Northwest Farm and Ranch, March 2019

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Pend Oreille Ferry

Grant

Farm and Ranch Bonner

Spokane

Lincoln

Kootenai

Benewah Adams

Northwest

Boundary

Stevens

Whitman

Shoshone

Latah

Clearwater

Franklin Yakima

Garfield Columbia

Benton

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Klickitat Umatilla

Wallowa

Morrow Union

Idaho

SPRING 2019

Baker

Inside this issue

Alpaca ... A fuzzy choice for today’s farm — Page 14

2 | Saturday, March 30, 2019

Farm and Ranch

Table of Contents Science helps at the market Page 3

WSU tops list for ag research and development expenditures Page 4

A growing concern Page 5

WSU professor predicts normal winter wheat yields this year Page 7

Little bakeries, big wheat consumption Page 8

Gluten-free wheat? Page 10

Meet the farmers of the future: Robots Page 12

Geoff Crimmins/Daily News

Birds gather around cows feeding at the University of Idaho Beef Center in Moscow.

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 Doug Bauer with the Tribune Publishing Company at dbauer@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2269. Editorial suggestions and ideas can be sent to Devin Rokyta at drokyta@dnews.com or Craig Clohessy at cclohessy@lmtribune.com.

Alpaca — the gentler, easier livestock Page 14

UI scientists benefit from Landsat monitoring Page 16

Farm and Ranch

Saturday, March 30, 2019 | 3

Science helps at the market Statistics drive decisions about which bulls and heifers to breed

A bull takes a pause from grazing to watch a nearby

By Kerri Sandaine for Northwest Farm and Ranch

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ommercial cattle ranchers are relying on complex statistical equations so they can make more informed decisions when it comes to selecting bulls and heifers to breed. Expected Progeny Differences, known as EPDs, are now reported by all major breed associations, said Jim Church, a University of Idaho animal science educator based in Grangeville. All known information on a particular animal is used to calculate its EPD, including information on performance data, ancestors, collateral relatives and progeny. Land grant universities, such as UI and Washington State University, developed the technology for EPDs for the beef breed associations. “In short, virtually all performance data that relates to the animal of interest is used,” Church said. “Everyone in the industry uses EPDs at sales to help commercial producers choose which bulls and heifers they should buy to make genetic improvements in their herds.”

The purebred breeders that produce bulls and heifers collect and submit data to the breed associations on a variety of traits on their calves to generate the EPDs. In turn, the purebred breeders get EPD information back from the breed associations on their bulls and heifers and provide it to the commercial cattle industry. “As in every other business venture, it requires constant study to stay up with the latest advances in technology,” Church said. A commercial cow-calf producer who wants to buy a bull for breeding can either go directly to a ranch or to a bull sale. If the rancher is looking for a bull that will produce faster-growing calves, the data provides some helpful guidance. In this situation, Church said the producer would be looking for a bull that has a good weaning weight EPD. “If I’m a producer, I would narrow my choice down to bulls that meet my requirement for weaning weight EPD.

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For example, Bull A that has a weaning weight EPD of 50 and Bull B that has a weaning weight EPD of 40. Looking at these two bulls, I would select Bull A because, on average, his offspring (calves) would be 10 pounds heavier at weaning than Bull B’s calves. With everything else equal, and a price that

is right for my budget, I would buy Bull A.” Church said the use of EPDs has helped the industry make genetic improvements much quicker than if See Market, Page 4

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Farm and Ranch

WSU tops list for agriculture research and development expenditures By Kathy Hedberg for Northwest Farm and Ranch

For the second year in a row, Washington State University ranked No. 1 for U.S. Department of Agriculture research and development expenditures, the university recently announced. In 2017, the latest fiscal period for which figures are available, WSU researchers spent $50.9 million of the USDA research and development funding committed to the university, leading more than 375 universities nationwide. The expenditures increased by $8 million over last year’s record. Tracking the expenditure of USDAsponsored research funds is considered the most consistent measure of externally driven research support for a research university. “We are excited to top the list of USDA expenditures for a second year in a row,” said Christopher J. Keane, vice president for research at WSU. “WSU’s partnership with the USDA advances agricultural research, development and innovation, helping to power our state and national economy.” The USDA is the largest source of funding for agricultural and natural resource research and development at

