Wyoming celebrates 100 years of Agriculture

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - On Wednesday, Governor Mark Gordon signed a proclamation celebrating a century of stabilizing agriculture producers and consumers while looking towards the future.

”It is the super structure on which everything else works. Its what’s always been here, its what’s always held us together, its what knits us,” said Governor Mark Gordon.

Gordon says that agriculture is the skeleton of Wyoming, and he helped the Wyoming Department of Agriculture celebrate its 100th anniversary.

”To have that tradition to carry on for 100 years through all of the things that we have seen is a remarkable achievement,” said Gordon.

”What were celebrating today is the dedication of all of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture’s staff members that have come before us. There have been 18 directors prior to me, and all of us have been dedicated to carrying on this dual mission,” said Doug Miyamoto, Director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture.

This mission means the organization has helped ensure all producers and consumers have a level playing field, and our state’s third largest revenue source has advocates representing them in agriculture policies.

When asked about the biggest obstacles Wyoming agriculture face, experts said Wyoming itself and that our AG. folks need to be hardy.

”Our producers have to be tougher than average just to be able to be able to compete. And they have been able to do that year after year for centuries now. That’s something that were very proud of, and were happy to try and support them in any way that we can,” said Miyamoto.

The department also works with other industry organizations, like livestock and grain producers, the governor, and the legislature, to help create supportive “safety net” policies.

”A lot of our programs are built around trying to help the bottom line for AG producers in Wyoming because we understand that food security is national security,” said Miyamoto.

When looking at the future, authorities say it seems technical.

”There are a lot of technologies that are coming down the line that I think can give an advantage to Wyoming producers that they haven’t had before. There’s a lot of precision agriculture technologies that are coming online now that I think are going to negate some of the challenges that I talked about earlier,” said Miyamoto.

”Wyoming has research that was done at the university of wyoming for “plenty” is going to be able to deliver local produce year round in a controlled climate. All of these things mean that wyoming is at the tip of the point of technology in the future and really grasping on seizing that day,” said Gordon.

On this day, Wyoming celebrates its future by acknowledging its past.

”What were celebrating is the identity of the state of wyoming being so closely tied to agriculture; its inherent in our culture and heritage here in Wyoming,” said Miyamoto.

Governor Mark Gordon signing commemorates this day, and they all hope for 100 more.

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