Author: Rachel Gabel
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Ag industry can’t surrender the keys to the Kingdom
Animal agriculture, ranching, hunting, and farming are not dying ways of life. The cowboy is not about to ride off into the sunset and certain extinction. Beef is not going to be replaced by cultured meat, any variety of bugs, or salad (though we grow that, too). AI or niche small scale production methods are…
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Closing a processing plant hits a community hard
Black Swan is apparently on the menu this holiday season for people across the cattle and beef value chains. Last week, Tyson announced the closure of a processing plant in Lexington, Nebraska. This plant processes about 5,000 head of cattle daily and employs over 3,200 people. In a town like Lexington, this closure realistically directly…
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COLUMN: Stock Show’s Catch a Calf has a rich history
Bill Waneka, who was raised in Lafayette, Colo., is one of the original National Western Catch a Calf volunteers who remains a committee member today. The program began in 1935 when boys who were exhibiting fat steers at Denver were drawn to try to catch a calf during the rodeo. They returned the next year…
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The significance of the State Land Board siding with the San Luis Valley | GABEL
Some members of the State Land Board don’t like the Trump administration and the decisions made about conservation, which they voiced in the monthly public meeting Nov. 13. The board could have made the mistake of making an exceptionally partisan statement, something that is certainly not in the best interest of conservation or kids. The…
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How to get America’s kids to the ag table | GABEL
When Colorado State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences invites people to come to the table, they’re not just blowing smoke. Manny Deleon has pulled up a chair at the table, and he is adding agricultural research important to producers. He isn’t the typical ag guy and that is a nod to the draw of the…
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While senators stall, Colorado farmers continue to sweat federal shutdowns | GABEL
As the piles grow at the sugar beet processing plants around the region, growers are facing looming deadlines complicated by federal shutdowns. Colorado Sen. Byron Pelton said a number of growers — as well as other commodity producers who face the same issues — have reached out unable to meet their loan deadlines due to…
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Importing beef is not the solution | GABEL
Last week, I wrote, “As usual, cattle producers are waiting on the other shoe drop and trying to read the tea leaves and make the right moves.” The shoe dropped. President Donald Trump made comments on social media and in the news about bringing in Argentine beef to lower beef prices for consumers. That comment…
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COLUMN: Impact of a new Walmart beef facility | Rachel Gabel
Walmart recently opened a 300,000-square foot case-ready beef facility in Olathe, Kan., citing their commitment to a more resilient, transparent, and efficient supply chain for Angus beef. This is the first case-ready facility owned and operated by Walmart and brings about 600 jobs to the Olathe area. In 2022, Walmart invested in Sustainable Beef, LLC,…
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Protection set for La Jara Ranch | Gabel
The State Land Board is meeting Oct. 15 to decide the future management of several significant properties, including the 46,000-acre La Jara Ranch in the San Luis Valley. CPW and DNR have partnered with NGOs to permanently protect recreational access and conservation values on the property, a process long in the making. CPW allocated $5…
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The latest effort to rewild southeastern Colorado | Rachel Gabel
The war on private property rights is one that battle tested ranchers in southeastern Colorado know all too well. Now, in a 1,500-page U.S. Forest Service draft assessment that seeks to inform the management of the Comanche National Grasslands in Baca, Las Animas, and Otero Counties, ranching and private property ownership are listed among the…