Hi-Line Farm & Ranch - July 2016

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arch 2015July 2016 y 2015 12 12 arch 2015July 2016

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e FFA from Around Around the the State State te FFA Conventions Conventions Draws Draws Students Students from

FOR THE HI-LINE FARM & RANCH FOR THE HI-LINE FARM & RANCH

FOR THE HI-LINE FARM & RANCH

FOR THE HI-LINE FARM & RANCH Creed third place place winner winner and and greenhand greenhandsecond secondplace placewinner winnerMickayla MickaylaJohnson Johnsonaccepting acceptingan anaward awardatatthe the , Brett Patti at SEAN R. Armbrister HEAVEY / FOR RANCH third n, BrettJohnson, Johnson,Dallas DallasCapdeville, Capdeville,Kyle KyleAlbus, Albus,Wyatt WyattPattison Pattisonand andAdvisor Advisor Patti Armbrister at FARM &Creed state convention in Billings. enstion ininBillings. photographers area state convention in Billings. venstion Billings. Lauren Marek and Carra Sykes (pictured top and above) from Houston, tx, visited the PATTISON competing they went went to to various various workshops workshopspresented presentedby bypast paststate stateofficers officersand andeven evennational nationalofficers. officers. in June and were treated toWYATT a proper tour from Sean Heavey. Residents of the area know full well how it can they WYATT PATTISON competing be alternately easyHINSDALE and frustrating to tryREPORTER and capture the beauty the region has to offer. Sometimes its as CHAPTER Three of our younger members, Elise Strommen, Chaykota Christensen and Halle Beil HINSDALE CHAPTER REPORTER Three of our younger members, Elise Strommen, Chaykota Christensen and Halle Beil easy as holding your phone out the window while you pass a particularly lovely sunset, while other times,on the courtesy corp and helped out with contests whenever needed. Our five seserved served on the courtesy corp and helped out with contests whenever needed. Our five sefull days of travel on county roads Convention or worse are the order of theBillings day. HeaveyMarch employs numerous techniques Lukas Johnson, Johnson, Brett Brett Johnson, Johnson, Dallas Dallas Capdeville, Capdeville, Kyle Kyle Albus Albus and and Wyatt Wyatt PattiPattie(Future (FutureFarmers FarmersofofAmerican) American)FFA FFA Conventionwas washeld held in in Billings on on March 25 25 -- 28. 28. niors, niors, Lukas to try andfrom present the landscape ingathered all its glory: panoramasinlike those featured here and fine artson stillswere like FFA members around the state to compete State CDEs, ranging from awarded their State Farmer Degrees at the State Degree dinner on Friday night. FFA members theastate toHeavey compete State CDEs, ranging from son were awarded their State Farmer Degrees at the State Degree dinner on Friday night. the imagefrom to thearound left are just few ofgathered the results. alsoin flies drone cameras and uses radar, guesswork, speaking. There were over over 500 500 members, members, advisors advisors and and their their families familiesattending attendingthat thatdinner. dinner.Mickayla MickaylaJohnson Johnson opublic public speaking. There were luck to getchapter, the job done. bers ofofand the for star greenhand and received second place. She also competed with other creed speakers mbers theHinsdale Hinsdale chapter,including includingSophomore SophomoreCache CacheYounkin, Younkin,competed competed in in mechanmechan- competed competed for star greenhand and received second place. She also competed with other creed speakers y, farm around the the state state and and received received third. third. my, farmbusiness businessmanagement, management,star stargreenhand greenhandand andstate statecreed creedspeaking. speaking.When When they they weren’t weren’t from from around

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CARLOS VALLE / FOR FARM & RANCH

this month's cover image was taken on Hwy 2 during a June thunderstorm. Carlos Valle moved to the region ANDREW MCKEAN /FOR FORTHE THE HI-LINE FARM RANCH MCKEAN HI-LINE FARM &&RANCH last year and has developed a decided fondness for theANDREW landscapes this/region has to offer. Check out more of Lih-An Yang,Valle's Ellis McKean work on clearing out a beaver dam along the Little Brazil Creek, Merlin, Iris and Ellis McKean work on clearing out a beaver dam along the Little Brazil Creek, work at vallephoto.com.

southwest of Glasgow.

