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RIGHT: An outbound grain trailer is loaded with corn Jan. 16 at the Farmers Grain Company of Dorans elevator facility in Dorans. BELOW RIGHT: Longtime staff member Jean Webb works Jan. 16 in her office at the Farmers Grain. Ken Trevarthan/ Staff Photographer
Farmers Grain Company of Dorans still going strong as it nears 108 years DAWN JAMES JG-TC Staff Writer
n 1860, Samuel Doran arrived in an area just north of Mattoon. It was the beginning of grain enterprising in the area that continued to expand and evolve well into the next century and still thrives today. Farmers Grain Company of Dorans has existed as a farmer-owned cooperative since Aug. 23, 1906. With such longevity, General Manager Bob Haugens’ and Office Manager Jean Webb’s proclamation of top-notch customer service with a personal touch must be true. “We are a pretty well-oiled machine,” said Haugens as he gave credit to his team. Other employees include Webb, Tim Pearson, Todd Pearson and Andy Orndoff. “Our biggest goal is to provide the best customer service as possible. We’ve been here 108 years at the end of July. We do a good job, and it shows because we can retain the customers year in and year out,” Haugens said. Customers come in and do business, talk markets and sports. Haugens, who is a Green Bay Packers and University of Wisconsin fan, likes to chide his customers about the Chicago Bears and Fighting Illini football. He said it makes business more fun. Webb reminisced about a recent day when Haugens was off work. She said at the end of the day she had talked with so many customers that she wondered if she had gotten any work done. Haugens was hired as gener-
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al manager in May of 2004. In the first few years of his tenure, he said Webb could look out the window, see the cab of the truck and by its color know what farm it was from and what the operators would want to do with their loads. Today, it’s different, he said, with a wide array of colored semis and many that are white, so it’s more difficult. Webb has been with the business for 31 years. She grew up on a farm near Gays and was always interested in farming. She said it wasn’t a popular thing for a young woman to go into agriculture at the time. She started off at the business as a temp, sitting in for a gal who was undergoing surgery. Eventually the gal and her dad, who managed the business, moved on to another endeavor. Webb stayed. “This is as close to being a farmer as I can get,” she said. “I didn’t marry a farmer so this is as close as I can get.” Throughout the years, she has witnessed a lot of change and has served under four general managers. When she first started, much of the grain was hauled using small trucks and wagons. Today, more than 80 percent is hauled by semis. Shipments have grown from being able to fill up six, nine, 15 and 25 rail cars, she said. “We load hopper and box cars,” she said. Today, she said, with most of the grain hauled by semis, the paperwork is a little more cumbersome. Rail cars can haul 3,600 bushels of corn, whereas trucks haul 900.
In addition, she said, 30 years ago, the industry wasn’t as concerned about what other markets were doing. But today it is absolutely necessary. Haugens includes information in his daily grain bids about what’s going on in other markets like gold and crude oil, she said. “My job is to keep in touch with all the markets and to sell it to the best markets,” said Haugens. “The nice thing is a lot of our customers like us because we are a small coop. I can make a decision in a timely manner. They like the personal touch we offer. We do what’s necessary to make their experience here in the fall as easy as possible.” Webb said the company as a one-site co-op is becoming a rarity. She said other co-ops have several locations. Farmers Grain hauls and ships grain to many destinations. “Most of grain goes for domestic use,” said Haugens. “Grain we load on rail usually heads south to feeder chicken market and high fructose corn syrup. Grain loaded on trucks will go to Decatur, Mars Petcare (which sits just down the road from Farmers Grain) and St. Louis. “Grain going to St. Louis will end up being loaded onto barges that will go to the Gulf for export to overseas markets. “We occasionally will load rail that will be shipped directly to the Gulf for export. In years where the supply of grain is in short supply, 2012, our grain was shipped north over to Iowa and Canada. Just depends on where we can get
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the best price for the grain,” he said. In 2006, as the business was planning its 100th birthday celebration, Webb and Larry Coutant, a board member, dove into 100 years worth of board meeting minutes. Webb said there were only a couple of years that were missing and deciphering handwriting from the early years was difficult. The two compiled a history booklet complete with photos outlining the co-op’s growth throughout the century. She was amazed at how rich in history Farmers Grain was while compiling the information for the booklet. The booklet shares an article published in the Matttoon
Journal Gazette on Aug. 23, 1906, headlined, “NEW GRAIN COMPANY: FARMERS OF DORANS MEET AND PERFECT PERMANENT ORGANIZATION — FARRAR IS PRESIDENT.” The officers of the new company along with Farrar were as follows: Ed Neimeyer, vice president; N.C. Ames, treasurer; Theodore Rathe, secretary; and John Homann, assistant secretary. The article stated the goal was “to bring a greater part of the grain to this point and give all the stockholders the benefit of the prevailing prices.” See GRAIN, 2
INSIDE FARM FOCUS Women in ag . . . . . . . . . 3 Firefighters prep to handle farming accidents . . . . . 4 Clark County conservation family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Crossroads Beekeepers plan Bee School . . . . . . . . . . 7 Power line struggle . . . . 9 Meat goats . . . . . . . . . 11 Effingham conservation family . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Woman trades classroom for the farm . . . . . . . . 16
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LEFT: The Farmers Grain Company of Dorans elevator facility pictured Jan. 16 in Dorans. BELOW LEFT: General manager Bob Haugens weighs an outbound trailer on the scales Jan. 16 at Farmers Grain. Ken Trevarthan/ Staff Photographer
GRAIN From page 1 Other named directors of the new company besides the officers were Chas. Westrup, A.F. Homann, G.H. Bartlett, and H.C. Wilhelm. Webb said at the meeting many of their patrons didn’t realize their ancestors were some of the original stockowners in 1906-07. The long-term employee also discovered that Farmers Grain was devastated by a fire on Nov. 6, 1911. She found an article that stated the building lost about 500 bushels of wheat, 500 bushels of oats and between 300 and 400 bushels of corn in the ear. The loss was
about $20,000, and the manager at the time was M.M. Wright. In the article, Wright announced plans to rebuild. The booklet talks about other setbacks throughout the years, but the company continually made improvements and grew. Haugens said today there are many challenges as well. “Every day you walk in this office, there is a different challenge,” he said. It’s no different than any other industry in that respect: The industry is constantly changing, and he said new markets open up all the time. “No year is the same,” Haugens said. The challenges are trying to keep up with the farmer as
Visiting Farmers Grain has family connection s I continue to grow in this profession, the number of small world stories continues to warm my heart and spirit. Sitting down with Jean Webb and Bob Haugens for this interview, I came across a connection that verifies how they truly know the area farming community. Prior to the interview, my husband, Seth, had reminded me that his great-grandparents, George and Lillie Seaman, had farmed near Mars PetCare (formerly Kal Kan). They had three children: the late Laura Marie, Rayburn and Carmen. When I mentioned my husband’s beloved great-grandparents, the Seamans, to Webb, she said that she remembered them well and said her grandparents Robert and Rachel Angel were very good friends with them. She said she had many fond memories of the Seamans from her childhood as her grandparents and the Seamans took trips together. Also, Webb also recalled George as a customer at Farmers Grain in her early years with the company. Following the interview, I of course, wanted to let my inlaws, Sam and Sharon (Michaels) James know of meeting Webb and the story she shared. Sam and Sharon grew up in Mattoon and graduated in 1962 and 1963, respectively. Sam said his grandad’s (George Seaman) 80-acre farm was the west half of 160
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DAWN JAMES acres his father Harry had homesteaded earlier. It sat south of the (Farmers Grain of Dorans) grain elevator between Dorans and Mattoon. He was a farmer/ carpenter and built the house, which is still there today. The Seamans lived in the house and farmed for more than 60 years. He said Seaman never owned a truck. “We always pulled grain wagons with the tractor to Dorans to sell corn, beans, and wheat. Rode with him many, many trips! Finest memories are of time spent with grandparents, lessons learned, farming, livestock, building, including those trips to the elevator,” Sam said. I was fortunate to meet Lillie Seaman twice. The first time was when we visited her after George had passed away and another time was at our wedding. My husband, who was an EIU student at the time of George’s passing in 1986, stayed with his great-grandmother for about a year after George had passed away. Lillie passed away in 1991. I just wanted to share this “wow” factor experience that again makes my job worth doing. — Dawn James
efficiencies in farming continue to grow. “Jean and I are always trying to stay a step ahead of the farmer as we increase the capacity of a growing facility,” said Haugens. Farmers Grain has a ninemember governing board. The co-op has more than 300 members. Contact Dawn James at djames@jg-tc.com or 217-2386866.
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Family farming tradition extends to women, too DAVE FOPAY JG-TC Staff Writer
CHARLESTON — Judy Biggs’ family has been in farming “as far back as we can go,” she says, and it doesn’t look as if that’s going to change. Her daughter, Julie Tomlinson, also works in the agriculture field, lives on one of the family’s farms and still helps with the farming operations. Biggs said research shows her family has been in farming since her ancestors lived in Germany. “We live it,” she said. “We know all about it.” Biggs is the owner of the Shrader Farms corporation, a 2,000-acre grain and cattle farm in southeastern Coles County, while Tomlinson is in fuel product sales with South Central FS. Biggs became principal owner of the farm operation after her husband, Jim Shrader, died 10 years ago, and she now operates the farm with her son Jeff. “Both sides of our family farmed,” she said. About 10 percent of all farms in Illinois had women as their principal operators, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics from 2007, the most recent year available. In Coles County, about 6 percent were primarily owned by women, according to the USDA. Tomlinson said she wanted to continue working in agriculture after college because of “growing up with the back-
Kevin Kilhoffer/Staff Photographer
Julie Tomlinson, left, and her mother, Judy Biggs, right, pose for a photo southeast of Charleston on Thursday. ground.” She’s been in her current job for five years and before that was in a similar position with Lanman Oil for 11 years. She said it’s not unusual for a woman to balance time working on a farm with another farm-related job. “I have co-workers who do the same thing,” Tomlinson said. Biggs said she knows about 20 other women who own farms in Coles County and her daughter-in-law Jill Shrader is
one of them. She’s originally from St. Louis, where her father managed a dairy farm before the family moved to nearby Highland, Ill. That’s where she met her husband, and they later moved to his home area in Coles County. Both Biggs and Tomlinson said they think there are many opportunities for women who want careers in agriculture. “We need to eat,” Tomlinson said. Biggs noted that farming
also includes marketing, investments and other business facets as well as the actual crop and livestock production. “There are so many aspects to it,” she said. “It’s the No. 1 industry so we’ve got to have everything.” Contact Fopay at dfopay@jgtc.com or 217-238-6858.
