Janie VanWinkle has been tirelessly advocating for agriculture. From sharing her ranch’s story on social media to her latest endeavor, AgriWest, she has been supporting all aspects of agriculture in western Colorado.
Janie and her husband, Howard, built their operation from 20 cows and 20 sheep while she ran a pizza place and he an automotive repair shop in Grand Junction, CO. Van Winkle Ranch grew to 400 head in 2012, and after balancing town jobs with building a ranch on the side, Janie transitioned to full-time on the ranch in 2015.
Today, the cattle on the ranch are mostly Charolais. The majority of the calves are marketed through online auctions. VanWinkle Ranch has a direct-to-consumer business, as well. They sell primarily ground beef, with a portion of the beef going to local food banks and customers in Mesa County.
“We sell about 50,000 pounds of ground beef and a lot of it goes to our local food bank,” Janie told WLJ. “We also have quite a few families that buy from us. So, all of our market cows and bulls feed people right here in Mesa County.”
Janie recognizes the importance of building relationships and credibility as the Grand Junction area experiences urbanization and a surge in popularity among outdoor recreationists. She understands that in such a dynamic environment, it is crucial to have a network of trust and understanding to navigate any potential issues.
Janie shared the story of then-Gov. John Hickenlooper’s (D) plan in 2016 to have 16 new bike trails created, one of which would run through land the ranch leased from the city of Grand Junction. Through input and discussions between Howard and Janie, outdoor enthusiasts and the community, it was decided to route the trail with the least impact where they graze, and the Palisade Plunge recreational area was created.
Janie said the realization of belonging to the larger community struck her when a cyclist, writing a story for a local lifestyle magazine, visited the ranch, pedaling alongside Janie on horseback.
“He asked, ‘Do you know what we do after a ride like the Palisade Plunge? We go have a burger and a beer,’” Janie said. “It never occurred to me that was a pretty powerful statement, and that made me realize that we all have one thing in common. And that is we eat, we all love the outdoors and we all want it here for the next generation.”
Sharing the ranch story
Janie said her advocacy and sharing her story about agriculture started before her time on social media. In 2013, she received the Woman of Distinction award from the Girl Scouts of Colorado. Winning the award made Janie realize the broader impact she had on the community before she delved into social media in 2015. It was the moment she realized her impact beyond the realm of agriculture.
Janie said it occurred to her that if the industry does not have consumers, then there is no need for producers. “That was sort of a wake-up moment for me in 2013,” Janie said.
Janie and the Van Winkle Ranch gained a substantial social media following when Janie decided to launch a blog after selling the pizza place in 2015. This digital platform has allowed her to share her advocacy for agriculture with a wider audience, raising awareness about the industry and its challenges.
She now has three pages on Facebook: her personal page, See Jane Ranch and VanWinkle Ranch. Janie said she believes in nurturing relationships with consumers and policymakers, and it all goes back to what she heard 30 years ago at a local cattlewomen’s group of telling her story with complete transparency.
“I would tell producers that we have to get out of echo chambers or outside of our realm and let people know we are just like any other business owner,” Janie said.
Newest project
Janie’s newest project, AgriWest Initiative, is a key component of the Economic Recovery Corps. This initiative, funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, is designed to support and promote sustainable agriculture in western Colorado.
Janie said the approach to economic recovery and development differs from past federal government initiatives, emphasizing a bottom-up perspective. This methodology mirrors programs like AmeriCorps, with 65 projects implemented nationwide and four being agriculture related. The other agricultural projects explore aspects like food systems, while AgriWest concentrates on supporting producers and their operations.
Janie said it is a 30-month program with three goals in conjunction with the Grand Junction Business Incubator.
The first goal is focused on jobs and entrepreneurship, particularly within the agricultural sector, emphasizing supporting legacy producers to sustain their businesses and assisting first-generation producers to establish themselves within the food supply chain.
Janie said while the program is in its first three months, two recurring themes emerge: the absence of structured business plans across ag sectors and the need for succession or exit strategies.
The second goal is connecting agriculture sectors, as Janie calls it, “from lavender to livestock.”
Janie said bringing together all agriculture sectors in western Colorado is crucial because they all share common challenges. Janie found a community of small producers, each driven by passion, facing similar hurdles like marketing, distribution and policy issues. By uniting with each other and other sectors, they could wield more influence on critical issues like ag labor and other policies, ensuring their voices are heard.
The third goal revolves around fostering community engagement in agricultural production and garnering local support for addressing policy issues within the industry. It aims to involve local communities in advocating for policies that benefit agricultural practices and initiatives.
“A lot of times, the bike riders don’t like the cows out on the federal lands, but what advantages do the cows bring to the federal lands?” Janie asked. “What advantages do the bikers bring to the landscape? Some of the things that we’ve been talking about to do is looking at doing an ag symposium of some sort, but it wouldn’t just be for agriculture producers, it would also have a component for consumers.”
Janie said they are establishing an AgriWest council, drawing members from various sectors, working to ensure its independence and functionality through securing funding, possibly through grants. This council, led by producers, would serve as a platform for ongoing discussions and collaborative efforts to address the industry’s challenges and seek innovative solutions. — Charles Wallace, WLJ contributing editor