Bulls Stay Stay Steady Steady Bulls

Bullsales salesremain remainstrong strongand andthe themarket market Bull remainsatataasteady steadyhigh high//Page Page2 2 remains

Finding Calm after the Storm - Page 10

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July 2016 July 2016

Glasgow Stockyards, Inc. Linda & Mark Nielsen, Owners Iva Murch, Manager 263-7529 Dean Barnes, Yard Manager 263-1175 Ed Hinton, Auctioneer 783-7285

2016 Summer Schedule July – August September

July 2016 Thursday

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September 2016 Thursday

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Makin' It with Mohair

GEORGIE KULCZYK FOR FARM & RANCH Pop Wagner has been making mohair cinches for years. In recent years, he has been passing his knowledge and expertise on to students by offering hands-on workshops, which focus on teaching the basic techniques of making a cinch. Traditional mohair cinches are strong, resistant to dirt and will not sore a horse if properly fitted. They are beautiful to look at and offer endless design possibilities. Wagner’s workshops allow participants to create their own beautiful, traditional mohair cinches. A cinch is the wide band that goes under the horse’s chest to hold the saddle in position. It should anchor the saddle to the horse as comfortably as possible, without interfering with the horse’s action. Important elements of the cinch are: the size, the rings, and the material. The size refers to both length and width. The most common lengths are 30”, 32” and 34”. They are measured from the outside of the ring on one end to the outside of the ring on the other end. The width should vary according to the position of the rigging plates, and using a cinch that is wider than necessary may result in chafing and sores on the horse from constant rubbing. The rings are used to run the latigos through when tying to the saddle and are located at the end of the cinch. There are three different styles: the round ring, a ring with buckle tongue, and a ring with crossbar and tongue. The round ring is used on the cheapest of cinches and can only be used by tying the latigo. The next best option is the round ring with buckle tongue. It eliminates the bulk of a cinch knot, but can still be considered cheap depending on where the tongue is attached. If it is attached at the bottom of the ring, it can become ineffective and won’t work to lock the latigo in place. The best choice for a cinch ring is the ring with crossbar. The crossbar prevents the ring

from being pulled into an oval and the tongue is much shorter. Ideally, the ring with crossbar is made with a flat profile, a flat top surface, and a small tab on the inside bottom to prevent the cords from bunching. The best rings are made of stainless steel or bronze. Rusting can occur with cinches made of iron or chrome-plated iron and those materials should be avoided. The material used to make a cinch is critical. To prevent the horse from developing sores, the cinch should transfer heat and moisture away from the body and allow for evaporation, which cools the horse. Likely the best material to use in making of cinches is mohair, which is a blend of Angora goat hair and wool. It is strong and efficient in the transfer of moisture away from the horse’s body. It can also be cleaned easily. Some may consider mohair to be expensive, but it is very durable and lasts a long time, actually making it economical. For those that still balk at the price, some cinches are made with a blend of mohair and other materials – usually nylon. Most cinches are made of nylon or synthetic cord. They are strong, but not as efficient at drawing away the heat and moisture. For Wagner’s workshops, all materials needed to create a mohair cinch are provided, as well as the use of all necessary tools. Participants will also receive a detailed set of instructions for making a basic cinch and plans for a cinch loom and loom stand. The instructions also provide information where one can order additional materials for cinch making. Wagner will be conducting one of his workshops at the Fort Peck Interpretive Center July 7 - 9. Email Pop at popwagner@mac.com if you would like an information packet on hosting a class. Pop Wagner was raised in Yellow Springs, Ohio and has quite the reputation as a singer, guitar picker, fiddler, lasso twirler, ballad singer, poet, and downright funny guy. He also appears frequently on Public Radio’s “A Prairie Home Companion.”

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PVPA 1994—Unauthorized propagation PVPA 1994—Unauthorized propagation prohibited. Plant variety protection granted or prohibited. Plant variety protection granted or applied for Syngenta varieties. applied for Syngenta varieties.

