You CAN Farm Talks
Speakers
Cat Urbigkit
DATE: May 21, 2024
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ONE THING: Engage in advocacy. Cat emphasized the importance of agricultural producers actively participating in public discourse to share their stories and perspectives.
BIO: CAT URBIGKIT is a western Wyoming livestock producer, maintaining a flock of fine-wooled Rambouillet sheep in large carnivore country. To protect their livestock from predators ranging from coyotes and mountain lions to wolves and bears, the Urbigkits also raise livestock guardian dogs.
Urbigkit is vice president of the Wyoming Wool Growers Association and volunteers for several ag organizations in the West, including the Western Landowners Alliance and the American Sheep Industry Association.
Cat is a writer of books, articles and opinion columns that present perspectives and insights from what it’s like to be a livestock producer on the ground and the producer’s connection to the landscape. She’s an advocate for transhumance, the seasonal movement of people with livestock, that has long been practiced around the globe.
Ryan Boner
DATE: April 9, 2024
ONE THING: Advice that my grandpa shared with me: “In the profitable years, put it in your pocket. In the lean years, put it in your heart!”
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BIO: RYAN BONER is a 6th generation rancher from East Central Wyoming. My family has been raising sheep and cattle in Converse County since 1909. After graduating from Glenrock, I went to the University of Wyoming for a degree in Livestock Business Management. After school, I came back to our family operation. At that time, my Dad and his two brothers were all running our ranches and farm together. As I am one of the youngest of the next generation, we soon decided to work through our generational transition for myself and my cousins. It is my belief that generational transition is one of the most important tasks you will face in agriculture.
We are a diverse operation. We run a black angus commercial cow/calf herd, as well as registered Black Angus and Red Angus seedstock herds. We also run a larger scale commercial range ewe herd, and a smaller Targhee and Rambouillet seedstock herd.
Our family has spent a lot of time and effort over the last century to help improve what was a dying sheep industry. I am so thankful to be a part of this discussion today.
Casey Crosby
DATE: March 19, 2024
ONE THING: Be willing to take calculated risks. Casey emphasized the importance of stepping out of one’s comfort zone to seize opportunities that can lead to growth and success in agriculture.
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BIO: CASEY CROSBY grew up on a farm/ranch in northern Wyoming. From a young age he learned from his dad how to irrigate, handle livestock, and work long hours. Casey graduated from BYU with a bachelors in Agribusiness and later went back and got an MBA, graduating from BYU in 2008. Upon graduation the financial crises was hitting the country. This opened up an opportunity to buy a farm close to home using cows he had bought from his dad a few years before, as a down pmt. It was a role of the dice but fifteen years later, he and his wife Julia have expanded their farm and ranch interests to included several thousand acres of farm and ranch ground. His farming interests included sugar beets, alfalfa seed, grass seed, bean seed, barley and barley seed, canola seed, corn and oats. His ranching interests are primarily cow calf operation on high desert ground spanning the WY/MT boarder.
Julia and Casey have 3 kids, Annie age 13, Kate 11, Luke 9. They all enjoy working on the farm/ranch and
spending time supporting the kids in the various sports and extra curricular activities.
Tucker Hamilton
DATE: February 13, 2024
ONE THING: Seek out education beyond the farm. Tucker emphasized the importance of stepping outside one’s comfort zone to gain new perspectives and skills.
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BIO: TUCKER HAMILTON is a 4th generation rancher in Northeast Wyoming near Newcastle. He works with his parents Monte and Francie Hamilton and his wife Annie on a commercial cattle operation. They raise Angus cattle that have some remnants of Herefords from his grandfather’s generation. They also farm acreage that they use to raise hay to feed to cattle in the winter. He recently started farming in the form of no-till drilling to try and rejuvenate their old alfalfa hay meadows. In the process of learning about no-till farming, he is experimenting with cover crops and some other hay crops that include barley and oats and peas. His conclusion through his experiments is that you can grow anything you want as long as it rains.
When he is not on the farm he is also involved with the community. He was recently elected chairman of the Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee in the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation. The YF&R committee is very involved with raising up young farmers and ranchers, those under 35 years of age, to be leaders in the industry. He believes it is very important since the average age of farmers and ranchers continues to increase. He is also a board member of the Weston County Conservation District where they strive to promote conservation and diligent stewardship within the district through a variety of projects.
