As the 2025 Wyoming Legislative General Session approaches its midpoint, state lawmakers are diligently reviewing a wide range of House Bills (HB) and Senate Files (SF), but are mindful time is running out.
A total of 93 HBs and two House
An article titled “Making History: NWSS ends on a high note with recordbreaking livestock sale,” published in the Feb. 1 edition of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup, misspelled the name of World Champion Auctioneer John Korrey. We sincerely apologize for this mistake and any confusion it caused.
In the eighth Snow Report for Water Year 2025, the state’s snowpack telemetry data reads 93% of median, with a basin high of 112% and a basin low of 43%. Last year, the state was at 77% and at 119% in 2023. The report and a map displaying basin snow water equivalent percentages of median for the state may be found at wrds.uwyo.edu/ wrds/nrcs/nrcs.html
The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Wyoming State Office opened a 30-day public scoping period to receive public input on 38 oil and gas parcels totaling 46,118 acres which may be included in a September 2025 lease sale in Wyoming. The comment period ends on March 3. The parcels BLM is analyzing, as well as maps and instructions on how to comment are available at eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/ project/2036327/510
Gov. Mark Gordon visited with hundreds of affected landowners, local elected officials, emergency responders and the public in Sheridan, Gillette and Wheatland on Jan. 27 to outline his $130 million supplemental budget request for wildfire restoration and recovery efforts. During his visits, the governor heard loud and clear from the 200plus attendees that landowners need grants, not loans, to help rebuild from the historic impacts of the 2024 fire season. The supplemental budget is currently being debated in the Wyoming House and Senate.
Joint Resolutions (HJ) were not brought forward for introduction, resulting in their expiration as the looming Senate deadline was observed last week, and the House’s deadline was Feb. 3.
Among the bills that died were
HB0099, which would have allowed public land corner crossing and HJ0006, which would amend the Wyoming Constitution to provide for the election of judges and to repeal conflicting constitutional provisions
Thirty-one Wyoming Farm Bureau (WyFB) members traveled deep in the heart of Texas to attend the 106th American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Annual Convention Jan. 24-29 in San Antonio.
Although Kerin Clark has traveled to past AFBF conventions, this is the first time she has served as the role of WyFB executive vice president, having been elected during the WyFB convention in November when Ken Hamilton retired.
“It was an honor to serve WyFB members at the
national convention, and this year it was rewarding to look around and see volunteer members being part of this grassroots process,” said Clark.
Clark noted there were many highlights during the event. One was seeing Wyoming county farm bureau members being involved at the national level and seeing the larger picture of what AFBF represents with its wide variety of commodities.
“Although how we farm and ranch might differ, we
Wyoming well represented – The Wyoming Farm Bureau was well represented during the 106th American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention last month in San Antonio. Courtesy photo Please
With the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) set to hold its 2025 Winter Policy Conference Feb. 24-25 in Washington, D.C., the agency recently released a statement outlining the five issues members, state commissioners, secretaries and directors of agriculture agreed upon to serve as the organization’s primary policy focus for the coming year.
These include the farm bill, food systems, pesticide regulations, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and state cooperative funding.
“NASDA members have specified these areas as necessary to work on to best support farmers, ranchers and communities nationwide,” notes NASDA Chief Executive Officer Ted McKinney in a Jan. 29 press release. “Further, we believe these areas represent critical opportunities where state departments of agriculture can lead impactful change and champion effective policy solutions this year.”
The farm bill
In regards to the upcoming farm bill, NASDA believes there are 10 critical issues which need to be addressed.
First, NASDA recommends significantly increasing funding for research on U.S. food security and natural resource protection, especially through programs like Extension.
The agency also supports increasing funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant program and programs to prevent and manage invasive species, as well as expanding the Market Access Program for trade promotion and the Food
Ag industry plays a vital role in the biggest game of the season
The National Football League’s (NFL) season will culminate in the biggest game of the year this Sunday when the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
While agriculture may be far from top of mind come game day, it is hard to ignore the industry’s importance in one of America’s most celebrated days of the year.
From the football tossed around on the field to the food consumed by fans across the nation, agriculture is everywhere on Super Bowl Sunday.
Food facts
According to the National Retail Federation, 113.7 million people plan to throw or attend a Super Bowl party, while another 17.6 million plan to watch the game at a bar or restaurant. Total spending is estimated to reach a recordbreaking $18.6 billion or $91.58 per person.
While some of these expenditures are expected to go toward team apparel,
Brenna Herring is a dedicated fifthgeneration rancher from Veteran with deep roots in her family’s ranching legacy.
She grew up raising and selling registered Black Angus bulls alongside her family and proudly continues her agricultural traditions.
“My family has been raising bulls for over 90 years,” she explained. “It all began with my great-great-grandpa George F. Haas, who was the first purebred Black Angus breeder in Wyoming.”
Growing up in this environment has
instilled in her a strong work ethic, a sense of responsibility and pride in her work.
“One of my favorite parts of ranching is branding season. Brandings bring people together in a way that feels both productive and celebratory,” she said. “Friends, neighbors and fellow ranchers gather to help, transforming hard work into a day filled with camaraderie, laughter and shared meals. It’s a tradition highlighting the best aspects of rural life and Wyoming’s strong sense of community.”
A while ago, I received an informational report from the University of Wyoming, created by the Jay Kemmerer Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality Institute and the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation.
This much needed report was quite an eye opener, and I realized just how huge outdoor recreation is in the Cowboy State. The Wyoming Office of Tourism has always been a strong force across the nation and in many locations worldwide. It’s a state treasure we all need to support.
The most up-to-date information in the report comes from 2023 and shows Wyoming’s outdoor recreation generated $2.2 billion, with visitors spending $4.8 billion, generating $263 million in travel related tax revenue. The good news is Wyoming revenues generated since 2012 are increasing 4.5 percent annually.
The report further showed Wyoming’s outdoor recreation industry employed 15,798 people. Many are great seasonal jobs for young adults.
Of the 15,798 jobs in outdoor recreation, 14,914 jobs were associated with private industries. To break it down further, 6,229 jobs were in accommodation and food service; 4,303 in retail trade; 2,409 in arts and entertainment and 116 in finance, insurance and real estate rental and leasing. Also, the government accounted for 884 jobs.
The contributions of selected outdoor industries to Wyoming’s gross domestic product in 2023 were $86,764,000 in RVing; $78,842,000 in boating and fishing and $78,842 in game areas including golf and tennis, snow activities and other related outdoor recreation and entertainment. These are huge numbers.
While reading these big numbers, I started to wonder how big outdoor recreation can get. Knowing it is only going to continue growing, I wonder what the impacts to agriculture are –both positive and negative.
The positive is easy to see, as some of those involved in agriculture are also involved in outdoor recreation, such as dude ranches, guided hunting and other ranch- and farm-like activities. Tourists like to help round up cattle and participate in other horseback activities such as branding and shipping. These are authentic experiences they likely never forget.
The negatives also exist, such as trespassing on private lands and liabilities associated with people wanting to travel historical trails or crossing deeded land to use other public lands.
Nowadays, with many people not respecting private property, outdoor recreation can be a large problem. Side-by-side ATVs, four-wheelers and other off-roading vehicles can cause a lot of damage to roads and other resources, especially waterways.
I know what I’m talking about. Before Sun Ranch was split up, we were the largest private landowner of the Oregon Trail, with some 18 miles in the Sweetwater Valley. People were always trespassing to drive up the trail and many were in a twowheel drive car which usually got stuck in the sand. It got to be we were almost ranching in a fishbowl.
For over 100 years, Sun Ranch owned three-quarters of Independence Rock. Talk about a liability. People, especially kids, were always climbing the rock and accidently sliding down and injuring themselves. We finally traded it to the state for some state lands and got rid of the problem.
I know outdoor recreation is going to grow, but we need to find ways to better manage it to protect private land rights and Wyoming’s resources.
Livestock Roundup (USPS # 005-774) is published weekly by Maverick Press, Inc. P.O. Box 850 • Casper, WY 82602 Periodicals postage paid in Casper, WY Fax: 307-472-1781 • E-mail: roundup@wylr.net
DENNIS SUN, Publisher • Cell: 307-262-6132 e-mail: dennis@wylr.net
HANNAH BUGAS, Managing Editor • hannah@wylr.net
MELISSA ANDERSON, Editor • melissa@wylr.net
CANDICE PEDERSON, Production Coordinator • candice@wylr.net
JODY MICHELENA, Advertising Director • jodym@wylr.net DENISE OLSON, Classified Sales Manager • 307-685-8213 • denise@wylr.net ANDREA ZINK, General Manager • andrea@wylr.net CURT COX, Director of Livestock Field
By Sen. Cheri Steinmetz
Livestock
• P.O. Box 850 • Casper, WY 82602
In his inaugural address, President Donald Trump outlined his policy on illegal immigration and securing the nation’s border. We must take decisive action to follow his lead and work at all levels of government to implement these policies.
Wyoming, often perceived as remote and insulated, is not immune to the impacts of illegal immigration. Despite being far from the Southern Border, Wyoming is in many ways a border state.
The challenges posed by porous national borders ripple across the nation, reaching even the Cowboy State. It’s time to confront this reality and take decisive action to protect our economy, public services, critical infrastructure and national security.
Illegal immigration is a nationwide issue, with over 11 million unauthorized immigrants estimated to reside in the U.S., according to the Department of Homeland Security.
While Wyoming’s population is small, the effects are deeply felt. Our industries – agriculture, mining and
construction – face unfair competition from employers who hire unauthorized workers at reduced wages. This not only undercuts Wyoming workers, but also stifles job opportunities for those struggling to recover post pandemic.
The stakes are even higher when considering national security.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported over 150 encounters with individuals on the terrorist watch list attempting to cross the border illegally in 2023.
