Author: Rachel Gabel

Rachel Gabel I believe in private property rights and oppose government overreach. I was raised right. Part of that Reagan-era raisin’ was the Gipper’s famous observation that the nine most terrifying words in the English language are, “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” Which brings me to the Environmental Protection Agency and…

Rachel Gabel Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: we have the safest, most affordable, and most abundant food supply in the world. As this is the case, consumers may vote with their wallets. If you want to pay a premium for eggs from pasture chickens, you may. If you wish to pay a…

Rachel Gabel Colorado Gov. Jared Polis was gifted two opportunities to show his support of the state’s multibillion-dollar agriculture industry and offer an olive branch. He did not. On May 16, the governor joined the Western Slope sponsors to inform them he would be vetoing SB23-256. The bill would have ensured that a 10(j) designation…

Rachel Gabel When Colorado voters approved a proposition to legalize marijuana, the legislature was tasked with penning the fine print to successfully enact the will of the voters. The governor at the time, John Hickenlooper, signed bills to regulate the drug including limits on blood levels when driving, limits on out-of-state resident purchases, taxation, licensing…

Rachel Gabel An industry that began with salted, smoked pork packed into wooden barrels and shipped to the West Indies in exchange for molasses is now a multinational giant that touches the lives of all Americans. Even vegans. When the Industrial Revolution ushered in growing cities and higher demand for meat, cattle ranches in the…

Rachel Gabel Sneaking a major amendment about local control of pesticides into a bill about urinals, lightbulbs and commercial ovens is inappropriate at best. I try not to deal in hyperbole but hear me when I say sneaking a contentious eleventh-hour amendment concerning local control of pesticides into an unrelated bill rather than into the…

Rachel Gabel Ag groups are either gearing up for a new Farm Bill, in the midst of Farm Bill updates and debates, or groping their way through changes from the previous Farm Bill. Welcome to the midst. This omnibus bill is updated about every five years and it’s a beast of a bill that governs…

Rachel Gabel The bill sponsored by Rep. Brianna Titone (D-Arvada) to provide the right to repair agriculture equipment is headed to Gov. Jared Polis’s desk. It was an interesting bill to witness moving through the process, particularly considering the wide range of opinions within the ag community. There’s no doubt I frequently answer my phone…

Rachel Gabel Congress passed the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934, which was named after Rep. Edward Taylor of Colorado and created grazing districts. In these districts, grazing use was apportioned and regulated, and it slowed and helped put an end to the range wars between cattlemen and sheepherders, and remedied overgrazing by guaranteeing land availability.…

Rachel Gabel Spring on ranches and farms around the state, despite a long winter, is filled with potential. There is a new calf crop hitting the ground and fields and pastures are beginning to turn green. On our operation, we’re not only calving, but we’re preparing for our prospect goat sale because it’s hard to…