June 2021
In this issue... finding assistance in unprecedented drought watching out for wildfire cca meetings on the horizon June 2021 California Cattleman 1
o t e p o h Weyou there! see JOIN US LIVE OR ONLINE! WVM HEADQUARTERS IN COTTONWOOD
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2 California Cattleman June 2021
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• Increases in yield quality These two adjacent plots visually show a very clear difference in growth, including early season emergence and cold tolerance from the plot that was treated with [BioEnsure® + BioTango™].
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CALIFORNIA CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION ______________ Since 1917
1221 H Street Sacramento CA 95814 (916) 444-0845
business as usual:
Steadfast in protecting our industry by CCA Second Vice President Trevor Freitas
As we all move forward and put the signs of a worldwide pandemic behind us one thing remains, as beef demand continues to rise the cattle industry critics have no intentions of letting up on their movement against us. To no one’s surprise as quickly as our colleague’s release data touting facts on issues such as climate change, sustainability and other issues it is met with a barrage of negative media across every possible platform. Recently bills introduced in Colorado and Oregon serve as another reminder that our livelihoods and way of life are not immune from baseless attacks from ill-informed politicians. I am sure everyone is aware of the Colorado ballot initiative and that Oregon has introduced a similar initiative that would in effect end animal agriculture in those states. Oregon legislators also introduced bills in both their house and senate seeking a moratorium on construction of “large-scale” dairy construction in their state which would impact construction of any confined animal operations (CAFOs) in that state as well. Those of us who are part of the animal agriculture industry in California know all too well what it is like staring down the barrel of these types of initiatives seeking to end beef production for good. The CCA staff and officer team are monitoring these issues and others like them so we have a chance to address the impacts before they get close to becoming reality. These initiatives are just a small example of why as an industry we must keep looking forward and
work to send a clear message that our industry is sustainable and should be part the solution to worldwide food demand. We now live in a world where many have decided to weaponize media platforms and attack our industry as they push a narrative with no regard for facts as long as their agenda stays relevant. I will never pass up an opportunity to share our story and the progress we have made or address a piece of misinformation someone ran across on a social media platform even if it seems like a never-ending battle. As an officer team we never have a shortage of issues we are working on and navigating through some of those items would be a lot easier without the constant noise coming from our biggest critics. We would like to hear from as many members as possible who are truly the boots on the ground when it comes to addressing issues within the cattle industry. As mentioned in the last issue of California Cattlemen we are starting to get some of our freedoms back and planning for events is well underway. The annual feeder meeting that is typically held in May now has an August date set and has a great group of speakers coming together to discuss some of the hottest topics in the industry. I cannot think of a better place to be than San Diego in August for one of our first events in over a year to be held in person. I hope many of you can join us for what is sure to be a great event.
SERVING CALIFORNIA BEEF PRODUCERS SINCE 1917
4 California Cattleman June 2021
Bolded names and businesses in editorial represent only current members of the California Cattlmen’s Association or California CattleWomen, Inc. For questions about your membership status, contact the CCA office at (916) 444-0845. The California Cattleman (Publication #8-3600) is published monthly except July/August is combined by the California Cattlemen’s Association, 1221 H Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, for $20/year, or as part of the annual membership dues. All material and photos within may not be reproduced without permission from publisher. Periodical postage paid at Jefferson, Mo. National Advertising Group: The Cattle Connection/The Powell Group, 4162-B Carmichael Ct, Montgomery, AL 36106, (334) 271-6100. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: California Cattleman, 1221 H Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
JUNE 2021
Volume 104, Issue 6
ON THE COVER
ASSOCIATION PERSPECTIVES CATTLEMEN’S COLUMN Business as usual for CCA and its members
4
BUNKHOUSE New normal is better than no normal
6
YOUR DUES DOLLARS AT WORK Updates on school lunch, rangeland conservation
8
HERD HEALTH CHECK Fly control as the temperature heats up
16
NATIONAL STAGE 75% Plan to tackle marketing concerns
18
PROGRESSIVE PRODUCER Ending ectoparasites
34
SPECIAL FEATURES
Applying for drought assistance UC project aims to charge groundwater Fellow rancher shares forest fire experience Sound tax policy for rural America
READER SERVICES
Obituaries and Wedding Bells Buyers’ Guide Advertisers Index
12 22 28 36
38, 39 40 46
This issue’s cover photo was taken by Harris Shiffman near Novato in Marin County.
UPCOMING CCA MEETINGS & EVENTS AUG. 10-12 CATTLE INDUSTRY CONVENTION & NCBA TRADE SHOW Nashville, Tenn. AUG. 18-20
CA/AZ FEEDER MEETING Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina
AUG. 25-26
CCA MIDYEAR MEETING Paso Robles Inn
AUG. 25
CATTLE-PAC FUNDRAISER Mid State Fairgrounds, Paso Robles
DEC. 1-3
CCA/CCW CONVENTION Peppermill Spa and Casino, Reno, Nev.
STAY TUNED FOR OTHER UPCOMING CCA EVENTS! FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS!
June 2021 California Cattleman 5
BUNKHOUSE GETTING BACK TO (NEW) NORMAL by CCA Vice President of Government Affairs Kirk Wilbur Last summer, CCA and its members were forced to navigate dual crises: the COVID-19 pandemic and a historically catastrophic wildfire season. Fortunately, we seem to be in the waning days of the COVID crisis, with 46% of Californians fully vaccinated as of press time and Governor Newsom announcing that the state is likely to fully reopen by mid-June. In many ways, it feels like life is starting to get back to ‘normal.’ I’ve reconnected with friends over beers at midtown Sacramento bars. Last month I was fortunate enough to spend Mother’s Day with my mother and father – the first time I had seen any family in 15 months – and this summer I have plans to finally reunite with siblings, cousins and other extended family from Idaho, Massachusetts, New York and Oregon. CCA staff and officers were finally able to go on ‘spring tour’ over the past few months, attending local association meetings throughout the state and meeting with membership for the first time since March of 2020. We’re organizing ranch tours with key lawmakers and regulators, getting them on the ground to see the benefits of cattle grazing rather than merely meeting with them to discuss those benefits over Zoom. And we are finally scheduling in-person CCA events, with our Midyear Meeting planned for August 25-26 in Paso Robles – the first general-membership gathering since December of 2019! But while things may be getting back to ‘normal’ as we get a handle on COVID-19, California’s cattlemen will again be navigating dual crises this summer: drought conditions and the threat of catastrophic wildfire are the new ‘normal’ in California. Just five years out from the 2012-2016 drought, California is suffering through its third-driest year on record. As of press time, Governor Newsom has declared a drought state of emergency in 41 of the state’s 58 counties. This spring and summer, the State Water Resources Control Board may curtail water diversions, just as it did in 2014 and 2015, and cattlemen are already grappling with the difficult decision whether to liquidate cow herds. And, of course, those dry conditions are likely to spur the second crisis confronting California’s cattlemen: catastrophic wildfire. Red flag warnings were issued for Northern California in early May – the earliest such warnings since 2014 – and already this year Cal Fire has responded to more than 2,000 incidents. Fortunately, state lawmakers seem serious about adapting to this new normal (unfortunately, there is no ‘quick fix’ to a century of mismanagement and implementing enduring solutions will take time). While 6 California Cattleman June 2021
the Fiscal Year 2021-22 Budget has not yet been finalized, Governor Newsom has proposed $5.1 billion to fund water infrastructure and drought resilience over the next four years, and Senate Democrats have proposed to spend $5 billion over the next five years for wildfire resilience. CCA has played a key role in those budget discussions. As part of the Resilient Forests Coalition, CCA helped secure $536 million in early action wildfire and forest resilience funding, and Association staff has been engaged with key legislators and members of the Administration advocating for the inclusion of vital water infrastructure and fire prevention programs in the 202122 Budget. California cattlemen are also driving the policy discussion in Sacramento this legislative session, introducing legislation incentivizing grazing to reduce fuel loads, removing obstacles to the application of prescribed fire and providing cattlemen access to their ranches during wildfire emergencies. While CCA staff and officers work hard every day to advocate for California’s ranchers, it is our membership that gives the Association a strong voice in Sacramento. Your stories – like Dave Daley’s account of the Bear Fire reprinted in the Los Angeles Times – provide invaluable insights for legislators based in Sacramento or Los Angeles. Members of CCA’s Fire Subcommittee provide common-sense solutions that serve as the inspiration for CCA-sponsored bills or as blueprints to guide the Legislature’s policy committees. And the CalResilient campaign, sponsored by the California Cattle Council, continues to demonstrate how the state’s cattlemen safeguard and steward California’s lands while feeding its people. While ‘the new normal’ will pose challenges in the months ahead, with your assistance CCA can continue to advance sound policy to put California on a more resilient footing in the years to come. As you confront challenges in the months ahead, don’t hesitate to shoot me (or your legislators!) an email or a phone call to let me know the specific challenges you face – those insights are incredibly valuable as we push for solutions in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. With your help and a strong Association, we can weather this new normal and ensure that California emerges more resilient to drought, wildfires and any other challenges that may come.
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CLM REPRESENTATIVES Jake Parnell .................916-662-1298 George Gookin .........209-482-1648 Rex Whittle.................209-996-6994
CATTLEMEN’S LIVESTOCK SPECIAL FEEDER SALES Sales at 12 p.m.
Wednesday, June 2 Wednesday, June 16 Wednesday, June 30
Mark Fischer ..............209-768-6522 Kris Gudel ................... 916-208-7258 Steve Bianchi ............707-484-3903 Jason Dailey ...............916-439-7761 Brett Friend ..................510-685-4870 WEDNESDAY WEEKLY SCHEDULE Butcher Cows ................................... 8:30 a.m. Cow-Calf Pairs/Bred Cows ..... 11:30 a.m. Feeder Cattle ......................................... 12 p.m
CATTLEMEN’S LIVESTOCK FALL-CALVING COW SALE Sale at 12 p.m.
Wednesday, June 9
AUCTION MARKET Address 12495 Stockton Blvd., Galt, CA Office........................................209-745-1515 Fax ............................................ 209-745-1582 Website/Market Report ..www.clmgalt.com Web Broadcast ......www.lmaauctions.com
CATTLEMEN’S LIVESTOCK ANNUAL BRED COW SALE Sale at 12 p.m.
Wednesday, August 4 UPCOMING WESTERN VIDEO MARKET SALES: June 11 • July 12-13 • Aug. 16-17
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Sale Details: www.clmgalt.com
June 2021 California Cattleman 7
YOUR DUES DOLLARS AT WORK
KEEPING YOU IN THE LOOP
UPDATES ON HOT BUTTON ISSUES THAT MATTER TO YOU The campaign to reduce or end meat and dairy in school lunches
In 2019, the Friends of the Earth and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine co-sponsored AB 479, authored by Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian (D-North Hollywood). AB 479 sought to improve student health and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by creating incentives for schools to serve more plant-based meals. CCA opposed this bill, which was supported by over 68 public and private organizations. CCA worked behind the scenes to educate legislators that AB 479 would neither improve student health nor reduce GHG emissions but would instead exacerbate those problems. It was an uphill battle with the bill clearing the Assembly and the Senate Education Committee before being stopped in the Senate Appropriations Committee. Not letting a bad idea go to waste, Assemblymember Nazarian, at the behest of the same sponsors, introduced AB 558 earlier this year which seeks to implement the same policy as AB 479. CCA teamed up with Western United Dairies (WUD) to voice serious concerns about the bill— emphasizing that cattle ranchers and dairy farmers ensure food security for the state’s population, provide leadership in environmental sustainability and through proper stewardship, mitigate the risks of catastrophic wildfires. Citing food insecurity faced by families because of the pandemic, the cattle organizations emphasized the state’s priority should be ensuring that all California students receive adequate nutrition in school and that beef and dairy contribute to a well-balanced diet. CCA and WUD support the Newsom Administration’s efforts to develop the Farm to School Program which promotes food grown in this
8 California Cattleman June 2021
state for use in school meals. AB 558 would be inconsistent with the Governor’s program. Regarding the author’s purported claims that the state can cut GHG emissions by incentivizing plantbased school meals, CCA and WUD countered that in fact, California’s cattle producers lead the world in GHG reductions. Using data from the University of California, the team showed that livestock grazing reduces the incidence, spread and severity of wildfires, which are a large contributor to GHG emissions. Because of the advocacy taken by the joined force of CCA and WUD, the bill has been shelved until next year. CCA will remain vigilant and prepare to respond to this bill next year. Legislative attempts to convert rangeland to farmland
In the 1920s and 1930s, the Soviet Union sought to expand its micromanagement over the economy by dictating agricultural policy and nurturing a class war against the producers. The country sought to rearrange how the land was worked. This central planning led to the death of 7 to 12 million people. The scarcity of food also reduced the standard of living for those who were lucky (or unlucky) enough to have survived. While Soviet policy was not aimed at converting rangeland to farmland, the lesson here is that increased government command and control over food production does not have a good track record. Undeterred by the past failures of Stalinist planning, Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) introduced AB 1289 in February, which seeks to implement the Smart Climate Agriculture Program; another effort to promote plant-based agriculture over meat and dairy production. The bill would provide grants to applicants that seek to transition their land from livestock production and feed crops to plant-based agriculture. The bill is sponsored by the group Social Compassion in Legislation and 24 other mostly animal rights organizations and 315 individuals. CCA’s government affairs team again teamed with WUD to raise concerns with the Legislature over this bill which does not seem to produce a solution for the very problems it seeks to correct. It is no surprise that Assemblymember Kalra is also a coauthor of AB 558, the school lunch bill mentioned above. There is no doubt that there is a war on meat by some members of the Legislature and they have convinced many of ...CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA MARKETING CENTER
JOIN US FOR UPCOMING SPECIAL FEEDER SALES! TUESDAY, JUNE 8 TUESDAY, JUNE 22
15 TH ANNUAL CALIFORNIA CATTLE PRODUCERS FALL CALVING FEMALE SALE
SATURDAY, AUGUST 7
WATCH LIVE AND BID ON LMAAUCTIONS.COM
FOLLOW US ONLINE FOR WEEKLY SALE REPORTS AND NEWS ABOUT UPDATED SALE DATES AT WWW.TURLOCKLIVESTOCK.COM OR ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE!
