WESTI Ag Days Scheduled Feb. 15

Fifteen sessions on various agricultural topics and a trade show fill the schedule at  the University of Wyoming Extension’s Strategically and Technologically Informative (WESTI) Ag Days Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 15-16, in Worland.

The event takes place both days at the Worland Community Center at 1200 Culbertson Ave.

“WESTI Ag Days has been an event in Washakie County for over 30 years. We work to bring in speakers on relevant topics and provide a time to gather and share ideas, and a hot meal,” says Caitlin Youngquist, a UW Extension educator in Washakie County. “There is no cost to attend, thanks to all of our generous local and regional sponsors.”

The Western Sustainability Exchange and Darla Tyler-McSherry will give the keynote speeches Feb. 15. The former will present “Carbon Markets in Agriculture” at 9 a.m. The discussion will center on how the soil carbon cycle works; what can be done to improve soil health; and the current status of carbon markets and what they have to offer farmers and ranchers.

Tyler-McSherry will present “Ask in Earnest: Candid and Compassionate Conversations About Suicide in the Farm and Ranch Community” at 11 a.m. She grew up on a Montana farm, and her father took his own life on that same farm at the age of 82. She is committed to supporting other rural families and helping them prevent a similar tragedy in their own communities.     

Tuesday session topics include livestock health and disease updates; forage trials and cover crops; grazing management and carbon storage; alternative crop nutrient sources; and reducing field operations and costs.

Wednesday’s sessions include livestock market updates; calculating the cost of machinery services; genetic selection tools and expected progeny differences in beef cattle; tax depreciation in agriculture explained; and Wyoming grains.

A trade show will take place from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 15 and 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 16.

Morning pastries and lunch will be provided each day by the Washakie County Cowbelles.

A schedule is available online at https://uwyoextension.org/washakiecounty/aghort/. To register or for more information, call Youngquist at (307) 347-3431 or email cyoungqu@uwyo.edu.