Jim Yahn : Manager, North Sterling Irrigation District

When it comes to diminishing water supplies, Jim Yahn knows what he is talking about, especially related to working
with an over-appropriated system, well curtailment, and the impact on a community when wells are shut off. The similarity to circumstances in the San Luis Valley makes what Yahn has to say highly relevant.

Jim Yahn is the manager of the North Sterling and Prewitt Reservoirs, a position that he has held for over 29 years. He is responsible for overseeing the diversion and distribution of water to over 350 farmers. Together the reservoirs are a source of irrigation water for approximately 70,000 acres.

Yahn was appointed by the Governor to the Colorado Water Conservation Board to serve as the South Platte Director in 2016 where he served for five years, including one year as chairperson. Jim has also been a member of the South Platte Basin Roundtable since its inception in 2005, serving as chair from 2009 – 2012. He currently serves as the roundtable’s representative to the Interbasin Compact Committee

Jim is a registered professional engineer, receiving his B.S. in Agricultural Engineering from Colorado State University. Prior to his employment with the North Sterling and Prewitt he worked as a private consulting engineer in Fort Collins for 5 years. He is a native of Colorado growing up on a family ranch, which used water from the North Sterling Reservoir System.

Jim Yahn is our Keynote Speaker, presenting on Wednesday at 1:30pm

Chef Jason K. Morse, CEC : Owner of 5280 Culinary, National Spokesperson / BBQ Expert – Ace Hardware Corporation

Chef Jason has spent a lifetime behind the grills and smokers and is now able to interact with consumers daily to help them cook better with some of the best grilling and smoking tools on the market. As the Ace Hardware National Spokesperson and BBQ Expert, Chef Jason is proud to call Ace his culinary home.  Chef Jason helps make grilling fun, tasty and makes it easy to create bbq magic in your own backyard.

Jason is a Certified Executive Chef and member of the American Culinary Federation. Jason has been featured on the Food Network, National and Local Media segments, was a morning show chef for a Denver Radio station and currently produces the Colorado Department of Agriculture monthly recipes for local Colorado media.

Jason has been published in the Colorado Classique Junior League of Denver Cookbook, and various local publications. Chef works with many Colorado Agricultural groups like, Colorado Farm Bureau, Colorado Beef Council, Colorado Pork Producers, Colorado Potatoes, Colorado Wool Growers Association and the Colorado Department of Agriculture.

Jason works with and supports groups like the Ace Foundation, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and The Colorado FFA Foundation.

Chef Jason attended Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, SC and graduated Summa cum laude and was honored with the Apprenti Cuisinier award for Classic French pastry, among other prestigious culinary honors.

Chef Jason Morse is presenting a potato cooking demonstration on Tuesday for Social Hour at 5pm

Dan Waldvogle : Director of External Affairs for Rocky Mountain Farmers Union

Learn the new regulations affecting Ag Labor some including; hand weeding, overtime provisions, shade and water restrictions, access to service providers and arbitration process.

For more information about Ag Labor laws, please visit these websites:

• https://legiscan.com/CO/bill/SB087/2021
• https://www.rmfu.org/what-we-do/legislation/8271-2/

Dan Waldvogle is the Director of External Affairs at the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union where we represent family farming and ranching operations and rural communities across New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming. Dan has a ranching background and has also worked in land access and succession programming to ensure the stewardship of our working lands.

Tanner Ehmke : CoBank Lead Economist, Dairy and Specialty Crops

In Tanner’s session, he will help producers find economical ways to farm in these current conditions and economy.

Tanner Ehmke is lead economist for dairy and specialty crops in CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange research division, where his focus is on providing market and industry research for the dairy and specialty crops sectors. Prior to joining CoBank in 2015, he marketed seed for his family’s seed company in western Kansas, where his family has farmed since 1885.

Jeff Tranel : CSU Regional Extension Specialist – Agricultural & Business Management Economist

Jeff will lead farm succession planning sessions on both days to help new and old generations navigate transitioning farm ownership.

Jeff’s Professional Expertise:

• Estate Planning and Succession Planning
• Facilitating Family Communications
• Management of Federal Income Taxes
• Business Organizational Structures
• Financial Analysis – Enterprise Budgeting and Feasibility Analysis
• Human Resources Management

Hear from CSU Research Farm and Extension on what research is being conducted and new staff in the valley. Meet our new pathologist and plant breeder at the research farm.  Hear research from CSU campus faculty. (Many topics covered)

Gabriella Coughlin and Annie Overlin will both be presenting on Soil Health topics for crops and livestock.  Understand how to incorporate soil health practices into your operation.

We will have a slate of livestock producers discussing nutrition, calving, vaccine protocols, and an entire panel on meat goat production. Featured speakers: Micheal Fisher CSU Extention, Tim Holt CSU Vet, Alpine Vet Clinic, Meat Goat Panel: Kendra Carpenter, Remington & Kendra Durre, and Jordan Neeley

Come to the conference for Thursday’s hard hitting conversation about all things water in the SLV.  We will discuss the current state of our aquifer, climate and snowpack.  Presentations will include Hard Truths about Groundwater, Anatomy of an Augmentation Plan, and intro to Master Irrigators course

Come see exciting hands-on demos such as a Bubbler Package on Pivot Irrigation, How to set up your Combine for grain harvest, and Powder River Livestock Handling Equipment

Join is at this year’s Southern Rocky Mountain Ag Conference.

Discuss the latest on potato research, profitability and seeds. Engage in breakout conversations on grazing, family farm estate planning, cattle nutrition, soil health and irrigation. Dive into the current water and drought conditions in the Valley, be part of equipment demonstrations and much more. Hear from CSU Extension specialists, researchers from the CSU San Luis Valley Research Center, and experts from across the region.