Northwest Farm and Ranch, Winter 2015

Northwest

Farm and Ranch

WINTER 2016

Pend Oreille Ferry

Bonner

Spokane

Lincoln

Grant

Boundary

Stevens

Kootenai

Benewah Adams

Whitman

Shoshone

Latah Clearwater

Franklin Yakima

Garfield Columbia

Benton

Nez Perce

Asotin

Walla Walla

Lewis

Klickitat Umatilla

Wallowa

Morrow

Idaho

Union

Baker

Mother Nature knows best : With a bit of effort, the bovine outside can remain comfortable in the cold — Page 13 Produced quarterly by Tribune Publishing Company

2A | Saturday, December 26, 2015 |

Northwest Farm and Ranch

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

HARVEST TECHNOLOGY

FIELD MONITORING

January 7-8, 2016 Kennewick, Washington

DATA SYSTEMS

The Latest AG DRONES

CROP SENSORS

ROBOTICS and AUTOMATION

Remote Sensing • Data Tools • Application Tech • Precision Irrigation • Automation • Emerging Tech THREE RIVERS CONVENTION CENTER

January 7-8, 2016

8 CEU CREDITS AVAILABLE 465833LZ_15

20 Precision Agriculture Sessions in 2 Days Trade show with 40 Ag Tech Specialists Join over 300 Growers & Ag Innovators REGISTER AT: PRECISION FARMING EXPO.COM

Northwest Farm and Ranch

MOSCOWPULLMAN DAILY NEWS

Northwest

Farm and Ranch Pend Oreille

Ferry

Kootenai

Benewah Adams

Whitman

Shoshone

Latah Clearwater

Yakima

Garfield Columbia

Benton

Walla Walla

Nez Perce Lewis Asotin

Klickitat Umatilla

Wallowa

Morrow

Rancher’s death in Adams County spurs longstanding debate over law | 4A

Bonner

Spokane

Franklin

Is it time to close Idaho’s open range?

Boundary

Stevens

Lincoln

Grant

| Saturday, December 26, 2015 | 3A

Idaho

Union

On the cover: A calf lies in a stall

in a barn at Washington State University’s Knott Dairy Center in Pullman | Geoff Crimmins

Milking every drop out of an educational experience

WSU students learn how to produce milk, handle cows | 6A

Foot and mouth fears arise over plan to import beef

Baker

Cattlemen’s association says USDA’s strategy to ship product from South America puts U.S. animals at risk of disease | 12A Northwest Farm and Ranch is published quarterly by the Lewiston Tribune and Moscow-Pullman Daily News and printed at the Tribune Publishing Co. Inc.’s printing facility at 505 Capital St. in Lewiston.

To advertise in Northwest Farm and Ranch, contact the Tribune Publishing Company Advertising Director Angela Kay at 208.848.2251 or akay@lmtribune.com.

Editorial suggestions and ideas can be sent to Lee Rozen at lrozen@dnews.com or Doug Bauer at dbauer@lmtribune.com.

Washington professor shaking up the winemaking industry New study debunks popular belief that hue of grapeseeds affect tannin levels | 14A

COMMITTED TO HELPING YOU GROW YOUR BUSINESS

Every day, every hour, the business of agriculture changes.

To be successful in today’s marketplace, you need to work with a retailer committed to helping you grow. Our far-reaching network links growers to an extensive domestic and global network. From crop protection to fertilizer to financial solutions to custom application, CHS is here to help turn every acre into opportunities for growth.

Learn more, contact us today.

Lewiston Moscow Kendrick St. John

208-743-8551 208-882-7581 208-289-5969 509-648-3480 465437LZ_15

© 2015 CHS Inc.

chsprimeland.com

4A | Saturday, December 26, 2015 |

Northwest Farm and Ranch

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Is it time to close Idaho’s open range?

Rancher’s death in Adams County spurs longstanding debate

By Kathy Hedberg Lewiston Tribune staff writer

Some are calling Idaho’s open range laws into question in the wake of the shooting death of an Adams County rancher after motorists hit his bull that was loose on the highway.

Western Watersheds Project’s Idaho Director Ken Cole said the laws were written solely to protect a special class of people, and adds that it is unlikely Council rancher Jack Yantis would have died during an altercation with sheriff’s deputies Nov. 1 “if it was the responsibility of the ranchers to keep livestock off of public highways.”

Farm and ranch representatives, however, say Cole’s assertions are absurd and that blaming Yantis’ death on the state’s open range law is, according to the Idaho Farm Bureau, an “attempt to make political gain from a tragic accident (that is) despicable, sickening and crass.”

“An open range or herd law would not have kept the bull in the pasture,” said cattle rancher Doug Boggan, a for-

mer board member of the Idaho Cattle Association. His ranch borders U.S. Highway 95 a couple of miles south of Riggins.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s a herd law or open range — animals don’t read the law. Animals … are going to escape their confines occasionally. What I see open range (law) saying is simply who’s liable.”

According to Idaho’s open range law, which dates back to the 1880s, the owner of any domestic animal running on open range is not liable for damage to any vehicle or injury to a motorist caused by a collision between the vehicle and the animal.

“Open range” is defined as all unenclosed (unfenced) lands outside of cities, villages and herd districts where cattle, “by custom, license, lease or permit” are permitted to graze or roam.

The law adds that the owners of livestock lawfully on any highway shall not be guilty of negligence in the case of an accident.

“The situation in Adams County is

tragic for everybody involved,” Cole said.

“There’s been a lot of criticism that this is a rural issue that should be only addressed by rural people. But everybody uses these highways; people from all over the world drive Idaho’s highways and they’re put at risk of people’s property being on the highways and I really think that should change.”

Cole said most people don’t understand why these open range laws exist and find them unfair. In Western states that have open range laws, people have frequently been injured or killed because livestock is allowed to graze and roam freely on state highways.

“There are several questions that need to be answered here,” Cole said. “Did Yantis die because he felt emboldened

by Idaho’s open range laws to confront the deputies who were about to kill his prized bull for the protection of themselves and bystanders? Do Idaho’s open range laws inflate the sense of entitlement felt by an elite class of people and put lives at risk unfairly? Is it unfair to require landowners to fence livestock off of their property rather than require livestock owners to keep livestock fenced off of other’s property?

“For me, I think it is time for these laws to be drastically changed and for the responsibility to be placed on the owners of the livestock where it belongs. It is not the job of the state to ensure the profitability of ranchers; it is the job of the state to ensure that its citizens are safe.”

Idaho County Commissioner Skip Brandt said when he served in the Idaho Legislature a decade ago, the issue of repealing the open range law was posed several times.

“It didn’t go anywhere,” Brandt said.

“We are still an agricultural-based state and it is a matter of protecting the folks.

If you’re running 200 cows and you have a pasture next to a road, nature is going to happen and there are times that (cows are) going to get out.”

Although Brandt does not advocate repealing the law, he does believe the state should address designating herd districts that require livestock to be inside a fence along any road with a speed limit of 45 mph or more.

Brandt added the law could be changed to address landowners whose animals frequently get out of their See Range, Page 5A

Get the expertise that helps farmers cultivate better returns.

H&R Block specializes in finding all of the deductions and credits that are specific to hundreds of occupations - including yours.

Custom Fencing • Barn Restoration & Construction • Garco Metal Building Dealer

H&R BLOCK® NEVER SETTLE FOR LESS™

LEWISTON

1446 Main, Lewiston (208) 743-0222

Call Us at (208) 875-1648 3774 Highway 6, Princeton ID, 83857 qualityfencingandconstruction.com

Monday - Thursday 10am-5pm

CALL YOUR LOCAL OFFICE TODAY!

Quality Fencing and Construction

466274LZ_15

466302LZ-15

Northwest Farm and Ranch

New voice for Idaho grain producers Stacey Katseanes Satterlee takes helm at state association

By Kathy Hedberg Lewiston Tribune staff writer

The new head of the Idaho Grain Producers Association said she learned about farming on the seat of a tractor working for her father to help pay for college.