Chicken plant closes again after cockroach cleanup LIVINGSTON, Calif. (AP) — A California chicken farm that reopened earlier this month after it was shut because of a cockroach infestation says it’s “voluntarily and temporarily” suspending operations again. Foster Farms said Jan. 12 it was closing the plant in Livingston for several days so it can properly implement new food safety measures. The company said in a statement it is “exercising vigilance” and dedicating additional time to ensure its preventative plan is realized. Work had resumed Jan. 11 after Foster Farms announced it met the demands of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’ by performing a thorough cleanup and treatment of the plant. The company says no chicken product was affected. The plant closed Jan. 8 when inspectors found the cockroaches on five separate
occasions in various parts of the plant over four months. That closure came three months after inspectors threatened a shutdown because of salmonella problems at the Livingston plant and two Foster Farms sites in Fresno. Those facilities stayed open as the company agreed to improve safeguards. It issued no recalls of products and instead advised consumers to handle chicken properly and to cook it thoroughly. The company said in its statement Jan. 12 that maintenance workers will remain on the job during the voluntary closure. Other workers will be called back once full operations resume. The company also said it has temporarily shifted production to its other plants in California’s Central Valley. Foster Farms spokeswoman Karmina Zafiro declined to elaborate on the statement.
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declarations in 11 states LAS VEGAS (AP) — Federal officials have designated portions of 11 drought-ridden western and central states as primary natural disaster areas, highlighting the financial strain the lack of rain is likely to bring to farmers in those regions. The announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Jan. 15 included counties in Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Kansas, Texas, Utah, Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Oklahoma and California. The designation means eligible farmers can qualify for low-interest emergency loans from the department. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said he and President Obama want to ensure that agriculture remains a bright spot in the nation’s economy. “USDA stands with you and your communities when severe weather and natural disasters
threaten to disrupt your livelihood.” he said in statement. Counties adjacent to those affected also are eligible for assistance. While storms have dumped rain and snow in the East, droughts are persisting or intensifying in the West, according to officials connected with the U.S. Drought Monitor, an index on which the USDA’s declarations are based. A ridge of high pressure is to blame for keeping storms off the Pacific coast and guiding them to the East. “What we’re seeing meteorologically is a blocking pattern that is deflecting all the storms,” said Brian Fuchs, a climatologist with the Lincoln, Neb.-based National Drought Mitigation Center. “There really hasn’t been a lot of indication that this pattern is breaking down.” Poor snowpack is threaten-
ing regions dependent on major western rivers, and no amount of wet winter weather in the East can ease the pain, officials said. “Once you cross the Rockies, nothing on the East is going to help you,” Fuchs said. The dry weather could mean an active fire season. Southern California had an early taste of that with a blaze that started Thursday morning in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and forced nearly 2,000 people to evacuate. At least two homes were burned. Three men were arrested on suspicious of recklessly starting a fire. They’re accused of tossing paper into a campfire in the dangerously windy and dry conditions. “We don’t say the drought causes the fires,” Fuchs said. “But when you have fire season and drought, you’ll see more fire.”
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Rural fire personnel armed with specialized training in case of sudden farm incidents DAWN SCHABBING
ing seasons. “Non-farmers should stay a safe distance away from farming operations, including when farm equipment is traveling on the roads. Visibility and hearing may be limited for the operators of large pieces of farm equipment. Non-farmers should not expect that the farmer can see or hear them. Always exercise patience if following a piece of equipment,” he said. Baker said that recent farmrelated accidents Neoga has responded to involved cars striking a farm vehicle or
JG-TC Staff Writer
One advantage to having the service of rural fire departments is that many of the personnel have experience and knowledge about working on farms and also have had special training should a farming accident arise. In three area volunteer fire departments — Neoga, Sigel and Toledo — some firefighters have specialized training dealing with heavy equipment and chemicals, but nevertheless, the personnel still have concerns when farm season is here. The firefighters said that because accidents happen so fast and because the person often is working alone, sometimes getting help to the scene is difficult. Other concerns on the rise are autos versus farm equipment and implements on the road. Neoga Fire Protection District Chief Bill Albin said farmers work around a lot of large, heavy equipment with lots of moving parts. “Getting caught and pulled into a piece of equipment is a major concern. Farmers are also frequently working by themselves, so if they have a problem, they could be trapped for a significant amount of time, before anyone is aware of it,” said Albin. Albin has specialized training dealing with hazardous materials and vehicle and machinery operations, plus grain bin rescue, taught by the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute. “Being familiar with farm equipment helps emergency responders to deal with various ag-related problems. Fortunately, most of the fire departments around here have several members who have agriculture backgrounds and experience,” Albin said. Alan Baker, who is the Neoga Fire Protection District assistant fire chief and ambulance coordinator, has had specialized training in farm safety, farm extrication and rescue, also taught by the IFSI. Periodically, refresher training is offered at Neoga or a nearby location. Baker also grew up on a farm and started farm safety classes at age 13. “Being a farm kid, I know how quickly accidents can happen. Many farm accidents end up being a major accident resulting in long hospitalizations — or even death. With these accidents the people involved may never be able to work on the farm again,” said Baker. He added that farm-related accidents present a completely different set of issues for firefighters, EMTs and rescuers. “We are trained for multiple ag-related items. We are trained for everything from anhydrous leaks, grain entrapment, vehicle accidents, methane gas fires, power take-off, and auger entrapments and tractor
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Bill Harp, second from left, with the Safety and Technical Rescue Association and trainer with the GSI Group, demonstrates the use of cofferdam panels to isolate the victim from the rest of the grain during grain rescue training at the Farmers Grain elevator in Dorans on June 19, 2010.
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This is a view from above of the grain rescue training at the Farmers Grain elevator in Dorans on June 19, 2010. rollovers,” said Baker. When it comes to farming incidents, Troy Althoff, Sigel Fire Department chief, also has specialized training in grain bin rescues and large animal rescue, also by the IFSI. “My No. 1 concern is grain bin incidents. It could be a situation where a person is stuck in the grain, or overcome with the gases from silage. Either of these incidents requires specific training and equipment, which for small fire departments are either too costly, or there simply is not enough manpower available on small departments,” said Althoff. He said another concern during farming season involves the sheer size and weight of farm equipment, which requires heavy extrication equipment, which is also costly to a small department. Althoff said grants have been obtained to help pay for this specialized training in
Settlements hit by boycott campaign NETIV HAGDUD, West Bank (AP) — An international campaign to boycott Israeli settlement products has rapidly turned from a distant nuisance into a harsh economic reality for Israeli farmers in the West Bank’s Jordan Valley. The export-driven income of growers in the valley’s 21 settlements dropped by more than 14 percent, or $29 million, last year, largely because Western European supermarket chains, particularly those in Britain and Scandinavia, are increasingly shunning the area’s peppers, dates, grapes and fresh herbs, settlers say. “The damage is enormous,” said David Elhayani, head of the Jordan Valley Regional Council, which represents about
implement. “We are averaging about 1-2 (farm incident) calls per year, not including the field, tractor or truck fires. This is an increase, as we would have about one call every other year, in the past.” Althoff said, “If there is a problem on a farm, or any other incident, the fire department is there to help. We spend hours of our time training for whatever comes our way.”
7,000 settlers. “In effect, today, we are almost not selling to the (Western) European market anymore.” Israel has played down the impact of the campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions launched by Palestinian activists in 2005 to pressure Israel to withdraw from occupied lands. “By and large, it’s unpleasant background noise,” said Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor. However, the lament of the Jordan Valley farmers comes against the backdrop of a growing debate in Israel about the aftermath of a possible failure of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s latest mediating mission.
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Sigel. Albin said neighboring fire departments often help each other out with skills and equipment in a time of need. “When dealing with farm equipment, the machinery is much larger and heavier. The emergency responders are not as familiar with farm equipment as we are with cars or pickup trucks. We would be more likely to use different
equipment such as air lifting bags to raise the heavier equipment. On farm incidents we are more likely to call in outside resources with heavy equipment to help us try to remedy the situation,” said Albin. But farming incidents don’t just happen on the farm. And according to Albin, it isn’t just farmers who need to be careful during the busy farm-
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Crop management conferences coming up From The University of Illinois Extension
URBANA — The 10th Annual Illinois Crop Management Conference is scheduled to continue Jan. 29-30; Feb. 5-16; and Feb. 12-13 at various locations. Each conference is a twoday, in-depth program providing university research-based information on current crop production issues. “The conference is geared toward farmers, certified crop advisors, and other agriculture professionals and will address many hot topics in agriculture,” said U of I Extension educator Angie Peltier. Presenters will include faculty from the University of Illinois Extension and the departments of Crop Sciences, Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, and Agricultural Economics in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Presentations will focus on the most current crop, pest, nutrient, and soil and water management research and recommendations. Each two-day conference will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shown is information from the following upcoming conferences:
Jan. 29-30, Springfield Jan. 29 8 a.m. — registration 9 a.m. — Achieving High Corn Yields in a Low Commodity Price World 10 a.m. — Managing Drift of Plant Growth Regulator Herbicides 11 a.m. — Applied Research: Planning and Using Data from On-farm Trials Noon — lunch 1 p.m. — Western Corn Rootworm Resistance to Bt. 2 p.m. — Understanding the Risk Factors Affecting Farm Financial Strength 3 p.m. — Extreme Weather Events: Climate Change or Normal Variability 4 p.m. — wrap-up and adjourn Jan. 30 7:30 a.m. — registration 8 a.m. — Farmer Response to Risks Associated with
Wis. farms see nearrecord profit in ’13
Excess Precipitation 9 a.m. — Effects of Cover Crops and No-Till and Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration, Storage, Retention and Loss 10 a.m. — Wheat Disease Identification and Management 11 a.m. — Diseases Outstanding in Your Field? Corn and Soybean Findings 2013 Noon — lunch 1 p.m. — Perspectives on Pigweeds: ID and Morphology of Amaranthus Species 2 p.m. — Advances Soil and Water Management: Part II 3 p.m. — Site Specific Nitrogen Management 4 p.m. — wrap-up and adjourn Register online at http://extension.illinois.edu/go /icmcspringfield. This conference is being held at the Northfield Inn, Suites and Conference Center in Springfield. For hotel information, call toll free at 866-577-7900.
