January 21, 2020–Farmer and rancher delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 101st Annual Convention adopted policies on January 21 to guide the organization’s work in 2020 on key topics ranging from dairy to labor and climate change to conservation compliance.
January 23, 2020–The Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation (WyFB) applauds today’s announcement of a new Clean Water rule that brings much-needed clarity and certainty to enforcement of the Clean Water Act. The new rule issued by the EPA and Corps of Engineers brings clarity to which level of government – federal or state – oversees dry land that is sometimes wet. The new rule does not change who oversees permanent waterways, such as lakes, rivers, streams and other bodies that always or usually contain water. It does make clear that usually dry areas should not be considered federal waters. The new
“Wyoming Needs Agriculture” Day is coming to a University of Wyoming Cowboy Football game on September 28, 2019 and the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation is proud to sponsor the game day event. (more…)
The loss of irrigation water in Southeastern Wyoming and the Panhandle of Nebraska has been devastating for the farmers who were watching their crops grow mid-July. Seed, fertilizer, equipment and time investments had already been made and July is a critical time in the growing season with high temperatures and low precipitation in the area. The tunnel collapse on the Fort Laramie Canal on July 17, 2019 caused a breach in the canal and a stop to water delivery for the nearly 107,000 acres of farm ground in Wyoming (52,000 acres) and Nebraska (55,000 acres) that rely on the irrigation water. Seeing the magnitude of the situation, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon declared a state of emergency on July 22. (more…)
LARAMIE, WYO, August 23, 2019 – “We are thankful that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) has announced today that federal crop insurance will cover crop losses resulting from the July 17 tunnel collapse that stopped irrigation water to farms for the Goshen Irrigation District in Wyoming and the Gering-Ft. Laramie Irrigation District in Nebraska. This is great news for many farmers who have invested so much into their crops and now face devastating losses due to loss of irrigation water that is out of their control.” (more…)
LARAMIE, WYO. – The Nebraska and Wyoming Farm Bureaus are urging USDA to ensure crop insurance will cover crop losses experienced by farmers impacted by the July 17 irrigation tunnel collapse that has prevented irrigators on the Goshen Irrigation District in Wyoming and the Gering-Ft Laramie Irrigation District in Nebraska from receiving irrigation water during a critical time in the growing season. (more…)
August 12, 2019–“Today’s Endangered Species Act reforms serve the needs of imperiled species as well as the people most affected by implementation of the law’s provisions. This makes real-world species recovery more likely as a result,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. (more…)
July 26, 2019—The gray wolf has far exceeded recovery numbers and wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountains have been managed by state wildlife agencies for two or more years, thus delisting the species nationwide is long overdue, the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation (WyFB) recently told the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Wyoming Farm Bureau joined the American Farm Bureau Federation and State Farm Bureaus and Farm Bureau members representing 39 states in responding to the USFWS proposal to delist the gray wolf nationwide. (more…)
–GID holds informational meeting on July 24
Torrington, July 26, 2019–“The only thing we have to live on is optimism and we are running on a get ‘er done attitude,” Goshen County Farmer and Goshen Irrigation District Board President Bob Coxbill told fellow farmers at a July 24th Goshen Irrigation District informational meeting. The meeting provided an update regarding efforts to restore the canal to service following the July 17th tunnel collapse that has left 107,000 acres (52,000 in Wyoming and 55,000 in Nebraska) without irrigation water during a critical time in the growing season. (more…)
July 19, 2019--According to a Goshen Irrigation District news release, during the early morning hours on July 17, an apparent collapse in a tunnel on the Fort Laramie Canal, about one and a half miles south of the town of Fort Laramie, caused water to back up and breach the canal bank upstream of the tunnel. The Fort Laramie Canal provides irrigation water to approximately 107,000 acres in Wyoming and Nebraska served by the Goshen and Gering-Fort Laramie Irrigation Districts and the Wright and Murphey Ditch Company.
Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation Vice President/Goshen County Farmer Cole Coxbill says the magnitude of the tunnel collapse is devastating. “In 13 miles, the water in the canal rose by four feet in just a half hour,” he explained. “It just went from bad to worse as the severity of the washout and tunnel collapse was discovered. The crew’s quick action and response to get the canal shut down as soon as they did saved additional destruction.” (more…)
WASHINGTON, July 16, 2019 – “The Administration has moved its effort to repeal the 2015 Waters of the United States rule to the Office of Management and Budget, the last step before formal issuance. This is good news and welcome news,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. (more…)
Laramie-The Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation recently awarded $5,500 in college scholarships to young Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation members. (more…)