinewhile in plant health.and Most grazing livestock decline in plant health. grazingare livestock select the tastiest plants first.Most If livestock in a pasture the plantsthey first.

If graze livestock in adesirable pasture for tastiest long periods, will the are same for long repeatedly, periods, they graze for theplant samerecovery desirable plants notwill allowing plants repeatedly, not allowing plantgrasses recovery between grazing. They will alsofor select and between grazing.

They will alsofirst. select grasses and forbs in the vegetative stage forbs in the vegetative stage first.

Grasses grazed during the elongation phase Grasses during phase (when plantsgrazed start to sendthe up elongation seed heads) typically (when plants start to send up seed heads) typicallyin produce less forage in subsequent years. Grazing produce less forage in subsequent years.

Grazing one pasture for long time periods or grazing duringin one pasture forphase long time or grazing the elongation yearperiods after year can leadduring to the elongation phase year after year can leadplant to decreased forage production, less desirable decreased forage production, less desirable plant species, and increased bare ground. species, and increased bare ground.

How Much to Graze?

How Much towhat Graze?

Determining constitutes an appropriate

Determining what constitutes an appropriate level of grazing for drought conditions is an art and level of grazing for drought conditions is an art and a science. Research has shown how certain plants arespond science.

Research has shown how certain plants to drought and grazing pressure, but each respond to drought andand grazing but each management scenario suitepressure, of species presents management scenario and suite of species presents a unique challenge. a unique Rangechallenge. managers typically refer to standards of refer by to standards of howRange muchmanagers forage cantypically be removed dry weight while how much forage can be removed dryresilience. weight while maintaining landscape health and by plant maintaining landscape and on plant resilience.

These can be adjusted health depending things like These be adjusted depending like droughtcan conditions, period of rest, on andthings results of drought conditions, period of and results of soil monitoring.

Understanding therest, capabilities of your monitoring.

Understanding the capabilities of your soil to produce certain forage grasses and implementing to produce certain forage grasses and implementing a monitoring plan is a good place to start. a monitoring planare is agrazed good place start.

If rangelands duringtodrought, If rangelands are grazed during drought, managers must be careful to consider both above managers beplant careful to consider both above and below must ground health.

Stocking rates and below ground plant health. Stocking should be adjusted accordingly to ensurerates plants are should be adjusted to ensure are not overgrazed, andaccordingly enough residual plantplants material not overgrazed, and enough residual plant material is left to maintain photosynthesis, root health, and is left to maintain photosynthesis, root health, and soil cover. soilEven cover. if stocking rates are reduced, rotating Even ifduring stocking ratesso are reduced, rotatingtime livestock grazing plants are allowed livestock grazing so plants are allowedgrazing time to recoverduring is important.

In addition, allowing to recover is important. In addition, allowing grazing

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 16 • August 15, 2020

BACKYARDS BACKYARDS

9

August 2020 August 2020

UW UW Extension | Agriculture & Horticulture | USDA | NIFA Extension | Agriculture & Horticulture | USDA | NIFA

Wyoming WyomingHay HayProducers Producers haveinsurance insuranceOptions Options have

Production of grass, alfalfa, and mixed hay an important component of manypremium premium subsidy.

Losses Production of grass, alfalfa, and mixed hay is anisimportant component of many subsidy.

Losses Important Dates and Reminders: Dates and Reminders: Wyoming farms and ranches. occur when value Important Wyoming farms and ranches. occur when the the cropcrop value RI-PRF sign-up November • •RI-PRF sign-up November 15 15 359,712 in Wyoming producing of forage in 2019. fallsfalls below insured ThereThere werewere 359,712 acresacres in Wyoming producing this this typetype of forage in 2019. below the the insured Planting Reporting October • •Fall Fall Planting Reporting October 15 15 Whether for feed for sale, the revenue generated by forage should dollar amount.

Whether usedused for feed or fororsale, the revenue generated by forage should be be dollar amount.

• Sign-up continues for Coronavirus Food considered in management risk management planning. considered in risk planning.

Production Example • Sign-up continues for Coronavirus Food Production Example Assistance Program (CFAP) applications Options under the federal crop insurance umbrella are available to cover both Assistance Program (CFAP) applications for for Options under the federal crop insurance umbrella are available to cover both consider Let’sLet’s consider howhow crops and livestock forage production and seeding (establishment).

These programs can provide crops and livestock forage production and seeding (establishment). These programs can provide these insurance policies these insurance policies another tool to manage production riskhay, for hay, although are somewhat another tool to manage production risk for although theythey are somewhat work in the event of an work in the event of an underused compared to other insurance policies across the state. underused whenwhen compared to other cropcrop insurance policies across the state. indemnity.

First, assume indemnity. First, assume we have acres of alfalfa to establish in the spring it will be covered Forage Insurance Forage Insurance we have 100100 acres of alfalfa to establish in the spring andand thatthat it will be covered Other Forage

by Forage Seeding insurance. value for this policy is $150/acre; if we chose Wyoming producers the option to insure by Forage Other Forage Wyoming producers havehave the option to insure Seeding insurance.

TheThe value for this policy is $150/acre; if we chose Insurance to insure at percent 75 percent coverage, we would have $112.50 of coverage, hay (alfalfa, grass, alfalfa grass mixes) Insurance hay (alfalfa, grass, and and alfalfa grass mixes) to insure at 75 coverage, we would have $112.50 per per acreacre of coverage, Policies: or $11,250 total. under Forage Insurance.

Coverage is available Policies: under Forage Insurance.

Coverage is available or $11,250 total.

Now further assume a severe freeze 50 acres have than a 50 for irrigated and non-irrigated hay on a countyfor irrigated and non-irrigated hay on a countyNow further assume duedue to atosevere freeze 50 acres have lessless than a 50 Pasture, Range, Pasture, Range, percent stand count, while the other 50 acres are estimated to have a stand by-county basis.