FARM FARM & & RANCH RANCH

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The Month in Weather: A Look Back at June GINEVRA KIRKLAND FOR FARM & RANCH June is a time for unsettled weather, and summer patterns set into place mean that there is a daily risk of isolated thunderstorms. Mother Nature made her presence known far and wide in our area. A June 9 -11 storm hit hard with total crop loss as wide as 70 miles in 5-6 mile-wide swaths. An E-3 tornado was sighted in Baker. Garfield and McCone counties had sig-

nificant wind damage to buildings, homes, farm equipment, and telephone lines. Hail the size of baseballs were reported along a 240-mile track. Petroleum County and Winnett were both declared a disaster. Half a dozen injuries were reported, thankfully none of them serious. The weather continued to shift as June 18 saw a train derailment east of Malta, and large hail reported at Wolf Point. Along Highway 201 on June 21, microburst winds up to 90 miles per hour tore the roof from a building with a gustnado. June 24 saw up

to 120-130 mile winds in our area. South of us, wildfire season is in full swing. On June 16, lightning started the Wall Wildfire, consuming nearly 1,500 acres in southern Montana/Northern Wyoming. June 25, the Yates Wildfire (cause unknown) swept through over 1,200 acres south of Ekalala. Around the country, severe heat and drought is plaguing California and the Southwest, while in New England, millions of caterpillars are decimating trees to the point where “the skyline looks like the dead

of winter”: https://goo.gl/Vs6QQZ. A slow warming trend is moving in, but temperatures should remain pleasant for this time of year. There is no widespread rainmaker, so lightning is a concern for dry areas. The soil moisture continues to be very dry. Please stay tuned to your local weather station and stay safe out there. If you have any information to report or thoughts on our coverage of local storms and weather events, please write to us at courier@nemont.net or call 406-228-9301

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SEAN R. HEAVEY / FOR FARM & RANCH

photographer Sean Heavey travels far and wide throughout Northeast Montana to capture images like this one. Check out his regular live feed video broadcasts at facebook.com/Sr.Heavey.

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Finding the Calm

the same severe storm. I’m sure they have the same concerns. I know I’m not the only farm wife that holds the role of the supporter and encourager, but underneath is just as nervous and concerned as her farmer. Here is what I’m holding onto: I’m choosing to find reassurance and put my hope and faith in God. He created the storm. He knows all and has plans for good for us. I’m choosing to seek fellow women in agriculture who can relate and offer encouragement and support with specific understanding of similar situations. I’m choosing to be vulnerable with how I am feeling and express it to those who love and support me most. I’m choosing to come together as a farm couple to move through these times of stress instead of allowing it to be a divisor.

FARM & FARM & RANCH RANCH

July 2016 July 2016

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What do “low cost” ag suppliers

Vet Directive to Impact Feed-Grade Antibiotics

Settling into Severe Weather ELIZABEtH SHIpStEAD FOR FARM & RANCH This past month has been full of severe thunderstorms in our area. There have been storm chasers in our town and surrounding areas. Our phones have been heralding announcements of weather warnings, lake wind advisories, and announcements of tornadic signatures. We have spent afternoons and evenings scrambling to get everything put away and in the safest spot possible. Dinners have been pushed back to bedtime and bedtime has been pushed back even further. Feelings have been mixed with awe of the incredible beauty and power of these storms and significant trepidation knowing the devastation that a storm like these can cause. In the past we’ve had farming situations and circumstances that were pretty stressful, but this last month’s storms and the outcome of one take the cake. Saturday night, July 18, a storm blew through that was fast furious and leveling of the crops in its path. Depending on where you were in its path the hail was the size of peas all the way up to golf ball size. Windows broke, roofs were damaged, trees were hurt, but the biggest loss for our family, and many in the storm’s path, was our pea and wheat crop. I define myself as a farm wife rather than a farmer, because although I am involved with the farming (swathing, combining, running for parts, etc.), I am not a full time partner in the actual work of farming. But, I am a full time partner in support and encouragement, especially during times of stress. Even though I’m trying to be strong and supportive during this stressful time, I find myself feeling distraught over lost crops and the magnitude of the money, time, and energy that was wasted in about 20 minutes. I also feel sad because of the loss of time that I would have spent combining with my girls during harvest, and the excitement and anticipation of finding out how many bushels per acre we had. I don’t fully understand all the ramifications of hail insurance, the role of insurance adjusters, claims, and what the outcome will be if we’re asked to “carry it to harvest.” This year I’m getting a “crash course” in these areas. Not fully understanding it all leaves me feeling unsure and worried that the outcome won’t be put to rest for several more months. Will this break us? Will the stress place strain on our marriage? Will we be able to pay our bank note? Yet, I feel compelled to find the positive as we move forward with a different strategy. I know we are not alone in these struggles. Our farming neighbors lost crops to