Stacey Katseanes Satterlee, 35, took over as executive director of the association in October after former director Travis Jones left to work for Idaho Congressman Rep. Mike Simpson.

Satterlee, who grew up near Pocatello and spent 10 years in Washington, D.C., working for Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and a variety of agriculturefocused associations, said her return to Idaho places her in the state and the industry she knows and loves best.

“I love working in agriculture so I was really happy to be able to return to it,” Satterlee said. “The people we represent are truly the best kind of people. I think really highly of people who grow food for the world. I was really excited to be able to get back and work on agriculture issues that I feel passionately about.”

Satterlee said her background working in the nation’s Capitol on policy issues helps her appreciate how important it is for farmers to have a voice on the state and national levels.

But first, she is getting acquainted with the job and the people she will be working with to advance the industry’s goals, especially when the Idaho Legislature convenes in January.

“It’s been a really intense first couple of months getting up to speed,”

Satterlee said.

Some of the issues facing grower groups in the coming year have to do with transportation, the farm bill, immigration policy and water rights.

“Water is a huge Satterlee issue and that’s important for Idaho grain growers to have a seat at that table,” she said.

Other priorities for the grain association include guiding the implementation and education of farmers with the new farm bill; working with the Legislature to maintain funding for wheat and barley research and extension, supporting water, property and privacy rights, and proposing legislation to protect farmers from being forced into a legal process based on citizen complaints over unfounded environmental violations.

Crop insurance, especially in light of the significant crop losses due to wildfires and drought the past two years, are among the concerns she will be tackling.

In the past couple of months, Satterlee said, there has been more interest on biotechnology and genetically modified organisms.

“This list goes on and on,” she said.

“I want to work with growers and be their voice at the statehouse and Capitol.”

Kathy Hedberg can be contacted at kathyhedberg@gmail.com or (208) 983-2326.

LEWISTON LIVESTOCK MARKET 3200 E. Main, Lewiston, ID 208.743.5506 | 1.800.473.3406 Clay Bickford: 208-791-5090 Tony Seubert:208-305-7172 www.lewistonlivestock.com TOP MARKET PRICES WITH THE MOST TAKE HOME DOLLARS 466325LZ-15

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Range from Page 4A

pasture and roam on the roads.

“Generally most ranchers want to do what’s right,” Brandt said. “They want to keep them in. … But you get the bad apples that are just too damn lazy to take care of their critters and that’s the people that we’ve got to address somehow.”

The Idaho Transportation Department keeps track of vehicle crashes caused by animals on the highway, but the data does not sort out domestic livestock from wild animals such as elk or deer.

Steve Grant, public information officer for the department, said about 25 percent of animal-caused crashes are domestic livestock, including cows, horses, sheep, dogs and others.

In 2014, according to the department, there were 10 serious injury crashes involving animals on the highway; 64 visible injury crashes where law enforcement or emergency services were called to the scene; 69 crashes in which officials were not summoned; and 934 property damage crashes.

Grant said the onus is on the driver to be aware of the risks of colliding with animals on the highway.

“We try to inform (people) that

NORTHWEST

MANAGEMENT, INC. Moscow, ID Office:

(208) 883-4488 nwmanage@consulting-foresters.com

Deer Park, WA Office: (509) 276-4699 DeerPark@consulting-foresters.com

Helena Office:

(406) 442-7555 nwmanageMT@nmi2.com

FREE initial consultation

| Saturday, December 26, 2015 | 5A

Idaho is an open range state,” Grant said. “It’s in our driver’s manual — there’s a section that addresses that.

And I believe it’s also a question on the written test.

“We want people to pay attention out there. We just want people to get home safe.”

Rancher Boggan said, despite what the law says, most of the time when a motorist hits livestock on the road, both parties assume the loss. In reality, he said, the open range law serves more as a way for insurance companies to assess responsibility for an accident.

“From my standpoint as a rancher, I do everything in my power to keep the cows off the road unless I’m going to drive them,” Boggan said. “But gates get left open or bulls fight and knock it down; people leave gates open and animals are going to be there occasionally.

“To have an all-inclusive herd law across the state sure doesn’t work in almost any of these rural areas. …

If you really wanted to do something about animals, we’d need the state highway department to do a better job of how they funnel elk and deer through.”

Kathy Hedberg can be contacted at kathyhedberg@gmail.com or (208) 983-2326.

Our staff of 32 natural resource professionals provide state-of-the-art consulting and management services throughout the Inland Northwest.

• • • • • • • • •

Stewardship Planning Log Marketing Forest Inventory Timber Sale Layout Reforestation Fuels Management Water Resources Wetland Delineations Wildlife Habitat Mgt. Since 1984.

Put our skills to work for you.

Contact one of our 3 office locations or visit our website for more information. www.theNMIway.com

6A | Saturday, December 26, 2015 |

Northwest Farm and Ranch

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Milking every drop out of an educational experience WSU students learn how to produce milk, handle cows

By Terri Harber Daily News staff writer

The Cooperative University Dairy Students at Washington State University manage and maintain a herd of dairy cattle — 40 cows and heifers.

“It takes 10 lbs. of milk to produce one pound of cheese,” said John McNamara, the CUDS adviser for the past 16 years. He has been with WSU for more than 30 years and is currently an Emeritus Professor of Animal Sciences.

Milk produced within this section of the WSU Knott Dairy is used for WSU’s speciality cheeses. The WSU creamery creates three varieties: Cougar Gold, Natural Viking and Natural Cheddar. All three types come in 18-oz decorative tin packages and a portion of the proceeds from sale of WSU Creamery items is used for educational support of Food Science students.

Cougar Gold, a white cheddar, is the best known and said to have a

nutty flavor. Before Christmas, this flavor was sold out. More of it should be available in January.

Not that long ago, members of the American Dairy Association came to WSU to taste its cheeses.

“They said it was the best cheese they ever had,” McNamara said proudly.

It’s important for milk used in these cheeses to have a neutral flavor so the cheese makers can have maximum control of the taste of their products.

The cows are fed a bland diet to ensure no additional flavor notes end up in the high-protein, high-fat milk used to make the cheeses, he said.

Here’s something else to chew on: The group is called CUDS for short. A sly smile forms on McNamara’s face when someone points it out to him.

And not just because it’s a cute acronym. There are other similar student dairy programs around the country.

The operation has been deemed as being in the top 1 percent of herds in the country for production and

Geoff Crimmins/Daily News

Washington State University junior Chandler Byington milks cows at the Knott Dairy Center in Pullman. Byington is president of the WSU Cooperative University Dairy Students. genetics.

Earlier this year, one of their cows was judged to be excellent by the Holstein Association.

Sick cows aren’t milked until they feel better. If they needed medication, they won’t be milked until the drugs are completely out of their system.

Practical education you can trust. www.uidaho.edu/extension 465827

Northwest Farm and Ranch

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

“Many people think antibiotics make their way about what they do there and presents it to the into milk but that’s not the case. We test samples reviewers. to make sure the milk is free of these substances,” Exceptional training and experience is needed McNamara said. “Milk is one of the most checked as the dairy industry continues growing. Learning food products in the world and there’s a large by doing it as part of a family business has become amount of testing.” less common, however.

It’s an industry in which diligence, patience “Fewer and fewer students are coming from and the ability to analyze and troubleshoot are all farms,” he said. paramount.

McNamara himself grew up in Chicago, a long Operating a dairy also requires willingness way from a farm or ranch. A family friend had a to work hard. Keeping pens, milking areas and farm. When he visited, he’d milk the cows. every area clean where the “I loved it,” he said. “And cows spend time is extremely when I went to college, I became important to ensuring cows are enamored with research.” healthy.

McNamara will be retiring Once a year they compete at the end of this academic against other similar student year and was recognized with a groups in a management and Zoetis Physiology Award from observational exercise in which the American Dairy Science the students analyze an existAssociation for his contributions ing dairy operation and provide in the areas of dairy physiology feedback. They do very well. and nutrition.