In his life, he took a roundabout path before he came home to the ranch in 2016. He graduated from Newcastle High School in 2007 after which he attended Sheridan College and obtained Associates of Sciences Degrees in Animal Science and Agricultural Business. In 2009 he transferred to the University of Wyoming where he obtained a Bachelor of Sciences degrees in Animal Science and Agricultural Business. After that he was recruited into the Agricultural Economics Department at UW where he earned a Master’s of Sciences in Agricultural Economics and finally wrapped up his educational career. After school he worked as a grain buyer in Nebraska for about a year before he grew tired of my office job and returned home to the ranch.
Robbie Alexander
DATE: January 9, 2024
ONE THING: Cultivate connections. Robbie discussed how establishing and maintaining relationships with mentors, peers, and industry professionals can provide valuable support, guidance, and opportunities.
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BIO: ROBBIE ALEXANDER is the Young & Beginning Relationship loan officer for Farm Credit Services of America. In this role he serves Wyoming and the panhandle of Nebraska, seeking ways to help both generational and first time farmers and ranchers reach their dreams of being involved in agriculture.
Robbie and his wife (Annie) are also first generation agriculturalist that moved to Wyoming in 2022. Original from Hopkinsville, Ky. Robbie has worked in agriculture education and agriculture finance for the past 15 years. Robbie has a Bachelors and Master’s degree in agricultural science from Murray state University. While working off the farm Robbie and his wife are working to build their own cattle operation so that the next generation can expand to meet their needs.
Tom Watson
DATE: December 12, 2023
ONE THING: Embrace adaptability. Tom emphasized the importance of being open to change and willing to adjust practices in response to evolving challenges and opportunities within the agricultural industry. .
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BIO: TOM WATSON is a 4th generation farmer/rancher on his family farm (homesteaded in 1917 by his great-grandpa) in eastern Platte County. After high school, he obtained a B.S. and M.S. from the University of Wyoming in Civil Engineering and worked as an engineer in Laramie for about 5 years. In 2012, he, along with his wife Joanna and 3 kids, moved back to the family farm because his grandpa was slowing down. He still does some engineering work on the side. Tom grows dryland winter wheat and raises cattle alongside his parents, John and Kathy.
He is the Recording Secretary for the Wyoming Wheat Growers Association. In his spare time, he is active in his church, enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, and hunting when he can.
Garrett Horton
DATE: November 14, 2023
ONE THING: Aggressive patience — embrace a mindset of continuous learning and adaptability. Garrett emphasized the importance of staying informed about emerging technologies, sustainable practices, and market trends.
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BIO: GARRETT HORTON grew up on a farm north of Riverton, WY. Throughout his youth on the farm, a passion for agriculture was cultivated. In college, he pursued a degree in Agribusiness at the University of Wyoming. He recognized the farm he grew up on and loved so much was not large enough to come back to immediately following college.
While he was still searching for a career coming out of school, he fell into an internship with Farm Credit Services of America. He enjoyed working with production agriculture through agricultural lending and pursued that path with Farm Credit Services of America with his first role as an associate in the corporate headquarters in Omaha, NE. After a short stint there he relocated with the company to northwest Wyoming as a Financial Officer where he has remained in that role for going on 14 years now.
Here he met his wife Katie, started his family and purchased his first farm. He now has a family of 3 boys: Jack (5), Connor (2), and Owen (5 months) and farms alongside his partner Armando Rios with the help of his uncle and cousin. Additionally, he and his two brothers run a cow calf herd together headquartered back on the farm he grew up on.
Kerin Clark
DATE: October 10, 2023
ONE THING: Integrate leadership development into your business plan. Kerin emphasized that leadership development is not just an extracurricular activity but a vital component of a successful agricultural operation. .
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BIO: KERIN CLARK oversees public relations and leadership development for the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation as the Media and Member Relations Director. She manages the Federation’s communication and outreach channels including a monthly newspaper, website, social media, public relations, and marketing materials. On the leadership side, Clark is the WyFB Young Farmer & Rancher Coordinator, conducts field service work for 11 county Farm Bureau Federations, and presents leadership workshops.
Her Farm Bureau career began in August 1994 with a WyFB internship through her college years. After graduating in 1998 with an Agricultural Communications degree from the University of Wyoming, Clark joined WyFB full-time as a field staff representative. She was promoted in 2003 to her current position of Media and Member Relations Director.
