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Hello again! Shelby Sinclair here, and I’m back with more updates from my journey as the 2024 WSGA Marketing and Communications Intern. Week two at the Wyoming Stock Growers Association brought new challenges and opportunities as we geared up for the Wyoming Cattle Industry Convention. Let me walk you through the highlights of my week.

Getting Creative: Designing and Preparing

As the week began, I dove into a series of creative tasks aimed at enhancing the convention experience. I started by designing script covers themed around “Building Partnerships – Challenges & Opportunities.” These covers, used by WSGA staff and officers, were well received for their visual appeal and thematic alignment.

Next, I focused on creating centerpieces for various convention events. Each centerpiece was meticulously crafted to highlight different aspects of the convention. The Cattlemen’s Club centerpiece honored its members with personalized recognition, while the prayer breakfast flyer introduced attendees to the speakers they would hear from during the morning scripture reading. I also worked on the AGPAC raffle centerpiece, ensuring it seamlessly integrated into the event decor.

Additionally, I created the Ranching for Succession flyer in multiple formats, optimizing its visibility on social media platforms

For my latest design project, I focused on creating distinctive flyers for the four keynote speakers scheduled to appear at the convention. Once again, I turned to Canva due to its wide range of templates and design versatility. Each flyer was carefully crafted to capture each keynote speaker’s profession and expertise. By leveraging Canva’s tools, I was able to incorporate elements that vividly represented their respective roles. This approach not only enhanced the visual appeal of the flyers but also ensured they effectively communicated the unique qualities of each speaker.

Assisting with Convention Preparation

My involvement extended beyond design projects, I assisted in preparing essential materials for the convention. This included contributing to the policy book, a critical resource for attendees and participants at convention. Collaborating with Jim Magagna, I ensured that all materials were polished and ready to print.

Adapting to Unexpected Challenges

Mid-week presented unexpected challenges when I had to manage complications from wisdom teeth surgery. Despite being out of the office for recovery, I remained engaged by working from home. This allowed me to finalize edits on centerpieces and create a detailed map of the Wyoming State Fairgrounds. The map would guide convention participants to various venues, ensuring a smooth experience for everyone involved.

Continued Social Media Engagement

Even from home, I remained proactive in maintaining WSGA’s social media presence. I scheduled several posts that I designed on Canva, highlighting key convention events, speakers and updates. This proactive approach ensured that our online audience remained informed and engaged leading up to the event.

Looking Ahead

As I reflect on my second week at WSGA, I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such impactful projects. Each task, whether designing visual materials or coordinating logistical details, has strengthened my skills and deepened my appreciation for the ranching community in Wyoming. Moving forward, I’m eager to see these efforts pay off at the Wyoming Cattle Industry Convention and beyond.

Thank you for joining me on this journey! Stay tuned for more updates and insights as I continue to learn and grow in my role at WSGA

Hello everyone!  Shelby Sinclair here, I’m thrilled to share my experiences as the 2024 WSGA Marketing and Communications Intern. Join me as I take you through an eventful first week at the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, where every day brought new challenges and opportunities to learn and grow.

Getting Started

My journey at WSGA began with a warm welcome from the team and an introduction to the inner workings of the organization. Olivia Sanchez, my supervisor, provided valuable insights into what the summer ahead would entail for me. As I settled into my desk and familiarized myself with the office setup, I dove into exploring the WSGA H & K drives. These drives store an abundance of information—from media assets to event plans—which became my go-to resource for crafting social media content and promotional materials.

Making an Impact Through Communication

A significant part of my role involved refining WSGA’s online presence. I eagerly updated the organization’s website, ensuring all information was current and accurate. This included not only verifying event details but also fine-tuning written content for clarity and consistency. As I navigated through past articles and future event plans, I gathered insights that would shape our strategic communications moving forward. I also was able to add myself to the staff profile where you can learn a little bit more about me as I am a part of the staff team this summer! 

Diving into Design

One of the highlights of my week was working on the E-Bulletin, one of WSGA’s publications. I utilized InDesign and walked through this new program with patience as I transformed raw content into a polished piece ready for distribution. From formatting pre-written articles to fit in InDesign to selecting eye-catching comics, every detail was meticulously crafted to captivate our readers and convey WSGA’s message effectively. 