“CUDS graduates manage “It’s kind of like a lifetime some of the largest dairies in achievement award,” he said. the state. It’s a personal and He hopes many of the stuprofessional development prodents who have been involved John McNamara gram,” McNamara said. with the cooperative are able to CUDS adviser at WSU More than a dozen dairy feel the same sense of accomstudents volunteer their labor and knowledge to plishment in their chosen field. conduct day-to-day dairy duties such as milking, One of the CUDS participants, Teresa Erwin, feeding, keeping records, maintaining the cattles’ who grew up in the Seattle area, said she had been quarters, heat detection and artificial insemina- interested in a career focused on small animals tion. until she had the chance to spend time around cows CUDS is reviewed annually by dairy industry at the dairy. She hadn’t been around the animals professionals. Each member prepares a report before. But now she plans to pursue a career in

“

CUDS graduates manage some of the largest dairies in the state. It’s a personal and professional development program.”

BUILDS POLE

BUILDINGS

ALL THROUGH THE YEAR!

6 LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU! 620 E. HOLLAND RD.

SPOKANE VALLEY, WA. (509) 922-1800

1520 E. WHEELER RD.

MOSES LAKE, WA. (509) 765-7300

Moscow-Pullman Daily News online

Our home, your home.

Come feel it.

170 W. WYOMING AVE.

HAYDEN LAKE, ID. (208) 772-9511

Apartments Available call to tour today!

2121 N. HIGHWAY 41

POST FALLS, ID.

(208) 777-1955

• REGARDING ANY INSTALLATION WE DO • (WA. CC01 ZIEGLL #316JG) OUR CONTRACTORS REGISTRATION NOS. ARE: (ID. RCE 10614)

Terri Harber can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to tharber@dnews.com.

At home, there was always someone to talk to, help around the house and plenty to do. At Bishop Place, new neighbors, an excellent staff of housekeepers, cooks and maintenance, and choices like creative writing, water aerobics and happy hour, we are home.

SPOKANE, WA.

17002 E. SPRAGUE AVE.

KITS OR INSTALLS

that industry after graduating from WSU in 2017, she said.

“I love being able to go out to the dairy, do shifts and be outside breaking a little sweat,” Erwin said.

The cows are like many other animals in that they have their own personalities. Every cow has a number but it also has a name.

“The students have their favorites and not-sofavorites,” McNamara said. “One student might be nervous around a certain cow while another student isn’t.”

A Facebook post by a CUDS student was devoted to a cow that died unexpectedly in October.

No. 2460, also named Laurin and nicknamed Boyhowdy was described as “sassy and sweet” and “one of our favorite cows.”

They were also happy the cow had already birthed three offspring and that one of them would be calving soon so that it had a legacy.

“You realize how valuable they are to everyone,” Erwin said of dairy cows. “It’s important to make sure they’re healthy and happy. If you’re calm and patient and have good attitude, they’re better behaved, more patient and more calm, too. It’s true that happy cows produce the best milk.”

HOME IS WHERE YOU FEEL IT

(509) 467-4958

http://www.ziggys.com/polebuilding.htm

| Saturday, December 26, 2015 | 7A

815 SE Klemgard, Pullman (509) 334-9488 www.BishopPlace.net

1109 WARNER AVE.

LEWISTON, ID. (208) 743-6900

465897

8A | Saturday, December 26, 2015 |

Northwest Farm and Ranch

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

FDA seeks to ease fears of antibiotic use in livestock Recent regulations designed to provide more oversight of drug usage

By Calley Hair Lewiston Tribune staff writer

Resist the hype surrounding antibiotic use in livestock.

A recent release from Consumer Report critical of using antibiotics on animals has fanned the fire surrounding the fear that such practices lead to “super bugs,” or antibiotic-resistant infection. While this fear should encourage more investigation and oversight, consumers should not rush to demand completely antibiotic-free livestock, said Dr. David Rustebakke of Clarkston’s Rustebakke Veterinary Service.

“I think it’s wrong to let an animal die of an infection that can be easily treated. To deny producers access to any antibiotics at all is not, in my mind, a viable option,” Rustebakke said. “There has to be a middle ground.”

Tightening regulations from the Food and Drug Administration have reduced the risk of drug abuse in recent years. In June, the FDA announced that all antibiotic admin-

istration must be supervised by a licensed veterinarian, not just by the producer.

“This strategy will bring the use of these drugs under veterinary supervision so that they are used only when necessary for assuring animal health,” according to a FDA news release. “(The) final rule takes another important step by facilitating veterinary oversight in a way that allows for the flexibility needed to accommodate the diversity of circumstances that veterinarians encounter, while ensuring such oversight is conducted in accordance with nationally consistent principles.”

The administration is also phasing out antibiotic use solely for production purposes, i.e., animal growth, not animal health. By requiring a third party to prescribe the medication, the hope is that antibiotic use will only increase health, not profit margins.

Antibiotic use in livestock is subject to a strict monitoring process to track resistance to the drugs and to ensure the risk to human health is negligible.

Livestock that ingest antibiot-

ics are subject to a withdrawal time before slaughter, Rustebakke said.

This minimizes the risk of antibiotic residue in the meat that actually lands on supermarket shelves.

This wasn’t always the case, he said.

“There’s always been withdrawal times, but they’ve not necessarily been enforced well,” he said.

Fears over how antibiotic abuse in animals can affect human health have driven regulatory action, according to the FDA. Drug companies are required by law to print the appropriate withdrawal time on their label, and meat producers must keep printed records of compliance to those times.

Rustebakke said the recent scrutiny from the public and fear surrounding antibiotic-resistance drugs have upped the oversight in recent years, and with good reason. The Consumer Report study found that 80 percent of all antibiotics are consumed by animals for livestock, and that the use of antibiotics has contributed to a rise in resistant disease.

“I know it’s really a hot-button

topic, but the regulations are there and they’re really well enforced,” Rustebakke said. “All of the antibiotics we use have very specific guidelines for how they can be used.”

He said he is actually grateful the public has become increasingly critical of antibiotic use in livestock. For finding a middle ground, scrutiny is key.

“People get this idea that antibiotic use in animals is bad so let’s ban it completely,” Rustebakke said. “It’s probably good to have those people on the end, because it forces the producers and the regulatory industries to really pay attention to that.”

With continued collaboration between livestock producers, veterinarians, local and federal oversight, and label-savvy consumers demanding safe practices, it is possible to minimize reckless antibiotic use while promoting animal health, he said.

“They’re trying to do the best for their livestock, but they’re also trying to produce a product that’s acceptable and safe for the consumer,” Rustebakke said.

Calley Hair can be contacted at city@lmtribune. com.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from our home to yours!

SEED FERTILIZER & CHEMICAL APPLICATION EQUIPMENT

Look What AGPRO Can do for You! Three different Drill Frame Designs! Two different Opener Styles!

Four Custom Seed/Fertilizer Point Options!

Seed Box sizes from 70 to 210 Bushel!

SAVE ON PARTS!

BUS: (208) 746-2212 • FAX: (208) 746-9913 • E-mail: agpro@agproinc.com • www.agproinc.com

RVS

466036LZ_15

465997LZ_15

Contact Jerry Harper or Blake Neace 1112 Airway Ave. • Lewiston, ID 83501 • 1-800-492-2212

Thank you for letting us care for your animals in 2015. Looking forward to 2016!

24 HOUR EMERGENCY CARE RE •Medicine & Surgery •Dentistry •Boarding •Reproductive Services •Herd Health David A. Rustebakke, DVM Jessica R. Bell, DVM Caleb Schmerge, DVM Jeremy Kalisch, DVM

15th St., Clarkston RUSTEBAKKEE 705(509) 758-0955 Vet Service rvsvet.com

Northwest Farm and Ranch

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

| Saturday, December 26, 2015 | 9A

At Community Bank, You Can Count On Us To Be:

Transparent Reasonable Understanding Straightforward Truthful

Courtesy kitsapfresh.org

A screenshot of the Kitsap Fresh website is shown. Kitsap County farmers in Washington sell their products online to make purchasing easier for customers.

