CATTLEMEN’S COLUMN IN THE

Nick Of Time Rain To The Rescue For California Beef Industry

by CCA President Steve Arnold

Let me again say thank you to all the CCA members that have allowed me this position. It has been an interesting and educational six months. When I was asked in December about major goals for CCA my response was to try and be sure our members re-engaged after all the COVID mess my immediate predecessors went through. I followed by saying that usually opportunities come along and present themselves.

When Debbie and I left Reno following the annual CCA Convention, my immediate future involved mostly allocating my dwindling haystack and sticking to my plan. I had committed, in the absence of grass, to buying enough hay to hold our base cow herd together. We had been feeding for several months already and this was an all in gamble. I know I wasn’t the only one on this track!

Then, 30 days later I had all licensed vehicles parked across the little creek that never runs wondering if I even owned a pair of rubber boots anymore. We had a little over 10 inches of rain that day in Pozo. From the rain years of 2006 through 2015, we hadn’t had double digit rainfall (other than the anomaly year of 2011) for the whole of any of those years. That day I started to allow myself to think my gamble might pay off!

You are probably, at this point, wondering why I am telling you this. Number one is that I have not done a column since January, but number two is the incredible stories, photos and videos that I have been privileged to see and hear in my travels as president.

It has been a year that required checking every route option to see if it was even open. We have used many alternate routes which usually add time but many involve country I’ve never seen or hadn’t seen in some time. As the spring progressed the grass year unfolded in a crop that was extraordinary for most of the state. Even the more desert country is looking very inviting. Many times I have wondered how they even run a cow out there but this year I can actually see grass!

One of the disappointing things though is the massive conversion of the grassland of the Sierra foothills to trees. There are still ranches where one can see the waving sea of green grass with yearlings belly deep. I will never get tired of that.

I must be getting old and sentimental. While we were in Tulare county we were able to watch multiple helicopters and other safety personnel, using the farm show grounds as a staging area, come and go in some form of a rescue mission involving the return of Tulare lake. I saw some unbelievable video (courtesy of John Hammon, Exeter) involving a bull rescue. The helicopter pilot nudged a half a dozen bulls, big bulls, into raging canal water using the landing struts of the helicopter. Each bull, one at a time, swam to safety to be hauled to higher ground. Tulare and surrounding counties are still dealing with their problems but that video, the skill of that pilot and the commitment of ranchers like Marty Williamson and John Hammon, says a lot about our industry.

The mountain counties have some unique issues as well. I’ve seen photos of cabins associated with forest leases where all you see is the tip of the roof line under 18 to 20 feet high snow. Some of the lessees I visited with may not get to their lease if the snow doesn’t melt!

I know this article doesn’t address some of the really important issues and situations facing us in Sacramento and elsewhere. It didn’t address the unique snow issues that Humboldt County dealt with. It didn’t address the myriad of weather related events in other counties. It didn’t review the new CCA accommodations and that the new office is working out well. Another time.

We had 55.40 inches of rain in Pozo this year. I dug through my files for historical rainfall records and much to my surprise I found them. I immediately went to 1969, I thought that may have been an even wetter year than this, 50.42 inches at the Salinas River dam. Not exact same location, five miles west as the crow flies, close enough. Memorable year? Just in time? Probably much could be added here but in the interest of space I will close by saying, YES!

Dal Porto Livestock • 20 1st calf Angus heifers

John Ginochio • 20 1st calf Angus heifers

Lawrence Ginochio • 15 1st calf Angus heifers

Billy Grissom • 75 1st calf Angus and black/white face heifers

Art Anderson • 75 1st calf Angus and black/white face heifers

Gilliland Livestock • 150 Angus and SimAngus 1st-3rd calf heifers and cows

Ronnie Seever • 30 1st calf Angus heifers

Duane Martin Livestock • 80 Angus and black/white face 1st calf heifers

Prewitt Ranch • 40 Angus and black/white face 1st calf heifers

RM Livestock • 30 Angus and Angus cross 1st calf heifers

Haydn Myer Ranch • 20 2nd & 3rd calf cows

J and T Ranch • 80 Angus and black/white face 5-7 year old cows

Pennington Ranch • 75 2nd and 3rd calf Angus and black/white face cows

Females are foothill & anaplaz exposed or vaccinated. Watch for bull information at sale time. The quality is outstanding!