Wyoming’s critical infrastructure –including military bases, power plants, dams and water systems – makes our state a potential target. These assets are essential not only for Wyoming’s residents, but also for the entire nation.
Without strong state policies on immigration enforcement, we leave ourselves vulnerable to threats which could have catastrophic consequences.
Our public resources also bear the strain. Wyoming’s schools, healthcare systems and public benefits are designed to support lawful residents and taxpayers. Allowing unauthorized
individuals access to these services reduces their availability and quality for those who contribute to the system.
The proposed legislation in Senate File 124, Identify, report, detain and deport unauthorized individuals, addresses these challenges. It empowers law enforcement, requires employment verification and ensures public benefits are reserved for legal residents.
Importantly, the bill explicitly mandates enforcement without regard to race or ethnicity, focusing on fairness and accountability rather than targeting individuals.
Even Wyoming, tucked away in the heart of America, is a border state. By passing this legislation, we uphold the values of fairness, security and accountability which define us as a state.
Let’s send a clear message – Wyoming stands for lawful immigration, strong borders and a secure future for all of its citizens.
Sen. Cheri Steinmetz (R-S03) represents Goshen, Niobrara and Weston counties and can be reached by visiting wyoleg.gov/Legislators/2025/S/2011
On Feb. 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced the resumption of cattle and bison imports from Mexico. Imports are scheduled to resume within the next several days.
To protect U.S. livestock and other animals, APHIS halted shipments of Mexican cattle and bison in November 2024 after a positive detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in southern Mexico.
After extensive discussions between representatives from the countries, APHIS and Mexico agreed to and implemented a comprehensive pre-clearance inspection and treatment protocol to ensure safe movement and mitigate the threat of NWS.
To support efforts to keep NWS out of the U.S., APHIS will continue working with partners in Mexico and Central America to eradicate NWS from the affected areas and to reestablish the biological barrier in Panama, which the agency has worked to maintain since 2006.
Following the Feb. 1 announcement, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) thanked President Donald J. Trump and USDA for working swiftly to protect the U.S. cattle herd from the threat of NWS.
“We appreciate USDA working with their counterparts in Mexico to institute an inspection program to protect our nation’s cattle herd from the threat of NWS,” said NCBA Chief Executive Officer Colin Woodall. “Safely reopening trade is important to the livelihood of many cattle farmers and ranchers, and we are thankful to Trump for making this issue a top priority of his administration. This action once again demonstrates Trump’s commitment to rural America.”
The Wyoming State Geological Survey (WSGS) has released its annual snapshot of uranium, oil and natural gas activity in Wyoming. This year’s publication departs from the traditional report format, presenting data in concise factsheets which allow the numbers and key points to speak for themselves.
Wyoming continues to be a leader in U.S. uranium production and resource potential. The renewed national and international interest in nuclear energy – combined with higher uranium prices – has led to increased activity in the state.
Notable highlights include expansion of existing operations, exploration and staffing and geopolitical influences.
Oil production remains a mainstay of Wyoming’s energy landscape. Despite fluctuating commodity prices, the state continues to see stable or modestly increasing oil output. Meanwhile, natural gas follows a more complex trend
Both factsheets are available as free downloads at wsgs.wyo.gov/
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced the winners of the 2025 Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Awards, sponsored by Cargill, Sam’s Club and Certified Angus Beef.
The BQA Awards annually recognize outstanding beef and dairy producers, marketers and educators which best demonstrate animal care and handling principles as part of day-to-day activities.
Parker Ranch of Hawaii was the BQA Cow/Calf Award recipient, VanBedaf Dairy of North Dakota received the BQA Dairy FARM Award and Grimmius Feeder of California was awarded the BQA Feedyard Award.
Additionally, Utah-based Producers Livestock Market received the BQA Marketer Award, while Dr. Keith Belk, head of the Department of Animal Sciences and Center for Meat Safety and Quality at Colorado State University, earned the BQA Educator Award.
Award winners are selected by a committee comprised of BQA-certified representatives from universities, state beef councils, sponsors and affiliated groups who assess nominations based on their demonstrated commitment to BQA practices, their service as leaders in the beef industry and their dedication to promoting the BQA message to grow consumer confidence.
For more information, visit bqa.org/beef-qualityassurance-awards
U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) introduced the Congressional Award Program Reauthorization Act, which would reauthorize the Congressional Award Program.
The program is an incredibly high honor for citizens aged 14 to 23 and is authorized by Congress every five years. The program encourages young Americans to pursue goals focused on volunteerism, character development and fitness.
“For over four decades, the Congressional Award has inspired young Americans nationwide to dedicate their lives to bettering themselves and their communities,” said Lummis. “This tradition was first established in 1979 by Wyoming Sen. Malcolm Wallop, and since then, it has empowered generations of leaders and world-shakers. It is my honor to continue this program which has had such a profound impact on our nation.”
Farmers and ranchers in Wyoming will be receiving $6.9 million in cash-back dividends returned by Farm Credit Services of America (FCSAmerica) as part of the financial cooperative’s patronage program, paying one percent back as a cash-back dividend.
Eligible customer-owners were issued cash-back dividend checks the last week of January.
“Returning cash-back dividends is one of the most impactful ways we demonstrate our commitment to agriculture,” said Jason Edleman, FCSAmerica senior vice president of business development in Wyoming. “By effectively lowering borrowing costs, we help customer-owners reinvest in their farms, ranches and rural communities, ensuring they have the resources to build a strong future for their families and businesses.”
This year’s cash-back dividend is equal to 100 basis points or a return of one percent of a customer’s eligible average daily loan balance with FCSAmerica. County-level payout data is available on the 2025 Wyoming Cash-Back Dividends Distribution Map.
The FCSAmerica Board of Directors has also approved a cash-back dividend to be paid from the cooperative’s 2025 net earnings, the amount of which will be determined in December.
Since 2004, FCSAmerica has offered a patronage program and shared its success in the form of cash-back dividends. The cooperative has now returned more than $81.4 million to farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses in Wyoming.
The National Bison Association (NBA) and Canadian Bison Association (CBA) are jointly seeking a quick end to the threat of tariffs between the U.S. and Canada.
The new 25 percent tariffs threaten to disrupt an already tight bison supply chain and cause severe harm at the farm level in both countries. Both organizations are calling on officials to avoid any further disruptions and return to the duty-free trade for live bison which has sustained this sector of agriculture for decades, while restoring the bison species to North America.
The bison industry enjoys a mutually-beneficial relationship between the two nations. Today, live Canadian bison cross the border at an unprecedented rate. Nearly onehalf of all bison processed in the U.S. in 2024 were imported from Canada. This helps support a nearly $1 billion industry and a growing sector of American agriculture.
“Tariffs would significantly hurt the Canadian bison industry, but also significantly damage the entire North American market,” says Scott Yule, executive director of CBA. “The U.S. simply can’t supply their domestic markets without Canadian bison. When U.S. consumers aren’t able to source bison meat from their regular supplier, they will eventually move to other sources of protein. It could take a lot of effort to regain their interest in this delicious and healthy meat.”
The NBA and CBA will continue monitoring the situation and work with officials in both countries to come to a resolution to sustain the bison business, and in turn, the North American bison herd.
Reported By: Curt Cox, WYLR Field Editor Feb. 1, 2025
Swift River Ranch, Billings, Mont.
Auctioneer: Ty Thompson
Sale Manager: Genetic Pathways 87 Angus Bulls Avg. $5,589
Top Sellers
Lot 116 – Beartooth Executive L103 – Price:
$15,000 DOB: 5/10/23 Sire: T/D Executive 9604
Dam’s Sire: SydGen FATE 2800 EPDs: BW: +0.8, WW: +85, YW: +152 and Milk: +29 Buyer: Adams Angus, Brigham City, Utah
Lot 115 – Beartooth Barricade L106 – Price: $13,000 DOB: 5/11/23 Sire: Sitz Barricade 623F
Dam’s Sire: S A V Bismarck 5682 EPDs: BW: +1.2, WW: +70, YW: +120 and Milk: +21 Buyer: Abernathy Ranch, Lander
Lot 54 – Beartooth Prolific 4111 – Price: $11,500 DOB: 1/3/24 Sire: Ellingson Prolific Dam’s Sire: Baldridge Alternative E125 EPDs: BW: +0.1, WW: +82, YW: +132 and Milk: +20 Buyer: Bootheel 7 Ranch, Lusk
Lot 101 – Beartooth Atlantis L107 – Price: $10,000 DOB: 5/14/23 Sire: Square B Atlantis 8060 Dam’s Sire: Ellingson Homegrown 6035 EPDs: BW: +1.7, WW: +65, YW: +110 and Milk: +31 Buyer: Maxwell Ranch, Lewistown, Mont.
Lot 101 – Beartooth Atlantis L108 – Price: $10,000
DOB: 5/15/23 Sire: Square B Atlantis 8060 Dam’s Sire: LD Capitalist 376 EPDs: BW: -0.4, WW: +65, YW: +115 and Milk: +23 Buyer: Marty and Tina Graham, Rozet
Lot 43 – Beartooth Jordan M30 – Price: $10,000
DOB: 1/12/24 Sire: Baldridge Jordan Dam’s Sire: V A R Generation 2100 EPDs: BW: +2.5, WW: +83, YW: +142 and Milk: +24 Buyer: Rooney Angus, White Sulphur Springs, Mont.
Ten students pursuing careers in the beef industry were awarded $1,500 scholarships by the National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF) and recognized during CattleCon 2025 in San Antonio.
The CME Group Beef Industry Scholarship program recognizes talented and thoughtful students emerging as industry leaders.