CALL US TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CONSIGNING CATTLE TO UPCOMING WESTERN VIDEO MARKET SALES! JUNE 11 IN COTTONWOOD AND JULY 13-15 IN RENO!
When marketing calves at TLAY, don't forget how essential the 2nd round of shots is. Make sure to include a modified live vaccination!
TLAY REPRESENTATIVES
MAX OLVERA...................................... 209 277-2063 STEVE FARIA ...................................... 209 988-7180 BRANDON BABA............................... 209 480-1267 JUSTIN RAMOS ................................. 209 844-6372 JOHN LUIZ ........................................... 209 480-5101 JAKE BETTENCOURT ....................... 209 262-4019 TIM SISIL ............................................ 209 631-6054 JOHN BOURDET ................................ 831 801-2343 TRAVIS JOHNSON ............................ 209 996-8645 MATT MILLER..................................... 209 914-5116 BUD COZZI .......................................... 209 652-4480 EDDIE NUNES..................................... 209 604-6848
Save the Date • October 2, 2021 California Bull Breeders Sale and Replacement Female Sale
TURLOCK LIVESTOCK AUCTION YARD 209 634-4326 • 209 667-0811
10430 Lander Ave. • P.O. Box 3030, Turlock, CA 95381
www.turlocklivestock.com
June 2021 California Cattleman 9
farmers step forward to educate the Legislature on the inconsistencies and inaccuracies in these bills. School lunches and rangeland conversion are two issues that will keep coming back and your team at CCA is ready to keep resisting poor public policy. That is what CCA does for our members and California ranchers every day. When one contemplates the steady onslaught of bad legislation that we face every year, it brings to mind the observation of famous social commentator and cowboy Will Rogers, “It’s a good thing we don’t get all the government we pay for.”
The Best of Both Worlds
10 California Cattleman June 2021
Both Commercial and Seedstock Producers are Invited to Attend as the California Angus Association Brings the Best of Both Worlds Together Ahead of the 2021 Fall Sale Season
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Kelli Retallick, director of genetic services at Angus Genetics, Inc. (AGI) will provide an update on current GE-EPDs, $Value Indexes and how genomics can help producers with bull selection needs. She will also cover recent AGI research study results. KELLI RETALLICK
ANGUS GENOMICS
their colleagues to support their efforts in the interest of stewardship, sustainability and health, when in fact these bills will actually negatively affect those goals. AB 1289 makes “findings and declarations,” which are a statement of facts and intent which show the need for the bill. Unfortunately, many of these statements are not factual and must be countered and brought to constant attention of other legislators and staff. The authors of AB 1289 tried to assert that 36 percent of the state’s corn is grown for feed, when in fact this is a national statistic and does not reflect California’s 8 CALIFORNIA percent feed production of corn. ANGUS Furthermore, CCA and WUD refuted ASSOCIATION presents the assertion that haylage and alfalfa are water intensive crops and impact water availability; when in fact most feed producers are shifting to lower water intensive crops such as triticale, oat hay and sorghum. The reality is the market has spoken; demand for beef and dairy 2021 products remains high. If AB 1289 CALIFORNIA were to pass in its current form, the CATTLE state’s consumers would need to import PRODUCERS’ meat products from other states and SUMMIT countries, which would of course 4 Locations Over 4 Days increase GHG emissions because of RSVP NOW TO ATTEND transportation costs in addition to AN EVENT NEAR YOU increasing meat costs to the consumer. TUES., JULY 20: 5 P.M. Visalia Livestock Market Cattle grazing and dairy farming Visalia, California take place on lands mostly marginal WED., JULY 21: 5 P.M. and water deficient for vegetable crops. Turlock Livestock Auction Yard Turlock, California Also, if rangelands were converted to THURS., JULY 22, 5 P.M. farmland, it would most likely be used Cattlemen’s Livestock Market Galt, California to grow high value crops for export, not FRI., JULY 23, 11 A.M. for use in this state. Cattle grazing also Orland Livestock Commission provides critical habitat for sensitive Orland, California species. Text or Call Event Organizer Stressing that the provisions of CAA Immediate Past President the bill are vague and undefined, CCA Mike Hall to Reserve Your Seat and WUD have helped to stall the bill by Thurs., July 1: 805-748-4717 for this year, now making AB 1289 a two-year bill which could be taken up EVENT SCHEDULE: next year. Each Event Kicks-Off with a CAA Sponsor Tradeshow, There is a war on meat percolating followed by Dinner or Lunch in the Legislature and it is therefore and Industry Presentations important that ranchers and dairy
Angus Genetics, Inc.
American Angus Association (AAA) Regional Manager Jake Pickering will discuss AngusLinkSM – which gives producers the information needed to make the next calf crop more profitable.
ANGUSLINK
...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
JAKE PICKERING
Angus Regional Manager
He will share details on how Angus Links’ scoring system enables producers to effectively communicate a calf crop’s genetic performance potential to perspective buyers on sale day.
CAA SPONSORS ALSO LEADING DISCUSSIONS:
• Tyler Gray, territory sales manager, Neogen Beef Genomics: Utilizing Genomic Data to Fit Your Operation • Christopher Schneider, DVM, MS, livestock technical services, Merck Animal Health: Benefits of Using NASALGEN®-3 PMH • Jason Russell, Ph.D., technical beef nutritionist, Zinpro Corporation: Small Minerals, Big Impacts
Visit www.CaliforniaAngus.com for the Event Sponsors, plus the Fall Schedule of Bull and Female Sales in California
Western stockman’s market has you covered We are a nhtc approved marketing location
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Upcoming Specials
Special summer feeder sales
BIG SALES every monday in JUNE AND JULY Featuring Large Runs Calves and Yearlings from Local and West Coast Ranches
56th famoso female & all-breed bull sale Top Bulls & Females: Saturday, October 16
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Western stockman’s market 31911 Highway 46, mcfarland, california 661--399 661 399--2981 • www.westernstockmansmarket.com
DWIGHT MEBANE: 661 979979-9892 JUSTIN MEBANE: 661 979979-9894
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FALL-CALVING COWS for sale private treaty
Several Loads of 33- and 44-Year Year--Old, FallFall-Calving Angus Cows Bred to HighHigh-Powered Angus Bulls June 2021 California Cattleman 11 THD ©
SEEKING ASSISTANCE HOW TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL DROUGHT ASSISTANCE AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROCESS
by Katie Roberti, CCA Director of Communications with assistance from the California Farm Service Agency State Office
With much of California currently facing extremely dry conditions, on March 5, 2021, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack declared “50 California counties as primary natural disaster areas due to a recent drought.” The eight remaining counties in California were deemed as “contiguous disaster counties,” putting farmers and ranchers in all counties of the state under a natural disaster designation. “A Secretarial disaster designation makes farm operators in primary counties and those counties contiguous to such primary counties eligible to be considered for certain assistance from the Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met,” Secretary Vilsack said in the letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom designating the drought. Unfortunately, droughts are not new to California, and many producers may have applied for assistance from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) FSA during the last dry spell just a few years ago. While the process of applying for drought aid may be familiar, it is essential to remember that there are many important deadlines and requirements to keep aware of to be eligible for payments. This feature helps provide a reminder of the application process for obtaining assistance and outlines the FSA programs relevant to cattle producers. Should you have any further questions about FSA programs, contact your local county office(s) as they will be able to best assist you. Not sure how to get in touch with 12 California Cattleman June 2021
your county office? Visit https://www.calcattlemen.org/ drought to find contact information for your location. 1.
What drought assistance programs are available for cattle producers through FSA? There are three FSA programs most used by cattle producers, Jacque Johnson, California FSA Office State Executive Director, explains below. The Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP): Provides payments to eligible livestock owners and contract growers who have covered livestock and who are also producers of grazed forage crop acreage (native and improved pasture land with permanent vegetative cover) that has suffered grazing losses due to a qualifying drought during the normal grazing period for the county. LFP also provides payments to eligible livestock owners or contract growers that have covered livestock and who are also producers of grazed forage crop acreage on rangeland managed by a federal agency if the eligible livestock producer is prohibited by the federal agency from grazing the normal permitted livestock on the managed rangeland due to a qualifying fire. The Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP): Provides emergency assistance to eligible producers of livestock. It covers losses due to an eligible adverse weather or loss condition, including blizzards, disease
(including cattle tick fever), water shortages and wildfires, as determined by the Secretary. ELAP covers losses that are not covered under other disaster assistance programs authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill, such as the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) and the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). The three categories of livestock losses covered by ELAP are: • Livestock feed and grazing losses that are not due to drought or wildfires on federally managed lands; • Losses resulting from the additional cost of transporting water to livestock due to an eligible drought; and • Losses resulting from the additional cost associated with gathering livestock for treatment related to cattle tick fever. The Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP): Helps producers to manage risk through coverage for both crop losses and crop planting that was prevented due to natural disasters. The eligible or “noninsured” crops include agricultural commodities not covered by federal crop insurance. Producers must be enrolled in the program and have purchased coverage for the eligible crop in the crop year in which the loss incurred to receive program benefits following a qualifying natural disaster. The enrollment dates for 2021 have already passed. Producers can purchase NAP coverage for the 2022 crop year by contacting their local FSA Office. 2.
Where should I begin if I am interested in a program? For any of the programs available through FSA, State Executive Director Johnson says the best place to start is establishing contact with your local county office (or offices if you ranch in multiple counties). USDA has created a map to help producers pin down contact information for their respective county offices. For a full rundown of the requirements, limitations and more, FSA also has factsheets available on each of these programs. A link to the interactive map for county FSA offices and the factsheets on each program are available at https:// www.calcattlemen.org/drought.
the Monitor may be eligible to enroll. ELAP for drought losses (having to haul water to an area where water is usually available) kicks in for livestock producers when a county is in a D3 or higher on the U.S. Drought Monitor. A direct link to the U.S. Drought Monitor is also available at https://www.calcattlemen.org/drought. For NAP grazing, percentage of loss is established by FSA for the whole county or areas within a county. FSA relies on information provided by forage experts and other scientific data sources, to establish the loss levels. 4.
When are the deadlines for applying? The deadlines for applying for assistance through FSA depend on the program. The LFP factsheet explains, “Eligible livestock producers who are also producers of grazed forage crop acreage must provide a completed application for payment and required supporting documentation to their FSA office within 30 calendar days after the end of the calendar year in which the grazing loss occurred.” This means for losses in the 2021 calendar year, applicants have until January 30, 2022, to have their complete application submitted to FSA. One of the most critical reminders, Johnson says, relevant to LFP and for working with FSA in general, is to do your crop acreage reports at the beginning of each year. Consistently submitting acreage reports and up-todate information to FSA will make the application process smoother later in the year should you need to apply for assistance and ensure a fee is not applied to submit acreage reports late. The deadlines for submitting acreage reports depend on the crop and can be obtained through your county office. ELAP requires that producers submit a “Notice of Loss” to their FSA office within 30 days of the incident. Failure to submit this notice will make producers ineligible to apply for ELAP. While the Notice of Loss must be submitted within 30 days, the complete ELAP ...CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
3.