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COURTESY OF ELIZABETH SHIPSTEAD

the author is accustomed to checking out ominous skies at the family farm (top), but every new event presents special challenges. panoramas like those pictured below (bottom) can mean much needed water for crops, or potentially crippling storm damage.

MEGAN VAN EMON, MSU ExtENSION BEEF CAttLE SpECIALISt FOR FARM & RANCH The new Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) rule will change how medically important antibiotics are fed to livestock. The rule does not include the use of injectable antibiotics. Previously, feed-grade antibiotics have been labeled for control, treatment, prevention, growth promotion, and feed efficiency. The VFD rule results in the removal of the statements and uses of feed-grade antibiotics for growth promotion and feed efficiency. Guidance for Industry proposal #209 concerns the use of medically important antibiotics in food-producing animals. Guidance for Industry proposal #213 focuses on the drug companies and recommending they voluntarily align their products with GFI #209. Medically important antibiotics are those that are used in both human and animal medicine. The two main proposals of GFI #209 are: 1. use of medically important antibiotics will be limited to therapeutic uses only; and 2. use of medically important antibiotics for food-producing animals will be limited to those that have veterinary oversight. The main proposal of GFI #213 asks the drug companies producing medically important feedgrade antibiotics to voluntarily remove production (ie. growth promotion and feed efficiency) claims from the labels and moving the over-the-counter products to VFD

or prescription status. Additionally, a valid veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR) is required for veterinarians to issue a VFD. A valid VCPR includes: 1. the veterinarian assumes the responsibility for medical judgements and animal health and the client agrees to follow veterinarian instructions; 2. the veterinarian has sufficient knowledge of the animal(s) to initiate medical treatment and makes timely visits; and 3. the veterinarian is available for follow-up care and evaluation. If you currently do not have a valid VCPR, building this relationship prior to the VFD implementation may be a good idea. A valid VFD consists of paperwork filled out by the veterinarian that contains the veterinarian information, clients information, description of animals and location, VFD drug information, why is the VFD being issued, level of VFD in the feed, duration of use, date, and withdrawal time. All VFDs will require the statement: “Use of feed containing this veterinary feed directive drug in a manner other than as directed on the labeling (extra label use), is not permitted” and the veterinarian’s written or electronic signature. The veterinarian is required to maintain the original VFD form with copies being provided to the feed distributor and producer. To learn more about the VFD and the informational meetings please contact Megan Van Emon at 406.874.8286 or at megan.vanemon@montana.edu.

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Organics on the rise The organic food industry has been growing fast recently, and some experts say the market may be pulling producers toward a full-scale conversion. Paul Dragu pdragu@havredailynews.com Farm Service Agency Hill County Office Executive Director Les Rispens said the county’s organically certified acres have probably doubled in the last five years. “And that’s a conservative guess on my part,” he added. Rispens cited the example of organic wheat to illustrate that one reason for its success are higher prices due to the product being limited to a U.S. market instead of a world market. It’s a smaller and more com-

Havre Daily News/Teresa Getten A calf certified as organically raised grazes on Jody and Crystal Manuel’s ranch south of Havre.

petitive market, he said. Congress’ decision to reduce the number of Conservation Reserve Program acres, Rispens said, has largely contributed to the rise in organic farming. He said a lot of the land had been sitting for 10 years before being taken out of CRP. Once released, the land, which had not been chemically farmed for more than three years, was immediately eligible to be organically farmed. “CRP has played a huge role in the increase of organic production,” he said. Rispens said there is a USDA agenda to promote organic farming aligned with a grander plan aimed at stimulating local economies. “USDA is promoting organic heavily. We have a developing group of programs that are not all delivered yet, but there are programs in the pipeline to encourage additional organic production,” he said. “We have a home micro-loan program that can loan money to small operations. … There’s beginning farmer programs that favor organic production.” Rispens said he believes no reason has contributed more to the growth of organic industry than consumers. He said the

