Roundup for 3.13.2021 Section A

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Volume 32 Number 46 • March 13, 2021

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

A Look Inside

Agriculture bills still being considered in Wyoming Legislature

Horse care and considerations for castration explained............. ..................................Page A10

While the Wyoming Legislature was busy considering the supplemental budget bill, House Bill (HB) One and Senate File (SF) One, General government appropriations, other bills were being considered at the same time, includ-

Dick Perue shares how women were vital to boom towns in the West..........................Page A12 Proactive decision-making plays role in predicted drought.. ....................................Page B8 Test your knowledge on cowboy viddles with Lee Pitts.......... ..................................Page B16

Quick Bits Cattle Imports Total cattle imports for January were 133,149 head, down 9.4% or 13,771 head from a year ago and are currently the lowest level since 2018. Shipments from Mexico totaled 87,675 head, a decline of 5.9% and nearly two-thirds of the market share. Dry conditions are likely a contributor, as northern Mexico is struggling with drought conditions.

ing several notable bills. In the House Agriculture Committee, members considered several bills, which were subsequently passed and introduced in Committee of the Whole. Among those passed

through the House committee were HB 188, Irrigation district loans and HB 229, Livestock identification choice act. Irrigation loans The bill related to Irrigation district loans was unani-

mously passed by the House Agriculture Committee, and was placed on the General File on March 9 for consideration by the entire body. “The bill would authorize the State Loan and Please see BILLS on page A5

TRADE REMAINS STRONG

Zebra mussels

International trade and market access provides opportunity for U.S. cattle producers

WGFD discovers invasive mollusk in pet store moss

Trade early in 2020 was strong, taking full advantage of expanded market access into Japan, the European Union (EU) and China with the beginning of the Phase One Trade Agreement kicking in. Although the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on the overall trade scenario, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Director of International Trade and Market Access Kent Bacus shares the beef industry fared

better than other protein industries. Bacus noted during NCBA’s March 5 Beltway Beef episode demand for beef has remained strong following the onset of the pandemic, though working with the government and foreign countries to keep supply chains open was a challenge. “For six to seven months there were disruptions and a Please see TRADE on page A14

Labor Survey The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Service will conduct the biennial Agricultural Labor Survey during the second half of April. The survey will collect information about hired labor from more than 3,500 farmers and ranchers in the Mountain States Region of Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

Lamb Sells Rule Sheep Company in Hawarden, Iowa sold half semen interest with no possession on a ram lamb for $240,000 on March 9. The blackface lamb, named Break The Internet, sold to Amthauer Club Lambs, Andresen Sheep Farm, Johnson Family Show Stock, Shroyer Show Stock, Williams Show Lambs and Zuber Club Lambs. The ram is the highest selling animal to sell on SC Online Sales.

Meat Day Gov. Mark Gordon declared March 20 as ‘Hearty Meat Day’ in the state of Wyoming in a proclamation signed March 11. The proclamation states, "Wyoming beef, lamb and other meat products are widely recognized as an important part of a healthful, balanced and nutritious diet,” as well as, “Wyoming farmers and ranchers play a significant role in feeding the world with meat products ethically raised and harvested in a sustainable manner.” Additionally, the proclamation invites Colorado citizens to join in the celebration of Hearty Meat Day.

Averi Hales photo

“Zebra mussels, an incredibly invasive mollusk species native to Russia, have recently been found in pet stores across the nation,” says Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) Director Brian Nesvik during a WGFD Facebook Live on March 10. “Zebra mussels are a freshwater mussel,” explains Alan Osterland, WGFD chief of fisheries. “This species is native to Russia, and they are very small – about the size of a fingernail.” Recently, zebra mussels have been found throughout Petco stores located in Cheyenne, Rock Springs, Gillette and Casper, Nesvik shares. The invasive species has been found on moss balls, a common decoration in aquariums sold in pet stores. Severity of mussels Zebra mussels have a detrimental impact on ecosystems and municipal water systems. Please see WGFD on page A6

State budget advances March 8 marked the introduction of House Bill One and Senate File One, mirror bills titled General government appropriations. These supplemental budget bills were discussed throughout the week before being scheduled for third reading on March 12. “This bill contains net appropriations reductions of $445,752,880 from the General Fund, of which $479,259 is from 2020 effective immediate appropriations and $445,273,621 from 2021-2022 biennial appropriations,” reads the fiscal note on the bill. Additionally, the bill reduces 315 full-time positions and 21 part-time positions. As of March 11 at 8 a.m., the House of Representatives had proposed 42 amendments on the second reading, with only 12 passing the body. In the Senate, only 21 amendments were proposed, of which seven passed the body. Both the House and the Senate passed the bill on the second reading, with the third reading scheduled for the end of the week. Budget process After Speaker of the House Eric Barlow called the House into session on March 8, the chief clerk read the bill, and Barlow referred the bill to Committee of the Whole, opening explanation of the bill for the session. “There are no amendments on Committee of the Whole – or first reading – of the budget bill,” Barlow commented. “It will just be time to ask questions on what will be done.” House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bob Please see BUDGET on page A7

Advocacy tips for producers shared During the 2021 Cattle Industry Convention Winter Reboot hosted by National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Feb. 23-24, Kaitlynn Glover, NCBA natural resources policy director and Public Lands Council executive director shared the importance of grassroots advocacy. Glover joined NCBA Senior Director of Governmental Affairs Danielle Beck and NCBA Executive Director of Governmental Affairs Allison Rivera during the session. “Grassroots advocacy is how producers bring their policies and vision to their local governments or to Washing-

ton, D.C. and how members of Congress translate policy back to the ground,” Glover explained. “Although advocacy is a catch-all word, it is important to talk about the strategies and tools available to bring priorities to the table and shape the way legislation works.” Glover, Beck and Rivera presented tools for producers to be the most effective advocate for their issues. The first steps The first step, according to Rivera, is requesting a meeting. “In requesting a meeting with a

periodical

periodical

Please see TIPS on page A11


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