Volume 33 Number 17 • August 21, 2021
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The Weekly News Source for Wyoming’s Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net
A Look Inside Keep watch for blister beetles posing risk to livestock in hay... ...................................... Page 5 Build herd health with an effective vaccination and health program...............................page 6 Copper ore smelter from early 1900s provided metals to western infrastructure......... Page 10 Lee Pitts shares how his veterinarian gets even.......... Page16
Quick Bits Organic Costs
UW College of Ag Dean provides update going into school year The University of Wyoming (UW) College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) Dean Barbara Rasco shared during the Wyoming Wool Growers Association (WWGA) Summer Meet-
ing Aug. 10-11 in Lander the college is prepared to welcome students back to campus with classes starting Aug. 23. “Over 80 percent of the faculty and staff have been vaccinated, and students
are encouraged to receive the COVID-19 vaccine,” Rasco said. “There are some COVID-19 safety practices in place, but we are very committed, particularly the CANR, to having our students back in Laramie.”
In addition to receiving students for the fall semester, Rasco provided an update on the CANR’s new Ranch Management and Agricultural Leadership Program, as well as Please see UW on page 15
APPLAUDING AGRICULTURAL EXCELLENCE
Annual Agriculture Hall of Fame picnic celebrates four of Wyoming’s finest
Organic producers and handlers can now apply for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds to assist with the cost of receiving or maintaining organic certification. Applications for the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) are due Nov. 1. Organic farmers and ranchers may apply through a Farm Service Agency county office or a participating state agency.
Input Needed The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) has opened a comment period to gather public input on two regulations: Chapter 44, Regulation for Issuance of Licenses, Permits, Stamps, Tags, Preference Points and Competitive Raffle Chances; and Chapter 70, Regulation Governing Possession of Road Killed Wildlife. For more information, visit wgfd. wyo.gov/News/Game-andFish-Commission-openspublic-comment-on-C.
Leading Stud Frenchmans Guy, the 1987 palomino stud who was the number one leading sire passed at 34 years old on Aug. 15. Sired by the allaround performance sire Sun Frost and backed by Casey’s Ladylove on the bottom, the standout horse had a long and extended stride, speed, a sound mind and willing heart. His progeny have proven to be among the top competitors in the performance horse industry with over $14 million in progeny earnings.
WSGLT Event The Wyoming Stock Growers Land Trust (WSGLT) 20th Anniversary Celebration Virtual Kickoff Event went live Aug. 19. The online event includes the opening of the online auction, open until 7:45 p.m. on Aug. 28. Registration for the online event is free, and tickets are available for the in person gathering at the Padlock Ranch on Aug. 28. More information can be found at wsglt.org/ourevents/.
2021 UW EDITION Ag leadership awarded – Leaders in Wyoming agriculture were recognized and honored during the Wyoming Livestock Roundup’s Agriculture Hall of Fame picnic. From right, Sen. John Barrasso, Reva Lobatos, Keith and Linda Hamilton, Dr. Jim and Stephanie Logan, Sen. Cynthia Lummis, First Lady Jennie Gordon, Gov. Mark Gordon and Dennis Sun. Hannah Bugas photo
Individuals from across the state of Wyoming spent the afternoon of Aug. 18 gathered at Riverside Park in Douglas to celebrate the induction of Keith and Linda Hamilton and Dr. Jim Logan into the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame and to recognize Reva Lobatos as the Wyoming Ag in the Classroom (WAIC) Educator of the Year at the annual Wyoming Hall of Fame Picnic hosted by Farm Credit Services of America, Clark and Associates Land Brokers LLC, the University of Wyoming Col-
UW, producers promote tech Producers across Wyoming and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) are stepping into blockchain technology to explore creating value-added agricultural products consumers can digitally verify. Blockchain is a database that stores information together in blocks of data that are digitally chained together. CANR Dean Barbara Rasco said the ag college is instrumental in the Center for Blockchain and Digital Innovation Program on campus. “I think a lot of the most interesting applications to come out of the center that will have a big impact within the state are the ones the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources are working on,” she said. “It is an area we want to focus on and develop programs that will be helpful for our producers and the ag industry in general across the state.” Connecting producers to consumers A block is created when new data comes into blockchain and then is linked to another, said Mariah Ehmke, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics. “If a producer wanted to build some sort of value-added information, this would help them preserve it and let the consumer know at the end,” she said. Wyoming cattle ranchers have been some of the early adopters of this technology through BeefChain, owned by American Certified Brands, a Wyoming LLC. “If you go to a grocery store and buy a steak, for every dollar spent, I think only about $.20 gets back to the rancher,” said Drew Persson, president of BeefChain and fourth generaPlease see CANR on page 7
lege of Ag and Natural Resources and the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. In addition to the many producers, Wyoming agriculture personnel and families of the inductees in attendance were Gov. Mark Gordon and First Lady Jennie Gordon, Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), University of Wyoming (UW) President Ed Siedel, UW College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Please see PICNIC on page 4
Ag education UW program sees success in creating ag educators “I remember being in seventh grade and a teacher said, ‘We need you to take some class that could affect you for the rest of your life starting next year,’ and that was a lot of pressure,” explains University of Wyoming (UW) Agriculture Education Faculty Member and Lecturer Lindsey Freeman. Freeman, a Wyoming native, knew from a young age teaching agriculture had a place in her future. After signing up for ag classes, Freeman didn’t spend much time outside of the ag classroom. “A lot of the time I would ditch physical education class to go to the ag room, or I would go eat my lunch there,” she said. “I really liked spending all of my time in the ag classroom and doing FFArelated activities.” She continued, “I took a chance and decided to go with ag education, and I am better at it than I originally gave myself credit for.” Freeman graduated Please see AG on page 14
Barbecue benefits ag students The 38th Ag Appreciation Barbecue is scheduled for Sept. 4, prior to the University of Wyoming (UW) versus Montana State University football game. The first regular season game of 2021 for the Wyoming Cowboys will kickoff at 2 p.m. The event is part of Ag Appreciation Weekend. The barbecue lunch is served from 11 a.m.-1:45 p.m. in the southwest corner of the Wyoming Indoor Practice Facility. Ticket prices are $15 for adults, $10 for 12 and under, and children five years old and under are free. Tickets can be purchased the day of the event by cash or check.
Proceeds benefit College of Agriculture and Natural Resources student organizations at UW, including the Block and Bridle Club, Pre-vet Club, Range Club and the Wyoming Collegiate Cattle Association. This money is used to fund educational trips, meetings and conferences. For more information about the Ag Appreciation Barbeque or to become a sponsor, contact kdegerin@uwyo.edu. For tickets to the Wyoming Cowboys football game following the event, visit gowyo.com/sports/2017/8/22/ticket-central.aspx or call 307-766-7220.
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Please see BBQ on page 4