The insured forage must have by-county basis.

The insured forage must have percent stand count, while the other 50 acres are estimated to have a stand Forage Rainfall Forage Rainfall count of percent.

75 percent. acres an adequate stand included in the an adequate stand population (evaluated an adequate stand population (evaluated on aon a count of 75 The The acres withwith an adequate stand are are included in the Index Insurance Index Insurance production to count, determined by multiplying coverage per acre ($112.50) per-square-foot basis) and be at least one year per-square-foot basis) and be at least one year production to count, determined by multiplying coverage per acre ($112.50) by by (RI-PRF) (RI-PRF) 50 acres, resulting in total production to count of $5,625.

It turns is the removed from establishment to qualify (other 50 acres, resulting in total production to count of $5,625.

It turns out out thisthis is the • Sign-up Deadline removed from establishment to qualify (other • Sign-up Deadline indemnity amount (not including premium costs), where half of the acreage age requirements apply as well).

Protection is indemnity amount (not including premium costs), where half of the acreage waswas is November 15 for age requirements apply as well). Protection is is November 15 for below required stand count. provided against risk of loss from weather, insects, provided against risk of loss from weather, insects, below the the required stand count. coverage.

20212021 coverage.

One additional aspect to remember Forage Seeding insurance is that fire, and other natural disasters.

Producers can One additional aspect to remember withwith Forage Seeding insurance is that • RI-PRF an area fire, and other natural disasters. Producers can • RI-PRF is anisarea indemnities on spring planted acreages are reduced by 50 percent if the stand choose coverage levels ranging from 50 to 75 choose coverage levels ranging from 50 to 75 indemnities on spring planted acreages are reduced by 50 percent if the stand insurance insurance plan plan count is greater than 55 percent, but less than 75 percent. percent of the total dollar amount per acre (set percent of the total dollar amount per acre (set count is greater than 55 percent, but less than 75 percent. designed to protect designed to protect Applying to our example, assume 80 acres of the reduced stand

by Risk the Risk Management Agency).

Producers Management Agency).

Producers Applying this this to our example, assume 80 acres of the reduced stand producers against by the producers against resulted in a percent 60 percent stand count, and 20 acres yielded an acceptable must fileacreage an acreage and production underwriting resulted must file an and production underwriting in a 60 stand count, and 20 acres yielded an acceptable decreases in decreases in stand.

To calculate indemnity, we multiply 20 acres times $112.50, report identifying its insurability. identifying eacheach fieldfield and and its insurability. stand.

To calculate the the indemnity, we multiply 20 acres times $112.50, precipitation precipitation usingusing report resulting in production to count of $2,250.

This amount is subtracted from Catastrophic Risk Protection (CAT) coverage is Catastrophic Risk Protection (CAT) coverage is resulting in production to count of $2,250. This amount is subtracted from a historic rainfall a historic rainfall the total coverage, $11,250, giving in an initial indemnity of $9,000.

Because available, as well as the Supplemental Coverage available, as well as the Supplemental Coverage the total coverage, $11,250, giving in an initial indemnity of $9,000. Because index. index. the acreage yielded 60 percent stand, amount is further reduced Option county-by-county.

Option county-by-county. the acreage yielded a 60a percent stand, thisthis amount is further reduced by by • Available for • Available for 50 percent, resulting in a total indemnity of $4,500.

These two scenarios 50 percent, resulting in a total indemnity of $4,500. These two scenarios areare pasture Forage Seeding pasture and and Forage Seeding summarized in the accompanying table. in the accompanying table. non-irrigated hay in The spring climate in Wyoming sometimes summarized non-irrigated hay in The spring climate in Wyoming can can sometimes Forage production insurance would function same as forage seeding Wyoming.

Forage production insurance would function the the same wayway as forage seeding be challenging to establish an adequate Wyoming. be challenging to establish an adequate hay hay coverage, except the producer must keep records of each production unit stand.

Frost/freeze damage, hailstorms, coverage, except the producer must keep records of each production unit andand stand.

Frost/freeze damage, snowsnow and and hailstorms, determine an average acre. an average yieldyield per per acre. and drought are just some of hurdles the hurdles forage determine and drought are just some of the forage James Sedman is a consultant to the Department of Agricultural Applied Economics operators face.

Insurance for forage (alfalfa and alfalfa/grass mixtures) seeding operators face. Insurance for forage (alfalfa and alfalfa/grass mixtures) seeding James Sedman is a consultant to the Department of Agricultural and and Applied Economics in in the University of Wyoming College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and John Hewlett is available in most counties.

This coverage is for spring-seeded forage, is available in most counties. This coverage is for spring-seeded forage, the University of Wyoming College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and John Hewlett is a farm and ranch management specialist in department. the department.

Hewlett be reached planted before the spring deadline (varies by location), in fall the iffall if planted is a farm planted before the spring deadline (varies by location), and and in the planted and ranch management specialist in the Hewlett maymay be reached at at (307) 766-2166 or hewlett@uwyo.edu. before August 31.

Coverage is available for irrigated and non-irrigated forages, before August 31. Coverage is available for irrigated and non-irrigated forages, (307) 766-2166 or hewlett@uwyo.edu. county-by-county. county-by-county.

A stand can include a nurse (oats, barley, or wheat) planted within A stand can include a nurse crop crop (oats, barley, flax, flax, or wheat) planted within the guidelines of the policy.

The coverage period runs from the planting date the guidelines of the policy. The coverage period runs from the planting date to May 21 of the following year, unless the crop was harvested or abandoned to May 21 of the following year, unless the crop was harvested or abandoned beforehand. This coverage is not available for alfalfa and alfalfa/grass mixes beforehand. This coverage is not available for alfalfa and alfalfa/grass mixes intended to be grazed within the insurance period. intended to be grazed within the insurance period.

