Janie VanWinkle, ‘93
Education and ranching go hand-in-hand for Janie VanWinkle, who intertwines her academic background and beef production knowledge to advocate for her community in the food production industry.
Alongside her husband, Howard, VanWinkle owns and manages VanWinkle Ranch, a bustling operation with 550 head of cattle grazing in Mesa County. Aside from daily operations of running equipment, bookkeeping and working the herd, VanWinkle serves on multiple local agriculture boards. Utilizing a monthly column and social media channels, she tirelessly educates others about current food production challenges.
With misinformation and misconceptions circulating about the industry, VanWinkle is a passionate advocate for fellow industry members sharing updates about food security challenges and how responsible land and livestock stewardship is a core practice of business.
“Only two percent of the population is involved in food production for the other 98 percent,” VanWinkle said. “It is critical our local and regional communities understand and reach out to us before making any policy decisions that would impact producers.”
VanWinkle has been a longtime educator, utilizing skills she gained from communications classes at CMU to discuss and connect with others about food production topics. She took courses at CMU in the late 1980s and early 1990s to renew her teaching license and enjoyed getting to know the other non-traditional students in her teaching courses.
Reflecting on her time at CMU, Vanwinkle attributed the best part of her experience to the relationships she built. Those connections have helped her to become a voice and bridge between producers, policymakers, neighbors and peers.
“My experience at CMU helped me understand the local community and the changes that have occurred over the years,” she said.
In March of 2024, Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce awarded VanWinkle with the Citizen of the Year Award and VanWinkle Ranch with Small Business of the Year, for its agriculture advocacy and community engagement driven by VanWinkle and her family ranch.
“It’s truly a recognition of all the food producers in our area and the work we and they do on the landscapes while improving the health of the land and livestock in our care,” VanWinkle said.