Volume 35 Number 31 • November 25, 2023
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The Weekly News Source for Ranchers, Farmers and the Agribusiness Community • www.wylr.net
A Look Inside Agritourism grows in rural Wyoming communities... Page 7 Winter weather update provided by Don Day Jr. during WAID meeting...............Page 10 U.S. Meat Export Federation hosts strategic planning conference.......................Pages 12-13 Community snowman project brings Christmas cheer to smalltown Wyoming..............Page 18
Workhop held to gather public input on Rock Springs RMP On Nov. 17-18, Gov. Mark Gordon hosted three interactive public workshops in Sweetwater County regarding the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) draft resource management plan
(RMP) and environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Rock Springs Field Office (RSFO), released in August. The meetings were organized by the University of Wyoming’s (UW) Ruck-
elshaus Institute; the UW College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources; the UW School of Energy Resources and the Wyoming County Commissioners Association.
Public input at the workshops will be used to inform a governor-appointed task force composed of various leaders representing everything from recreation, Please see RMP on page 6
Quick Bits
WLSB update
Career Fair
Animal health a top priority in Wyoming according to WLSB
Registration is now open for the University of Wyomingʼs Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources Career Fair. Students from the College of Agriculture and the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources will be attending. For more information and to register, visit wyoming.joinhandshake. com/login.
RMEF Funds
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has committed $400,000 to reinforce its multi-decade partnership with Western states for issues critical to the movement and overall health of elk, mule deer, pronghorn, antelope and other wildlife species. The funding will go toward state-led shovelready projects. In Wyoming, funding may be used to treat invasive grasses on migratory and winter range.
DEQ Testifies Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Land Quality Administrator Kyle Wendtland testified during the oversight hearing of the House Natural Resource Committee Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. The purpose of the hearing was to examine the Biden administration’s Abandoned Mine Lands and Active Mining Programs. For more information or to watch the DEQ’s testimony, visit deq. wyoming.gov/2023/11/wyoming-deq-land-quality-division-administrator-testifies-before-u-s-house-natural-resource-committee-subcommittee/.
WSF Winners
On Nov. 18, the Wyoming State Fair (WSF) announced its Behind the Brand content winners. Contestants were entered in a drawing simply by posting photos and videos on social media and tagging WSF. Photo winners were Alivia Paterson in first place, Jen White in second place and University of Wyoming Lincoln County Extension in third place. Video winners are Peter Kaleda in first place and Ryan Andrews in second place.
Please see FORAGE on page 10
GOVERNOR’S BUSINESS FORUM State leaders gather to discuss innovative solutions
The Governor’s Business Forum is Wyoming’s premier business event and was held Nov. 13-15 at the University of Wyoming (UW) in Laramie. The prestigious forum brings individuals who share common values together from some of the state’s largest industries.
The forum also gives state leaders a venue to discuss ways to move Wyoming forward and the opportunity to network, while creating solutions for current issues. Indivior’s Global Integrity and Compliance Investigator Tim Mazur kicked off the 40th Annual Governor’s Business Forum with a keynote address on how business ethics affects organizational success. The pre-forum was a new addition to the yearly Please see FORUM on page 8
It begins with us – Gov. Mark Gordon presented the opening address at the Governor’s Business Forum. WYLR photo
ALB provides update Industry representation and diversity was top of mind when the Mandatory Lamb Checkoff was developed, requiring the 13-member American Lamb Board (ALB) to meet specific criteria to represent the entire U.S. sheep industry. ALB is composed of representatives from two geographic regions – east and west of the Mississippi River. The board includes six producers, three feeder representatives, three first handlers and one seedstock producer. The board exists to provide information to the industry on lamb and sheep marketing and responsibilities include setting policies to guide the board and staff, ensuring assessments are collected and income is spent responsibility, reviewing and approving program plans and budgets, attending and actively participating in meetings and calls, developing program goals and strategies and evaluating the effectiveness of programs. During the 2023 West Central States Wool Growers Annual Convention, held Nov. 2-4 in Boise, Idaho, ALB Chair Peter J. Camino of Buffalo provided attendees with an update from the board. Funding and finances To begin, Camino pointed out ALB is not funded through import money. Instead, the board is funded through checkoff dollars paid by all segments of the U.S. sheep industry. “During COVID-19, we took a big hit and our finances dropped from nearly $2 million to $1.2 million,” Camino explained. He further noted, following the pandemic, many sale barns weren’t accurately reporting the number of livestock they moved, so ALB conducted an initiative to improve sale Please see ALB on page 5
At the Nov. 16 meeting of the Wyoming Livestock Board (WLSB) held in Casper, board members discussed current topics ranging from past educational training to current animal health issues. WLSB President Shaun Sims called the board meeting to order, and past meeting minutes were approved and passed. WLSB Director Steve True gave a quick overview of his director’s report, discussing the possibility of a future rural crimes task force and the intent to change protocols involving hide inspections. He concluded his update with current legislative news. Wyoming Brand Inspector Lee Romsa also delivered a short update on brand inspections and recording. “We were able to print the Wyoming brand book on time and under budget,” Romsa stated. “In the future, we will release a public announcement reminding brand owners to update their current address.” Please see WLSB on page 20
WWIA tours honey plant during symposium As a group of ladies gathered in the main building of a local family business in Worland, the sweet smell of honey floated in the air. On Nov. 9, Wyoming Women in Ag (WWIA) Symposium attendees received a warm welcome at Bryant Honey for a private tour, which was part of the 2023 WWIA Symposium. Today, the family business manages thousands of honey bee colonies, producing half a million gallons of honey each year, making it the largest producer in the state. Generational beekeepers In 1915, H.E. Bryant started Bryant Honey Company with one mission in mind – to produce Wyoming’s best tasting honey.
“With each generation, a little more was added to the family business, and we created a sustainable honey business,” stated Brady Bryant, a fifth-generation bee team member. In the beginning, the Bryant farm started with 50 honey bee colonies and by 1980 Robert Bryant pushed the family business to over 1,000 colonies, creating a full-scale commercial honey bee production. Don and Bobby Bryant, fourth-generation producers, expanded into six counties and managed nearly 5,000 colonies around the state. Bryant Honey has always focused on
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Please see WWIA on page 19