Feb. 5-6, Champaign Feb. 5 8 a.m. — registration 9 a.m. — Achieving High Corn Yields in a Low Commodity Price World 10 a.m. — Managing Drift of Plant Growth Regulator Herbicides 11 a.m. — Applied Research: Planning & Using Data from On-Farm Trials Noon — lunch 1 p.m. — Western Corn Rootworm Resistance to Bt. 2 p.m. — Understanding the Risk Factors Affecting Farm Financial Strength 3 p.m. — Extreme Weather Events: Climate Change or Normal Variability 4 p.m. — wrap-up and adjourn Feb. 6 7:30 a.m. — registration 8 a.m. — Farmer Response to Risks Associated with Excess Precipitation 9 a.m. — Effects of Cover Crops and No-Till on Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration, Storage, Retention and Loss 10 a.m. — Wheat Disease Identification and Management 11 a.m. — Diseases Out Standing in Your Field? Corn
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and Soybean Findings 2013 Noon — lunch 1 p.m. — Perspectives on Pigweeds: ID & Morphology of Amaranthus Species 2 p.m. — Advanced Soil and Water Management: Part II 3 p.m. — Site Specific Nitrogen Management 4 p.m. — wrap-up and adjourn Registration is available at http://extension.illinois.edu/go /icmcchampaign. The event will be held at the I Hotel and Conference Center at 1900 S. First Street, in Champaign. To contact the hotel, call 217-8195000.
Feb. 12-13, Malta Feb. 12 8 a.m. — registration 9 a.m. — Wheat Disease Identification and Management 10 a.m. — Managing Drift of Plant Growth Regulator Herbicides 11 a.m. — Diseases Out Standing in Your Field? Corn and Soybean Findings 2013 Noon — lunch 1 p.m. — Western Corn Rootworm Resistance to Bt. 2 p.m. — Understanding the Risk Factors Affecting Farm Financial Strength 3 p.m. — Extreme Weather Events: Climate Change or Normal Variability? 4 p.m. — wrap-up and adjourn Feb. 13 7:30 a.m. — registration
8 a.m. — Achieving High Corn Yields in a Low Commodity Price World 9 a.m. — Effects of Cover Crops and No-Till on Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration, Storage, Retention and Loss 10 a.m. — The Effect of 80 Years of Genetic Advancement and Breeding on Soybean Agronomic Production Practices 11 a.m. — Applied Research: Planning and Using Data from On-Farm Trials Noon — lunch 1 p.m. — Perspectives on Pigweeds: ID & Morphology of Amaranthus Species 2 p.m. — Advanced Soil and Water Management: Part II 3 p.m. — Site Specific Nitrogen Management 4 p.m. — wrap-up and adjourn Register online at the following website: http://extension.illinois.edu/go/icmcmalta. This conference will be held at the Kishwaukee College Conference Center located at 21193 Malta Road, Malta. Registration is required and includes lunch on both days. Advanced registration is $130; registration at the door is $150 (checks only). Certified crop advisors can earn up to 13 hours of continuing education units. Members of the public that need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program should contact Angie Peltier at 309-7345161.
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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin farmers earned about $3.75 billion in profit last year, coming close to the record $3.8 billion earned in 2011. That’s according to a report released Wednesday by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Farm profit in 2013 was $550 million more than in 2012. UW-Madison agricultural economist Ed Jesse says a healthy dairy industry helped generate much of the profit. Wisconsin dairy farmers had a record $5.6 billion in milk sales, which reflects both high milk prices and increased production. The report published by UWMadison’s Renk Agribusiness Institute also says several years of good profits have put Wisconsin farmers in a strong financial position. On Dec. 31, 2012, the value of farm assets had increased by 8 percent from a year earlier, while debt increased by the same amount.
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Murphy family honored for conservation efforts ROB STROUD
runoff of this soil. Murphy said he wants to continue to improve the condition of the farmland so his family can continue their agricultural heritage. His mother, Jean, still lives on the farm. Murphy’s wife, Sally, is a bookkeeper for the farm and a partner in the seed business. His sister, Mariann Schaefer, is a bookkeeper and drives a tractor on a seasonal basis. His son Clint Murphy is getting involved in management of the farm, and his grandsons Derrek and Sheldon work on the farm. In addition, his daughter-inlaw Amy Murphy presents the “Farming 101” session to Clark County fifth-grade students during the annual Ag/Conservation Day that the conservation district, University of Illinois Extension and Clark County Farm Bureau hold on the family’s farm.
JG-TC Staff Writer
MARSHALL — Tom Murphy grew up watching his father and grandfather take steps to control the flow of storm water and conserve the soil on their farm in northern Clark County. “Being a good steward is my heritage. I was raised up in a farm family,” Murphy said. The Clark County Soil and Water Conservation District recently named Murphy Family Farms as the recipient of the annual Conservation Farm Family Award for their continual use of conservation practices over the years. District conservationist Jim Nestleroad said the Murphy family has utilized the expertise of the district and the Natural Resources Conservation Service Office to implement both state and federal programs with the installation of mechanical erosion control practices. Nestleroad said the family has also enrolled a good portion of their marginal and erodible land in the Conservation Reserve Program to control erosion and improve water quality on their farmland, which is located in Dol-
Submitted photos
“Students are presented information on various topics relating to agriculture and conservation. With this event taking place on the Murphy farm, students are provided with a hands-on learning experience,” Nestleroad said, noting that the family has been involved with the Ag/Conservation Day for the past 20 years. Murphy said he has enjoyed seeing the children visit the farm over the years. Murphy said he hopes these children have learned lessons about being responsible in regard to farm safety and conserving the natural resources around them. “It has always been my goal to be a good steward of not only our soil, but our community,” Murphy said. Contact Stroud at rstroud@jgtc.com or 217-238-6861.
Tom Murphy is the third generation of his family to own land and farm in Dolson and Marshall townships in Clark County. Murphy is pictured with his father, George, riding in a combine in fall 2006. His father died that winter.
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son and Marshall townships. “The Murphy family is very progressive with their farming operation and hold a high standard for conservation,”
To submit a letter to the JG-TC, please include your name and address and send it to Editor, JG-TC, 700 Broadway Ave. E., Suite 9A, Mattoon, IL 61938. Or send by email to editorial@jg-tc.com. Letters should be limited to less than 400 words. All letters must be signed. Letters should also include the writer’s home address and telephone number, which will NOT be published. Letters are restricted to one per person in any three-week period.
Nestleroad said. As an example of these conservation practices, Murphy said his family has installed a new subsurface drainage sys-
tem in recent years on their farmland. He said this system helps keep surface soil from being saturated by storm water, thereby preventing the
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Tom Murphy is pictured in 2009 with his grandsons Sheldon, left, and Derrek, right, who are interested in becoming farmers.
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Fewer winter wheat acres planted WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The first acreage estimate of the growing season shows U.S. farmers planted fewer acres of winter wheat for harvest this year, according to a report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service released Jan. 10. The agency reported that the 41.9 million planted acres are down 2 percent overall from last year. Seeding began in August for the 2014 winter wheat crop, which is harvested in late spring and early summer across the nation. But plantings of hard red winter wheat, the type prima-
rily used to make bread, were estimated to be up 2 percent at 30.1 million acres. Significantly more hard red wheat acres were seeded in Colorado, Montana and North Dakota, the agency reported. Those helped offset large acreage decreases in Kansas, Oklahoma and South Dakota. Utah had a record low acreage, while North Dakota seeded a record high number of wheat acres. “Planting conditions probably played into that,” said Justin Gilpin, executive director for the industry group Kansas Wheat. “But it also
will be interesting because of the cold streak we had to see how some of that increased acreage out north will come through, whether it will be impacted by those cold temperatures or not.” Also probably driving the increased plantings of hard red winter wheat is the fact that during the fall it had been trading at equal the value of spring wheat. Typically spring wheat, which is higher in protein and has stronger gluton content favored for multi-grain artisan breads, fetches higher prices than hard red winter wheat, Gilpin said.
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Crossroads Beekeepers plans 2014 Bee School ROB STROUD JG-TC Staff Writer
STEWARDSON — Beginning beekeepers and others interested in this craft are invited to attend the Crossroads Beekeepers’ third annual Bee School on Feb. 1. The Bee School will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a catered meal at noon, at the Stewardson Community Building. Five workshop topics will be covered, focusing on beginning beekeepers. These classes are “Understanding the Honey Bee,” “Hive Components and Equipment,” Getting and Feeding Your First Bees, “Your First Year of Beekeeping,” and “Troubleshooting Your Bees.” Larry Quicksall, founder and president of Crossroads, said the number of beekeepers has been increasing nationwide in recent years due to growing interest in locally raised food and growing recognition of the key role
that honey bees play in pollinating many types of produce.
“The bees are amazing little creatures,” Quicksall said.