Forage seeding is a dollar insurance plan, meaning the grower purchases Forage seeding is a dollar insurance plan, meaning the grower purchases coverage based on a preset dollar amount per acre. Coverage is available from coverage based on a preset dollar amount per acre. Coverage is available from 50 to 75 percent of the 50 to 75 percent of the For further information per-acre dollar amount.

For further information per-acre dollar amount.

Visit USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) Premium subsidies Visit USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) Premium subsidies at rma.usda.gov or a local crop insurance agent decrease as coverage at rma.usda.gov or a local crop insurance agent decrease as coverage for more information on how forage and forage levels increase; for for more information on how forage and forage levels increase; for seeding insurance can help manage production example, 50 percent seeding insurance can help manage production example, 50 percent risks. Visit RightRisk.org for more information coverage includes a 67 risks. Visit RightRisk.org for more information coverage includes a 67 on this and a variety of other risk management percent premium subsidy, on this and a variety of other risk management percent premium subsidy, topics. while 75 percent coverage topics. while 75 percent coverage offers a 55 percent offers a 55 percent when plants are least susceptible to defoliation, prior when plants are least susceptible to defoliation, prior to stem elongation or late in the season after plants to stem elongation or late in the season after plants have gone dormant, is an option that can help reduce havethe gone dormant, grazing is an option that can help reduce detrimental effects during drought. the detrimental grazing effects during drought.

• If drought is severe, plant growth is greatly If drought is severe, plant growth is greatly limited, leaving little useable grazable forage. limited, leaving little useable grazable forage.

Completely removing livestock from the Completely removing from the rangeland may belivestock warranted. rangeland may be warranted.

• If drought occurs early in the growing season Grazing 50 Percent • If drought earlyplant in thegrowth growing season Grazing 50 Percent but is occurs not severe, may be A plant community can overcome drought if good but is not severe, plant growth may be A grazing plant community can overcome drought if good adequate for some controlled grazing. management is practiced by not allowing adequate for some controlled grazing.

• If drought occurs late in the growing season, grazing management is practiced not material; allowing no livestock to remove too muchby plant • If drought occurs late in the growing season, grazing plants may not be affected, but soil livestock to remove too much plant material; no more than 50 percent of aboveground growth. grazing plants may not be affected, but soil moisture and subsequent growing season moreHowever, than 50 if percent of aboveground growth. overgrazing occurs and plants are moisture and subsequent growing season moisture and plant growth should be However, if overgrazing occurs andloss plants are weakened through excessive of leaves, weedy moisture and plant growth should be monitored. weakened through excessive loss of leaves, weedy species can benefit from the reduction in these monitored.

Production and management strategies to species can benefit thesedrought desirable plantsfrom and the evenreduction increaseinduring Production and management to maintain plant health during strategies a drought include desirable plants and even increase during drought conditions. maintain plant health during a drought include destocking pastures, early weaning of young conditions.

The severity and timing of the drought will destocking pastures, earlyforage, weaning of young harvested livestock, stockpiling purchasing The severity what and timing the drought determine type ofofgrazing, if any,will can occur on livestock, stockpiling forage, purchasing harvested feeds, and leasing pastures elsewhere. determine what type of grazing, if any, can occur on a particular rangeland. feeds, and leasing pastures elsewhere. a particular rangeland.

•

Which plan you choose will greatly depend on Which plan you choose will greatly depend on the type of operation, drought severity, previous the type of operation, drought severity, previous management, and rangeland health. management, and rangeland health.planning and More information on drought More information on drought planningbyand management strategies is available going to management strategies is available by going to www.uwyo.edu/uwe and clicking on Publications, www.uwyo.edu/uwe and clicking on Publications, then typing in “Drought” in the search field or by thenspeaking typing inwith “Drought” in the search of field or by your local University Wyoming speaking with your local University of Wyoming Extension educator.

Extension educator.

Extension educators Glenn Owings based in Sublette County Extension based in Sublette County can beeducators reached atGlenn (307)Owings 367-4380 or at gowings@uwyo.edu, can be reached at (307) 367-4380 or at gowings@uwyo.edu, and Blaine Horn based in Johnson County at (307) 684-7522 and or Blaine Horn based inExtension Johnson invasive County at (307) 684-7522 bhorn@uwyo.edu. plant specialist or bhorn@uwyo.edu.

Extension invasive plant specialist Dan Tekiela is an assistant professor in the Department Dan of Tekiela is an assistant in at the(307) Department Plant Sciences can beprofessor contacted 766-3113 or of Plant Sciences can be contacted at (307) 766-3113 or dtekiela@uwyo.edu. dtekiela@uwyo.edu.

10

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 16 • August 15, 2020

CALENDAR

Sept. 4-6 Sept. 12

Submit your events to: Editor, Wyoming Livestock Roundup, P.O. Box 850, Casper, WY, 82602, or e-mail to roundup@wylr.net.

EVENTS Aug. 19 Aug. 20 Aug. 21-23 Aug. 21-30 Aug. 22 Aug. 24-26 Aug. 29 Aug. 29-30 Sept. 3-Dec. 10 Sept. 6-7 Sept. 15 Sept. 16 Sept. 16-17 Sept. 16-19 Sept. 18-20 Sept. 21-22 Sept. 23-25 Nov. 12-15

Sept. 15

Joint Appropriations Committee Public Comment Forum Meeting, Zoom. For more information, visit wyoleg.gov.