This year, the CME Group Beef Industry Scholarship recipients are Oklahoma State University Students Mattie Flohr of Danville, Ind., Bennett Gordon of Whitewood, S.D., Ty Jones of Scottsville, Ky. and Chase Litton of Boonville, Mo.; Texas Tech University Student Mia Jess of Lubbock, Texas; South Dakota State University Student Taylor Lacek of Brookings, S.D.; University of Kentucky Student Whitney Peck of Fedonia, Ky.; University of Northern Iowa Student Hailey Rydberg of Essex, Iowa; University of Wisconsin-River Falls Student Wyatt Stowell of Fox Lake, Wis. and West Texas A&M University Student Spencer Walahoski of Overton, Neb.
Introduced in 1989 and sponsored by CME Group, the scholarship identifies and encourages talented students who play a vital role in the future of food production. Students studying education, communication, production, research or other areas related to the beef industry are eligible to apply for the annual scholarship program.
During CattleCon 2025 in San Antonio, dates and locations were announced for 2025 Stockmanship and Stewardship events. Event registration will open in late spring.
The three events will take place June 26-28 in Watertown, S.D.; Aug. 13-14 in Canyon, Texas and Sept. 4-6 in Springfield, Mo.
Stockmanship and Stewardship is a unique educational experience for cattle producers featuring lowstress cattle handling demonstrations, Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) educational sessions, facility design sessions and industry updates.
Producers can become BQA certified, network with fellow cattlemen and women, participate in hands-on demonstrations led by animal handling experts and learn innovative techniques.
For more information about Stockmanship and Stewardship events, visit stockmanshipandstewardship.org/ Cattle producers attending a Stockmanship and Stewardship event are eligible for reimbursement through the Rancher Resilience Grant. To apply for a grant to cover registration and hotel costs, visit ncba. org/producers/rancher-resilience-grant
are all tied together with the commonality we all produce food,” said Clark.
Then, citing keynote speaker Lt. Col. Dan Rooney’s statement, she added, “We need to be ready, so we don’t have to get ready. Certainly, this pertains to advocating for agriculture.”
Policy discussions
The new executive vice president noted watching the discussion of policy during the voting delegate system is a testament to true grassroots – how the policy moves from the ground up, from county farm bureaus to the state farm bureaus and then on to the national delegate floor.
WyFB President Todd Fornstrom, a farmer from Pine Bluffs, said his state had policies which advanced to the AFBF delegate floor to be discussed. One of these created extensive discussion centered around animal identification.
“Our voting delegates at our WyFB Convention spoke strongly about opposing mandatory animal identification, and Vice President Cole Coxbill and I brought this message loud and clear to the discussion on the floor at the AFBF delegate session,” said Fornstrom.
Fornstrom also spoke out during the delegate session on another WyFB policy.
The policy reads, “We oppose private industry –including non-governmen-
tal organizations – using monetary contributions to U.S. Department of Agriculture programs as a mechanism to dictate implementation and adoption of conservation practices on private property.”
The other policy followed suit with, “We oppose the use of natural capital accounting (NCA) methods in ecosystem services valuation.”
“We feel more outside control of ecosystem services on private property may impact the ability to produce food and fiber. In addition, we see NCA as a method to value ecosystem services with origins in the United Nations climate agenda,”
Fornstrom explained.
What Fornstrom enjoys most about the event are the people.
“Rural people are similar, and they are my favorite people,” he shared.
“Whether we are meeting with sponsors or talking to other farmers and ranchers in the halls, we share stories, and it is good to know we are not alone with what is going on, especially in hard times. AFBF is a wonderful organization with the broadest coverage of agricultural policy across the U.S. Learning and networking opportunities
Matt Stroh, his wife and daughter made the 19-hour drive from their ranch near Newcastle to San Antonio – the first time any of them had attended the national
EXTENSIVE ENGINE WORK DONE – $39,500
2006 INTERNATIONAL 9200 DAY CAB, 292,298 MILES, 12,695 ENGINE HOURS, CAT C-13 ACERT ENGINE, 10 SPD SHIFT TRANS., JAKE BRAKE, STATIONARY 5TH PLATE – $39,500 2007 CTS BDT-40 T/A BELLY DUMP – $26,500
2019 BOBCAT T870 SKID STEER, 2145.1 HRS – $49,500 2018 BOBCAT T650 SKID STEER, 2274.5 HRS – $ 39,500
2022 BOBCAT E60 MINI EXCAVATOR 2022 BOBCAT T770 SKID STEER 2008 BOBCAT T250 SKID STEER
JD 5093E TRACTOR 2016 KUBOTA MX5200D TRACTOR
2023 CAT D6 DOZER
CAT320 EXCAVATOR
2023 CAT 420 BACKHOE
2023 CAT 906 LOADER
2018 CAT 930M LOADER 2022 FRIESEN TRAILER AIR COMPRESSOR
CAT REACH FORKLIFT (TELEHANDLER)
2023 SA CARGO TRAILER 6X10 NEW PULLED 1500 MILES $7,000.00
CAT PD10000 FORKLIFT 2013 JLG G6-42A EXTENDED BOOM SKYJACKSJ7135 SCISSOR LIFT THE BEST PRICES YOU CAN FIND!!!!
convention.
Although Stroh had been active in the Weston County Farm Bureau for more than 20 years, he was elected recently to the board which made him decide to attend the national convention.
“I really enjoyed networking with other farmers and ranchers,” Stroh said. “Visiting with folks from Virginia and Tennessee is outside of our normal knowledge about agriculture, but there were issues, such as dealing with water, which was really interesting to learn.”
Wandering around the trade show and hearing the three keynote speakers – AFBF President Zippy Duvall; Rooney, who founded Folds of Honor and former National Football League Player Eric Boles –proved insightful.
“I am a military history buff so hearing Rooney share his experiences in the Air Force, then how he turned his experience into helping others, caught my
attention,” Stroh explained.
“He reinforced what I’ve been telling my kids and working on it myself – be the best version of yourself.”
A variety of tours offered included one to the Pacific War Museum and the Holt Ranch, an outfitting ranch which runs cattle and manages resources. Although the museum was not ag-related, the history interested Stroh and he found their exhibits compelling.
Stroh and his family found the overall experience superb.
“It was great for my daughter, who is in the Young Farmers and Ranchers program, to see farm bureau on the national level,” he said. “I enjoyed seeing the spectrum of people, from those who have been coming for 20 years to the 18-year-olds. There is a lot of information to take back to your community.”
He concluded, “I am a firm believer once someone gets involved in farm bureau, it becomes part of their DNA. It becomes something they want to be a part of. I will encourage everyone and everybody to go to the national convention.”
Rebecca Colnar is a corresponding writer for the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@ wylr.net.
new TVs and party decorations, a whopping 81 percent will be spent on food and beverages, courtesy of the nation’s hardworking farmers and ranchers.
In fact, Super Bowl Sunday has climbed to the second largest day of food consumption in the U.S. behind Thanksgiving – and therefore the second most popular day to order take out.
Restaurantware.com, an online foodservice retailer and manufacturer, estimates one in seven Americans – or 48 million people – order take out for the big game, 60 percent of which is pizza.
“A standard pizza is a bonanza for agriculture,” says Ohio State University Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator Ed Lentz in The Courier “Tomato sauce requires about eight to 10 mediumsized tomatoes and about one cup of cheese. It is estimated about 12.5 mil
lion pizzas are ordered during the Super Bowl, which would require 125 million tomatoes and 7.8 million pounds of cheese.”
Lentz further notes it takes approximately two cups of wheat flour to make the dough of one large pizza, and since one bushel of wheat makes about 42 pounds of flour, the 12.5 million pizzas consumed on Super Bowl Sunday would require nearly 23,000 bushels of wheat.
All of this doesn’t take into account popular pizza toppings, including chicken, pork, beef, pepperoni, mushrooms, olives, peppers, onions, anchovies, pineapple, etc.
Chicken wings’ place in popular culture began with restaurants and bars catering to sports fans, and since then, the tasty finger food has joined pizza as one of the top three favorites to consume on Super Bowl Sunday.
According to the National Chicken Council, an estimated 1.45 billion chicken wings will be eaten during the big game, which is enough – when laid end to end – to circle Earth three times.
In a Jan. 31 AgriLife Today article, Dr. David Anderson, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension economist in the Department of Agricultural Economics, notes, “Wings were a poultry cut that used to be practically worthless. Then someone tossed them in some buffalo sauce and dipped them in blue cheese and ranch dressing. Now, restaurants across the country want to capitalize on this popularity.”
Although recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza have significantly impacted laying hens, Anderson points out it has little to do with broilers for meat production. However, chicken wings’ peak in popularity around Super Bowl weekend are still likely to
result in higher prices at the restaurant or grocery store.
This year, Anderson believes football fans can expect to pay slightly more per pound for chicken wings than they did last year, with wholesale prices ringing in around $1.91 per pound, up 8.3 percent from the same time last year.
Chicken wings, however, are not the only source of protein Americans will consume on game day. It is estimated 10 percent of Americans will fire up their grill – the second highest number on any given day besides the Fourth of July.
Popular eats include hot dogs, bratwurst, steak and grilled vegetables, and experts estimate a massive 14 billion hamburgers are served on Super Bowl Sunday, as well as 12 million pounds of bacon.
Snacks and drinks
Chips and dip round out the top three Super Bowl favorites, with Americans consuming 11.2 million pounds of potato chips,
Game day favorite –Chicken wings are joined by pizza and chips and dip as the top three favorite foods to consume during the Super Bowl. This year, football fans are expected to consume 1.47 billion chicken wings around the big game, which is enough to circle Earth more than three times.
Texas A&M AgriLife photo
8.2 million pounds of tortilla chips and four million pounds of pretzels during the big game.
This equates to roughly 45 million pounds of potatoes and 69.7 million pounds of corn.
