Wyoming Report
SARE Professional Development Program Annual Report for Wyoming
January 1-December 31, 2010
State SARE Coordinator:
Mike Smith
University of Wyoming, Renewable Resources Dept.
1000 E. University Ave.
Laramie WY 82071
307-766-2337
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Summary of 2010 PDP Activities and Results
This was the third year of a planned three year program of conducting tours of and presenting sustainable ranching programs. Thirty ag professionals from CES, NRCS and conservation districts participated from Nebraska, Montana and Wyoming. From Wyoming, 25 out of a population of about 70 attended. The topic and methods of presentation are based on a survey of the ag professional population in Wyoming. Sustainable ranching systems was the preferred topic and tours, with cooperating ranches were preferred methods. The group attended three days of lectures on ranch financial performance and management interspersed with tours of the Nebraska experimental Gudmundsen Ranch, Rex Ranch and two other nearby smaller ranches with innovative programs. The Power point presentation, Sustainable Ranching, was given four times in 2010 to an audience of professionals and ranchers.
Context and Overview
Wyoming is a small population state, and relative to other states, has a small agriculture sector dominated by livestock production. The majority of farming is concentrated along river corridors and is irrigated. Much of the farming is for hay production for on farm animal feed. The agriculture sector clientele has generally been in business for many years, surviving droughts and periodic low prices and would argue that their operations are “sustainable.” “New thinking” is a tough sell. The professionals that serve Wyoming agriculturalists come from a variety of backgrounds and regions to serve in the Cooperative Extension Service (CES), Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Conservation Districts (CD) predominantly. Geographic isolation and the generally low level of resource productivity provide lower limits than many other locales to the opportunities for the agricultural sector to adopt practices that could enhance the stability of existing family operations. The demographics of the agricultural sector and changing land ownership patterns further complicate identifying clients and their needs. Wyoming CES and Western SARE-PDP adopted better targeting of educational topics and methods to reach professional CES educators, NRCS and CD advisors, and subsequently the producers. The Western SARE-PDP in Wyoming resides in the Renewable Resources Dept. within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The PDP coordinator is a veteran faculty member with largely Extension assignment. Formal PDP activities are directed to CES, NRCS and Conservation Districts personnel.
Web sites:
Activities and Methods
Draft Agenda for Ranch Financial Training March 22-26, 2010
Monday March 22:
Travel to Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory near Whitman, NE.
Tuesday March 23:
8 AM to 9 AM - Economic Basics, John Ritten, UW Agricultural and Applied Economics
9 AM to Noon - Understand Basic Ranch Financial Analysis using Unit Cost of Production, Dallas Mount, UW CES Extension Educator
1PM to 2 PM - Ranch System Financial Performance and Forage Production Response, John Ritten
2 PM to 5 PM - Tour Gudmundsen Sandhills Lab – current research and discussions of ranch profitability.
Wednesday March 24:
8 AM to 11 AM - Practice conducting a UCOP analysis of example ranch, benchmarking and SWOT analysis.
11 AM to Noon - Results of Survey of Wyoming Cow-Calf Producers, John Hewlett, Farm and Ranch Management Specialist, UW CES Extension Educator
Noon to 5 PM - Tour Rex Ranch and discussions of ranch financial data - Chip Hines
Thursday March 25:
8 AM to 9 AM – What Makes Ranches Profitable, Dallas Mount
9 AM to 10 AM –Partial budgeting and net present value tools, Bridger Fuez, UW CES Extension Educator
10:30 to Noon –RD Financial – another option for whole farm economic analysis, John Hewlett
1 PM to 5 PM - Tour Anderson Ranch
Some details on the ranches that were featured during the workshop:
The tour focused on lowest cost of production, which is one important dimension of ranch profitability. The Rex Ranch in particular has a good handle on their animal maintenance costs, right down to the pennies per day. They also have a personnel management system that places groups of cattle under one person so it will be clear who does the best job. They were also planning to move their calving season out further in spring to help reduce the winter feed costs. The ranch clearly demonstrates the value of good financial record keeping and fit in with the focus of our training really well.
The Anderson Ranch is also a firmly based grass operation but also has another enterprise that is somewhat unique: a custom heifer development and breeding program that is apparently profitable for this ranch. Both of these private ranches are on their own private deeded property.
The Gudmundsen Ranch is part of the University of Nebraska Experiment Station. It is the location of some of the earliest research in late season calving and wintering cows on grass with minimal supplements. Their production records and economic analyses have demonstrated for almost two decades the value of both late season calving and retaining ownership of yearlings.
PDP-funded Publications/Educational Materials and Products
Power point presentations on Western SARE grant programs and Sustainable Ranching can be accessed by contacting Mike Smith. Other entertaining factsheets are available at http://www.uwyo.edu/cessupport/agpubs/Search_Start.asp, Search for MP-111.xx
Changes in Ag Professionals’ Knowledge, Skills and Action
Involvement of others in state PDP planning and implementation
The PDP program development is a collaborative enterprise with the participation of NRCS state office staff and the Wyoming CES initiative teams concerned with agriculture. Programming, including professional development, in Wyoming CES is developed by the Extension educator professionals. Involved in agriculture are the Sustainable Management of Rangeland Resources and the Profitable and Sustainable Agriculture teams. These teams hold semiannual meetings where programming desires including PDP are discussed and planned. NRCS is a participant in these meetings and also provides additional input at proposal development time. Needs assessment for programming by the initiative teams is developed through consultation with area producer advisory committees.
