Volume 33 Number 41 • February 5, 2022
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The Weekly News Source for Wyoming’s Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net
A Look Inside Activist vs. Ag discusses Beyond the Beef............ Page A8 Sustainable ranching highlighted by beef leaders.Page A15 Lynn Harlan shares the “best things” of ASI convention............. .......................................Page B2 UW Extension plans to host Farm and Ranch Days................ ..................................... Page B11
Quick Bits Ag Lecture The 21st Annual Doornbos Agriculture Lecture Series will feature The Incredible Dr. Pol. Raised in the Netherlands on his family’s dairy farm, Dr. Jan Pol is the charismatic and world-renowned star of Nat Geo WILD’s number one hit series “The Incredible Dr. Pol.” Dr. Pol will be speaking Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. in the Wheeler Concert Hall at Casper College. See the events calendar on page A12 for ticket information.
Beef Inventory The Jan. 1 inventory of all cattle and calves in Wyoming totaled 1.25 million head, down 4% from the Jan. 1, 2021 inventory, according to the Jan. 1 Cattle Survey conducted by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Beef cows, at 681,000 head, were down 21,000 head from the previous year. Milk cows increased 1,000 head from last year to 9,000 head. Wyoming’s 2021 calf crop, at 660,000 head, is unchanged from 2020.
Soy Prices Farm Futures reported soybeans down seven to 15 cents following an eightmonth high. Good weather in Brazil gave way for favorable harvest progress, sending Chicago soybean futures six to 15 cents lower per bushel. South American yield concerns continue to prevent further losses. As of Feb. 3, soymeal was down $1 per ton, and soyoil was down 74 cents per pound.
U.S. Drought For the contiguous 48 states, the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) showed 55.24% of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 55.19% a week earlier. Drought now affects 94,776,939 people, compared with 94,544,410 a week earlier. For all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, the USDM showed 46.33% of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 46.13% a week earlier. Drought now affects 96,158,471 people, compared with 95,229,478 a week earlier.
Ranchers join forces to address wildlife concerns Casper – On Jan. 25, the Wyoming Wildlife Taskforce met to discuss wildlife policy issues facing the state related to the allocation of hunting opportunities, sportsperson access and other issues.
Topics discussed included improving public access, private landowner issues and wildlife hunting. Several Wyoming ranchers met to voice their concerns and impacts regarding an increase in
wildlife elk populations. Juan D. Reyes, owner of M.R. Angus Ranch and Don Willis, both from Wheatland, and Charlie Farthing of Iron Mountain presented at the meeting. All three ranchers are located within
Wyoming elk hunt area six, from the Wyoming/Colorado state line north to Wyoming Highway 34. Wildlife taskforce The Wyoming Wildlife Taskforce was convened by Please see WILDLIFE on page A6
Complicated exports Agriculture export supply chain crisis discussed
Washington, D.C. – On Feb. 1, during a webinar hosted by Agri-Pulse, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack, White House Porcari John Porcari, Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) and Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) met to discuss the current supply chain crisis affecting the U.S. economy. America’s agriculture industry has a tremendous opportunity to create jobs and boost the U.S. economy, but not without U.S. products being exported, shared Agri-Pulse. During the webinar, panelists representing different sectors of the agriculture industry, identified areas for improvement and set the stage for much-needed reforms and solutions. USDA secretary overview In September 2021, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Secretary Vilsack sent a letter to ocean carriers who service the U.S., urging them to help mitigate the disruption taking place in agriculture exports. “We know a few containers are available and agriculture companies are seeing significant
charges and incredibly high fees,” shared Vilsack. “What pains the most is seeing empty containers leaving U.S ports headed to markets which should be filled with agriculture products.” “This is important because in any given year, 20 to 30 percent of what producers grow and raise in this country is exported, and it absolutely affects the bottom line of agriculture producers,” said Vilsack. “There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions of jobs that are connected directly to agriculture exports, and so it’s important to us to resolve the disruptions that are occurring.” Resources identified by the administration and USDA under the Commodity Corporation are expected to help address some of the issues, especially as they address empty containers, he explained. Partnership to address export concerns During the webinar, Vilsack announced a partnership between the USDA, Department of Transportation, the Port Czar, John Porcari and the Port of Oakland to get a quicker pickup of empty containers, provide container access, avoid port congestion and additional surcharges and fees. “The Port of Oakland is going to make available a 25-acre site where agriculture companies can use to fill empty containers with American agriculture commodities,” said Vilsack. “USDA is going to pay 60 percent of Please see SUPPLY on page A11
WYLR photo
Livestock loss Yearling cattle subject to multiplier for damage compensation The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission voted Jan. 26 to have the state wildlife department develop rules to compensate cattle producers for missing yearling cattle when trophy game animals are confirmed to have killed cattle and other cattle are missing. While producers are currently eligible for compensation for confirmed depredations on yearlings, the new rule will – for the first time – include a 1.25 multiplier for missing yearlings. Proposed motion changes The motion, by Commissioner Ralph Brokaw of Arlington, and seconded by Gay Lynn Bird of Douglas, will create a multiplier similar to the one currently used for calves and sheep killed by grizzly bears and wolves, which acknowledges when large carnivores kill and consume domestic livestock at higher rates compared to the current rate of field condition killings. Even when a multiplier is used, the agency does not provide compensation for more than the total known death loss, unless Please see LOSS on page A5
Transportation affected Both the U.S. and Canada started 2022 off with mandates requiring non-citizens to be fully vaccinated before entering their respective countries, a move that has stranded livestock en route from Canada to the U.S. and vice versa, and further complicated existing supply chain issues across the continent. According to a Department of Homeland Security release, the mandate says anyone wanting to enter the U.S. at land borders or ferry terminals at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders must provide proof of vaccination whether they are traveling for essential or non-essential reasons. According to Bloomberg, less than half of U.S. truck drivers are fully vaccinated. The initial Canadian mandate caused a massive pile up of trucks at the border and chaos amongst agriculture producers whose livelihood is tightly intertwined with international trade. This issue has been specifically damaging to the hog industry, which operates on a specific and very tight time table, as well as open trade and shipping between Canada and the U.S. A history of trade Though the U.S. is a net exporter of hogs, the U.S. has historically imported millions of live hogs from Canada for finishing. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. imports of Canadian hogs peaked in 2007, at about 10 million head. Please see MANDATES on page A7
Hoffer finds success in seedstock operation
Bosler – Landon Hoffer, along with his dad, Tim Hoffer, own and operate Hoffer Red Angus, which is located outside of Bosler. The Hoffers work diligently to breed wellbalanced cattle to perform at high altitudes on their seedstock operation. Landon, his wife Amy and their three boys Carter, Jace and Cameron also run a
3,000-acre custom hay operation, Double H Haying, which serves Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska. Aside from the ranch, Landon works in the research department at the University of Wyoming. Hoffer Red Angus is one of the only seedstock Red Angus ranches in the area, and one of few custom hay operations. Youth programs and education While Landon shares he wasn’t raised on a ranch, he was able to spend time on his uncle’s ranch in South Dakota growing up. His uncle inspired him to become a rancher. He also attributes his interest in agriculture to several youth development programs he was involved in while attending
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Please see HOFFER on page A6