A growing market for locally produced goods Online sales a new way for farmers to reach customers

By Samantha Malott Daily News staff writer

A growing trend in the shop local movement is allowing farmers to reach customers online rather than only at markets or co-ops.

Laura Ryser, community and economic development specialist with the Washington State University Kitsap County Extension, is serving as a mentor from the university to the Kitsap Fresh online farmers market that was created last spring. Ryser has also helped secure funding for the program, including a $105,533 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“We saw there was a really big need to include an additional market for local food producers to be able to sell their food,” Ryser said.

In Kitsap County, farmers markets are the primary way for producers to sell to local consumers, but farmers wanted to be able to reach a bigger customer base. Online sales do just that.

“This is happening in many, many places,” she said.

Idaho’s Bounty, based in Boise, for example, is using the Internet for large scale distribution to local consumers, as well as a fair amount of wholesale to restaurants, she said.

“I think in most places there is absolutely a world for this,” she said.

Ryser said communities need to look at where the farmers want to sell, if they currently have enough places

• • •

At Community Bank we have sown the seeds to support the growth and sustainability of farms and businesses in our rural economies for over 60 years. By helping you to thrive and prosper, our communities continue to thrive and prosper as well. We’d love to hear from you - the coffee is on us.

to sell their products and if customers have easy access to the products.

Each week the producers have a few days to enter in what products are available and at what quantities into the online market, she said. The online market then opens for a few days for consumers to make purchases.

When the market closes, the producers gather all the purchased products and bring them to the drop-off/pick-up location where volunteers from Kitsap Fresh package orders, she said.

Ryser said each producer sets his or her own prices and a 13 percent fee is charged to the consumer for processing costs. Product prices come out similar to a farmers market, she said.

“So far it just seems like the people who are regular customers are loving it because they have built it into their schedule and are getting good produce they trust,” she said. “For the farmers, it is really very easy as long as the drop-off place is close enough. It might not be worth it for a small order.”

It also can benefit sellers, as they don’t have harvest or prepare any of their products until they are purchased, she said.

Some other online markets do home delivery.

She said the online markets are meant to compliment and not compete with farmers markets and co-ops, she said.

Samantha Malott can be reached at (208) 8834639 or by email to smalott@dnews.com.

Real Estate Financing Equipment Purchases Operating Lines of Credit

Todd Wood Walla Walla Valley Umatilla/Morrow Co. 509-525-9860

Adrian Harguess Wallowa County 541-432-9050 541-426-4511

John Gass Gorge Loan Office The Dalles/Hood River Umatilla/Morrow Co.

Darrin Eberhardt Clarkston/Pullman 509-758-6878

541-296-0779

Hanley Kennedy Wallowa/Union Co. 541-432-9050 541-963-3434

Cliff Schoeningh Baker County 541-524-7667

Local Money Working For Local People

www.communitybanknet.com 466020LZ_15

Member FDIC

10A | Saturday, December 26, 2015 |

Northwest Farm and Ranch

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

El NiĂąo may help wheat Previous warm, wet weather patterns were great for Washington wheat farmers

By Josh Babcock Daily News staff writer

The National Weather Service is projecting El NiĂąo weather conditions for the Pacific Northwest this winter, and for Palouse farmers the increased temperatures and heavy rainfall may offer a boost to their crops.

Director of Communications and Producer Relations for the Washington Grain Commission Scott Yates said farmers have benefited in past years from the El NiĂąo weather pattern with an increase in wheat yields and overall production.

Yates said the region has experienced the weather pattern two other times in the past 30 years, including the winter of 1982-83 and the winter of 1997-98.

He said 1983 was a record-

breaking year in Washington state, where farmers averaged 64.2 bushels of wheat per acre.

In 1998, farmers produced 61.4 bushels per acre, Yates said, noting in 2014 the average across the state was 50.4 bushels per acre. “Things are looking good for the wheat growers,� Yates said.

He said the warm temperatures allow for the heavy precipitation to soak into a thawed-out ground rather than resting on frozen ground and being lost to runoff, which is what can happen during regular years.

With this summer’s extremely dry and hot conditions, Yates said, the soil is in dire need of moisture, especially on the Palouse, where farmers are even more dependent on rain.

“Lots of things can happen, but right now things are looking up,� Yates said.

At Washington State University, Arron Carter, a winter wheat researcher, is working to create a breed of wheat that can withstand poor weather and produce a larger yield.

Carter said while there is not much snow forecast for the winter, sometimes snow can be a good thing for wheat.

A winter when plants are snow-covered is known as a closed winter, and times without snow is referred to as an open winter. “When the snow is on the ground it creates insulation — so right there at the surface level where the plants are warm, there can be a water layer on the surface,� he said. “Typically, snow cover is better,� Carter said, “but it See Wheat, Page 12A

Geoff Crimmins/Daily News

Winter wheat grows in a field between Colfax and Pullman on Dec. 15.

Lewiston Veterinary

COLUMBUS DISCOVERED THE WORLD ISN’T FLAT 400 YEARS AGO.

CLiniC Why lvc?

t 'VMM 7FUFSJOBSZ 4FSWJDFT t -BSHF 4NBMM BOE &YPUJD t IPVS PO DBMM TFSWJDF t )PTQJUBMJ[BUJPO #PBSEJOH 'BSN t 3BODI BOE 1FU 4VQQMZ t #VZ 2VBMJUZ 7FUFSJOBSZ 4VQQMJFT BU UIF MPXFTU QSJDFT

t 8F BSF IFSF GPS ZPVS RVFTUJPOT t 4JY FYQFSJFODFE 7FUFSJOBSJBOT PO 4UBGG t -JDFOTFE 7FUFSJOBSZ technicians t 4UBUF PG UIF BSU %JHJUBM 9 SBZ t 3FGFSFODF MBC RVBMJUZ CMPPE XPSL t 8F IBWF UIF OJDFTU FNQMPZFFT

Gleaner runs on a 23% slope without a self leveling shoe.

We service everything we sell!

U E M O U N TA I N

AGRI-SUPPORT, INC.

Locally owned & Operated! 28 years in business!

Voted “BEST in the West� in Agricultural Equipment for 4 years now!

Lewiston

Moscow

620 Thain Rd. Lewiston, ID 83501

2275 Nursery Street Moscow, ID 83843

(208) 746-6447

(208) 883-3007

465995LZ_15

BL

You already know us.

We worked for your Grandparents and your Parents, let us work for You! We have skilled, caring personnel and excellent facilities to handle anything that comes our way.

Small Animals 743-6553 | Farm Animals 743-6361

QG 6W 1RUWK f /HZLVWRQ

466230L-15

We’ve been in the same place for almost 60 years!

Northwest Farm and Ranch

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

| Saturday, December 26, 2015 | 11A

622-4707

Catered lunch to follow- no charge.

RSVP to Andria at 509-622-4707 or andria@brocklf.com

Corey Brock 466321LZ_15

corey@brocklf.com

12A | Saturday, December 26, 2015 |

Northwest Farm and Ranch

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Foot and mouth fears arise over plan to import beef Cattlemen’s association says USDA’s strategy to ship product from South America puts U.S. cattle at risk of disease

By Calley Hair Lewiston Tribune staff writer

Washington’s cattle ranchers are rearing up against a recent decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that would allow the import of beef from northern Argentina and parts of Brazil, claiming it exposes their livestock to a dangerous disease.

“The risk is far too great,” said Jack Field, executive director of Washington Cattlemen’s Association.

“We don’t believe the USDA has done adequate due diligence in implementing adequate safeguards.”

The ailment in question, foot and mouth disease, is a highly contagious viral disease that causes fever and blisters in cattle, pigs and other cloven-footed animals, according to a fact sheet from the USDA. While the disease was eradicated in the United States nearly 90 years ago, it remains a persistent problem in other regions of the world.