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Converting to organic farming Pam Burke community@havredailynews.com Changing an agricultural operation over to certified organic doesn't happen overnight, said Bob Quinn of Big Sandy during a presentation at the New Idea Expo at Havre’s Atrium Mall April 8. Quinn said that he had significantly more inquiries this spring about converting farms from chemically sustained to organic production. A large part of this interest is due to organic grains selling for up to four or five times the amount chemically produced grains sell, he said, but some producers were simply interested in getting away from the chemical farming practices as well. When asked, he acknowledged that the attractively high price for organic grains would level out once supply meets demand, but, he said, this doesn't make organic less than a good idea — for several reasons. The bulk of the U.S. supply of organic grains are imported from other countries, primarily European, he said, so the demand — and the price — will stay elevated until U.S. producers make up the difference between locally grown and imported. "That money needs to go to our communities, our neighbors," he said. Another good sign for producers is that the demand for organic foods is increasing in the U.S., he said, so even more production is needed to meet the demand. But in the end, he said, he thinks producers who follow through with the change to organic will see the benefit for their land and production. Organic certification can only come 36 months after the last application of chemicals, he said, but it can take five years or more to make the conversion because it should be done in increments, primarily because there will be a loss of income until the conversion is complete, especially the first two years. He said, he converted about 2,000 acres of crop land to organic in three years, but from that experience recommends instead that

each year about 20 percent of total farm acreage be converted to organic. The first two years are the most costly, he said, because the acreage farmed organically won’t bring the premium price because it can’t be certified organic yet, and most likely, the soil is not built up enough to provide enough nutrients or to fight weeds, pests and diseases, so the yield will be less. The third year, when 60 percent of cropland is in organic, is the crossover year, and the first 20 percent of land farmed organically will be able to be certified and sold as organic, he said. From that point, farming is a matter of learning how to read what the land needs. The principles behind organic farming all lead to mimicking nature, he said. Diversity “Diversity begets stability it’s true in every aspect of society, business, everything,” Quinn said, because “… in a monoculture one thing can bring down the whole system.” Chemical farming creates an artificial monoculture that requires more chemical input of herbicides, pesticides and fertilizer to maintain the stability, he said, but organic farming succeeds through a diversity of crops, like is found in nature. A plot of uncultivated land contains a wide variety of plants to make the soil stable, utilize different nutrients, perform well in different weather conditions and fight different pests, he said. They often have a symbiotic relationship, with plants providing what their neighbors need. Farmed crops create this diversity through rotation, which, he said, he tries to do on a nine-year rotation plan, generally alternating legume and grain crops. Rotating crops breaks up disease, weed and pest cycles because every plant has its own particular resistances, needs and soil benefits, he said. For example, alfalfa fixes nitrogen in the soil while fighting weeds like thistle. Soil Building “Because we are taking something out

of the soil every year with our harvest, if we didn’t put anything back, it would be mining, and mining only goes one way,” he said. “Mining is extractive.” Soil building occurs with soil building crops. Though this can be done with organic manure, he said, it can also be done with green fallowing legume crops, which are plowed under about mid-June. Composting leverages the value of the manure, breaks down carbon and nitrogen into a more usable state and adds an enormous amount of beneficial microorganisms to the soil, he said, but without a ready source of manure, he does this by growing and green fallowing legume crops. Beans, clover, peas and alfalfa fix nitrogen, and when plowed in for green fallowing add humus to the soil. He said he plants legumes every other year instead of summer fallowing. On years he is using the legumes as green fallow — rather than growing a hay or bean crop — he plows the crop before the end of the rainy season so the roots don't use up the soil moisture. “In this country, and it doesn’t matter if you’re an organic farmer or chemical farmer,” he said, “the most limiting factor we have is moisture and rain, so we can’t use all the moisture stored in the soil for next year’s crop by growing a deep-rooted, vigorous crop the year before.” The process of soil building, even with green fallowing, also builds up micro-organisms that make a healthier soil, he said, adding that even among chemical farmers, the practice of green fallowing, rather than chem-fallowing is catching on. Montana State University’s Northern Agricultural Research Center, south of Havre, has ongoing studies on the effects of and best practices utilizing green fallow, or green manure, in conventional chemical farming. Flexibility While Quinn has his farm on a scheduled rotation that uses broad leaf, narrow leaf, deep rooted, shallow rooted, spring

