Salute to Agriculture - Spring/Summer 2024

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Sterling

River Station provides a friendly and clean environment along with great customer service.They offer Hunt Brothers Pizza, Lauer Krauts, a wide variety of cold drinks, fountain drinks and coffee They also have a great selection of a wide variety of snacks.

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Caliche FFA member Amman Adolf gets ready to weigh in his goats at the Logan County fair. (Courtesy photo)

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Farming isn't just ajob. It's a lifestyle and we know how to protect it. From injured workers to disability income protection for owners, machinery to structures, your crops to your livestock, and even cyber liability, we have the resources and expertise to protect your operation.

Ag dept. nurtures resilience in industry

Last summer I was in Wray, Colorado, holding a 3D printed replica of what was once Colorado’s largest hailstone on record Just that week, that hailstone was surpassed by an even larger one, part of the mid-August storm that had just ripped through northeast Colorado

The visit was part of the Ag Resilience Tour my team at the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) and our partners at the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) put on. We visited communities from Akron to Haxtun and Sterling to help our teams, elected officials, and other leaders better understand the challenges farmers and ranchers face.

Hail storms in northeast Colorado are nothing new. But increasingly intense climate conditions are putting a strain on ag communities. Combine that with the rising cost of doing business, a tough labor environment, and

new stressors on water, and we see how these challenges take a toll on rural communities, and on mental health.

We wanted to understand what resilience looks like from those who have embodied resilience for generations. What gets you through tough times?

One family we had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with was the Blach family in Yuma. David Blach is a farmer, rancher, and Governor appointee to the Colorado Agricultural Commission. After a tour, David’s daughter-in-law and owner of Farm House Market, Meghann Blach, fed a room of over 30 people, with much of the food grown and raised in northeast Colorado. With the fifth generation now on the ranch, the Blach family is one

great example of the ingenuity and grit found in Colorado agriculture.

Running a farm, ranch, or food business is not easy, and that’s why at CDA we’re putting extra effort into marketing, infrastructure, and business development

In fact, we’ve invested more than $2.5 million in local processing across northeast Colorado since 2020.

Listening to ag communities is critical. Last year we created parttime positions for people making their living from agriculture. The Regional Assistant Commissioners represent their communities with CDA and CDA with their communities. Our two current Regional Assistant Commissioners, Jo Stanko of Routt County and George Whitten of Saguache, are both lifelong ranchers. We are hiring two more Regional Assistant Commissioners, one of whom will represent the Eastern Plains

These kinds of relationships also help us build better programs. For example, CDA’s voluntary Soil Health Program was built by producers, including many across eastern Colorado In the past three years we have grown the program from $0 to $30 million dollars money that is going directly to farmers and ranchers. In addition, conservation districts in Haxtun, Sedgwick, Yuma, and Washington counties are program partners.

For the Blach family and countless others across Colorado, resilience is in their blood. We know that to face the challenges before us, we’ve got to go at it together. At CDA, we’re working in partnership to ensure your state department of agriculture is responsive to needs on the ground, and is ready to take on the 21st century.

Kate Greenberg is Colorado’s Commissioner of Agriculture

Kate Greenberg

Agriculture forum focused on the farm of the future

By Jeff Rice jerice@prairiemountainmedia.com

Imagine a Colorado farm in which the farmer only occasionally ventures into the field, relying on electronic eyes and mechanical muscle to perform the routine tasks of growing crops, while he spends his days researching markets and managing the business of growing food and fiber.

Thanks to artificial intelligence, automation and the changing needs of consumers around the world, that may be the future of agriculture in Colorado and across the nation.

Colorado agriculture is in one of the most exciting and challenging transitions in history, according to speakers and breakout sessions at the 2024 Colorado Agriculture Forum.

The annual forum, hosted by the Colorado Agriculture Leadership Program, draws a Who’s Who of production agriculture from across the state, along with appearances by Gov. Jared Polis, Agriculture Commissioner Kate Greenberg and others

The 2024 Forum focused on agriculture of the future as farmers and ranchers adapt to climate change and market shifts David Kohn Ph.D., set the tone with the opening keynote address, telling the gathering that agriculture is in the process of transitioning into a “management era” in which the growth of high tech will mean “business management IQ is the difference maker in success.”

“Higher expenses will outlast higher incomes, which means there will be a thinner margin of error for financial and business decisions,” Kohl said.

Wade Stewart, who manages a team of scientists for Trimble, Inc , developing high-tech products for agriculture, showed what the future of a “farmerless farm” might look like It was significant that

many of the slides Stewart showed featured tractors with no cab. He was quick to point out they weren’t exactly remote-controlled, either Trimble’s technology would allow a farmer to program equipment to plant, cultivate and harvest his crop without actually being present. The key, he said, is autonomy; a machine’s ability to perform a task while compensating for variables with an efficiency unattainable with human-guided machinery.

Autonomy requires massive amounts of data, which in itself is accomplished only with other technology, namely artificial intelligence, or AI.

Farmers already can “map” their fields using harvest data and computers to find areas of poor yield, and then teach their machines to not plant or not water those areas, thus saving money on inputs But those methods still require humans to actually operate the machines

And in cases where GPS and computerization does allow a tractor to operate without a human, the machine can’t tell if there’s something in the way

In Stewart’s farm of the future, tractors, combines and cultivators would be able to spot something out of place in the field and either go around it or stop and alert a human that the item needs to be moved.

Sensors and cameras on farm equipment also will be able to spot individual weeds and give them a quick squirt of herbicide, rather than applying the chemical across the entire field. This could cut herbicide applications to a fraction of their previous use, meaning big savings for the producer.

Fields also could be marked with a “geofence,” a series of sensors in the field that talk to the machinery to establish the field’s boundaries Other sensors can map soil moisture, pest infestations and even to-

Wade Stewart shows off Spot, the Boston Dynamics “dog” robot used in Trimble, Inc ’s autonomy and automation research Note the black and white sensor target just beneath the screen at the front of the room; it’s one of several placed around the room to help Spot navigate

JEFF RICE JOURNAL-ADVOCATE

pography.

“The goal is cheaper, faster, cleaner and greener,” Stewart said. “We have to bring down the price (of the technology) so an operator can own multiple systems ”

Another major improvement will be the ability to store the data on the farm rather than in the cloud.

“The farmer has to own the data,” he said. “We have to have on-farm systems that can store and recall that data without having to load it into the cloud.”

The key to autonomy and AI on the farm, Stewart said, is connectivity. That’s why efforts to bring broadband internet connectivity to rural areas is so important.

The farmer of the future probably will be planting different crops, at least in dryland areas.

Sally Jones-Diamond, director of the Crops Testing Program at Colorado State University, held a breakout session on the kinds of crops

that may be planted on dryland farms as producers adapt to climate change.

Hybrid rye, black-eyed peas and proso millet are three crops Jones-Diamond said are testing well in CSU’s test fields

Hybrid rye, also known as feral rye, is resistant to wheat stem sawfly because of its shorter, sturdier stem The crop can be used for feedstock, human consumption and fuel production. Hybrid rye yields between 109 and 117 bushels to the acre, or between 6,000 and 6,500 pounds per acre, which Jones-Diamond said is a respectable yield.

The downside, however, is that there is a limited market for the grain so far, and seed can cost up to three times the cost of wheat seed.

The U.S. imports about 13 million pounds of black-eyed peas annually, Jones-Diamond said, so there is a ready market for this food grain. In addition to the untapped market, the peas are well-suited to dryland farming, post high yields and are easy to harvest

“Just don’t use a stripper head to harvest,” she cautioned “You’ll want to swath and then pick up the crop Otherwise, you’re going crack or break about half of them.”

She said CSU saw a yield of between 1,250 and 1,276 pounds per acre at the test field near Akron.

Proso millet already is a well-established crop in Colorado, which is the No. 1 producing state for the

crop in the U.S. Primarily thought of as bird seed, proso millet can be used for human and livestock food as well. The seed is cheap, it’s drought tolerant and has no known disease issues.

However, the market is volatile and easily oversaturated, Jones-Diamond said, and harvest time is critical.

Commissioner Greenberg, during her after-lunch remarks, told the Forum attendees her department continues to focus on finding and opening new markets for Colorado’s agricultural production.

“That’s the bread and butter of our work,” she said. “We continue putting dollars into food processing and value-added products.”

Greenberg said her department also is heavily invested in building resilience and adaptation in the face of climate change, and that includes greater attention to water. The commissioner said that in December 2023 she appointed Robert Sakata as the department’s first water policy advisor. Sakata is highly-respected in agriculture and water circles and is a member of the Colorado Water Conservation Board

While it is imperative to look to the future and try to anticipate the needs of Colorado’s farmers and ranchers in years to come, Greenberg said, it’s important that the day-to-day needs of producers are constantly addressed

“We are constantly building an Agriculture Department that is relevant to what’s happening with producers today,” she said.