Clark was born and raised on a centennial cattle ranch north of Laramie, Wyo. During college she was honored to serve as a Wyoming FFA State Officer and as Miss Rodeo Wyoming.
She and her husband, Jake, have two children. Their daughter, Kadra, is a college student and their son, Kyler, is a college student.
James Sedman
DATE: September 12, 2023
ONE THING: Embrace lifelong learning. James emphasized the importance of continuously seeking knowledge and staying informed about advancements in agricultural practices, technologies, and market trends.
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BIO: JAMES SEDMAN is a 4th generation farmer and rancher, residing on the family farm (homesteaded in 1920’s) south of Huntley, Wyoming. After earning a B.A. in Agribusiness and M.S. in Ag Economics from the University of Wyoming, he purchased the farm from his Grandparents in 2003.
Along with his wife, children, and parents, they run a diversified operation including a commercial Angus herd, irrigated farming, haying, and feedlot business. Their cropping mix is primarily focused on providing feed, including alfalfa, corn, sorghum-sudan, oats, rye, irrigated grass, and triticale.
Off the farm, James’ wife LeeAnn is a local junior high/high school Language Arts teacher, and James has worked with John Hewlett on various risk management education projects.
Cindy Garretson Weibel
DATE: May 30, 2023
ONE THING: Engage in advocacy. Cindy emphasized the importance of agricultural producers actively participating in public discourse to share their stories and perspectives.
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BIO: CINDY GARRETSON-WEIBEL as been an advocate for Wyoming agriculture her entire 35-year career. She grew up on a ranch near Saratoga and received her bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications from the University of Wyoming. She has been the Director of Wyoming L.E.A.D., an adult agricultural development program, for 25 years. She has facilitated intense leadership training for over 200 individuals during this time and was named the Outstanding Leadership Director by the International Programs of Agricultural Leadership in 2014.
Cindy served as the agricultural marketing director for the State of Wyoming for 11 years, at which time she led a team that developed value-added forage and livestock programs for agricultural producers in the state. She is a lifetime member of the North American Ag Marketing Officials and served as president of the organization. Cindy represented the state of Wyoming at the National Association of Rural Rehabilitation programs for several years and was a board member for the Wyoming Rural Development Council for over 10 years.
One of her passions is assisting agricultural producers interested in creating income diversification opportunities and she co-led a team that developed a 400-page training manual for agricultural diversification, including a financial resource section. She is currently the Community Navigator Program Coordinator for UW Extension, and is coordinating the development of on-line resource material for rural entrepreneurs.
Cindy has years of non-profit experience and served as the executive director of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association early in her career, where she worked to advance the interests of the livestock industry in Wyoming. In addition, she served as editor of Cow Country magazine for 13 years.
Cindy was a 4-H leader for over 15 years and has been very active in numerous other organizations, including serving on the advisory board for the Sustainable Ag Research and Extension Center (SAREC) in Lingle, Wyoming. She also sits on the board of directors for the Wyoming Women’s Business Center, an organization that operates a microloan program and assists underserved populations with business development needs. She was recently appointed to the Wyoming Farm Service Agency State Committee.
In 2015, Cindy formed her own company, Leading Edge Consulting, where she continues to provide marketing and business development assistance to agricultural producers and small businesses, while continuing to develop leaders in the agricultural industry.
Amanda Winchester
DATE: May 9, 2023
ONE THING: Explore and utilize local meat processing opportunities. Amanda highlighted the growing number of small meat processing facilities in Wyoming and discussed how these can provide valuable avenues for producers to engage in direct and alternative marketing.
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BIO: AMANDA WINCHESTER teaches agriculture and meat science at Central Wyoming College (CWC) in Riverton. She is a native of Lander, Wyoming, and has been involved in meat judging, both individually and as a coach for more than 40 years.
Amanda earned a B.S. in Agribusiness with a minor in Agriculture from Texas A&M Commerce as well as a M.S. from South Dakota State University. Before coming to CWC as an instructor, she owned a business in Lander: Main Street Books and Himark Rentals.
Amanda has an extensive background teaching agriculture as a substitute teacher and livestock and meat judging coach. In addition, she has been a volunteer with 4-H for more than 25 years and is the Fremont County Sheep Superintendent for the fair.
Todd Fornstrom
DATE: May 2, 2023
ONE THING: Get involved to shape the future of agriculture and make a difference through leadership.