Guacamole has risen to the top as the dip of choice for many football fans, with over eight million pounds consumed and nearly 139.4 million pounds of avocados purchased ahead of the Super Bowl, which is enough to fill a football field 50 feet high from end zone to end zone.
Popcorn and nuts are other popular game day snacks, and experts estimate 3.8 million pounds of popcorn and 2.5 million pounds of nuts are eaten during the big game.
Football fans require something refreshing to wash down all of these salty snacks, and the National Restaurant Association notes 51.7 million cases of beer –roughly 325.5 million gallons – are sold every year during Super Bowl weekend. This is enough liquid to fill 2,000 Olympic-sized pools.
Experts also estimate Americans will spend around $2.37 million on soda.
On the field
Traces of agriculture can also be found on the field itself.
Although Caesars Superdome boasts one of the largest continuous syn-
thetic turf systems in the NFL, both Super Bowl LIX teams play on natural turf during their home games.
According to Sports Illustrated, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Lincoln Financial Field utilizes a hybrid grass and turf playing field, made with a Desso GrassMaster system, which combines artificial fibers with natural grass.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium is a completely natural grass field that uses NorthBridge bermudagrass, a species known for its dense growth and cold tolerance.
Although football uniforms have evolved over time to the sophisticated, technology-infused gear worn today, the earliest jerseys were made of wool and helmets were made of soft leather.
Leather is still used to make the football, and although they are often referred to as “pigskins,” footballs are actually made of cowhide.
According to Wilson, the official supplier of NFL footballs, 120 different footballs will be used in Sunday’s game, requiring 12 cowhides – usually sourced from Iowa, Kansas or Nebraska – as one cowhide can make 10 footballs.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
Recently, two Rambouillet rams from South Dakota reached the Registered of Merit Status in the American Rambouillet Sheep Breeders Association (ARSBA).
To achieve this goal a ram must compete in an approved ram test. The ram must be in the top 10 percent of the rams on test and must have a four-inch staple length, gain 0.60 pounds per day, have a wool micron finer than 23.7 and have nine pounds of clean fleece. He then must sire five rams meeting these requirements as well. The last time this was accomplished was in 2003.
The first ram is Erk Bros B1510-997995R, raised by Erk Bros of Newell, S.D. They run a range flock of 900 head and a registered flock of 300 head of Rambouillet ewes. Breeding stock is sold at the Newell Ram Sale, Wyoming Ram Sale in Douglas and via private treaty off the ranch.
The second ram is Cook Sisters 5931-999443R, bred by Cook Sisters of Glad Valley, S.D. They run a Rambouillet flock of 200 head of ewes.
Breeding stock is sold at the Newell Ram Sale; the South Dakota Sheep Growers Ewe Sale in Huron, S.D and via private treaty off the ranch.
This ram is now owned by Forbes, McGivney and Rabel of Kaycee. They run a flock of 300 registered Rambouillet ewes. They sell at the Newell Ram Sale, the Wyoming Ram Sale and the National Ram Sale in Utah, as well as private treaty.
All three breeders use the Performance Ram Tests at Hettinger, N.D. and the Wyoming Test in Douglas.
For more information, contact the South Dakota Rambouillet Association at 605-852-2233 or 605430-5811.
In addition to helping on the ranch while growing up, Brenna spent over 10 years in 4-H, showing sheep, pigs and cattle and also making quilts.
Passion for rodeo
Currently, Brenna is a sophomore at Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) studying animal science.
She is also on the rodeo team, where she competes in breakaway roping, team roping and barrel racing.
“All of these events have been passions of mine since I was five years old,” she shared. “My love for rodeo started at our local junior rodeo, and from that moment on, I knew it was something I wanted to dedicate my life to.”
Brenna grew up in the arena, as her entire family ropes, and they have spent countless hours together on
continued from page A1
the road traveling to jackpots and rodeos.
“Those times gave me more than just experience, they gave me unforgettable memories and lifelong friendships,” she said. “Now, as a college athlete, I’m grateful for teammates and a coach who push me to be better and encourage me every step of the way.”
College rodeo has also introduced Brenna to new people who have already made a lasting impact on her life, and she knows these friendships will endure long after their time in the arena is over.
“I proudly wear the Wyoming patch on my EWC competition vest, which represents Team Wyoming,” she explained. “This program is exceptional – Wyoming is the only state with a rodeo
initiative supporting athletes from the high school level all the way to the professional circuit.”
Team Wyoming has made a tangible difference in her life and those of her teammates, providing them with opportunities to grow as athletes and individuals.
“I’m so grateful to be part of a program which values and invests in the sport of rodeo,” Brenna said.
Recent honors
Brenna was recently selected by the Wyoming Tourism Office to speak at their annual Salute to Team Wyoming Breakfast during the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR).
“I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to speak in Las Vegas at the NFR annual breakfast. It was a great time and a fun experience,” she
said. “I talked about growing up in Wyoming, ranching and rodeoing, and how important it all is to me. It was great to share it with everyone there.”
Each year, Wyoming Tourism recognizes a Cowboy State resident attending a Wyoming college and competing on its rodeo team.
According to EWC, Brenna was chosen this year for her outstanding performance in the arena and her dedication to representing Wyoming with pride and integrity outside of it.
Brenna is ranked in the top 10 in the region for team roping, and her success on the rodeo circuit is matched by her academic accomplishments.
She has earned Academic All-American honors from the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, reflecting her commitment to both her sport and her studies.
“I proudly wear the Wyoming patch on my EWC competition vest, which represents Team Wyoming. This program is exceptional – Wyoming is the only state with a rodeo initiative supporting athletes from the high school level all the way to the professional circuit.” – Brenna Herring
Brenna added, “While at EWC, I have become a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society and have been on the President’s Honor Roll.”
Brenna will graduate from EWC this May and plans to continue her education at the University of Wyoming.
There, she intends to pursue a rodeo career while studying animal science, with the goal of attending veterinary school.
Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
On Jan. 29, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) swore in former U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) as the 17th EPA administrator who will work to fulfill the agency’s mission of protecting human health and the environment.
Zeldin represented New York in the U.S. House of Representatives from 201523 and served as a New York State Senate member from 2011-14.
During his eight years in Congress, Zeldin worked across party lines to preserve the Long Island Sound and Plum Island and supported key legislation like the Great American Outdoors Act and Save our Seas Act to clean up plastics from the oceans. Zeldin is also an attorney in his 22nd year in the U.S. military.
Nominated by President Donald J. Trump days after his election, Zeldin’s confir
and Public Works (EPW) Committee by a vote of 11 to eight and by the Senate with a 56 to 42 vote.
“Under Trump’s leadership, we will take great strides to defend every American’s access to clean air, clean water and clean land,” Zeldin states in a press release. “We will maintain and expand the gold standard of environmental stewardship and conservation Trump set forth in his first administration, while also prioritizing economic prosperity.”
Hearing details
U.S. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) introduced Zeldin at the U.S. Senate EPW Committee confirmation hearing, stating, “Zeldin represents a new era of clear rule and commonsense. He will correct the course of the EPA.”
During the hearing, U.S. Sen. John Boozman
a commitment from Zeldin to increase the agency’s communication and collaboration to balance environmental stewardship and the impact of regulations on farmers, businesses and opportunity for economic growth.
“We must ensure we are protecting the environment while also protecting our economy,” Zeldin states at the Jan. 16 confirmation hearing. “I strongly believe we have a moral responsibility to be good stewards of our environment for generations to come.”
During the hearing, Boozman encouraged Zeldin to work cooperatively with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on rules and regulations impacting farmers and producers.
“As issues affecting agriculture arise, I’ve found farmers and ranch
ing together,” says Boozman, asking Zeldin how he envisions the two agencies working together.
Zeldin responds, “I agree with everything you just said, senator. This must be our goal – the relationship between multiple agencies, including the interaction between the EPA and USDA.”
The hearing provides insight into the issues of highest interest and concern to EPW members, as EPW Chairman and U.S. Sen. Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV) notes several issues on which she hopes the EPA would focus, including cleaning up Brownfields and Superfund sites, addressing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances contamination and ensuring the reliability and affordability of electricity.
WOTUS
During the hearing,
on the role of cooperative federalism, particularly as it relates to the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) and the 2023 Supreme Court decision in Sackett vs. EPA, asking Zeldin how the agency will handle the rule under his leadership.
“It’s important corners aren’t cut where durability is sacrificed,” answers Zeldin. “Laws are written by Congress, and there are cases which have come out from the Supreme Court providing the EPA with clear guidance on how we must do our job under the law.”
Zeldin explains it is important when leadership goes back to their home state, they can speak to their constituents with confidence and explain the federal government is doing its part to define what WOTUS is without them having to spend money to hire an attorney or someone to
and National Corn Growers Association President Kenneth Hartman, Jr. states, “We want to congratulate Zeldin for being confirmed by the Senate to lead EPA. We look forward to working with him on issues of great importance to corn growers, such as increasing ethanol blends and ensuring access to inputs required to produce food, feed and fuel.”
“Zeldin has made it clear he understands how important American-made biofuels are to Trump’s efforts to unleash American energy dominance,” states Growth Energy Chief Executive Officer Emily Skor. “He’s also committed to advancing year-round E15 and ensuring America’s farmers and biofuel producers have the regulatory certainty under the Renewable Fuel Standard to plan and invest in rural growth.”
“We thank Zeldin for agreeing to work alongside U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and other rural champions on Capitol Hill to deliver a much-needed boost to the farm economy and greater fuel savings for hardworking Americans with homegrown ethanol,”
A variety of organizations, such as the American Petroleum Institute and the American Trucking Association, have formally expressed their support for
According to the Steel Manufacturers of America President Phillip Bell, “The Steel Manufacturers Association believes Zeldin is an excellent choice to fight for manufacturing in America, and we offer our strong endorsement for his con
Safety Modernization Act to assist farmers in complying with the law.