Preparation for the Wyoming Cattle Industry Convention

Another exciting project involved preparing for the upcoming Wyoming Cattle Industry Convention. I took charge of designing the convention program, a task that required meticulous attention to detail. From organizing schedules to showcasing sponsors, I ensured the program was not only informative but also visually appealing. The process involved collaboration with colleagues and numerous revisions to achieve perfection.

Social Media Strategy and Outreach

In addition to print materials, I focused on enhancing WSGA’s social media presence. I developed a posting schedule and created engaging graphics to promote key events and initiatives. Crafting content that resonated with our audience on platforms like Instagram and Facebook allowed me to blend creativity with strategic communication. I also made my first post on the social medias with a Canva designed graphic to showcase me as the summer intern!

Remote Tasks and Final Touches

Towards the end of the week, I appreciated the flexibility to work remotely. This allowed me to efficiently tackle administrative tasks like folding brochures and preparing event materials from my home in Laramie. Despite the repetitive nature of these tasks, I recognized their importance in ensuring that every detail was handled with care and professionalism.

Looking Ahead

As I reflect on my first week, I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to WSGA’s mission of supporting Wyoming’s ranching community. Each day presented unique challenges that pushed me to expand my skills and perspective. Moving forward, I look forward to furthering WSGA’s outreach efforts, refining our communication strategies, and making a meaningful impact within the agricultural industry.

Thank you for joining me on this journey! Stay tuned as I continue to share updates and insights from behind the scenes at WSGA.

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Hello everyone! My name is Shelby Sinclair, and I am incredibly excited to be serving as the WSGA Marketing and Communications Intern for the summer of 2024. Joining the Wyoming Stock Growers Association feels like stepping into a world where my passion for agriculture and communications collides perfectly, especially as I approach my senior year at the University of Wyoming, where I am pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agriculture communications.

Growing up on a small farm/ranch operation in Northern Fort Collins, Colorado, I developed a deep-rooted passion for agriculture. Our family manages about 50 head of cattle and run our own haying operation, which provided me with hands-on experience and a profound understanding of the challenges and rewards of ranching. My involvement in 4-H and FFA further fueled my interest in livestock and agriculture, allowing me to raise and manage my own Simmental-Angus cow herd from a young age.

I was fortunate enough to win the 2019 Market Steer Show at the Albany County Fair with my steer “Captain”. I traveled with him to the Wyoming State Fair later that summer!

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At the University of Wyoming, I have had the privilege of studying Agriculture Communications, where I have honed my skills in strategic communication, marketing, and advocacy. This internship with WSGA presents a perfect opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills I have acquired in a practical, real-world setting. I am eager to contribute to WSGA’s mission of promoting and protecting Wyoming’s ranching families, advocating for sustainable agricultural practices, and sharing the stories that define the beef industry.

Throughout this internship, I look forward to learning from industry experts, gaining hands-on experience in communications and marketing campaigns, and making meaningful contributions to WSGA’s initiatives. This experience not only aligns with my career aspirations but also allows me to give back to the community that has shaped my passion for agriculture.

I am excited to share this journey with you all and to provide insights into the impactful work being done at WSGA. Thank you for joining me on this exciting adventure!

On October 17, WSGA joined Governor Mark Gordon and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in Washington DC for the signing of the Wyoming Wildlife Habitat Memorandum of Understanding. This MOU, the first of its kind, represents commitment to invest “technical capacity and resources in the conservation, restoration, and management, and long-term stewardship of both public and private lands that support migratory big game. Participation in the pilot project by private landowners is strictly voluntary. Both current practices that support migratory wildlife and new initiatives will be eligible for participation in these funding opportunities.

In his comments on the MOU, Governor Gordon noted the role of stock growers and other landowners in providing habitat for migrating wildlife. Secretary Vilsack emphasized the importance of collaborative, locally-driven initiatives. He expressed his hope that success with the Wyoming initiative will lead to similar programs in other states.