How do I know if I am eligible for drought assistance through these programs? To find out if there are programs you currently qualify for you can always check with your local county FSA office. LFP and ELAP eligibility are dependent on the conditions of the U.S. Drought Monitor. For LFP, producers in any county showing a D2 or worse (D3 or D4) on June 2021 California Cattleman 13
...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 “Application for Payment” is not due until January 30 of the year following the occurrence of the loss. The deadline both for obtaining coverage and providing information relevant to receiving NAP payments depends on the crop. If you are interested in enrolling in NAP for an upcoming crop, contact your FSA office for more information. Producers with NAP coverage are required to file a Notice of Loss and/or Application for Payment. A Notice of Loss is required for all producers who determine to not have their losses calculated by independent assessment and must be filed within 15 days of the earlier of: a natural disaster occurrence; the date that damage to the crop or loss of production becomes apparent; or the normal harvest date. All producers, regardless of the loss determination method, must file an Application for Payment. The Application for Payment must be filed within 60 days of the last day of coverage for the crop year for any NAP covered crop. For coverage dates on specific crops or further clarification, please contact your local county FSA office. 5. Can I enroll in multiple programs (i.e., LFP, ELAP and NAP) at the same time? Yes, if eligible, you can receive payments for more than one program at a time. For example, if you enrolled in NAP to secure insurance for feed and the loss is greater than 50 percent of that crop, you would be eligible for payment through that program. If in the same year, due to drought, if you also had to haul water to cattle where you usually would not need to, and your county is facing a D3 or worse on the U.S. Drought Monitor, you would also become eligible for payment through ELAP.
6. If I have cattle in multiple counties, do I need to submit applications in each of those counties? If you run cattle in multiple counties, you will need to apply for assistance separately in each county, with some exceptions. Important note: If your cattle have moved from one county to another, Johnson says to be sure to let the FSA office in the county they have moved to know if payment has already been received for these animals. There are limitations on how many payments a herd can receive. 7. How long does it take to receive payments? LFP payment rates are determined in April of each year. Once those rates have been set, payments will be sent for any applications received before the rate was established. From then on, payments for that calendar year will be sent as soon as applications are completed. ELAP payments are sent throughout the year as application for payment are completed following notice of losses submitted on time. NAP payment will be issued after the end of the coverage period and after independent assessments have been evaluated and calculated.
TOP TIPS FROM THE CALIFORNIA FSA STATE OFFICE: 1. Establishing contact with your local FSA office(s) and keeping in close contact is critical. One way to stay updated on what’s happening in your county is by signing up to receive emails from your local FSA office (if available). 2. Send your acreage reports and updated information—including the status of your leases—to the FSA office(s) you work with at the beginning of this year, regardless of if there is a drought or other disaster you are impacted by. Should you need to apply for assistance later in the year, this will speed up the process for all involved. 3. For ELAP keep all documentation and receipts, and don’t forget to submit your notice of loss within 30 days of recognizing the loss. While the application deadline for ELAP isn’t until January 30 of the year following the loss (i.e., the deadline for applications for the 2021 calendar year are due January 30, 2022), notice of losses must be submitted within the 30-day window to be eligible. 4. For NAP, be sure to purchase coverage by the application closing (September 1, 2021 for coverage on grazing grass for the 2022 crop year), report your acreage, file a notice of loss and submit your application for payment timely.
14 California Cattleman June 2021
This article is a brief overview of a few of the drought assistance programs some producers may be eligible for based on their individual circumstance and is not intended to include all program provisions or deadlines. Please contact your local county FSA office for questions and deadlines related to your specific situation.
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HERD HEALTH CHECK
HOW TO MAKE FLY CONTROL MORE EFFICIENT, CONVENIENT WITH MORE COVERAGE from BioZyme, Inc. Fly control is an investment in your herd. Horn flies cost beef producers more than $1 billion annually, and face flies can contribute up to $150 million in losses per year. House flies can be responsible for the transmission of Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) and scours and influence Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD), while stable flies are a huge bite hinderance to feedlot cattle, costing gain and overall performance. So, would you rather control just one of these flies or all of them? Since January 1, BioZyme® Inc. has converted from Altosid, a one-fly claim to ClariFly®, which carries a fourfly claim, in its products with IGR. ClariFly is a four-fly larvicide that prevents house flies, stable flies, face flies and horn flies from developing in and emerging from the manure of treated cattle. ClariFly interrupts the lifecycle of the fly through the active ingredient Diflubenzuron that inhibits the synthesis of chitin, according to Casey White, Director of Product Development at Central Life Sciences. “Chitin is a major component of the exoskeleton of an insect, and as an insect grows and will molt, it will have to reform their exoskeleton. One component is that they deposit chitin to be able to form that exoskeleton. Without a properly formed exoskeleton, that insect – immature or fully mature, will die,” White explained. The primary benefit of ClariFly is the four-fly claim. White explained that different fly species become pests in different management scenarios. Horn flies and face flies are typically bigger nuisances in the pasture because they seek out fresh, undisturbed manure piles to lay and hatch eggs in. Conversely, house and stable flies are peskier in confinement areas like feedlots, pens, corrals or barns, where manure build up exists and wet, organic matter like feed or hay is available to lay eggs in and hatch. According to Gary Felger, Central Life Sciences Regional Sales Manager, research has shown that ClariFly will control up to 96 percent of the fly population when fed 30 days before you expect your first flies to arrive and continue to feed 30 days after your first hard frost. Furthermore, it poses no harmful effects to beneficial insects. Even if you already are having flies, it is not too late to start feeding a product with ClariFly, Felger said. The life cycle of a fly is about three weeks and since the product is 16 California Cattleman June 2021
passed through to the manure where the eggs are laid and hatched, you should start seeing results in about three to four weeks. Feeding products with ClariFly is the efficient, economical way to help control flies. In addition to its four-fly claim, it is a convenient, labor saving way to control the fly population. You are already feeding mineral, so this is a convenient method of getting fly control into your cattle, without the labor of spraying or implementing other external methods. BioZyme’s newest fly-control product just launched April 1: VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® 5/S HEAT® with Clarifly®, combining the benefits of Concept•Aid, the HEAT package and ClariFly. Other products with ClariFly include VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® 5/S with Clarifly®, VitaFerm® HEAT® with Clarifly®, VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® 5/S CTC 3G with Clarifly®. All these products combine the Amaferm® advantage of increased intake, digestion and absorption with the best internal fly control on the market. The economic benefits to proactive fly control through a high-quality mineral program definitely outweigh the costs. Think of your cows breeding earlier because they are not swatting flies or standing in the water or shade; they will wean off a heavier calf, leading to more profit. When you feed a mineral with ClariFly, your calves’ performance will increase, making them gain more efficiently and therefore putting more profit in your pocket. A mineral program AND fly control just makes sense.
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NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE REPORT ON VOLUNTARY PRICE DISCOVERY FRAMEWORK LETTER FROM PRESIDENT JERRY BOHN TO NCBA MEMBERSHIP Dear Fellow NCBA Member, March 2021 marked one year since the declaration of a national emergency due to COVID-19. Nobody could have predicted then the serious impact the pandemic would have on our nation, the economy, or within the cattle markets. As states begin the process of fully reopening, I am hopeful that the worst of this crisis is behind us. Although the business environment for cattle producers has improved since March 2020, the volatility caused by the virus continues to impact our industry. To improve the business climate for cattle producers, further work is needed in the area of price discovery. Last October, you received a letter from Marty Smith announcing NCBA’s Voluntary Approach to Achieve Price Discovery in the Fed Cattle Market. This framework, sometimes called the “75% Plan,” was developed by NCBA’s Live Cattle Marketing Working Group Regional Triggers Subgroup as directed by the Fed Cattle Price Discovery policy (M 1.10) adopted at our 2020 Summer Business Meeting. As a reminder, the voluntary approach requires the subgroup to analyze the program’s performance at the end of every quarter. The subgroup has completed its evaluation of the first quarter of 2021, and I write today to report their findings to the members of NCBA. After evaluating the weekly USDA-AMS negotiated trade data in the five major cattle feeding reporting regions, the subgroup has determined that a major trigger was tripped during the first quarter of 2021. According to our member-approved framework, if another major trigger is tripped during any of the remaining quarters this year, NCBA will pursue a legislative or regulatory solution to increase negotiated trade as determined by our membership. Under the “Negotiated Trade” silo of the 75% Plan, one minor trigger is assigned to each of the regions. The subgroup evaluated the weekly negotiated trade volumes for each cattle feeding region, and determined that the IowaMinnesota and Nebraska-Colorado regions exceeded their thresholds under the 75% Plan during all of the reporting weeks – therefore, passing their negotiated trade threshold for this quarter. They also found that the Texas-OklahomaNew Mexico and Kansas regions each fell short of the threshold during five of the Q1 reporting weeks. One of those weeks occurred during Winter Storm Uri and another coincided with mandatory
18 California Cattleman June 2021
maintenance at a major packing plant which resulted in a lengthy closure. Both events disrupted normal cattle flows and brought critical packing capacity to a grinding halt. The data from the weeks surrounding both events justified invoking the force majeure provisions of our framework, though a major trigger was still tripped due to a lack of packer participation. The subgroup will continue to explore ways to evaluate force majeure events in a more objective manner. Let me be clear, our producers deserve high praise for their diligent efforts to implement the voluntary framework this past quarter. They offered cattle on a negotiated basis to comply with our framework, even when market signals were telling them to hold on to cattle in anticipation of higher prices. Often, these trades were made at a loss. We recognize the steps cattle producers have taken to address the need for greater price discovery and market transparency, and deeply appreciate their actions. Unfortunately, there was not enough participation in the negotiated market from some of the packers. Simply put, feeders can offer all their
Source: CattleFax; USDA-AMS
cattle on a negotiated basis—but we only achieve our thresholds if there is a buyer willing to bid fairly on those cattle offered. While the 75% Plan framework calls for the evaluation of a “Packer Participation” silo (in addition to the “Negotiated Trade” silo), this piece of the program is not yet complete, and thus was not evaluated during this quarter. NCBA continues to finalize the details with the four major meatpackers. While we are in the final stages of these negotiations, the basic mechanics have already been established by the subgroup—and we know that, had this silo been evaluated during the first quarter, we would have tripped a major trigger with the packer silo as well. This quarter, the market fell short of the negotiated trade volumes outlined in our voluntary framework, but that should not overshadow the significant improvements made to price discovery since the framework’s implementation. For example, negotiated trade activity is already up significantly year-over-year in the TexasOklahoma-New Mexico region. It is apparent that the work of NCBA, and the efforts
of the producers who have participated in this framework, have been critical in this increase. These gains were made despite residual COVID-19 disruptions, packing plant closures, natural disasters and a volatile market. Cattlemen and women should be commended for their efforts to bring more price discovery to the marketplace. But we still have a ways to go. We remain committed to working with all levels of the supply chain to ensure more fed cattle are offered and procured on a negotiated basis. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your NCBA officer team or our staff in Washington, D.C., with any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Jerry Bohn President, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
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June 2021 California Cattleman 19
Livestock Organizations join forces to address marketing challenges On May 10, member leaders of American Farm Bureau Federation, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Farmers Union, R-CALF USA and the United States Cattlemen’s Association met in Phoenix, Ariz.. These groups convened at the request of Livestock Marketing Association to discuss challenges involved in the marketing of finished cattle with the ultimate goal of bringing about a more financially sustainable situation for cattle feeders and cow-calf producers. The group talked openly and candidly about a wide range of important issues facing our industry today, including but not limited to: • Packer concentration, • Price transparency and discovery, • Packer oversight, • Packers and Stockyards Act enforcement, • Level of captive supply, and • Packer capacity. The group also agreed to take to their respective
organizations for consideration these action items: • Expedite the renewal of USDA’s Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR), including formula base prices subject to the same reporting requirements as negotiated cash and the creation of a contract library. • Demand the Department of Justice (DOJ) issue a public investigation status report and as warranted, conduct joint DOJ and USDA oversight of packer activity moving forward. • Encourage investment in, and development of, new independent, local and regional packers. This unprecedented meeting brought together diverse producer organizations to identify issues and discuss potential solutions. These issues and action item lists are not comprehensive, due to time constraints of this meeting. Attending organization representatives were pleased to have reached consensus on many issues and are committed to the ultimate goal of achieving a fair and transparent finished cattle marketing system.