Southwest Sage-Grouse Working Group Meeting, 9 a.m. Green River, Green River Game and Fish Office. For more information, visit wgfd.wyo.gov/ Habitat/Sage-Grouse-Management/Sage-Grouse-Local-Working-Groups.

Old West Cowboy, Indian Antique and Gun Collectable Trade Show, Hulett, Wyoming Civic Center. For more information, call 307-467-5668 or 605-892-5324.

Central States Fair and Rodeo, Rapid, S.D. Visit centralstatesfair.com for more information.

BLM Rock Springs Field Office National Public Lands Day Event, 9 a.m.

Rock Springs, Sage Elementary School. For more information, contact Storie Ratcliff at 307-352-0237 or T.J. Franklin at 307-352-0318.

WSGA Wyoming Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show, Rock Springs, Sweetwater Events Center. Visit wysga.org for more information.

Rendezvous City Beef Roundup, Riverton, Central Wyoming College. For more information or to buy tickets, visit cwc.edu/roundup.

2020 Sheepherders Rendezvous, Glenrock, South Recreation Park. Visit ConverseCountyTourism.com for more information.

University of Wyoming Extension Master Gardener Online Training.

Register at bit.ly/master-gardener-2020. For more information, contact Chris Hilgert at chilgert@uwyo.edu.

Don King Days, Big Horn, Big Horn Equestrian Center. For more information, visit thebhec.org/donkingdays.

Wyoming State Ram Sale, Douglas, Wyoming State Fairgrounds. For more information, visit wyowool.com.

AQHA Region 2 Regional Championship, Rapid City, S.D., For more information, visit aqharegion2.com.

Women in Agribusiness Summit, Online. For more information and to register, visit wia.highquestevents.com/website/9814.

North American Corriente Association National Convention, Gillette, Camplex. For more information, visit corriente.us.

Idaho Salers National Tour, Lewiston, Idaho. For more information, contact Luke Lowe at 208-924-5106.

Sandhills Cattle Association’s 81st Annual Convention, Thedford, Neb. Visit sandhillscattle.com for more information.

Public Lands Council Annual Meeting, Sparks, Nev., 1100 Nugget Ave. Visit publiclandscouncil.org/?event=2020-plc-annual-meeting for more information.

WRCA World Championship Ranch Rodeo, Amarillo, Texas. For more information, visit wrca.org.

SALES Aug. 17-18

Aug. 22 Aug. 23 Aug. 24-25 Aug. 28-29 Sept. 5

Big horn Basin LIVESTOCK AUCTION LLC

Worland, WY

Sale Barn: 307-347-9201 Danny Vigil: 307-388-0781

Broadcasting and Online Bidding Available At lmaauctions.com.

Please visit to fill out an application and view auctions.

Authorized Dealer

Sept. 15 Sept. 17 Sept. 17 Sept. 18-19 Sept. 19 Sept. 20 Sept. 21 Oct. 3 Oct. 3 Oct. 9-10 Oct. 11 Oct. 17 Oct. 26 Oct. 28 Nov. 8 Nov. 17 Nov. 24 Dec. 1 Dec. 1 Dec. 2

Western Video Market, Little America, Cheyenne, 530-347-3793, wvmcattle.com Superior Livestock Auction Big Horn Classic, Sheridan, 800-4222117, superiorlivestock.com Annual Montana Horse Progress Days Auction, Reuben Miller Farm, Moore, Mont., 406-374-2287, 406-374-2517, 406-366-0472, 406-3664667, shobeauction.com Ranchers Quarter Horse Breeders Association Sale, Besler’s Cadillac Ranch, Belle Fourche, S.D., 605-347-3294, 605-993-3256, rqhba.com Northern Livestock Video Auction Early Fall Preview, 866-616-5035, northernlivestockvideo.com 2020 League of Legends Invitational Horse Sale, Heart K Land & Cattle Company Arena, Livingston, Mont., 406-381-2347, turnerperformancehorses.com Proffit Ranch 19th Annual Labor Day Horse Sale, Diamond X Ranch, Evanston, 307-789-2474, proffitranch.com