Wal-Mart joins initiative on farmworker pay in Florida NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — WalMart Stores Inc. on Jan. 16 joined an initiative that will require its Florida tomato suppliers to increase farmworker pay and protect workers from forced labor and sexual assault, among other things. The nation’s largest retailer became the most influential corporation to join the initiative promoted by a coalition of farmworker activists based in southwest Florida. Farmworkers with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers said they welcomed Wal-Mart to its Fair Food Program since no other company has the market strength and consumer reach it has when it comes to selling produce. “Through this collaboration, not only will thousands of hard-working farmworkers see concrete improvements to their lives, but millions of consumers will learn about the Fair Food Program and of a better way to buy fruits and vegetables grown and harvested here in the U.S,” said Cruz Salacio, a spokesman for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. The Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer’s participation in the Fair Food Program is the most visible catch for the coalition, whose activists have been asking corporate grocery chains and restaurants to put pressure on growers to improve farmworker conditions for the past decade. Participants now include McDonalds, Burger King, Subway, Chipotle, Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe’s and Yum Brands — the com-
pany whose restaurant chains include Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut. “The companywide commitment from Wal-Mart on social issues is the reason why we are doing this, and we are committed to the Fair Food Program,” said Tom Leech, a Wal-Mart senior vice president. He attended the ceremony on a farm near Naples, Fla. where the announcement was made. Florida tomato suppliers in the Fair Food Program pass on to their buyers a pennyper-pound of tomatoes pay increase for farmworkers. They also must have zero tolerance for forced labor and sexual assault and put in place a mechanism for resolving labor disputes between growers and farmworkers. The program also requires growers to allow farmworkers to form health and safety committees on each farm. Growers in compliance earn a “Participating Grower” designation, and if they lose the designation through violations, they won’t be able to sell their tomatoes to the participating buyers, such as Wal-Mart, according to the coalition. “This signifies a tremendous change,” Lucas Benitez, a coalition leader, said of WalMart’s participation. Farmworkers with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers said the majority of WalMart’s Florida tomato suppliers already participate in the Fair Food Program. But they said they expect the retailer expands the Fair Food Pro-
gram to other crops in its produce supply chain and to tomatoes grown outside of Florida. Wal-Mart’s sizable influence with suppliers — what some dub “the Wal-Mart” effect — could make that happen, as well as help make the standards pushed for by the coalition industry standards, said Michael Hicks, an economics professor at Ball State University whose research has focused on Wal-Mart. “When a buyer out of Bentonville says, ‘This is what I want out of tomatoes,’ that influences all of the tomato market,” Hicks said. “It may not change everything, but it will influence anybody who wants to sell tomatoes through Wal-Mart.” The coalition began fighting to increase the wages of tomato pickers back in the 1990s, attempting strikes with little success early on. Then the group turned to the major food chains that bought the tomatoes, leading to a nationwide boycott of Taco Bell that culminated in a 2005 agreement with the fast-food chain. More deals with tomato buyers soon followed, but each time the growers balked. The growers threatened to fine any members who worked with the coalition and instead created their own safety and worker protection plan. Finally, in 2010, the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange agreed to boost wages and working conditions for farmworkers with measures outlined in the Fair Food Program.
For example, he said bees can use dance-like movement to convey information with incredible accuracy to their fellow hive members about the location of and distance to food sources. Quicksall, of Effingham, said he installed his first hive in 2010 and formed Crossroads later that year as a local mentoring group for beginning beekeepers. He said membership has since climbed to more than 50, including beekeepers, beefriendly gardeners, and those who want to learn more about bees. Crossroads meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Monday of the month at the University of Illinois Extension Center in Effingham; provides speakers for schools and 4-H groups; and offer other educational programs, including the Bee School. This year’s school also will offer demonstrations of light-
ing a smoker, extracting honey, building and using a swarm catcher, and a live observation hive. In addition, two vendors will be present so participants can purchase supplies to help start or expand their beekeeping this spring. Entry is $30 and includes the meal, handouts, and the book, “First Lessons in Beekeeping.” Family discounts are available. The registration deadline is Friday, Jan. 24. Walk-in participants are permitted as space allows, but they will not receive materials or lunch. The flyer and registration form can be downloaded at www.quicksall.net/2014beesch ool.pdf. More information is available by contacting Larry Quicksall at 217-347-5937 or LarryQuicksall@yahoo.com. Quicksall said he now has
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JG-TC | www.jg-tc.com
Small acreage the focus of Saturday seminars From the University of Illinois Extension
For anyone wanting to put a few extra acres to work to bring in additional income or to develop a hobby, a “Putting Small Acreage to Work” workshop will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Arthur Community Building, 120 E. Progress St. Educational sessions begin at 9 a.m., and lunch is planned at noon. The University of Illinois Extension is sponsoring the workshop to help people who have a few acres learn ways that they can put them to work.
‘Putting Small Acreage to Work’ agenda ■ 8:30– 9 a.m., registration ■ 9–9:45 a.m., Value Added Row Crop Production — Wyatt
Muse, Clarkson Grain Raising specialty, identity preserved crops can be a way to add value to row crop farming enterprises. Discussion topics include on-farm infrastructure needs and considerations when choosing varieties. ■ 9:45–10:15 a.m., Maintaining a Healthy Pasture — Dennis Bowman, U of I Extension For those dreaming of lush green paddocks with perfect white fences but who may wake up to muddy lots and weedy pastures, this session is an opportunity to find out steps you can take to improve your chances reaching your goal of better pastures. ■ 10:15–10:30 a.m., break ■ 10:30–11:15 a.m., Soils 101: Where It All Begins — Doug Gucker, U of I Extension
Soil is the base from which all food is produced. It is also the most important asset to a farmer. Gucker will discuss the importance of knowing the soil for successful fruit and vegetable growing. ■ 11:15 a.m.–noon, Getting the Most from your Woodland — Dave Shiley, U of I Extension This presentation will help those who have woodlands to start thinking about its potential uses. Alternative timber and non-timber crops will be discussed as entrepreneurial opportunities. ■ Noon–12:30 p.m., lunch ■ 12:30 p.m.–1:15 p.m., Beekeeping: Getting Started — Opportunities for Small Farms — Maggie Wachter Wachter is a master bee-
keeper who manages bee hives on five farms from Champaign to Chicago. She sells honey at the Bloomington Farmers Market and teaches classes on beekeeping at Parkland College and elsewhere. Learn about how to get started in beekeeping and what to expect when turning beekeeping into a business. ■ 1:15–2 p.m., Alternative Energy for Small Acreages — Jay Solomon, University of Illinois Extension Creative uses of renewable energy sources will be explored in this presentation. Facility heating systems, watering/irrigation systems, aeration/ventilation systems, and lighting will be among the areas covered. Cost: $30 per person or $40
per couple, $10 for students which includes lunch. Pre-registration is required by Jan. 24. Register online at http://web.extension.illinois.ed u/ccdms. Registration is also available at the Moultrie-Douglas Extension office at 122 S.
Walnut in Arthur. For more information, contact Dave Shiley, University of Illinois Extension, at 217-5433755, dshiley@illinois.edu ; or Steve Ayers, University of Illinois Extension at 217-333-7672, sayers@illinois.edu.
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Listeria cantaloupe farmers seek probation DENVER (AP) — Two Colorado cantaloupe farmers who pleaded guilty to charges related to a deadly listeria outbreak in 2011 are asking a federal judge for probation, saying jail time for them is excessive because justice has been served with the federal government’s imposition of new food guidelines. Attorney William Marler, who represents 24 people who died from the outbreak, said Jan. 16 he believes probation is adequate. He said farmers, retailers and the federal government learned valuable lessons and there are now new regulations in place that will reduce the likelihood of a repeat tragedy. Attorneys for Eric and Ryan Jensen, the two brothers who owned and operated Jensen Farms in Holly, Colo., said in federal court filings on Jan. 14 that jail time would be excessive. The 2011 listeria outbreak traced to tainted fruit from the Jensens’ farm caused 33 deaths and sent scores of people to hospitals. Officials have said people in 28 states ate the contaminated fruit and 147 were hospitalized. Prosecutors are expected to make their recommendations before a sentencing hearing on Jan. 28. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said the rare move to charge the Jensens was intended to send a message to food producers in the wake of the deadliest case of foodborne illness in the nation in a quarter century. The Jensens pleaded guilty last year to misdemeanor counts of introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce, which carry penalties of up to six years in prison and $1.5 million in fines. “This case has already prompted a new awareness of food safety law and the strict liability imposed on producers and food processors. Any desired respect for the law has been accomplished,” attorneys for the Jensens argued in their federal court filings. “There are many voices in the national dialogue which question the reasonableness of a law which would punish well-meaning small farmers for an event which was truly an accident. Many of those voices see this incident, if handled punitively, as a harbinger of the end of small American family farmers. This irretrievable piece of Americana has already been damaged; it need not be destroyed,” their attorneys told the court. The Jensens said probation would allow them to try to raise more money for restitution. Attorneys say the two men have already filed bankruptcy that provided nearly $4 million to victims and their families. Marler and other attorneys are suing retailers and auditors involved in the case after a bankruptcy judge estimated damages at $50 mil-
Say it in a Letter to the Editor To submit a letter to the JG-TC, please include your name and address and send it to Editor, JGTC, 700 Broadway Ave. E., Suite 9A, Mattoon, IL 61938. Or send by email to editorial@jg-tc.com. Letters should be limited to less than 400 words. All letters must be signed. Letters should also include the writer’s home address and telephone number, which will NOT be published. Letters are restricted to one per person in any three-week period.
lion. Federal investigators said the melons likely were contaminated in the farm’s packing house because of dirty water on the floor and old, hard-to-clean equipment. The Jensens said they were given a clean bill of health before
the outbreak by their independent auditors. The two men apologized to their victims. A statement from the Jensens’ attorneys after the guilty pleas said the brothers were shocked and saddened by the deaths, but the guilty pleas do not imply
any intentional wrongdoing or knowledge that the cantaloupes were contaminated. The phone number for the Jensens has been disconnected, and the wife of a man who died from eating the tainted cantaloupe did not return a call seeking comment.