NCBA and PLC Pleased To See Ranchers and Farmers’ Input Adopted In 30x30 Guidelines On May 6, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association agricultural producers. NCBA and PLC have been in constant
(NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) recognized the inclusion of agricultural producers’ recommendations in the Biden administration’s conservation goals report. The report details the administration’s approach to conserving 30 percent of the nation’s land and waters by the year 2030 — an initiative previously called 30x30 and now dubbed “America the Beautiful.” The report lays out a 10-year roadmap for conservation that includes many of the priorities that are most important to cattle and sheep producers, including the protection of private property rights, learning from successful working lands management and leveraging the expertise of ag producers for the benefit of lands, wildlife and all land users. “We are pleased to see USDA and DOI incorporate many of the recommendations of America’s farmers and ranchers into this conservation plan. This is a productive starting point that builds on the input of a diverse array of stakeholders — and moving forward, our focus will be on holding the administration and federal agencies to it,” said Kaitlynn Glover, NCBA Executive Director of Natural Resources and PLC Executive Director. “Over the next decade, livestock producers will continue doing what they’ve done for generations — manage their lands in a way that promotes conservation and good environmental outcomes, and share that expertise with federal agencies.” “If you want to see successful examples of protecting open spaces, improving the health and resiliency of public lands and balancing durable conservation with multiple use, look no further than American cattle and sheep producers,” added Glover. “We look forward to continuing our dialogue with the administration to make sure that the agencies implementing 30x30 leverage the expertise of our producers and reward them for their good work on the ground.” One of the report’s six initial recommendations for the “America the Beautiful” initiative focuses specifically on 20 California Cattleman June 2021
and proactive communication with the administration to make sure the White House understands the vital role ag producers play in safeguarding our natural landscapes. The report includes recommendations to: • Incentivize voluntary conservation efforts and provide new sources of income for American farmers, ranchers and foresters • Improve the effectiveness of relevant USDA conservation programs through the 2023 Farm Bill • Support the voluntary conservation efforts of private landowners • Leverage public-private partnerships and voluntary measures to improve targeted populations of wildlife • Create jobs in rural America that support science-driven stewardship and conservation efforts. NCBA and PLC have long advocated for conservation policy that is based on science and fact, not emotion or political rhetoric. Livestock producers have an excellent story to tell on conservation, climate and environmental issues: • Direct emissions from cattle account for only two percent of the United States’ overall greenhouse gas emissions. • Livestock grazing significantly improves soil health, increasing the capacity of grasslands to sequester carbon out of the atmosphere. • The U.S. cattle and beef industry has had the lowest greenhouse gas emissions intensity in the world since 1996. • Between 1961 and 2018, the U.S. beef industry reduced emissions by more than 40 percent through continued sustainability efforts and improved resource use. • Last year, corn going to feed beef cattle represented only 7 percent of all the harvested corn grain in the United States.
June 2021 California Cattleman 21
Quenching Our Thirst Targeted wintertime flooding on ag fields could improve the water supply for rural Californians from the University of California College of Agriculture and Natural Resources When droughts strike California, people who rely on shallow domestic wells for their drinking, cooking and washing water are among the first to feel the pain. Aquifers have become depleted from decades of overuse. Drilling deeper is an option for farmers, but prohibitively expensive for low-income residents in disadvantaged communities in the San Joaquin Valley. A University of California (UC) scientist believes managed aquifer recharge on agricultural lands close to populations with parched wells is a hopeful solution. Helen Dahlke, professor in integrated hydrologic sciences at UC Davis, has been evaluating scenarios for flooding agricultural land when excess water is available during the winter in order to recharge groundwater. If relatively clean mountain runoff is used, the water filtering down to the aquifer will address another major groundwater concern: nitrogen and pesticide contamination. “The recharge has the potential to clean up groundwater,” she said. Five years ago, UC Cooperative Extension specialist Toby O’Geen developed an interactive map that identifies 3.6 million acres of California farmland with the best potential for replenishing the aquifer based on soil type,
land use, topography and other factors. Dahlke and her colleagues analyzed the map and identified nearly 3,000 locations where flooding suitable ag land will recharge water for 288 rural communities, half of which rely mainly on groundwater for drinking water. The research was published by Advancing Earth and Space Science in February 2021. “If we have the choice to pick a location where recharge could happen, choose those upstream from these communities,” Dahlke said. “Recharge will create a groundwater mound which is like a bubble of water floating in the subsurface. It takes time to reach the groundwater table. That bubble floating higher above the groundwater table might just be enough to provide for a community’s water needs.”
Filling reservoirs under the ground
Many climate models for California suggest long-term precipitation amounts will not change, however, the winter rainy season will be shorter and more intense. “That puts us in a difficult spot,” Dahlke said. “Our reservoirs are built to buffer some rain storms but are ...CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
©UC DAVIS
©Dahlke
Consumnes River water floods a vineyard in order to recharge groundwater in an experiment conducted by Helen Dahlke’s Lab at UC Davis. 22 California Cattleman June 2021
Helen Dahlke stands by a flooded almond orchard.
June 2021 California Cattleman 23
...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 mainly built to store the slowly melting snowpack in the spring. In the coming years, all the water will come down earlier, snowmelt likely in March and April and more water in winter from rainfall events.” She is working with water districts and farmers to consider a change in managing water in reservoirs. “We want to think about drawing reservoirs empty and putting the water underground during the fall and early winter. Then you have a lot of room to handle the enormous amounts of runoff we expect when we have a warm atmospheric river rain event on snow in the spring,” she said. “However, farmers are hesitant. They like to see water behind the dams.” Interest in groundwater banking has been lifted with the implementation of the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). The law requires governments and water agencies to stop overdraft and bring groundwater basins into balanced levels of pumping and recharge by 2040. Before SGMA, there were no statewide laws governing groundwater pumping and groundwater was used widely to irrigate farms when surface supplies were cut due to drought. “For some of the drought years, overdraft was estimated to be as high as 9 million acre-feet a year,” Dahlke said. Dahlke believes wintertime flooding for groundwater recharge can help water districts meet SGMA rules. “We have to do anything we can to store any surplus water that becomes available to save it for drier times and our aquifers provide a huge storage for that,” she said.
Farming impacts The Dahlke lab is collaborating with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources farm advisors and specialists and with scientists at other UC campuses to learn about agronomic impacts of flooding a variety of agricultural crops, including almonds, alfalfa and grapes. In the San Joaquin Valley, UC Cooperative Extension irrigation specialist Khaled Bali led an intermittent groundwater recharge trial on alfalfa. The researchers applied up to 16 inches per week with no significant impact on alfalfa yield. 24 California Cattleman June 2021
“You could do groundwater recharge in winter and then turn the water off completely and still get a cutting or two of alfalfa before summer,” he said. This past winter, Dahlke was prepared to flood 1,000 acres of land with water from the Consumnes River. Even though winter 2020-21 was another drought year, the research will go on. Her team was able to flood a 400-acre vineyard and, in collaboration with scientists from UC Santa Cruz, deploy sensors in the field to measure infiltration rates to better understand whether sediment in the flood water could clog pores in the soil. Her team also collaborates with Ate Visser of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in using isotope and noble gas data to determine the groundwater age and flow. The Dahlke Lab’s groundwater banking project has planned more studies in groundwater basins across the state to close knowledge gaps on suitable locations, technical implementation and long-term operation. They also plan to address operational, economic and legal feasibility of groundwater banking on agricultural land.
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Interior and Agriculture Departments Outline Wildland Fire Preparedness, Climate Resiliency Plans In mid-May, the Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack shared their vision for the Biden-Harris administration’s wildland fire preparedness and response, including supporting science and research into the effects of climate change on wildland fire. The Secretaries outlined their goals for wildland fire management in a joint memo to wildland fire leadership. Paramount to this issue is promoting climate resiliency across landscapes and communities, modernizing the firefighter workforce while creating good jobs and protecting the safety and long-term wellbeing of our wildland firefighters and incident responders. “With so little room for error, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to wildland fire preparedness, mitigation and resilience. To do so, we must confront the reality that a changing climate is fueling these fire disasters,” said Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. “The Interior Department will continue to leverage our valuable partnerships with state and local governments, Tribes and the private sector to address and mitigate wildfire risk.” “We used to call it fire season, but wildland fires now extend throughout the entire year, burning hotter and growing more catastrophic in drier conditions due to climate change,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “USDA will increase the resiliency of communities at risk for wildfire with more effective land management decisions and partnerships with local communities and Tribal Nations to address climate adaptation, conservation and ecological resilience.” The Secretaries received a virtual operational briefing from wildland fire experts at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, about the formidable challenges that lie ahead. With much of West seeing drought conditions worsen, fire experts are predicting an above average wildfire potential to continue to expand northward into the Great Basin, Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest throughout the year. The Biden-Harris administration previously announced the formation of an Interagency Working Group to address worsening drought conditions in the West and support farmers, Tribes and communities impacted by ongoing water shortages. The President’s American Jobs Plan aims to invest billions in forest restoration, hazardous fuels management and post-wildfire restoration activities across America’s national parks, forests and grasslands. The administration’s 26 California Cattleman June 2021
recently released America the Beautiful initiative also recognizes that restoring forests through collaborative, locally-led, incentive-based practices creates jobs and reduces the threat of catastrophic wildfire. The combined resources for wildland fire response across the Department of the Interior’s land management agencies – including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – and the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service include 15,000 firefighters, more than 500 helicopters, 91 single engine airtankers or SEATs, up to 34 airtankers, 360 pieces of heavy equipment and more than 1,600 engines. In 2020, more than 10.3 million acres burned in the United States – a record year and more than 50 percent above the 10-year average for acres burned. From August through October, the most extreme conditions caused thousands of evacuations, homes and structures lost and tragic fatalities of 11 people in Oregon and 34 people in California.
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Bureau of Livestock ID to Lower Inspection Fees CDFA’s Bureau of Livestock Identification (BLI) will lower inspection fees by 10 cents per head beginning on July 1. The Bureau’s advisory board and CDFA Secretary Karen Ross made the determination due to a budget surplus in the program that developed after the BLI moved to mobile applications that lessened the amount of time spent on paper work. The BLI, which is California’s brand registration and inspection program protecting cattle owners against the loss of animals, is financed entirely through fees. “We are pleased to be able to lower fees and as a result leave our livestock producers with a little more money for their operations,” said Secretary Ross. “We commit to regular reviews of fee structures in all of our programs and will make adjustments when necessary and/ or warranted. I want to thank our Bureau of Livestock ID for an outstanding job in keeping expenses to a minimum.” The BLI has 44 inspectors and inspected 3.56 million head of cattle in 2019-2020.
