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Ag supports Wyoming industries

Casper – The impact of agriculture on the many industries of Wyoming reaches beyond raising livestock and crops, and is widely recognized by industry leaders across the state.
    “Too often, people don’t step back and think about where this state would be without ag,” said Wyoming Business Alliance President and panel moderator Bill Shilling at the Wyoming Stock Growers Winter Roundup on Dec. 14. “We assume, as we travel the state with the extraordinary landscapes and expanses, that ag has value and is important in the state.”
    As part of a panel discussion, representatives from the energy, tourism and wildlife industries, as well as the Wyoming County Commissioners Association, explained how agriculture has been an integral part of their success.
    Wyoming Office of Tourism Deputy Director Alan Dubberley began by saying there are many connections between tourism and agriculture.
    “Being the original stewards of the land, we have a lot to be thankful for in what you do,” said Dubberley, speaking to producers. “We get to take the best of Wyoming and share it with the world, and that is managed by agriculture.”
    The Office of Tourism works to promote travel through the state and bring nonresidents in. The industry recognizes that nearly 30,000 jobs are related to tourism, and visitors to the state spend $2.6 billion.
    “We are very serious about managing our brand of ‘Forever West,’” said Dubberley. “Wyoming is the home of Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and Devils Tower National Monument, and it is the authentic Western adventure – we try to sell that.”
    Dubberley also mentioned his office works to be accountable to the citizens of Wyoming and to promote the things that agriculture has worked so hard to maintain.
    “Everything that WSGA stands for – the work ethic and the tireless dedication to sustain the landscape, the open spaces and the wildlife that we have – is really strong and good for tourism,” added Dubberley. “We are proud to stand next to you in this state.”
    Wyoming Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife Executive Director Bob Wharf added, “The state of Wyoming would be nothing without agriculture.”
    Wharf explained that ag practices began to tame the West, and the importance of those practices bring Wyoming’s rich heritage.
    However, with the growing urbanization of populations, Wharf noted that fewer people understand our heritage, and a number of areas are beginning to grow away from their agricultural roots.
    “I think we really need to be cognizant of the fact that times are changing,” said Wharf. “We could always count on the fact that people in communities knew about he importance of ag, but now some of those communities are drifting away from agriculture.”
    Wharf mentioned that the success of his organization is due to partnerships with the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, the Wyoming Department of Agriculture and the Wyoming Wool Growers Association.
    “I’m proud of the things we have been able to accomplish,” commented Wharf. “We are a lot better off when we can work with each other and when we  recognize we have common goals.”
    “As a sportsman, we could never pay to feed and shelter our wildlife,” added Wharf. “I know that it is on the back of agriculture’s producers, and I appreciate it.”
    The energy sector is also actively engaged in Wyoming and works closely with agriculture.
    Petroleum Association of Wyoming Vice President John Robitaille said, “There is a common theme and a common force that we are here to fight for together.”
    Robitaille mentioned that federal government involvement impacts all facets of Wyoming through a variety of regulations, noting that endangered species, wild lands and resource management plans are only three of many areas in which agriculture and energy work together.
    “The wild lands were a scary issue, and together we were able to prevent and stop that. We’ve also been involved in various lawsuits for endangered species,” explained Robitaille. “It comes back to the common theme that if we work together we can make a lot of difference.”
    With representatives of the agriculture industry, Robitaille also saw success in eliminating the “rare and uncommon lands” designation from Wyoming state laws and in the Wyoming produced water initiative.
    “We heavily rely on the stewardship that you provide for wildlife habitat and reclamation,” added Robitaille. “We are here to try to help Wyoming lower its taxes and to keep Wyoming citizens working.”
    Aside from industry, Wyoming’s local officials also recognize the importance of agriculture in the state.
    “Some of the forces that are represented here today are travel, tourism and energy. The commissioners’ view is that these industries are tied together to ensure that we have a robust economy at the local level,” said Wyoming County Commissioners Association Executive Director Cindy Delancy. “We are so diverse in Wyoming that there is room for all these industries to get together. As we continue to move forward, it’s not an either/or situation.”