“

WSU prioritizes partnering to serve the state’s economy. We took that value to heart and worked hand-in-hand with Washington State Department of Agriculture, our agriculture stakeholders, and our congressional delegation around the passage of the farm bill — one that well represented Washington’s interests.” Colleen Kerr Vice president for external affairs and government relations at WSU U.S. universities. The top USDA funded projects at WSU include: n The Northwest Advance Renewables Alliance that uses forest residuals to create bio-based alternatives to petroleum-based jet fuel; n A project to provide program management and technical services to the U.S. Agency for International Development and Tanzania’s Office of Economic Growth; n A National Institute of Food and Agriculture food safety initiative on integrating biology, psychology and ecology

to mitigate antibiotic resistance in food animal production systems, and; n A National Institute of Food and Agriculture specialty crop initiative to reduce the impact of insect and disease problems in hops grown throughout Washington state. In fiscal year 2017, WSU had a diverse portfolio of USDA-funded programs, including providing testing and pathogen-free material to support fruit tree, wine grape and hops industries and the creation of the genome database to speed up research into better crops and stronger, healthier plants.

Market from Page 3

there was no information or data on the performance or genetic merit of bulls and replacement heifers. “For example, the use of carcass EPDs has enabled the beef industry in the United States to improve the quality of beef produced for consumers,” he said. “Last year, 75 percent of all finished beef graded ‘choice’ or higher when harvested, compared to just 51 percent in 2000.”

Last year, Congress approved the 2018 Farm Bill that could bring millions of additional dollars to WSU for a wide range of programs benefiting Washington state agriculture stakeholders and underserved communities. The $867 billion bill includes authorization for money to support agriculture research and trade, food and nutrition programs, conservation, support for America’s farmers and rural economies, and animal disease prevention. “WSU prioritizes partnering to serve the state’s economy,” said Colleen Kerr, WSU’s vice president for external affairs and government relations. “We took that value to heart and worked hand-in-hand with Washington State Department of Agriculture, our agriculture stakeholders, and our congressional delegation around the passage of the farm bill — one that well represented Washington’s interests. This values-based, collaborative approach has brought success with the 2018 Farm Bill. We look forward to maintaining these strong partnerships as we implement and advocate for funding the programs in the bill.” Hedberg may be contacted at kathyhedberg@ gmail.com or (208) 983-2326.

The change marks a “huge improvement,” which was made possible because the industry was able to identify the bulls that produced calves that would grade “choice” or higher, Church said. “This genetic progress would not have been possible without EPDs. There have been other improvements in various traits as well that can be attributed to the genetic progress achieved through the use of EPDs. Our cattle are of higher quality now and more efficient.” Sandaine may be contacted at kerris@lmtribune. com or (208) 848-2264. Follow her on Twitter @newsfromkerri.

Farm and Ranch

Saturday, March 30, 2019 | 5

A growing concern Property owners ponder grape growing in the Lewis-Clark Valley American Viticulture Area A federal wine grapegrowing designation gives many north central Idaho and southeastern Washington property owners the opportunity to turn arid acres into revenue-producing ground. But before residents within the LewisClark Valley American Viticulture Area commit to growing wine grapes, they should evaluate just how much promise their land holds. That recommendation comes from William Warren, associate professor and educator with the University of Idaho Extension Office in Clearwater County. Warren has coordinated two workshops since the federal designation was approved in 2016, to give would-be producers an overview of what to expect. A viticulture area designation indicates a region’s weather and soil conditions have the potential to produce grapes with unique and desirable characteristics. “The (American Viticulture Area) has put (grape growing) on the radar of landowners,� he