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June 2021 California Cattleman 27
Requiem for a Forest
The before and after effects of forest fire on a California rancing family
by Dave Daley, past president, California Cattlemen’s Association It has taken months to garner the courage to return to our summer cattle range in the Plumas National Forest. Six generations have taken cattle to the Sierra Nevada high country east of Oroville for over 150 years, on both public (U.S. Forest Service) and private timber company lands owned by Sierra Pacific Industries. The land was completely destroyed by the North Complex fire (Bear Fire) in early September. The devastation was indescribable. We lost close to 350 cows and their baby calves. Burned alive, running from a raging inferno that destroyed all life. We found dead cows and small calves, and very few alive, in desperate conditions that I can never forget. I wish I could. (https:// calcattlemen.org/2020/09/23/legacy/ ). The horror that all living things must have experienced impacted me to the core. We saw dead and severely burnt bears and cubs, bucks, does and fawns, fox, squirrels, chipmunks, ….and the list goes on…and so many species of birds. One hopes they died quickly. The watershed that fills Lake Oroville, 3.5-million-acrefeet and one of the largest manmade lakes in the world, is nothing but black rubble. Majestic pines and firs, towering black oak and madrone. Dead. Silent sentinels of the land that once was. The impact of this catastrophe is not just on me and my family, or those who work and recreate in the forest, or on tourism and business in the town of Oroville. This devastation impacts all Californians who value access to clean water and abundant food. Since we finished the hunt in October for any cattle that may have survived, I had only ventured to the mountains one time to find a Christmas tree on the outer edge of the fire complex, a tradition our family has enjoyed for years. In mid-December most of the ground was covered with snow and it was snowing hard. The palette of white and grey
28 California Cattleman June 2021
softened the harsh reality of “move-on, nothing left to see here.” Nothing to see at all. Just death. But it is April, and a time when life begins anew. My Dad and his Dad before him always tried to take a trip “to the hills” in April or May to get a sense of what may lie ahead when we would trail our cattle to the mountains in early June. Washed out roads, downed trees, plugged culverts, places where you might not get a truck through. Always something. And was the range ready for the cows? Every year was different, from snowbanks blocking the roads in early July to a dry year with very little snow. But this time the trip would be more than difficult. A major drought with very little snowpack, likely not even covering scars from a catastrophic fire. I wonder what, if anything, is left? I dreaded the thought. In my dreams the mountains are sometimes green and lush with the thick canopy of conifers, sprinkled with hardwoods and browse. What I remember, long for, and will forever miss. Teeming with wildlife that are at home in this wildland, part of a mosaic of nature that transcends our brief time on the land. And other nights it is the nightmare of searching for cows in deep canyons choked with smoke. Only to find them in piles of decaying, charred flesh as they rushed to water desperate to escape. This time I saw nothing alive. Not even a bird. And it wasn’t a dream. If only. The night before I left, I debated whether to pick up my 90-year-old mother for a quick ride, not sure if she wanted a first-hand reminder of the place where she spent her summer and fall over the past 72 years. Side by side with my Dad, raising kids and grandkids, gathering cattle, and observing the beautiful cycle of nature. So I called and asked “do you want to take a quick trip to the mountains
tomorrow morning?” Without hesitation, “Of course. What time will you be here?” And by her not-so-subtle implication, “you ought to get here by daylight, that’s when your Dad and I always started!” Bright, sharp as a knife off a freshly used whetstone, and always ready to go. That is Mom. It is comforting to know that the routine of “leave before the sun rises” has not been dampened by time. I had a few hours before I needed to get back to the valley to attend two funerals, so I made the decision to take a fast trip and at least cover the low end of the range. I quickly made it to the remnants of the town of Feather Falls, once a bustling community with a church, store, and school of eighty plus students and four teachers (two grades per classroom). Feather Falls was a busy little place. A mill town for sure, mostly loggers, miners and a few government employees. I remember our cow drive through the center of “town,” where everyone turned out to watch each spring. The village died when the mill left and moved to Oroville. After a 50-year hiatus, Feather Falls is a bustling logging camp again, with 60-plus camp trailers for loggers who have become the undertakers for this morgue. Good people. I talked to a few on the road. They are part of the timber community and appreciate the work. But not like this. Black, charcoal bark and ash day after day, trying to salvage value from an inferno that man helped create. The “townsite” is simply a flat spot in the mountains with a water supply, right at the entrance to the cattle range. I remember all the homes, the lumber mill, shops and railroad, gradually replaced by pine trees after the town died. Now it is barren, black with ash and desolate. Funerals are hard and devastating to family and friends, especially when people were far too young like those I went to today. I saw that this afternoon. But in the back of our minds, we know the time will come for all of us. Tragic, unexpected, difficult, but a chance to reflect and bring closure and healing. This monstrous fire was a funeral of a different sort. No closure. No healing. No time to move on. Just a black encrusted, gaping wound in ridge after canyon after ridge as far as you could see. It is not a scar yet. Not by a long shot. Maybe it never will be healed? Small trickles of water form from springs covered with ash and debris. The gray-colored scum is the purge of nature’s horrid wound. Will it ever heal? You hunt for a green fir or pine among the blacks and greys. Few and far between, but you see them occasionally along a watercourse or where they escaped the devastating wind. And you hope they make it. The scorched earth has yet to show signs of germination. The fire burned so intensely that I wonder when and if the rebirth will begin? Unfortunately, it seems to take tragedy to generate change. Not just based on my experience but on similar fire devastation throughout the state – homes, businesses and lives in the Camp Fire, the August Complex, the Creek Fire, the Tubbs fire, the Thomas Fire. The list of tragedies is endless. But I finally hear voices of reason and common sense being amplified in Sacramento and in Washington, DC. Why does it take tragedy first? People seem to recognize that there are tools that can reduce the intensity of wildfire – not stop them, but perhaps keep them from
Daley family photos following the catastrophic North Complex Bear Fire on the Plumas National Forest late in the summer ...CONTINUED ON PAGE 30 and into the fall of 2020. June 2021 California Cattleman 29
...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29 becoming catastrophic. I am finally hearing “put good fire on the ground as prescribed fire when conditions are right,” something our ancestors knew forever. And “reduce fuel loads with grazing or other management strategies; we must reduce fuel loads when we can.” As I see it, talk is cheap. Many of us have known solutions for decades but were not allowed to implement them. Regulations and fear have stopped any efforts to mitigate these disasters stone cold. We continue to make it worse. Can the sheer scope of these catastrophes create enough momentum to overcome the inertia that drags state and federal government into a morass of regulations and an unwillingness to do anything different? Well, what we are currently doing isn’t working! Unfortunately, I am afraid we will form a study group with highly paid experts to discuss the problem. It is disappointing at best, criminal at worst. Fire season approaches quickly. I hope 2021 is not a repeat performance. But I am not optimistic. Government: slow, cumbersome and rarely effective, even when there is an effort to do the right thing! Discussion is rampant and impassioned. Action is limited. It is difficult to orient oneself to a place you have always known when everything you knew is gone. “Is that Rogerville we passed or Old Lumpkin?” With all the trees gone, the world feels upside-down. Every landmark we knew has been burnt beyond recognition. And it isn’t just me. My Mom, who has an incredible sense of place, was baffled as well. We would slow and look for some sign of
the past. She learned the place names from my Dad, but also his Father and all the “old-timers.” People who loved this land from the late 1800s who were friends and family when my Dad and Mom were married in 1948. It will take careful stewardship to not let the names and the deep history they represent disappear forever. Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) is actively logging, removing all the dead timber as quickly as they can, hoping to salvage some value before the rot sets into the dead trees. There are literally 100s of loads of logs per day coming off the range, through the town of Oroville and to mills throughout the north state. There is a massive amount of timber to be harvested. Unfortunately, the closing of lumber mills has left few options. The loss of jobs and businesses has devastated so many communities. So now the logs must be hauled further. And SPI is already beginning to replant. I have heard them estimate planting over three million trees per year for the next three years. An ambitious and critically important project! Our cattle range is a checkerboard of private SPI land and the Plumas National Forest, managed by the federal government. Most of the lower elevation of the allotment is SPI and the upper reaches of the range are federal. In contrast to the rapid timber harvest on private ground, I see no activity by the Forest Service. Bureaucracy cripples action. SPI has navigated the complex California timber harvest regulations and is moving quickly. The dense and dead forest of federal lands have not been touched as far as I can see. I’m sure there is an effort to move but layers of regulations make federal action next to impossible. As we traveled up Lumpkin Ridge, it does not get better. Admittedly, April is a little early so I am hoping that
VIRTUAL WILDFIRE WORKSHOP SERIES
June 23: Emergency Response, Livestock Access and Evacuation + Safety Considerations for Wildfires July 28: Managing Wildfire Risk for Grazing Permittees on Federal Lands Sept. 1: Utilizing Controlled Burns to Reduce Fire Fuel and Lessen Wildfire Risk Sept. 29: Understanding California Law and Regulations Regarding Prescribed Fire All dates are tentative and subject to change
Learn more about this FREE workshop series at https://calcattlemen.org/events This material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2018-70027-28587.
30 California Cattleman June 2021
more signs of life will be evident in the next couple of months. Past the Farnam Pitch, Dodge Camp, the Burma Road and on towards Davis Creek. We finally hit snow at about 5,200 feet, just a light skiff on the sides of the road. It should be four feet deep in April. As we pass McNair Saddle the snow starts to deepen, and we moved from mostly private land of SPI on to the Plumas National Forest. I must get back and I think the snow will stop me soon. Next time I will go higher, although I find myself dreading that already. I worry about my kids and their friends who grew up in this forest having to witness this again. It quite literally takes your breath away. This is incredibly hard for me and for my Mom but thinking about the next generations, especially my granddaughter Juni, and what they will miss is what haunts my sleep with a pit in my stomach. Sadness, anger, frustration, fear of the future and a slim ray of hope for change all in a tightly wound ball of angst. Right in my gut. And all we have for now are the memories and the stories and the strength of family and character that says, “Don’t quit, never quit, it is too important to the fabric of who you are and who the generations to come will be. Work with nature. Understand and value your heritage and those who came before who loved the land as well.” And my Mom with her grit and gristle: “you have seen the worst, it will only get better.” That must be our touchstone as the year continues to unfold.
Imparting the enchantment of the western lifestyle and the priceless rewards of owning land.
Pete Clark, Broker | DRE# 00656930 | (805) 238-7110 | clarkcompany.com
Butte County Rancher’s Dream Property spacious living with modern luxury Gorgeous, Pristine Ranch!
Kari Wheeler, Realtor, Listing Specialist WheelerRanchRealty@Gmail.com WheelerRanchRealty.com 530-693-7777 • CA DRE # 02069093
Bring your cattle, horses, sheep/goats, chickens or just sit back and enjoy the sunset on this beautiful 51.29 acre ranch. This ranch is situated in the highly sought after District Center Drive area. Breathtaking rolling hills and unbelievable views, country living at its finest. The original farmhouse is adorable! Lots of love has gone into this modern farmhouse with beautiful granite countertops, updated appliances, large laundry room and front entry way. The wood floors throughout the home are one of a kind beautiful! Fully remolded large bathroom with a granite shower and countertops. Newer roof and HVAC system. There are many out buildings, sheds, garage/workshop, chicken coop. The AG Shop is 40x100 with a started/ unfinished 2 bedroom/1 bath living quarters. The garage/ workshop is 50x50 includes a finished office building. Plenty of room for RV parking, trucks/ trailers, corrals, garden, the sky’s the limit. Within this spacious yard sits an older singlewide mobile home, fully functional. The 51.29 acres is fenced and cross fenced, natural pond, creek, rolling hills studded with mature oak trees, irrigated pasture is possible. Cattle have been recently ran on this ranch. There is so much to see and so much this spectacular ranch has to offers. Properties like this are a rare find!
