Rachel Spencer Gabel

Colorado

Reporter & Assistant Editor at The Fence Post

Agriculture Columnist at Colorado Politics

Articles

Sonnenberg tapped to lead Colorado FSA

6 days ago | thefencepost.com | Rachel Spencer Gabel

USDA has announced the appointments of state level Farm Service Agency directors and Rural Development state directors. Logan County rancher Jerry Sonnenberg has been appointed as state executive director of Colorado FSA and said he has several priorities right off the starting line.
Colorado Brand Division faces $2.8M deficit, proposes fee increases, budget cuts

1 week ago | thefencepost.com | Rachel Spencer Gabel

Colorado Brand Commissioner Todd Inglee announced May 7 the intention of the Colorado State Board of Stock Inspection Commissioners to make changes to the fees charged to resolve a budget shortfall, projected to deplete the cash fund by September 2025. “We need to do something, and by the end of this fiscal year, if we don’t do anything, we’ll have a deficit of $2.8 million,” Inglee said.
COLUMN: Federal theft of government property charges dismissed

1 week ago | gazette.com | Rachel Spencer Gabel

When it comes to criminal cases, only 5% end in dismissals, making the dismissal of federal theft of government property charges against Charles and Heather Maude all the more incredible. The Maudes are a young ranching family from Caputa, S.D., and the two were indicted separately about a year ago, forcing them to each retain an attorney to avoid the real possibility of prison time and $500,000 in fines.
Government does right by ranchers - really | GABEL

1 week ago | coloradopolitics.com | Rachel Spencer Gabel

When it comes to criminal cases, only 5% end in dismissals, making the dismissal of federal theft of government property charges against Charles and Heather Maude all the more incredible. The Maudes are a young ranching family from Caputa, South Dakota, and the two were indicted separately about a year ago, forcing them to each retain an attorney to avoid the real possibility of prison time and $500,000 in fines.
Breaking the silence: First interview with Maude family since indictment over alleged theft of federal property

2 weeks ago | thefencepost.com | Rachel Spencer Gabel

The morning following the announcement that criminal charges for theft of federal property were dismissed, Charles and Heather Maude said they’re ready to return home to South Dakota.
Government drops criminal charges against Maudes in SD land dispute

2 weeks ago | thefencepost.com | Rachel Spencer Gabel |Carrie Stadheim

Ranchers and their elected representatives have won a major battle. The federal government dropped criminal charges against Charles and Heather Maude of Caputa, S.D.Ben Patterson, assistant U.S. attorney for the Federal District Court in the Western Division of South Dakota signed a motion to dismiss the indictment against Charles Maude and Heather Maude, dated April 28.
COLUMN: Data explores cattle grazing with wolves

2 weeks ago | gazette.com | Rachel Spencer Gabel

Carnivores, cortisol, and crap seem a fitting starting point when seeking to quantify the financial losses to livestock producers by wolves. A Wyoming-based outdoorsman recently compared placing wolves in Colorado to placing a trout in a bathtub, an analogy I just can’t get out of my mind. The same analogy could be used in California, and that is the site of a study that seeks to quantify the indirect losses to livestock producers due to wolf presence.
What cortisol and crap tell us about cattle and wolf reintroduction | GABEL

2 weeks ago | coloradopolitics.com | Rachel Spencer Gabel

Carnivores, cortisol and crap seem a fitting starting point when seeking to quantify the financial losses to livestock producers by wolves. A Wyoming-based outdoorsman recently compared placing wolves in Colorado to placing a trout in a bathtub, an analogy I just can’t get out of my mind. The same analogy could be used in California, the site of a study that seeks to quantify the indirect losses to livestock producers due to wolf presence.
Yuma County’s Wagon Wheel Ranch selected for 2025 Colorado Leopold Conservation Award

2 weeks ago | thefencepost.com | Rachel Spencer Gabel

Wagon Wheel Ranch of Yuma has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Colorado Leopold Conservation Award. The Kenny and Jody Rogers family are cattle ranchers and owners of Wagon Wheel Ranch in Yuma and Washington counties. They will be presented with the award in June at the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association’s Annual Convention. They receive $10,000 for being selected. Among the many outstanding landowners nominated for the award were finalist Camblin Livestock of Maybell in Moffat County.
Study quantifies high value of indirect losses to livestock producers by wolves

3 weeks ago | thefencepost.com | Rachel Spencer Gabel

A team of interdisciplinary researchers at University of California, Davis have used research to quantify the cost of wolves shouldered by ranchers.