Yet the fears that the fresh source of imports could expose domestic livestock to foot and mouth disease are unfounded, according to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

“Our import decisions are based on scientific principles, and thorough evidence-based risk assessments,” said Donna Karlsons, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service pub-

Wheat from Page 10A

49

BLOWOUT SPECIALS

degrees, however, at that temperature, Carter said, it can be difficult because the plant has put so much into surviving the winter it has no energy left to produce a reasonable yield.

Carter said wind, though, can be the worst for wheat. Wind desiccates the plant, and in times of blowing dust, thrown soil can serve as a sandblaster that pelts and damages the plant, he said.

Despite the National Weather Service’s El Niño forecast, neither Yates nor Carter knows how the weather this winter will actually shake out.

“If you believe the weatherman, we’re not going to get super cold this year,” Carter said. “But we all know they are not 100 percent correct.”

Josh Babcock can be reached at (208) 883-4630 or by email to jbabcock@dnews.com.

28L-26 R-3 12ply 15.5x38 Akuret R-1 11R22.5 Open Shoulder Drive 11R24.5 RM254 Drive 11R24.5 Hankook 235 A Titan 30.5x32 R-3 16Ply Titan 30.5x32 R-3 12Ply

$1100.00 $450.00 $335.00+FET $465.00+FET $460.00+FET $2,800.00+FET $2,350.00+FET

Titan 18.4x36 12 Ply $860.00+FET Good Year 18.4x38 R-1 $750.00+FET **ALL AG TIRES IN STOCK 10% OFF** COMMERCIAL DIVISION

1515 Main St., Lewiston 208-746-9875

24-Hour Roadside Service After Hours: 208-305-1712

VISIT US ONLINE!

www.bruneeltirefactory.com

466304LZ_15

depends on air temperature. If air temperatures don’t get low, then it doesn’t matter.”

As of Dec. 14, he said this year he has yet to see any extremely low temperatures that would harm any of the different wheat lines he is researching in the field.

“By about 15 degrees Fahrenheit, that’s when we start worrying the susceptible varieties start to take a hit,” Carter said.

In his research, he screens different winter wheat varieties between about negative 4 degrees to 17 degrees. In some cases he has screened varieties in temperatures as cold as negative 11

lic affairs specialist.

“APHIS conducted multiple site visits to each country with an expert team of specialized veterinarians to confirm that surveillance, prevention and control mechanisms are sufficient to minimize the likelihood of (foot and mouth disease) entering the U.S.” The announcement marks the first step in opening these regions to U.S. beef markets, which boasts the most beef consumers in the world and the fifth highest consumption per capita.

“Open markets are key to providing export opportunities for U.S. commodities,” Karlsons said.

But according to Field, the domestic risk of exposure isn’t worth ecoLewiston Tribune nomic advantages overseas.

The USDA says its regulations and scientific research will protect against Foot and “If we had foot and mouth disease Mouth Disease from infecting American livestock, including pigs. in the United States, it would completely devastate the livestock industry,” Field said. “It’s completely non- slaughtered in the relevant region Furthermore, the beef shipped to the where foot and mouth disease has not U.S. cannot have shared premises discriminate.”

The monetary ramifications would been diagnosed for at least one year. with any other cattle diagnosed with be severe indeed. A December 2013 consequence assessment from the USDA determined that an outbreak of the disease would cost the industry between $2.8 billion and $4 billion.

To mitigate this risk, cattle farmers in Brazil and Argentina will be required to meet certain conditions in order to continue shipping chilled and frozen beef to the U.S., Karlsons said.

The animals must be born, raised and Size Blowout Price

Northwest Farm and Ranch

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

| Saturday, December 26, 2015 | 13A

Mother Nature knows best

the disease in their lifetime.

19 percent of the world’s supply, As a final precaution, all beef Brazil follows closely behind at 16 must be matured for 24 hours before percent. Argentina is the sixth largentering the counest producer of the try to inactivate world’s beef, conany potential foot tributing nearly 5 and mouth virus. percent. “Argentina and Field said he’s Brazil have the concerned about necessary legal what flooding the framework, animal market with imports health infrastruccould do to already ture, movement depressed beef pricand border controls, es. He said some diagnostic capabiliof Washington’s ties, surveillance cattle raisers have programs and been hanging on to emergency response their cows longer Jack Field capacity to detect, Washington Cattlemen’s Association than they normally control and report would to try to wait executive director FMD in the event out the slump. of an outbreak,� “I don’t know if Karlsons said. we’ve found the bottom yet,� Field Despite these precautions, said. domestic cattle raisers remain While he’s worried about the unconvinced. effect on the cattle market, he said “From the outside looking in, I his primary concern remains the certainly don’t see an adequate level exposure of foot and mouth disease. of safeguards there,� Field said. “The number one concern of From an economic standpoint, the (Washington Cattlemen’s opening up beef markets to Brazilian Association) is looking at the health and Argentinian imports could hurt of the animals,� Field said. domestic cattle raisers.

While the United States remains Calley Hair can be contacted at city@lmtribune. the No. 1 producer of beef at nearly com.

Keeping the beef warm, healthy all winter a priority

“

By Shanon Quinn Daily News staff writer

From the outside looking in, I certainly don’t see an adequate level of safeguards there.�

As the cold air dips into the valleys of the Palouse and glittering white flakes cover its rolling hills with a thick blanket of snow, two-legged animals tend to make their way to warmer climes — even if only as far as the living room heater.

Four-legged animals, like cattle, don’t have that luxury.

The outdoors, from January to December, is their living room. With a bit of effort and a close eye on diet and accommodations, the bovine outside can remain comfortable. “If an animal has adequate nutrition it will survive some devastating weather,� said Steve Parish, professor of large animal internal medicine at Washington State University.

Parish, who has been a veterinarian for 40 years, said ensuring livestock have a healthy diet is a valuable preventive action a farmer can take in the winter. “The most important thing is we feed them quality hay, and quality hay

means it’s adequate in protein and energy,� he said.

Parish said to ensure the quality of hay, ranchers can send samples to a laboratory and have them tested. “The analysis will say whether or not that hay is adequate in protein and energy,� he said. “If it’s not, then the farmer or rancher can take that information and think about how they can supplement that hay.�

Supplements to a cow’s diet can mean many things, from the addition of a higher quality of hay to a feed supplement. “There are multiple supplements that farmers can get,� Parish said. “One of the most common things are what our ranchers would call a protein tub.

Basically it’s a large tub of a supplement that’s often based with molasses and has other materials in it that contain both protein and energy to the cows.�

The importance of adequate and quality feed have more impact than simply keeping the cattle full.

See Best, Page 14A

ATTENTION

FARMERS & RANCHERS Committed to a Tradition of Quality and Trust

0.05/lb

$

Livestock Panels

$

7395

preparing for tomorrow.

BONUS FOR CLEAN ALUMINUM, COPPER, & BRASS

with this coupon. Offer ends JANUARY 31, 2016 604 12th Street North at the Port of Lewiston

743-2181 • 1-888-455-3598 • www.pacific-steel.com *Limited to stock on hand. Expires October 31, 2014

iving today to the fullest is a matter of fully To learn more, call Tammie at (208) 883-2918.

458960iY-15

Round Bale Feeders

"MM GBJUIT PS CFMJFGT BSF XFMDPNF

466311LZ-15

14A | Saturday, December 26, 2015 |

Northwest Farm and and Ranch

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Washington professor shaking up the winemaking industry New study debunks popular belief that hue of grape seeds affect tannin levels

By Calley Hair Lewiston Tribune staff writer

Winemaking is a notoriously finicky process. But a recent study by James Harbertson, a Washington State University professor of enology, indicates that winemakers may have one less thing to worry about: seed color.

According to the study, the hue of grape seeds doesn’t impact the tannin levels, or astringency, in the resulting wine. These findings could debunk a popularly held belief in the industry, although Harbertson said he doesn’t expect an immediate effect on winemaking practices.

“It still pretty much is industrywide.

I’m not sure if our study will make a big dent in that,” Harbertson said.

He and his graduate student, Federico Casassa, set out to investigate the link between color and tannins expecting to confirm the connection.

