Ag & Natural Resources Committee Cultivates Connections for Sheridan County’s Agriculture and Natural Resources

According to Sheridan County’s comprehensive plan, agriculture is the single largest land use in Sheridan County, encompassing nearly 989,000 acres and over 62% of the county. Roughly 577,000 acres, or just under 36% of the county, are public lands under local, state and federal authority.

Thus, agriculture, natural resources, public lands and the many ways they impact and intersect with each other are of crucial importance to Sheridan County. That’s where the Chamber’s Ag & Natural Resources Committee comes in – leading the way with conversations, educational events and support for some of Sheridan County’s key resources and industries.

The mission of the Ag & Natural Resources Committee is “to promote and support agriculture, natural resources, and public lands in our community.” They do this through monthly meetings as well as a variety of community events throughout the year.

The committee just wrapped up its largest fundraising event of the year, selling beverages at the 4-H/FFA Buyers’ Dinner at the Sheridan County Fair. This sale provides funds for the committee’s educational events held throughout the year and allows the committee to come alongside local youth and support their hard work raising livestock throughout the year.

Funds raised at the Buyers’ Dinner help the committee put on events like April’s “So You Want to Be A Food Producer?” event. The free event featured a panel discussion with local producers, and over 30 community members came to listen, ask questions and connect with other producers from across Sheridan County. The committee’s staff liaison Kimberly Jacobson said the group is considering hosting the event again in the future and is also interested in hosting an event connecting local producers with retailers and restaurants interested in buying and selling their products.

The committee meets on the third Tuesday of the month at noon. The group normally meets at the Chamber offices but will occasionally take field trips to areas of interest, such as a recent visit to the Acme Power Plant. Conversations revolve around agriculture, natural resources, public lands and how those topics impact each other. In the past, the committee has held Lunchtime Conversations About Open Spaces events, which provided a forum for community discussion about agriculture, public lands and natural resources.

Get involved today!

The Ag and Natural Resource Committee is currently led by Chair Austin Reutzel, Vice Chair Kimber Solberg and Secretary Carrie Rogaczewski. They are always looking for new members to become part of the conversation.

The Ag and Natural Resources Committee, like all Chamber committees, is open to all Chamber members and their employees. There are multiple benefits to joining a Chamber committee including:

· Becoming more involved in the community and growing your personal network

· Providing feedback on community issues and programs the Chamber is involved in

· Developing leadership skills

If you are interested in joining a Chamber committee, reach out to the Chamber at (307) 672-2485, and we can help connect you to a committee that best suits your experience and interests.