SCREEN GRAB

along the road to full automation of

Frank: Talk shows Neb. ‘overly optimistic’ about Perkins Canal

By Jeff Rice jerice

@prairiemountainmedia com

Colorado water experts have said Nebraskans are overly optimistic about the success of their proposed Perkins County Canal, and a recent presentation by promoters of the project has done nothing to change that opinion

The presentation, made in February to the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program’s Water Advisory Committee, was the focus of a recent Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District board meeting. Lower’s General Manager Joe Frank told his board Colorado needs to have its own consultant analyze the proposed project and render an opinion on feasibility.

The Perkins Canal would divert water from the South Platte River near Ovid, Colo., to a storage site somewhere in Nebraska. In a town hall meeting in September 2023

Colorado State Engineer Kevin Rein reiterated that Nebraska undeniably has the right to dig the Perkins Canal The South Platte River Compact, ratified by both states and Congress in 1923, authorizes Nebraska to build the canal, along with the right to use the power of eminent domain to acquire land on which to build it

The idea that Nebraska might actually build the canal has water users in the lower reaches of the river worried that doing so could disrupt decades of water augmentation that helps Colorado meet the terms of the 1923 compact.

JEFF RICE JOURNAL-ADVOCATE

The Perkins Canal project would take water from the South Platte River near Ovid during winter months, when well owners run water for augmentation

Canal

FROM PAGE 10

Colorado’s main concerns about the canal center on return flows water that has been diverted upriver and eventually returns to the river through the ground and the PRRIP, which depends on those return flows to maintain wildlife habitat in the Big Bend area of the Platte between Cozad and Grand Island in Nebraska

The Perkins Canal would be allowed to take water only during the non-irrigating months, mid-October to mid-April. But that’s when well owners in the valley divert water to fill their augmentation ponds to replace water they pump for irrigation. If they are forced to curtail their augmentation in order for the Perkins to get its water, there may not be enough water available when it comes time to turn the pumps back on. Without augmentation water to supply return flow to the river, center pivots might sit idle.

Frank said the presentation,

the content of which he showed the board, contains numerous errors and misrepresentations. For instance, the document references water storage projects in Colorado that Nebraska says would prevent water from flowing out of Colorado. The problem is, two of those projects Chimney Hollow and an expansion of Gross Reservoir are to capture water from Colorado’s Western

Slope and would, eventually, increase the water available in the South Platte Basin.

The presentation also claims that, without the canal, Colorado’s increased “consumptive use” of excess river flows will mean the river will deliver only the mandated 120 cubic feet per second at the state line. Colorado water officials have repeatedly said it is impossible to siphon off all of the

excess flows that occur during spring runoff and the occasional flooding that occurs in Colorado.

Frank told the board a Perkins Canal Workgroup has been assembled with participants from Lower, the Platte River Partnership and Water District 1, which is the reach of the river upriver from the Lower district’s boundaries

Nebraska Public Radio reported in January that Nebraska has started buying land in Colorado for the Perkins County Canal project

According to an article filed online by Nebraska Public Media on Jan. 5, Ray Hendrix of Holyoke has sold 90 acres east of Julesburg to the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. NPM reported the sale price was just under $90,000.

“Hendrix’s son Loren Hendrix said that the land sale is in connection with the Perkins County Canal project,” the network reported.

According to the NPM report, Nebraska has set aside $628 million for the canal project, which is still being designed

GRAPHIC BY JEFF RICE

BRUSH CHAMBER HOSTS 21ST AG APPRECIATION DINNER

Rutledge

PHOTOS BY ROBIN NORTHRUP THE FORT MORGAN TIMES

Brush Chamber Executive Director MaKyle Mares introduces Farm Broadcaster Lorrie Boyer and the panel from left) Sarah Boon - Boon Ranch, Kathy Wood and Eric Christensen - Christensen Ranch, Jerry Cooksey - Cooksey Farms and Roc Rutledge

Farms. The group discussed “Farm Diversification, Thinking Outside The Field” at the 21st Annual Ag Appreciation Dinner on Saturday at the Mark Arndt Event Center in Brush.

FFA Speaker Alyssa Eskew addresses the true meaning of ag appreciation. Eskew recognized farmers, ranchers, producers and everyone who dedicates a piece of life to the ag community at the 21st Annual Ag Appreciation Dinner held on Saturday at the Mark Arndt Event Center in Brush.

ROBIN NORTHRUP THE FORT MORGAN TIMES

crowd of 175 people who supported the 21st Annual Ag Appreciation Dinner held on Saturday at the Mark Arndt Event Center

WINDOWON AGRICULTURE

9085E.MineralCircle Suite240

Centennial,CO80112 970.351.8201

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Maximize Your Corn’s Potential with the Colorado Corn Promotion Council

magine a world where corn farmers are empowered, supported, and equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to thrive.The Colorado Corn Promotion Council (CCPC) makes that vision a reality. Established in 1987 by farmers, for farmers, CCPC has been passionately serving the corn producers of Colorado for decades. It is dedicated to investing in research, market development, promotion and outreach to help you succeed

Collaborating with local, national and international partners, such as the US Meat Export Federation promoting US Beef and Pork in South Korea and Mexico, the CCPC aims to expand the corn industry in all its forms, from grain corn and animal protein to ethanol and distiller’s dried grain with solubles (DDGS). By focusing on you, the

farmer, the CCPC ensures that the many benefits and uses of corn are recognized and celebrated.

With the mission statement

“Building Trust Enhancing Markets Driving Sustainability,” the CCPC is committed to creating a future where corn farmers across the state thrive in a sustainable and profitable industry

The CCPC is dedicated to investing in sustainability-focused research projects that directly benefit corn farmers By encouraging the adoption of best management practices, it supports both environmental sustainability and producer profitability

It is also devoted to building lasting relationships with supply chain partners, initiating high impact collaborations with livestock industry partners, and engaging with those

who buy, handle, process and enjoy the benefits of Colorado grain corn and its by-products.This focus on collaboration ensures that your corn reaches the best possible markets and applications

Finally, the CCPC is passionate about working with industry leaders in grain, biofuel and animal agriculture to develop export markets, grow innovative markets for grain in all forms and explore new uses of corn, such as through their new partnership in the Radicle Corn Supply Chain Challenge with Radicle Growth. By tapping into the power of innovation and prioritizing farmer empowerment, the Colorado Corn Promotion Council is here to help you maximize your corn’s potential and achieve the success you deserve

Colorado Corn Promotion Council

Stakeholders group engaged in probe of South Platte salinity

By Jeff Rice jerice @prairiemountainmedia.com

Anyone who irrigates crops in the South Platte River Valley will tell you that farming on the lower reaches of the river is made possible by something called return flow.

That’s water that has been diverted upstream, put out on crops, and seeped back into the aquifer to find its way into the river channel to be diverted again downstream. It’s a process that can use the same water as much as seven times before it leaves Colorado, and it has transformed the South Platte River from a seasonal stream that was largely dry after spring runoff into a year-round source of water for area reservoirs, farms and industries

In a way, farmers could say, “we built this river ” It turns out, however, that the river has turned pretty salty, and that threatens the very agriculture that created it in the first place. That has prompted the formation of the South Platte Salinity Stakeholder Group. Karen Schlatter, Associate Director of Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University, oversees the efforts of the group and presented information on the group during the Colorado Farm Show in Gree-

ley in January. Schlatter conceded that the task is enormous and will take time to gather sufficient data.

“Because this will take time, stakeholders have expressed that they want to simultaneously look into mitigation and management strategies so that we’re able to have some actions already in hand as we gain better understanding of the system,” she said. “One example of this currently in the works: water providers are looking at alternative water treatment strategies to remove salts that would create less brine and be more efficient in terms of water quantity We have also discussed with the group the possibility of modeling impacts of different agricultural practices on salinity to assess effectiveness of different management strategies.”

The Stakeholder Group was formed in 2020, around the time the river’s salinity became a pub-

lic topic of conversation. Mike Petersen, a retired soil scientist and agronomist, briefed producers and others at a workshop presented by the Centennial, Morgan and Sedgwick County Conservation Districts in January 2020.

