Volume 37 Number 2 • May 3, 2025
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The Weekly News Source for Ranchers, Farmers and AgriBusiness Community • www.wylr.net
A Look Inside NCBA President-Elect Gene Copenhaver provides info and opinion on fake meat and the free market.....................Page 2 Hantavirus prevention tips offered for spring cleaning......... .......................................Page 5 UW Extension urges individuals to be mindful of lepto this spring..............................Page 8
U.S., Mexico reach agreement to resume NWS eradication efforts On April 30, Mexican officials announced they would eliminate restrictions on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) aircraft and waive customs duties on equipment needed to aid in eradication efforts of the
New World screwworm (NWS). While the agreement ensures ports will remain open to livestock imports, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins made it clear, if at any time the
terms are not upheld, port closure would be revisited. “I am happy to share Mexico has continued to partner in emergency efforts to eradicate NWS,” Rollins states in an April 30 press release. “This pest is
a devastating threat to both of our economies, and I am pleased to work together with Mexico in good faith to protect the livelihoods of our ranchers and producers who would have been hurt Please see NWS on page 14
Lee Pitts remarks on what constitutes as old age........Page 15
Quick Bits Snow Report In the 20th snow report for Water Year 2025, the state’s snowpack telemetry data reads 86% of median, with a basin high of 103% and a basin low of 0%. Last year, the state was at 85% and at 136% in 2023. 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.
Fleece Show
Sheep producers are encouraged to save fleeces from this year’s clip to showcase at the 2025 National Rambouillet Show and Sale, which will take place June 16-21 at the CAM-PLEX in Gillette. This year’s show will feature five new classes, including Commercial Rambouillet Ram Fleece, Commercial Rambouillet Ewe Fleece, Champion Commercial Fleece, Overall Champion Fleece and the Wyoming Fleece Award. For more information, visit rambouilletsheep.org.
Lease Sale The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wyoming State Office opened a 30-day public scoping period to receive public input on 99 oil and gas parcels totaling 84,045.23 acres which may be included in a December 2025 lease sale in Wyoming. The comment period ends on May 9. The parcels BLM is analyzing, as well as maps and instructions on how to comment, are available at eplanning. blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2037704/510.
Scholarships
The North American Limousin Junior Association (NALJA) and the Limi Boosters are thrilled to offer scholarship opportunities to junior members pursuing higher education. Scholarships will be awarded during the 2025 National Junior Limousin Show and Congress in Perry, Ga. The application deadline is May 15. For more information, visit nalf.org/juniors/scholarships.
A BIG WIN
In the summer of 2024, South Dakota Ranchers Charles and Heather Maude were alerted by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) that fencing on their property blocked access to the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands. In good faith, the family consented to having a survey conducted, but on June 20, 2024, armed federal agents
Trump administration drops criminal charges against South Dakota ranchers in fence line dispute
served the Maudes with federal summons, charging both Charles and Heather separately, which required them to each retain their own attorney and subjected them to penalties of up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. USFS indicted the couple for theft of government Please see CHARGES on page 16
Celebrating victory – On April 30, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and other members of Congress hosted the Maude family for a press conference at U.S. Department of Agriculture headquarters in Washington, D.C. Courtesy photo
UW rodeo teams sees success The University of Wyoming (UW) celebrated the conclusion of the Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR) season as both the Cowboys and Cowgirls claimed team titles at the Laramie River Rendezvous Rodeo, held at the UW Cliff and Martha Hansen Livestock Arena in Laramie on April 25-27. According to an April 28 UW press release, the university will be sending full teams to the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR), held at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper this June, with 13 UW student athletes qualifying for the big show. Prior to heading into the season finale, the Cowboys wrapped up their seventh consecutive CRMR team championship. Nationally, the Cowboys are sitting in eighth place for team points, while the Cowgirls are third among the collegiate regions. In total, the Cowboys scored 5,445 points to finish the year, while second-place Casper College accumulated 4,558.3 points. Both teams will represent the region at the CNFR. The women’s team from Gillette College nudged out the Cowgirls for the top seat finishing with 3,748.3 points, while UW secured 3,464.3 points. Team update The Cowboys swept the three-day event with a total of 550 points, while Casper College secured second with 510 points. Falling in third place was Gillette College with 425 points. The Cowgirls, who won five rodeos this past season and were runners-up in four others, won over the weekend with 431 points, while Laramie County Community Please see RODEO on page 7
Ag education UW Extension Sheep Task Force delivers new programming and resources The University of Wyoming (UW) College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources Extension specialists are hired to provide teaching, research and Extension expertise on campus and beyond. Currently, Whit Stewart, associate professor of animal science, serves Wyoming producers as the UW Extension sheep specialist. Meeting the needs of the entire state is a tall task for one man, and county Extension educators have pitched in to support his work and Wyoming’s sheep industry. Getting started In 2023, the cohort of agriculture and natural resources (ANR) Extension educators around the state had quite a few new faces. Several new educators, including the Johnson County educator, were interested in supporting Stewart’s work. These efforts reflected a return to the traditional Extension model which utilizes close cooperation of community-based educators with on-campus experts to answer questions and provide educational programs. The active partnership of Stewart, the ANR educators and several graduate students Please see TASK FORCE on page 4
Straw bale gardening solves soil issues Straw bale gardens have become a popular solution for growers plagued with poor soil conditions or limited space, offering a useful combination of both raised bed and container gardening to grow a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and flowers. Joel Karsten, a certified nursery and landscape professional through the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association, pioneered this unique gardening strategy, which he describes in his worldwide bestseller “Straw Bale Gardens Complete.” Karsten says, “Growing a successful garden is difficult enough for those with terrific soil, but with poor soils, it can be virtually impossible. Straw bale garden-
ing allows anyone – even those with the worst soil conditions – to grow a terrific garden that is productive and much less labor intensive.” “Stop spending money buying containers, building raised beds and buying special planting mixes,” Karsten continues. “Minimal maintenance results in maximum production through straw bale gardening. It will completely change everything you thought you already knew about gardening.” Assembly and conditioning The concept behind straw bale gardening is that the bale serves as the container and the primary growing medium
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Please see GARDENING on page 6