Additionally, NASDA is pushing for the upcoming farm bill to include support to maintain the Comprehensive Food Safety Training Network at the authorized level of $20 million a year to address cyber security, amend the federal definition of hemp to increase total THC concentration to one percent or less and maintain programs related to local food systems and conservation and climate resiliency.
NASDA also endorses – and hopes to build upon –the three-tiered animal disease prevention and management method outlined in the 2018 Farm Bill and supports increased funding for the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank.
Food systems
NASDA’s second policy priority includes advocating for increased investments in food and nutrition assistance programs to combat national food insecurity, strengthen local and regional food systems and improve public health.
“Strengthening the connectivity within supply chains not only creates new market opportunities for small, medium-sized and beginning farmers, but
also bolsters rural economies and improves access to nutrient-dense foods,” NASDA explains. “NASDA supports science-based policies and food safety standards, urging policymakers to uphold evidence-based dietary recommendations which promote safe, healthy food for all.”
Pesticide regulations
Because pesticides are an essential tool in ag production, NASDA is in support of the “scientificallysound development, review, registration and re-registration of crop protection technologies and uses to enable growers to produce the nation’s food, fiber and fuel.”
NASDA says, “A predictable, enforceable, science-based pesticide regulatory framework is essential to achieving food security, minimizing environmental and endangered species impacts and meeting agricultural sustainability goals.”
Therefore, NASDA’s third policy priority is to encourage the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to adopt the best available science and adhere to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act when registering new products and/or re-registering existing ones.
Additionally, NASDA
will urge the EPA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to establish an effective compliance strategy and consultation process which incorporates stakeholder concerns and allows adequate implementation time.
PFAS
PFAS, known as the “forever chemicals,” are a large group of synthetic fluorinated chemicals that are not biodegradable.
“Historically, PFAS chemicals have been widely used in consumer products that are stain, oil, heat and water resistant. Federal and state agencies are increasingly studying the impact of PFAS on humans, the food supply and the environment,” NASS notes. “Federal and state governments are also studying means to remedy agricultural land impacted by PFAS.”
NASDA’s fourth priority includes developing strategies to remediate lands contaminated by PFAS in order to keep ag lands productive, support federal legislation which increases state funding and resources to respond to toxic pollutants like PFAS and encourage the development of a federal framework which collaboratively supports states responding to PFAS.
NASDA will also encourage federal agencies to use the best available science and appropriate risk
assessments when establishing regulatory standards of threshold levels of PFAS in food products and support robust financial support for impacted farmers, as well as federally-funded research for PFAS contamination mitigation strategies.
State cooperative funding NASDA’s fifth and final policy priority is focused on state cooperative agreement funding, which the agency defines as a “collaborative funding instrument used by federal agencies to provide money to other entities for programs which benefit the public involving shared responsibilities and active collaboration between federal agencies and recipient organizations.”
NASDA notes many state agencies are currently undergoing drastic budget cuts, which have resulted in statewide job loss.
“Additionally, the replacement of efficient, cost-effective state-run systems with more expensive, non-local federal personnel drives up federal costs and weakens essential prevention measures,” NASDA notes. “This erosion of state programs and infrastructure is putting the integrity and
security of the U.S. food supply at risk.”
Therefore, NASDA will urge Congress to restore and increase funding for cooperative agreements.
“By strengthening these state and federal partnerships, we can bolster the U.S. food system’s resilience and security,” NASDA concludes.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
By Averi Reynolds, Northern Plains Regional Climate Hub
The weather-predicting groundhog Punxsutawney Phil forecasted six more weeks of winter after seeing his shadow in Pennsylvania on Feb. 2. However, statistics show the famous groundhog doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to accuracy.
According to the U.S. National Weather Service Forecasting Office in Riverton, Punxsutawney Phil has been right 30 percent of the time – based on temperature data – in accurately predicting Wyoming’s weather.
Across the U.S., the groundhog’s statistics improve slightly, increasing to a correct prediction 35 percent of the time.
The tradition of Punxsutawney Phil dates back to 1887, and in this time, longer
winters have been predicted 107 times, compared to an early spring prediction coming only 21 times.
A more accurate information source to forecast spring conditions can be found at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center.
One helpful forecast readers might not be as familiar with is the Week 3-4 Outlook. This forecast was issued most recently on Jan. 31 for the third and fourth weeks of February – Feb. 15-28.
According to the Week 3-4 Temperature Outlook, for most of northern Wyoming, the odds are leaning towards below normal temperatures during the last two weeks of February. In the Precipita-
tion Outlook, western Wyoming has higher chances of experiencing above average precipitation.
These temperature and precipitation patterns are consistent with the La Niña and its typical effects during the month of February.
According to NOAA, La Niña conditions are likely to persist through April 2025, then transition to El NiñoSouthern Oscillation neutral conditions, which means El Niño or La Niña phases are not present and temperatures and precipitation tend to be closer to their long-term average.
With the possibility of colder and wetter than average conditions on the horizon, and with many ranchers calving and starting to think about summer grazing plans, one can find NOAA’s climate outlooks at cpc.ncep.noaa. gov/index.php
These outlooks are a much more credible source to help inform management decisions – with no offense to the legendary groundhog Phil.
Those who have questions about which of the NOAA climate outlooks are most relevant to the types of decisions they’re trying to make and which ones are
Austin Snook • 307-290-2161
Taylor Snook • 307-290-2273
Craig Deveraux • 307-746-5690
Dan Catlin • 406-671-7715
Clint Snook • 307-290-4000
Cheyenne Seymour • 605-641-0638
more accurate – which varies by season and how far out they’re trying to look – feel free to reach out.
Averi Reynolds is an ORISE science communications fellow for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Northern Plains Climate Hub, serving Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. The USDA Northern Plains Climate Hub strives to provide researchbased information and support for ranchers, farmers and foresters to help increase their operations’ resilience to weather variability. For more information on the Northern Plains Climate Hub, visit climatehubs.usda.gov/hubs/ northern-plains
outlook – The chances are leaning towards below average temperatures across north-
Wyoming, according to the Week 3-4 Temperature Outlook, made Jan. 31 for Feb. 15-28. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration graphic
On Jan. 3, the Iowa Pork Producers Association appealed to the Supreme Court after the U.S. Court of
Kyle Kallhoff • 605-881-1526
Casey Sellers • 307-217-2614
Jim Forbes • 307-351-5932
Tye Curuchet • 307-351-8666
Daniel Escoz • 307-217-1440
Kade Kinghorn • 307-620-0525 "From the ring,
Thank you and we appreciate your business!
Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected a legal challenge to Proposition 12 (Prop 12), alleging the law discriminates against pork producers across the country.
Twenty-three states, including Iowa, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming, filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in support of the appeal.
The challenge stems from a previous Supreme Court ruling on the case, which determined California’s law does not violate the Commerce Clause.
However, five of the nine justices in the case said Prop 12 – which enacts
a pork sales ban on farms across the country that don’t follow the state’s animalhousing regulations – could “impose a substantial burden on interstate commerce” under what is known as the Pike Balancing Test. This test is used by the Supreme Court to determine whether state laws are unconstitutional because they violate interstate commerce.
The Supreme Court ruled against the National Pork Producers Council in 2023 in its challenge to Prop 12. In the case, the plaintiff did not make a discrimination claim.
The Iowa Pork Producers Association, however, filed a discrimination-based appeal which was heard by the Ninth Circuit. In its new appeal to the Supreme Court filed this month, the association said the Ninth Circuit dropped the ball in dismissing the new case.
concerning the selection and retention of judges.
SFs which did not make the cut during the third reading include SF0003, separating mule deer and whitetailed deer hunting seasons and SF0021, banning cellphones in schools.
Bills still pending include HB0005, which would regulate fishing outfitters and guides and the registration of fishing boats; SF0064, Wyoming’s opposition to mandatory electronic identification devices for livestock and SF0121, designing a license plate to recognize rodeo as the official sport of Wyoming.
All legislative bills remain alive but must pass their third and final reading from their house of origin on or before Feb. 12.
State spending
On Feb. 4, two bills –HB0270 and HB0271 –which aim to reduce state spending and cut millions of dollars in educational funding each fiscal year, were passed by the House and will now move to the Senate for consideration.
HB0270 reduces the state’s spending from the Wyoming Permanent Mineral Trust Fund from five percent to 4.5 percent of a five-year rolling average market value, and it also proposes cuts to the Common School Account.
“Folks, we don’t have a
revenue problem, we have a spending problem,” states Rep. John Bear (R-H03) during the third and final reading of the bills. “I really have a lot of faith in this body that we are going to keep our spending under control, and we’ll be able to withstand this $28 million reduction in education funding per year.”
However, Rep. Steve Harshman (R-H37) warned lawmakers multiple times during the meeting this legislation would “pull the rug out” from kindergarten through 12th grade school districts.
He argues the loss in revenue from these bills is equivalent to funding an entire small school district, such as Laramie County School District #2.
Harshman proposed multiple amendments to reduce the spending outlined in Bear’s legislation, but all of them failed.
State elected position
The House Judiciary Committee approved HB0102 on Feb. 5 by a vote of six to three, which would make the Wyoming attorney general an elected position.
Supporters of the bill have criticized current Attorney General Bridget Hill for either delaying the filing of lawsuits or for not filing enough of them.
Currently, Wyoming is one of only seven states
Feb. 20 is the 10th Annual Give FFA Day during National FFA Week. The day is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of over a million FFA members across the country and growing the next generation of leaders who will change the world.
The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization with the mission of helping students develop their leadership skills and explore career paths in agriculture.
Funds raised on Give FFA Day support FFA and agricultural education at the local, state and national levels. The money supports special programs and events, provides the iconic FFA blue jackets to students, supplemental travel costs for career and leadership training and pays for teacher support and resources throughout the year.