said. Wineries within the viticulture area want more grapes grown on the designated acreage that encompasses many of the canyons and draws in the watershed of the Snake and Clearwater rivers in north central Idaho and southeastern Washington. As of 2016, only about 80 acres of grapes were being cultivated in the designated area, enough to make about 20 percent of the wine the area was producing. Winery owners like grapes from within the area because they can put the associated seal on wines that contain a certain percentage of them. “A lot of people, they look at the income potential, which is very high,� Warren said. “They don’t realize the high cost of installing a vineyard, and they don’t realize the tremendous amount of labor involved.� The sessions Warren organized at Colter’s Creek Vineyard were attended by about 50 people, who together owned more than 6,700 acres. Of those, 80 percent made land-use decisions with the information. Only a

small number, 10 percent, moved forward with planting grapes. A number of factors prevent individuals from getting involved in the wine industry. For starters, much of the land within the viticulture area isn’t suitable for growing grapes. Generally, the best sites are south-facing slopes below 1,800 feet, frequently in canyons. Given the investment involved with installing irrigation, buying vines and building trellises, Warren suggests hiring a consultant. The expert can get into specifics, such as what grape varieties would work best, and describe how the vines would need to be tended. Once the grapes are planted, they need to be pruned, sprayed for fungal diseases and kept isolated from some common herbicides used in farming. Hiring people to do those tasks can be difficult, because the work requires expertise typically not available in the region’s labor pool. “It’s hand labor, going over each individual vine,� Warren said. Winery owners pay well for grapes, but only if they’re high quality. They

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Mike Pearson, an owner of Colter’s Creek Vineyard, speaks at workshop created to help landowners decide if they want to grow wine grapes. He made the presentation at his vineyard near Juliaetta. also worry about those who don’t understand what’s at stake. If the region has a reputation for raising poor grapes, wines labeled from the area won’t be worth as much. And, if producers don’t

take care of their grapes, they risk losing them to diseases that could infect healthy vines. “It’s not like growing hay,� Warren said. “It requires constant attention.� Warren is considering

offering the workshop again. Landowners who are interested may email him at williamw@uidaho. edu. Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.

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By Elaine Williams for Northwest Farm and Ranch

6 | Saturday, March 30, 2019

Farm and Ranch

What does the record snowfall mean for area wheat producers?

Geoff Crimmins/Northwest Farm and Ranch

A Palouse-area wheat field is blanketed in snow.

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Farm and Ranch

WSU professor predicts normal winter wheat yields this year Late snowfall helped insulate wheat; melted snow should be good source of hydration for crop in dog days of summer

ers experienced above-average yields in 2018 across most of the Evergreen State. Carter said last year that he While many residents on the Palouse believed winter wheat yield averages did not appreciate the winter storms in statewide were some of the highest in late February and early March, winter the past 50 years. Carter attributed last year’s successwheat farmers sure did. Arron Carter, associate profes- ful harvest to abundant spring moissor and winter wheat breeder at ture and mild summer temperatures. While the late Washington State snow this year proUniversity, said the vides a couple benlate winter snow efits, it does have a blanket provided drawback. wheat insulation The tardy snowfall against the belowmay stay around lonnormal temperatures ger than usual, which the Palouse experiwould push crop enced in February development back as and March. He said well, Carter said. the moisture from “Then you start the melted snow running into the will also provide the heat and dryness of wheat much-needed the summer months hydration this spring before the plant can and summer before really capture its full the August harvest. yield potential,” he “If we continue to said. have kind of a slow Because he expects melt, a lot of that delayed wheat develsnow run-off does get opment, Carter said soaked into the soil,” some of the crop’s Carter said. secondary stems, or Carter said he Arron Carter tillers, initiated duranticipates an averWSU associate professor ing the spring will be age winter wheat unable to endure the yield this year, but how successful the harvest is greatly summer heat and, thus, not produce depends on the spring and summer seed. While farmers planted winter wheat weather. The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center calls for a back in September and October, the good chance for above-average temper- potential late snow melt and subseatures this spring in Idaho, Washington quent muddy fields could delay farmers from planting spring wheat and other and Oregon. Carter told the Daily News late last crops traditionally planted this time of year that June temperatures in the year, Carter said. Carter said 60 to 70 percent of wheat 90s and July temperatures in the 100s cause great stress to winter wheat, and grown on the Palouse is winter wheat the water stored from the winter and and 30 to 40 percent is spring wheat. spring is used faster, resulting in a lesser yield. Cabeza can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by Washington winter wheat farm- email to gcabeza@dnews.com. By Garrett Cabeza

for Northwest Farm and Ranch

“

If we continue to have kind of a slow melt, a lot of that snow run-off does get soaked into the soil.”