seeded, fall seeded, light feeder and heavy feeder plants, he said organic farmers have to remain flexible to succeed. If a field is showing a thistle increase, then an extra year of alfalfa will fix that, and if soil tests show a field already has enough nitrogen then it is planted in peas rather than alfalfa. “We try to farm in accordance to our fields and what they need,” he said. “We solve the problems that they have with other plants. So we use plants not only to produce cash crops but also to keep the whole system sound.” But the flexibility is about more than just crop rotation, he said, the mindset has to be used when dealing with issues, because organic solutions generally take time — they aren’t just a matter of spraying a field and seeing results in hours. Maybe its about using a protozoa to kill a grasshopper invasion with disease, or planting crops with narrowing spacing between rows and heavier seed planting to block out weeds, he said. Organic farmers need to be more flexible with marketing, as well, looking for ways to sell and ship crops, he said, adding that the nice part about growing organic crops for which demand outweighs supply is that he generally has more than one buyer for each crop. Organic farming has a lot to do with treating the earth better and creating a healthy, sustainable product, he said, but it’s also about the bottom dollar. It reduces input costs to one-quarter of chemical farming while increasing the value of the crop. On his farm, he said, the yield in heavy rain years is about 33-40 percent less than chemically farmed fields, in an average rain year they are about the same, and in dry years, his yields are significantly better than from chemical fields — all while the value of yields are at least twice as much. “If you’re losing money on every acre, you’re not going to make it up in volume,” he said.

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Umpqua Dairy celebrates 85 years as family-owned company Organic Ag: Manuel has planted a crop of hops, as an experiment in crop diversification n Continued from page 6 organic for Manuel began in 2007, after his wife was diagnosed with the autoimmune Graves’ disease. He said doctors didn’t have a lot of answers and she began looking into nutrition. He said that’s when things “started to make sense” and the conversion to organic farming and ranching began. He got his first full organic crop in 2009 and was fully organically certified by 2011. Manuel said that while there is no guarantee that organic food is healthier, it’s guaranteed to be free of any chemicals and GMOs. His main product is organic beef. He has about 550 cows, 44 of which will be going to Brush, Colorado, July 24, where they will be processed and then shipped to Whole Foods. The cattle are grazed on organic pasture and fed organically produced feed. Manuel said he sprays apple cider vinegar on the pasture grass. He’s not exactly sure if it works, but he does so because it’s supposed to aide the animals’ digestion and help eliminate potential parasites. He also supplements the herd’s diet with salt and minerals. And, although he can remain organically certified while doing so, Manuel said he doesn’t even vaccinate his cows. In addition to the livestock, Manuel has 500 acres of wheat and 145 of peas. The peas are a cover crop, plowed in for nitrogen fertilizer. He also has a field of lentils, and this year he decided to experiment with hops. He said the local brewery, Triple Dog Brewing Company, has already expressed interest in buying the hops. Manuel said he uses vinegar to help control the weeds on the crops. Manuel said business has been wonderful. He said the companies can get “cutthroat” when going after his products and that’s good for him. And although last year’s wheat yield was half that of his neighbor’s — 25 bushels — he said he gets three times the price for it. Manuel said this year’s weather has been good for his operation. This year’s mild winter means he’s had to buy less hay for his cows, which will give his profit margin on livestock sales a boost. And the moisture has helped the pasture grow more quickly. When it comes to rain, timing is more important than the amount, Manuel said. “I’ve found that the best years are when you have intermittent rains with sunny days,” he said. For Manuel, as contrary as it may seem, organic farming is innovative. Farming never appealed to him, he said, until he took the organic path.

