By Karla Pomeroy
Editor
Annual 2-day event begins Wednesday
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WORLAND - The annual WESTI (Wyoming Extension's Strategically and Technologically Informative) Ag Days begins Wednesday with a full line-up of presentations including the second annual Youth Career Ag Dinner and Expo and ends on Thursday, all at the Worland Community Center Complex.
University of Wyoming Washakie County Extension Educator Caitlin Youngquist said, "There is a big focus on youth this year. We want to encourage youth to consider a career in agriculture and encourage those who are doing agricultural projects."
In addition to the Youth Career Ag Dinner & Expo that runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night, FFA members from Worland High School and Ten Sleep will be highlighting some of their work. The agriscience projects from Chief Washakie will be on display during WESTI Ag Days. Ten Sleep FFA ag marketing team will have a presentation at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
At the Youth Career Expo there will be agriculture professionals available after dinner to visit with youth about their respective fields. WESTI Ag Days keynote speaker Trent Loos will also have a brief presentation.
The dinner prior to the expo is free but an RSVP is required by calling the Extension office at 307-347-3431.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Trent Loos will open this year's WESTI Ag Days at 10 a.m., following registration that begins at 9:30 a.m. WESTI Ag Days is free to the public but registration provides a record of attendance and signs up the visitor for door prizes.
Youngquist said Loos will provide and fun and entertaining talk "bridging the gap between rural producers and urban consumers."
Loos has his own nationally syndicated radio show "Loos Tales." According to his biography, "To share the positive story of production agriculture" has been his mission since he walked into a radio station in Spearfish, South Dakota, in 2000, and asked to have his own program.
He is a sixth generation United States farmer raised on a diversified farm near Quincy, Illinois. He got his start in swine production with a runt pig when he was 5. Now the family raises show pigs, breeding stock and butcher hogs.
He earned an American Farmer Degree in FFA and will be speaking with students in Grace Godfrey's agriculture class at Worland High School while he is here next week.
Trent and his wife Kelli enjoy raising food for the world in central Nebraska with their daughters Libbi, Lindsi and Landri.
WORKSHOPS
Following Loos, there will be two workshops with local agriculture producers - Sarah Lungren of South Flat Land and Livestock will talk about her work communicating with consumers about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the sugar industry; and Carol Greet, a local rancher and blogger, will talk about sharing the ranching story with a wide audience and why it is important.
Youngquist said there are nine different workshops Wednesday afternoon. "We have quite a variety. There is something for everyone," she said, adding that of particular note Wednesday is the record keeping tools at 2 p.m. She said this workshop is interactive and people will go home with some "useful tools" on budgeting and record keeping for the farm and ranch household.
Thursday opens with registration at 8:30 a.m. and workshops beginning at 9 a.m. There are six workshops in the morning and Youngquist said area ag producers may find the impacts of the 2018 tax law on farm and ranch households of particular interest this year.
All workshops Thursday and Wednesday morning are an hour-long.
Following lunch, there will be three three-hour workshops Thursday - private pesticide applicator class, current status of brucellosis in Wyoming and fundamentals of food preservation that will include a hands-on workshop for water bath canning.
In addition to the workshops and presentations, Youngquist said Linda Abell, who along with Mary Donnell, handle decorating the display case, will have a historical photo exhibit from the Wyoming State Museum. The display, "It Takes Weather, Water and Work: Farming in Wyoming," will be on display in the case and throughout the classrooms.
"This is two days of farm and ranch topics but everyone is welcome to come and join us," Youngquist said. She said the event, including lunches both days provided by the Cowbelles, is free thanks to the generosity of 31 sponsors this year.
People can come for the whole thing, or a workshop, the trade show or lunch, Youngquist said.
Contact the Extension office for more information at 347-3431.
