Fire, water, and USDA rules were some of the most viewed stories on northernag.net in 2024. On top of that, a few human interests stories and court decisions rounded out the list of important agriculture information. Counting down from #10 to #1, we start with a champion…
It’s no surprise to see this story making the Top Ten list in my opinion as 21 year old Jace Thompson made his name known in the auctioneer industry during 2024. Not only did he finish the Livestock Marketing Association’s World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) as the high scoring rookie, Thompson went on to win the International Livestock Auctioneer Championship in Calgary, Alberta later that summer. That win secures Thompson another chance to compete in the WLAC competition this next summer in Omaha, Nebraska.
#9. BOI Rule Again Delayed After Court Reverses Decision and BREAKING: Corporate Transparency Act Reporting Back On After Appeals Court Lifts Injunction
Number nine is a split of the same story that has proved to be a roller coaster of news. Originally, business owners with fewer than 20 employees and gross income of under $5 Million had to report their Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) to the US Department of Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) or face stiff fines or jail time. However, a December 20th decision from a Federal District Court in Texas put that part of the Corporate Transparency Act on hold while a committee reviewed the constitutionality of it’s verbiage. Just three days later, a court of appeals ruling removed the stay order and said business owners still needed to report their information by January 13th or face the same fines and penalties. Fast forward four more days, and the same US Court of Appeals reversed itself, giving businesses a reprieve from filing requirements.
#8. Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame Announces 2024 Class of Inductees
Formed for historical, cultural, literary, and educational purposes, WCHF’s chief goal is “To preserve, promote, perpetuate, publish and document Wyoming’s working cowboy and ranching history through researching, profiling and honoring individuals who broke the first trails and introduced that culture to this state.
#7. MT Farmers Union Floats Forming Co-op to Keep Pyramid Lumber Open
When Pyramid Mountain announced its closure, the bad news rippled through the state. But where others see loss, Montana Farmers Union sees opportunity to support its members and rural communities by helping to form a cooperative and keep the mill open.
#6. Colorado State Issues Report on Possible Lamb Processing Plant Closure
As we all recall, 2024 was a major election year. Not only did we see a complete shift in leadership at the national level following several landslide decisions, but we also saw voters using their votes to stand-up for agriculture in major landslide fashion. One of the biggest victories was a ballot initiative presented to Denver, CO voters that would have banned slaughterhouses in the Denver city limits. That potentially impactful vote was turned down 66% – 34% on election day which came on the heels of a million dollar campaign from the sheep industry that reiterated how bad the ban would have been to the economy.
#5. USDA Finalizes Rule to Require EID Eartags in Cattle Moving Interstate
If you thought the BOI rule earlier had controversy, wait until you read about this story. A disease tracebility rule from the USDA was finalized earlier in 2024 and it led to a lot of discussion at state and national cattle group meetings. The USDA final traceability rule amended a previous 2013 rule that requires sexually intact cattle 18 months of age or older, rodeo and exhibition cattle, and dairy cattle moving interstate to have an official form of animal identification, and went into effect in early November.
#4. Relief Efforts Underway to Support Producers Affected by Wildfires in Wyoming and Montana
Parts of Wyoming and Montana saw one of the worse fire seasons in many years during 2024 as nearly a half million acres of prime livestock grazing land was lost to devasting wildfires. However, as the ag community often does during times of tragedy, news of neighbors helping neighbors quickly spread faster than the flames. Several livestock organizations and countless volunteers and donors answered the call of need in the form supplies and monetary pitch ins. Of course, the recovery is still underway and those who would like to still help out can easily do so through this resource story.
#3. WY Photographer Captures Nearly Identical Shot of Iconic Logo
Coming from my home state of Wyoming, it’s a daily occurrence to see the iconic ‘Steamboat’ bucking horse logo. It’s used on license plates, University of Wyoming paraphernalia and clothing, and tourist trinkets to symbolize the Cowboy State’s historic heritage of rodeo that dates back over a century. However, capturing a nearly identical insignia from a rider and horse has not been witnessed since the original snapshot in the 1920’s. That was until this year at the annual Chugwater Chili Cook-off and Roundup.
#2. Montana Farmers and Ranchers Concerned About DNRC Seizing Private Water Rights
Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting seemed to be a fitting tale in 2024. Okay, it’s not fitting for just this year, however, Montana’s elected officials stood up for farmers and ranchers when they heard government officials may have been overstepping their bounds. Following a proposal from MT Attorney General Austin Knudsen, the DNRC is now required to receive approval from the Land Board before making any legal decisions regarding the water rights of private landowners who utilize their private water on public land they are leasing from the state to irrigate state land or provide water for their cattle.
#1. Fire at National Beef Packing Plant in Kansas
Coming in first for 2024, it was the fire at the National Beef Packing Plant in Liberal, Kansas back in March that caught everyone’s attention. As you may recall, that happened after a truck parked in the loading dock became engulfed in flames and spread to other trailers and a portion of the loading dock. Luckily, the Kansas plant that can process 6,000 head a day was only down a short time and did not have the same market impacts as the 2019 Holcomb Plant Fire.
Thank you from all of us here at Northern Ag Network for trusting us to be your source of agricultural news. We look forward to continuing serving you in 2025 as we celebrate 50 years as a company.
