Volume 37 Number 44 • February 21, 2026
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The Weekly News Source for Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net
A Look Inside 33 Annual Ag Expo offers hands-on learning for Natrona County third graders.................... ..............................Pages A12-13 rd
Check your answers for this month’s crossword puzzle........... .....................................Page A19 International Year of the Woman Farmer kicks off during NASDA conference........Page B1 U.S., Taiwan trade agreement expands market access for ag.... .......................................Page B6
Quick Bits Snow Report In the 10th snow report for Water Year 2026, the state’s snow telemetry data reads 79% of median, with a basin high of 110% and a basin low of 3%. Last year, the state was at 98% and at 86% in 2024. 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.
WORTH WORS The Jay Kemmerer Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality (WORTH) Institute and the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation will host the 2026 Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Summit (WORS) on April 30 through May 1 at the Platte Valley Community Center in Saratoga. The 2026 theme, “Building Capacity for Tomorrow,” emphasizes intergenerational knowledge exchange, strategic planning, community support and the importance of partnerships. Early registration is available until Feb. 28 for $150 per person, and regular registration runs from March 1 through April 30 for $200 per person. Registration fees include breakfast and lunch on both days, access to all sessions and optional field trip excursions. For more information, visit uwyo.edu/worth/events/ wors.html or contact Taylor Kruger at tkruger@uwyo.edu or 307-766-5019.
Scholarship The Wyoming State Fair (WSF) Foundation is awarding $1,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors who have exhibited at WSF for at least five years. Scholarships may be used for tuition, fees, books or other educational expenses at any accredited college, university or trade/technical school in the U.S. Applicants must submit a short two-minute vido sharing how WSF has shaped their future goals. Applications are due on April 1. For more information, contact Rindy West at rindywestwsff@gmail.com. To apply, visit forms.gle/gElaEYvL1dH42zP6.
Rancher testifies in support of Grasslands Grazing Act On Feb. 12, Fiddleback Ranch Owner and Operator and Association of National Grasslands President Ty Checketts of Newcastle testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forestry and Mining in support
of the Grasslands Grazing Act of 2025. The legislation, Senate Bill (S.2787) was introduced by U.S. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), who chairs the subcommittee, and a companion measure, House Resolution 6300, has been introduced in the House by U.S. Rep. Harriet
Hageman (R-WY). During his testimony, Checketts urged lawmakers to pass the bill, saying he believes it will bring long-overdue fairness and certainty to producers who graze livestock on national grasslands. Please see GRAZING ACT on page A9
FREMONT COUNTY FARM AND RANCH DAYS Keynote speaker discusses cattle market conditions during annual gathering The 42nd Annual Fremont County Farm and Ranch Days took place Feb. 11-12 at the Fremont County Fairgrounds in Riverton. Presented by University of Wyoming (UW) Extension, this year’s event featured presentations by UW Extension educators and workshops about livestock management and pest control, as well as a keynote speech on the current state of ag markets by Colter Brown, ag director of Northern Ag Network. In his address titled, “Record Cattle Prices and Down Crop Markets – Where Are We Headed from Here,” Brown discussed factors influencing market conditions as well as the path forward. Market outlook “There is a lot to talk about this cattle market right now,” Brown began, highlighting both excite-
ment and uncertainty regarding recent record-high cattle prices and emphasizing the market has come a long way in the past year. “We’re easily 30 percent higher in prices than we were a year ago at this time,” Brown stated. “But talking to producers across the region, there’s a lot more uncertainty in this market right now.” “This is probably related to how high prices are,” he added. “When you climb up so high, there’s a lot farther way to fall, but there’s also a lot of potential.” Overall, Brown emphasized his belief in “a lot of opportunity” for cattle producers throughout the upcoming year. His presentation in-cluded statistics and insight Please see AG DAYS on page A7
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Ranching in the West Engler Director Dr. Tom Field kicks off UW annual seminar series The University of Wyoming (UW) Ranching in the West Seminar Series kicked off on Feb. 12 with a presentation by Dr. Tom Field, director of the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Titled “Cattle Drives and Quests – Lessons for Entrepreneurs,” Field’s presentation translated principles learned from ranching and rural life to strategies for young agriculturists looking to get started in entrepreneurial endeavors. About Engler The Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program provides experiential, community-based learning opportunities for college students built on core principles which encourage participants to dive into learning and business opportunities head first and hands on. As the program director, Field works with students to develop their potential as community leaders and Please see RMAL on page A5
Ag commissioner calls for heifer tax credit In response to the nation’s lowest cow herd in more than 75 years, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller called for an aggressive “America First” beef policy on Feb. 12 to rebuild herds, strengthen food security and lower grocery prices for Americans. Miller’s call to action comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s Feb. 6 proclamation to lower tariff barriers and allow the U.S. to import more beef from Argentina. In the corresponding press release, Miller praises Trump for reopening global markets but cautions the administration against using Argentine imports as a longterm strategy. “I applaud Trump’s leadership in reopening American markets around the world,” Miller says. “But increasing Argentine beef imports is not ‘America First’ or rancher first. I stand shoulder to shoulder with Trump in fighting to lower beef prices for families, but this plan should be a temporary fix – not a long-term solution.” “The right way to lower prices is by rebuilding America’s herds and processing capacity here at home,” he adds. Argentine beef imports Titled “Ensuring Affordable Beef for the American Consumer,” Trump’s Feb. 6 proclamation would purportedly lower the tariff rate quota to increase imports of lean beef trimmings, all 80,000 metric tons (mt) of which would come from Argentina. The move also aims to address record-high ground beef prices, which averaged $6.69 per pound in December – the highest since the U.S. Department of Labor Please see TAX CREDIT on page A11
FCCA hosts annual meeting On Jan. 24, the Fremont County Cattleman’s Association (FCCA) hosted its 2026 Annual Meeting and Banquet at the Lander Community Center in Lander. The association is dedicated to serving Fremont County ranchers, with a specific focus on growing the future of the cattle industry through opportunities for local youth. FCCA Past President Annette Bregar notes the 2026 gathering was well attended and served as an avenue for community members to come together with a common mission of protecting the cattle industry and advancing agriculture in Fremont County and beyond. Meeting highlights According to Bregar, roughly 42 paid
members and 18 industry leaders were present at the annual meeting to provide updates on the local cattle industry and FCCA programs. During the meeting, members decided to continue sponsoring six local youth members to attend the summer or winter meeting of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA), heard agency reports and held officer elections for the upcoming year. Dwayne Oldham was elected president, and Clay Espinosa became the outgoing president. Angela Weber was elected as vice president, and Mark McConnell became the secretary-treasurer. Five traditional hat draws sponsored
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Please see FCCA on page A18