Volume 38 Number 8 • June 13, 2026
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The Weekly News Source for Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net
A Look Inside WJHA Field Day winners crowned....................... Pages 6-7 Wyoming basin and water supply outlook released for June...... .........................................Page 8 WAIC Bookmark and Beyond winners highlighted........... Page 9 Coal industry to receive $700 million investment from Trump administration................. Page 15
Quick Bits WLSB Rules
The Wyoming Livestock Board’s (WLSB) Chapter Two, Brucellosis Management and Mitigation; Chapter Eight, Import Rules; Chapter 13, Scrapie Prevention and Management and Chapter 25, Brucellosis Quarantine Mitigation Expense Reimbursement, are open for public comment until July 22. Comments may be submitted to WLSB via e-mail at wlsb-rules@wyo. gov or mailed to WLSB, 1934 Wyott Drive, Cheyenne, WY 82002. For more information or to review the rules in their entirety, visit wlsb.state.wy.us.
Roundtable
Arts and Humanities, Trapper Creek will host a roundtable discussion on the impacts of chronic wasting disease in the Wind River and Greater Big Horn basins on June 19 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Shell Community Hall in Shell. The event costs $20 to attend and will feature lunch catered by the Old Shell Store and discussion led by Tucker Russell, a former University of Wyoming graduate student who studied the disease extensively. For more information or to RSVP, visit ahtc-wy.org, e-mail director@ahtc-wy.org or call 720-238-5194.
Rooftop Rodeo The 98th Annual Rooftop Rodeo will take place July 6-11 in Estes Park, Colo. The jam-packed, multi-day event will kick off at 10 a.m. on July 6 with the Rooftop Rodeo Parade, and evening performances will begin each night at 7 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit rooftoprodeo.com/.
MPPEP Webinar The U.S. Department of Agriculture will host a webinar for meat and poultry processors to learn how they can expand their capacity through the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP). The webinar is open to the public and will take place on June 16 at 12 p.m. For more information or to register, visit zoomgov. com/webinar/register/WN_Tu VrirhfTM6gQEuoCusjNw#/registration.
New World screwworm confirmed in U.S. Despite more than a year of heightened surveillance along the Southern Border and continued efforts to keep the New World screwworm (NWS) out, the devastating pest has officially
returned to the U.S. On June 3, federal officials confirmed the first case of NWS on the northern side of the U.S.-Mexico Border in a three-week-old calf in Zav-
ala County, Texas, marking the first domestic detection in decades. Since then, additional cases have been confirmed in Texas and New Please see NWS on page 14
WSGA PRESENTS AWARDS
Producers gather in Cody for annual Wyoming Cattle Industry Convention
Outstanding individuals recognized for contributions to the cattle industry During the 2026 Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) Summer Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show, held June 3-5 in Cody, several outstanding individuals were honored for their contributions to the cattle industry during an awards luncheon on June 5. Guardian of the Grasslands The Guardian of the Grasslands Award is given annually to an individual who has put time and effort into preserving Wyoming’s agricultural industry, and this year, the honor went to Niels Hansen of Rawlins. Public Lands Council (PLC) President Tim Canterbury presented Hansen with the award, highlighting his dedication to protecting public lands ranching in an award nomination written by PLC Executive Director Kaitlynn Glover. “Hansen has a deep understanding of the policy confines of cattle production and what needs to be done to fix the system,” stated Canterbury. “He’s willing to try new things and be on the leading edge of policy experimentation, putting Please see AWARDS on page 5
WSGA Summer Convention
Guardian of the Grasslands – Niels Hansen received the 2026 Guardian of the Grasslands Award from the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA). Pictured from left to right are Public Lands Council President Tim Canterbury, Hansen and WSGA Region Two Vice President Jill Tregemba. WYLR photo
From June 3-5, producers from across the Cowboy State gathered in Cody for the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) Summer Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show. Themed “Restoring Collaborative Resource Management,” the convention centered on providing ranchers and natural resource professionals with tools to navigate a complex landscape and build on common ground and featured committee meetings and comments from several industry stakeholders, as well as an awards presentation. Day one highlights Convention programming kicked off on June 4 with a welcome address from WSGA President Reg Phillips. “I want to thank everybody for taking time away from their schedules and turning cattle and sheep out to be here,” Phillips began. Phillips emphasized, in a year where Wyoming is expected to experience extreme drought and fire conditions, working with industry partners such as the Please see WSGA on page 4
SEO opens water conservation program Holders of valid water rights from the Green River, Little Snake River and their tributaries within Wyoming’s portion of the Colorado River Basin will be eligible to apply to the recently enacted Voluntary Water Conservation Program Act. Irrigation, livestock, agricultural, industrial and municipal water rights are some beneficial uses where incentives could help rights holders find ways to use less water and send more water into storage and downstream in the voluntary program. Background information Past water conservation pilot projects in the Upper and Lower Colorado River basins, including participating Green River ranchers and farmers, resulted in water “savings” with participating water rights holders compensated by state and federal funds, with incentives of varying amounts paid per acre-foot conserved. In its 2024 annual report, the Colorado River Water Users Association reported Wyoming and others implemented the voluntary, temporary and compensated System Conservation Pilot Program for several years with plans to continue similar conservation activities. As an example, in 2023, Wyoming hosted 21 water conservation projects – 19 of them irrigation, one municipal and one industrial – which conserved an estimated 16,000 acre-feet of water. Wyoming law prohibits mandating water distribution, except for the direst situation, and ongoing drought continues Please see WATER on page 9
COUNTY FAIR FEATURE Hinkle hones showing and judging skills Brody Hinkle of Riverton has been showing livestock through Riverton FFA for the past five years. The 18-year-old senior at Riverton High School exhibits market and breeding lambs at the Fremont County Fair and the Wyoming State Fair (WSF) every summer, in addition to several regional jackpots. Brody is also an active livestock judger, which he says has helped him build community and develop an eye for animals which serves him in the show ring and beyond.
Valuable mentors Although he did not grow up with animals directly, Brody says his family and some key mentors have been influential in his showing career. Brody is the youngest of three children and the first to be involved in agriculture and FFA. His parents Jim and Amber Hinkle have supported his journey, and his cousin Mandi Weber taught him the basics of showing livestock. Other important mentors include fellow
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Please see HINKLE on page 16