If the problem gets much worse, it could have a significant impact on Colorado’s economy. The South Platte waters 854,000 acres of cropland and, according to figures from the Colorado Department of Agriculture, the basin produces half of the state’s $9 billion in annual cash receipts

Not that salinity is a new problem. Salinity in crop soils has been an issue at least since 1983 when Sandra S. Batie and Robert G. Healy, in their Scientific Amer-

JEFF RICE JOURNAL-ADVOCATE

The South Platte River flows past Sterling in spring 2023 Increasing salinity of the water has caused a massive study of the problem and possible solutions

Water

FROM PAGE 14

ican article “The Future of American Agriculture,” called salinity “the most pervasive problem associated with irrigated agriculture.” In 1998 Colorado State University soil specialist Jessica Davis wrote in Agronomy News “almost 1 million acres (of Colorado farmland) are impacted by excess salts ”

It’s probably not a good idea to dip water from the South Platte River and try to drink it, but if one did, it might taste oily or earthy or even a little fishy, but wouldn’t taste salty. That’s because, according to a study commissioned by Colorado Corn Growers Association and Colorado Corn Administrative Council, the salt content in the river near Sterling is about 1,210 milligrams per liter. That calculates to about 0.12 percent salts. Seawater, by comparison, contains about 3.5 percent salt, or nearly 30 times more than the South Platte.

Still, the 1,210 mg/l in the river at Sterling is nearly twice the amount in the Denver area, just

COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE GRAPHIC Map indicates, in millions of dollars, agricultural production across Colorado

Nine of the top 10producing counties are in the South Platte River Basin and account for roughly half of the state’s ag production

above Broomfield, and more than six time the salinity of the river above Denver

Schlatter said the stakeholder group studying the problem is studying the river from Waterton

Canyon above Denver to the Nebraska state line near Julesburg

Water

FROM PAGE 15

Initially funded by the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the group is assisted by CSU’s Colorado Water Center and staffers from the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District

Salts occur naturally in all water, and especially in water that flows out of the Rocky Mountains It’s the result of minerals leaching out of the rocks and soils over which those burbling brooks and rushing rivers flow on their way out to the High Plains. One major culprit is the Pierre shale that underlies the prairie east of the Rocky Mountains from Canada to Mexico.

As people have populated, farmed, paved, drilled and built in the South Platte Basin, they have added considerably to the salt content that flows into the river. From the salts used to de-ice highways to oil and gas exploration and the effluent coming from municipal water and sewage treatment plants to that return flow irrigators depend

Map showing the increasing salinity of the South Platte from its headwaters above Denver to

COLORADO CORN GRAPHIC

the Nebraska State Line.

on for their crops, the salts add up. As the minerals are spread out over cropland, they tend to concentrate in the soil. And that’s where they do the most damage

To illustrate the impact of return flows, Schlatter said the South Platte’s average annual native flows are about 1 4 million acre feet per year There’s another 400,000 acre feet piped through the Continental Divide from the Western Slope each year.

But during the course of a year, more than 4 million acre feet of water is diverted, most of it for irrigation, and another 500,000 acre feet is pumped out of the river’s aquifer. In other words, return flows, again mostly from crop irrigation, multiply the river’s flows by 2.5 times along its Colorado reaches.

Much of the fertilizer and other chemicals applied to crops also contain miniscule amounts of salts which, if flushed out of the soil, wouldn’t cause problems But with irrigators using increasingly efficient applications of water, there isn’t enough water to flush the minerals out of the soil, so they accumulate When major rainfall events come along, they finally flush some of the minerals out and down into the water table and into the river, adding to the salinity already flowing down from upstream. Those minerals are then picked up again by irrigators downstream, spread out over the land, and the concentrations build.

Not all crops are equally affected by salinity, but a chart of crop tolerance isn’t very encouraging to those who see the basin as “corn and cattle country.” Alfalfa, corn and po-

tatoes are “moderately sensitive” to salinity while wheat and rye are “moderately tolerant.” Of the crops grown extensively in the South Platte Valley, only sugar beets are deemed to be tolerant of salinity.

And if you’re wondering why the beans, carrots, cabbage and tomatoes in your garden aren’t doing as well as they should, those plants all are highly or moderately sensitive to water salinity

While there already have been some scattered efforts at fixing the salinity problem, Schlatter said the Colorado Water Center’s approach brings together 27 stakeholders, including municipal governments, water conservancy districts and private companies. Research is asking four questions: What are the sources of salinity and where does it go; what are the effects on agricultural and municipal water users; what are short-term and long-term effects; and are there feasible mitigation strategies?

According to Schlatter, the timeline for the project is somewhat nebulous because of the size of the task.

“The basin is large with many hydrologic inputs and outputs into the system, which means it takes a lot of data collection over time and geographically to characterize salinity sources, loads and trends,” she said. “We should have a better understanding of salinity from the research in two years, and an even more complete understanding of the trends in four years.”

A proposal for a $625,000 grant to study the salinity problem in the South Platte Basin was forwarded to the the Colorado Water Conservation Board in December 2023, which the board is reviewing. The proposed project would begin on July 1 this year and wrap up by June 30, 2027.

New country-of-origin labeling rule divides Colorado’s industry

By Rae Solomon KUNC

When you see a label that states

“Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” on a package of meat at the grocery store, you’d be forgiven for assuming the meat inside came from livestock bred in the U.S. You might be surprised, then, to find out the product you bought may actually have originated in a foreign country and was merely repackaged in the United States.

Regulators at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) want to reduce that consumer confusion. USDA officials announced tighter restrictions recently for some country-of-origin labels on beef and pork

The change will likely make labels clearer for consumers but they could also have an impact on Colorado’s sizable livestock industry.

The new rule will require meat labeled as a product of the U.S. to come from animals born, raised, slaughtered, and processed domestically. It was announced at the National Farmers Union Annual Convention in Phoenix, Arizona, and will go into effect at the start of 2026.

The updated rule is a change some Colorado ranchers have wel-

comed.

“My beef is now being recognized that it is grown in the USA,” said Marie Bonds, a fifth-generation cattle rancher in La Plata County and president of the Colorado Independent Cattlegrowers Association. “Before, I mean, anything could be labeled as ‘USA.’”

Bonds said the previous rule put American cattle producers like her at a disadvantage because the four big meatpacking companies that dominate U.S. meat production Cargill, JBS, Tyson and National Beef Packing have long been able to slap “Made in the USA” labels on foreign meat they imported for

cheap. That eliminated any home turf advantage domestic producers like Bonds would have among consumers who are increasingly concerned about where their food comes from.

Curt Werner, a rancher with a cow-calf operation near Sterling,

ROBIN NORTHRUP FORT MORGAN TIMES

Packages of pork sit in a case at Fort Morgan’s Safeway on March 21

Colo., is hopeful the stricter labeling requirements will benefit local meat producers.

“You can go to the grocery store, pick up a package of beef, it’ll say ‘Product of USA’ or ‘USDA Inspected ’ But that could come from any of the literally dozens of countries that import beef into the United States,” Werner said “What we’d hope for is that if consumers are able to differentiate, you’d see an increased demand for American-raised beef, and perhaps less demand for imported beef.”

According to Rocky Mountain Farmers Union President Chad Franke, Colorado ranchers may see only a modest benefit after the new rule at least at first. Franke said that’s due to the complex landscape of meat processing and markets, in which meat processors procure their raw materials from myriad sources and consumers are separated from the ranchers who raise their meat by several degrees of intermediaries, from feedlot opera-

tors to meatpackers. Nevertheless, he said there are other reasons to support it.

“It’s a truth in labeling issue,” he said. “When consumers see a ‘Product of the USA’ label, they assume it is a product of the United States.”

The new rule, he said, will align the meaning of the label with consumers’ expectations that U S -labeled meat was raised on an American ranch

Debate over labels

But some in Colorado’s livestock industry are unimpressed with the new “Product of USA” label requirements. Colorado Livestock Association CEO Zach Riley called it an “anti-trade practice.”

“It’s definitely got the potential to be exclusionary, and could vilify some of our international trading partners,” he said, citing concerns that disrupting key trade relationships could threaten the food supply.

According to Riley, the rule is completely misguided. He argued imported meat is held to the same standard as domestically-produced meat, so the label is meaningless from a quality standpoint

“It still is USDA-inspected, still rendered here, sorted through here,” he said. “You still have to meet the level of standard that makes it ‘U.S. good.’”

Riley also suggested Colorado producers won’t benefit from the revamped labels because consumer demand is driven more by price than by labels

“It’s not some silver bullet cure for why certain producers don’t get the price they think they’re deserving of,” he said

But the new rule does have some experimental evidence to back it up. The change came after results from a USDA study suggested consumers were willing to pay more for meat products with a “Product of USA” label.

Argument for mandatory, universal labeling

Meanwhile, Franke and Werner said the new “Product of USA” rule doesn’t go far enough. While it tightens up the requirements for labels U.S. producers voluntarily put on their meat and egg products, it stops short of requiring mandatory country-of-origin labels for imported meat products

Franke said mandating country-of-origin labels for all meat, foreign and domestic, would be more meaningful to consumers and increase the benefits for domestic producers. U.S. meat products would have a marketplace advantage over imported meats as labeling transparency and consumer awareness grows

“If the price is the same for ‘Product of the USA’ versus an imported meat, people will very much choose the U S meat,” Franke said

But without universal country-of-origin labeling on meat products, most consumers don’t have enough information to make an informed decision.