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www.jg-tc.com | JG-TC
Tug of war continues over power line route ROB STROUD
mission needs to acquire any right of way via eminent domain, the company will have to first seek approval from the Illinois Commerce Commission. Morris said the nearly 400line transmission line will be constructed in segments and is scheduled to be fully in service by the end of 2019. “A transmission line is something that is not a short-term project. It will be serving the area for decades to come,” Morris said of downstate Illi-
JG-TC Staff Writer
CHARLESTON — Landowners in Moultrie, Douglas and Coles counties are awaiting the Illinois Commerce Commission’s final decision, due by March 1, on a newly issued judicial recommendation for the local route of the Illinois Rivers transmission line. Following a rehearing process for certain proposed segments of this transmission line, Administrative Law Judges John Albers and Stephen Yoder recently issued a proposed order that includes their recommendations for a route from substations in Mt. Zion to Kansas for Ameren Transmission Co. of Illinois’ new line. The judges also recommended granting the company’s request to expand the Kansas substation. This proposed route enters Moultrie County northwest of Bethany and then takes a southeast path as it stays north of Bethany, Sullivan and Allenville. The route then goes east across northern Coles County, running south of Humboldt. Finally, the route travels southeast in eastern Coles County north of Ashmore on its way to the Kansas substation. One of the landowners along this proposed route is Brad Morgan, whose family has a grain farm north of Charleston near Rardin. He said this route passes through more than a mile of his family’s sesquicentennial farm. Morgan said his house is in or right next to this route, and homes of five of his family members are nearby. Morgan said he is concerned that this proposed route for the transmission line would decrease the value of his family’s farmland and their homes, adding that he fears that his home may need to be demolished. He worries that the placement of utility poles would damage his field tile system, interfere with GPS signals, and block the aerial spraying of pesticide and fungicide. “It is something that makes me sick to think about,” Morgan said. “It is just going to be a nuisance forever.” In August, the Illinois Commerce Commission gave its approval for Ameren Transmission to build the majority of the nearly 400-mile-long Illinois Rivers transmission line from the Mississippi River near Quincy to the Indiana border near Terre Haute, Ind. The subsequent rehearing process on segments of the transmission line that still need final approval grew to
Kevin Kilhoffer/Staff Photographer
Brad Morgan poses for a photo at his family farm near Rardin on Jan. 15. include rehearing requests from a Piatt, Douglas and Moultrie (PDM) counties coalition of property owners, Channon Family Trust (CFT) and the Moultrie County Landowners Association, among others. In their recommended, the two judges favored the PDM/CFT route from Mt. Zion to Kansas. “It is clearly the least-cost option which has been presented to the commission, it presents no difficulties in construction or maintenance, and affects fewer property owners than the other options presented. It also appears to better utilize existing corridors such as roads, section lines, and property lines,” the judges wrote. The judges also wrote, “Regardless of which route is approved...the evidence does not appear to reflect that any residences will need to be removed.” Beth Bosch, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Commerce Commission, noted that parties to the rehearing process can still file briefs on exceptions to the proposed order until Jan. 29. She said the order will be forwarded to the commission, which will have until March 1 to make any revisions to the order and then make a final decision on the route. “The issue of the full route is not resolved yet,” Bosch said. “From our standpoint, we are waiting to see what the final route will look like based on rehearing.” Leigh Morris, a spokesman for Ameren Transmission, said the commission has already
determined that the Illinois Rivers line is a necessary transmission infrastructure project and will now make a decision that finalizes the route. “We are reviewing the proposed order now. Whatever the commission winds up giving approval for, that is what we are going to build,” Morris said, adding that he has been pleased to see local landowners and public officials play an active role in the rehearing process. Dale Crawford, chairman of the executive committee for the Moultrie County Landowners Association, said the rehearing process for the segment from Mt. Zion to Kansas has been a “tug of war” between landowners trying to minimize the impact of the Illinois Rivers project on homes and agricultural land, including Amish farms, in their respective counties. Crawford said the Moultrie County Landowners Association formed in fall 2012 as a way to organize local home and farm owners in response to the proposed transmission line. Their organizational efforts have included hiring an attorney to represent them in the rehearing process. “It is kind of a convoluted and complicated process,” Crawford said. “I am sure people from all sides are ready to get this thing over with. It has drug on for a long time. We are ready to be done with it.” In Coles County, Morgan said he encourages his fellow landowners to keep track of the Illinois Rivers project on
the Illinois Commerce Commission website at www.icc.illinois.gov, under case number 12-0598, and make public comments on the page for this case. The map of the proposed route also can be found at that Web address. “Many landowners don’t even realize there is still a possibility of this coming through here,” Morgan said. Morris said Ameren Transmission does not start seeking easements for a new transmission line in areas that are still subject to rehearing, but it does start this real estate process where it has final approval from the Illinois Commerce Commission. He said the company has begun seeking easements in Clark and Edgar counties. Under such easements, Morris said, the landowners will retain ownership and use of their property. Bosch said if Ameren Trans-
MATTOON — Jim Bell says he was an early advocate of using farming methods that help conserve the soil on which his livelihood relies. The practices obviously help prevent soil erosion and that also means better crop yields, Bell said. That’s why he’s been building terraces, waterways and filter strips on his land for almost 25 years. “I always hated seeing washes in fields so I started doing something about it,” Bell said. “Every time that dirt’s running out it’s taking
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Bell is Coles conservation farmer of the yearfor ’14 all the things we’re spending money on.” Bell’s efforts led him to be recognized as the 2013 Conservation Farmer of the Year by the Coles County Soil and Water Conservation District. He received the award for his longtime use of conservation practices and “always looking for new ways to stop soil erosion,” as well as his service to the district, according to the SWCD. Bell farms about 2,000 acres west of Mattoon. He was raised on a farm, also near Mattoon, and has been at his current farmstead since 1973,
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Lake Land College alumna named best livestock lawyer
Submitted photo
Lake Land College alumna Cari Rincker, a Shelbyville native, has been named the ‘Best Livestock Lawyer’ for the third year in a row in the Best of Barns Competition.
BELL From page 9 His conservation practices include more than 20 field terraces he’s built on his own land plus about 10-15 on rented acres he operates. Those techniques go along with his no-till planting of soybeans and minimum-till corn planting. Bell was also on the SWCD board from 1986-2012 and said the board’s work during his tenure included a Lake Mat-
NEW YORK CITY (JG-TC) — Lake Land College alumna Cari Rincker of New York City has been named the “Best Livestock Lawyer” for the third year in a row in the Best of Barns Competition. As a native of Shelbyville, her website, rinckerlaw.com, describes that her start in agriculture came from the family farm she grew up on and her involvement in 4-H and FFA in her hometown. She was raised on a seedstock Simmental cattle operation in Shelbyville, where she spent significant time working on her family’s farm. In her blog published Nov. 16, 2009, she wrote that her father, Curt Rincker, the agriculture division chairman at Lake Land College, “greatly impacted the agriculture industry and my life. “I would come home from kindergarten and lead a heifer on a halter tied up to a
tree in our front yard or sit alongside my father on the tractor ... as I got older, I began understanding more about what my father did,” she blogged. In her youth, she showed cattle through 4-H and FFA at both the local and national levels and was involved with the American Junior Simmental Association. In her early college days, Rincker attended Lake Land College in Mattoon, where she earned her associate’s degree in agriculture science and had a successful career on its livestock judging team, including being selected as first place in Oral Reasons at the National Western Livestock Show and first place overall at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Most recently, the Best of the Barns is a nationwide awards program held annually to recognize leading businesses and individuals in the
toon watershed project that helped provide funding for conservation projects to help protect the water supply. His son Wyatt is now a partner in the farm operation and Bell said he’s tried to instill in him the benefits of conservation. Wyatt Bell said he plans to continue the practices based on his dad’s example. “He’s gone out of his way to make most of the land we farm within compliance,” he said. Bell said he thinks most
farmers are doing well with conservation practices. It’s easy to see the benefits, including better drainage, improved water quality and more conditions that allow early field work, resulting in better yields. “I think we’ve got better soil health,” he said. “A person should always leave a farm a little better at the end of a season.”
The planned overhaul was lauded by several animal rights groups, some who had campaigned against gestation crates, which they deemed institutionalized animal abuse and considered it an outdated and unnecessary practice. “Gestation crates” are cramped, often-foul stalls that barely allow a sow to take a step forward or backward and have been used for decades. Tyson said it is urging pork producers to improve housing conditions for gestating sows enough to allow sows of all sizes to stand, turn around, lie down and stretch their legs. Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson said the Arkansasbased company hasn’t taken a position against any particular type of housing, but wants producers to “improve housing systems for pregnant sows by focusing on both the quality and quantity of space provided, whether it involves gestation stalls, pens or some other type of housing.” “We’re encouraging farmers to consider making these space improvements when they or the piglet suppliers redesign or build new gestation barns,” Mickelson told The Associated Press in an
culture, environmental and natural resource issues to federal lands, wind energy development, crop insurance, property law, commercial law, and probate with clients located all over the West. Following graduation from Lake Land, Rincker transferred to Texas A & M University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in animal science and was a member of both the Livestock and Meat Animal Evaluation Judging Teams. After Texas A & M, Rincker returned to Illinois to complete a master’s degree in Ruminant Nutrition at the University of Illinois, where her concentration was in beef feedlot nutrition. Rincker moved on to complete her Juris Doctor from Pace University, School of Law, in White Plains, N.Y., according to her website. Her hobbies and interests include: international travel,
distance running, playing volleyball, watching both Illini basketball and Aggie football, and sitting in the “cheapseats” for baseball games. Community service remains a high priority for Rincker as she serves the New York metropolitan area through her church and nonprofit organizations. “The older I get, the more I respect my parents and what they have accomplished. It is challenging to juggle a family, a successful career and a growing cattle operation,” she blogged in “Thank a Farmer Week: I Am Thankful for My Father.” (Nov. 16, 2009) To learn more about Rincker, visit: rinckerlaw.com/aboutcari.ht ml. To learn more locally about the Agriculture Division at Lake Land College, visit: www.lakeland.cc.il.us/as/ag/i ndex.cfm.
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Pork producers call for more humane treatment of animals TULSA, Okla. (AP) — The yearslong call by animal rights groups to improve conditions on American hog farms advanced considerably this month when two of the country’s biggest meat companies urged producers to change how pregnant sows are housed, and one announced it wanted to stop the practice of killing sick or injured animals by “manual blunt force.” Tyson Foods sent new animal welfare guidelines to its 3,000 independent hog suppliers on Jan. 8 — roughly six weeks after gruesome video from an Oklahoma farm showed some animals being struck with bowling balls and others being slammed onto a concrete floor. And Smithfield Foods announced Tuesday it would ask growers to move pregnant sows from gestation crates to group housing by 2022. The change in corporate policy comes after decades of lobbying and protests from animal rights groups and a trend that saw more food retailers and restaurant chains moving away from suppliers who implemented the controversial hog-raising practices on farms.
livestock and agriculture industry. The winners of the 2013 Best of the Barns Awards will be announced at the Ranch House Designs booth at the National Western Stock Show in Denver and recognized in the January issue of The Showtimes magazine, according to a press release from Lake Land College. According to her website, Cari Rincker Law, she is licensed to practice in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Washington, D.C. She is a general practitioner in New York City with concentrations in food, agriculture law and family law. She is also mediator, prolific writer, and articulate speaker, the website stated. Before starting Rincker Law, PLLC, she was an associate at Budd-Falen Law Offices, LLC in Cheyenne, Wyo., where her broad practice areas ranged from agri-
email. Smithfield, the world’s largest pork producer, had previously said it was phasing out gestation crates at its U.S. facilities by 2017. The Virginiabased company has transitioned 54 percent of its pregnant sows to group housing so far and said in a statement this week that “animal care is one of our core sustainability commitments, and we are proud of our employee and company efforts to meet this goal.” Tyson also said it would require by the end of the year farmers who manage company-owned sows to end the longstanding industry practice of blunt-force euthanasia in favor of alternative methods in line with American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines. The Henryetta, Okla., operation in the video, West Coast Farms, had raised hogs for Tyson until the company’s contract was dropped by the meat producer after the footage surfaced. A number listed for the local farm has since been disconnected. The animal rights group Mercy For Animals released the video in November.
