Agricultural Initiative: Governor announces statewide effort to revitalize Wyoming ag
Each year in mid-October, the University of Wyoming (UW) hosts a statewide celebration for two of its leading industries during a home football game at War Memorial Stadium.
This year, brown and gold fans converged in Laramie for Agriculture and Energy Day on Oct. 11 and, in addition to watching the Cowboys topple the San Jose Spartans 35 to 28, Gov. Mark Gordon made an appearance at halftime with an exciting announcement.
Delivered via pre-recorded video on the stadium’s jumbotron, Gordon unveiled the launch of the Cowboy State Agricultural Initiative – a statewide effort to revitalize agriculture across Wyoming.
“The future of Wyoming agriculture is vital to feed families, strengthen communities and provide food for the nation. This is why we’re launching the Cowboy State Agricultural Initiative,” Gordon said. “We are going to build on a legacy of innovation and resilience to create financial and educational opportunities to leverage research to support local producers.”
Ag initiative
In his message, Gordon emphasized agriculture and energy have long been pillars of Wyoming’s economy, providing livelihoods to generations.
However, the “status quo” is currently under threat from increasing pressures like shifting markets, rising input costs, labor shortages and technological disruptions, but the Cowboy State Agricultural Initiative is meant to address these issues head on.
Through the initiative, Gordon has appointed a 13-member working group including executive branch advisors, state legislators, county commissioners, ag association representatives, UW officials and business leaders committed to preserving Wyoming’s rich agricultural heritage and knowledge for current and future generations.
The group has been charged with developing a strategy of short- and long-term actions to support current producers, stimulate innovation, strengthen supply chains and ensure ag operations are viable for future generations.
Their investments will focus on education, applied research, improved farm and ranch management and bridging knowledge gaps.
Moving forward
The governor has set a relatively aggressive schedule for the initiative, as the working group is already scheduled to meet to draft proposals less than a week after this announcement.
Among possible policy to come out of the working group’s draft proposals are allocations of state funding or incentives for ag research, expansion of certificate and training programs, bolstering local processing and value-added infrastructure, tax or bond support for capital investments and improved market access.
“Agriculture is the backbone and also a large part of the personality of Wyoming,” Wyoming Department of Agriculture Director Doug Miyamoto writes in the governor’s corresponding press release. “This is our chance to steward our industry and leave it better than we found it.”
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