EMILY HOARD The News-Review ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) — It's the time of year to celebrate ice cream, milk and cottage cheese with June as National Dairy Month and July as Ice Cream Month. Umpqua Dairy plans to take its concession cart to special events throughout the season, including the Summer Arts Festival, Music on the Half Shell, the upcoming Sutherlin Blackberry Festival, seven county fairs and a number of parades across the state. Umpqua Dairy also celebrates its 85th anniversary this year. Ormond Feldkamp and Herb Sullivan started the company in 1931. Two generations later, Ormond Feldkamp's grandsons Doug and Steve Feldkamp carry on the family business today. "For 85 years, it's still been an independent company and family-owned and located right here in Roseburg, Oregon, at the same location where we started," said President Doug Feldkamp. The Feldkamp brothers worked in the plant throughout their time at Roseburg High School and Oregon State University and took over ownership after their father, Bob Feldkamp, passed away in 1988. "I grew up in it and have been around it all my life," Doug Feldkamp said. Steve Feldkamp, chief operating officer, said the company focuses on providing quality dairy products and customer service. "That's what has made us successful over the years," he said. He said his favorite product is the low-fat cottage cheese, and he's not alone. Umpqua Dairy was honored for having the best cottage cheese in the world at the International Dairy Convention in 2013. "I'm a big fan of all our dairy products," Doug Feldkamp added. His favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate peanut butter. The dairy

Emily Hoard/The News-Review via AP Doug and Steve Feldkamp pose for a photograph June 19 at the Umpqua Dairy in Roseburg, Ore. Umpqua Dairy celebrates its 85th anniversary this year. also offers collegiate cartons for the University of Oregon, Oregon State, Washington State and University of Washington. As OSU graduates, the Feldkamps are fans of the Beaver Tracks ice cream. The brothers are proud of the recognition their company has received over the years. In April, Umpqua Dairy won the 2016 Best Production Facility Awards for both Cultured Products and Ice Cream Products at the National Quality Chekd Leadership Conference for the second year in a row. Earlier that month, Umpqua Dairy cottage cheese was named the Best in the Northwest at the Oregon Dairy Industries Conference in Salem, where the company also won the Sweepstakes Award in the Cultured Division for the sixth consecutive year and the runnerup Sweepstakes Award in the Ice Cream Division. From the production plant on Sykes Street in Roseburg, the company ships its products to distribution centers across the state, and its ice cream can be found in nine Western states.

Umpqua Dairy products are offered in grocery stores throughout Oregon. Locally, ice cream lovers can get their favorite flavors by the scoop at Sherm's Thunderbird, Gay 90's Ice Cream Parlor & Delicatessen, Seven Feathers Casino, Totem Market and Southgate Market & Deli. "Our objective is to continue to grow into markets and promote our brand," Doug Feldkamp said. "There's a lot of opportunity really close to us." Though large corporations bring tough competition, Steve Feldkamp said offering the best quality products sets Umpqua Dairy apart in the market place. In a rural area where the job market faces hardships, Doug Feldkamp said he's proud of how the locally-based business continues to grow as an independent dairy and provide family-wage jobs. The brothers hope to continue offering a stable job environment for their employees in the years to come. "We're always looking to reinvest in our company," Doug Feldkamp said. A number of employees have been working at Umpqua Dairy for 40-plus years, including Karol Orth with 52 years in the company. "We try to be the employer of choice in these communities," Steve Feldkamp said, adding that the quality workforce allows the company to grow, saying, "We take pride in what they do."

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Organic Ag: Younger consumers driving a demand for more organic foods n Continued from page 4 demand for organic products is increasing rapidly, especially in urban areas, and especially with younger generations. “It seems like the younger people are more in tune with organics and more driven in that direction, and as we see them become consumers — they get out into the world and start making purchasing decisions — we’re seeing the younger consumers choose organics. I really think that’s where the growth is in the organic market,” he said. Rispens said he believes the food industry might completely transition to organic in a few decades. “I actually think the market is leading us that way — the consumers are going to take the government along with them. Voters are going to say ‘This is what’s important to us,’

and I think we are going to see the transition,” he said. Rispens said health reasons are a common motive for the public’s appetite for organic food. He said celebrity organic diets have also influenced consumers toward organic food consumption. As for whether or not organic food is healthier than conventionally grown food, Rispens said, it’s hard to argue against food that hasn’t been touched by any chemicals. But that doesn’t mean there is any indication of risks when eating foods grown using chemicals, he added. “I don’t believe consumers are at a pesticide risk with any of our conventional food products. Remember that the FDA, USDA — countless government agencies — have been watching and studying pesticide use as long as anybody can remember,” he said. “And I