“Virtually every other food product is labeled,” Werner said. “You can pick up an apple, it’ll say where it comes from. Orange, it’ll have a sticker on it. Virtually every other product imported to the United States, except beef and pork, is required to have a label.”

Mandatory country-oforigin labeling has complex backstory

But mandatory universal coun-

Preparing for wildfire is best prevention

By Scott Stinnett Golden Plains Area Extension

The pictures, video and news reports coming out of western Nebraska and the Texas Panhandle recently are another eye opener of the destructive power of wildfire. Homes, farms, ranches, pastures, fences, crops and livestock all lost in a matter of minutes. Communities surrounded without evacuation routes, cut off by fire. A nightmare for those who live through it.

Now is the time to make sure your family, home and facilities are wildfire ready.

Start by making an emergency plan. There are many resources to help you develop an emergency plan, but here are some basic things to think about If a wildfire was approaching your home or facilities, what would you do?

First priority is always people. If you have to evacuate with little time to spare, have a pre-selected meeting site and a backup site

Livestock

FROM PAGE 21

try-of-origin labeling remains a hotly debated topic in the state’s livestock industry and beyond. The Colorado Livestock Association opposes mandatory labels, and the practice has a complicated backstory in the U S

Until 2015, country-of-origin labels were required in the U.S. for all imported meats. Mexico and Canada challenged the policy with the World Trade Organization (WTO), however, saying it put their meat products at an unfair disadvantage in American markets.

The WTO ultimately sided with the challengers. By the end of 2015, U.S. the labeling laws were repealed for pork and beef products, though they remain in place for a host of other products, including lamb, chicken, goat and fish.

Over the years, there have been several unsuccessful attempts at the national and state levels to reinstate mandatory country-of-origin laws, including in Colorado As

for your family and employees It may be a local landmark, a school, church, or community building It could even be at a neighbor’s or extended family’s home

Second priority is animals, including pets and livestock. Can you take pets to your meeting site? How will you transport them? What about livestock? Do they need to be loaded and transported or just open gates and relocate them to a different pasture?

Last priority is personal belongings. Things can be replaced, but you may have some important documents and personal care items you need to take with you when you evacuate. Are documents easily accessible and can be gathered quickly? Are personal care items like medications easy to find and gather or are prescriptions available to refill any medications left behind?

If fires are a threat or in the area, putting together a disaster bag or box with the most essential items

may also be advisable This would be your “grab and go” or “bug out” bag to take with you as you evacuate

To defend your home, facilities, and assets from wildfire damage, start with wildfire defense zones. These are areas around your property that, when properly maintained, can help lessen wildfire damage and make it easier for firefighters to protect your property. Start with Zone 1 which includes the home or other structures and extends out to at least 5 feet. In this zone, non-flammable materials including deck materials, patio furniture and fences should be used to prevent the spread of fire to the building Landscaping should also be low growing and well-spaced to prevent the spread of a fire from plants to the building

Zone 2 extends 5 feet from buildings to 30 feet away. In this zone trees need to be trimmed 6 to 10 feet up from the ground. Individual trees or small groups of trees

should be 30 feet apart to prevent fire spreading from tree to tree Grass should also be mowed down to 4 inches or less

Zone 3 begins 30 feet from buildings and continues to 100 feet from all structures. The main goal in this zone is to keep any fires low. Again, trim trees up and keep brush, weeds and grass trimmed to prevent what are considered ladder fires where flames can leave the ground and move up into trees. Also remove piles of limbs or flammable materials like trash lumber piles, or any other flammable materials.

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bill to reinstate mandatory country-of-origin labeling was introduced in the senate a few months earlier.

None of those bills made it through the committee process, and any new laws around beef and pork product labeling would have to also comply with the WTO ruling, which would likely require reopening the case with Mexico and Canada

But Riley, with the Colorado Livestock Association, is not anxious to see any of the proposed mandatory labeling legislation move forward.

“We believe in producers’ right to do what they see fit for their own operation,” he said.

But rancher Curt Werner, on the other hand, supports it.

recently as last summer, a pair of bills aimed at strengthening country-of-origin labeling rules for beef at the national level were introduced in the U S House of Repre-

sentatives, one of them from a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers that included Colorado’s Lauren Boebert although she later withdrew her co-sponsorship Another

“It’s very, very important not only for consumers to know where their beef is coming from, but also for American producers. Imported beef is produced much more cheaply than it is the United States,” Werner said “Anything short of mandatory country-of-origin labeling is just a half measure ”

ROBIN NORTHRUP FORT MORGAN TIMES

Beef roasts on sale at Fort Morgan’s Safeway on March 21 New rules from the USDA on country-of-origin labeling for beef and pork products are scheduled to take effect in 2026

Christensen Ranch beefs up CSU food pantry shelves

More than 1,000 pounds of beef donated for students, faculty in need

By Special to The Times

A Morgan County Centennial Ranch is doing its part to address food insecurity in Colorado.

Christensen Ranch in Weldona, one of Colorado’s first ranch-to-table beef producers, recently made its largest donation to date, benefitting the Colorado State Rams Against Hunger Food Pantry. The food pantry aims to provide stu-

dents and community members with nutritious food and resources, creating a supportive campus environment for all. The Christensen Ranch donation includes 1,000 lbs. of single-source, dry-aged ground beef and over 100 lbs. of dry-aged tri tip steaks and London Broil.

Cousins Eric Christensen and Kathy Wood and their families operate the family’s fourth-generation ranch established in 1923. They are dedicated to supporting local initiatives, and have a personal connection to CSU, as four generations of the Christensen family are alumni.

Arlene Christensen laid the foun-

COURTESY PHOTO CHRISTENSEN RANCH

Kathy Wood, co-owner of Christensen Ranch, delivers boxes of beef to Michael Buttram, basic needs program manager at Colorado State University, at the Lory Student Center at CSU. BEEF

Beef

FROM PAGE 23

dation for the family’s affinity with Colorado State University, attending and graduating when it was still Colorado State College of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts Larry Christensen graduated as a member of the class of 1962 Kathy Wood, current coowner of the ranch, continued the legacy graduating in the class of 1986. More recently, Allie Christensen, class of 2023, further cemented the family’s ties to the institution.

“As a family deeply rooted in the Colorado State University community, this donation is particularly meaningful to us,” said Kathy Wood, co-owner of Christensen Ranch. “We recognize the importance of supporting our alma mater and giving back to the community that has given us so much. We hope to make a tangible difference in the lives of CSU students facing food insecurity ”

The Colorado State Rams Against Hunger Food Pantry serves approximately 500 guests per week, many of whom are students with families, both graduate and undergraduate Rams Against Hunger offers a comprehensive menu of services that support students, faculty, and staff experiencing food insecurity.

“Recent data shows that 29% of CSU’s students face food insecurity,” said Michael Buttram, Basic Needs Program Manager at Colorado State University. “These numbers are in line with national averages and are not likely to decrease any time soon. Rams Against Hunger exists to combat this trend, seeking to meet the basic needs of our students, staff and faculty in ways that affirm dignity and strengthen our community Partnerships like the one with Christensen Ranch allow us to ensure that CSU students and families have high quality sources of protein at the table Since protein is often the hardest nutritional need for us to source at the Rams Against Hunger Pantry, we are incredibly grateful for this partnership. The folks at Christensen Ranch are great partners who demonstrate that Rams really do take care of Rams!”

COURTESY PHOTO CHRISTENSEN RANCH

Kathy Wood, co-owner of Christensen Ranch, delivers boxes of beef to Michael Buttram, basic needs program manager at Colorado State University, at the Lory Student Center at CSU.

COURTESY PHOTO CHRISTENSEN RANCH

Kathy Wood, co-owner of Christensen Ranch, delivers boxes of beef to Michael Buttram, basic needs program manager at Colorado State University, at the Lory Student Center at CSU

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Journalist writes from the inside

By Jeff Rice jerice @prairiemountainmedia.com

Walking through the Colorado Farm Show with Rachel Gabel is like walking down Fifth Avenue with Taylor Swift; everybody wants to talk to her.

Gabel is the closest thing agriculture in Colorado has to a celebrity, and it’s a recognition that’s as wellearned as it is accidental. Known for her deeply-researched analysis of agricultural issues in The Fence Post, she has gained the confidence of ag producers throughout the Rocky Mountain West. Although she never took formal journalism classes, Gabel preaches factuality and accuracy like a tent revivalist saving souls.

Though not yet 50 years old, Gabel already has nearly four decades of journalism under her belt, and all of it covering Colorado agriculture She started when she was 12, writing up 4-H meeting minutes for the Douglas County News Press The editor was so impressed with her writing style he suggested she submit her reports to The Fence Post. She did, the reports were published, and a career was launched.

