Dear editor:
We make our living on land that our families have worked for generations here in the Cowboy State.
Every fence line, every water right, every decision about how that land is used carries consequences not just for today but for who gets to ranch here tomorrow.
That is why private property rights are not an abstract political talking point in Wyoming. They are the foundation of our independence, our economy, and our way of life.
In this state, the guarantee that a landowner can develop their property as they see fit has always mattered.
It allows ranchers and farmers to adapt to changing markets, weather cycles, and economic pressures.
It keeps land in working hands rather than carving it up and selling it off when margins get tight.
When decisions about land use remain local and voluntary, people invest for the long haul. When those rights start to erode, uncertainty sets in, and families begin to look for exits rather than futures.
Ranching and agriculture have never been static businesses. Anyone who works the land knows diversification is not a luxury; it is survival.
Some years cattle prices are strong, and other years they are not. Drought, flood, and input costs do not care about tradition. Ranchers have always adapted by doing what the land allows and what the market supports. That is no different today.
For many Wyoming ranching families, responsible energy development has become part of that equation.
Voluntary agreements for energy projects allow ranchers to generate stable income while continuing to run cattle, farm crops, and steward open space.
Those dollars pay taxes, keep equipment running, and help the next generation stay on the land. Energy development doesn’t replace agriculture. It supports it and, in many cases, enables ranches to remain intact rather than be broken up piece by piece.
That matters beyond individual operations. A thriving ranching and agricultural industry is essential to Wyoming’s economy, culture, and landscape.
If ranching fails, those lands do not remain frozen in time. They change hands, losing the character and industries that make Wyoming what it is. Protecting private property rights is one of the strongest tools we have to prevent that outcome.
Wyoming also plays a larger role. This state has powered the nation for decades and continues to do so today. Energy dominance is not about choosing one resource over another. It is about reliability, affordability, and security.
Coal, oil, natural gas, solar, wind, nuclear, and emerging technologies all play a role. When energy decisions are made by American communities on American land, we strengthen national security and reduce dependence on foreign sources.
Ranchers who voluntarily participate in energy development are not undermining Wyoming values. They are exercising them.
Energy should never be a partisan wedge. Keeping the lights on, fueling the economy, and maintaining a secure grid matters to everyone who lives and works here.
Stability and predictability in policy allow both agriculture and energy to plan, invest, and grow. When politics override property rights, everyone loses.
Sincerely,
Rob Hendry and Scott Sims