Saturday, March 30, 2019 | 7

8 | Saturday, March 30, 2019

Farm and Ranch

Little bakeries, big wheat consumption U.S. delegation to Southeast Asia sees potential in developing markets By Joel Mills for Northwest Farm and Ranch

As the Idaho Wheat Commission’s District 1 commissioner, Lewiston farmer Joe Anderson has been on trade missions before. But a recent trip to Indonesia and two other Southeast Asian countries with a U.S. Wheat Associates delegation opened even his eyes to just how much wheat ends up in the mom and pop bakeries that sit on just about every corner. “About 65 percent of their wheat is consumed by these small- and mediumsized enterprises,” Anderson said of what the trade association calls SMEs. “These little bakeries are smaller than a small house and sit along the street, and maybe there’s a block until the next one.”

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Joe Anderson

Workers in a small bakery in Jakarta, Indonesia, form rolls filled with cheese and banana. Such small- and medium-sized enterprises account for 65 percent of the wheat used in the country. The delegation, called a “board group,” visited such enterprises in Jakarta, Indonesia, to see how they use wheat from America and other countries. Board group members saw end products like elaborately decorated cakes and meticulously formed Roti buaya (crocodile bread) that is a traditional wedding present. And even though the country is rapidly industrializing and seemed on the verge of transitioning toward the large commercial bakeries common in America, locals predict that the challenges of distribution will keep the smaller shops in business for years to come. “Until you visit these areas and spend some time looking at the world map, it’s kind of hard to grasp how big they are,” Anderson said, noting

Indonesia’s 17,000 islands that stretch over 3,000 miles. “The logistics are a big portion of the cost of production. Do you transport the finished product, or do you transport the flour?” The board group also visited Manila in the Philippines and Singapore, Malaysia. Its purpose was to build relationships in those developing markets so American farmers can capitalize on rapidly growing demand. American wheat already has a strong presence in the Philippines, but the country is still increasing its consumption. The biggest possibilities may be with Indonesia, however, since it is the world’s fourth most populated country. U.S. producers have an approximate 10-15 percent market share there, and its wheat consumption is growing by 6 percent every year.

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Farm and Ranch “It holds incredible growth potential,” Anderson said. Indonesian incomes are still catching up with more developed countries to the north like Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, so bakeries there focus on simpler products like bread, noodles and crackers. And with a drought hitting Australia’s wheat production, there is an opportunity for U.S. growers to fill the gap. “(Australia) has a variety similar to our hard white wheat,” Anderson said. “It’s been the preferred noodle wheat for a lot of years. But our production is more stable than Australia’s. Maybe they can use some of our hard red winter wheat for some of the products.” One member of the board team was U.S. Wheat Associates technical baking specialist Ivan Goh from Malaysia. Goh has degrees in food science and expertise in baking and milling. He was able to show potential buyers how American

Saturday, March 30, 2019 | 9 wheat can serve their needs just as well as Australian wheat. Anderson also met with Indonesian customers who visited his farmland on a USW-sponsored trip last year. “That was a very rewarding experience to reconnect with these customers that I’d met and given a combine ride and had dinner with here in Lewiston,” he said. “We like to do business with people we know and develop trust, and a big portion of this trip is enhancing that relationship and preserving the trust.” He wasn’t sure, but heard after returning from the mission in late February that the customers had purchased some U.S. wheat. He hoped it was due to the mission’s contact. Anderson said the trip also met another key goal of furthering the board team’s education on end uses of wheat. Mills may be contacted at jmills@ lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2266.

Joe Anderson

Members of the board team from U.S. Wheat Associates and bakery employees display crocodile-shaped breads called Roti buaya in a branch of the medium-sized Dynamic Bakery and Cake in Jakarta. Lewiston farmer and board team member Joe Anderson stands second from the right.