The traditional theory was that green seeds from immature grapes would impart more tannins into the wine, creating the bitterness and astringency that many drinkers would rather avoid.

“We were kind of the same opinion as the rest of the wine industry,” Harbertson said. “If the seed color is a See Shaking, Page 15A

Your One Stop Trailer Shop Sales & Service W We carry a full line of trailers: • Open Utility • Carhauler • Deckover • Gooseneck • Dump Cargo trailers by Cargo Mate in stock at LOW LOW prices.

F l line of Maverick horse Fu Full & stock trailers. s

Geoff Crimmins/Daily News

A calf lies in a stall in a barn at Washington State University’s Knott Dairy Center in Pullman.

Best

from Page 13A “With cattle, it’s really important when those days get into the single digits to give them a little extra food. If they have a little more fat, that helps them out, it keeps them warm,” said Bev Shirts, beef unit manager at the University of Idaho.

Shirts said the simple act of digestion in a cow also creates additional heat to keep the winter chill out.

“Cattle that are in good nutrition generally have good hair coats, and if they have good hair coats, they’re able to withstand the wet and the cold that they would be subjected to,” Parish said.

Another way to keep the cows warm is to provide a space of shelter from the winter elements, Parish said. It’s wind chill, he added, that causes the most

problems.

“Cattle can take a lot of cold, they can take a lot of snow, they can take a lot of rain,” he said. “... As long as they have something like a windbreak or a barn or a lean-to or trees or a brush patch or something like that where they can get out of the wind, it’s amazing how much of a cold temperature they can take.”

As with all other seasons, the cattle management plan remains of utmost importance during the winter, which means providing fresh, unfrozen water at regular intervals and a mineral block, which is like a One-A-Day multivitamin for cattle.

The trick, Shirts said, is the quality of care the animals receive.

“As ranchers, we know if we take care of them, they’ll take care of us,” she said.

Shanon Quinn can be reached at (208) 883-4636, or by email to squinn@dnews.com.

Use Equipment that Requires

Fuels or Lubrication?

Mention you saw this ad and receive a FREE Delo To ol Kit

Chevron Lubrication Specialists for Over 50 Years!

St. & P Park Ave, Orchards 10th St kA ve, Lewiston Or rch chards h www.gateway-materials.com 208.743.0720

Your Single Supply Source in the Inland Northwest for Chevron & other petroleum products

Contact us to find out how Eljay Oil can help make your business more profitable!

466319LZ_15

509.926.9595 | info@eljayoil.com

466464LZ_15

Northwest Farm and Ranch

Shaking from Page 14A

big important thing, then we can really put it to the test.�

The results were a surprise, he said.

So much so that they repeated the experiment the following year with the same outcome. “It didn’t matter,� Harbertson said. “The amount of tannins you had in wine didn’t change.�

To investigate the link between seed hue and tannin levels, Harbertson and Casassa created different batches of wine from grapes with seeds ranging in color from green to brown in their Prosser, Wash., facility. To isolate seed color as the tested variable, they had to control for fruit maturity and alcohol levels. “If you have more alcohol in the wine, it tends to extract more seed tannins,�

Harbertson explained.

The pair also added sugar or water to the fruit to mimic the sugar levels at different points in grape maturities.

For the sake of the experiment, they increased their maceration period, or time spent soaking the grapes to extract the tannins, to 30 days. This would help to highlight any differences in tannin levels between green and brown seeds. “Thirty days is a long time. If some-

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

thing were going to change, it would change,� Harbertson said.

In a blind taste test, subjects couldn’t detect a change in astringency based on seed color. “People behave like instruments and actually rate the attributes of the wine,�

Harbertson said. “They couldn’t tell any difference.�

The industrywide belief that seed color dictates tannin levels originated from a study conducted in Australia linking browner, riper seeds to lower astringency, Harbertson said.

There was a gaping hole in those studies, he said. “The people who did the experiment never actually made any wine,�

Harbertson said.

In spite of this, Harbertson said, the winemaking community is slow to accept a challenge to the pre-established notion that seed color is an effective way to predict astringency. “It’s very difficult to change their opinion about that. I’m getting a little push back,� Harbertson said. “I’ve caught no end of hell from winemakers who have read these results and gone, ‘bah.’ �

The response may be slow, but winemakers are starting to take notice of their findings. At a recent conference in which he presented the results of the study, the crowd was receptive and interested to learn more about how the

| Saturday, December 26, 2015 | 15A

Winemaking equipment from WSU’s Prosser, Wash., facility is shown. study could impact their own harvesting practices, Harbertson said. “I kind of expected the audience would chuck tomatoes at me or something,� he said with a laugh. “This is why the experiment wasn’t done to begin with.�

Sweeping change across the industry will require more investigation into the (possibly nonexistent) link between seed color and wine taste. Harbertson hasn’t

Courtesy WSU

entirely written off examining seeds to help predict the qualities of a wine. “We like the idea of looking at the seeds,� Harbertson said. “We just don’t think people need to worry about tannins and the extraction of them versus ripe or unripe.�

Calley Hair can be contacted at city@lmtribune. com.

FROM BIG SCALE AGRICULTURE NEEDS TO BACKYARD CHICKEN BREEDS

WE’VE GOT IT! • Farm and home fuel delivery. • Farm Stores in five different locations. • A full service NAPA Store in Pomeroy. • Agronomy Centers at Colfax and Dusty.

466426LZ-15

Farm Stores:

Colfax (509) 397-4324 Dusty (509) 549-3377 Pomeroy (509) 843-3693 Potlatch (208) 875-1251 Pullman (509) 332-2511

Farm • Ranch • Home

NAPA:

Pomeroy (509) 843-1831

SESSIONS & SPEAKERS Keynote Speakers ÂŽ ƒ„‡ ”‘™Â? ÂŽ Žƒ”‹†‰‡ ÇŚ ”ƒˆ– ǯ•Ǥ 6 Educational Tracks Focusing On ÂŽ ”‘’ ‘–ƒ–‹‘Â?Č€ ‘˜‡” ”‘’• ÂŽ ‹”‡…– ‡‡† ͳͲͳ ÂŽ ‰ —•‹Â?॥ ÂŽ ‡…ŠÂ?‘Ž‘‰› ƒÂ?† ”‡…‹•‹‘Â? ‰ ÂŽ ””‹‰ƒ–‡† ‘’‹…• ÂŽ ‘‹Ž Â‡ÂƒÂŽÂ–ÂŠČ€ —–”‹‡Â?– ƒÂ?† ‡•– ƒÂ?ƒ‰‡Â?‡Â?– General Sessions —Ž•‡ ”‘’ ”‘†—…–‹‘Â? ƒÂ?† ƒÂ?ƒ‰‡Â?‡Â?– Š‘Ž‡ ƒ”Â? ‡˜‡Â?—‡ ”‘–‡…–‹‘Â? DzProtecting the Almighty DollarÇł

‘” ‘Â?ˆ‡”‡Â?…‡ Â?ˆ‘”Â?ƒ–‹‘Â? ‘” –‘ ‡‰‹•–‡” ‰‘ –‘ǣ ™™™Ǥ†‹”‡…–•‡‡†Ǥ‘”‰ ’‘Â?•‘”•Š‹’ ĆŹ šŠ‹„‹–‘” ’’‘”–—Â?‹–‹‡• –‹ŽŽ ˜ƒ‹Žƒ„Ž‡ ‘” Â?‘”‡ ‹Â?ˆ‘”Â?ƒ–‹‘Â? …ƒŽŽ 509-585-5460 ” ‡Â?ƒ‹Ž agmgt@agmgt.com

465799LZ_15

16A | Saturday, December 26, 2015 |

Northwest Farm and Ranch

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Living snow fence thrives in Washington’s drylands

to

in

ue

e Yo u r L

Contact your local FNC agricultural professional for all your real estate needs.

