Volume 37 Number 31 • November 22, 2025
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The Weekly News Source for Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net
A Look Inside Columnist Lee Pitts discusses a bovine bill of rights.....Page A5 Check out the annual Christmas Corral ads for shopping ideas.............................Page A7 Panelists discuss natural disaster preparedness during symposium.................Page A13 Local processors share ideas at Farm to School conference ... .....................................Page B7
Gov. Gordon discusses details of biennial budget proposal During a Nov. 14 press conference held at the Wyoming State Capitol Building in Cheyenne, Gov. Mark Gordon discussed details of his upcoming biennial budget request. Titled “The Essentials,” Gordon
said the proposed budget prioritizes meeting the essential needs of government and Wyoming people. “The major thematic efforts in this budget are to make sure we have quality jobs and a strong economy across
all sectors – from energy and agriculture to tourism and emerging technologies – and to make sure our workforce is well educated,” Gordon said. He also highlighted a desire to Please see BUDGET on page A18
Adobe Stock photo
Quick Bits Welfare EO
On Nov. 19, Gov. Mark Gordon rescinded the Public Welfare Emergency Executive Order (EO) 2025-08, ending the state-funded stopgap to address food insecurities caused by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program being suspended due to the Congressional shutdown. The Hunger Relief Program, administered by the Department of Family Services, provided two weeks of food subsidies to Wyoming food banks, church pantries and other entities.
WSF Mural The Wyoming State Fair (WSF) is looking for an artist to design a high-resolution mural, which will be installed as part of the America 250 Great American Fair Initiative. To make sure mural lasts for years to come, the finished artwork will be enlarged, printed on long-lasting adhesive panels and installed on the exterior of a selected building. Interested individuals should apply by Dec. 1 at forms.gle/ PUmD99hT1Q7g2z8G9.
Coal RMP
Gov. Mark Gordon praised the Wyoming Congressional Delegation for their tireless and unwavering efforts to secure passage of Congressional Review Act legislation on Nov. 19. This measure rescinds the misguided Bureau of Land Management’s Resource Management Plan Amendment for coal in the Buffalo Field Office. This amendment, authored and pushed by the Biden administration, ends coal leasing in much of the Powder River Basin.
Submissions
The Converse County Cow-Belles are calling on the public to help create a Cowbelles Coffee Table Book. The organization is seeking ag photos, ranch stories and tips, favorite recipes and more. Individuals can also leave their brand in the book for $50. Those interested can e-mail kbaile16@gmail.com, and the deadline for submissions is Dec. 1.
A Cattlemen’s Thanksgiving Prayer BY HANNAH BUGAS Lord, as we gather round this table, and silverware begins to clank, we’d like to take a minute to offer you some thanks.
For January’s frozen mornings when the feed truck groaned awake, hay that kept our stock warm and fed despite winter’s frigid ache.
Lord, thank you for the journey through another hard-fought year, months of work behind us, the grit and grace that got us here.
When snow blanketed fields of sage and February winds cut through, thank you for the hope in our hearts Please see THANKSGIVING on page A7
Holiday Prices 2025 Thanksgiving dinner predicted to be easier on shoppers’ wallets The price for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner is expected to be slightly more affordable this year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) 40th Annual Thanksgiving Cost Survey, which found the average price of a “classic” holiday feast for 10 people rings in at around $55.18. This number pencils out to roughly $5.52 per person and a decrease of nearly five percent from last year, marking the third straight year of declining costs. Despite this downward trend, however, AFBF notes prices still remain significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels and they reflect the struggle of farm and ranch families working to keep grocery store shelves stocked. Savings and squeezes The AFBF survey is conducted each year during the week leading up to Thanksgiving with the help of volunteer shoppers from all 50 states and Puerto Rico who record prices on staple items used in a “classic holiday feast” at their local grocery stores. Although many families have put their own modern spin on the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, the survey works to capture the cost Please see PRICES on page A12
WyFB elects, honors leadership
Common ground found on contentious topic
The Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation (WyFB) recognized both new and retiring leadership during its 106th Annual Meeting, held Nov. 13-15 in Gillette. During the meeting, members from across the state gathered to elect officers and board members who will help guide Wyoming’s largest general agriculture organization in the coming year. Welcoming new leadership Laramie County Farmer Todd Fornstrom was elected to his 10th term as WyFB president, continuing his longstanding leadership on behalf of Wyoming’s farm and ranch families, and Goshen County’s Cole Coxbill was elected to his 10th term as WyFB vice president. “It’s an honor to continue serving this organization alongside such dedicated leaders,” Fornstrom said. “I’m grateful for the trust our members place in us, and I look forward to another year of working in good company to move this organization ahead.” Delegates also selected a new member to the state board. Tucker Hamilton of Weston County was elected to his first term as director-at-large on the WyFB Board of Directors. Hamilton previously served on the board as the Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) state chair in 2024. In addition to the statewide officer elections, the WyFB Board of Directors includes five district directors elected within their respective districts, as well as the YF&R Committee state chair, who is selected by the YF&R Committee. This fall, the Central and Northeast districts elected new members to the WyFB Board of Directors.
During the second day of the West Central States Wool Growers Convention, held Nov. 7-8 in Cody, both sides of the Bighorn and domestic sheep debate came together to discuss one of the West’s most complex range management issues. The panel was moderated by Wyoming Wool Growers Association (WWGA) Executive Vice President Alison Crane and featured Dr. Jared Beaver, wildlife biologist and Montana State University (MSU) Extension wildlife specialist; Dr. Maggie Highland, diagnostic pathologist and head of the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory’s Pathology and Professional Veterinary Services Section; Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) Ter-
Please see WYFB on page A9
ritorial Biologist Ryan Amundson; Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation (WY-WSF) Executive Director Katie Cheesbrough and Shaun Sims, WWGA vice president and Wyoming sheep producer. Panelists discussed policy, research, disease management and, arguably most importantly, how much progress has been made between opposing groups when it comes to sitting at the same table and talking openly about difficult issues. The Wyoming Plan Amundson kicked off the discussion by outlining the history of the Wyoming Bighorn Domestic Sheep Interaction Working Group, which was formed in
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Please see SHEEP on page A16