CWC opens ag facility

Riverton – On Aug. 26, Central Wyoming College (CWC) will cut the ribbon on the new Rustler Ag Equine Complex, an 85,000 square-feet facility which will house the college’s agriculture and equine programs, as well as the livestock judging, rodeo and ranch horse teams.

“We have been building out CWC’s agriculture program and added meat processing, small-scale farming, agriculture entrepreneurship, ranch management and more,” reads a CWC press release.

“We believe the Rustler Complex will be an economic driver for Fremont County and the region, and we are excited to explore all of the ways we can continue to grow business in the agriculture and equine areas, as well as other sectors,” the release continues. 

The grand opening

The public is invited to the complex’s grand opening event, which will take place from 10 a.m. to noon and will feature a ribbon cutting, tours of the new facility, live music, food trucks, giveaways and more. 

Those in attendance will have the chance to explore new classrooms and labs, as well as CWC’s rodeo, ranch horse and livestock judging team exhibitions. 

Families are also encouraged to bring their brands for an opportunity to add them to artwork, which will be displayed in the facility. 

Additionally, the grand opening will take place in conjunction with the Fourth Annual Rendezvous City Beef Round-Up, a celebration in which beef producers across the nation gather to compete for the title of Best Beef in Wyoming and Best Beef in the West. 

The ultimate goal

CWC explains the new ag complex was built to help share generations of knowledge from Wyoming’s farmers, ranchers and other ag personnel.

“CWC’s Rustler Ag and Equine Complex will research and teach the best of traditional practices alongside new livestock production and health methods and technologies,” the college states. “It will explore new techniques in farm-to-table food production, agribusiness and entrepreneurship.” 

By leveraging local resources, CWC says their new ag facility will educate and equip the agriculture workforce, train leaders essential for building a robust agriculture economy in the region, attract regional events to enhance existing agriculture and equine operations and be a catalyst for opportunities within Fremont County’s tourism corridor for local food, culinary agriculture and equine economic development. 

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.