Hi-Line Farm & Ranch July 2017

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ch 2015 2015 rch 2015July 2017 12 12 July 2017

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ee FFA Conventions Draws Students from Around Around the the State State FFA Conventions Draws Students from Unique Home For Sale

425 6th Street North Glasgow, Montana

Vintage Northside neighborhood home, large corner location on 5 city lots, 1,612 sf main floor, 1,392 sf finished basement, established trees and greenery, fenced in backyard, 4 bedrooms, THE HI-LINE FARM & RANCH library, 3 full baths, private backyard patio area, FOR FOR THE HI-LINE FARM & RANCH Brett Johnson, Dallas Capdeville, Kyle Albus, Wyatt Pattison and Advisor sunroom off kitchen, an oversized 2 car attached Brett Johnson, Dallas Capdeville, Kyle Albus, Wyatt Pattison and Advisor Patti Patti Armbrister Armbrister at at heated garage with room to add on, and rv parking. nstion in Billings. nstion in Billings. Asking $295,000 WYATT WYATTPATTISON PATTISON HINSDALE CHAPTER HINSDALE CHAPTERREPORTER REPORTER

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Future (FutureFarmers FarmersofofAmerican) American)FFA FFAConvention Conventionwas washeld held in in Billings Billings on on March March 25 25 -- 28. 28. FA members from around the state gathered to compete in State CDEs, ranging "Let us workaround for you." FA members from the state gathered to compete in State CDEs, ranging from from public unitedir@nemont.net publicspeaking. speaking. rs ofofthe chapter, 406-228-9356 ers theHinsdale Hinsdale chapter,including includingSophomore SophomoreCache CacheYounkin, Younkin,competed competed in in mechanmechanwww.unitedinsuranceandrealty.com farm business management, star greenhand and state creed speaking. When they , farm business management, star greenhand and state creed speaking. When they werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t 504 2nd Avenue South, Glasgow, Montana

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Creed third place place winner winner and and greenhand greenhandsecond secondplace placewinner winnerMickayla MickaylaJohnson Johnsonaccepting acceptingan anaward awardatatthe the Creed third state convention in Billings. state convention in Billings. competing they went went to to various various workshops workshopspresented presentedby bypast paststate stateofďŹ cers ofďŹ cersand andeven evennational nationalofďŹ cers. ofďŹ cers. competing they Three of our younger members, Elise Strommen, Chaykota Christensen and Halle Beil Three of our younger members, Elise Strommen, Chaykota Christensen and Halle Beil served on the courtesy corp and helped out with contests whenever needed. Our five seVALLE / FOR FARM & RANCH served on the courtesy corp and helped out with contests wheneverCARLOS needed. Our five seniors, Lukas Johnson, Brett Johnson, Dallas Capdeville, Kyle Albus and Wyatt PattiRon Stoneberg, paterfamilias at Horse Ranch, pictured here during an April 13 visit with Courier photographers niors, Lukas Johnson, Brett Johnson, Dallas Capdeville, Kyle Albus and Wyatt PattiCarlos Valletheir and Mary Teske. Degrees son were awarded awarded their StateKate Farmer Degrees at at the the State State Degree Degree dinner dinner on on Friday Fridaynight. night. son were State Farmer There were over 500 members, advisors and their families attending that dinner. Mickayla Johnson There were over 500 members, advisors and their families attending that dinner. Mickayla Johnson competed for star star greenhand greenhand and and received receivedsecond secondplace. place.She Shealso alsocompeted competedwith withother othercreed creedspeakers speakers competed for from around the state and received third. from around the state and received third.

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ubjecttoto availability and other conditions. notice, and are not guaranteed until ticketed. toavailability availabilityand andother otherconditions. conditions.Fares Faresmay maychange changewithout without notice, and are not guaranteed until ticketed. bject may change without notice, and are not guaranteed until ticketed.

Bulls Stay Stay Steady Steady Bulls

USDA Authorizes Emergency Grazing - Page 10

ANDREWMCKEAN MCKEAN/ /FOR FORTHE THEHI-LINE HI-LINEFARM FARM&&RANCH RANCH ANDREW

CARLOS FOR FARM & RANCH Lih-An Yang, Merlin, Iris and Ellis Ellis McKean McKean work workon onclearing clearingout outaabeaver beaverdam damalong along theVALLE Little/Brazil Brazil Creek, the Little Creek, meets new at Horse Ranch, where homestead decor combines with green energy production. southwest ofOldGlasgow.