With overwhelming support from donors, FFA raised over $1.44 million on Give FFA Day 2024.
Those interested in donating can visit giveffaday. ffa.org
The Center for Agricultural Profitability at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will present Returning to the Farm 2025, a workshop series for families who are in the transition process of bringing members back to the farm or ranch.
It will begin with a two-day workshop for multi-generational families on March 7-8, at Central Community College in Hastings, Neb. The series also includes two follow-up workshops, to be held virtually after the in-person meetings.
The workshop will assist families and agricultural operations with developing financial plans and successful working arrangements to meet their unique needs. It will guide families in developing estate and transition plans, setting personal and professional goals and improving the communication process between family members.
The workshop fee is $75 per person if registration is completed on or before Feb. 28. On March 1, the fee increases to $85 per person. Registration includes dinner on March 7 and lunch on March 8. It also includes two follow-up workshops, to be held virtually, dates and times to be determined. Hotel accommodations are not included. For more information or to register, visit cap.unl.edu/ rtf25
that do not elect their attorney general, as the position is appointed and reports directly to the governor.
HB0102 was introduced by Rep. Scott Heiner (R-H37) and would not go into effect until the 2026 election if passed.
Under the bill, the attorney general would also serve at the pleasure of the legislature and Supreme Court, as well as the governor.
Currently, the attorney general works for the governor only, a status which has
existed throughout Wyoming’s statehood.
Ballot harvesting
A series of bills aimed at changing the way Wyoming conducts elections is gaining traction in the state legislature.
One notable bill, sponsored by Rep. Steve Johnson (R-H08), is the prohibition of ballot harvesting.
This bill easily passed through the House committee on Feb. 5 and will be further debated in the Senate.
The ballot harvesting prohibition bans the practice of collecting ballots to deliver to the clerk, which is
known as ballot harvesting.
This bill is part of a broader initiative supported by Secretary of State Chuck Gray to enhance the security of Wyoming’s elections and improve election integrity.
Additionally, an amendment passed by the House Appropriations Committee permits employees of residential care facilities to deliver ballots for qualified voters residing within those facilities to the clerk.
This includes employees from nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult family homes and community-based residen-
tial facilities.
To deliver the absentee ballot, the employee must file an affidavit with the county clerk using a form provided by the Secretary of State’s Office.
All affidavits must be submitted to the Secretary of State within 30 days after the election.
To stay up to date on happenings in the Wyoming Legislature, visit wyoleg. gov Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
Feb. 11 University of Wyoming Extension Private Pesticide Applicator Program, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., Laramie County Fairgrounds, Cheyenne. For more information or to RSVP, contact Hannah Mills at hmorneau2@uwyo.edu or 307-633-4383.
Feb. 11 University of Wyoming Extension Private Pesticide Applicator Program, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., Converse County Library, Douglas. For more information or to RSVP, contact the Converse County Extension Office at 307-358-2417.
Feb. 11 University of Wyoming Extension Private Pesticide Applicator Program, 1-5 p.m., Laramie County Fairgrounds, Cheyenne. For more information or to RSVP, contact Hannah Mills at hmorneau2@uwyo.edu or 307-633-4383.
Feb. 11 University of Wyoming Extension Private Pesticide Applicator Program 1-5 p.m., Watt Agricultural Center, Sheridan. For more information or to RSVP, contact Micah Most at mmost@uwyo.edu. Or 307-684-7522.
Feb. 11-13 World Ag Expo, Tulare, Calif. For more information, visit worldagexpo.com
Feb. 12 Beef Cattle Research Council Foot and Mouth Disease Webinar, 7 p.m., online. For more information or to register, visit beefresearch.ca
Feb. 12 WESTI Ag Forage Day, 8 a.m., Washakie Museum and Cultural Center, Worland. For more information, contact Dan VanderPloeg at dvanderp@uwyo.edu.
Feb. 12 2025 Governor’s Prayer Breakfast, 6:30 a.m., Little America Hotel and Resort, Cheyenne. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit wyoprayerbreakfast.org
Feb. 13 University of Wyoming Extension Private Pesticide Applicator Program, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., Platte County Agri-Plex, Wheatland. For more information or to RSVP, contact the Platte County Extension Office at platteco@uwyo.edu or 307-322-3667.
Feb. 15-16 Two Day Native American Art Auction, Boulder County Fairgrounds, Longmont, Colo. For more information, visit payneauction.com or call 505-320-6445.
Feb. 18 University of Wyoming Extension Private Pesticide Applicator Program 8 a.m.-12 p.m., Crook County Courthouse, Sundance. For more information or to RSVP, contact Sara Fleenor at sfleenor@uwyo.edu or 307-283-1192.
Feb. 18 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Beef Roundtable, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Prairie Winds Community Center, Bridgeport, Neb. For more information or to register, visit go.unl.edu/2025roundtable
Feb. 18 University of Wyoming Extension Private Pesticide Applicator Program, 12-4 p.m., Park County Library, Cody. For more information or to RSVP, contact Makayla Getz at mgetz@uwyo.edu or 307-754-8837.
Feb. 19 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Beef Roundtable, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Bayer Water Utilization Learning Center, Gothenburg, Neb. For more information or to register, visit go.unl.edu/2025roundtable
Feb. 19 University of Wyoming Extension Private Pesticide Applicator Program, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., Washakie County Extension Office, Worland. For more information or to RSVP, contact Dan VanderPloeg at dvanderp@uwyo.edu or 307-347-3431.
Feb. 19 University of Wyoming Extension Private Pesticide Applicator Program, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Weston County Fairgrounds, Newcastle. For more information or to RSVP, contact Sara Fleenor at sfleenor@uwyo.edu or 307-283-1192.
Feb. 20 10th Annual Give FFA Day. For more information, visit giveffaday.ffa.org
Feb. 20 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Beef Roundtable, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Nielsen Community Center, West Point, Neb. For more information or to register, visit go.unl.edu/2025roundtable
Feb. 20 Southwest Wyoming Ag Days, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Roundhouse and Railyards, Evanston. For more information or to register, contact McKenna Julian at mbrinton@uwyo.edu or 307-828-4093.
Feb. 20 University of Wyoming 2025 Ranching in the West Continuing the Legacy: Energy, Innovation and the Future of Ranching Seminar, 5-7 p.m., Roundhouse and Railyard, Evanston. For more information or to register, contact Dr. Randall Violett at rviolett@uwyo.edu or 307-766-4239.
Feb. 10 Pilakowski Angus Annual Performance Tested Bull Sale, Lightning Valley Ranch, Arthur, Neb., 308-249-0885, pilakowskiangus.com
Feb. 10 Fawcett’s Elm Creek Ranch Annual Production Sale, at the ranch, Ree Heights, S.D., 605-870-0161, 605-870-6172, fawcettselmcreekranch.com
Feb. 11 G Bar H Genetics Angus Bull Sale, Torrington Livestock Markets, Torrington, 307-575-5520, 307-575-0373
Feb. 11 Ludvigson Stock Farms Big Sky Bull Sale, Diamond Y Development Center, Park City, Mont., 406-601-9192, 406-696-6509, 712-577-0445, ludvigsonstockfarms.com
Feb. 12 Jindra Angus 25th Annual Production Sale, at the Bull Center near Clarkson, Neb., 402-920-3171, jindraangus.com
Feb. 13 Booth’s Cherry Creek Angus 52nd Annual “Progress Through Performance” Bull Sale, at the ranch, Veteran, 307-534-5865, 307-532-1805, 307532-1532, boothscherrycreekranch.com
(307) 331-2222
Feb. 14
Feb. 15
Feb. 15
Powder River Angus Annual Bull Sale, Buffalo Livestock Marketing, Buffalo, 307-680-7359, 307-680-8266, powderriverangus.com
Redland Redbank Angus Third Annual Live Auction, Big Horn Basin Livestock Auction, Worland, 307-250-1548
Domek Charolais Bull Sale, at the ranch, Wibaux, Mont., 406-795-2618, 701-872-6331, domekcharolais.com
Feb. 17 Weaver Ranch 40th Annual Production Sale, at the ranch, Fort Collins, Colo., 970-568-3898
Feb. 17
Feb. 20
Feb. 21
Feb. 21
Feb. 21
Big Sky Salers 41st Annual Salers Focus Bull Sale, Stockmen’s Livestock, Dickinson, N.D., 406-557-6259
McNamee Angus Ranch and Cook Angus 37th Annual Production Sale, Miles City Livestock Commission, Miles City, Mont., 406-421-5588, 406-4215554, 406-477-3175
Hoffman Ranch Annual Bull Sale, Hoffman Ranch facility, Thedford, Neb., 308-645-2279, 530-604-5096, 406-425-0859, hoffmanranch.com
Stellpflug Cattle Company Spring Bull Sale, held with Hoffman Ranch Sale at Hoffman Ranch facility, Thedford, Neb., 307-351-1712, stellpflugcattle.com
Lewis Brothers Angus 45th Annual Bull Sale, St. Onge Livestock Auction, St. Onge, S.D., 605-391-7090, 605-391-6399, 605-430-3312, grandviewangus.com
Compiled by Dick Perue from memory, newspaper accounts, the Bob Martin/Dick Perue collection, University of Wyoming (UW) American Heritage Center files and several internet articles.
With today’s news of airplane wrecks dominating TV, radio and the press this past couple of weeks, I’ve been experiencing flashbacks to 70 years ago when I helped report on the worst airline disaster at the time. It was when United Airline Flight 409 crashed into Medicine Bow Peak in the Snowy Range west of Laramie on Oct. 6, 1955.
The aircraft was a Douglas DC-4 carrying 63 passengers and a crew of three. All 66 perished in the early morning crash. The plane exploded on impact, creating a debris field about a mile long. Two huge black marks scorched the side of the mountain.