Havre Daily News/Teresa Getten Rancher and farmer Jody Manuel points out the path over which his cattle will be driven to get them onto the next pasture in his grazing rotation.

don’t really believe that the consumer of the product is at risk, except in maybe rare cases where somebody has done something wrong, and that happens, human errors.” Rispens said transporting organic foods poses problems. Because fruits and vegetables normally rely on chemicals to keep them stable while being shipped, organic foods are not commonly shipped as far as conventional foods. And when they are, the organic produce is picked prematurely and put through gasification in transit so it’s ripe by the time it arrives to its destination. Yield is another challenge with organic producers. The primary reason for smaller

organic yields, Rispens said, is that soil nutrition management is much easier — scientifically methodical — and faster in a conventional system than an organic one. Rispens said no one has come up with an answer as to how to make up for the 40 percent loss of production using organic methods. Hypothetically speaking, he said, a 40 percent decrease in food output overnight would end in worldwide disaster. But he said he believes land grant universities will lead the way in researching the issue and coming up with a solution as the market continues its conversion. R i s p e n s s a i d t h e Tr a n s - Pa c i f i c

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Organic Ag: Rispens: Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement is helping set standards n Continued from page 5 Partnership agreement is a subject that is often brought up. He said he believes the TPP may be beneficial “one day.” “What that’s trying to do is break down trade barriers around the Pacific with our trading partners. It’s doing things like coming up with standard grading factors for grain so we all know what we’re talking about. When one of those countries calls up and orders grain, they understand the grading system that we’re using,” he said. “Those things make trade work better.” But there are obstacles the TPP cannot pass. “The thing it can’t overcome is the strength of the U.S. dollar,” Rispens said, “right now, that is the single biggest limiter on exports — the U.S. dollar is so expensive compared to other world currencies. If you want to buy a U.S. product, you gotta buy it in U.S. and it’s going to be expensive.” Sen. Jon Tester, who farms west of Big Sandy, converted his farm to organic in 1987. He said watching his neighbors going broke or selling out caused him look to into ways he could add value and increase net returns. A contract to raise durum also helped him decide to convert, he said. “There’s a lot of reasons to make the conversion,” he said, “but the biggest one is because it’s financially sustainable.” Tester said he grows mainly grains and

Havre Daily News/Teresa Getten Jody Manuel, an organic farmer and rancher south of Havre, holds pea plants grown on his crop land. The peas increase nitrogen in the soil and will be plowed under before reaching maturity. peas — the peas are for fertilizer — on his 1,800-acre farm, which issmall by Montana standards, he added. Tester said taxpayer money is needed to

fund more research. “Most of the money put into research now at the university system is put in by agribusiness, and they tend to look from a high-

input standpoint — ‘How can you maximize your yield by putting as much input as you can?’ — when really, we should be looking at how we can maximize net income,” he said. “Net income may not be raising 80 bushel an acre; it may be raising 30 bushel an acre and not having as much input on it and adding value at the other end. And that’s kind of what organic agriculture does.” Tester said research is needed regarding things like what the best plowdown for nitrogen is, the best crop rotation and what can be done to take care of problem weeds. He said he’s been doing trial-and-error rotations for 30 years, and he’d love to find a more efficient way to eliminate cheat grass and Canada thistle weeds, the big problem weeds this year. “We need more research both in conventional agriculture and in organic agriculture. And quite frankly, in my opinion, we need more public dollars going into it,” he said. “Because if those are public dollars going into their research, then there’s no possible way those results can be skewed, or even have the appearance of them being skewed.” Tester added that he was not saying the studies paid for by private money are skewed — only that they may have the appearance of being so. Jody Manuel has a 4,500-acre organic ranch and farm south of Havre. A rancher and farmer since 1991, the transition to

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