China Agreement Good for Beef Producers - Page 3 The Month in Weather - Page 2

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

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July 2017 July 2017

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YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE READING HI-LINE FARM & RANCH â&#x20AC;&#x201C; THE AG MONTHLY FOR NORTHEAST & NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA Glasgow Stockyards, Inc. Linda & Mark Nielsen, Owners Iva Murch, Manager 263-7529 Dean Barnes, Yard Manager 263-1175 Ed Hinton, Auctioneer 783-7285

July August & September 2017 Schedule

July 2017 Thursday

The big story in northeast Montana continues to be how incredibly dry it has been. The conditions have deteriorated over the past few months to the point that Governor Bullock issued an Executive Order on June 24, declaring a drought emergency for much of our region. Crops, as well as pasture/ range conditions have suffered this year due to the drought. The winds continue to ravage the soil moisture and almost completely prevent new rainfall from replenishing the lost moisture in the soil. Of the days in June leading up until press date, there were eight days in June where winds were over 40 mph, and 18 days where winds were over 30 mph. To put these wind speeds into perspective, the average wind speed for this time of year is 10.2 mph. Due to the windy and dry conditions, most counties have been taking up discussions on burn and ďŹ rework bans due to the conditions across the region, with a couple having already passed such resolutions, with potentially more to follow. As of press date, per the National

Weather Service in Glasgow, the highest observed temperature for the month was 94 degrees on both June 1 and June 4, and the lowest was 40 degrees on June 23. The total liquid precipitation reported at Glasgow was 0.13â&#x20AC;?, which was approximately 2â&#x20AC;? belownormal. Year-to-date, Glasgow has had 2.74â&#x20AC;? of liquid when the normal is 5.82â&#x20AC;?. Over a 24-hour period, the greatest precipitation total was 0.04â&#x20AC;?, which occurred on June 21. The overall mean temperature for the month was approximately 66 degrees, which is approximately 2.5 degrees abovenormal. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor was released on June 20. Just above 40 percent of the state of Montana, all contained within the eastern half of the state, is now considered at least Abnormally Dry. From there it gets more severe when narrowing down to the Northeast region. Almost the entirety of northeast Montana is under at least Moderate Drought. Areas of severe drought stretch from Valley and GarďŹ eld Counties, north and east through Sheridan County, McCone, Roosevelt, Daniels and Sheridan Counties. These areas were upgraded to Extreme Drought, which is the penultimate category to Exceptional Drought.

1946 - 2017

Thursday

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September 2017 Thursday

August 2017 Thursday

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BRANDON BIGELBACH FOR FARM & RANCH

August 2017 (cont.)

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The Month in Weather

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The 25th Big Fall Yearling Classic & All Class Cattle Auction

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The One and Only Sheep Auction of 2017 & All Class Cattle Auction

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228-9306

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Please call in consignments so buyers can be notiďŹ ed

MARY KATE TESKE / FOR FARM & RANCH

Photographers Mary Kate Teske and Carlos Valle (see cover photo) visited the Stoneberg/Holt ranch south of Hinsdale on April 13. The family's "Horse Ranch" is an award-winning, off-grid, multigenerational ranch with solar and wind power. See more pictures on pages 10-12.

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11 July 2017 11 July 2017

The Cry for Rain on a Family Farm

Tester Announces PILT Funding for Infrastructure, Law Enforcement, Schools JAMES WALLING FOR FARM & RANCH

ELIZABETH SHIPSTEAD / FOR FARM & RANCH

Rain threatens to fall (but doesn't) at Rorvig South Farm in June. ELIZABETH SHIPSTEAD FOR FARM & RANCH The cry for rain is getting louder and louder. I hear it in my husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voice and echoed in the words of our friends, neighbors, and fellow folks in agriculture. The pastures that feed our cattle through the summer are burning up and taking any nutrition with it. Crops are being forced to bloom early and will not produce as much as they should. Fields where crops should have germinated just havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Plants that did grow are looking stressed. Farmers and ranchers are making hard decisions based off of guesses which cost or save them thousands of dollars. Ranchers are haying ďŹ elds earlier than usual hoping to catch whatever nutrients they can. This June has been the driest since the early 1900s and at press time we are now classiďŹ ed as experiencing â&#x20AC;&#x153;extreme drought.â&#x20AC;? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to know what to do during times like these. Folks are beginning to transition from praying for rain to praying for hail so that the crop insurance can help. It seems wrong to feel like you have to decide between praying for rain and praying for your crop to be lost altogether. These are times that test ones faith, resolve, mental and physical strength. So, how do we get through this hard time? Here is what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m choosing to do: 1. Find things to be grateful for every day. When you choose to be grateful, you choose to focus on the positive and not the negative. For me, I choose to focus my gratitude to the One who has carried me through other struggles in my life. When I choose to focus on Him instead of the struggles, it keeps me from giving the problems Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m