The crash was discovered by a fighter jet pilot based out of Cheyenne just before noon the day of the crash. The pilot spotted “a huge black smudge where it hit the peak and pieces of wreckage that slid 200 feet down the side of the precipice,” one article states.
The real untold story of the disaster concerns the volunteers who began rescue efforts that afternoon and continued for several days.
First rescuers to reach the scene were local authorities, reporters and two priests who said they had found about 50 bodies strewn along a 300-foot course down the face of the mountain.
Only a tail piece, part of the fuselage and a wing of the plane had been
located at mid-afternoon by rescuers who fought snowdrifts and howling wind on the 12,005-foot Medicine Bow Peak.
As a 20-year-old journalism student at UW, I helped cover the accident for the Branding Iron, the university’s student newspaper, as well as my hometown paper the Saratoga Sun
Although I was at the scene as a reporter to cover the accident, I was soon put to work with the early effort to find and recover bodies and place them in body bags.
The first day was a real struggle and little progress was made. The following day, more help arrived in the form of the UW student mountaineering club with climbing gear and zip lines; ranchers with pack horses and wranglers; lumberjacks with strong backs and knowledge of the peak and rock field above Lake Marie; hikers, hunters and fishermen familiar with the rough terrain; college students; firemen, medical personal and rescue units; members of the
Wyoming Air and Army National Guard and forest service personnel, plus scores of other volunteers from all walks of life.
Everyone chipped in to do their part. No fuss, no arguing and no delays.
Fresh snow on the ground, combined with the steepness of the crash site and the loose rocky slope, made conditions very difficult.
Carbon County Sheriff John Terrill was one of the first authorities to secure the scene. As it became obvious there were no survivors to rescue, Terrill established a base camp about a mile down the slope.
Work teams included United Airlines employees and both civilian and military authorities, but only the most experienced mountaineers were able to climb the nearly sheer face of the peak to recover the bodies of victims.
With a system of ropes and pulleys, alpinists secured remains in body bags and brought them down to the base camp. From there, body bags were loaded onto pack animals and carried to the nearest structure, the UW Science Camp, about six miles away. From this temporary morgue, remains were taken into Laramie. This is just a small part of the story. More details can be found in Mel Duncan’s excellent book “Flight 409” and on the internet, especially in an article entitled “How It Ended at Medicine Bow Peak” by Julianne Couch.
Sheep
Source:
Source:
AMS Livestock, Poultry
Grain Market News, Torrington
Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News, Greeley, CO
National Sheep Summary
As of January 31, 2025
Compared to last week slaughter lambs were mostly steady to 15.00 lower. Slaughter ewes steady to 10.00 lower. Feeder lambs uneven. At San Angelo, TX 5,911 head sold. No sales in Equity Cooperative Auction. 3,499 lamb carcasses traded with no trend due to confidentiality. All sheep sold per hundred weight (CWT) unless specified. Slaughter Lambs: Choice and Prime 2-3 San Angelo: wooled and shorn 110-145 lbs 154.00-192.00; 165175 lbs 150.00-174.00.
Ft. Collins: wooled and shorn 150-185 lbs 150.00-190.00. South Dakota: wooled and shorn 120-150 lbs 160.00-181.00; 150-165 lbs 155.00.
Billings: wooled and shorn 115-140 lbs no test. Equity Coop: no sales. Slaughter Lambs: Choice and Prime 1-2 San Angelo: hair 40-60 lbs 305.00-334.00; 60-70 lbs 282.00308.00, few 320.00-326.00; 70-80 lbs 264.00-304.00, few 318.00; 80-90 lbs 240.00-270.00, few 278.00-280.00; 90-110 lbs 195.00248.00, few 258.00. wooled and shorn no test.
Ft. Collins: wooled and shorn 61 lbs 295.00; 79 lbs 260.00; 90-100 lbs 217.50-240.00; 100-115 lbs 210.00-234.00. hair 53 lbs 325.00; 60-70 lbs 290.00-320.00; 70-80 lbs 270.00-290.00; 80-90 lbs 265.00-270.00; 100 lbs 222.00.
South Dakota: wooled and shorn 50-60 lbs 305.00-310.00; 60-70 lbs 280.00-345.00; 70-80 lbs 262.50-295.00; 80-90 lbs 270.00-275.00; 90100 lbs 235.00-280.00; 106 lbs 225.00; 110-115 lbs 185.00-210.00. hair 48 lbs 365.00; 52 lbs 295.00; 64 lbs 280.00; 70-80 lbs 265.00-280.00; 84 lbs 245.00; 93 lbs 230.00.
Billings: no test. Slaughter Ewes
San Angelo: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) 91.00, hair 98.00; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 96.00-110.00, hair 100.00-116.00; Utility and Good 1-3 (medium flesh)125.00-132.00, hair 108.00-126.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) hair 90.00-108.00; Cull and Utility 1-2 (very thin) 72.00, hair 80.00-92.00. Ft. Collins: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) 75.00-110.00; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 77.50-120.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) no test; Cull 1 no test. South Dakota: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) 80.00-105.00; Good 2-3 (fleshy) 80.00-116.00, hair 98.00-11100.00; Utility 1-2 (thin) 85.00105.00; Cull 1 30.00.
Billings: Good 3-4 (very fleshy) no test; Good 2-3 (fleshy) no test; Utility 1-2 (thin) no test; Cull 1 no test.
Feeder Lambs: Medium and Large 1-2
San Angelo: hair 30-40 lbs 342.00-350.00; 42 lbs 340.00. Ft. Collins: no test.
South Dakota: 30-40 lbs 375.00-390.00; 40-50 lbs 375.00390.00; 50-60 lbs 280.00-310.00; 60-70 lbs 264.00-275.00, few 345.00; 70-80 lbs 242.50-252.00; 80-90 lbs 221.00-231.00; 90-100 lbs 205.00-207.00; 100-105 lbs 181.00-205.00; 115 lbs 178.00; 142 lbs 140.00.
Billings: no test.
Replacement Ewes: Medium and Large 1-2 San Angelo: yearlings 105-110 lbs 144.00/cwt; yearling hair 105 lbs 170.00/cwt; young hair 95-120 lbs 138.00-148.00/cwt. Ft. Collins: no test.
South Dakota: ewe lambs 110 lbs 198.00/cwt; young 260.00270.00/head; middle age 210.00-250.00/head; aged 185.00270.00/head.
Source: USDA- CO Dept of Ag Market News Service, Greeley, CO
Wyoming Hay Summary
As of February 5, 2025
Movement is about the same since the last report. Producers are saying demand has been slow all over Wyoming. Phones aren’t ringing and there doesn’t seem to be big local demand. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor Website most of Eastern Wyoming is under extreme dry soil moisture. Western Wyoming is moderately dry to severe dry soil moisture. According to the National Weather Service Website precipitation was a lot lower than normal for this time of year all over the state. Temperatures have been above normal for this time of year. According to the Wyoming Crop Progress Report, as of January 2025, hay and roughage supplies were rated at 89% adequate in the state. Pasture and range is 13% good condition and 25% fair condition, winter wheat is 1% good condition and 62% fair condition, all Livestock is 57% good condition. Central Wyoming
Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market
Nebraska Hay Summary
As of February 6, 2025
Compared to last week all reported hay sales sold steady. Demand was mostly light to instances moderate.
On Jan. 30, former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum was sworn in as the 55th secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI).
On his first day in office, President Donald J. Trump underscored a commitment to leveraging America’s abundant and reliable energy resources located on federal lands, with the objective of enhancing domestic energy production.
In alignment with this commitment, Burgum will oversee the management of 500 million acres of public lands and 1.7 billion acres offshore, thereby furthering the administration’s initiative to promote energy production across the U.S.
“We look forward to delivering on Trump’s vision for energy dominance, which is the foundation of American prosperity, affordability for American families, unrivaled national security and world peace,” Burgum states during his confirmation.
The Senate confirmed Burgum as secretary of the DOI following a decisive vote of 79 to 18.
In this esteemed position, he will be responsible for overseeing several key agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education.
Before his confirmation, Burgum garnered substantial support from the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which voted 18 to two in favor of his appointment on Jan. 23.
Moving forward Burgum successfully navigated his confirmation hearing, encountering minimal criticism while expressing his commitment to enhancing oil and natural gas production on public lands in pursuit of achieving “energy dominance.”
“He’s going to help our country become extremely liquid and extremely wealthy again,” Trump mentions of Burgum in a recent press release.
During Burgum’s confirmation hearing, the former governor signaled support for those priorities, saying, “We live in a time of tremendous abundance, and we can access this abundance by prioritizing innovation over regulation.”
Burgum indicates his foremost priority as secretary will be to “turn the ship around” and intends to implement changes to reverse the drilling policies established by the Biden administration.
“Under the Biden administration, the DOI was the tip of the spear in restricting development of America’s resources,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) states on the Senate floor during Burgum’s hearing. “I’m pleased Burgum is
committed to restoring the multiple-use approach to managing public lands.”
As secretary of the DOI, Burgum will be responsible for formulating policies guiding 11 agencies and 14 offices, including the U.S. Geological Survey, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
Additionally, he will oversee the permitting process for clean energy projects on federal lands and waters.
“The thing we’re short of most right now is base load. We need more energy but there has to be balance,” he says.
Burgum emphasizes the most efficient and cost-effective method to enhance baseload electricity supply would be to remove the restrictions on fossil fuel development imposed by the Biden administration on public lands and offshore areas.
First round of orders
On Feb. 3, the DOI announced Burgum officially commenced his tenure, marking the beginning of a new era aimed at promoting American energy independence while ensuring the responsible management of the nation’s public lands and resources.
