All roads lead to Colorado. Cattle producer Terry Fankhauser is a Kansas native but moved to Colorado about 11 years ago. He comes from a multi-generation ranch, but it was only big enough for the family that was there so Fankhauser said his dad had the foresite to tell him to go find something else. And that he did in Colorado – another ranch.

Like his counter part in Idaho, Charles Lyons, Colorado is a public lands state so that means they graze their cattle on a lot of public land. During the Cattle Industry Summer Conference, Fankhauser said he was glad to see that the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) grouped up a lot of the private property, environment and federal lands committee discussions to really talk about endangered species issues, property ownership, leasing, and environmental challenges. In addition, the organization discussed in detail how these elements mix among land uses and production types.

“There’s a few good policies in there but it was more about the conversation on how we can bring our membership closer together and work across industry segments more effectively on those types of policies,” said Fankhauser.

So what does he believe to be one of the greatest challenges facing his business? Like so many others, he feels current regulations have over-reached.

“The biggest challenges we’re seeing are the current environmental regulations that are coming out of the administration that we believe are misguided,” said Fankhauser. “We think that agriculture is part of the solution, not part of the problem and I know we have the data, and the information and the talent to back that up.”

Listen to my interview with Terry Fankhauser:Roads Lead to Colorado

Photos from the conference are posted to this photo album: 2011 Cattle Industry Summer Conference Photo Album.