When she graduated from high school in 1995, she headed off to Fort Hays State University in Kansas where she earned a degree in agriculture. After that she taught English in a variety of rural schools, all the while freelancing articles for

The Fence Post. The freelancing led to a full-time position on the staff in 2018, and she has since been named assistant editor. The weekly tabloid reaches more than 80,000 readers, and that’s just the ones Fence Post can claim as subscribers.

Gabel doesn’t just write about agriculture; she writes from inside agriculture. She and her husband

Eric farm and have a cow-calf operation with his parents near Wiggins. They also raise “show goats” for area 4-H’ers to show. So when Gabel writes about the vagaries of raising food and fiber, she writes from personal experience.

She sees herself as an advocate for ag producers. She concedes that there is a “gap of understanding”

between urban and rural Coloradans, but believes it can be bridged.

“The (urban/rural) divide does exist, but it’s not the chasm some people think it is,” she said. “Most people on the Front Range know where their food comes from. But if you want wolves introduced (into Colorado) just know that your food

JEFF RICE JOURNAL-ADVOCATE

Rachel Gabel feeds the herd of goats she and her husband raise to produce show goats for area 4-H exhibitors

Gabel

is going to cost more.”

The biggest misunderstanding about production agriculture, she believes, is that “scale is bad.”

“Farms and ranches are big because they have to be,” she said “It takes hundreds of acres, thousands of acres to support a farming operation Big isn’t bad, it’s efficient ”

She does have some reservations about some of the ways farmers and ranchers try to “educate” urbanites.

One of those is the signs that have cropped up in fields that say, “If you ate today, thank a farmer.”

“I’m going to be out there in a snow drift feeding my cows whether you thank me or not,” she said. “I’m not doing you a favor, I’m making a living.”

Most journalists have a favorite aspect of their beat they like to focus on and for Rachel Gabel that’s the history of agriculture, specifically the history of the technology. One of her most memorable interviews was with John Matsushima, professor emeritus of Colo-

rado State University. Matsushima was awarded the 2021 CSU Founders Day Medal for his innovations that changed the beef industry. He is credited with developing flaked corn, which makes the nutrition from corn more readily available to the animal, and inventing the sidedump feeder truck for filling feed bunks in cattle feeding operations.

The interviews with the professor were some of the most important of her career.

“I visit with him often,” she said. “I’m glad I get the chance to visit whenever I can rather than just a single interview. He’s a gem. His dad rented a farm and worked for

a farmer near Platteville when he was growing up and his dad bought their first cattle in 1926 at the Denver Union Stock Yards. Herefords, of course.”

Her relationship with Matsushima led to her interest in the Granada War Relocation Center in Prowers County. Known to the internees as Camp Amache, it was a concentration camp for Japanese

Americans rounded up on the West Coast and relocated inland during World War II. Around 10,000 American citizens were imprisoned in the camp between 1941 and 1945, some of whom stayed in Colorado after the war, worked and bought their own farmland.

While Matsushima’s family wasn’t interned in Camp Amache,

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Rachel Gabel

JEFF RICE JOURNAL-ADVOCATE

A twice-daily routine on the Gabel farm is checking the pens of cattle being fed for beef.

he still endured the anti-Japanese sentiment of the time. A member of the CSU livestock judging team during the war, he still wasn’t allowed in a number of businesses

Some of Camp Amache still exists and has been designated the Amache National Historic Site The story of the families that stayed in Colorado, Gabel said, is “a big story that needs to be told,” and she’s decided to tell it in book form. She’s still in the research and drafting phase of the project and doesn’t yet know when it will be published.

Gabel already has five children’s books in print aimed at educating children about agriculture. Some, like “Kindergarten Rancher” and “Still Good” are “(a) realistic look at cattle ranching using livestock, learning, and literacy.” The books have been used in the Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom program and by Logan County Cattlewomen in their own classroom program.

Then there’s the whimsical “Light a Candle for Her, Girls: The Original Cow #bios,” a tongue-incheek look at life among a herd of cows. Except that they’re not really cows, they’re women everyone knows, like Daisy, who “planted 37 rows of tomatoes, peppers, pump-

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kins, onions, squash, 17 types of cucumbers and probably some other stuff, but her youngest pulled all the tags out of the ground, so who the hell knows?”

The cow bios started in January of 2022 as “funny and honest observations to poke fun at herself,” according to the Gabel bio in the back of the book She posted them on social media and soon attracted an audience of like-minded women, mostly agricultural types, who saw themselves and each other in Gabel’s “bios.” She still writes the bios, which she posts on her Facebook page.

Besides The Fence Post, Gabel is regularly published in Colorado Politics, Denver Gazette and the Colorado Springs Gazette and appears on the air on Western Ag Network. Her advocacy of agricul-

ture extends to personal appearances; she conducted two sessions at the Colorado Farm Show in January on how farmers and ranchers can be their own advocates out in the world

While she is widely respected, however, she is not universally loved She has even drawn the wrath of Colorado’s First Gentleman, Marlon Reis. After she posted an article that contradicted official statements about the safety of introducing wolves into northwestern Colorado, Reis attacked her in social media, questioning her ethics and objectivity.

“But not once did he refute the facts,” Gabel said in an interview. “Everything we printed in that story is correct and accurate.”

Reis later deleted the post.

JEFF RICE JOURNAL-ADVOCATE

Rachel Gabel talks about advocating for agriculture during the 2024Farm Show in Greeley

Lorrie Boyer a longtime voice for agriculture

Boyer uses radio, podcasts to explore ag-related topics

By Robin Northrup

The

Fort Morgan Times

In Lamar, Colorado, a voice made itself known through the fields and farms of Colorado Lorrie Boyer, a woman whose passion for agriculture spans over a quarter of a century, led her from farm broadcasting in Lamar, Colorado, into her entrepreneurship with LB Media today

Career milestones are landmarks on the map of her journey. Beginning in Lamar, she was the Farm Director at KLMR Radio for five years and then the Farm Broadcaster at KVAY for four years. Her path led her to KSIR 1010 Radio in

Fort Morgan, where she continues to serve as the Farm News Director at Northeast Colorado Broadcasting in Fort Morgan.

Her company, LB Media, was founded after years of ag reporting through local radio. LB Media delivers local, state, and national agriculture news and reports. Boyer conducts interviews with newsmakers in agriculture and shares special human interest stories She has covered several local, state, and national issues

Having built a long standing relationship with ag organizers across the state and beyond, her voice, familiar to so many, is recognizable not only through news but also through her podcasts, including her Ag Queen Podcast. Her most recent Ag Queen Podcast featured John Deere Manager of Production System Marketing for the US and

COURTESY PHOTO

Lorrie Boyer, a longtime radio voice of agriculture in Eastern Colorado, has been honored with the American Sheep Industry Association’s Shepherd’s

Boyer

FROM PAGE 31

Canada, Emily Priebe. They talked about what it took to prepare their booth for Commodity Classic and the features at the booth, including new launches and releases such as the new 9RX Tractor Other interview topics include the Lyons Legacy Equestrian Academy and its expansion to Colorado, the American Sheep Industry Association and the National Sorghum Producers. As of today, there are 77 total episodes covering a vast amount of ag-related topics.

Boyer served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB) in 2019. As president, she organized a mentorship program to encourage the younger generation to take over leadership in the organization. Today, she continues participating in the program and mentors the next generation of farm broadcasters.

Her hard work paid off when the NAFB recognized her as Farm Broadcaster of the Year in 2023 The award recognizes distin-

guished broadcasters who have proven their abilities in broadcasting and shown true commitment to the industry and leadership within their communities.

In January 2024, the American Sheep Industry honored her with the Shepherd’s Voice Award for Media. The award recognized her year-long coverage of the sheep industry

Boyer’s narrative extends beyond

the microphone. Her advocacy for agriculture has seen her share the heartfelt stories of American farmers and ranchers. She has volunteered for local ag groups and has been recognized by various youth and state-based agricultural organizations, including 4-H and FFA chapters.

Most recently, her name has popped up as a guest speaker for a panel of Women in Ag for the Brush

Chamber of Commerce, a host at the REAL Women’s Conference, announcing Gary and Sue Hodgson as Agriculturalists of the Year and hosting a panel on Diversity in Agriculture at the Brush Chamber Ag Appreciation banquet. She continues to support her local community by engaging in various initiatives that promote agricultural education and sustainability Boyer can’t imagine doing anything else Her dedication to agriculture and farm broadcasting is not just a career but a calling. Her inability to envision a different path speaks volumes about her dedication and love for the field. The world of agriculture is where she finds purpose and fulfillment, where her skills and passions align to make a meaningful impact. It inspires her, offering endless opportunities to learn, grow, and advocate for the community she cares so much about.

If you are interested in the National Association of Farm Broadcasters Mentoring Program, you can visit https://nafb.com/.