    Delancy explained that Wyoming is unique in that the many industries work together to ensure the success of the state. She added that the agriculture piece of the puzzle is important because ranching and ag are a part of Wyoming’s custom, culture and traditions.
    She also added that the Wyoming County Commissioners Associations is working closely with the legislators and the Governor’s Office, saying, “There is a healthy dialogue going on as far as trying to move in the right direction going forward.”
    “Wyoming has the highest number of elected officials participating as cooperating officials,” said Delancy. “I’m pretty darn proud that we are leaders as far as involving our local officials.”
    Delancy continued that the work of public officials extends into the agriculture sphere, as they work to be involved in public lands issues, including resource management plans.
    “The commissioners get it – they understand that public land available in Wyoming should be available for all multiple users,” said Delancy emphatically. “Every day, county commissioners are working, having those discussions and making sure that public land remains available for public use.”
    “The county commissioners come from ag backgrounds, they are actively engaged in ag, they understand the role that ag plays, and that see that ag is a large part of Wyoming,” added Delancy.
    Saige Albert is editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup and can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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Crane joins UW Extension administration

Laramie – After working in Oregon and Idaho, Kelly Crane has returned to UW Extension as an associate director.
    “I started my extension career at UW in Sweetwater County as an Area Educator for southwest Wyoming. I then served as the statewide Extension Range Specialist for several years,” says Crane. “Initially, I was based in Sublette County but spent my last four years as a campus-based specialist.”
    Crane’s background in range management is extensive and started when he received his undergraduate degree from the University of Idaho in rangeland resources. He continued his education at UW for both his master’s degree and PhD in range management and rangeland ecology and watershed management, respectively.  
    Crane’s applied research and educational programs focus on identifying practical, research-based strategies to grazing management and rangeland assessment.   
    “Nearly all of my research at UW was done through a cooperative effort with ranchers and agency rangeland managers,” says Crane. “I conducted research on topics such as the habitat selection patterns of wild horses and the influence cattle grazing on habitat selection by elk.”  
    Crane left Wyoming in 2002 to initiate Frontier Natural Resource Consulting, where he spent six years as the principal consultant and manager of this firm.
    Frontier Natural Resource Consulting was based in Prineville, Ore. but served clients in seven western states.
    “Our clientele included ranches, federal agencies, state agencies and several Native American tribes.  We conducted extensive rangeland inventories on the Blackfeet, Yakima, Burns Paiute and Warm Springs reservations,” explains Crane. “The consulting business was very rewarding, but extensive travel and the need to spend most of my year living in a separate zip code from my family made me consider other career alternatives.”  
    Crane planned to move the consulting business to Idaho where he had purchased a ranch. However, before he even finished his move, he identified an opportunity to return to Extension, something he had always kept in the back of his mind.  
    Crane applied and was hired as the Range Extension Specialist for the University of Idaho (UI). Crane served as UI’s Range Specialist for three years prior to his move back to Wyoming.
    In his work in Idaho, Crane worked on research projects involving the interaction between wolves and cattle, livestock grazing as a tool for wildfire fuel management and restoration of cheatgrass sites.
    “Rangeland and grazing management has been the focus of my entire professional career, and I never really considered administrative positions until this opportunity with UW Extension,” says Crane.
    Beginning Sept. 1, Crane began his duties as Associated Director. In this position, he supervises the area extension and 4-H educators on the west side of the state, including those in Big Horn, Fremont, Hot Springs, Lincoln, Park, Sublette, Sweetwater, Teton, Uinta and Washakie counties, as well as the Wind River Indian Reservation.
    “Our area educators conduct educational programs and applied research in five initiative areas,” says Crane. “They are profitable and sustainable agriculture systems; sustainable management of rangeland resources; nutrition and food safety; 4-H youth development; and community development education.”
    “I’m also the administrative advisor to two of our five initiative teams,” he added. “I advise the profitable and sustainable agriculture systems and sustainable management of rangeland resources teams.”    
