Volume 35 Number 44 • February 24, 2024
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The Weekly News Source for Ranchers, Farmers and the Agribusiness Community • www.wylr.net
A Look Inside Connecting Ag to Climate outlines recent and current events........................ Page A6 BHSS breed show results posted.................Pages B1-B2 2024 winter hay stocks hold steady across the Great Plains......................... Page B4
Legislative session continues on at rapid pace Cheyenne – With crossover on Feb. 26, the Wyoming Legislature is moving forward with only a fraction of the nearly 400 bills offered during the 2024 Budget Session of the 67th
Wyoming Legislature. “Session is going rapidly,” commented Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) Executive Vice President Jim Magagna. “Legislators are focused on
the budget right now. The House had more than 80 amendments on Feb. 21, and the Senate had huge numbers as well.” Wyoming Farm Bureau (WyFB) Director of Pub-
lic and Government Affairs Brett Moline echoed Magagna’s thoughts, noting there have been both wins and disappointments during the session. Please see SESSION on page A6
WLSB provides update at recent meeting........... Page B7
USDA releases 2022 Census of Agriculture data
Quick Bits Snow Report
In the 10th snow report for Water Year 2024, the state’s snowpack telemetry data reads 88% of median, with a basin high of 106% and a basin low of 42%. Last year, the state was at 108% and at 87% in 2022. 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.htm.
Livestock analysts provides 2024 livestock and poultry outlook during 100th annual forum The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) held its 100th Annual Outlook Forum Feb. 15-16, providing a wealth of information for the nation’s agriculture industry. On the second day of the centennial event, USDA Livestock Analyst Shayle Shagam provided the 2024 Livestock and Poultry Outlook, which is a mixed bag of negative and positive news. To begin, Shagam noted 2023 saw the first decline in aggregate meat production since 2014, with total red meat and poultry production down nearly one percent to 106.9 billion pounds.
“This decline was driven almost entirely by lower beef and veal production with increases in pork, broiler and turkey production insufficient to offset the impacts of a multiyear drought on the cattle sector,” she explained. Despite this, Shagam shared the USDA is forecasting red meat and poultry production to increase fractionally to 107 billion pounds in the coming year. Cattle and beef In 2023, the U.S. cattle inventory marked its fifth year of contractions, and according to USDA’s Cattle Please see OUTLOOK on page A11
Energy Funds U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is inviting grant applications from organizations to provide hands-on assistance to agricultural producers applying for Rural Energy for America Program funding, which will lower energy costs and make energy efficiency improvements in rural areas. Applications must be submitted by March 15. For additional information and submission details, see page 12,815 of the Feb. 20 Federal Register. WYLR photo
Crop Prices
Corn prices fell two to three cents per bushel overnight, dropping nearby March 2024 contracts to $4.16 per bushel – the lowest price for the nearby contract since November 2020. May 2024 prices dipped to $4.29 per bushel, while December 2024 new crop prices dropped to $4.60 per bushel. Soybean prices fell six to eight cents per bushel overnight, dropping nearby March 2024 contracts to $11.72 per bushel, while May 2024 prices fell to $11.75 per bushel and new crop November 2024 futures dipped to $11.51 per bushel. Wheat prices fell two to five cents per bushel overnight as Argentina’s freshly harvested crop hits international channels, driving prices for ample-supplied Russia and Ukraine lower. The dollar steadied overnight, which weighed U.S. prices lower, but surplus global wheat supplies continue to keep the bulls away from the wheat complex.
New data The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) announced the results of the 2022 Census of Agriculture on Feb. 13. First conducted in 1840 in conjunction with the decennial census and conducted since 1997 by USDA NASS, the federal statistical agency is responsible for producing official data about U.S. agriculture, and the Census of Agriculture remains the most comprehensive agricultural data for every state and county in the nation. The 2022 census report contains more than six million data points which were collected from farmers and ranchers across the U.S. The information was collected directly from American producers and shows a continued decline in the total number of U.S. farms. However, the data reported did show a rise in new farm operations, as well as an increase in young producers. According to the USDA press release, NASS Administrator Hubert Hamer stated, “We are pleased to provide updated Census Please see USDA on page A8
USDA reports 2023 sheep and lamb loss On Feb. 16, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released a report on 2023 sheep and lamb losses in the state of Wyoming. Information in the report was compiled from a survey conducted by the NASS Regional Field Office, at the request of the Wyoming Business Council Agribusiness Division, which also provided funding for the project. The survey utilized multi-frame sampling procedures and drew a random sample from a list of livestock producers maintained by the NASS Wyoming Field Office. Additionally, sheep producers living in a selected sample of area segments were interviewed. According to NASS, this strategy assures complete coverage of sheep producers by accounting for ranchers and farmers who may not be on the list. Wyoming sees increased loss Overall, the report shows Wyoming producers lost 45,000 sheep and lambs to weather, predators, disease and other causes over the course of 2023, which represents a total value of $10.08 million. The total number of sheep and lambs lost was 3,000 head more than the year prior, and the total value of lost inventory was 25.4 percent more than in 2022. According to the USDA, Wyoming’s sheep herd totaled 335,000 head, as of Jan. 1, 2023, and the lamb crop was estimated at 220,000 head. The number of deaths in 2023 represent 7.8 percent of Wyoming’s sheep and lamb supply for the year. Please see SHEEP on page A8
Crofts lives life on tradition and hard work Braxton Crofts, a third-generation rancher and son of Rob and Carla Crofts, grew up on the family ranch running commercial Black Angus cattle on a cow/calf operation along the northern Sweetwater River. “Coming from a family of ranchers – the Armada Ranches – my family has been in the livestock industry since immigrating to the U.S.,” Braxton said. “We’re old school by most folks’ standards, doing all of our cow work horseback and running in common allotments with other permittees.” Braxton recalls being around old cow-
boys on the river, and shares that they were his mentors and heroes while growing up. He said, “Those men fit the definition of tough and stubborn with no quit, and they taught me how to cowboy as soon as I could sit in a saddle.” They taught him how to hold a herd, use a rope, wrestle calves, trail cows and how to work with neighbors to get the job done. “At a young age, I learned to pay attention when they were talking, and now most of those old cowboys aren’t with us
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Please see CROFTS on page A6