Aug. 17-21

Sept. 12

Danny Vigil Northern Livestock Represenative

Powder River Quarter Horse Breeders Association 43rd Annual Horse Sale, Futurity & Versatility Ranch Horse Show, Broadus, Mont., 406427-5420, prqhba.com Open Box Rafter Ranch 27th Annual Horse Sale, Rapid City, S.D., 605538-4450, rafterranch.com Rafter 7 Merinos Annual Ram and Ewe Sale, Eureka County Fairgrounds, Eureka, Nev., 775-221-3206, 843-693-2461, rafter7.com Western Video Market, Haythorn Ranch, Ogallala, Neb., 530-347-3793, wvmcattle.com 92nd Annual Wyoming State Ram Sale, Wyoming State Fairgrounds, Douglas, 307-265-5250, 307-351-1422, wyowool.com Cattle Country Video Sandhills Roundup, Goshen County Rendezvous Center, Torrington, 888-322-8853, cattlecountryvideo.com 95th Annual Montana Ram Sale, Eastern Montana Fairgrounds, Miles City, Mont., 406-210-2852, 406-853-5239, mtsheep.org 24th Annual Van Norman and Friends Production Sale, Elko County Fairgrounds, Elko, Nev., 775-756-6508, 775-934-7404, vannormansale. com 20th Annual WYO Quarter Horse, Arena, Ranch Broke Gelding & Production Sale, Hot Springs County Fairgrounds, Thermopolis, 307-8645671, 307-272-0593, 307-921-1164, wyohorses.com Sugar Bars Legacy 18th Annual Horse Sale, Sheridan County Fairgrounds, Sheridan, 605-347-8120, sugarbarslegacy.com Northern Livestock Video Auction Fall Premier, 866-616-5035, northernlivestockvideo.com Grand Hills Cattle Complete Dispersion Sale, at the ranch, Eaton, Colo., 970-215-5281, grandhillscattle.com 2020 Huskerland Breeders Production Sale, Buffalo County Fairgrounds, Kearney, Neb., 308-230-0455, 308-383-0039 Fall Classic Catalog Horse Sale and Futurity, Farmers and Ranchers Livestock Commission Co., Salina, Kan., 785-826-7884, 785-493-2901, 785-825-0211 23rd Annual Fall Colt & Yearling Catalog Sale, Farmers and Ranchers Livestock Commission Co., Salina, Kan., 785-826-7884, 785-493-2901, 785-825-0211 The NILE Gold Buckle Select Horse Sale, Billings, Mont., 406-2562497, thenile.org J & L Livestock Montana Angus Female Bonanza XVII, PAYS, Billings, Mont., 406-861-5664, 406-200-1880 Micheli Ranch Bull Sale, at the ranch, Ft. Bridger, 307-780-8232, 307747-7786, 307-747-3897, micheliranch.com The Wyoming Angus Association 10th Annual Wyoming Select Female Sale, Casper College, Casper, 307-630-4604, wyomingangus. org ZumBrunnen Angus 2nd Female Sale, at the ranch, Lusk, 307-334-2265, 307-216-0198, zbangus.com Paint Rock Angus Annual Production Sale, at the ranch, Hyattville, 307-469-2206, 307-469-2252, paintrockangus.com Western Video Market, Silver Legacy, Reno, Nev., 530-347-3793, wvmcattle.com Ward Livestock Ranch Red, White & Blue Bull Sale, at the ranch, Laramie, 307-399-9863 Beef Country Genetics Sale, Midland Bull Test, Columbus, Mont., 406780-0176, 307-217-0735, 307-217-3437, mcdonnellangus.com

POSTCARD from the Past

Compiled by Dick Perue rrichardperue@gmail.com

State Fair of Great Benefit The Sept. 1, 1910 issue of the Wyoming Industrial Journal noted, “This issue of the Wyoming Industrial Journal is given over largely to the Wyoming State Fair and subjects related to the fair.

We are devoting an extra amount of space to this subject because it is our firm belief no enterprise in Wyoming is of more

universal benefit than the state fair.”

“Here not only visitors from other states have an opportunity to see the products of Wyoming, but many of our own people are greatly surprised when they see the demonstration at Douglas of the possibilities of Wyoming in agriculture, mining, stock raising and other industries,” states

WE HAVE NITROGEN TO FILL YOUR SEMEN TANKS

• Upcoming Sales • Aug. 20 Sept. 3 Sept. 10 Sept. 17 Sept. 19 Sept. 24 Oct. 1 Oct. 5 Oct. 8 Oct. 15 Oct. 17 Oct. 19 Oct. 22 Oct. 26 Oct. 29

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Feeder Cattle Special with All Class Cattle, Sheep & Goat All Class Cattle All Class Cattle All Class Cattle, Sheep & Goat Saturday Horse Sale @ 1pm Feeder Special w/ All Class Cattle Feeder Special w/ All Class Cattle MONDAY SPECIAL – BAWL OF THE FALL – Feeder Cattle Only Feeder Special w/ All Class Cattle All Class Cattle, Sheep & Goat Saturday Horse Sale @ 1pm MONDAY SPECIAL – BAWL OF THE FALL – Feeder Cattle Only Weigh-Up Special w/ All Class Cattle MONDAY SPECIAL – BAWL OF THE FALL – Feeder Cattle Only Weigh-Up Special w/ All Class Cattle

The Alfalfa Palace made its first appearance at the 1912 Wyoming State Fair. It was one of the highlights of the 1912 fair held Sept. 24-27 and was the largest agricultural exhibit. The Palace measured 30 feet by 100 feet in size and contained an estimated 100 tons of prime hay. The Palace was originally constructed for the Big Horn County Fair held the month before. The Palace was constructed immediately to the right of the main entrance to the fair. It held several rail car loads of exhibits from the Big Horn Basin. Photo from “Wyoming Tales and Trails” Douglas photos on the Internet. Historical Reproductions by Perue

the journal.

It continues, “Wyoming does not enjoy the reputation she should have over many parts of the United States. People outside the state generally look upon this as wild and wooly country inhabited by cowboys, Native Americans and sheepherders, and over whose plains roam long-horned steers, poorly bred sheep and various wild beasts.”

“The Wyoming State Fair is playing its part in dispelling these erroneous ideas. At Douglas each year is not only seen varied assortment of as fine agricultural products as can be seen in any eastern state, but as fine pure blood horses, cattle, sheep and hogs as can be produced in any state in the union,” reads the issue.

“In fact, many of the livestock entered at the state fair are prize winners in Inter-State fairs where the best of the Middle West and West are pitted against them.”

The journal concludes, “The citizens of Wyoming, who each year visit the State Fair cannot but feel growing pride in his state and her resources as well as encouragement to make greater effort in whatever industry he may be engaged.”

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 16 • August 15, 2020

USDA continued from page 1 loss of at least $353 million in 2020, and it is clear now we will eclipse this number.”

More recently, a letter following the closure of Mountain States Rosen urged USDA to aid sheep and lamb producers to find processing and marketing options along with financial assistance for those impacted by market declines.

“This pandemic continues to take a disproportionate toll on farmers and ranchers, and the impacts that even one processor closing has on the ability of lamb and sheep producers to get by in these tough times is something we can and should remedy,” says House Agriculture Livestock and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee Chairman Jim Costa (D-CA).

As a result of data and comments submitted to the USDA, sheep greater than two years of age are now eligible for CFAP payments following the Aug. 11 announcement. The payment rate for part one is $24

per head, while the payment rate for part two payments is $7 per head.