In conversation with the Governor and Secretary, WSGA’s Executive Vice President Jim Magagna urged that federal agencies within USDA be given broader flexibility to work with landowners to accomplish the objectives of the MOU. He added that these initiatives can only be successful if all parties recognize the unique knowledge and understanding of wildlife movements possessed by ranchers and farmer who are on the land every day. WSGA was involved in the development of this MOU and will continue to carefully monitor its implementation.

By Hallie Jette

I also wanted to share about our mountain trip that we had a couple of weeks ago. The week was a little busy as we started to prepare for the trip up the mountain. That week I did a lot of different tasks such as sewing a few more oiler flaps together. I then took one of the face flaps that I had just fixed to the dry cow pasture and swapped it with the face flap that was on that oiler. I also checked to see if the flea beetles were out because they are pretty temperamental when it comes to the weather. It was kind of windy, and very cloudy that week, both of which the bugs don’t like. I was surprised to find some beetles were out. Terri had received a notification from the water storage tank that the water level was dropping at a rapid pace. The Kane’s have this really cool monitor in their storage tanks they use to track the levels of water throughout the ranch. Therefore, I was sent on a mission to find where the leak was coming from. Of course, the last place I checked was where the leak was. The collar that connected the heavy duty plastic (HDP) and PVC pipe together had broken, and this happened to be buried more than 5 feet underground. Once David and Terri got back, we went out to the leak and fixed it, this time with a coupler instead of a collar.

The rest of that week we gathered the cows that were going to head up the mountain and gave them Ivermectin. While gathering them, we pushed them through what we call the gun barrel, which is this giant culvert that you can ride a horse through and it goes under the interstate. After spraying the flies off, we sorted the calves off and vaccinated the calves. While the rest of the team went up the mountain to summer the cows, I collected and released flea beetles and checked the water tanks. Overall, the prep and mountain trip was a success and we will move the cows back down in October!

David, Jake, and Nate are about to enter the gun barrel. 

By Hallie Jette

It has been a while since my last post, but I wanted to jump back and touch on the Environmental Stewardship Day that was held in Elk Mountain at the Johnson Ranch. I really enjoyed touring the Johnson Ranch, and getting a little insight into how they operate their ranch. In my last post, I talked about the Leafy Spurge Beetles I collect and distribute in order to control the invasive species, so to learn of other ranches stewardship practices was intriguing. 

One phrase I heard a lot at convention was “We need to tell our stories.” I think it is important to hear the stories of fellow ranchers. Every family has a unique story as to how they got started in the agriculture industry. Environmental Stewardship Day is a great way to share that story and express the large efforts ranchers put towards conservation and stewardship of our resources to the public.  Every ranch operates differently. Each ranch adopts their own  practices to preserve and improve the land. Farmers and ranchers have to be very cognizant of how they are managing their land. Such as soil health, grazing rotations, grazing intensity, and water utilization are very important to farming and ranching operations. Not paying attention to these aspects can negatively impact the production of a farm or ranch. Nutrient levels in the soil are important to pay attention to allow your crops and native vegetation to thrive. Over grazed pastures aren’t nearly as productive in future years. Installing pipelines and water tanks on the tops of ridges around pastures can improve the grazing utilization of that pasture as the water will draw cows up to places they wouldn’t normally graze. This is something the Kane’s have done, and it has worked quite well for them, allowing them to better utilize their land. I have really enjoyed learning about David’s usage of pipelines to draw his cows to different parts of his pastures.  Having the opportunity to learn and compare within this tour was a great educational experience and honored a key factor ranchers put lots of effort into. I want to urge anyone that knows of an applicant for this award to nominate them!

By Hallie Jette

This past week seemed kind of laid back which was a nice change of pace. Monday was kind of stormy so we unloaded the backhoe to use the trailer it was on to get the loaner tractor. We then gathered the cows in the Fred Cook pasture and moved them down to the end of the county road. One of our tractors is in the shop, so we ran to town to get the loaner tractor from C&K Equipment that afternoon. David, Terri, Jake, and I all ran to town in the afternoon. Terri had to return some unused vaccines to the vet, get the semi so we could haul cows out to Nate’s the next day, and pick up the truck that was in the shop. Terri and I then drove the pickup that was in the shop out to Nate’s.
Tuesday, we got our horses and a couple of trailers and headed up to the end of the county road where we left the cows the day before, we then sorted and loaded them. While David, Jake, and Patrick hauled the cows and calves to Nate’s, I weed ate around the pastures.

