A New Year
Like it or not, we’re in a new year. I’ve realized that as one gets older, the years come quicker. I’ve always heard that saying, but now I know it is true. Just remember one is young at any age if they plan for tomorrow.
I’ve been looking forward to this new year as it means we are in the last year of our current President’s administration and its policies against the western states. Enough said.
We’re all waiting for the announcement of the policies governing the sage grouse. How they are interpreted in the district and area offices of the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service offices will tell us what kind of year public lands ranchers will have in 2016 and beyond. You know, if they would just leave Wyoming alone, this state would have all the sage grouse they wanted. We were the first to have a sage grouse plan in the West, and we assisted other western states in developing their plans. As I’ve said before, Wyoming had a huge part in the sage grouse not being listed. We had to bite the bullet with the core areas, but I do think it saved us. Wyoming proved the old saying true, “How you spend your time is more important than how you spend your money. Money mistakes can be corrected, but time is gone forever.”
Some pessimists will say the best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time. We’ve also heard that an optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in and the pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.
Managing our resources for the future is the key for agriculture, not only in Wyoming but across the whole country, both on private and federal lands. The trouble we get into is that we are becoming more concerned with the enforcement of laws instead of the purpose for which the laws are intended. Those in agriculture always have to manage for the future, and no matter how good it gets, we always hope things get better, with more rain, higher prices, better horses and good health for ourselves, our families and others. That’s just the way it is.
2015 was a pretty good year for most in agriculture. There were some painful days for some, but we hope they will get better. Some days are just better than others.
We put our trust in God that the future will be good. All we have seen teaches us to trust the Creator for all we have not seen. Enough ramblings for 2015. 2016 will be a better year, and we can’t wait.
To start off the new year on a positive note, we have added a new service for our subscribers. Every Monday, we will be sending out a weekly e-mail newsletter. The new e-newsletter will include a brief summary of everything in the latest Roundup, along with timely announcements and a list of the upcoming sales. If you are interested in receiving this e-newsletter, e-mail Saige at roundup@wylr.net, and she will add you to the list.
From all of us at the Roundup, we wish the best for you, your families and your businesses in 2016.