Listen to the Ag Queen Podcast at https://globalagnetwork com/ the-ag-queen-podcast/podcast

ROBIN NORTHRUP SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Women in Ag was the discussion for the 2023Ag Appreciation Dinner in Brush Guest speaker, Lorrie Boyer led the discussion about the challenges faced in the Ag community

NE Colorado Stock Show helps youth prepare for county fairs

Judge was impressed with quality of cattle at the show

By Callie Jones cjones@prairiemountainmedia.com

County fairs may still be several months away but livestock competitors are already hard at work preparing their animals. On Saturday, March 9, area youth got a chance to see how their animal is lining up compared to others at the annual Northeastern Colorado Stock Show, hosted by the Sterling FFA chapter.

Held at the Logan County Fairgrounds, this year’s prospect and breeding cattle show drew 79 exhibitors

“We put this show on because with my own showing experience getting out makes it all worth it in the end, it’s going to put you way ahead,” said chapter Sentinel Elle Sonneberg, who shows cattle but did not compete at the stock show, explaining that events like this help exhibitors prepare for their county fairs and other big shows.

It also serves as a great fundraiser for the chapter.

Serving as the judge for the day was Brady Jensen, of Courtland, Kan., who is a Beef Regional Manager with STgenetics. Jensen was previously on the faculty at South Dakota State University from 20172022 and served as a lecturer and the livestock judging team coach.

He completed a master’s degree at Kansas State in animal science and before that attended Butler Community College and Kansas State University, where he was awarded All-American status at both lives in livestock judging In his collegiate coaching career, he was on the coaching staff for 3 High Individuals at the national contest in Louisville and coached the 2021 Reserve National Champion Team. Currently, he and his wife assist his family in their seedstock operation, Jensen Brothers Herefords in Courtland.

each bringing something different to the table. While it was a close contest, in the end, Cade Kroeker was named Grand Champion, Garrett Schlolz was Reserve Champion and Tenley Becker took third place.

The day started with a breeding

heifer show featuring eight classes. Jensen commented on the quality of animals and the many different breeds that were represented, with

“This showing environment’s been great; you have great, great people, the show was run excellent. The cattle were very well shown, very well presented,” Jensen said, encouraging the exhibitors to stick with competing in livestock shows “It’s just one of the few things in life that you get to go compete on a weekend, and mom, dad, brother and sister, grandma and grandpa can all play a helping hand. It’s just a great way to spend a childhood. I really admire your parents and you for participating in this activity.”

PHOTOS BY CALLIE JONES JOURNAL-ADVOCATE

Shae Stone, Grand Champion Market Animal, leads her steer around the show ring during the Northeastern Colorado Stock Show Saturday, March 9, 2024

Competitors in the breeding heifer competition lead their animals into the ring during the Northeastern Colorado Stock Show Saturday, March 9, 2024

A youngster leads her calf around the ring during the pee wee show that was part of the Northeastern Colorado Stock Show Saturday, March 9, 2024

Show

FROM PAGE 34

The breeding heifer show was followed by showmanship contests. Again, it was a close competition, but taking the top awards were: Shae Stone, senior Grand Champion; Brylie Robinson, senior Reserve Champion; Tessa Delmore, third place senior; Trotter Thomas, intermediate Grand Champion; Cauy Robinson, intermediate Reserve Champion; Cade Kroeker, third place intermediate; Tenley Becker, junior Grand Champion; Callie Tharp, junior Reserve Champion; and Adley Blach, third place junior.

Before selecting the winners in the senior division, Jensen spoke about how winning comes down to a little bit of luck in regards to how the exhibitor’s calf acts that day but noted that preparation, getting the cattle ready at home and putting in practice every day also plays a role. He commended all of the senior exhibitors for how well they did.

“I think it comes down to first impression but fantastic show peo-

ple,” Jensen said. “My take away for you, my take away for your parents or whoever’s helping you today is you’re all doing a great job and I’m saying everybody should go home as a winner but I think you should be proud of your skill set. I think you’re very talented showmen ”

After a pee-wee cattle show, the competition wrapped up with the market heifer and steer show, which featured 12 classes. Jensen took his time judging the animals, having difficulty selecting his top placers in several instances because the animal quality was so good After

patiently waiting, Shae Stone was named Grand Champion, Dylan Stone took Reserve Champion and Colton Kroeker placed third.

“This was a fantastic market animal show,” Jensen said before selecting winners. “I’ve enjoyed my time here today; the kids have been tremendous, their cattle have been great. I thought the heifer show was very good this morning but this steer show has been very, very top-notch and high level ”

PHOTOS BY CALLIE JONES JOURNAL-ADVOCATE Judge Brady Jensen congratulates Cade Kroeker, Grand Champion Breeding Heifer, at the Northeastern Colorado Stock Show Saturday, March 9, 2024

Garrett Schlolz, Reserve Champion Breeding Heifer, leads his animal around the ring during the Northeastern Colorado Stock Show Saturday, March 9, 2024

Caliche FFA chapter keeps busy

Students have completed class projects, attended conferences

By Hailey Sommerfeld Caliche FFA Chapter Reporter

This year has been very busy but successful. Our chapter officer team really wanted to focus on improving the Caliche chapter. They have had various officer meetings and worked together as a team to ensure the chapter is active. The officer/leadership team consists of President Orran Adolf, Vice President: Braylon Bruns, Secretary Hallie Lewis, Treasurer Amman Adolf, Sentinel: Jordan Gerk, Reporter: Hailey Sommerfeld and Executive Committee Member Hayden Lynch.

The Ag-Ed I Class has been working hard this year. They have been learning how to use their AET online record books and learning the Creed. We held our chapter creed contest in early November.

The Ag-Ed I class also attended the BIG (Becoming Involved as a Greenhand) Conference. The Colorado FFA state officer team runs this conference to show members what opportunities are available to them The class was also in charge of the Annual fruit and Snack sale this year to get a ticket to go to the stock show and they did a great job.

The Ag- Ed II Class has been busy in the classroom. Students have been working on filling out proficiency award applications for their SAEs. The Ag-Ed II class also helped with The Giving Tree through the Help for Abused Partners organization in December. They made ornaments and set up trees to collect gifts for those in need. They have been working on an electrical unit in the shop and they learn to wire a light switch This class also has been working on personal shop projects They have been very creative with their choices of projects this year and are working very efficiently The Ag-Ed III & Ag-Ed IV

Classes have been working on proficiency award applications as

well. They have also been working on their State FFA degree applications as well. Above all of this, students have been working on personal projects in the shop as well.

The Agribusiness Class has been learning about budgets as well as cash flows. They have been learning a lot this year. They have been filling out resumes as well as balance sheets

The Crops Class has been learning about monocot and dicot plants and seeds This class has also been making observations on the plants they planted this year.

The Caliche FFA chapter took eight members to the National FFA convention in Indianapolis, Indiana in early November of 2023, Max Fryrear, Braylon Bruns, Orran Adolf, Amman Adolf, Hallie Lewis, Raelee Kuskie, Hailey Sommerfeld and Jordan Gerk. Six of them are a part of the 2023-2024 officer team. They had a lot of fun and also learned a lot. They brought valuable knowledge and leadership skills back to the chapter.

Members also attended the Colorado FFA State Convention at Colorado State University Pueblo in June and showed their livestock at the Logan County Fair in August

COURTESY PHOTO

Pictured are Caliche freshmen attending the BIG conference at NJC with two Caliche Chapter Officers trying for a District 16Officer position Front row, left to right; Alysia Hogan, Riley Lynch, Cheyenne Lynch, Kane Grauberger, back row, left to right; Hailey Sommerfeld, Ethan Gerk, Caiden Bruns, Tyson Wolf, Jacob Reed, Tony Dallege, Avery Bell, Cooper Rockwell, Orran Adolf

COURTESY PHOTO

Caliche FFA Members are pictured at the 2023Colorado FFA State Convention at CSU Pueblo. Front row, left to right; Jordan Gerk, Raelee Kuskie, Hallie Lewis, Hailey Sommerfeld, back row, left to right; Max Fryrear, Orran Adolf, Todd Thomas, Braylon Bruns, Amman Adolf.

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Sterling FFA members find success at district, national competitions

Group readies for annual Oyster Fry and Auction

By Callie Jones cjones

@prairiemountainmedia.com

From conventions to competitive events and celebrating FFA Week, the Sterling High School FFA chapter has had no shortage of activities to keep them busy over the last few months.

At the end of October, eight students attended the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. Their trip included visits to the University of Nebraska Lincoln, the John Deere factory in Des Moines, Iowa, Corteva Agriscience, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Hunter’s Honey Farm and the Indiana State Soldiers and Sailors Monument Plus, they attended various FFA sessions and a career expo and made tons of memories.