10 | Saturday, March 30, 2019

Farm and Ranch

Gluten-free wheat? WSU researchers create new variety of grain with ‘gluten-busting enzyme’

By Justyna Tomtas for Northwest Farm and Ranch

If you enjoy delicious staples like wheat bread and pasta, but suffer from celiac disease, you may be in luck. Researchers at Washington State University have created a new variety of wheat that’s safer for those affected by gluten intolerance. The wheat is still several years from possibly hitting store shelves, as researchers work to develop heatstable variations that will allow the product to be baked at high temperatures. Celiac disease causes the small intestine to be hypersensitive to gluten, making it difficult for people to digest gluten-based food. The disease

can lead to intestinal and bowel problems, iron deficiency and depression. There is no cure for celiac, so people who suffer from it typically must avoid all wheat products. But the distinct variety of wheat that’s been developed could change that. It contains two enzymes, one of which is described as a “gluten-busting enzyme.” The enzymes break down gluten proteins while in the digestive system, according to a news release. The team developing this wheat, made up of scientists around the globe, has found the experimental grain has lower levels of the disease-provoking proteins, reducing the amount of indigestible gluten by as much as two-thirds. The aim is to “open new horizons”

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in treatment while increasing agricultural potential for the grain. “Food made from wheat with glutenases in its grains means people with celiac don’t have to rely on dietary supplements at every meal,” said lead author Sachin Rustgi, an adjunct assistant professor with WSU’s Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. “By packing the remedy to wheat allergies and gluten intolerance right into the grain, we’re giving consumers a simpler, lower‑cost therapy. We’re also reducing the danger from cross-contamination with regular wheat, as the enzymes in our wheat will break down that gluten as well.” Researchers’ findings were published in the January issue of Functional and Integrative Genomics,

a journal dedicated to large-scale studies of genomes and their functions. The initial wheat varieties were developed at WSU where the project was launched, while Clemson University researchers detailed the biochemical analysis. The genotype is still in the research stages so has not been approved for sale. Wageningen University in the Netherlands has also taken on the task of developing gluten-free wheat products. The university said gluten genes could be removed through gene editing, but that process is expected to result in inferior baking quality. Tomtas may be contacted at jtomtas@lmtribune. com or (208) 848-2294. Follow her on Twitter @jtomtas.

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Farm and Ranch

Meet the farmers of the future: Robots Company says it is ready to start delivering crops of robotically grown vegetables to people’s salad bowls By Michael Liedtke Associated Press

Associated Press

Iron Ox CEO Brandon Alexander looks out at his robotic indoor farm in San Carlos, Calif. Alexander spent a lot of time working his family’s farm in Oklahoma before he headed off to the University of Texas to study robotics. After graduating, he moved to Silicon Valley, where he is returning to his roots by building robot farmers that maneuver through a suburban warehouse tending to rows of leafy, colorful vegetables.

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SAN CARLOS, Calif. — Brandon Alexander would like to introduce you to Angus, the farmer of the future. He’s heavyset, weighing in at nearly 1,000 pounds, not to mention a bit slow. But he’s strong enough to hoist 800-pound pallets of maturing vegetables and can move them from place to place on his own. Sure, Angus is a robot. But don’t hold that against him, even if he looks more like a large tanning bed than C-3PO. To Alexander, Angus and other robots are key to a new wave of local agriculture that aims to raise lettuce, basil and other produce in metropolitan areas while conserving water and sidestepping the high costs of human labor. It’s a big challenge, and some earlier efforts have flopped. Even Google’s “moonshot” laboratory,

known as X, couldn’t figure out how to make the economics work. After raising $6 million and tinkering with autonomous robots for two years, Alexander’s startup Iron Ox says it’s ready to start delivering crops of its robotically grown vegetables to people’s salad bowls. “And they are going to be the best salads you ever tasted,” says the 33-year-old Alexander, a one-time Oklahoma farmboy turned Google engineer turned startup CEO. Iron Ox planted its first robot farm in an 8,000-square-foot warehouse in San Carlos, California, a suburb located 25 miles south of San Francisco. Although no deals have been struck yet, Alexander says Iron Ox has been talking to San Francisco Bay area restaurants interested in buying its leafy vegetables and expects to begin selling to supermarkets this year. The San Carlos warehouse is only