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Section of Mich. county now free of bovine TB SAGINAW, Mich. (AP) — State officials say a section of Saginaw County where a cow tested positive for bovine tuberculosis last year is now considered free of the disease. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development says the infected cow was discovered in March 2013 as it went to slaughter. The dairy farm was quarantined, and officials began tracking down where all its cattle had come from or gone to over the past five
years. Nearly 26,000 animals on 373 farms were tested during the investigation. Cattle on three other farms were ordered killed after some tested positive for bovine TB, and another farm was quarantined. The department said last week the investigation has ended. Bovine TB is a bacterial disease that can be fatal for cattle, deer and other animals.
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Laurel Fuqua holds two meat goats at Riley Creek Ranch near Charleston on Monday.
Family raises meat goats
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KAYLEIGH ZYSKOWSKI JG-TC Staff Writer
CHARLESTON — The U.S. is a beef-eating country, however, several local farmers are looking to a new market which expands how Americans look at meat. The demand for meat goats has grown as the nation’s population has expanded, meat goat farm co-owner Laurel Fuqua said. “Once the major grocery stores start displaying different kinds of meat in their meat cases, I think it won’t be such a strange thing at all,” she said. “People will see that it’s not a very big deal.” The Fuquas started their meat goat venture on an idea from their son, Alex Fuqua, who is now 19. For many in the area, meat goats are animals associated with the the 4-H county fair barns, however for Alex Fuqua it seemed to be a business opportunity. A family friend from the Litchfield area raised meat goats, and he was the push behind the new business. It was his first project with livestock, but now it’s a family operation. “I think parents get involved with anything their children do whether it’s music or sports,” Laurel Fuqua explained. “It was strictly a business venture for him.” Currently the family is looking to expand their herd so they breed the females and sell the males. Once the males grow to about 45-60 pounds, they are sold to a processing plant. Recently the Fuquas sold all of their males to a man who owns a USDA processing plant near Terra Haute, Ind. “We won’t have anything for sell again for five months,” she explained. Just like any other domesticated livestock, raising meat goats is an every day venture. The family feeds and waters the animals two times per day, and especially during the cold months they check on the babies — or kids — every two to four hours to make sure each is safe. “A few have frostbite, but we haven’t lost any to the cold,” Laurel Fuqua says about their recent checkup. “It’s just like any livestock — it takes work.” Once sold, typically the goats head to larger urban areas — it’s not such a hot commodity in the Coles County area currently. “Right now there isn’t many local groceries looking for goat meat because of the difference in population,” Laurel Fuqua explained; however,
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Some of the meat goats interact Monday at Riley Creek Ranch near Charleston. they’ve sold bucks to international Eastern Illinois University students. “That’s the way they eat at home and that’s the way they want to eat here,” Laurel Fuqua explained. In the past, the family has sent the local individual buys to one of the three processors in the area who will work with goat meat — two are located in Arthur and one is in Mill Creek. “There are different ceremonies and rituals done when slaughtering the animal and we do make that available, too,” Laurel Fuqua said. “That just goes along with the religion and rituals you see with different kinds of meat.” One of the hurdles for Americans eating goat meat is its texture and makeup, Fuqua
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said. Beef marbles, which is caused by intramuscular fat formations. This results in juicier cuts of meat like ribeye; however, goat meat doesn’t marbleize. The fat forms around their organs instead, making a lean meat. “It’s the kind of meat that you cook slowly like a roast or stew,” she said. “It’s not something that you make ground goat meat into burgers over the grill. For our tastes, beef fat makes that more palatable. It would be a really dry burger for our tastes; it wouldn’t be
something we would enjoy.” She suggests using a chop or shoulder cut of meat and creating a stew. “If you put it into a chili you wouldn’t taste the difference,” she said. “It’s not fair to call it gamey, because we associate that with wild animals; goats aren’t wild, they are domestic, but it has a different taste than beef. “It’s a different texture altogether, but still very good.” Contact Zyskowski at kzyskowski@jg-tc.com or 217-238-6869.
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Robinsons honored for conservation in Effingham area said that he has always loved. “I enjoy the freedom of it more than anything,” he said. “We can come and go as we please and make our own decisions.” Robinson said he is thankful for having landlords who believe in practicing conservation, just like he does. “They have been willing to work with various programs at my suggestion and I’m blessed to have that,” he said. In about seven years, Robinson said he is looking to retire and hand over the reins of the farm to his son Matt; however, Robinson said it will be hard to give up farming.
SAMANTHA BILHARZ JG-TC Staff Writer
EFFINGHAM — The Robinson family has been named the Effingham County Soil and Water Conservation District Farm Family of the Year. Steve Robinson, who has been a farmer since 1972, was selected for the award for his use of cover crops and conservation practices, according to Denise Willenborg, administrative coordinator for the Effingham County Soil and Water Conservation District. Robinson, 61, a resident of Edgewood, farms 1,500 acres of land in Effingham and Fayette counties. He mainly focuses on growing corn, soybeans and wheat. Farming has always been a family affair for Robinson, and when his father decided to retire in 1972, Robinson took over the family business. “We farmed when I was big enough to drive a tractor — it’s what I have always done,” Robinson said. “I helped my dad for several years and was raised up on the farm — I don’t know anything else.” The farm continues to be a bonding experience for Robinson’s family, whose son Matt and wife Pat also help out when needed. Robinson’s two daughters, Stephanie and Brittany, are teachers in Quincy. “We are all conservation
Contact Bilharz at sbilharz@jgtc.com or 217-238-6839.
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From left, Pat, Matt and Steve Robinson pose for a photo at their residence near Edgewood on Jan. 14. They are the Effingham County SWCD Farm Family of the Year. minded,” Robinson said. “We try to save the soil and try to implement a lot of wildlife habitat, not only on our farm, but on farms we rent.” To practice being more conservation focused, Robinson said for his farm he has
installed dry dams, waterways, wetland areas and 45 acres of quail habitats. In addition, Robinson also practices no tilling of all of his soybean, corn and wheat fields. Robinson said he also dabbles in cover crops by planting
Ice castles become tourist attractions in trio of states LINCOLN, N.H. (AP) — Farming is tough during a New Hampshire winter — unless you’re growing icicles. At the base of Loon Mountain in Lincoln, an ice castle not unlike the frosty palace in the Disney movie “Frozen” is rising from the ground, one icicle at a time. It’s one of three ice castles being built by the same company — the others are in Breckinridge, Colo., and Midway, Utah — this winter. Brent Christensen, who now lives in Hawaii, started his Ice Castles company a few years ago after spending several winters building elaborate slides and ice towers for his kids in his backyard in Utah. He initially sprayed water onto wooden frames, only to be left with a tangled mess of splintered wood in spring. The next year, he experimented with blocks of ice, building a small igloo to which he added chunks of snow and ice. “During that process, I almost accidentally started thinking about icicles,” he said. “At first it was just for cosmetics. I thought, ‘This will look really cool.’ And then, with time, I stumbled on the idea of crisscrossing the icicles, and that’s when I found ... you can actually grow them in certain ways.” Eventually, he approached ski areas about building larger structures that could serve as temporary art installations and tourist attractions, and the idea took off. It costs tens of thousands of dollars to build the castles, the largest of which spans about an acre, and visitors pay $8 to $10 to walk through them. About 8,000 people have visited the New Hampshire castle since it opened Dec. 27. Matt Brown, of Somerville, Mass., who toured the castle last week, said he recently saw “Frozen” and was curious to see how a real ice castle compared to the movie version. “I obviously knew it wouldn’t be quite like that because that’s an animated thing, and it’s a lot easier to animate things than make them in real life, but I thought it would be an interesting way to spend 30 or 60 minutes,” he said. “It’s really neat.” The castles will continue growing during the season, until they melt in March. Walls that stand 8 to 20 feet could reach 40 to 60 feet in the next month or so, and icicles placed along the tops of walls will become ceilings. But it takes a lot of work, said Cory Livingood, foreman of the New Hampshire castle’s crew. The process starts in the fall, with the installation of elaborate sprinkler systems. When the weather turns cold, water is sprayed onto metal racks to produce thousands of icicles that are harvested and stuck to the ground around sprinkler heads. The icicles are then drenched in water and, depending on the temperature and wind, grow in vari-
“I hope that’s the way that it goes,” he said. “I can say I will retire, but I don’t think anyone who ever works on a farm really retires.” Being honored with the farm family award is something Robinson said he never expected. “I was surprised,” Robinson said. “We try to do things out here that would help the soil and the wildlife — we weren’t looking for an award. I always figured my award would be from the practices that I do working out.”
ous shapes and formations. Over the course of a few weeks, towers, tunnels, archways and caves emerge. “We’re technically farmers,” Livingood said. “We grow icicles, we handpick them, harvest them, take them out and hand place them around sprinklers, and then we turn on those sprinklers and they grow more.” There are 58 towers on the Lincoln castle, plus a waterfall and an enclosed slide. At night, the castles are lit by color-changing LED lights embedded in the ice. Sara Bookin-Weiner, also of Somerville, said she appreciates the beauty of the ice at a time of year when “things are so dead and dark.” “Especially now that the holidays are over, in the Northeast we’re looking forward to lots of months of blah, and it’s really wonderful to
have something so creative and artistic and delightful,” she said. Christiansen, who also runs a small-engine repair business, said there’s a significant amount of mechanical work and engineering involved in designing the castles and setting them up. But Mother Nature handles the artistic side. “The real artistic part isn’t done by us. When you spray water in the middle of the night, and you have icicles that catch the water, that’s when the art happens,” he said. Christiansen has been in Utah overseeing the project there this winter but will head home to Hawaii soon. He laughed when asked if he’ll miss the ice. “I think about it a lot, but I don’t long for it by any stretch,” he said.