Deadline extended Also announced in the Aug. 11 CFAP update, USDA has extended the application deadline for producers from Aug. 28 to Sept. 11. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), along with 27 other agricultural organizations, sent a letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue last week requesting the extension.

“We write to express our concern that the Aug. 28 CFAP deadline may exclude eligible producers from participating in the program, including producers of commodities recently added to the list of eligible commodities and commodities likely to become eligible through the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) process,” the Aug. 7 letter reads.

AFBF recognized their appreciation for the application deadline extension as well as inclusion of additional livestock and spe-

For information or to apply for CFAP funding, visit farmers.gov/cfap

cialty crops.

“Many hard-working families have not gone through federal programs before and need help navigating their way through the process,” says AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “We thank USDA for responding quickly to our letter and addressing the needs of America’s farmers and ranchers as they fight to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic. No one can tell when this pandemic will end, and extending the deadline and expanding eligibility will provide a lifeline at a time it’s needed most.”

Beef industry update In the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) Aug. 7 Beltway Beef podcast, Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane and Executive Director of Government Affairs Danielle Beck provide an update on coronavirus pandemic relief for cattle producers and discuss the potential for new funding to be released.

“The CFAP is now several months into implementation,” says Lane. “Sixteen billion dollars were put together by USDA, and through this week, we know they have spent about $6.8 billion of that $16 billion.”

“This leaves quite a bit

of money left to help producers through this program,” continues Lane.

He explains CFAP part two payments were substantially lower, about $33 per head lower, for producers who still had inventory on hand after April 15 and through May 15. Payouts from part two of the CFAP program are currently at 80 percent.

“It is important the USDA use those resources that we in the industry and other groups have already helped secure for them on Capitol Hill,” states Lane.

“We would love to see them use the $14 billion funded by the Commodity Credit Corporation Program to ensure some additional resources are pushed out the door to those part two recipients and to ensure those other 20 percent payments go out on time.”

Lane shares NCBA’s approval of support for beef producers in coronavirus assistance.

“We are pleased this week to hear House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson make the point cattle producers have not gotten what they need or what they deserve out of the program”, says Lane. “He is interested in making sure producers in our neck of the woods are taken care

“This has been one of those times where we see what strong support our industry has on Capitol Hill, both from Republicans and Democrats.”

– Ethan Lane, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association of through those CFAP funds.”

“This has been one of those times where we see what strong support our industry has on Capitol Hill, both from Republicans and Democrats,” continues Lane. “We still have a lot of work to do. We still have producers that need to get more support out of this program, and hopefully we will see some additional funding.”

Additional funding on the way While applications are still open for the CFAP program, legislators have been working on a fourth coronavirus assistance package. Ideally, the bill would have passed before Congress began the August recess on Aug. 7, but will have to wait until working sessions reconvene.

“The House signaled their interest in a fourth COVID-19 relief package months ago, and we are waiting on the Senate,” says Beck. “The Senate is taking more time with the bill, wanting to see how the virus really impacts

folks. Maybe it will be a better, more informed process.”

The Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection and Schools (HEALS) Act is a $1 trillion economic stimulus bill introduced by the Senate to supplement the CARES Act the CFAP comes out of. According to Beck, there is $20 million in the bill specifically for agriculture assistance.

“It is our understanding that a lot of lead negotiators in both parties were meeting for more than three hours last week,” says Beck. “We might not see COVID-19 legislation before people go home for August recess.”

Beck concludes, saying she expects to see a resolution to get everyone through the election in November, uncertain legislators will work to pass a large assistance package before the election.

Averi Hales is the editor for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 16 • August 15, 2020

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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!

Across 1 5 8 9 10 12 14 17 19 21 26 27 28 29 31 34 35 37 38 Down 1

2 3

It’s used to make distiller’s grain Tract of grassy open land Land with stunted trees and bushes Feeding in a pasture Compass point, abbr.

Corn Belt city in Iowa Female sheep Started suddenly in fright Surpasses Cow part Gold in French Long trough for cattle to eat from, 2 words Young horse “__ I ruled the world.....” song Cow habitat ___ caching Off-road vehicle, for short Wyoming county great for crop land and ranching Soil

4 5 6 7 11 12 13 15 16 18 20 22 23 24 25 30 31 32 33 36

Freedom from difficulty

Cattle groupings Important Cattle Association, abbr.

Peas and beans Brownish horses Moos and baas High flying predator Compass point, abbr.

Helping hand Driver’s __ Itsy-bitsy Cow meat Basil, e.g.

Dairy farm produce Vet, for example Extended shortage of water Amount and composition of feed Go down a mountain on snow Broad bean Bacon source Utilize Executive Asst., abbr.

Tellurium symbol

BEEF continued from page 1 opportunity.”

Educational opportunities The Rendezvous City Beef Roundup will offer edu-

cational programs and presentations ranging from beef preparation to economic impact, grazing and new tech-

For more information, visit cwc.edu/roundup/

nologies in the beef industry.

CWC will introduce meat science faculty and showcase their mobile abattoir unit.

Cooking demonstrations will be provided throughout the day, presented by the CWC Culinary Program.

Fremont County Cattlewomen will also be attending the event. Their booth will feature educational aspects of beef and byproducts.

CARES grant introduced Gov. Mark Gordon will fund a grant program to provide financial assistance to students who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants will cover expenses other than tuition and fees, including housing and meals for students attending the University of Wyoming, as well as the state’s community colleges, private and technical colleges.

The governor has allocated an initial $50 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to the CARES Wyoming College Grant Program, which will assist students and their families who have been financially impacted by the coronavirus health emergency.

The funding will help improve student retention at the state’s higher education institutions and technical colleges to support the state’s economic recovery.