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BIO: TODD FORNSTROM is president of the Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation and a 4th generation farmer. He advocates for grassroots leadership and legislative involvement through Farm Bureau. Fornstrom was elected to his first term as WyFB President in November 2016. He served on the American Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors from January 2019 – January 2023.
His involvement in the Farm Bureau Federation began in 1994. While still in college, Fornstrom would attend Farm Bureau meetings with his mother. He graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1997.
Fornstrom has always appreciated the opportunity to make a difference by uniting voices and advocating for farmers and ranchers through the grassroots process of Farm Bureau. Being involved with the Farm Bureau Federation for Fornstrom is about getting back to the basic values of life and being a part of the solution.
Throughout the years, Fornstrom and his wife Laura have held many agricultural leadership roles at the county, district and state levels. They have both served as president of the Laramie County Farm Bureau Federation and they both have held state committee leadership positions; Todd as state chair of the WyFB General Issues Committee and Laura as state vice chair of the WyFB Young Farmer and Rancher (YF&R) Committee. Todd also served as the WyFB Vice President for three years. They are former Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation YF&R Committee members and also WyFB YF&R Achievement Award winners. They are passionate about the need to get involved and make a difference through leadership. In addition to Farm Bureau, Fornstrom has also served as a local school board member.
Todd and his family farm in Laramie County. He and his wife, Laura, have four children. Fornstrom runs Premium Hay Products, an alfalfa pellet mill, and runs a trucking business and custom combining business. Fornstrom also works with his father farming near Pine Bluffs. The diversified farm consists of irrigated corn, wheat, alfalfa, and dry beans.
Keith Kennedy
DATE: March 23, 2023
ONE THING: Seek out mentors and consider becoming a mentor to others. Keith discusses how mentorship can provide valuable insights, guidance, and support, helping individuals navigate the complexities of the agricultural industry.
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BIO: KEITH KENNEDY is owner and manager of Agrimind, which provides executive director services to the Wyoming Ag-Business Association, and the Wyoming Wheat Marketing Commission. Keith also works as a lobbyist for these groups, as well as the Wyoming Crop Improvement Association, the Wyoming Wheat Growers Association, and Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts. Agrimind also delivers risk management education for the USDA’s Risk Management Agency.
Keith grew up on an irrigated/dryland and cow/calf operation near Pierce, Colorado, and operated the family farm from 1980-1996, He is still involved in management of this operation. He purchased an industrial spraying operation in 1995, and operated this business, managing vegetation for utilities, weed and pest districts, and the Wyoming Department of Transportation, until 2005.
Keith, in addition to being a Certified Crop Adviser and credentialed auditor for ResponsibleAg, also holds an Associate of Arts degree in Agriculture from Northeastern Junior College, a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business from the University of Wyoming, and a Master of Agricultural Business from Kansas State University. Keith lives in Laramie, Wyoming with his wife Jeanne. When ‘relaxing’ they keep a large garden, brew beer, and tend to their menagerie.
Brett Crosby
DATE: February 2, 2023
ONE THING: Invest in your education. Brett emphasizes the importance of stepping beyond the familiar environment of one’s own farm or ranch to gain broader knowledge and experience. He suggested that this could involve attending college or trade school, working on a ranch in a different region, traveling, participating in leadership conferences, or becoming an apprentice. The core idea is to get out of your comfort zone to learn new perspectives and skills that can be brought back to enhance your agricultural operations.
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BIO: BRETT CROSBY is a 5th generation rancher from Cowley, Wyoming who grew up on a large ranch, bought part of it, and added to what he bought. Today, he owns and operates a large commercial cattle operation and applies his decades of experience in a variety of ways that benefit other agricultural producers and the cattle industry.
Crosby earned an MBA from Brigham Young University and is a certified rural appraiser. He is co-founder and president of Custom Ag Solutions (CAS), an economic consulting firm specializing in the agricultural sector. Through CAS, he spearheaded the development of BeefBasis.com, which has become an industry leading provider of cattle price forecasting and risk management information.
Crosby has served as a member of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Agricultural Advisory Committee and currently serves as the Region IV director for the United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA). He has appeared several times on CNBC and is frequently interviewed by cattle industry publications and podcasts. Crosby also regularly shares stories about ranch life and cattle industry perspectives on Twitter @mbacowboy