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Farm and Ranch

Saturday, March 30, 2019 | 13

Associated Press

A robotic arm lifts plants being grown at Iron Ox, a robotic indoor farm, in San Carlos, Calif. At the indoor farm, robot farmers that maneuver through a suburban warehouse tending to rows of leafy, colorful vegetables that will soon be filling salad bowls in restaurants and eventually may be in supermarket produce aisles, too. a proving ground for Iron Ox’s longterm goals. It plans to set up robot farms in greenhouses that will rely mostly on natural sunlight instead of high-powered indoor lighting that sucks up expensive electricity. Initially, though, the company will sell its produce at a loss in order to remain competitive. During the next few years, Iron Ox wants to open robot farms near metropolitan areas across the U.S. to serve up fresher produce to restaurants and supermarkets. Most of the vegetables and fruit consumed in the U.S. is grown in California, Arizona, Mexico and other nations. That means many people in U.S. cities are eating lettuce that’s nearly a week old by the time it’s delivered. There are bigger stakes as well. The world’s population is expected to swell to 10 billion by 2050 from about 7.5 billion now, making it important to find ways to feed more people without further environmental impact, according to a report from the World Resources Institute . Iron Ox, Alexander reasons, can be part of the solution if its system can make the leap from its small, laboratory-like setting to much larger greenhouses. The startup relies on a hydroponic system that conserves water and automation in place of humans who seem increasingly less interested in U.S. farming jobs that pay an aver-

age of $13.32 per hour, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Nearly half of U.S. farmworkers planting and picking crops aren’t in the U.S. legally, based on a survey by the U.S. Department of Labor. The heavy lifting on Iron Ox’s indoor farm is done by Angus, which rolls about the indoor farm on omnidirectional wheels. Its main job is to shuttle maturing produce to another, as-yet unnamed robot, which transfers plants from smaller growing pods to larger ones, using a mechanical arm whose joints are lubricated with “food-safe” grease. It’s a tedious process to gently pick up each of the roughly 250 plants on each pallet and transfer them to their bigger pods, but the robot doesn’t seem to mind the work. Iron Ox still relies on people to clip its vegetables when they are ready for harvest, but Alexander says it is working on another robot that eventually handle that job too. Alexander formerly worked on robotics at Google X, but worked on drones, not indoor farms. While there, he met Jon Binney, Iron Ox’s co-founder and chief technology offer. The two men became friends and began to brainstorm about ways they might be able to use their engineering skills for the greater good. “If we can feed people using robots, what could be more impactful than that?” Alexander says.

14 | Saturday, March 30, 2019

Farm and Ranch

Alpaca — the gentler, easier livestock

Threeyear-old Ariana Adams grins while looking at an alpaca at the Grazing Hills Alpaca Ranch.

Kai Eiselein Daily News

Idaho alpaca ranch owner says animals relatively easy to manage By Anthony Kuipers for Northwest Farm and Ranch

For those looking to raise livestock with a reputation for being easy to manage, alpacas may be a suitable choice. Katie DeWinkle and her family have been raising alpaca at their Viola, Idaho, ranch since 2015, and they have found several advantages that come with the animal prized for its soft coat of fiber.

“

He actually likes raising alpaca better than cows, though I don’t think you’ll ever get him to admit it.” Katie DeWinkle Alpaca owner on her husband’s affinity for the animals

She said alpaca, unlike other livestock, have soft pads on their feet that do not tear up the ground. Additionally, they only have their top teeth, so they cannot pull out the roots of grass,

making them useful for grazing. They are relatively light, which makes them easier to wrangle for shots, trimming toenails and sheering. She said her husband, Cory DeWinkle, grew up on

a dairy farm and thus appreciates the relatively low-maintenance task of caring for alpaca. “He actually likes raising alpaca better than cows, though I don’t think you’ll ever get him to admit it,” she said. Katie DeWinkle also said alpaca can be nurturing and gentle around children. She is not afraid to show off her animals at schools because they are mild mannered around students and they stay calm during road trips. “They’re not usually highly stressed,” she said. The DeWinkle’s ranch, Grazing Hills Alpaca Ranch, uses the fiber to make socks, mittens, hats and other