I started my day off Wednesday by spraying curly dock in the horse pasture. Once I was done with that, I helped connect the bailer to the tractor. That afternoon, I learned how to collect leafy spurge flea beetles, which the Kane’s use to control their leafy spurge. Once my flea beetle collection training was done, I went and collected flea beetles and started releasing the beetles in patches of spurge that didn’t have any bugs in them.

Thursday, we put the retriever’s arm on the retriever. After we were done with that, I went and collected more flea beetles and continued to release them up the creek. That night, we fixed a water tank in the O-A pasture.

Friday morning, I went up to check that water tank we fixed the night before. When I got to the water tank, I found the float had been broken off at the cement at the bottom of the tank. We ended up having to chip some of the cement out to fix the float. Once that was fixed, we took the bailer off the tractor and put it on the Agco tractor. In the afternoon, I went and checked our cement patch, which luckily held. Then I swept the shop floor. Finally, Saturday I sewed the rips on some of the face flaps that hang from the oilers and that was my week!

By Hallie Jette

This week was a long busy week. We started the week off by gathering all the bulls in the bull pasture and trailing them to the main house. We put them in one section of the corrals and the other half in the alleyway to eventually run them all through the chute to give them a booster vaccine and spray them with an insecticide to keep the flies off. Once they were run through, we sorted them up into two different pens depending on what pasture David wanted them in. From there, we loaded the bulls into trailers and drove them to the pastures. We then scattered them a little by trailing a few of them to different areas where cows were. We also got the 13 bulls out of the heifers and put them back in the bull pasture. It never fails, also had to fix a section of fence in that pasture. While putting those bulls in I checked on the two bulls we had put in the bull pasture earlier, and moved them into a different pasture. One bull that we had put out the day before was lame, so a replacement bull was put in.
Tuesday was a bit of a long day. We gathered 78 pairs and four bulls that were in the Zimmerman and trailed them up to the end of the road. Patrick and I held the cows there while Nate, Jake, David, John, and Aiden went and gathered the School Section. Once all the cows were gathered, we held them at the end of the road to pair up while we ate lunch. After lunch, we trailed them to the Doyle Horse Pasture where they will graze for the next few weeks.
Wednesday and Thursday were spent fixing the fence. The pasture we were fixing fence in was once part of a sheep ranch. The bottom portion of the fence is rusted sheep wire that was kind of a pain to fix.
Friday I spent the day spraying Whitetop again. I was able to finish spraying along the creek and whatever David hadn’t sprayed while Jake and I were fencing the days prior. Saturday was spent doing some shop work in preparation for haying. David and I moved the two bail feeder and pasture drag trailers. We then pulled the retriever out and took the feeder off of it. Overall, it was a busy week of work.

By Hallie Jette

Monday was a rainy day, so we did a lot of work in the shop. The oil needed to be changed in one of the tractors, so I got to learn how to do it. While we were waiting for the oil to drain, we took the fenders off the steer axle as well. We tried to beat the rain because there were a few things that had to get done outside, like bringing a cow-calf pair in. The cow needed her feet to be trimmed due to an abscess that blew out and her toes began to cross from overgrowth. Of course, it didn’t start pouring until we got out to the pair. After we got her feet trimmed, we took the tractor to the water house to wash it. When we got back, I was tasked with cleaning the windows, both inside and out.
Tuesday was also kind of rainy in the morning. When I got to the main house, Terri showed Jake, the ranch hand, and me how to use AgriWebb. AgriWebb is software the Kane’s use for ranch management. Then David took Jake and me around the two pastures that we were going to fence. When we got back to the house, I changed the oil in one of the pickups and learned how to change the power take-off (PTO) shaft from 1000 to 540 on the tractor.
The rest of the week we fenced and worked around E-U and overall has been a great week of learning.