“In this challenging time, it could not be more important that we invest in Wyo-

ming’s future by investing in our college students,” Gordon said. “This is an opportunity to help ensure Wyoming students are able to continue pursuing their educational goals.”

To participate, students must be U.S. citizens who are either current or new students at UW, one of Wyoming’s community colleges or any private or technical college located in Wyoming. Full-time students will receive funding towards housing and meals at each institution for the fall semester, while part-time students will receive a prorated amount according to the number of enrolled credit hours.

Additional details and application information for UW students became available on Aug. 10 at uwyo.edu/cares.

Students at the state’s community colleges and private and technical colleges should contact their institution’s financial aid office for additional information.

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS STRUGGLING? Helpful Things to Say to Someone Who May Be Struggling NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

1-800-273-8255

“What are you feeling?”

“I care and am here to listen.”

“How have you dealt with things in the past?”

“How long have you been feeling like this?”

“Have you been thinking about suicide?”

Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center

Les Barkhurst, president of the Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming, will present on the economic impacts and sustainability of grazing in Wyoming and provide information on purchasing locally produced beef to consumers.

Valerie Murray, of Murraymere Farms, will explain beef chain technology and share her experience exporting beef to the Pacific Rim. The keynote speaker for the event will be State Rep. and rancher, Tyler Lindholm, sharing his knowledge about how the Herd Shares Act will benefit both consumers and

producers.

All of the presentations and demonstrations, along with food trucks and vendors promoting beef, will be included in the general admission tickets.

Beef tasting challenge Premium tickets will gain access to participate in the steak tasting Beef Challenge as producers compete for “The Best Beef in Wyoming,” sponsored by Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply. Participants will taste a serving of each of the attending producers’ steaks and vote on the best tasting beef.

Nine producers from around Wyoming will bring their home-raised beef for a chance at the title.

“We are excited to use this event to promote local food and Wyoming Beef,” says McCann.

Tickets are available online at cwc.edu/foundation and at the door. A portion of each ticket will support a meat science scholarship at CWC. Averi Hales is the editor for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr. net.

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Wyoming Livestock Roundup • Volume 32 No. 16 • August 15, 2020

RIVERTON LIVESTOCK AUCTION Market Report, Tuesday, August 11, 2020 - No Sale

Early Consignments

TUESDAY, AUGUST 18 ALL CATTLE CLASSES W/ 4-H RESALE (NOON) & SHEEP & HORSES START TIME 9:30 AM W/ SHEEP & WEIGH UPS Brad Carlson - 50 weigh bulls. All natural.

Kim Clark - 1 load of weigh cows Starr Kuhn - 6 Ewes (2-3 Yr olds, 2-4 Yr olds, 1 Yrling, 1- 6 month old) & 1- 2 Yr old Ram. Complete dispersion of a high quality 4H Herd!

Eric Murphy - 2016 Blood Bay Gelding. Started, desensitized, 15-20 round pen & arena rides.

Bred to be an excellent horse (Sired by Firewater Harlan, Dam is Salt & Pepper Lena). Needs a cowboy & some wet saddle pads. Has the potential to be a great horse for someone with time to put into him!

Don Hall - 13 Year old Registered Morgan Mare. Halter broke.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25 - No sale TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 ALL CATTLE CLASSES • START TIME 9:00 AM W/ WEIGH UPS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 LABOR DAY FEEDER SPECIAL • START TIME 9:00 AM W/ WEIGH UPS Bar V - 400 Yrling Spayed Hfrs (85% Blk, 15% Red & CharX) 775-825#. Choice, green, high desert feeding Hfrs!

Fleur de Lis Cattle Co - 160 Blk Ang & AngX Yrling Spayed Hfrs 800-850#. Fancy, green, high desert Hfrs!

Gary Adels - 60 Crossbred Yrling Spayed Hfrs 750# Scott Schulz - 45 Blk Yrling Strs 800-900#. Fancy & green!

Fremont Street - 31 Blk Ang Yrling Strs 675#. Fancy!

Freeman Ranch - 25 Crossbred Spayed Hfrs 775#

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 CALF & YEARLING SPECIAL • START TIME 9:00 AM W/ WEIGH UPS Dick Ellis - 300 Blk Ang & AngX Strs & Hfrs 525-575#. Rec Bovishield Gold 5 & One Shot Ultra @ Branding. High elevation. Great performing, powerful calves!

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

CALF & YEARLING SPECIAL • START TIME 9:00 AM W/ WEIGH UPS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 CALF & YEARLING SPECIAL W/ SHEEP & HORSES START TIME 9:00 AM W/ SHEEP & WEIGH UPS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 CALF & YEARLING SPECIAL • START TIME 9:00 AM

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9 COW SALE • START TIME 9:00 AM

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13 CALF & YEARLING SPECIAL • START TIME 9:00 AM

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16 COW SALE • START TIME 9:00 AM

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20 CALF & YEARLING SPECIAL • START TIME 9:00 AM

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 BRED COW SPECIAL • START TIME 9:00 AM W/ WEIGH UPS, BREDS @ NOON

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27 CALF & YEARLING SPECIAL • START TIME 9:00 AM

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30 COW SALE W/ SHEEP & GOATS START TIME 9:00 AM W/ SHEEP & WEIGH UPS Contact: Riverton Livestock Auction (307) 856-2209; Jeff Brown (307) 850-4193 • Tom Linn (307) 728-8519 Mark Winter (580) 747-9436 www.rivertonlivestock.com also watch our live cattle auction at www.cattleusa.com

1490 South 8th Street East • Riverton, WY 82501 (307) 856-2209

PICNIC continued from page 1 (R-WY), Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), University of Wyoming (UW) President Ed Siedel, UW College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Dean Barbara Rasco and Superintendant Jillian Balow, were in attendance and took turns addressing the crowd.