In December, the chapter held its annual cornhole tournament fundraiser and its annual Creed Speaking Night, with Maddie Scott and Bailey Jackson advancing on to the district contest. Also, 49 members attended the District XVI Leadership Conference at Northeastern Junior College, where they attended a workshop led by state officers and district officers, including

Sterling FFA members Grace Petersen and Alie Sator, and participated in industry tours at Amen Angus and Breidenbach Farms.

December also brought the District Creed Speaking and Quizbowl Contests, in Julesburg. Jackson placed first in Creed Speaking and will advance to state, while Scott took third place. The two Quizbowl teams made up of Clay Hadeen, Camila Montes, Carson Lauer, Rylan Knorr, Caylee Lauer and Gavin Roberts, made it to the final four but unfortunately fell to Merino’s two teams.

In January, 32 students went to the National Western Stock Show for FFA Day. Plus, the annual Chapter Speaking Night was held with Connie Gassaway and Tyla Thomas advancing to the district Prepared Public Speaking contest and Grace Petersen and Emma Stumpf advancing to the district Extemporaneous Speaking contest February brought the District XVI Leadership Development Event contest. Alie Sator placed first in Employment Skills and will advance to state and Ayla Baney placed in the silver category; Grace Petersen took fourth place in the Extemporaneous Speaking contest and Emma Stumpf placed in the bronze level; Tyla Thomas took first place and will advance to state in

COURTESY PHOTO

Sterling FFA members hosted a staff appreciation breakfast as part of their FFA Week celebrations in February.

“The way it should be.”

National FFA officer visits Merino

Students keep busy with contests, Ag Awareness Day

By Callie Jones cjones @prairiemountainmedia.com

The Merino High School FFA chapter has had plenty to keep them busy in recent months.

Parliamentary Procedure Contest highlights

Merino FFA’s two teams showcased exceptional skills in the parliamentary procedure contest. Members including Kaden Piel, Jaxson Samber, Makenna Sutter, Beau Clouse, Cooper Holman, Chanelle Gentry, Ashton Nichols, Abby Baughman, Josiah Mackintosh, Caleb Deines, Talon Ryles, and Grant Briggs represented our chapter with pride

National Western Stock Show participation

Forty of our members made their mark at the National Western Stock Show on FFA Day, exhibiting the dedication and passion of Merino FFA. We were able to learn more about Agriculture and enjoyed the rodeo.

Special visit from national FFA officer

We were honored to host National FFA Officer Morgan Anderson, who graced our school with an enlight-

One of Merino FFA’s two Parliamentary Procedure teams competes in the district contest

COURTESY

PHOTOS

Former Merino FFA member and Colorado State FFA President Gus Gill, now serving in the U S Navy, enthralls attendees at a workshop with an engaging presentation on flying airplanes during the chapter’s Ag Day celebration

Merino

FROM PAGE 40

ening all-school assembly. Anderson further enriched our community by conducting a workshop on gratitude, leaving a lasting impact on our members Sterling FFA and Sedgwick County FFA extended their camaraderie as they sent delegations to our chapter, fostering collaboration and friendship within our FFA community

Ag Awareness Day success

Our Ag Awareness Day was a resounding success. Elementary students joined us to learn about electrical safety, presented by Highline Electric. Additionally, former Merino FFA member and Colorado State FFA President Gus Gill, now serving in the US Navy, enthralled attendees with an engaging presentation on flying airplanes. Special thanks to the Spielmann, Hutt, and Wernsman families for providing a delightful array of animals.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates from Merino FFA!

COURTESY PHOTO

Elementary students learned about electrical safety from Highline Electric during Merino FFA’s Ag Awareness Day activities.

Sterling

FROM PAGE 38

the Prepared Public Speaking contest, while Connie Gassaway placed in the silver category; and the Parliamentary Procedure Team made up of Ayla Baney, Connie Gassaway, Grace Petersen, Alie Sator, Ellee Sonnenberg and Emma Stumpf, was runner-up.

Also in February, the Animal Production Class went to Advantage Feedyard, where Tadd Thomas helped them better understand the workings of a feedyard, specifically focusing on cattle nutrition for Performance Plus Liquid Feeds Plus, he discussed his role in the cattle feeding industry and further elaborated on the importance of nutrition in feedyards

Later that month, the chapter celebrated FFA Week with Drive Your Tractor/Ride Your Horse to School Day, a teacher/staff breakfast, a pizza party and lock-in, as well as dress-up days. Plus, the chapter officer team took a trip to Merino to meet Morgan Anderson, the National FFA Eastern Region

Vice President They were able to listen to a keynote address from Anderson, who encouraged students to “Show Up and Show Out” and afterward she led the students in a workshop focusing on gratitude, allowing the team to reflect on ways to express gratitude and even demonstrate their knowledge by writing thank you cards to someone they appreciate.

In March, the chapter hosted its annual Northeastern Colorado Stock Show, a prospect and breeding cattle show that drew 79 exhibitors this year. Plus, five teams attended the Weld Central CDE (Career Development Events) Contest. The ag sales team placed first with Caysen Bamford coming in second overall and Gavin Rusk third overall, while Brennen Welsh and Colton Hadeen also gave strong performances; the meat evaluation team also took first place with Tyla Thomas coming in third overall, Alie Sator coming in fourth and Dakota Fickes coming in seventh; the milk quality team was also at the top of the podium with Taryn Seifried placing second overall and teammates Kali Graber, Luke Pe-

COURTESY PHOTO

Sterling High School FFA members Grace Petersen, left, and Alie Sator, right, pose for a picture with Morgan Anderson, National FFA Eastern Region Vice President, during her FFA Week visit to Merino in February.

Sterling

tersen and Carson Lauer also giving a strong performance; the field crops team came in second with Grace Petersen placing sixth overall and strong performances by teammates Clay Hadeen and Caysn Nolan; and Caylee Lauer was 26th out 76 in the vet science contest.

Up next for the chapter is the annual Oyster Fry and Auction set for Thursday, April 11, in Wally Post Gym Dinner will be served from 5 to 6:30 p m and the auction will immediately follow dinner There will be a silent and live auction, as well as a hired hand auction

Pre-paid tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for children ages 7-12 and tickets will also be available at the door for $12 for adults and $10 for children ages 7-12. For questions, contact Whitney Reed at 303-928-9768.

Proceeds will support Sterling

FFA members when participating in conferences, conventions, competitions and more.

Being a part of FFA has been a great learning opportunity for the student. Dakota Fickes, an Executive Committee member, said he has learned a lot about leadership and it’s allowed him to make connections and meet people he wouldn’t have gotten to know otherwise. Plus, it has helped him learn skills that will be to his benefit when he pursues a career in the ag industry.

“I most enjoy being able to interact with the younger kids, the freshmen, to pave the way for them when they get older and encourage them to strive to be an officer or leader Being a leader has broadened my horizons so much and got me out of my bubble. It’s nice to connect,” said Elle Sonnenberg, who is the chapter Sentinel this year and plans to attend Northeastern Junior College and then go into the workforce in some kind of ag career.

COURTESY PHOTO

Sterling FFA’s Animal Production Class pose for a photo during a visit to Advantage Feedyard in February

4-H reflects spirit of agriculture in young people across region

By Robin Northrup

The Fort Morgan Times

4-H is a testament to the spirit of agriculture, education, empowerment, and community development for youth across Morgan County. The program encourages members to reach their full potential by working and learning alongside adults in various projects, gaining lifelong skills and determining their path to the future.

According to the 4-H website, research shows that young people who participate in 4-H clubs do better in school, are more motivated to help others, develop skills in leadership, public speaking, self-esteem, communication and planning and make lasting friendships

Aimee Kanode, 4-H and Youth/ Horticulture Agent with the Morgan County Extension Office, works almost daily with 4-H in her position. She works on projects, oversees the clubs and their paperwork and attends State Conferences.

4-H in Morgan County is operated through the Morgan County Extension Office in Fort Morgan. The office serves as the base for the 15 clubs in Brush, Snyder, Hillrose, Wiggins, Weldona and Fort Morgan. Families and students can find information through the extension office to enroll in programs and

participate in educational opportunities and community service. It also provides technical assistance and support for various programs.

Kanode says that although most people associate 4-H with agriculture, it covers a broad range of student programs. It is more than just an after-school activity. It is an op-

portunity for members aged 5-18 to select from 40 projects in Animal Science, Filmmaking, Communication, Arts and Leisure, Consumer Science, Mechanical Sciences, or Natural Resources. 4-H gives students the skills and confidence to succeed in any career path they choose. She said she has watched

members grow and develop skills throughout their time in 4-H, and it is a rewarding experience. Agriculture is the heart of Morgan County, and the 4-H Livestock Project is popular among the clubs. The program teaches members how to responsibly, ethically, and safely

COURTESY PHOTO

Junior and Senior Muzzleloader competitors prior to the 2023Morgan County Fair 4-H Muzzleloader Shoot

Young

care for animals. They learn skills to feed, groom, keep them safe, and, for some, show them at the Morgan County Fair.