    For now, Crane says he plans to watch and listen to evaluate how Extension is doing at meeting educational needs in communities, but ultimately he hopes to work with the educators to advance some of his personal goals for UW Extension.
    “I want to ensure that the University of Wyoming, and UW Extension specifically, remains relevant and responsive to the needs of people out in the state,” explains Crane. “Our relevance is based on understanding the needs of our stakeholders at the local level. Our presence in every community in the state is what distinguishes us as a land grant university and uniquely positions Extension to meet educational needs in Wyoming.
    “Our area educators bring the research, resources and talent from the UW’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and UW as a whole, ‘out to the country.’ Likewise, our connections with individuals and organizations in the state can determine research and education needs to be addressed on campus.”  
    “We need to continue to demonstrate tangible and meaningful impacts to Wyoming communities,” Crane continues. “We depend on a partnership with Wyoming counties to support 4-H Youth Development programs in every county and area educational programs throughout the state. The documented impacts of our educational programs and the profound positive influence of our 4-H Youth Development program are how we demonstrate accountability in our partnership with Wyoming counties.”  
      Ultimately, Crane says, “The university has to be responsive to the needs of the people.”
    Like most things that result in good outcomes, UW Extension relies on productive relationships with individuals and organizations.
    “I also hope to strengthen partnerships between UW Extension and our stakeholders – both individuals and organizations,” he says. “We have some great opportunities to partner with other organizations in delivering education.”
    While this job is his first in administration, Crane says he is ready for the opportunity.
    “I’ve been in extension and research my entire career, but administration provides a unique opportunity to contribute to the bigger picture and hopefully further the objectives of UW Extension,” explains Crane. “I’m still naïve enough to think that.”
    With his passion for both range management and the university extension system, Crane looks forward to the position.
    “We are truly excited to be back in Wyoming. It feels like home,” says Crane. “I like the country in Wyoming, but really, it’s the people that brought us back. There is a certain inexplicable attitude and atmosphere in Wyoming, that exists in no other western state. We’re tickled to be in Wyoming again.”
    Saige Albert is editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup and can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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Herbst receives Ag Citizen of the Year Award

By Virginia Wakefield
1999 Wyoming State Fair Edition
 
            Lois Herbst is one of two recipients of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup’s 1999 Wyoming Ag Citizen of the Year award. Herbst and her son, Frank, co-manage the Herbst Lazy TY Cattle Company near Shoshoni. Lois is an outspoken advocate for agriculture and ranching. For a number of years, Herbst has divided her time between working on the ranch and focusing on western land management issues.
            Lois says her interest in ag advocacy was piqued when Bob Budd, who was at that time Executive Vice President of Wyoming Stock Growers Association, held a meeting in Fremont County to discuss the Yellowstone Vision document and how to address the impact to agriculture. She has been speaking to groups and attending forums, meeting and conferences ever since.
            Lois and Frank began managing the family ranch in 1990 after Lois’ husband, Bill Herbst, passed away from leukemia. In 1996, the Herbst Lazy TY Cattle Company was selected as WBCIA Commercial Producer of the Year. The ranch raises black baldly cattle, combining scientific practices of innovative herd genetic improvement with common-sense, conservative management that has enabled the ranch to grow and thrive for ninety years.
            The Lazy TY Ranch was stared in 1906 when Frank Herbst filed to draw a homestead when a portion of the Wind River Indian Reservation was opened for settlement. Frank was born in Ebental, Austria, now a part of Slovenia. In 1916, he married Maria Melz of Gottschee, Austria, who had immigrated to New York in 1912. This hard-working couple raised three children on a n island ranch on the Wind River near Shoshoni, Wyoming. William (Bill) Herbst, their only son, ranched with his father until 1948, when Frank died of tick fever. That was the same year the river lands were condemned for Boysen Reservoir. Bill started establishing a new land base for continuing the ranch.
            Lois grew up on a farm in Ohio. While working and attending night school at the University of Denver, she visited her sister, Mary Fender, in Shoshoni, where she met Bill Herbst. Lois and Bill were married in 1958.