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June 2021 California Cattleman 31
CAOutdoorProperties
Independence Valley Farm & Ranch 47,737 ± Ac., Elko Co, NV – Cattle/Hay/Recreation Lawson Ranch 2,971.51 ± Ac., Elko Co, NV – Cattle/Hay N3 Cattle Company 50,500 ± Ac., Santa Clara Co. $68,000,000 – Cattle/Recreation La Panza Ranch 14,753 ± Ac., San Luis Obispo Co. $38,000,000 – Cattle/Agriculture/Recreation Bettencourt Family Property 750 ± Ac., Merced Co. $25,000,000 – Orchard/Water Kelsey Ranch 7,217.57 ± Ac., Merced Co. $22,000,000 – Cattle/Recreation/Orchard PENDING Ashurst Ranch 58,154 ± Ac., San Benito Co. $17,500,000 – Cattle/Recreation SOLD Evans Ranch 592 ± Ac., Plumas Co. $14,950,000 – Cattle/ Recreation TNT Farms 3,043.55 ± Ac., Pershing Co, NV. $13,900,000 – Hay SOLD Reservation Ranch 1,668 ± Ac., Del Norte Co. $12,950,000 – Cattle/Agriculture PENDING Diamond X Ranch 9,535.56 ± Ac., Tehama Co. $10,000,000 – Cattle SOLD Grasshopper Valley Ranch 16,000 ± Ac., Lassen Co. $9,950,000 – Cattle/Recreation PENDING Island Ranch 1,155 ± Ac., Shasta Co. $9,950,000 – Cattle/Hay/Recreation Harlan Cattle Ranch 1,315.26 ± Ac., Plumas Co. $8,250,000 – Cattle Eshom Valley Ranch 3,775 ± Ac., Tulare Co. $7,900,000 – Cattle/Recreation Winter Falls Ranch 1,500 ± Ac., Shasta Co. $7,600,000 – Cattle/Hay Morro Bay Ranch 2,298.42 ± Ac., San Luis Obispo Co. $7,300,000 – Cattle/Recreation/Agriculture Spring Valley Ranch 1,120 ± Ac., Plumas Co. $6,900,000 – Cattle/Recreation SOLD Double J Ranch 2,397 ± Ac., Monterey Co. $5,950,000 – Cattle/Recreation Green Valley Ranch 8,180.33 ± Ac., Glenn Co. $5,900,000 – Cattle/Recreation SOLD York Ranch 3,527 ± Ac., Modoc Co. $5,900,000 – Cattle/Hay SOLD Guadalupe Ranch Estate 571.51 ± Ac., Mariposa Co. $5,494,000 – Cattle/Recreation Beaver Creek Ranch 2,701 ± Ac., Lassen Co. $5,400,000 – Cattle/Hay Leavitt Lake Ranch 1,360 ± Ac., Lassen Co. $4,750,000 – Cattle/Hay Cantinas Ranch 587.33 ± Ac., San Luis Obispo Co. $4,699,000 – Cattle/Recreation Arnerich Ranch 2,928 ± Ac., Santa Clara Co. $4,399,000 – Cattle/Recreation 32 California Cattleman June 2021
Big Signal Ranch 1,079 ± Ac., Mendocino Co. $3,100,000 – Recreation/Timberland PENDING Highway 20 Ranch 2,607 ± Ac., Colusa Co. $2,950,000 – Cattle/Recreation Mule Ranch 1,234.20 ± Ac., Siskiyou Co. $2,950,000 – Hay Paloma Creek Vineyard Ranch 222 ± Ac., Monterey Co. $2,800,000 – Cattle/Vineyard Genasci Ranch 596.74 ±Ac., Sierra Co. $2,400,000 – Cattle PENDING Heritage Ranch 2,822 ± Ac., Tehama Co. $2,328,150 – Cattle Bucks Valley Ranch 2,324.70 ± Ac., Monterey Co. $2,299,000 – Cattle SOLD Guntly Farm 200 ± Ac., Mendocino Co. $1,995,000 – Agriculture SOLD Mason Mountain Ranch 3,782.59 ± Elko Co, NV $1,950,000 – Cattle/Recreation Hat Creek Ranch 284 ± Ac., Shasta Co. $1,600,000 – Hay PENDING Eagle Creek Ranch 115 ± Ac., Trinity Co. $1,599,000 – Agriculture/Recreation SOLD Greenleaf Ranch 135 ± Ac., Trinity Co. $1,525,000 – Cattle/Timberland PENDING Dripping Springs Ranch 520 ± Ac., Lassen Co. $1,395,000 – Cattle Penon Blanco Ranch 343 ± Ac., Mariposa Co. $1,395,000 – Cattle SOLD Vista Ranch 265.10 ± Ac., Placer Co. $1,390,000 – Cattle/ Recreation PENDING Liberty Island Ranch 80 ± Ac., Solano Co. $ 1,250,000 – Cattle SOLD Carmen City Ranch 304 ± Ac., Calaveras Co. $1,200,000 – Cattle PENDING Barnes Creek Ranch East 684 ± Ac., Modoc Co. $995,000 – Timberland/Cattle SOLD Deer Flat Ranch 1,120 ± Ac., Tuolumne Co. $949,000 – Cattle SOLD Bailey Reservoir Lands 280 ± Ac., Lassen Co. $600,000 – Cattle/Recreation Martin Ranch 84.57 ± Ac., Tuolumne Co. $585,000 – Cattle Walking 5 Ranch 630 ± Ac., Modoc Co. $575,000 – Recreation/ Agriculture Little Valley Ranch 320 ± Ac., Colusa Co. $498,000 – Cattle PENDING Beaver Creek Bluff Ranch 440 ± Ac., Lassen Co. $497,000 – Cattle LK Courtright Ranch 373 ± Ac., Modoc Co. $489,000 – Cattle
CaliforniaOutdoorProperties.com | info@caoutdoorproperties.com | 707.455.4444
Todd Renfrew | Owner/Broker DRE#01838294 • NV#B.1001686.CORP
N3 Cattle Company $68,000,000
Lawson Ranch CALL FOR PRICE
50,500 ± Acres | Santa Clara County, CA
2,971.51 ± Acres | Elko County, NV
Evans Ranch
Island Ranch
$14,950,000
$9,950,000
592 +/- Acres | Plumas County, CA
1,155 ± Acres | Shasta County, CA
Harlan Cattle Ranch
Morro Bay Ranch
$8,250,000
1,315.26 ± Acres | Plumas County, CA
$7,300,000
2,298.42 ± Acres | San Luis Obispo County, CA
June 2021 California Cattleman 33
OutdoorPropertiesofNevada.com | info@outdoorpropertiesofnevada.com | 775.455.0225
PROGRESSIVE PRODUCER
CATTLE ECTOPARASITES AND THEIR CONTROL by Alec Gerry, Ph.D., Professor and Cooperative Extension Specialist in Veterinary Entomology, University of California, Riverside to cattle. More importantly, cattle grub eggs deposited Insects, ticks and mites that harm cattle by feeding on blood, skin, tissue, hair or exudates (tears or mucus) at the on cattle legs hatch into fly larvae that burrow into the external body surface of cattle, are commonly described as cattle skin and then migrate through the cattle body until reaching the back of their host. Once at the back, cattle external parasites or “ectoparasites.” Cattle ectoparasites grubs chew an opening in the skin (a “warble”) allowing are often further classified as either permanent, the maggot to get air. Cattle grubs remain in the warble to intermittent or temporary ectoparasites according to the complete their immature life and then they will drop to the degree of association with their animal host. Permanent ground to transform to the adult stage. ectoparasites spend their entire life on a single animal, Temporary ectoparasites include the biting flies such while intermittent ectoparasites spend much of their life as the horn fly, stable fly, face fly, biting midges, black flies, on a single host animal but also spend part of their life horse and deer flies and mosquitoes. Of these pests, the in the surrounding habitat off the host, and temporary most economically damaging in the U.S. are the horn fly, ectoparasites make only brief contact with an animal to stable fly and face fly. Horn flies bite cattle on the back feed on blood or body exudates. during cool weather but move to the belly to feed on Information on the biology and management of sunny days with high temperatures. Horn flies bite many ectoparasites is available through a national extension times each day and remain on the cattle body even when website (Figure 1) managed by veterinary entomologists not biting. throughout North America as part of a USDA multistate In contrast, stable flies bite cattle on the legs and project. lower belly and leave their host after biting to rest in the Permanent ectoparasites include the many different surrounding environment and digest the bloodmeal. Both species of cattle lice and cattle mites. Feeding by lice and horn flies and stable flies acquire blood by tearing through mites can be very irritating to their cattle host, potentially resulting in dermatitis and hair loss. Hide damage can also the skin resulting in painful bites and considerable cow discomfort. occur as cattle rub and scratch against objects in their Face flies feed on eye and nasal excretions, rather environment to relieve the itching caused by lice and mite than blood, and while they do not deliver painful bites, feeding. Lice and mites are typically very host specific they will use their mouthparts to scrape at softer tissues (only live on cattle) and because they lack wings, they around cattle eyes causing irritation to cattle eyes. Face can only disperse to new cattle during direct contact with flies can transmit pathogens to cattle eyes including infested cattle. Therefore, limiting movement of animals infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis ( “bovine pinkeye”) among herds can help prevent spread of lice and mites. and eyeworms. When fly activity is high, cattle express Intermittent ectoparasites in the U.S. include ticks and cattle grubs. While some ticks will spend their life on a single animal (i.e., the ear tick), most ticks will feed on three different host animals taking one blood meal for each tick life stage (larva, nymph, adult tick). These three-host ticks drop off the host after feeding for several days, and then they remain in the environment until they digest the host blood and transform to the next life stage or lay eggs and die for adult female ticks. Some ticks such as the Foothill Abortion tick (Pajaroello tick) are unusual in that they will feed on many hosts, taking small bloodmeals during each short feeding period. Adult cattle grubs are also called “heel flies” because the adult flies hover near and land on the lower legs of cattle where they lay their eggs. The presence of heel flies can cause cattle to engage © UC RIVERSIDE in a panicked running behavior called “gadding” that can result in injury Cattle on pasture in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California. Image by Alec Gerry. 34 California Cattleman June 2021
fresh cattle feces. Stable fly management is challenging, fly-repelling behaviors such as leg stamps, head tosses and tail swishing. Cattle held in groups (on pasture or in but some relief to cattle can be achieved using insecticides pens) will aggregate into a group (“bunching”) providing applied to cattle as liquid sprays. The online pesticide some protection from biting to cattle in the middle of the database will lead you through a series of selections to group. find the right product for you. High biting fly activity will result in lower cattle weight gains (and reduced milk yields for dairy cows) as cattle spend time and energy repelling or avoiding the biting flies. The remaining biting flies (biting midges, black flies, horse and deer flies, and mosquitoes) can be problematic in some settings and may be responsible for transmission of pathogens (e.g., bluetongue virus is transmitted to cattle by biting midges) but are not usually economically important pests of beef cattle in North America. Control of ectoparasites starts with herd and pasture management. Limiting movement of cattle among herds can help reduce the transfer of some ectoparasites such as lice, mites and ticks from infested herds. Where cattle will be introduced to a herd, a careful ectoparasite evaluation of cattle to be introduced or prophylactic treatment of these cattle within insecticides can reduce ectoparasite introduction into the herd. Some ticks can be managed by leaving pasture without cattle for a season (“pasture spelling”) so that ticks are unable to find a host. This strategy is generally most effective for pastures where deer and Figure 1. USDA multistate project website providing information on other large animals are also excluded. Two of the biting ectoparasite biology and management (veterinaryentomology.org). flies, horn flies and face flies, develop as immature flies only in fresh cattle feces, so disturbance of cow pats can reduce abundance of these flies. Cow pats can be disturbed by high density of cattle (such as in feed lots) or by the action of other animals including dung beetles and birds (chickens held on cattle pasture will scratch through cow pats to eat immature flies). Ectoparasites can also be managed using insecticides and parasiticides, and this may be necessary when ectoparasite activity reaches levels that can cause economic damage to cattle producers. Veterinary entomologists in North America have developed an online searchable pesticide database called VetPestX (Figure 2) that producers can utilize to find suitable insecticides for control of ectoparasites. Control of lice, mites and ticks can be achieved using injectable parasiticides, topically applied insecticides or cattle ear Figure 2. VetPestX is an online, searchable database for insecticides tags. Cattle grubs are controlled with parasiticides and registered in each state for application against ectoparasites by animal dewormers. Horn flies and face flies can be managed commodity. This is a resource developed by USDA multistate project with ear tags, topically applied insectides and feedmembers to support extension agents and animal producers and is available at https://www.veterinaryentomology.org/vetpestx. through insecticides that will kill the immature flies in June 2021 California Cattleman 35
Fighting for Sound Tax Policy
for Rural America from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
Engrained in the fabric of the U.S. cattle industry is the desire to carry on the legacy of the generations before and give the next generation the opportunity to continue that same legacy for years to come. For beginning farmers and ranchers — and all those who are taking over the family business from another generation — the environment is challenging enough as it is. Undue tax liabilities should not be the deciding factor of the next generation’s ability to be successful. “When it comes down to coming home, our biggest expense is taxes. If you don’t have a plan set and ready before the situation of the transition is going to happen, it can be very scary; to take 40 percent of your assets is just a scary number,” said David Schuler of Schuler Red Angus in Bridgeport, Neb. “How do you continue to farm or ranch after that?” This sentiment is felt by many producers across the country. Efforts to eliminate currently available estate tax relief or the long-standing step-up in basis are in direct conflict with the desire to preserve and protect our nation’s family-owned farms and ranches. Farmers and ranchers deserve certainty in the tax code overall. Without it, transition planning for the next generation of producers is nearly impossible. “With the average age of a farmer being 57 to 60, this issue is not just a heavy issue for the individual, but it’s going to be happening a lot for a lot of people across the United States, not just over time, but specifically in the next four to eight years,” Schuler said. An estimated 2,000 acres of agricultural land is paved over, fragmented or converted to uses that compromise agriculture each day in the U.S. Therefore, more than 40 percent of farmland is expected to transition in the next two decades. “There is going to be a huge change in how the inherited land goes to the next generation. This isn’t just an issue that’s been around for a while — this issue is going to balloon harder than it has for the last ten years, in the next 10 to 20,” said Schuler. The current situation in agriculture is one that is immensely impacted by decisions being made thousands of miles away from farms and ranches—behind the desks of lawmakers in Washington, D.C. It is imperative that Congress prioritize policies that support land transfers to 36 California Cattleman June 2021
the next generation of farmers and ranchers. In April, The Preserving Family Farms Act of 2021 was introduced by U.S. Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Jackie Walorski (R-IN). NCBA has long supported efforts to reduce undue tax burden on farmers and ranchers. This bipartisan legislation to expand IRS Code Section 2032A to modernize Special Use Valuations, would allow cattle producers to better protect their family-owned businesses from the devastating impact of the federal estate tax, commonly referred to as the Death Tax. U.S. cattle producers, like Kevin Kester of Bear Valley Ranch in Parkfield, are particularly susceptible to the federal estate tax due to the unique nature of agricultural production, and cattle ranching in particular. “In 1993, when my grandfather passed away, it created a taxable event with the IRS and we ended up owing estate taxes and interest, close to $2 million. At the time we just had cattle, so as you can imagine we were land rich and cash poor. It was really a struggle for more than ten years to find ways to pay off that estate tax burden,” said Kester. Similarly to Bear Valley Ranch, the value of most cattle farms and ranches can be attributed to illiquid assets such as land, farm equipment and other real property. In fact, in the U.S. alone, cattle producers conserve over 680 million acres of land. All too often at the time of death, farm and ranch families are forced to take out loans or sell off their illiquid assets in order to meet their federal estate tax burden. While the current 2032A reduction is 55 percent higher than the value established two decades ago, USDA estimates that cropland values have increased by 223 percent. Agricultural land values – including on-farm buildings – have also risen dramatically, increasing by 241 percent during this same period. Due to the rapid inflation of farmland values, the 2032A deduction is no longer aligned with the needs of modern agriculture – nor does it accomplish Congress’ intended goal of providing meaningful protection to those producers who are most vulnerable to the estate tax. “There’s enough challenges to generational succession in farming and ranching, we just don’t need tax burdens being one of them,” Kester said.