facing power to control my thoughts and emotions. 2. I am choosing to trust that God will work out a situation that seems really bad in a way that is best for me and my family...Even if I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see that. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m able to trust God in that way, because in the past Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen Him work good from a bad situation. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll tell you a little bit about my past. I grew up in a very conservative, loving, Christian home. When I was 13, my mom passed away. She was hit head on by a drunk driver. Losing a parent has to be towards the top of the list when it comes to hard things for a child to go through. It was very hard, but as I look back on those years since my mom passed away, I can now see the plan that God had worked out for my life. He brought women into my life that guided and loved me when I needed it the most. He opened up opportunities for me to experience things that I probably wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have experienced had our family stayed unchanged. I can say with great conviction that I would not be a Montana Farm Wife if my mom had not passed away. I love my life and know that God prepared me for the role that I am in now. Although I still miss my mom and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sad that that experience was part of my childhood, I can see time and time again where God worked inside a seemingly negative situation to be a positive in my life. So as we face extreme drought, loss of crops, difďŹ culty ďŹ nding pasture and hay for animals, and a poor harvest again this year, I choose to be grateful. I choose to believe that this challenge could be part of a bigger plan that I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand or see right now. I am grateful to believe in a God who loves me, has a plan for my life, and is invested in each and every aspect of my life.

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Senator Jon Tester announced on June 26 that Montana counties will receive $31.8 million in Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) for 2017. â&#x20AC;&#x153;PILT payments help Montana counties provide critical services and keep a balanced budget,â&#x20AC;? Tester said via press release. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Local ofďŹ cials will use these resources to builds roads, supports important infrastructure projects, and bolsters local police and ďŹ re departments. I know how important PILT payments are to Montana, and I will keep ďŹ ghting to secure these essential investments for rural communities.â&#x20AC;? As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Tester worked with Republicans and Democrats to secure

these resources in the federal budget earlier this year. Tester announced that 55 Montana counties will receive PILT payments this year. PILT payments are awarded to counties with federal lands that are not taxable by local governments, but the landsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; presence creates demands for local government services, such as law enforcement and infrastructure. President Trump is proposing to cut PILT by 15 percent in his 2018 budget. Tester has called on the Administration to reverse course and fully fund PILT for Montana counties. Valley Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2017 PILT payments amount to $1,137,518 on 1,122,357 total acres; Phillips County has $511,406 on 1,376,973 acres; Blaine County has $1,013,358 on 451,657 acres; and Hill County has $121,875 on 47,718 acres.

MARY KATE TESKE / FOR FARM & RANCH

Pictured l-r: Linden, Zora and Sierra Holt discuss different points of interest at Horse Ranch on April 13.

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10 July 2017 10 July 2017

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Drought Prompts USDA to Authorize Emergency Grazing in Northeast Montana MICHELLE BIGELBACH FOR FARM & RANCH

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Due to the extreme drought conditions in northeast Montana, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue authorized emergency grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands in Montana on June 23. All or parts of Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota are experiencing severe or extreme drought conditions, indicated as categories D2 and D3 on the U.S. Drought Monitor. CRP is a voluntary program administrated by USDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Farm Service Agency (FSA) available to agricultural producers to help them safeguard environmentally sensitive land, and when needed, provide emergency relief to livestock producers suffering the impacts of certain natural disasters. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Due to reduced availability of forage, ranchers in the hardest hit locations have already been culling their herds,â&#x20AC;? said Perdue. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Without alternative forage options like grazing CRP lands, livestock producers are faced wit the economically devastating potential of herd liquidation.â&#x20AC;? Emergency grazing is authorized to be-

gin immediately and extends through Sept. 30, unless conditions improve. Producers must work with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to develop a modiďŹ ed conservation plan that is site speciďŹ c, including the authorized grazing duration to reďŹ&#x201A;ect local wildlife needs. FSA State Committees will monitor emergency grazing implementation at the local level to mitigate adverse impact on nesting areas and established CRP vegetation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Northeast Montana has been hammered by drought and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m pleased this critical farm-saving relief is available to those who need it most,â&#x20AC;? U.S. Senator Jon Tester said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I encourage all eligible Montana producers to contact their local FSA ofďŹ ces and apply for assistance.â&#x20AC;? Eligible CRP participants can use the acreage for grazing their own livestock or may grant another livestock producer use of the CRP acreage. There will be no CRP annual rental payment reductions assessed for acres grazed. To take advantage of the emergency grazing provisions, producers should contact their local USDA service center.

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MONTANA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION FOR FARM & RANCH Montana cattle may well show up on Chinese dinner tables thanks to an historic agreement between the United States and China. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reached a ďŹ nal agreement with Chinese ofďŹ cials on ďŹ nal details of a protocol to allow the U.S. to begin the beef exports to China. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has announced the posting of technical documents related to the beginning of shipments. This is welcome news to Montana ranchers, notes Montana Farm Bureau National Affairs Director Nicole Rolf. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After an almost 14-year hiatus, our members are anxious to start selling our high-quality beef back into China. Montana ranchers know the beef we produce is nutritious and wholesome. We look forward to sharing it with consumers in China. Expanding our export markets is essential to help cattle prices recover.â&#x20AC;? There are speciďŹ ed requirements for exports to China including beef products must be derived from cattle that were born, raised, and slaughtered in the U.S.; cattle that were imported from Canada or Mexico and subsequently raised and slaughtered in the U.S.