            Their twin daughters, Daren and Linda, were born in 1959. In 1962, the year their son Frank was born, the family moved to an irrigated farm ten miles west of Shoshoni. The years passed quickly as Lois assumed the duties of a ranch wife. She said, “I kept plenty busy, feeding cows and chasing kids.”
            Lois familiarized herself with all the cattle and gradually assumed the ranch’s record-keeping duties, computerizing the accounting records in 1988 and later, the cattle records. The biggest change in the ranch’s management occurred in 1971 when they started using Black Angus bulls on the Hereford cows. Sever years later brought another change: “Bad winter conditions necessitated our placing the herd in local feed yards for maintenance feeding. It brought the advantage of better facilities for handling the cattle, so we could enlarge the vaccination program and gain better nutrition. Both factors improved conception and weaning weights.”
            The ranch raises its own replacement heifers and age-brands the cows. The ranch has adopted major innovation within the past decade, including a computerized health program, pregnancy testing, cow tagging and use of EPD’s to select herd bulls. Lois said, “We follow the Cargill Beef Works program, but we are not in an alliance. We also meet the Beef Quality Assurance requirements for certification.”
            This past January, Monfort purchased 420 head of calves and shared the feeding and carcass data with the ranch under a program involving the ranch’s providing information on the health records and sires used to produce the calves.
            “We can determine from this information that we are achieving the goals of producing calves that are healthy and grade a t a premium. We primarily use three seedstock producers at this time. My favorite reading material is the Angus Sire Summary. Now we can type parameters for bull selection into a program and bring up all sires meeting the EPDs of our program. We buy bulls from herd we know have the maternal qualities we want to maintain – calving ease, good mothering ability and good disposition.”
            Herbst credits the dedication of her family in maintaining the ranch. She said, “The good management, as well as the understanding, of my son, frank, and his wife, Jean, enables me to get away to attend meetings. My daughters, Karen and Linda, worked hard here until they graduated from college and moved on. They are proud of their Wyoming ranching heritage. My grandchildren, Emma and Bill, are the job of my life, as well as my inspiration to continue working for their futures.”
            E-mail enables Herbst to share the issues so important to her with family and friends throughout the Unites State and the world. She maintains a strong interest in the history of Wyoming.
            “Last year, I shared my knowledge of Wyoming history with three students who were being home-schooled. I am in the process of developing better-structured programs to share with groups. During the past twenty years of interviewing pioneers, being involved in photography, and of collecting materials from many sources,  I have gained a wealth of knowledge. With history, the more you share, the more you have returned to you.”
            This philosophy also applies to her involvement in a variety of industry-related activities. She emphasized, “All our agricultural organizations have a goal of achieving greater cooperation and unity on issues.” Herbst is active in the following:
- Wyoming Stock Growers Association (Region 5 Second Vice President);
- Wyoming Beef Council (reappointed for a second term by Governor Geringer);
- Wyoming State Grazing Board, Lander District (re-elected to a second term);
- National Cattlemen’s Association (member since 1992, serves on the Live Animal Marketing Committee and Information Committee);
- Wyoming Wool Growers;
- Wyoming Cattlemen.
            Regarding her immersion in agricultural issues, she stated, “I keep saying it takes ‘passion’ for the job. Many can be hired, but only those with the passion for the life we know will work for our issues.” Through her own passionate advocacy of agriculture and her practice of sound and innovative ranch management, Lois Herbst continually strives toward her goal of maintaining the ranch and its way of life for her grandchildren and future generations.
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Don Rolston: 1994 Ag Citizen of the Year

By Virginia Wakefield
1994 State Fair Edition, inserted Aug. 6, 1994
 
Don Rolston, Cheyenne, is one of two recipients of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup’s 1994 Wyoming Agricultural Citizen of the Year award.
            Born and raised on a ranch near Sheridan, Don earned an ag degree from the University of Wyoming and taught vocational ag in Sundance for four years. He changed directions, becoming a county extension agent in Casper. He earned a master’s degree in Extension Administration in 1969, and then was with the university extension systems in Wyoming and Nevada for 25 years.