On his first day in office, Burgum engaged with department leadership to articulate his key priorities.
He initiated immediate measures to streamline processes, thereby enhancing both efficiency and innovation throughout the DOI.
Furthermore, he took significant steps to advance the administration’s agenda by signing six secretary’s orders, which are designed to promote energy dominance in the U.S.
“Today marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for the DOI,” says Burgum. “We are committed to working collaboratively to unlock America’s full potential in energy dominance and economic development to make life more affordable for every American family while showing the world the power of America’s natural resources and innovation.”
Sires represented include:
44 Good News (19971596) (18 sons)
Sitz Domain (19974072) (22 sons)
Tehama Tahoe (17817177) (9 sons)
Tehama Patriarch F028 (18981191) (14 sons)
B A R Dynamic (19923789) (14 sons)
Man In Black (19955191) (17 sons)
Bigk/WSC Iron Horse 025F (19415015) (9 sons)
HAYNES Headliner 1267 (20159337) (12 sons)
HAYNES Breakout 9153 (19545006) (7 sons)
EZAR Step Up 9178 (19430597) (12 sons) Buy ’Em Your
n 100% AI from industry leading sires
Free delivery to surrounding states
Genomic enhanced EPDs
Developed on native range without creep feed
Athletic and ready to work in big country
Many heifer bulls in the offering and all are cow makers!
Many dams and granddams have achieved Pathfinder status.
First breeding season guarantee
Sight unseen purchases are guaranteed
Trich tested
Ask about our “On Ranch Inspection” discount
“Together, we will ensure our policies reflect the needs of our communities, respect Tribal sovereignty and drive innovation which will keep the U.S. at the forefront of energy and environmental leadership,” he continues.
Burgum’s initial significant action was the signing of Secretary’s Order 3417, titled “Addressing the National Energy Emergency.”
This order is designed to respond to the national emergency declaration from Trump by focusing on the essential need for a reliable, diversified, affordable and expanding supply of energy.
“The DOI will promptly initiate efforts to alleviate the nation’s energy supply challenges while also safeguarding against potential threats to both national and economic security,” Burgum announces.
Furthermore, Burgum executed Secretary’s Order 3418, which aims to advance energy initiatives.
He has also initiated Secretary’s Order 3419, which initiates a thorough review of all programs and regulations contributing to elevated
living costs for hardworking American families. This review aims to identify and recommend actionable strategies for effectively reducing costs, as the DOI focuses on the elimination of detrimental and coercive climate policies while working to lower energy expenses.
He adds, “These initiatives are designed to enhance the purchasing power of everyday Americans and ultimately improve their overall quality of life.”
Burgum has taken significant steps by signing Secretary Order 3420, which mandates immediate adherence to Trump’s revocation of the Biden administration’s previous withdrawals of the Outer Continental Shelf from oil and gas leasing.
Furthermore, he implemented Secretary Order 3421, titled “Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation.”
This initiative is designed to eliminate unnecessary regulations, strengthen national security and enhance the overall quality of life for citizens in the U.S.
This directive establishes, for each new regulation implemented, 10 existing regulations will be repealed.
This approach aims to streamline processes, reduce bureaucratic redundancy among various agencies and promote the enhancement of domestic energy production.
In concluding his initial directives, Burgum signed Secretary Order 3422, which mandates the department to implement all necessary actions to responsibly harness the abundant and largely untapped natural resources of the state of Alaska.
As the DOI moves forward under Burgum’s leadership, these initiatives set the foundation for a renewed focus on responsible resource management, economic growth and cultural preservation.
“By advancing policies honoring America’s heritage while fostering innovation and sustainability, the department remains committed to serving the interests of the American people and strengthening the nation’s environmental and energy future,” states the DOI.
Melissa Anderson is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
Robert “Bob” L. Daniels was born on Jan. 11, 1940 in Mullen, Neb. to Forrest and Marie Troyer
Daniels. They moved to Owl Creek, 27 miles west of Thermopolis, in March 1946.
Bob attended grade school in the one-room Embar School and high school at Hot Springs High School in Thermopolis, graduating in 1957. He went one year to Casper College. Then, he worked for neighboring ranches, as well as doing some construction work on Anchor Dam.
In 1962, Bob married Kathy Hedges and worked for a ranch on Twin Creek
near Lander. They later divorced. In 1964, their son Clarke was born.
Bob went to horseshoeing school in Porterville, Calif. He shod horses in Petaluma, Calif. for three years, then came back to Wyoming in 1967 to shoe horses and work on ranches in the area.
In 1970, Bob bought a place on the Wind River Reservation near Fort Washakie where he leased land, put up hay and started his cow herd. He also starting teaching farrier classes in Riverton for Central Wyoming College, where he taught for seven years.
In 1978, he married Barbara Schoenthaler, sold the Fort Washakie place and bought a small ranch east of Douglas. Barb worked as an
Extension home economist in Converse County, while Bob shod horses and took care of the ranch.
Most of Bob’s life was involved with horses –shoeing, breaking, training and breeding, with a lot of good help from his wife.
The horse business grew. Bob built a breeding barn and other barns and facilities and started an artificial insemination program, standing American Quarter Horse Association and American Paint Horse Association (APHA) studs to the public. He became a leading breeder of both breeds in the state as well as producing a national champion.
Bob and Barb were both very involved in state and national APHA leadership,
being national directors and leaders in the state association. Many times, Bob would put together judging classes for youth groups. He was appointed by the Wyoming governor to the PariMutuel Commission where he served for eight years, two of those as chairman of the board.
Bob and Barb enjoyed traveling to Australia, the Kentucky Derby and on many cruises including to Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean and the Panama Canal.
In 2010, they bought a winter home in Beaver Dam, Ariz., spending their winters in Arizona and summers in Wyoming. In 2014, they sold the ranch in Douglas and bought a home in Lander.
Bob was preceded in death by his brother Joe in 2021, father Forrest Daniels in 1997, mother Marie Troyer Daniels in 1992 and grandson Justin Daniels in 2015.
He is survived by his wife Barb Daniels of Lander; son Clarke (Laura) Daniels of Meeteetse; grandson Jarred (Jada) Daniels of Cody; great-grandchildren Addison and Brantley Daniels; brother Jim (Dolly) Daniels of Thermopolis; sisters Veva (Doug) King of King City, Calif. and Vikki (Kent) Cook of Riverton and sister-in-law Patsy of Thermopolis.
A memorial will be held at a later date in Thermopolis. Bob will be missed by many.
1
1
3
11 Cow, 1142# $133.00
9 Cow, 1325# $132.50
4 Cow, 1317# $132.00
3 Cow, 1225# $131.50
4 Cow, 1291# $131.00
6 Cow, 1251# $130.50 RIVERTON
2 Cow, 1405# $129.50 BULLS CASPER
1 Bull, 1555# $163.00 RIVERTON
6 Bull, 1785# $160.00 PAVILLION
1 Bull, 2130# $159.00 MANILA, UT
1 Bull, 1615# $158.00
RIVERTON
3 Bull, 1658# $157.50
SHOSHONI
2 Bull, 1612# $156.00
LYMAN
1 Bull, 1725# $154.00
MOUNTAIN VIEW
1 Bull, 1765# $151.00
2 Bull, 1627# $149.00
2 Bull, 1795# $148.00
1 Bull, 1675# $146.00
1 Bull, 1665# $144.00
1 Bull, 2010# $141.00
Steer, 688#
662#
695#
Steer, 676#
Steer, 715#
Steer, 705#
754#
345#
Heifer, 552#
519#
Heifer, 537#
Heifer, 526#
Heifer, 667#
Heifer, 678#
Heifer, 657#
Heifer, 680#
Heifer, 679#
Heifer, 696#
Heifer, 688#
Heifer, 710#
Heifer, 737#
6 Heifer, 744#
Heifer, 740#
Heifer, 764#
Heifer, 777#
Heifer, 756# $253.50
Heifer, 992# $227.00
Heifer, 1010#
Heifer, 1060#
BRED COWS
Rafter Cross Livestock- 80 Blk Ang & AngX 3 & 4 yr old Summer/Fall calving Bred Cows. Bred to Blk Ang bulls to start 8/1 for 60 days (pulled bulls). Rec Virashield 6 VL5 & Ivomec 10-25. Choice, 3 & 4 yr old, one origin, ranch raised cows!
Tom & Amy Reed- 46 Blk Ang 3-9 yr old Bred Cows. Bred to Sons of Sitz Stellar for 47 days to start 3-1. Rec 8 way & Ivomec last fall, PregGuard 10 this spring. Proven, One Brand cows. Complete Dispersion!
Martin Land & Livestock- 40 Blk Ang ST Bred Cows. Bred to Sitz Blk Angus bulls to calve March/April. Long time Sitz based cowherd. High Desert. One brand, First year off range. High quality ST breds!
John & Kaye Stoll- 30 Blk & Red ST Bred Cows. Bred to LimFlex Blk Bulls to calve March/April. One Brand. High elevation. Reputation herd cows!
74 Ranch- 25 Blk Ang & AngX 3-6 yr old Bred Cows. Bred to Blk Ang Bulls, to calve early summer. Received Virashield 6VL5 and poured @ preg check. High Desert Range Cows!! Gardner Ranch- 20 Blk Ang ST Bred Cows. Bred to Paintrock & Heart Dot Blk Ang Bulls to start calving 3/10. Rec Virashield 6 VL5 & Inj Cydectin this fall. Reputation, one brand!
JM Livestock- 6 Blk Ang & AngX ST Bred Cows. Bred to Blk Ang Bulls to calve March/April. Rec Virashield 6 VL5 & poured last fall. BRED HEIFERS
Brad Carlson- 42 Blk Ang Bred Hfrs 1100#. Bred to LBW Broken Arrow Blk Ang bulls to start calving