REBECCA COLNAR FOR FARM & RANCH

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YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE READING HI-LINE FARM & RANCH THE AG MONTHLY FOR NORTHEAST & NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA

MARY KATE TESKE / FOR FARM & RANCH

Clover is one of two working pups at Horse Ranch south of Hinsdale. Photographers from the Courier visited the ranch on April 13.

What do â&#x20AC;&#x153;low costâ&#x20AC;? ag suppliers

Trade Agreement Good for Beef Producers or cattle that were imported from Canada or Mexico for direct slaughter. Cattle must be traceable, and beef and beef products must be derived from cattle less than 30 months of age. Only eligible products will be issued a UDSA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Export CertiďŹ cate. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The potential for U.S. ranchers is great,â&#x20AC;? says Dave Salmonsen, senior director of congressional relations, American Farm Bureau Federation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If the protocols go through, it will be a great market. China is currently importing more than $2.5 billion in beef, and that number is steadily increasing. The idea of the agreement was to be shipping beef by the end of the 100-day plank which is July 16. There are still some conditions that need to be met and how quickly the industry can work those out remains to be seen. This is still a very positive development and we look forward to seeing U.S. beef on its way to China soon.â&#x20AC;? Rolf noted that Senator Steve Daines is to be commended for his role in moving along this trade agreement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We cannot thank Senator Daines enough for the work he has done to make this happen and we thank Senator Jon Tester for his continued support on this matter.â&#x20AC;?

State Vet Talks Current Cattle Diseases ANTIQUE & HOUSEHOLD

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Tuberculosis (TB) and Johneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Disease are two bovine health issues that cattle ranchers should be aware of, according to Montanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s State Veterinarian Marty Zaluski. Zaluski was addressing ranchers during the Montana Farm Bureau Summer Conference in Fairmont Hot Springs. The Summer Conference, held June 6-8, is a time when Farm Bureau advisory committees meet to discuss issues and policy. TB was diagnosed in a South Dakota cattle herd earlier in 2017. â&#x20AC;&#x153;TB is a zoonotic disease, which means it can be transmitted to humans, which is why the U.S. Department of Agriculture has a TB as well as a brucellosis eradication program,â&#x20AC;? noted Zaluski. â&#x20AC;&#x153;TB can be devastating to cattle ranchers, and results in long-term quarantine, numerous rounds of testing and if tests are positive, depopulation of a herd.â&#x20AC;? Because cattle from the TB herd were purchased at a sale and brought to Montana, and the herd was in northwestern South Dakota, the Montana State veterinarian became involved. Zaluski explained to the group how the department traced and tested the animals originating from the infected herd. He noted that

brands and ear tags play a large role in traceabilty. As for symptoms, Zaluski admitted itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difďŹ cult to detect TB in cattle. â&#x20AC;&#x153;TB is not what you think of when an animal is not doing well. You ďŹ nd it once the animal is slaughtered and lesions are detected in the post mortem.â&#x20AC;? An animal with TB is removed from the food chain. On the other hand, Johneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Disease can be managed, resulting in mild to moderate production losses. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Johneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Diseases causes fatal diarrhea in cows three years or older,â&#x20AC;? Zaluski said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cows get infected in the ďŹ rst six months of their life, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s transmitted by their mother in utero or in manure. You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t test for this disease until the animal starts showing symptoms. The cow will be in very poor condition with an almost continual steam of diarrhea.â&#x20AC;? Out of the 12,700 cattle producers in Montana, 127 different owners had cows that tested positive for the disease. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is a higher instance in dairy herds than in beef herds,â&#x20AC;? explained Zaluski. Although itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not reason for panic, Zaluski said cattle ranchers should put Johneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on their radar. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Use good biosecurity and when you purchase cattle, ask about their testing history.â&#x20AC;?

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Cool spring, drought affect area hay crops Local angel fund from Dakotas gets farm-tech app Drought may cause upcoming hay shortage Paul Dragu pdragu@havredailynews.com This year’s lack of rain on north-central Montana soil poses potential problems for farmers and ranchers alike, and a forecasted hay shortage is among them. Les Rispens, executive director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Hill County Farm Service Agency, said the elongated cool spring nights, coupled with early season drought has caused area hay to mature early. “There isn’t much hay out there,” Rispens said. “We have had just a whole series of weather events contribute to a hay crop that’s matured very early and very short, and we’re going to just have — unless things change — we’re going to have a poor hay

crop.” Recent much-needed rain that fell beginning June 12 benefited those whose soil received it. But more is needed and, for some areas, any rain at all would help. The recent rain was heaviest in the southwest part of county, and by the time it got to the northeast part, there was no rain at all, Rispens said. “If you go south of Highway 2, most everybody there got an inch and 3/10 or more rain — they did pretty well. If you go north and east of Havre, about three or four miles out of town, and they didn’t get any rain at all. We got about 1 inch or 7/10 here in town.” The northeast corner of the county, Rispens said, didn’t get any rain, and that can mean serious trouble. “We’re on the edge of a complete crop failure there if we don’t see some rain,” Rispens said. S o m e h ay p r o d u c e r s a r e requesting permission to hay Conservation Reserve Program hay, but the chances of that hap-