            After serving as Executive Vice President for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, Rolston returned to Wyoming to serve as Agriculture Commissioner from 1987 until April 1994.
            Now Commissioner of the Wyoming Department of Commerce, Don reflects on his new position, saying, “In this state, agriculture is never very far away from ANY state department.”        
            Bill Gentle, who succeeds Rolston as Agriculture Commissioner, believes Don is “absolutely deserving” of the Roundup’s award.
            “This department is totally different from what it was before Don came. He gave it a new focus and direction. I probably wouldn’t be in this position now without the guidance and training I received from Don.”
            Don remembers, “One of my greatest satisfactions has been the Ag Department’s ability to change internally with the support of the people and their willingness to move with me.”
            Gentle recalls that Rolston tried to make the ag department and activities highly visible.
            “He talked to literally hundred of groups about ag.”
            One of Rolston’s first projects as commissioner was to put together a ten-year plan for Wyoming’s agriculture industry.
            “Back when we hadn’t broken out of that bad cycle of foreclosures and bankruptcies, I set up town meetings all across the state to listen to the concerns of ranchers and farmers. I wanted to know what they wanted from state government, and what their perceptions were.
            “When I was in Afton, somebody there said, ‘So that’s what the Commissioner of Ag looks like!’”
            Don sat down with representative form the various ag groups and called in financial experts. They came up with a contract between bankers and ranchers. They drafted a ten-year ag plan and took it to the people in twenty-two meetings.
            “Over 700 people responded to the meetings and gave input. We did a draft and sent it back to them. The people built the plan; we finished it off.”
            While Don was Commissioner, Wyoming became a national leader in developing a Coordinated Resource management (CRM) program.
            “IT was one of the most significant things that came out of the 10-year planning process. From the first four stewardship programs, we now have over 50 CRM’s. We are providing information to other states.
            “It’s s Wyoming model that’s been a real success. That has been satisfying.”
            Under Rolston’s leadership, the Ag Department developed an effective.  Marketing program, which emphasized adding value to agricultural commodities and initiated an active livestock marketing program in Mexico.
            The Department initiated the HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) food health and safety program in Wyoming “While the federal government was still talking about it. We sat down with the industry and the end users and basically developed our own guidelines.”
            Wyoming now shares its program with the federal government and with other states.
            On a national level, Rolston found time to chair the NASDA/Department of Interior Task Force and he served on the National Advisory Committee for Animal Damage Control.
            He was a member of the negotiating teams during the Free Trade talks with both Canada and Mexico.
            Recently, Governor Sullivan drew on Rolston’s skills, asking Don to chair the state committee dealing with Rangeland Reform ’94. Rolston believes the key to successful negotiating is “bringing the principle parties to the table to sit down and identify the problem. Talk about how you can move toward it and reach an agreement on the thing. It’s amazing how many times it will work.”
            He is currently a member of UW’s College of Agriculture Advisory Board. Don serves on the State Nature Conservancy Board, n the Governor’s Cabinet and as Chairman of the State Compensation Commission.
            Rolston is on the Wyoming Farm House Alumni Association Board and is a member of the National Western Club. He is an Outstanding Alumnus of Gamma Sigma Delta and Wyoming 4-H.       
            Rolston and his wife, Barbara, a Worland native, live in Cheyenne, where Don belongs to the Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club.
            Rolston shares a philosophy, which this year’s political hopefuls might well heed.
            “If Wyoming is going to continue as a national model in agriculture, the key is to keep in touch with people. If you try and bully changes through, your program is dead!”
            Bill Gentle believes that Don Rolston never represented himself as THE spokesman for the ag industry.
            “Don was there in state government when a spokesman was needed, but he tried to stay with his perceived role of representing the interests of the ag people as well as he could.”
            This award will be presented of Friday, Aug. 19 at the rodeo during state fair.
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Lawson retires from BuRec

Casper – After nearly 40 years with the Wyoming Area Office of the Bureau of Reclamation (BuRec) in Casper, Wyoming Area Manager John Lawson retired on Dec. 31, 2011.