‡ )XOO VHUYLFH UHDO HVWDWH DJHQF\ ‡ 5HDO HVWDWH FRXQVHOLQJ DQG FRQVXOWLQJ ‡ ([WHQVLYH H[SHULHQFH LQ DJULFXOWXUH FRPPHUFLDO WUDQVLWLRQDO ODQGV UHVLGHQWLDO SURSHUWLHV ]RQLQJ DQG PRUH ‡ +HOSLQJ FOLHQWV IXOÀOO WKHLU UHDO HVWDWH QHHGV IRU RYHU \HDUV ‡ &RQQHFWHG WR WKH FRPPXQLW\ IRU RYHU \HDUV ‡ 3URYLGLQJ QDWLRQZLGH UHDFK

SMITH PACKAGING YOUR MAIN SUPPLIER FOR:

• Polyethylene Bags • Polypropylene Bags • Paper Bags • Bulk Bags • Stretch Films • Hay Sleeves

85 Years

t

Bag needs?

Bag solutions!

ng Togethe r rki

Con

Let our real estate knowledge and experience in the 3DFLĂ€F 1RUWKZHVW ZRUN IRU \RX

cy

DAVENPORT, Wash. — Along a blustery rural highway, foresters from Washington State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are proving that living snow fences — windbreaks made of live trees — can protect Northwest roads and farms from winter’s fury.

More than a decade ago, a group of WSU, state and federal researchers planted the Davenport Living Snow Fence, two 880-foot double rows of Rocky Mountain junipers designed to catch wind and snow along Highway 25 just north of Davenport, Wash. Ten years later, the scientists returned, measuring poles in hand, to see how the wall of junipers had fared. They discovered that, contrary to popular belief, living snow fences can thrive in Washington’s drylands.

Living fences are common in the Great Plains, where winters are frequently harsh and drifts topping 30 feet close highways. The Davenport fence was planted to show that Plainsstyle windbreaks can grow well in

areas with less than 16 inches of annual rainfall. “There was a belief that trees wouldn’t grow here,� said Don Hanley, an extension forester and emeritus professor with the WSU School of the Environment. “We knew that was wrong. People were using the wrong stock, and they weren’t planting or maintaining them correctly.�

To change that, he, Gary Kuhn and Dennis Robinson, now-retired foresters with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, enlisted help from the Washington State Department of Transportation to find a snowdrift-prone stretch of Highway 25.

Working with a cooperative landowner, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the local Lincoln County Conservation District, the foresters laid down tough polypropylene Courtesy Andy Perleberg, WSU Extension weed-blocking fabric, planted a hardy For the past decade, Washington State University’s Living Snow Fence has strain of junipers — and waited. “We had good stock that was plant- survived and thrived near Davenport, Wash. ed correctly and good site preparation,� year marks, then shared their findHanley said. “We put everything we irrigation.�

Hanley, Kuhn and Robinson mea- ings in “Davenport Living Snow Fence had into it perfectly. And the trees grew, and grew, and grew — with no sured the windbreak at 5- and 10- Demonstration: A 10-year Survival

ga

WSU News

Wo

By Seth Truscott

• Mesh Produce Bags • Plastic Pallet Covers • Bag Closure Products • General Warehouse •Supplies

Competitive pricing!

Great quality products!

Service you expect and trust!

)OR 6D\UH 0DQDJLQJ %URNHU

$FFUHGLWHG /DQG &RQVXOWDQW $%5 $/& &1( &5,6 75& 5($/725 %XVLQHVV

)6D\UH#)DUPHUV1DWLRQDO FRP ZZZ )DUPHUV1DWLRQDO FRP )OR6D\UH

1DW &UX]HQ %URNHU

5($/725 %XVLQHVV

1&UX]HQ#)DUPHUV1DWLRQDO FRP

ZZZ )DUPHUV1DWLRQDO FRP 1DW&UX]HQ

1HDO *RSOHQ %URNHU

%XVLQHVV

1*ROSOHQ#)DUPHUV1DWLRQDO FRP

ZZZ )DUPHUV1DWLRQDO FRP 1HDO*RSOHQ

%XVLQHVV ‡ 5LFNHQEDFKHU 'ULYH ‡ 3DVFR :DVKLQJWRQ )RU DGGLWLRQDO LQIRUPDWLRQ DERXW DOO RI RXU TXDOLW\ VHUYLFHV YLVLW RXU ZHE VLWH

• Halsey, Oregon:541-369-2850 • Eastern Washington, Ed Kropf: 509-936-2652 or ed@smith-packaging.com www.smithpackagingservices.com

ZZZ )DUPHUV1DWLRQDO FRP

Providing Landowner Services in 24 States

466465LZ_15

5HDO (VWDWH 6DOHV ‡ $XFWLRQV ‡ )DUP DQG 5DQFK 0DQDJHPHQW ‡ $SSUDLVDO ‡ ,QVXUDQFH &RQVXOWDWLRQ ‡ 2LO DQG *DV 0DQDJHPHQW ‡ )RUHVW 5HVRXUFH 0DQDJHPHQW 1DWLRQDO +XQWLQJ /HDVHV ‡ /DNH 0DQDJHPHQW ‡ )1& $J 6WRFN 466468LZ_15

Northwest Farm and Ranch and Growth Update,” a technical bulletin published in December by WSU Extension. Read it at https://goo.gl/kO25Jd. They found that the trees had crown closure — they had grown their branches together to form a complete wind barrier — in five to six years.

“With a live snow fence, you want them to close quickly, so they can start doing their job,” Kuhn said.

“Growth has been tremendous,” Hanley said.

“More importantly, it’s been observed by thousands of people driving that highway.”

“Living snow fences are like an insurance policy,” said Kuhn. “About every 10 years or so, we get bad winters in Washington.

When we do, roads are closed and people have big problems.”

Living fence benefits are widely documented, Hanley said. The trees keep roads clear of snow,

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

making them safer while minimizing the expense of plowing. They help homes and barns stay warmer, saving on heating costs.

Windbreaks shelter barns, pastures and livestock pens, for example, protecting newborn calves from cold while saving on feed costs — cold livestock eat more. Windbreaks also keep valuable topsoil from blowing away in the wind.

Live fences require less maintenance than their wood or metal counterparts, while also providing cover for wild birds. Increased plantings of windbreaks could benefit the Northwest’s conservation nursery industry, Kuhn said.

The Davenport fence is expected to live for at least another 25 years with little maintenance.

Knowledge gained from the experiment has helped develop other living fences near Anatone, Wash., and Athena, Ore.

Idaho plant breeders developing new herbicide-resistant sugar beet Associated Press

BOISE — Two seed companies are working together to develop a new variety of sugar beet that is resistant to three different herbicides.

Monsanto Co. and German plant breeding company KWS Saat want to create a genetically engineered beet that would allow growers to better control weeds, reported The Capital Press.

They plan to hold trials over the next three years and have the sugar beet on the market in eight to 10 years.

Most sugar beets grown in the Snake River region have already been engineered by Monsanto Co. to resist its widely-used Roundup herbicide.

KWS signed an agreement with Monsanto this year to develop the new sugar beet variety, which will tolerate the herbicides glyphosate, glufosinate

Like us on Facebook 466026LZ-15

| Saturday, December 26, 2015 | 17A

466018LZ_15

and dicamba. manage glyphosate resistance The two companies also in weeds.” worked together to develop the University of Idaho weed sciRoundup Ready sugar beets. entist Don Morishita said the “We’re very new variety is excited about a good idea, but it. We think it’s added that some going to increase kochia weeds grower productiviin the area are ty,” KWS scientist resistant to both Aaron Hummel dicamba and told growers durglyphosate. ing the Snake The third herbiRiver Sugar Beet cide, glufosinate, Conference earlier works well in the this month.

Midwest but isn’t Aaron Hummel Researchers say as effective in this KWS Saat scientist the combination region’s dry, lowof three herbicidehumidity environresistant traits will be helpful ment, he said. because weeds resistant to one “I think this idea of stackchemical will still be killed by ing traits is a reasonable one one of the other two herbicides. but I’m not entirely sold that Hummel said the new beet (dicamba and glufosinate) are won’t be a silver bullet, “but it’s the best two traits to stack into a very good solution that will sugar beets grown in Idaho and help you have more options to Oregon,” he said.