■ See Hay today Page 5

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A North Dakota tech company is using a $1.35 million angel investment fund in Sioux Falls to launch a new app for the agriculture industry. Myriad Mobile of Fargo announced this month that it has raised $1.5 million to launch an app that streamlines contracts between farmers and grain elevators. “We liked that it was a more local-type industry and a different approach than a

lot of people take in the farm-tech industry,” said Matthew Paulson, chairman of Falls Angel Fund. “People that try to bring software to the ag space, a lot of them are from places that don’t have strong agriculture industry, so they don’t have the experience to talk to or work with farmers and build stuff to solve their problems.” Myriad CEO Jake Joraanstad said the company met the Falls Angel Fund team

through the Innovation Expo in Sioux Falls and pitched them early in the hunt for investment. “We pitched to them really early on, even before we knew how much money we were going to raise,” he said. “So that was really valuable, working with them. We got to meet some of the investors in that angel fund. So we’re happy with their participation.” The Falls Angel Fund is managed

through the South Dakota Enterprise Institute. An angel investment fund helps finance local business start-ups that show potential for growth. Joraanstad said that Myriad is preparing for a product launch and possible partner announcement later this month. “A lot of people want to celebrate the money raised, but that’s day zero,” he said. “It’s go-time at that point. You’ve got to take it to the next level now.”

Alabama wondering what about Cuba trade in Trump era

Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Caleb McLain bales hay with a round baler June 26 in a field in northern Hill County.

By MARY SELL Decatur Daily MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Agriculture officials and industry leaders in Alabama for years have lobbied for expanded exports to communist Cuba, a country they see as a promising market for this state’s poultry products. Now they’re waiting to see what President Donald Trump’s recent, more restrictive policy change with Cuba will mean for the millions of tons of poultry that leave Mobile for the island nation every month. Alabama Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan last week said exports to Cuba could be impacted by that country’s response to the president’s directive.

“Particularly, with Raul Castro stepping down in early ’18, we’re going to be anxious to see what the Cuban government’s policy is going to be,” McMillan said. “… If something undesirable happens there, that would be on the Cuba side,” he added. “We hope that doesn’t happen.” Last month, Trump said the United States would impose new limits on U.S. travelers to the island and ban any payments to the military-linked conglomerate that controls much of the island’s tourism industry, The Associated Press reported. Trump also declared that: “The harboring of criminals and fugitives will end. You have no choice. It will end.” He said the United States would consider

lifting those and other restrictions only after Cuba returned fugitives and made a series of other internal changes, including freeing political prisoners, allowing freedom of assembly and holding free elections. Cuba’s foreign minister later rejected the policy change, saying “we will never negotiate under pressure or under threat” and would refuse the return of U.S. fugitives who have received asylum in Cuba. About 7 million tons of poultry are shipped from the Port of Mobile each month to Cuba. But Cuba has other options for importing agriculture products, McMillan said, including Mexico, South America and Canada. “They have choices. Some of those choices may be more expensive. That may be our advantage,” said McMillan, who has taken multiple trips to Cuba and advocated for expanded agriculture exports. There are human rights violations in China, but no one is cuttings off trade there, McMillan said. “The bottom line, I think, is that the best way to foment change down there is to continue trade with them.” Armando de Quesada, of Hartselle, disagrees. He was 10 when he fled Cuba in 1962. On this issue, he agrees with Trump. “Any dollars that go to Cuba automatically go to the Castro regime,” de Quesada said. “It’s not like here. … Over there, the govern-

ment owns everything. There’s no benefit to the Cuban people.” Growth of private industry is limited, and de Quesada doesn’t think opening relations between the two countries will effect change. “I don’t think enriching them helps the cause of freedom,” he said. “It doesn’t help the people.” Agriculture shipments to Cuba weren’t part of former President Barack Obama’s policy with the communist country. In 2000, Congress began allowing a limited amount of agriculture exports to Cuba. “We’ve been trading with them for some time,” said Johnny Adams, executive director of the Alabama Poultry and Egg Association. While Obama made it easier, it’s still cumbersome. “We’re not allowed to give them credit. They have to pay us up front through a third party,” Adams said. “Normalizing trade would make it a lot easier.” Like McMillan, Adams has been to Cuba multiple times. “We have the highest quality, most reasonably priced poultry in the world, and we’re 90 miles away,” Adams said. “Hopefully, everyone can sit down and work things out between the two countries. We’ve enjoyed our relationship with the Cuban people and would like to see it get better.”