The Preserving Family Farms Act increases the limitation on 2032A valuations from $750,000 to $11.7 million, thus reviving a critically important tool in the toolbox for farm and ranch families across the U.S. If enacted, this legislation will provide a permanent solution to an issue that has long plagued our nation’s cattle producers. While NCBA recognizes the significance of this proposal, the team is aware that conversations that are blatantly out of touch with the needs of rural America are continuing to happen in D.C. There have been recommendations from lawmakers to overturn tax policies that benefit farm and ranch families across the U.S.—such as the step-up in basis, which allows for the readjustment of the value of an appreciated asset for tax purposes upon inheritance—a critical tool for managing tax liability when generational transfer occurs. According to a study by EY, family-owned businesses and the local economies they support would be hit hardest by a repeal. To reveal the impact stepped-up basis repeal would have on family-owned farms and ranches, EY developed a case-study based on a theoretical family-owned cow-calf operation. In this scenario—one where the stepped-up basis is no longer a tool for family-owned business to utilize when generational transfer occurs — gains are taxed at death and would result in an immediate one-time tax liability equivalent to 280 percent of the farm’s annual income. “The EY study sheds light on the facts that we at NCBA—among others in the agricultural community— have long known. Simply put, the repeal of stepped-up basis would have catastrophic impacts on the ability of farmers and ranchers to transfer their operations to the next generation,” said Danielle Beck, NCBA Senior. Executive Director, Government Affairs. NCBA stands firm in fighting for increased
opportunities for producer profitability and, with that, opportunities for the next generation of farmers and ranchers to be successful. “NCBA continues to advocate for tax policy that allows the next generation of agricultural producers to have the economic tools to be successful. Repealing stepped-up basis would adversely impact farmers and ranchers across the country. In fact, while this provision has been identified as a potential revenue raiser for government spending—it would be irresponsible to place that burden on family-owned businesses, and multigenerational agricultural operations in particular,” Beck said. Through continued efforts and conversations on both sides on the aisle, NCBA is committed to conveying to elected officials the importance of sound tax policy for rural America. However, it is those living and working in rural America that know all too well the situation at hand. “We work so hard our entire lives; our parents and grandparents work so hard. We’re working 40 hours a week by Wednesday, and then we continue on the rest of the week. The backbone of America has a dire situation on our hands, if we are just allowed the opportunity to be capitalistic and hardworking — that’s all we ask, it really is,” said Schuler. Absent full, permanent repeal of the Death Tax, Congress must preserve provisions in the tax code that ensure the viability of family-owned farms and ranches, as well as the vitality of the rural communities they support. It is imperative that producers continue to engage with elected officials on this issue. The most powerful lobbying tool is the story of farmers and ranchers. Please join NCBA in our tax letter campaign. Share your story by visiting https://p2a.co/t8CgREN because the next generation depends on it!
June 2021 California Cattleman 37
IN MEMORY Christy Mathis
Christy Mathis, a hard-nosed and hard-driving nurse-turned-rancher’s wife whose tough exterior belied the kind heart and graciousness that lay beneath, died suddenly at her home. She was 78. A mother of three and doting grandmother of five, Christy had an indefatigable work ethic. For many years, while managing the Mathis household and the family cattle business finances, she was a Girl Scout leader and active in 4-H. Christy also took great satisfaction from her involvement in the Hornitos Patrons Club, the Cathey’s Valley Garden Club and California CattleWomen. At home, she churned out intricate personalized quilts for family members and friends, tended to her gardens and hosted and cooked dinners for her wide circle of friends. “Everything Christy did, she did so well,” younger sister Judy Thibodeau said. “She’d make all these quilts and they would look like a professional production. She did everything with precision.” For most of the last decade, Christy cared for husband Lewie, providing dialysis treatments at their home on a nightly basis. She continued even as she faced her own health challenges, only recently allowing caregivers to provide the demanding care. “She was the rock. The glue that held this family together,” daughter Stephanie Hibbits said. Christy passed away, gently, on May 1, while resting in a recliner in her living room on the family’s sprawling cattle ranch on the outskirts of Lompoc, in Santa Barbara County. Christyn Marie Errecarte was born Aug. 10, 1942, in Southern California, the oldest of Joaquin and Emma Errecarte’s three children. Judy was born 18 months later and brother Jim arrived about four years after that. The family lived modestly in what was then the small beach town of San Juan Capistrano. Emma stayed home with the kids while Joaquin -- known to all by his nickname “Queen” -- ran a gas station, then became a carpenter and ended up the foreman of Rancho Mission Viejo. After work, he would labor in the family’s orange grove. After high school Christy earned a nursing degree and worked as a registered nurse until marrying Lewie Mathis. They had met a few years earlier when she attended a postbranding barbecue at Rancho Mission Viejo. Christy was very proud of her time as a nurse. Despite never returning to the profession, she continued to take continuing education classes to maintain her license for over 30 years. Lewie and Christy married Sept. 10, 1964, They had three children – Todd, Jeff and Stephanie. Todd and Jeff followed their father into cattle ranching while Stephanie became an equine veterinarian. As kids, the Mathis siblings were active in sports and other 38 California Cattleman June 2021
avocations. Christy got them wherever they needed to be. Holidays were special. Christy made Halloween costumes for her children and baked pies and cooked an immense dinner for Thanksgiving. Christmas was a monthlong celebration, with Christy baking and putting up decorations throughout the home. The family always had a very tall Christmas tree thickly covered in lights and ornaments. Stephanie said her mother loved to travel but ranch life didn’t allow her to do it as often as she would have liked. Still, there was a memorable mother-daughter trip to England and France where Christy served as a chaperone for a group of students. They also traveled together to Washington, D.C., and New York City. The Mathis ranch in Hornitos was a favorite summertime destination for Judy’s and Jim’s children. Judy likened it to a dude ranch – Lewie, Todd, and Jeff always had the horses ready to ride and Christy “just took care of everything.” Her children loved their aunt’s chocolate waffles. Christy took pleasure in helping her family and those outside it. Stephanie remembered that when she completed her surgery residency, her mother – without being asked – made equine-themed quilts for two of her mentors, as well as a third one for Stephanie to keep. That thoughtfulness continued until the end. The day after Christy’s death, her daughter-in-law, Stephanie Mathis, started sorting mail that had piled up. She found letters from the California Department of Agriculture’s division of brand registration. Inside was confirmation that two longtime family brands had been transferred to Stephanie and Jeff ’s sons, Lewie and Zane. Transferring brands is a complicated process involving letter-writing and dealing with bureaucrats. Christy had vowed to make sure her grandsons grew up with those brands officially attached to them and spent months cajoling the government. Her sons, greatly saddened by their grandmother’s death, immediately brightened when told the news. “She could not have left a bigger spark for them to become cattlemen,” Stephanie Mathis said. Christy is survived by husband Lewie of Lompoc; sons Todd and wife Jene of Washoe Valley, Nev., and Jeff and Stephanie of Lompoc; daughter Stephanie Hibbits and husband Gregg of Templeton; sister Judy Thibodeau and husband Peter of Aptos; brother Jim Errecarte and wife Kathy of Davis; and grandchildren Gage, Casey, Zane, Lewie and Ronan, as well as several TO SUBMIT YOUR FAMILY WEDDING nieces and NEWS, BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS nephews. A private OR OBITUARIES, CONTACT THE CCA memorial OFFICE AT (916) 444-0845 OR E-MAIL: gathering will MAGAZINE@CALCATTLEMEN.ORG be planned for a later date.
Ernie Morris
Ernest “Ernie” (Albert) Morris County where they raised Blanche’s two children, Linda and died peacefully in his sleep on May Ralph. Ernie’s and Blanche’s marriage lasted more than 64 5, 2021, at his ranch near Templeton. years. They were an icon couple at numerous public events. He was 93 years old. Ernie’s art talents began to show at an early age, with Ernie was born Dec. 13, 1927, at special interests in the California Vaquero. Vaquero art the family home in the small rural was a hobby until 1964 when he took up art as a full-time community of Fellows in Kern occupation. In 1967 Ernie began placing a small hackamore County. He was the oldest of two beside his name on his drawings and paintings as a symbol children of Donald Morris and to connect his art and his rawhide work. Jessie (Wilkinson) Morris. He was a Ernie prided himself in creating authentic vaquero fifth-generation California cattleman on both his mother’s remembrances in all aspects – people, horses, equipment, and father’s side of the family tree, and he was a greatcattle, terrain, livestock situations, etc. He created vaquero grandson of the late Samuel S. Jobe, a Pony Express rider art with pen & ink, pencil, charcoal, watercolor, oils, acrylic, and stagecoach driver. bronze sculpting, wood carving, rawhide braiding, and horse Ernie spent much of his youth on the family ranch hair mecates. His paintings and drawings provide a vivid and in Kings County. After the tragic accidental death of his colorful replay of his personal experiences while working father when Ernie was 12 years old, his family moved to on various ranches in his younger days, and the many stories the Paso Robles area of San Luis Obispo County to be told to him by “old-timer cowboys” he knew. His art, closer to other family members. During his high school rawhide work, and books have been featured in galleries, years, Ernie began working on some of the largest livestock museums, and private collections throughout the United ranches in the central coast where he worked with older States and many parts of the world. men who followed the California Vaquero horsemanship Ernie authored and illustrated seven popular books about and livestock handling style. There he found the beginning vaquero horsemanship and livestock handling. He also of a fascination that lasted throughout his life. His love illustrated several other books and publications, and he was for livestock and the ranching life knew no bounds. He published in numerous newspaper and magazine articles held very high regard for the daily working cowboys who regarding horse training methods, rawhide braiding, western practiced vaquero ways. art, etc. Ernie especially credited his grandfather, Jesse Wilkinson, He was a one-of-a-kind traditionalist and an icon to the with teaching him many of the vaquero ways and techniques California Vaquero system and was an inspiration to many for making quality rawhide equipment. Jesse was well-known horsemen and cattlemen. in the central coast area as an excellent vaquero and a master Ernie was preceded in death by his father Donald Morris, rawhide worker. When Ernie asked his grandfather to teach his mother Jessie Simmons, his sister Clara Garrett, his him details of expert rawhide braiding, Jesse had only two wife Blanche Morris, and his daughter Linda Smith. He is requirements. He said “I’ll teach you the rawhide business survived by his son Ralph Pavey (Diane), four grandchildren from A to Z, if you’ll make me two promises. Never cheat Dawn Smith (John Elwood), Brian Pavey (Janelle), people in anything you do, and do what I tell you. If you Kenny Pavey (Shannon), Jeff Smith (Gena), seven greatcan’t get it I want you ‘barking at the hole’.” Ernie made that grandchildren, and one great, great-grandchild. promise, and the lessons began. Under Jesse’s tutelage, Ernie Ernie’s final resting place is in the Veterans section of the became an expert horseman, livestock man, and rawhide Paso Robles District Cemetery, beside his wife Blanche. braider, and a knowledge source and encouragement for aspiring horsemen and rawhide braiding aficionados. Ernie spoke with pride about the six years he spent in the Navy. Ramey & Patterson He served tours in the latter part of WWII and the early part of the Nampa, Idaho. The groom, originally Lauren Ramey and Jared Patterson Korean War, in addition to other from Declo, Idaho, is employed by were married in a ceremony the American Angus Association surrounded by friends and family in global commissions. where he represents the association Caldwell, Idaho on May 22. Ernie and his wife Blanche were as a regional manager in the Pacific The bride was raised in the cattle married on March 10, 1954. They Northwestern Territory. The couple industry and is from Ridgefield, Wash. eventually settled to their ranch have made their first home in She works as a labor and delivery near Templeton in San Luis Obispo nurse for St. Luke’s Medical Center in Caldwell, Idaho.
wedding bells
June 2021 California Cattleman 39
California Cattlemen’s Association Services for all your on-the-ranch needs 18
M i d Va l l e y
Join us Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 for our annual bull sale!