Another popular project is Cake Decorating Starting with the basics, students learn about the equipment used, how to create borders, how to make flowers, and the importance of colors and design They then work their way up to creating cakes, giving demonstrations and competing at the Morgan County Fair.

Shooting Sports, another project offered, gives members the opportunity to test their skills while learning safety and shooting techniques.

Members not interested in competing at the Morgan County Fair can learn about their interests while working on their projects. They can display artwork at the fair if they are interested in participating but not competing.

This time of year is very busy for all 4-H clubs Official dates for

FROM PAGE 44 YOUNG » PAGE 46

DUSTIN PRICE PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY PHOTO

Kimber Heid models the ‘50s-style dress she made at the 4-H Fashion Revue July 25, 2022.

the Morgan County Fair are July 26 Aug. 1, 2024. Members have the opportunity to participate in upcoming events: YouthFest Conference, Talent Fest, Project Practices, Fair Book Cover Contest, District I 4-H Council Meeting, Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF), Project Workshops, Judging Opportunities for 4-H Members, Consumer Choices Judging & Consumer Bowl, Parli Pro (Parliamentary procedure), Volunteering, Fundraisers, events outside of Morgan County and training. Members are currently working on their projects and preparing demonstrations.

All of the work done by members is for learning skills and for those who compete at the Morgan County Fair, held each August. Competitions like the fair prepare members for regional, state, and national 4-H events.

Kanode said that each club is also required to complete one community service project each year, and some clubs complete multiple projects It is an opportunity to gain experience in leadership, communication, problem-solving and responsibility while giving back to the community.

Another important aspect of 4-H is their volunteers and mentors. They are a vital part of the program and provide guidance and commitment to the members. They may be parents, teachers, farmers, business professionals or retirees willing to share their knowledge and skills. They participate in many ways, leading

An older

of Morgan County 4-H helps a younger member get set up during the 20224-H Rocket Fly contest

clubs, conducting workshops and judging competitions They help with projects, provide support and create a positive environment for learning.

If you are interested in learning more about 4-H, volunteering or mentoring, you can visit their website at https://morgan.extension.colostate.edu/4-h/#.

The Morgan County Extension Office is located at 914 E. Railroad Ave, P.O. Box 517, Fort Morgan, CO 80701; phone 970-542-3540

ROBIN NORTHRUP SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

A 4-H competitor makes her way into the showring with her beautifully groomed cow during the 2023Morgan County Fair

COURTESY PHOTO MORGAN COUNTY EXTENSION

member

Expensive, bothersome but worth effort

By Jeff Rice jerice @prairiemountainmedia com

Eggs from chickens raised in your back yard are not free

That’s one of the first lessons beginner poulters learn when they start raising backyard chickens. The second lesson is that chickens are a lot of work and worry.

When Sterlingites began approaching Sterling City Council about allowing backyard chickens in the city, two of the arguments heard most often was that it provides an inexpensive source of protein for the family, thus making people more self-sufficient, and it puts people in closer touch with where their food comes from.

As it turns out, the first statement is usually false and the second can yield unintended and unpleasant consequences.

Rather, would-be flock owners should look at backyard chickens as avian pets with occasional benefits As with any pet, there are start-up and ongoing costs of keeping chickens, but when kept properly they can be an unending source of joy and entertainment. That’s because, believe it or not, chickens actually have personalities, just like dogs, cats and other family pets. Heather Reider, Colorado Avian Health Program Coordinator at Colorado State University, said there are definite advantages for urban families to keep chickens.

“It’s a very hands-on opportunity for kids, and (chickens) do make

good companions,” Reider said. “People do love their flocks.”

Once a feeding routine is established and the chickens learn to “bond” with their human keepers, they’ll usually allow themselves to be picked up and gently handled. They’ll establish a definite “peck-

ing order,” (in fact, that’s where the phrase comes from) and let their preferences for people be known. It is rare, however, that chickens interact well with other family pets. That’s because dogs and cats are predators by nature, and the chickens are prey, and

they all know it.

Someone who has never kept chickens before may be surprised at the high cost of getting and keeping six hens in the back yard. The birds themselves can cost anywhere from $5 to $20 per bird de-

JEFF RICE JOURNAL-ADVOCATE

Chickens await feeding at the author’s home near Sterling. The flock has numbered as many as eight and as few as two

CHICKENS »

Chickens

FROM PAGE 48

pending on the breed and age.

The chickens need a home and that means a coop, run and even a yard. The coop is the house where they are fed and watered, lay their eggs and roost at night. The run is a fence-enclosed area attached to the coop that allows the bird to be outdoors but protected from predators The chicken run usually is enclosed by chicken wire on sides and top The yard may be your own back yard, adequately fenced, of course, or just a larger fenced area outside the run where the chickens can roam about.

Total cost of a chicken home starts at around $200 to $300 for one ordered online or purchased from a farm supply store, although there are more elaborate setups that run into the thousands of dollars. If you want to build your own, plan on spending between $500 and $1,000 for one almost as good as the $300 model online.

Then there are the ongoing costs. The phrase “chicken feed” is a misnomer because food for chickens ain’t cheap. It usually comes in 40- or 50-pound bags and can cost from $10 to $20 per month per chicken depending on the type of feed you choose. Some kind of self-feeding bucket needs to be hung in the coop, where it’s out of the weather and away from other birds. It should be at a height the birds can easily get to but can’t get on top of, to keep manure out of the feed At least two watering devices should be available, one inside the coop and one out in the run or yard, and they’ll need to be heated in the winter

There may be heat lamps, timing lights (to get the hens to lay reliably) and supplements for shell quality and egg flavor.

There’s also bedding, usually medium-flake wood chips to cover the floor of the coop and the laying boxes.

The coop will need to be cleaned at least once a month, or more often, depending on the number of

Please see us for all of your grain,

birds. Feed and water need to be checked daily and, of course, eggs gathered.

So, at the end of the month, how much are those eggs going to cost? According to the Walmart website, a dozen eggs is priced at around $2.64. If you feed the bargain brand feed, and your hens lay reliably year-round, you can get about 150 dozen eggs at a cost of $1.97 a dozen. Of course, the hens won’t lay reliably year-round and if you buy one of the better brands of feed you’ll be spending between $3 and $4 a dozen for those eggs

And as for the part about getting closer to your food source, there’s a down side to that, too For one thing, chickens, especially those kept in urban settings, are vulnerable to predators and disease. According to CSU’s Reider, highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, has caused the wholesale destruction of large commercial flocks recently.

“We’ve had to repopulate about 82 million birds, both commercial and backyard, across the coun-

try,” Reider said. “It’s a wild-bird transmitted disease so if you take your dog for a walk in the park and there are geese in the park, you’re going to bring back pathogens.”

Wild birds, attracted by the chicken feed, also can infect a flock.

And, of course, there are the predators. When that cute little shih tsu next door gets one look at your laying hens, he suddenly feels the wolf within. Even a large cat has been known to take down chickens

The biggest challenge to urban poulters, Reider said, is keeping the birds safe That means biosecurity

“People don’t understand poultry diseases so they don’t understand biosecurity,” Reider said. “It’s important to isolate your flock from sources of disease or predators.”

Sourcing new birds is an important decision, too.

“We recommend they use hatcheries,” Reider said. “Sometimes we

graphic gives thumbnail sketch of what avian biosecurity looks like

Chickens

FROM PAGE 49

see farm supply stores that will outsource hatcheries, but sometimes they source local sources and that may not be good (The local source) may not have disease monitoring and prevention ”

And then there is the inevitable: at some point, your beloved Biddy is going to cross that “rainbow bridge.” Few chickens die of natural causes; most are culled when their egg-laying days are over. According to Animal Emergency and Referral Center of Minnesota, before launching a chicken-keeping project, you must decide how you will handle this fact of life because it will become an issue.

“You may choose to keep your well-loved hens as pets for as long as you can and count the money and time spent with them as a natural cost of pet ownership,”

the website says. “Or you may decide to take a more pragmatic approach and face the reality of culling your flock regularly to make room for replacements. Cull your birds or care for them all the way through their chicken Social Security years; it’s a difficult decision, but it must be made ”

And for that, thankfully, there are a number of websites with specific instructions, which we won’t describe here. One of the best articles on this issue is by Dr. Mike Petrik, veterinary consultant for The Chicken Chick website at https://thechicken-chick.com.

For the first-time chicken owner, then, it’s best to read up on the subject beforehand because trial-and-error is an expensive way to learn about livestock. When all is said and done, however, when you crack open an egg that came from a chicken you raised, it will all be worth it

Available on Amazon com

Anne Kuo’s book is one of the most popular “how to” books for beginner poulters

SCREEN GRAB