Volume 35 Number 46 • March 9, 2024
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The Weekly News Source for Ranchers, Farmers and the Agribusiness Community • www.wylr.net
A Look Inside
Potential government shutdown looms across the ag industry
BCRC offers tips for reducing stress during calving season... ...................................Page A6
On March 3, lawmakers released the first of two spending packages to set funding levels for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2024. Congress agreed to the
UW researchers gain international attention.... Pages B1-B2 UW CALSNR update provided by newly elected acting dean... ...................................Page B5
fourth stopgap bill of the fiscal year and now lawmakers have until March 8 to approve the “minibus” to avoid a partial government shutdown where the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation funding expire. Many government agencies are in line to
absorb cuts, but the muchdelayed package includes funding for the departments of Agriculture, Energy, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Please see SHUTDOWN on page A10
Spring calf markets heat up... ...................................Page B6
Quick Bits Snow Report
In the 12th snow report for Water Year 2024, the state’s snowpack telemetry data reads 95% of median, with a basin high of 117% and a basin low of 47%. Last year, the state was at 118% and at 84% 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.html.
USDA Grant
On March 4, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development announced it is extending the application deadline to March 21 for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Technical Assistance Grants (TAG). Through REAP TAG, USDA offers hands-on assistance to agricultural producers and small business owners applying for funding, which will lower energy costs and make energy efficiency improvements in rural areas. For more information, visit rd.usda.gov.
Pilot Project
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the launch of a new conservation initiative – Working Lands for Wildlife’s Northern Bobwhite Pilot Project – as well as the signup dates for USDA’s general enrollment signup in the Conservation Reserve Program, which opened on March 4. Both conservation opportunities give producers tools to conserve wildlife habitat while achieving other conservation benefits. For more information, visit fsa. usda.gov.
Winter Wheat
Wyoming wheat producers seeded an estimated 105,000 acres to winter wheat in the fall of 2023 for harvest in 2024, down 10,000 acres from the 2023 crop. Of the published varieties, Crescent AX was the most popular variety planted, accounting for 14.8 percent of the reported acreage. Pronghorn, with 10.3 percent, ranked second, followed by AP Solid at 2.7 percent and Willow Creek at 1.8 percent.
Adventures of Calving Heifers By Tynie Mader Shaw It’s my first spring in the ranching life, we finally started calving. Gathered the heifers to the lot, I’m giddy and almost laughing. We were also building a new barn to help us with this task. In fact, the welders had to stop, so we could pull a calf. As we got ready for bed that night, my feller lets me pick. “Which heifer checks would you prefer, 12 and 4 or 2 and 6? What? Wait… we get up in the night? Don’t think I read that part! I guess I’ll take the 12 and 4, and that was just the start. I like it best when The Boss is home, but sometimes he can’t be. Those heifers don’t have a pause button, when he’s gone, it’s up to me. Was cooking up a supper meal and waiting for one to calve. She was nearing the two-hour mark stove off… let’s go see what we have. Sigh… still two toes – got her in and pulled the calf, a healthy one was saved!
WYLR photo
Please see CALVING on page A5
Second annual WWGA ewe sale a success On Feb. 24, the Wyoming Wool Growers Association (WWGA) held their Second Annual Wyoming Select Bred Ewe Sale at the CAM-PLEX in Gillette. “The Wyoming Select Bred Ewe Sale offers the highestquality range ewes, meeting some of the most rigorous standards of any sale in the country,” reads WWGA’s website. The sale offered open purebred and range ewe lambs, yearlings and bred two-year-olds, as well as running age and broken-mouthed ewes. With the exception of open ewe lambs and yearlings, ewes were confirmed pregnant the day before the sale and strictly sifted based on their eyes, mouth, teeth, udders, teats, body and legs. Sifting was conducted by a panel of knowledgeable Western sheep producers and veterinarians. “While the Wyoming Select Bred Ewe Sale is about the business of transferring genetics within the sheep industry, it is also a time when sheep producers get together to visit, discuss the industry and renew old and make new acquaintances,” continues the website. “The two days spent in Gillette are intended to be fulfilling, informative and fun, and we hope to meet those goals each year.” Sale report According to the sale report, the Second Annual Wyoming Select Bred Ewe Sale grossed a total of $14,250 across 42 head sold, at an average of $339.39 per head. Eleven head of open range ewe lambs brought $2,915, averaging $265 per head, while 10 head of open purebred ewe lambs brought $3,260, averaging $326 per head. Please see WWGA on page A7
State legislative priorities Magagna provides insight on WSGA priorities in current legislative session The Green River Valley Cattlemen’s Association (GRVCA) held its annual meeting at the Town Hall in Marbleton on March 1-2. Among the high profile lineup of speakers who presented during the twoday event was Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) Executive Vice President Jim Magagna, who provided an update on WSGA’s current legislative priorities at the state and federal levels. “As usual, when GRVCA has their meeting at this time of year, the Wyoming Legislature is the big issue on the table, and they have a week to go,” began Magagna. “The main challenge they have left is to adopt a budget, and there are plenty of bets being made it won’t get done at the end of the week so they will have to come back for a special session,” he added. With this, Magagna admitted WSGA hasn’t spent much time engaging Please see WSGA on page A8
KSU offers look at 2024 diesel fuel prices Kansas State University (KSU) Department of Agricultural Economics Associate Professor Gregg Ibendahl primarily works in agricultural production and finance, while utilizing Kansas Farm Management Association data to provide research and analysis on cropping systems, machinery and financial trends. Ibendalh’s latest research, released on Feb. 2, provides an outlook for 2024 diesel fuel prices. His research is part of a series discussing diesel costs, as diesel costs are a major expense item for every producer. So, estimating diesel prices over the next year could help with planning and fuel purchase decisions.
Ibendahl analyzes fuel environments and current factors which drive prices upward or downward throughout the year. Current prices According to Ibendalh’s report, “Diesel prices declined during the first half of 2023, then starting rising until October and finally declined again.” This resulted in lower diesel prices heading into 2024, while gasoline prices remained unchanged from last year. Of particular interest to producers, the diesel premium widened during the last half of 2023, although it still is less than last year at this time.
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Please see DIESEL on page A14