Farm and Ranch

Saturday, March 30, 2019 | 15

garments, as well as yarn. She said older alpaca fiber is great for dryer balls or stuffing for dog beds and duvet covers. After sending their fiber off to a Colorado lab to be tested for density, softness and length, they must send it to a mill. Katie DeWinkle said there are few mills available in the Inland Northwest capable of processing fine fur, but most usually has to be blended with cheap wool. “There’s a need for having an alpaca mill in the region,� she said. She said there are misconceptions surround alpaca. They are herd animals and are not suited to be indoor pets — they must stay outdoors around other alpaca. While most people compare them to llamas, Katie DeWinkle said alpacas are smaller, less aggressive and sport softer fur. Katie DeWinkle also said the market for selling alpaca has been hurt by the influx of alpaca farms. When her family started raising them in the early 1990s, alpaca were still a novel animal. She said their most expensive animal is $8,000, while her grandparents who started the ranch in 1993 were once offered $175,000 for one of their alpaca. For those who want to raise livestock that may be less taxing than other farm animals, Katie DeWinkle said alpaca are worth it. “They’re really easy animals to have around,� she said.

Kai Eiselein/Northwest Farm and Ranch

The McGreevy family, Mitch, Laura and 9-month-old Finnley, get a close up look at an alpaca at the Grazing Hills Alpaca Ranch..

52

We invite you to schedule a complimentary consultation by calling (208) 882-5547 or (509) 339-6368.

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16 | Saturday, March 30, 2019

Farm and Ranch

UI scientists benefit from Landsat monitoring Satellite images from earth help growers estimate the water crops need each year By Brad Gary University of Idaho Communications

It takes eight days for Richard Allen to get the selfies he wants. Allen, a professor of water resources engineering in the University of Idaho College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, gets pictures of individual Gem State fields about every eight days from two Landsat satellites that methodically take pictures of every parcel of the planet as they orbit the Earth. Since 1972, NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey have studied the Earth with Landsats. Each satellite is a state-of-the-art piece of technology about the size of a minivan, including its giant solar panel on the side. They mow across space recording

Let

100-mile swaths of pictures with their cameras. The images are used for agricultural climate modeling as well as research in geology and forestry and by the world through Google Earth. Allen and his team at the UI Kimberly Research and Extension Center use the photos to produce monthly maps and climate models that help growers and water managers across the state plan their seasons. The researchers monitor evapotranspiration – the amount of water lost to the atmosphere from soils and crops. These analyses help growers estimate the water crops need each year. And eight days is a long time. Each Landsat restarts its photo collage of Earth every 16 days. And with two satel-

lites in orbit, Idaho gets its mugshot taken every eight days. Still, at less than once a week, overcast skies can throw a wrench into Allen’s prediction models. “There are some years, even in south Idaho, where we don’t have enough images from Landsat to produce our monthly evapotranspiration maps,” Allen said. “Ideally we would like to have a Landsat image every four days to compensate for clouds. Ideally, if we had a Landsat image every day, then we could pick and choose. We could successfully predict evapotranspiration every year.” Now, Allen is on a mission to encourage the federal government to increase its investment in Landsats, which take years to develop and come in at about $1 billion each. The devices do have a long shelf life. The older of the

two Landsats, operational since 1999, is scheduled to be retired and a replacement set to launch in December 2020. Landsat 8, the newer of the two now in orbit, was launched in 2013 and should orbit for another 10 years. Allen believes the investment of adding a third satellite to the fleet would save the country $6 billion to $7 billion through benefits from increased monitoring and improved modeling. From the effects climate change has on agriculture to the groundwater models his team helps to produce for farmers and others, Allen said the increased forecasting will create a more robust and accurate system that would be a benefit to research and to water rights management. “Everybody takes selfies with their cellphones,” he said. “Why don’t we have an Earth selfie every day with a Landsat?”

“

Everybody takes selfies with their cellphones. Why don’t we have an Earth selfie every day with a Landsat?”

Richard Allen UI professor

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