Guardian dog: ■ Continued from page 7 Match the animals to your specific needs. “Buy your dog only where you can see both parents working,” Faley said. “Genes are everything. Bad training can be fixed. Bad genes cannot.” The most effective livestock guardian dogs are those that bond with livestock and poultry rather than with people. “There’s a strong distinction between pets and guardian dogs,” said John Tomecek, a Texas A&M Agrilife Extension wildlife specialist. “It’s good to be able to approach them in the pasture and handle them, but it’s not good to have them hanging around the house.” The larger the area and the more livestock you have, the more guardian dogs you’ll need. “A lot also depends upon the terrain,” Tomecek said. “If it’s open and you can scan it pretty well, then you won’t need as many

(dogs).” A commonly cited rule is one dog per every 400 to 500 acres, but that’s not universal. “Visit with others to see what works in their areas,” Tomecek said. Dogs aren’t the only guardian animals effective for predator control. Llamas and donkeys also are popular for protecting vulnerable goats and sheep. “It’s a matter of personal experience and preference,” Tomecek said. “Most of the problems here are with coyotes. I prefer using a canine to deter another canine.” —— Online: Livestock Guardian Dogs Association: www.lgd.org You can contact Dean Fosdick at deanfosdick@netscape.net

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MSU Extension awards two pesticide trainers for statewide impacts MSU News Service BOZEMAN — Montana State University Extension’s Pesticide Education Program has awarded two individu a l s fo r exc e p t i o n a l efforts in pesticide training that benefit farm applicators across Montana. Shelley Mills of Glasgow and Mat Walter of Roundup received the inaugural awards for their work in the MSU PEP educational proMills gram promoting the proper use of pesticides to protect public health and the environment, according to Cecil Tharp, PEP statewide coordinator.

Mills, a Valley County Extension agricultural and 4-H agent, was given a lifetime achievement award, which recognizes a n i n di v i d u a l d e m o n s t ra t i n g exc e p t i o n a l efforts resulting in statewide pesticide education impacts over a minimum of 15 years, according to Tharp. Nominees may carry forward experience within or outside of MSU Extension to qualify, Tharp said. Mills was hired by Walter MSU in 2010. Since then, she has served on the PEP advisory panel, where many of her ideas led to improvements in the educational program, according to her award.

She also developed many diverse presentations now used by other trainers. Mills b e g a n h e r c a re e r w i t h t h e M o n ta n a Department of Agriculture, where she spent 23 years as the agricultural specialist, focusing on pesticide regulation and investigation, as well as education. During her time with the MDA, she instructed regulatory agents from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and tribal and state organizations in proper investigative techniques, sampling protocols and herbicide injury diagnosis and recognition. Walter is an agricultural and 4-H agent with the Musselshell and Golden Valley County Extension. He earned the early career achievement award, which recognizes exceptional efforts and impacts in pesticide education over the first five years with MSU Extension, Tharp said. Walter,

who was hired in late 2015, has developed presentations on tank mixing and formulations, delivered presentations at multiple train the trainer-programs and assisted other trainers in delivering local pesticide programs, according to his award document. “It is somewhat rare for new Extension agents to take on this big of a role,” Tharp said. “Thus, we wanted to acknowledge his hard work.” Walter was previously employed as a crew foreman and education specialist for the Yellowstone Weed District, and spent 10 years working at the Southern Agriculture Research Center in Huntley. For more information on the Pesticide Education Program visit www.pesticides. montana.edu, or contact Tharp at 406-9945067 or ctharp@montana.edu.

California beehive heists lead to felony charges By SCOTT SMITH Associated Press Two California men have been charged with a string of felony counts stemming from a criminal case that created a buzz among beekeepers across the country, authorities said Thursday. The men charged with possessing more than 1,200 stolen beehives could each spend

more than a decade in jail if convicted, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office said. The case stems from a tip in April that led investigators to Pavel Tveretinov, 51, and Vitaliy Yeroshenko, 48, at work among stacks of mismatched beehives on a field outside Fresno. Bees are a key part of the agriculture

Mike Sharp via Wikimedia Commonst Apiary A bee yard with hives in Richland County OH 2006.

industry in California, the nation’s most productive farming state. Beekeepers from around the country truck in their beehives and rent them to farmers to pollinate their flowering crops, such as almonds. Investigators have said the beehives had been stolen during the night over more than two years from orchards in several California counties. The victims were beekeepers as far away as Missouri, Montana and North Dakota. The two Sacramento-area men are charged with nine felony counts of receiving stolen property. While announcing the break in the case in May, Fresno County Sheriff’s investigators said they had netted 2,500 stolen bee-

hives valued at nearly $1 million. Charges filed by prosecutors estimate 1,200 beehives valued at $200,000. Prosecutors based their charges on the reports they received from investigators, said Geri Benavides, a spokeswoman for the office. An attorney representing Yeroshenko could not be reached by The Associated Press for comment. Authorities have issued a warrant seeking his arrest. Defense attorney Andrew Kalnoki dismissed the validity of the case filed against Tveretinov, who was booked into jail with bail set at $267,750. “The charges have no factual or legal basis,” Kalnoki said. “We are going to put forth a very vigorous defense.”

