Volume 32 Number 41 • February 6, 2021
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The Weekly News Source for Wyoming’s Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net
A Look Inside DIRECT Act takes hold in the U.S. House..................Page A6 Drought impacts states receiving water from the Colorado River Basin...... Page A 14 Traditional Shoshone foods are gathered and prepared....... ....................................Page B3 Wyoming hemp production successful after the first year of production.................Page B11
Quick Bits CWD Found The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) confirmed chronic wasting disease (CWD) in a new deer hunt area near Cody. A buck white-tailed deer was found dead and in poor condition in Deer Hunt Area 109 and tested positive for CWD. Deer Hunt Area 109 is northwest of Cody and bordered on most sides by known CWD-positive areas.
Foodservice sector recovers, protein industry re-adjusts As COVID-19 spread rapidly throughout the nation and many restaurants were forced to shut their doors, U.S. consumers made a historic shift to eating at home, upsetting the long-standing trend of U.S.
food consumption in restaurants and other away-fromhome foodservice outlets. According to a new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange Division, written by Will Sawyer, CoBank’s lead econ-
omist of animal protein, foodservice sales declined by more than half in April 2020. This led to the “Great Grocery Grab of 2020,” in which consumers emptied shelves and meat cases in grocery stores to fill their
pantries. This also led to one of the largest shifts in the U.S. food supply chain, as food distributors, processors and retailers diverted massive portions of meat and other Please see FOOD on page A10
MAKING IMPROVEMENTS
February is the perfect time for producers to revamp their recordkeeping systems While still in the early months of the year, Kansas State University (KSU) Beef Cattle Specialist Dr. Sandy Johnson says it is a good time for producers to revamp their recorDkeeping system. “Now is a good time to look through our books, assess if there is anything in our records that let us down last year and start making improvements,” states Johnson in the Jan. 26 episode of KSU’s Agriculture Today podcast. “The current U.S. drought map and the long-term precipitation outlook is not looking bright, so we need to be prepared with
good records to make tough culling decisions.” During the podcast, Johnson focuses on some goals for commercial cow/calf producers, noting seedstock producers will have additional production records to support more intensive selection systems. Individual records Johnson notes the need for various types of records ultimately depends on the goals and management system of the operation. Please see RECORDS on page A15
Loan Rates The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced loan interest rates for February 2021. Interest rates for direct farm operating loans are set at 1.375%, direct farm ownership interest rates are set at 2.625% and emergency loans interest rates are 2.375%. To view all FSA loan options, visit fsa.usda.gov.
Cattle Weights Over the last four weeks, dressed cattle weights have been reported as 12 to 21 pounds higher than the previous year. Feedlots are reporting efficient gains per day on fed cattle. Heifer dressed weights in early 2021 have surpassed the highest weights of 2020, while steer dressed weights are under 2020 peaks and still 21 pounds over weights last year.
U.S. Drought For the contiguous 48 states, the U.S. Drought Monitor showed 45.77% of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 46.02% a week earlier. Drought now affects 60,274,924 people, compared with 64,806,849 a week earlier. For all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, the U.S. Drought Monitor showed 38.27% of the area in moderate drought or worse, compared with 38.49% a week earlier. Drought now affects 60,728,573 people, compared with 65,391,027 a week earlier.
Keeping herd records – Tracking individual cow records can benefit producers by keeping herds productive. WYLR photo
Shifting gears Despite COVID-19 challenges, lamb retail sales and changes to marketing strategies have seen success The COVID-19 pandemic has had many strong impacts on the American lamb industry. However, the American Lamb Board (ALB) is encouraged by the strong and continuously growing non-traditional markets, including ethnic markets, direct consumer sales and online lamb sales programs. During the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) Annual Convention held virtually Jan. 28-29, Megan Wortman, the executive director of ALB shares how the lamb checkoff has had to adjust due to the pandemic and how it continues to promote American lamb. Retail shifts “It has been devastating to lose foodservice sales related to the shutdowns,” shares Wortman. “Foodservice sales represented approximately 50 percent of American lamb sales, especially rack and premium cut sales. This market was essentially lost overnight and sales are still Please see ALB on page A7
PLC restructure announced On Feb. 2, the Public Lands Council (PLC) announced a new policy committee structure for public lands ranchers to develop and shape policy related to public land grazing and use. This announcement includes committee chairs and vice chairs who will play vital roles in advancing policy for public lands ranchers in Washington, D.C. Matt McElligott of Oregon was selected to serve as chair of the Grazing Committee, with Dan Anderson of South Dakota serving as vice chair. On the Wildlife Committee, Robbie LeValley of Colorado was selected as chair, and Jordan Willis of Utah was selected as vice chair. Dr. J.J. Goicoechea of Nevada will serve as chair of the Multiple Use Committee, with Tim Canterbury of Colorado serving as vice chair. Shaun Sims of Wyoming was announced as chair of the Industry Issues Committee. On the Ecosystem and Environment Committee, Dr. Dave Daley from California was elected chair, with Darcy Melmick of Idaho serving as vice chair. Leadership within the Communications Committee remained the same with Chase Adams of Colorado serving as chair, and Dennis Sun of Wyoming as vice chair. “PLC has always been known for advancing creative policy solutions to difficult and complex problems,” said PLC President Neils Hansen in a press release. “With this newly assembled committee leadership team, we have over 200 years of collective public lands management Please see PLC on page A8
Brentons expand processing, retail sales
A Fremont County staple, Wyoming Custom Meats, is under new management with big goals for providing quality meat from Wyoming livestock producers and expanding retail meat sales. Billy Brenton, a Glenrock resident, purchased Wyoming Custom Meats in October 2020.
The facility now operates as Frank’s Butcher Shop, named after Billy’s father Everett “Frank” Benton, who according to the family, loved a good steak and everything the state of Wyoming had to offer. Billy purchased the business after learning quality Wyoming beef was not readily available at affordable prices. He and his family have set out to meet this consumer need and help Wyoming producers share their product. Bryce Brenton, Billy’s son, serves the family business as vice president of livestock operations. While helping manage the family ranch near Glenrock, he works directly
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Please see MEAT on page A5