“I just want to say, it is wonderful to see everybody.

It is always wonderful to see everybody, but this year in particular it is very special,” said Cheney. “Over in Washington, D.C. we are fighting for Wyoming agriculture every single day, and we will continue to do that. Nobody gets through the tough times the way Wyoming’s ag industry does, so I want to thank everyone for everything.”

“We had some crazy things start happening in March but Wyoming agriculture never missed a step,” added Gordon. “In some of the darkest days, our community came together to put on a state fair. Our country and state’s agriculture industry is fundamental. It is what drives our nation and feeds our people. God bless everyone and thank you for what you do.”

2020 Wyoming Ag Hall of Fame inductees Barrasso took to the stage to present the first award to 2020 Wyoming Ag Hall of Fame inductee Brad Boner.

Barrasso began reading from the Congressional Record, a speech given on the floor of the United States Senate, “After graduating from UW with an ag business degree, Brad returned to Glenrock where he still ranches at the M Diamond Angus Ranch alongside his two brothers, Rob and Jeff and their father, Bob. Brad’s involvement in agriculture goes far beyond production.

In fact, his dedication and passion for the industry are evident through his active involvement in both the cattle and sheep industries at local, state and national levels.”

“In addition to serving in many capacities to the benefit of the Wyoming sheep ranching community, Brad steps up and serves as an articulate spokesman on moving the sheep industry forward. One of his most noteworthy accomplishments is Brad’s active role in forming the Mountain States Lamb Cooperative (MSLC) including serving as MSLC’s first and current chairman,”

Barrasso read.

“Brad is not only a leader in Wyoming’s ag community but a wonderful mentor to the youth across the state. He believes sharing agriculture with students is the best way to ensure the continuation of this community for generations to come,” added Barrasso.

“I think I speak for many when I say I am truly grateful for his leadership, his many attributions and his caring demeanor that has so graciously blessed our state in so many ways,” Barrasso continued. “With his constant diligence to improve and impact his community, it is with great honor to induct him into the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame. He represents every positive attribute of a leader in Wyoming agriculture and the Code of the West. It is because of people like him that the agriculture industry in Wyoming has a bright and productive future.”

In acceptance of his award, Brad commented, “Thank you everyone. It is a tremendous honor. I would also like to thank our state legislators who fight everyday for Wyoming agriculture. I see a lot of people in the audience who spend their days also fighting for agriculture everyday, and I thank them for that.”

Brad continued, “Most importantly, I would like to thank my wife, Laurie and my kids. I appreciate their patience. I also appreciate my brothers for stepping up when I wasn’t home and for my mom and dad, who instilled a passion for agriculture in my core.”

Saratoga natives Jack and Diana Berger were also inducted into the Wyoming Ag Hall of Fame and were presented with the award from Rep. Cheney.

“Today I am pleased to recognize Jack and Diana Berger as Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame inductees,” stated Cheney. “Jack and Diana have a passion for the ag industry and their fellow producers. They genuinely enjoy ranching and making a living off of the land.”

Reading from the Congressional Record, Cheney continued, “The Bergers also firmly believe the most effective policy decisions are made at the state and local

level, especially when concerning critical industries like agriculture. Like most folks in the great state of Wyoming, the Bergers know hard work, proper stewardship of the land and a commitment to their neighbors will go a long way in ensuring a strong ag industry and happy and healthy communities.”

“I want to extend my congratulations to them and thank them for their service and years of hard work. Jack and Diana Berger truly live the cowboy way of life, and I am proud to have the opportunity to recognize their achievements as inductees into the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame,” Cheney stated. “Wyoming is well served by their lasting and continuing contributions to our great state.”

Jack expressed his gratitude upon receiving the prestigious honor, “Thank you for this. It is a really special honor, and we are joining a great group of people in the Wyoming Ag Hall of Fame.”

WAIC Educator of the Year Following the induction of Brad Boner and Jack and Diana Berger into the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame, Cheney recognized Mountain View Fifth Grade Teacher Marissa Cornelison as the WAIC 2020 Educator of the Year.

“Cornelison is active in her school, community and WAIC programs. She has been involved with writing, revising and teaching the Wyoming Stewardship Project over the past three years,” said Cheney. “Over the last two years, Cornelison has taught the Wyoming Stewardship Project to every fifth grade student at Mountain View Elementary.”

As the 2020 Educator of the Year, Cornelison was awarded a cash prize of $1,000 through Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom. The award was sponsored by Mantha Philips and the Wyoming Livestock Roundup.

After receiving her award, Cornelison commented, “Thank you for this great honor. This has been an overwhelming recognition, and I feel so honored to be part of the stewardship project. Thank you. I am so grateful.”

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup.

Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.

Land bid increased Occidental Petroleum has announced it is negotiating with a bidder for the millions of acres of land grant properties offered for sale earlier this year in southern Wyoming. That bidder is not the State of Wyoming, but as these are only negotiations the situation could change.

Gov. Mark Gordon stressed the state participated in the bid process to pursue an opportunity to purchase land for the public and diversify Wyoming’s investments. The land for sale included roughly one million acres of land and four million acres in mineral rights.

The announcement by Occidental is not

final, so the state will keep its bid confidential at this time, until there is a final sale or Wyoming withdraws its bid.

“I thank everyone who has supported this bid and provided feedback as we pursue this bold opportunity, which could be the biggest land purchase in state history,” Gordon said.

“We believe our bid positions Wyoming to generate additional investment revenue and would keep taxes low into the future. I greatly appreciate the willingness of Occidental to work with the State of Wyoming as a bidder.”

The Governor’s Office does not know the identity of the leading bidder nor the amount of the bid.