Ep. 130 - Making Ag Policy Understandable with Tori Teegarden

Agriculture policy can feel like one of those topics people know they should understand, but quietly avoid.

It sounds complicated. It sounds political. It sounds like something happening far away in Washington, D.C., instead of something connected to the everyday work of ranchers, farmers, rodeo families, landowners, and western communities.

But as Tori Teegarden explains in this episode of That Western Life, agriculture policy is not distant at all.

It affects grazing permits, public lands, water, private property rights, meat processing, food safety, conservation programs, farm and ranch succession, USDA programs, tax policy, and the future of food production in the United States.

In other words, if you care about agriculture, ranching, rodeo, rural communities, or the western way of life, policy already affects you.

Tori Teegarden is an agriculture policy advisor in the office of U.S. Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming. Her work includes agriculture, natural resources, federal lands, ranching, and the issues facing producers across the West. But what makes this conversation especially valuable is that Tori does not approach policy as an abstract government topic. She comes to it with a background in ranching, rodeo, animal science, meat science, and food safety.

Her family has deep ranching ties in Wyoming and Colorado, and her grandmother was Miss Rodeo Wyoming. During COVID-19, Tori worked on the harvest floor of a beef plant, where she saw firsthand how federal regulation affects the food supply chain. That experience helped shape the way she understands policy today: not as paperwork, but as something with real consequences for producers, workers, animals, businesses, and consumers.

One of the strongest themes of the conversation is the difference between policy and politics.

Politics can feel divisive, loud, and exhausting. Policy is the structure underneath daily life. It determines how programs operate, how agencies function, how land and water are managed, and how producers interact with government systems. Tori makes the point that people can avoid political fights while still becoming more informed about the policies that affect their land, livestock, business, and community.

Katie and Tori also talk about how agriculture and natural resource policy are often more bipartisan than people realize. In D.C., the headlines may make it seem like no one works together, but Tori explains that ag and natural resource work often requires practical collaboration. Ranchers, farmers, conservationists, staffers, agencies, and elected officials may not agree on everything, but many are working toward the same larger goals: healthy land, productive agriculture, food security, and strong rural communities.

That is where one of Tori's most powerful points comes in:

Ranchers are the original conservationists.

Ranchers work with land, grass, livestock, water, weather, wildlife, invasive species, and long-term resource health every day. Their livelihood depends on caring for the land. That does not mean every public lands or conservation conversation is simple, but it does mean ranchers belong in those conversations.

For everyday people wondering how to get involved, Tori's advice is direct: start local.

That might mean talking to county commissioners, reaching out to your Extension office, joining a Farm Bureau or cattlemen's association, attending county or state meetings, or calling your elected officials. Tori emphasizes that staffers are real people, and many of them genuinely want to hear from constituents who are dealing with these issues on the ground.

But when you do reach out, be clear. Explain what happened, where it happened, who is affected, what outcome is needed, and whether you have photos, data, or real-life examples that can help explain the issue. A personal story shows impact. A statistic shows scale. A photo can make a problem easier to understand.

The episode also breaks down the Farm Bill in a way that is accessible for listeners who have heard the term but may not fully understand it. Tori explains that the Farm Bill is a large, comprehensive agriculture bill that affects far more than farms. It includes conservation, nutrition, rural development, livestock programs, research, food systems, and more. For western audiences, understanding the Farm Bill matters because it influences many of the programs and policies that shape agriculture, ranching, and rural economies.

Katie and Tori also discuss the next generation of western leaders. Tori is clear that young people need to get involved earlier. The average age of American farmers and ranchers continues to rise, and younger producers cannot afford to sit out of conversations that will affect their future operations, families, and communities.

Her advice is simple: get involved, use the tools available, and keep an open mind.

Technology makes it easier than ever to email representatives, follow Extension updates, read policy summaries, track legislation, and connect with organizations that are already working on these issues. The western industry does not need to abandon tradition, but it does need leaders willing to adapt, ask questions, and understand how policy shapes the future.

When asked what she would change in rodeo, Tori gives an answer that fits the entire episode: she wants a PRCA rodeo in Washington, D.C.

After seeing rodeo-style demonstrations on the National Mall, she believes there is real opportunity to introduce more people to rodeo, livestock, western history, agriculture, and rural culture. Rodeo is more than entertainment. It can be a gateway into larger conversations about land, food, animals, and the western way of life.

Tori closes the episode with a quote she grew up hearing from her dad, often attributed to Albert Einstein:

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

For agriculture and the western industry, that message is timely. If ranchers, producers, and rural leaders want different outcomes, they have to be willing to engage differently.

They have to ask questions. They have to build relationships. They have to speak up before there is a crisis. And they have to understand the systems shaping the land, food, water, and communities they care about.

This episode makes agriculture policy feel less intimidating and more usable. More importantly, it makes the case that the people closest to the land need to be part of the conversations shaping its future.

Listen to this episode of That Western Life with Katie Schrock and Tori Teegarden for an approachable conversation about agriculture policy, ranching, public lands, the Farm Bill, food production, rodeo, and how everyday people in the western industry can get involved.

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