“

We think it’s going to increase grower productivity.”

18A | Saturday, December 26, 2015 |

Northwest Farm and Ranch

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Skagit Valley Malting on the cutting edge

By Aaron Weinberg Skagit Valley Herald

BURLINGTON, Wash. — Skagit Valley Malting founder Wayne Carpenter ducked his head inside one of two sprawling metal silos that are under construction on a 10-acre lot at the Port of Skagit’s Bayview Business Park.

His voice echoing inside the silo, Carpenter described how in July the silos will be packed with 850 tons of grain for drying and storage.

“When it’s done, computers and stirrers will make sure the grain dries evenly,” he said. “It’s not a normal way of drying grain in the U.S.” Skagit Valley Malting has been doing things differently since forming five years ago.

Originally conceived in collaboration with the Port of Skagit to increase the value of local grain, Skagit Valley Malting is malting and germinating grains no one else

can.

That means brewers and distillers can unlock new flavors, and bakers can produce food with better flavor and more nutrients.

Companies have been lining up to work with Skagit Valley Malting, with representatives from all over the world visiting the plant.

“We have 54 customers already, and we haven’t even advertised,” Carpenter said.

“And this is all happening here in the Skagit Valley.”

Expanding capacity and helping farmers The skeleton of a 14,000square foot grain sorting and drying facility stands next to the two silos. The building will be completed in January and ready for operation a few months later.

The construction on the 10 acres is a step toward greatly expanding Skagit Valley Malting’s production.

The company has been

important for local agriculture since it formed.

Farmers have to grow wheat or barley every few years to recondition the soil, but the wheat and barley earn only commodity fee prices.

Carpenter and others came up with the idea to pay farmers a premium price for that rotation crop for malting and germinating purposes. That adds value to agriculture in Skagit County.

Dave Hedlin, owner of Hedlin Family farms, sold about 100 acres of barley to Skagit Valley Malting this year.

“With the land values and import costs, it’s difficult to make a margin on grain,” he said. “Places where you can add value, like Skagit Valley Malting, are really important.

It’s worked out well for us.”

Skagit Valley Malting is working with two other local farms, including Knutzen Farms and Washington Bulb

t 8FMEJOH t *OEVTUSJBM t 1MBTNB $VUUFST t 4BGFUZt 'JSF &RVJQNFOU t (BTFT

T T JO 4UPDL .BEF JO UIF 64"

As production expands, Carpenter said he’ll bring in more farms.

u for feeding the world!

Power MIG 210 MP “all-in-one”Welder #K3963-1 Monday – Friday, 8am–5pm Saturday, 8am–12pm 2513 3rd Ave. North Lewiston, ID

OI-12-474792

Co., on producing grains. It’s also working with three others outside the county.

We want to express our appreciation to the regional agricultural community, the hard working people who fill our nation’s pantries.

Your hard work and concern for the environment keeps our land fertile, productive and safe. It is through your hard work that has enabled our proud nation not just to feed its own, but to send food abroad and ease hunger in other parts of the world.

(208) 743-6571

www.oxarc.com lewiston@oxarc.com

466231L-15

,5 4FSJFT 1JTUPO $PNQSFTTPS

T

Associated Press

Skagit Valley Malting founder Wayne Carpenter and Skagit Port executive director Patsy Martin stand ouside two large silos under construction that are part of the malting company’s expansion Dec. 10 at the Port of Skagit County in Burlington, Wash.

Thank you for the vital fruit of your labor!

SHORT’S FUNERAL CHAPEL

2 208-882-4534 • 1225 E. 6th, Moscow

Northwest Farm and Ranch This year, the company harvested 1,700 tons of grain.

With the new facility, Carpenter anticipates being able to harvest 2,800 tons this summer and 4,500 tons the following year.

The property has more than enough land to manage grain in the Skagit Valley, Carpenter said.

As many as 28 grain silos will fit on the new property, although Carpenter said the number built will depend on how much grain the valley produces.

“We have to build a facility that doesn’t slow down the farmer,” Carpenter said.

More expansion planned Carpenter unrolled a blueprint on a desk in the waiting room of the malting facility, showing another glimpse into the future of Skagit Valley Malting.

The company has plans to build a 40,000-square-foot malting facility on the 10-acre lot. It will house up to 30 of the company’s custom-engineered malting machines.

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

| Saturday, December 26, 2015 | 19A

Construction won’t start until next year or even later, Carpenter said.

The current malting facility has two of the company’s full-size custom-engineered malting machines running, with a max capacity of six.

The machines are capable of malting types of grains others can’t.

For instance, brewers use about 10 varieties of grains among the 21,000 available. Skagit Valley Malting’s machines can malt thousands of varieties of grains. This allows brewers to unlock flavors previously unknown to Associated Press the market.

Lead scientist Bob Rock Skagit Valley Malting founder Wayne Carpenter checks out does a lot of work with the barley Dec 10 in Burlington, Wash., grown last summer by Skagit machines.

Valley farmer Kraig Knutzen.

“No one is doing this right now,” he said. “It’s mind-numb- Guests must sign non-disclo- which can malt any seed as ing the number of possibilities sure agreements before step- long as it’s not too tiny, can we have here.” ping inside. No photos are handle up to 22,000 pounds The company is keeping its allowed. of grain per batch. Similar machines mostly under wraps Last week, one of the large machines cost about $1 miluntil international patents are metallic malting machines spun lion, but Carpenter said his are granted. around as a milling machine much more efficient.

Windows that could offer shaved one of its openings to “We are trying to make malting as efficient as posglances into the malting room exacting measurements.

Each malting machine, sible for prices on par with are covered by cardboard.

European imported prices,” he said. “But the grain is going to be mechanically better, so they are basically cheaper.”

Carpenter still has a few secrets up his sleeves. One is hidden inside his current sorting and drying facility.

It’s his homemade malting machine, which he and Rock made in his garage about five years ago. The machine, tucked in a dark corner behind sacks of grain, represents the birth of the company, even if Carpenter won’t admit it.

“It’s too ugly,” he said.

“Someday when we’re more established, I’ll show it to people.”

Other secrets involve further expansion. The company is exploring creating new facilities in a half-dozen cities.

There is also a third phase in construction planned for the 10-acre lot, but Carpenter can’t talk about most of that yet because he’s still working out details with other companies.

In the meantime, he’s getting constant visits from those interested in working with the company.

Quality You Can Count On, Service You Can Trust!

Residential, Commercial & Livestock

If you still see us as just a bank, dig a little deeper.

9LQ\O :RRG &KDLQOLQN $XWRPDWHG *DWHV 3HUJRODV &RPSOHWH /LYHVWRFN 6HW XSV And more!

Working the land is a noble calling, and we are proud to support our friends in the ag community.

Whether you’re looking into operating loans or equipment loans or something in between, our local experts can help you extend your growing season indefinitely.

2010-2015

Voted 5 years in a row Best of the West!

(208)746-1228

You’ll notice the difference.

24974 Chukar Ln., LEW

466497L-15

WWW.LUCKYACRES.NET

Licensed, Bonded, Insured (WA# LUCKYF859DC) (ID #RCE-20843)

Clarkston 509-758-8660 | ColumbiaBank.com Member FDIC

Equal Housing Lender 466032LZ-15

20A | Saturday, December 26, 2015 |

Northwest Farm and Ranch

Moscow-Pullman Daily News

WHITMAN SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Independent and Assisted Living Respite Program Prompt Referral Placement Program Studio/1 bedroom/2 bedroom apartments available Three meals served daily - Restaurant Style Most utilities included Creative social learning & spiritual activities and programs Trained assisted living staff on-site Daily physical fitness Scheduled senior group trips Complimentary parking Weekly housekeeping and linen service

For more information and photos, visit us at www.whitmanslc.com

1285 SW Center St., Pullman (509) 332-2629 www.whitmanslc.com

Check Out Our Spacious & Affordable Retirement Apartments.

466377LZ-15