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July 2017

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■ Continued from page 4 p e n i n g a re ve r y l ow. Po l i cy restricts producers from haying until the end of the primary nesting season — July 15 — and it doesn’t matter what the conditions are, Rispens said, because that’s a regulation that’s never been voided. “We won’t let them start until July 16, but by that time the hay will be completely useless, it’ll be brown and no good. So the CRP won’t relieve the hay shortage,” Rispens said. The reason for the restriction is because local conservationists have set primary nesting season — the season in which game birds are likely to have chicks in the nest — to end July 15. So producers are not allowed to hay that until then, to give game birds a chance to rear their young and get them out of the nest, Rispens said. Rispens said hay shortages are expensive problems to have and ranchers have two main avenues of dealing with it. They have to ship the cows to a place that has grass — “and you don’t have to go far west of us to find that” — or they can buy hay and feed the

cattle through the summer. Producers in the area who have any hay from last year probably won’t sell any, Rispens said. “They know how much they need to feed their own cattle, and they might sell if they have some extra,” he said. “But right now there’s not much being offered for sale, there’s not much on the market.” Bill Bradbury, who farms and r a n c h e s i n t h e B e a r Paw Mountains and northwest of Havre near the Canadian border, is one of those producers who has hay, and is someone who will sell it. He said people have already called looking for hay. Bradbury said he produces a lot of hay, which may not be the case for everyone. “We’re probably at a hay surplus. We put up a bunch of hay from last year,” he said. He said he figured it will all be gone by the time “the dust settles.” The recent rain didn’t hurt either, he said. “The rain showed up and it

■ See Hay today Page 6

Havre Daily News/Floyd Brandt Hay bales sit in a field in Hill County. Rain in late June may have helped with hay in some areas, but locally it may be too little too late.

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www.havredailynews.com FARM & RANCH Hay today: Montana Hay Hotline offers listings for hay for sale and pastures to rent

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Havre Daily News/Colin Thompson Clint Bradbury swaths hay June 26 in northern Hill County. Bill Bradbury, who has ranches north of Havre and in the Bear Paw mountains, said his ranch will probably be able to put up enough hay this year to, combined with what he has left from last year, create a surplus. saved our bacon,” he said. Jeff Holsapple is a local hay producer who can attest to the

severe reduction of hay production. Last year, Holsapple said, he cut 44 bails of hay. This year he

cut 16. For six years — from 2002 to 2008 — he was a hay broker. This

year’s drought has caused such a hay shortage, he said, that people he hasn’t heard from since his hay brokering days have begun calling, looking for hay. The hay situation in surrounding counties is different — and yet not so different. Blaine County Farm Service Agency Executive Director Tracy Harshman said things in Blaine County are “similar, very similar” to Hill County. “Dry land hay will be less than normal,” she said. The reason for the shortage is the same as the reason in Hill County — drought. The grass gets a little greener to the west. M o n ta n a S ta t e U n i ve rs i t y Liberty County Extension Office Agent Jesse Fulbright said the hay situation “is not quite as bad as it is east of us.” As for rain, Fulbright said, “we’re hoping for more, but we’re pleased with what we have.” While the situation is better, hay producers in Liberty County are probably not in such an enviable situation as to be able to sell, either.

“I feel they’re in a position to support themselves, but I wouldn’t put them in that surplus category.” A moisture map on the Montana website supports what Rispens, Fulbright and Harshman said. While the best it gets anywhere in the state is near average moisture — concentrated mostly in western parts of the state — Blaine, Chouteau and Hill counties are all classified as slightly dry, while Liberty is in the near average moisture category. Ranchers looking for hay and hay producers who have it for sale can go onto the Montana Hay Hotline, the point of which is to connect producers with surpluses with those looking. The site, http://agr.mt.gov/ Hay-Hotline, also includes listings for available pasures for grazing. Montana Department of A g r i c u l t u re C o m m u n i c a t i o n s Officer Andy Fjeseth dubs the Hay Hotline the “Craigslist for hay.” People have begun visiting it already, he said.

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MSU researcher attunes environmental factors to pea genetics to increase Montana crop yield and performance American Society of Agronomy for the MSU News Service BOZEMAN - Farmers in Montana and other parts of the Northern Great Plains are shifting from cereal-only cropping to a cereal-dry pea cropping system. This transition is not without its share of unknowns, however. Scientists say yield and performance of pea crops depend on both their genetics and the environment. Environmental factors such as temperature and rainfall can vary greatly. Farmers in different parts of the Plains need to know which varieties of pea will do well in the area they are farming.