30th annual Bull Sale Sept. 16 in Denair
5031 Jersey Island Rd • Oakley, CA 94561
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Angus
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RAnch
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40 California Cattleman June 2021
SEPT. 9, 2021 • WILLIAMS, CA
Tim & Marilyn Callison............................... Owners Chad Davis ..................................... 559 333 0362 Travis Coy ...................................... 559 392 8772 Justin Schmidt................................ 209 585 6533 Ranch Website ................. www.ezangusranch.com
• Calving Ease with Growth • CONTACT US ABOUT SEMEN FROM THESE IMPRESSIVE SIRES...
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Call us about females available private treaty. Join us Sept. 9 for our annual Black Gold Bull Sale!
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R (530) 200-1467 • (530) 227-8882
Sept. 1 - Partners for Performance Bull Sale October 9 - Partners for Performance Female Sale Contact us for information on cattle available private treaty.
Registered Angus Cattle Call to see what we have to offer you!
H
We hope to see you at our 2021 production sales this fall...
DAN & BARBARA O’CONNELL 3590 Brown Rd, Colusa CA (530) 458-4491
Celebrating Angus Tradition Since 1974
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h
— Since 1878—
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Simmental – SimAngus™ – Angus June 2021 California Cattleman 41
Join us for our 46th annual
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Registered Hereford Cattle & Quarter Horses
thank you to our 2021 Cattlemen's Classic Production Sale buyers!
(530) 385-1570
E-mail................................tehamaranch@gmail.com
Annual Sale First Monday in March 42500 Salmon Creek Rd Baker City, OR 97814
Ranch: (541) 523-4401 Bob Harrell, Jr.: (541) 523-4322
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PO Box 760 Williams, CA bbr@citlink.net
Mobile: (530) 681-5046 Office (530) 473-2830 www.brokenboxranch.com
3L
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79337 Soto Lane Fort Rock, OR 97735 Ken 541.403.1044 | Jesse 541.810.2460 ijhufford@yahoo.com | www.huffordherefords.com
ANNUAL BULL SALE SEPT. 2 IN LAGRANGE
Contact Clinton Brightwell for assistance marketing or buying your Hereford Cattle! (417) 359-6893 OFFICE@VINTAGEANGUSRANCH.COM WWW.VINTAGEANGUSRANCH.COM
11500 N Ambassador Drive, Suite 410 | Kansas City, MO 64153 | (816) 842-3757 | aha@hereford.org
MCPHEE RED ANGUIS
42 California Cattleman June 2021
CONTACT US FOR CATTLE AVAILABLE PRIVATE TREATY OFF THE RANCH
Oroville, CA LambertRanchHerefords.com
REGISTERED HEREFORD CATTLE
Call us today for information on private treaty bulls or females. 14298 N. Atkins Rd • Lodi, CA 95248 Nellie, Mike, Mary, Rita & Families Nellie (209) 727-3335 • Rita (209) 607-9719 website: www.mcpheeredangus.com
THANK YOU TO OUR 2020 & 2021 BULL BUYERS FOR BELIEVING IN OUR PROGRAM!
“THE BRAND YOU CAN COUNT ON”
Call us about our upcoming consignments or private treaty cattle available off the ranch.
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P.W. GILLIBRAND Cattle Co.
Horned and Polled Hereford Genetics
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pwgillibrandcattle.com
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OFFERING HEREFORD BULLS BUILT FOR THE COMMERCIAL CATTLEMAN
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Premium Livestock Feeds “PERFORMANCE THROUGH WWW.BARALEINC.COM ADVANCED (888) 258-3333NUTRITION” • Williams, CA Matt Zappetini 526-0106 • Mineral Mixes with(530) Ranch Delivery • mzappetini@baraleinc.com • Hi Mag - Fly Control - Rumensin - Custom Mixes • Performance Through • Complete Feeds and Finish Mixes • Advanced Nutrition www.baraleinc.com • (888) 258-3333
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Ranch Deliveries Available with our Truck and Forklift! We
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June 2021 California Cattleman 43
We offer blends that contain: Molasses - Zinpro® Performance Minerals - Availa® 4 - Added Sele
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GENETICS
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Anaplasmosis is an infectious parasitic disease in cattle, spread primarily by ticks and blood sucking insects like mosquitoes. The killed anaplasmosis vaccine protects cows and bulls of any age from infection and requires a booster given 4 to 6 weeks after the initial vaccination. Find out below if you should order the vaccine!
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44 California Cattleman June 2021
Do you own cattle?
NO
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share your products & services in one of the most respected beef magazines in the business and the only publication that works exclusively for the California beef industry and puts your ad dollars back to work for you! Reach readers in California plus thousands more across the west, including Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, Utah and Washington!
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June 2021 May 2021 California Cattleman RESERVATION DEADLINE: JUNE 10, 2021
45
Amador Angus Ranch................................................................................40 American AgCredit.....................................................................................16 American Hereford Association ���������������������������������������������������������������42 Animal Health International ��������������������������������������������������������������������43 Bar Ale Feeds...............................................................................................43 Bar KD Ranch..............................................................................................40 Bar R Angus.................................................................................................40 Biozyme........................................................................................................23 Bovine Elite, LLC.........................................................................................44 Broken Box Ranch.......................................................................................42 Buchanan Angus..........................................................................................40 Byrd Cattle Company.................................................................................40 California Angus Association �������������������������������������������������������������������10 California Outdoor Properties............................................................32, 33 Cattlemen’s Livestock Market ���������������������������������������������������������������������7 Chico State College of Ag...........................................................................43 Clark Company Ranch Real Estate ����������������������������������������������������������31 CoBank ........................................................................................................16 Conlin Supply Company, Inc. �������������������������������������������������������������������23 Dal Porto Livestock.....................................................................................40 Dixie Valley Angus................................................................................40, 47 Donati Ranch...............................................................................................40 Dr Power Equipment..................................................................................27 EZ Angus Ranch..........................................................................................40 Farm Credit West........................................................................................16 Freitas Rangeland Management ���������������������������������������������������������������26 Fresno State Ag Foundation.......................................................................43 Genoa Livestock..........................................................................................42 Harrell Hereford Ranch..............................................................................42 HAVE Angus................................................................................................41 Hogan Ranch...............................................................................................41 Hone Ranch..................................................................................................41 Hufford’s Herefords.....................................................................................42 JMM Genetics..............................................................................................44 Kari Wheeler Real Estate............................................................................31
46 California Cattleman June 2021
Kessler Angus...............................................................................................41 Knipe Land Company.................................................................................44 Lambert Ranch............................................................................................42 Little Shasta Ranch......................................................................................43 M3 Cattle Marketing...................................................................................44 McPhee Red Angus.....................................................................................42 Memory Ranches Horse Sale ��������������������������������������������������������������������21 Microbial Plus RMT Inc...............................................................................3 Morrell Ranches...........................................................................................42 Noahs Angus Ranch....................................................................................41 O’Connell Ranch.........................................................................................41 O’Neal Ranch...............................................................................................41 P.W. Gillibrand Cattle Co...........................................................................43 Pacific Trace Minerals.................................................................................43 Red River Farms..........................................................................................41 Sammis Ranch.............................................................................................41 Schohr Herefords.........................................................................................43 Sierra Ranches..............................................................................................43 Silveira Bros..................................................................................................41 Sonoma Mountain Herefords �������������������������������������������������������������������43 Spanish Ranch..............................................................................................43 Stepaside Farms...........................................................................................41 Superior Livestock Auction........................................................................25 Tehama Angus Ranch.................................................................................42 Teixeria Cattle Co........................................................................................42 Turlock Livestock Auction Yard �����������������������������������������������������������������9 VF Red Angus..............................................................................................42 Vintage Angus Ranch...........................................................................42, 48 VitaFerm.......................................................................................................23 Watkins Fence Company............................................................................44 Western Poly Pipe........................................................................................24 Western Stockman’s Market.......................................................................11 Western Video Market..................................................................................2 Wrait Scarlett & Randolph Insurance ������������������������������������������������������15
“PERFORMANCE, GROWTH, CARCASS AND EFFICIENCY GENETICS” WATCH FOR AN IMPRESSIVE SALE OFFERING AT THE ARELLANO BRAVO/DIABLO VALLEY ANGUS BULL SALE AND THE CAL POLY BULL TEST SALE THIS FALL!
Call for summer flush semen!
$25/unit
JINDRA STONEWALL
POSS DEADWOOD
Sire: Jindra Acclaim • MGS: Jindra Double Vision
Sire: Poss Maverick • MGS: Poss Easy Impact 0119
Owned with Nick Jindra
Owned with Danny Poss, Puss Angus
$40/unit
DIABLO DELUXE 110
Owned with Spruce Mountain Ranch & Judson & Denise Baldridge
Sire: V A R Discovery 2240 • MGS: GAR Prophet
CED
BW
WW
YW
MILK
MARB
CED
BW
WW
YW
MILK
MARB
CED
BW
WW
YW
MILK
MARB
+5
+1.8
+69
+138
+30
+.88
+14
-1.2
+79
+144
+27
+1.80
+6
+1.0
+88
+160
+20
+1.05
RE
$M
$W
$F
$G
$B
RE
$M
$W
$F
$G
$B
RE
$M
$W
$F
$G
$B
+.63
+34
+65
+145
+66
+211
+231
+.55
+70
+80
+131
+71
+202
+.91
+70
+85
+133
+108
$30/unit
$30/unit
STERLING ADVANTAGE 809
YON CHATOOGA G246
Owned with Revolution Genetics
Sire: Connealy Confidence Plus • MGS:Connealy Consensus
Owned with Yon Family Farms
Yon Chattooga E46 X Yon South Edisto B136
TBA
STERLING BOND 007
Sire: Connealy Confidence Plus • MGS: SydGen CC & 7
CED
BW
WW
YW
MILK
MARB
CED
BW
WW
YW
MILK
MARB
CED
BW
WW
YW
MILK
MARB
+12
-.5
+74
+136
+32
+.78
+13
+1.7
+90
+165
+34
+1.08
+5
+1.9
+80
+151
+28
+1.02
RE
$M
$W
$F
$G
$B
RE
$M
$W
$F
$G
$B
RE
$M
$W
$F
$G
$B
+.88
+83
+88
+114
+62
+176
+.82
+68
+98
+115
+78
+193
+1.20
+78
+83
+118
+80
+198
CONTACT US FOR SEMEN ON ANY OF THESE TOP SIRE PROSPECTS!
Lee Nobmann, owner • Morgon Patrick, managing partner
(530) 526-5920 • morgon@nobmanncattle.com www.dixievalleyangus.com • follow us on facebook!
PRIVATE TREATY BULLS ALWAYS AVAILABLE ON THE RANCH
June 2021 Montague, CA California Cattleman 47
A special “Thank You” from
VINTAGE ANGUS RANCH to a fellow seedstock operation and dedicated buyer
HUWA CATTLE
A family owned and operated seedstock operation with their own branded beef program in Roggen, Colorado.
Tonya Huwa and Harold Miller
“The summer of 2020 was record drought for us at Huwa Cattle and the pivot where we were developing our fall 2019 sale bulls and fall 2019 replacement heifers ran out of water early June. Those bulls only had dried/burnt up grass and kochia weeds for forage until September when they came back to the HQ. Our VAR Power Play 7018 sire group were easily our heaviest yearling weight bulls and heifers and “bounced back” the quickest when put on feed. A critical component for the western environments we sell bulls into. Several of the top-selling bulls and the top-selling female in our 2021 sale were Power Plays. The picture to the right is one of those bulls from a cow we bought at Vintage.”
VAR Power Play son at Huwa Cattle Huwa Cattle has bought bulls in the VAR Bull sale, females in the VAR Female Sale and semen on bulls like Power Play 7018.
— Harold Miller, Consultant Tonya Huwa, Huwa Cattle Co.
VAR Power Play 7018 • 67 sons sell!
28 th Annual
“Carcass Maker” Bull Sale
JIM COLEMAN, OWNER DOUG WORTHINGTON, MANAGER BRAD WORTHINGTON, OPERATIONS MIKE HALL, BULL SERVICES • (805)748-4717 2702 SCENIC BEND, MODESTO, CA 95355 (209) 521-0537 WWW.VINTAGEANGUSRANCH.COM OFFICE@VINTAGEANGUSRANCH.COM
Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021 LaGrange , CA