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Cumberland couple recognized for their conservation efforts KAYLEIGH ZYSKOWSKI JG-TC Staff Writer
GREENUP — Phil and Terry Hawickhorst simply like watching things grow. They’ve lived on their 160acre farm for 50 years, and they’ve spent their time renewing habitats for native wildlife — something they say is disappearing. Their efforts have earned them the Soil and Water Conservation District of Cumberland County’s 2013 Outstanding Conservationist Award. “We’ve been working on these programs all the while we’ve lived here,” Mr. Hawickhorst said. “We both like nature, period. There’s too many farmers taking away that habitat.” “So we’re putting it back,” Mrs. Hawickhorst said. The couple has planted acres of prairie grasses which essentially creates an environment that resembles how the area would have looked 150 years ago, they explained. “We also have two ponds and 2,500 white pine trees that we’ve planted at different times,” Mr. Hawickhorst said. With just a short four-wheeler ride through their trails, someone could see every tree that’s native to the region along the way. “We just like to watch stuff grow,” he said. The couple plants three gardens every year where they grow “everything.” “We have one garden that’s all the viney stuff,” he said. “Another garden is where we put the tomatoes, green beans and potatoes ...” “The one we plant down below mostly the critters enjoy it,” Mrs. Hawickhorst joked. They also plant acres of sunflowers. Needless to say, they stay busy, especially with 10 acres of lawn to mow. “In the summer when all this stuff is blooming — it’s just really something to see,” Mrs. Hawickhorst said. “We
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CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A 32-year-old Cedar Rapids man accused of shooting at least three horses in a Johnson County pasture has made a deal with prosecutors. Court records say Ryan Grafft on Tuesday pleaded guilty to livestock abuse and a firearms charge. Prosecutors dropped two other charges in return for Grafft’s pleas. Grafft’s trial was
scheduled to begin Tuesday. His sentencing hearing date isn’t listed in online court records. Investigators say Grafft fired a rifle at the animals from inside his truck as he passed by their pasture on Jan. 27. The owner of the horses told investigators that he didn’t know Grafft and didn’t know why someone would want to harm his animals.
Say it in a Letter to the Editor To submit a letter to the JG-TC, please include your name and address and send it to Editor, JG-TC, 700 Broadway Ave. E., Suite 9A, Mattoon, IL 61938. Or send by email to editorial@jg-tc.com. Letters should be limited to less than 400 words. All letters must be signed. Letters should also include the writer’s home address and telephone number, which will NOT be published. Letters are restricted to one per person in any three-week period.
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Phil and Terry Hawickhorst are shown at their residence near Greenup on Jan. 16. get the four-wheeler out, pile on it and drive around through the trail,s” Mr. Hawickhorst is an RR Donnelley retiree. “I’d get myself wound up at work, then when I came home I’d just shut it all down and relax out here,” he said. Their 40 acres of woods are enrolled in a forestry effort, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. The effort involves a forest management plan which includes timber stand improvement and invasive species control. They have an additional wildlife habitat that is enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program. Their 40 acres of farmground, which they rent to a local farmer, is farmed no-till, which helps with erosion. “I like that idea,” Mr. Hawickhorst said. Along with a beehive project, they are also looking to raise a persimmon tree grove. They’ve started the process with four trees, which they
hope will become another food source for the local wildlife. “Everybody like persimmons, including us,” Mrs. Hawickhorst said. The couple attributes most of their information to Doug Brown, a state wildlife manager for their district. “He personally comes out here, and we got started thanks to him,” Mrs. Hawickhorst said. Most of their conservation efforts involve keeping native plants growing while ridding their area of invasive species, which helps local wildlife. “Quail, rabbit, coyotes, raccoons, opossums, deer — just about anything that wanders in,” Mrs. Hawickhorst said about which animals benefit from their efforts. “They all love it.” If helping the area’s wildlife wasn’t enough, they’ve also adopted six dogs — four of which they took in after they were abandoned. “We live just far enough from town where people dump
dogs, so we take them in,” Mr. Hawickhorst said. “We have to; we can’t turn them away,” Mrs. Hawickhorst added. The couple was stunned to hear they were recognized for their efforts for the county’s SWCD. “We’ve been doing this for ourselves and the animals’ benefits,” he said. “Then we got a letter, and it was a total surprise; we never really thought anybody noticed what we were doing out here.” Their love for nature inspired them to build an allweather sunroom on the back of their home where they can look out at their work any time. “You can see the fruits of your labor just by watching the trees grow,” Mr. Hawickhorst said. “We’re always looking for what we can do next,” Mrs. Hawickhorst said. Contact Zyskowski at kzyskowski@jg-tc.com or 217-238-6869.
Price drop has farmers looking to soy DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Farmers spent the last few years planting as much corn as they could, but with its price half what it was a couple of years ago, the crop’s golden luster has dulled and many growers are considering shifting acreage back to soybeans. A December survey of more than 1,600 producers by Farm Futures, an agriculture-focused magazine and website publisher, indicated farmers intend to reduce corn planting to 92 million acres, a 3 percent reduction from last year, and boost soybeans about 7.6 percent over last year to 82.3 million acres. That would be a soybean acres record. The official word on farmers’ intentions won’t be released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture until March 31. “Farmers are going to plant what’s going to make them the most money,” said Kevin Scott, who farms on about 2,500 acres in the southeast corner of South Dakota near Valley Springs. “In the years past, corn on corn on corn made them the most money. When it doesn’t pay to do that, they’re going to switch. The economics on soybeans are OK so they’re
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going to come back to it.” Even if corn production falls by a few million acres and prices rise it’s unlikely to have much effect on grocery prices. Less than 10 percent of the U.S. corn crop is used in food ingredients, like corn flakes and corn meal. Most is used for ethanol production, animal feed and exported. Still, higher prices could increase the already high cost of meat, because corn is staple of animal feed. And when farmers struggle to make a profit, they’re less likely to buy tractors and other equipment, which can have a ripple effect on manufacturers and farm communities. Over the next six week, farmers will monitor price swings and choose what to plant. Futures prices for corn from next year’s harvest are now near break-even or are below cost for many farmers. Soybean prices are more profitable but could drop if South American farmers have a good harvest in February and March, boosting global supply. “That’s why everybody has to keep their pencils pretty sharp on the corn versus beans equation,” said Darrel Good, an
agriculture and consumer economics professor emeritus at the University of Illinois. A popular rule of thumb has been for farmers to plant more soybeans if the price is at least 2½ times that of corn. Currently, the market prices soybeans for delivery next November at $11.23 per bushel. The comparable corn price is $4.54. That puts the soybean price at 2.47 times corn price. Many farmers have been planting more corn in the last few years because prices were so high. Corn demand began increasing in 2008 as ethanol production boomed. Prompting some farmers to put land back into production that had been enrolled on conservation programs and to pull out fences and take down barns to clear additional acres to plant. More than 97.4 million acres were devoted to corn in 2013, which was the most since 1936. That meant more corn in prime corn and soybean growing states, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Minnesota and Ohio. The high prices also prompted farmers to gamble on corn in states with soil less suited for the crop, such as
Kansas, portions of Nebraska, North Dakota, and parts of South Dakota. Some farmers planted corn repeatedly, a change from the practice of planting about half their land in corn and soybeans, then rotating crops between fields from year to year. Soybeans naturally deposit nitrogen into the soil and corn removes it, so alternating between the two crops provides farmers with free nitrogen the corn needs. Rotating the two crops also provides benefits in weed and insect control and can help reduce pesticide and herbicide costs. Farmers who plant corn fields where corn was just grown must buy nitrogen fertilizer to put on the soil. However with high corn prices, farmers could justify the extra cost and many strayed from the optimum rotation. Grant Kimberly, who farms nearly 4,000 acres with his father in central Iowa, said about 10 percent of the fields on his family’s farm remained unplanted last year because of too much moisture. The family hasn’t decided what to plant this year, but current factors favor beans.
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Ag education on a roll at Lake Land College KAYLEIGH ZYSKOWSKI JG-TC Staff Writer
MATTOON — Agriculture education is on the rise at Lake Land College. Enrollment is at an all-time high for the Lake Land ag division with 310 students taking courses under 14 programs, according to division Chairman Jon Althaus. In comparison, a decade ago, 2003 enrollment figures totaled 198 students, then in 2010 enrollment climbed to 280. Enrollment dipped a bit in 2012, but the numbers have recovered.
“It’s been pretty much a steady increase over time,” Althaus explained. The division chairman attributes the enrollment numbers to several factors, including the job outlook post-graduation. “There are a lot of opportunities within ag right now,” he said. “We have contact with companies looking for qualified young people, and they are constantly looking.” A common career for Lake Land grads is retail or sales, Althaus said. “A good portion of our ag
students go into the sales sector, but I don’t think there is a specific area that would be a main career path,” he added. Other grads have gone on to teach ag or to work in research, while others have become veterinarians, to name a couple. “We’re pretty diversified,” he added. Lake Land students have different options to reach a career in agriculture. There are one- and two-year options for a certificate or degree, and the school also has articulation agreements with several
state universities for transfer opportunities. Althaus said the steady increase in enrollment also has to do with the staff’s different recruitment techniques. “We spend a lot of time recruiting within Illinois at the state FFA convention and we have an agriculture open house,” he said. This year’s open house is scheduled for March 7; however, they also look farther than the Lake Land district for students. Ag students at Lake Land hail from across Illinois and five other states.