FARM & RANCH Chengci Chen of Montana State University’s College of Agriculture and the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station is working to generate that information. He has been studying how pea genetics interact with the environment to affect crop yields and pea protein and starch content. “Ultimately, I hope to be able to recommend which pea varieties to cultivate to growers in various environments,” Chen said. To do that, Chen and his colleagues tested how nine different varieties of pea performed when grown in five locations across Montana. These locations were spread across the state and had different soils and climatic conditions. Chen examined yield and protein and starch content of the different pea varieties. “These are characteristics that are important to growers and end users,” he says. Pea varieties that have higher yield can bring more profits to producers. Varieties that have higher protein or starch contents interest different end users. For example, “dry yellow peas are fractionated into protein, starch and fiber. These components are widely used in food ingredients, especially by health-food businesses,” Chen explains. “The market for pea protein is growing rapidly because it is non-dairy and allergen-friendly.”

When the researchers evaluated the nine pea varieties grown in different environments, they found that “pea yield is affected by both genetics and environment, but environment has the larger effect,” Chen said. Pea protein content is largely affected by environment as well. However, one kind of starch – resistant starch – content is mainly controlled by genetics. “Resistant starch is important because it is beneficial to human health,” Chen said. “It’s a type of starch that escapes digestion in the small intestine. Instead, it is fermented by intestinal bacteria in the large intestine into short-chain fatty acids. “These short-chain fatty acids can be absorbed by the colon or used by bacteria as energy, which provides many benefits to the colon and to the body,” Chen said. Also, since resistant starch does not release glucose within the small intestine, it helps balance the body’s blood sugars. That helps everyone, especially individuals with diabetes, Chen added. Growing pea crops benefit the environment as well, Chen said. “Pea is an excellent rotation crop for wheat. It helps control weeds, diseases, and insects. It also fixes nitrogen from the atmosphere.” Pea crops require very little nitrogen fer-

www.havredailynews.com tilizer as a result, which reduces energy cost and greenhouse emissions, he said. Finally, “pea-wheat rotations produce higher yield,” Chen said. “They provide farmers with more net returns than traditional cereal mono-cropping in the Northern Great Plains.” Chen hopes his research will help guide growers on which varieties of peas will grow best in different environments. “Our findings will help farmers identify site-specific varieties of pea or select general varieties for a broader area,” Chen said. “Also, growers will be able to choose pea varieties with a specific trait, such as higher resistant starch content, and grow them for different end users.” Chen continues to work with plant breeders to develop new varieties of pea with higher protein or resistant starch content. He also aims to overcome limiting factors to help peas thrive for optimum yield. Re a d m o re a b o ut C h e n’s wo r k in Agronomy Journal, available online at http:// bit.ly/2su5ZCL. Dried peas are part of a food group known as pulses. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses.

Livestock guardian dogs help protect poultry, herd animals By DEAN FOSDICK Associated Press Livestock guardian dogs — sometimes called LGDs — can be lifesavers, not only for herd animals and poultry but also for farmers and ranchers trying to build a profitable business. Laura Faley owns Hidden Meadow Ranch near Mount Vernon, Washington, about 60 miles north of Seattle. She raises chickens,

turkeys, ducks and sheep with the help of dogs bred specifically to cope with the coyotes, bears, raptors and other predators roaming her property. The guardian dogs also help control other dogs — family pets allowed to run loose through neighborhoods, posing a threat to goats and sheep. Before Faley acquired her guardian dogs, she was losing more than 40 lambs per year

Dean Fosdick via AP Art Hegeman of rural New Market, Va., holds a Great Pyrenees pup July 8, 2008. The pup eventually grew to 120 pounds and was used as a livestock guardian dog to protect ornamental fowl from predators. Livestock guardian dogs can be a rancher's best friend but should not be treated as pets so they can bond with their herds and flocks. to eagles, and large numbers of ducks and chickens to great horned owls. “Now it’s zero,” Faley said. “I’ve had my dogs for five and a half years. In that time, I haven’t lost any livestock.” Dogs have been genetically refined over the years to protect livestock from predators. There are some 20 to 30 breeds of livestock guardian dogs around the world. The breeds display a wide range of temperaments. “Some are better suited as remote pasture guardians where a daily routine is very constant, while some are good in situations where there is a high degree of variety,” the Livestock Guardian Dogs Association says. Just as you wouldn’t try to use an Irish setter to herd sheep or a border collie to hunt birds, only livestock guardian dog breeds are big enough, powerful enough, determined enough and calm enough to be effective at

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Dean Fosdick via AP Nigerian goats stand in a pen March 28, 2013, near Clinton, Wash. Livestock guardian dogs can be lifesavers for profitseeking farmers and ranchers. Livestock guardian dogs have been genetically refined over the years to protect livestock, like these vulnerable Nigerian goats, from predators. There are some 20 to 30 breeds of livestock guardian dogs around the world.

deterring predators, Faley said. The best-known breeds in the United States are great Pyrenees, Anatolian shepherds, Akbash and Maremma sheepdogs. “They are generally aloof toward strangers, and their size alone is rather intimidating,” the Association says. Picks of the litter can be pricy, said Faley, who has two Anatolian shepherds and two Kangals. “I paid $1,200 each for the (two) purebred registered Kangal puppies,” she said.

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