    Of his time with BuRec, which he says was just shy of 38 years, Lawson comments that he most enjoyed the people he worked with through the years, and that’s compelled he and his wife of 43 years to stay in the Casper area for retirement, rather than return to his home state of Montana, where his career with BuRec began. Lawson has worked in Casper for 23 years.
    Although he’s not yet a month into retirement, Lawson already has a to-do list for the future, including becoming more active in the community, constructing a new home and providing consulting services.
    “I would like to stay active in the state of Wyoming and the panhandle of Nebraska,” he notes. “I think there are issues on which I might be able to lend some help.”
A crash course
    Lawson says his biggest challenge with the Wyoming Area Office came when he first started in 1989.
    “At that time, Nebraska was suing the State of Wyoming in Nebraska v. Wyoming, which included the United State Bureau of Reclamation,” he says. “There was also a significant drought underway in 1989, and as a result there were also two other lawsuits I walked into. One was on how to allocate water, and some of Reclamation’s own irrigation districts were suing us, and the other was because, due to water shortages, the Casper/Alcova Irrigation District was attempting to loan water to other districts, and we didn’t concur with how they were going about it.”
    Although he joined the Wyoming office with one lawsuit in the U.S. Supreme Court and two others in federal district court, Lawson says all three resulted in good outcomes for all parties.
    “The allocation lawsuit took 10 years for the judge to issue a final decision, and by that time all 13 irrigation districts had already come to an acceptable agreement,” he says.
    Lawson notes that good working relationships are one of the most memorable things from his time managing water.
    “I spent a lot of time working with the entities in Nebraska and Wyoming, and we found ways to work together collaboratively to resolve our differences, and I’m proud of how that evolved over the years,” he states.
Endangered species fears are settled
    Lawson says one of the reasons he took the position of Wyoming Area Manager in the first place is because of his previous involvement with the endangered species issues on the North Platte and Platte rivers.
    “In my previous position in Billings, I was involved with nine states from New Mexico to the Canadian border, and as a result of those endangered species challenges we now have the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program, and water users don’t have to live in fear that a substantial amount of their water will be taken because of an endangered species,” explains Lawson.
    Lawson gives flushing flows out of Gray Reef Reservoir on the North Platte River as an example of a part of that program. BuRec worked in cooperation with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to implement those flows, to which the success of fisheries in the North Platte is attributed today.
    “We also restored the ability to have flows year round between Glendo and Guernsey, and we restored the year round flows from Pathfinder to Alcova in Fremont Canyon. Those were done with a collaborative process that involved fisheries, flycasters, the Game and Fish, BLM and many other people,” explains Lawson. “Twenty years ago there wasn’t a fishery below Pathfinder, there were no continuous flows, and those things came about while I was here, and I’m proud to have been a small part of that.”
    Through the years, Lawson says he worked with many groups, including agriculture, irrigation, environmental, conservation and power interests.
    “I couldn’t have asked to have an opportunity to work with a more diverse group of customers – and I never forgot they were our customers,” he says.
Lawson continues to
 monitor spring water
    Looking to this spring’s water situation, Lawson says that old habits don’t die easily, and he has the water and snowpack monitoring websites saved to his home computer, and he assesses them almost on a daily basis.
    “If I was still there, the most troubling thing to keep in mind is that the reservoirs are still extremely full for this time of year, with carryover from the year before,” he notes. “The snowpack comes in late March, April and May, and the real ringer is what happens with a storm event where we start to get a lot of rain in the spring. They still have to be very careful with how they plan their operations early on, because the reservoirs are so full.”
    “Right now there are no releases being made out of the last reservoir in the system at Guernsey. All the water coming into the basin is being stored at this time, which is how I would have operated,” he continues. “I’ve looked at some plans, and it looks they’ll plan to start making releases at least in April, even with the current low snowpack conditions.”
    Currently the position of Wyoming Area Manager is filled with an acting individual from Montana. The position has been advertised and has closed, and the Billings BuRec office will now review the candidates and make a final selection.
    Christy Martinez is managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup and can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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