S.D. waiting on word about farm bill SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Congress needs to move quickly to pass a farm bill, largely to help western South Dakota ranchers recovering from a fall blizzard that killed thousands of cattle, Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson and leaders of the South Dakota Farmers Union and SD Stockgrowers Association said Tuesday. The early October storm impacted more than 600 farmers and ranchers, some of whom lost more than half their herds, said Doug Mack, a board member of the Stockgrowers Association. “These producers have been sitting there waiting as patiently as possible for months now,” he said. “Without these things going forward, we’re going to lose some excellent producers.“ Mark Buchholz, who ranches near Philip and owns an implement dealership, said he hopes the bill caps payment limitations at $250,000, which would cover the loss of about 125 cattle. “Even though you’re a sole owner, there’s hired men involved,” he said of other costs. “$100,000 is a Band-Aid. $250,000 is at least going to be
“Because in this country, everybody was affected by the drought something terrible.” dressing on the wound.“ Buchholz also would like Congress to make the payments retroactive to cover losses from the 2012 drought. “Because in this country, everybody was affected by the drought something terrible,” he said. Farm bill negotiators have been working nearly continuously — including over Congress’ Christmas break — to try and broker a compromise between House and Senate versions of the roughly $500 billion measure. Both houses approved versions of the fiveyear bill in 2013, but they contained key differences regarding crop subsidies and how much to cut from food stamp programs. Negotiators have said they are closing in on a deal, with a goal of having one in place by the end of the month. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has worked to maintain milk subsidies that would prevent dairy prices from skyrocketing, giv-
ing negotiators more time. But that flexibility is expected to be gone by the end of the month. Passage would mark the first farm bill since a 2008 deal. That expired in 2012 but was extended until last September. Johnson, Mack and Doug Sombke, president of the South Dakota Farmers Union, also warned Congress not to dilute the Country of Origin Labeling law that tells consumers where their food comes from. Republican Sen. John Thune said farm bill negotiators are close to reaching agreement on the major sticking points, including livestock payments, dairy policy and the labeling law, though on that issue they have to ensure it doesn’t draw retaliation from Canada and Mexico, as both countries have vowed. Thune said he hopes the farm bill could move out of conference committee this week. “However, this Farm
Cape Wind lawsuit: Mass. exceeded its authority BOSTON (AP) — Opponents of a proposed wind farm in Nantucket Sound have filed a federal lawsuit saying the state overstepped its authority when it brokered an agreement for a major utility to buy power from the project. The suit filed Tuesday by the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, the town of Barnstable and several Cape Cod businesses and individuals argues that by brokering the deal between NStar and Cape Wind, the state discriminated against out-of-state power companies with a deal that will drive up electricity costs. The suit alleges that state regulators exceeded their authority in setting wholesale rates for the contract in violation of both the Federal Power Act and the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which reserves that power for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. “These are all ratepayers that would be forced to pay much higher rates as a result of Cape Wind,” alliance president Audra Parker said. “They would basically be harmed by an increase in electricity bills.“ Parker said she is confident about the prospects of the suit given recent court decisions in Maryland and New Jersey that found state requirements for local utilities to sign long-term contracts with independent power producers unconstitutional. Caroline Pretyman, a spokeswoman for Northeast Utilities, NStar’s parent, called it unfortunate that the utility was named in the complaint. The state is reviewing the case, said Krista Selmi of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Opponents have filed a series of lawsuits against the project, expected to cost about $2.6 billion. The project received federal approval in 2010 and has repeatedly won the permits it needs to be built. NStar agreed to purchase power from Cape Wind at a starting price of 18.7 cents per kilowatt hour, well above typical wholesale prices. Cape Wind spokesman Mark Rodgers wrote in an
emailed statement that the complaint was frivolous and without merit. “The opposition group was unsuccessful in challenging a nearly identical power contract between Cape Wind and National Grid and they will
fail again here,” Rodgers wrote. “After careful review, the Department of Public Utilities found that Cape Wind was ’cost effective’ by providing unique benefits that exceeded the cost of its power.“
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Bill’s history is that of new issues popping up when it appears major differences are resolved,” he said in an emailed statement. Republican Rep. Kristi Noem said she believes it’s possible to protect consumers and maintain a strong trade relationship with neighboring countries. “I am fully committed to getting a Farm Bill finalized in the next few weeks that avoids market distortions, keeps food costs low, and gives South Dakota producers the tools and certainty they need this Spring,” she said in an emailed statement.
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“We pretty much have the Illinois map covered,” he said. “We work to create a wide community presence at different events throughout the region,” he added. More than a dozen instructors make up the faculty of the agriculture division, and Althaus said the quality of instruction can also be linked to the continuous uptick in enrollment. Most of the instructors have worked within the fields they teach and share firsthand experiences
with the students. He mentioned the instructors within the John Deere program have each worked in the company’s dealerships and a horticulture instructor has opened his own nursery. “He can also share entrepreneurship experience,” he said. “Our instructors tend to have better knowledge from the the practice and experiences they have and can share.” Contact Zyskowski at kzyskowski@jg-tc.com or 217-238-6869.
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www.jg-tc.com | JG-TC
Florida is a retirement spot for horses, too ALACHUA, Fla. (AP) — Whenever a horse arrives at Mill Creek Farm in Florida, Peter and Mary Gregory make the aging animal a promise to last the rest of its days. “We say you’ll never be worked or ridden again,” said Peter Gregory, director of the farm. “And you’ll be here forever. And they are here forever because when they die here, they’re buried here.” About 130 horses have this 325-acre farm in north-central Florida as their retirement home, doted on by now-elderly caretakers. Nearly all of the horses have worked for years in law enforcement, military or other service jobs; a few have been seized by police. Now these horses graze in green pastures, under mossdraped oaks. Their tranquil existence is only broken each day by Peter, 85, and his wife Mary, 81, riding out on golf carts from their home on the property. From field to field they go, feeding the horses hay, grain and carrot treats. “It’s difficult to find any place that will take an older retired horse. We wanted Special to actually truly be retired,” said Sgt. Chris Laster of the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, who brought a 23-year-old horse to the farm for retirement in 2013. “Peter knows every horse’s name there; he knows their stories.” Originally from England, the Gregorys spent years traveling the world when Peter was a hotelier. In 1984, they bought the farm about 20 miles north of Gainesville and created a nonprofit organization called the Retirement Home For Horses. It’s since drawn tourists, documentary filmmakers and other visitors curious about where veteran horses go. Some of the horses are blind. Some are ill. And all would have ended up at an out-of-country slaughterhouse had the Gregorys not taken them in. The farm doesn’t accept horses from private owners. There are other horse retirement farms in the U.S. — in Kentucky, Tennessee and Connecticut — and there are only a few, much smaller farms for aging horses in Florida. There’s Special, a horse who worked for the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Department for 17 years and whose last big event was the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa. There’s Possum, who came from the Army’s Mounted Color Guard in Colorado, along with a certificate of achievement signed by President Barack Obama. Christie and Butch were found abandoned and starving in Miami-Dade County. And there’s Roman, a 13year veteran of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office who helped search for little Caylee Anthony, who went missing in 2008 and later was found slain. When Roman arrived last summer, he sought out Dylan, another Orange County Sher-
Gregory said that when he and his wife die, the farm will remain a nonprofit organization to help horses. The land is protected by a perpetual conservation easement that prevents the property from being developed. It’s a stunning property, with gentle hills and a small creek in the woods; the horses live in various fenced pastures while the couple’s dogs roam the property during the day. Even though the Gregorys are looking for someone to
take over, they are still accepting new horses. “Most horses, when they get old, if they do get old, then nobody wants them anymore,” Gregory said. There’s a special patch of land where the horses are buried; a sign that says “Field of Dreams” stands in a clearing. A tree is planted for each horse buried in the field, marking the animals’ final resting spots.
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Savannah, left, who came from the Baptist Children Home in Jacksonville, Fla., and Laura, who was picked up on the side of the road by the SPCA in South Florida, right, graze in a field Jan. 11 at the Mill Creek Farm in Alachua, Fla.
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Mary and Peter Gregory feed a carrot to one of their retired, abused or neglected horses Jan. 8 at their Mill Creek Farm, which they started in 1984 in Alachua, Fla. iff’s horse that had retired a few years before. The pair have stuck close to each other in one pasture ever since. “We believe that horses shouldn’t be ridden, quite honestly,” said Peter Gregory. “They weren’t put on earth to be ridden. Everything man does to a horse we believe is wrong. Put a bit in their mouth, put shoes on their feet, spurs and things like that.” The couple said they were inspired to start the farm by their childhood love of horses; Mary had a horse as a girl and Peter used to ride with the milkman on a horse-drawn cart in pre-war England. Over the years, the farm has expanded in acreage and number of animals — and cost. The couple estimates they spend more than $250,000 a
year to operate the farm and feed all of the horses; some of that comes from donations and another chunk from the Gregorys’ retirement fund. Most of the costs are for feed in the winter — but in the summer the horses graze on grass and hay. “Right now we’re buying four tons of grain a week,” said Gregory. “It’s a lot of money.” Veterinary care is often provided bro bono by veterinary school students. While they do have volunteers and a part-time paid employee to help with daily
chores, the Gregorys, as they also age, realize that they must form a plan for the farm’s future. They do have children, but they have their own careers. A board of directors oversees the farm, but the Gregorys hope that they can find someone such as a veterinarian to deal with the day-today challenges. “We have to find somebody willing to come here and manage it,” said Peter Gregory. He added a touch of dry humor: “We’ve been working here for 30 years and we still haven’t got our first paycheck, by the way.”
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16 FARM FOCUS ● FRIDAY,JANUARY 24,2014
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JG-TC Staff Writer
NEOGA — A career change that started out as a fatherdaughter joke turned into a full-time job for Neoga resident Amy Hatton. Hatton, 31, was a sixthgrade English teacher in the Charleston school district for four years and then switched to teaching junior high English in the Neoga school district, as well as coaching volleyball for five years. In 2012 Hatton gave up her teaching and coaching career to help her father on the family farm. “It started out as a joke,” Hatton said. “My dad would always say he wanted to retire and he wondered who would take over. I thought I could stop teaching and help out on the farm.” Hatton said she enjoyed teaching, but grew up around farming and knew that’s where her heart truly was. As a child, Hatton had the example of her grandfather, who was a pig and cow farmer in Sigel, and her dad raised pigs on a farm a mile north of
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Neoga. “It’s not like I disliked teaching — I loved it very much, but I wanted a chance to get back on the farm and do something that I extremely enjoyed doing,” she said. Now that Hatton is a fulltime farmer, she helps raise pigs and helps keep up with 1,000 acres of corn and beans. “I seed every morning and afternoon and I make sure the sows are getting food,” she said. “Once the sows have babies I’m in charge of making sure the right babies have the same number of piglets — a majority of what I do involves the pigs.” Hatton is in charge of 1,800 sows, which is a year-round job. Her father and brother take care of planting the corn and beans during harvest season. “I prefer to work with the pigs because I feel more confident with them,” Hatton said. “I was never around machinery that much and I’m not
quite as confident with it as I am with dealing with the pigs.” When Hatton decided to give up teaching to work on the farm full-time, her father was supposed to retire, something that Hatton said didn’t end up happening. “He is too involved, but it will get to a point where he just starts pointing out the things I am doing wrong,” she said with a laugh. “His goal is to retire, but I don’t think he’s ready to hand over the reins just yet.” Hatton said she is happy with her decision to change careers and wouldn’t have it any other way. “I enjoy being able to get out of the house and there is always something to do — you never get bored,” Hatton said. “It’s nice to be able to get outside and work with the animals.”
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