Inside Ag July 2017

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Inside Ag MINOT DAILY NEWS

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Weather pushes wheat markets higher By JILL SCHRAMM Senior Staff Writer jschramm@minotdailynews.com North Dakota wheat producers could benefit from a rise in wheat prices at harvest time – if they have a crop to bring to market. The drought in wheat country has driven prices to levels farmers haven’t seen a for a while. “We see a lot of investor activity. They have been buying up these wheat futures and pushing prices up,” said Kayla Burkhart, grain division manager at CHS SunPrairie’s Minot office. On July 5, the market saw price swings of nearly a dollar up or down, indicating how crazy the market has been lately, she said. There was some drop in wheat futures in early July because of reports the wheat

crop situation might not be as dire as first thought, Burkhart said. The drought still remains serious enough to keep things uncertain, though. “It definitely is a problem. Some areas are going to hope for 20-bushel spring wheat, and those are major producing areas of the state,” Burkhart said. Spring wheat prices recently went above $7 a bushel, which is a positive change from the 2016 harvest, when prices dipped below $4 a bushel. Predictions are that prices will remain high through this year’s harvest, but just how high is anybody’s guess. “In my opinion, we rallied up pretty high and now we are going to kind of relax and come back and find a level where the market is more comfortable,” Burkhart said. She doesn’t expect to see $5 or

less for spring wheat again but $10 predictions may be too aggressive. She expects prices to settle in around $6 range, based on current conditions, although weather could have a big effect yet. “We can’t let our wheat get really expensive because the world can’t afford it. We don’t want to be driving away customers,” Burkhart said. One of the factors that could keep prices from skyrocketing is the potential for good crops in other wheat-producing areas, such as Canada. Another is the amount of stock still on the farm. “Right now, they are not selling and taking advantage of the rally because they are nervous about what they are producing. Hopefully, these prices are still here come harvest time,” Burkhart said. Other commodities haven’t seen the same price

spike. Corn prices have remained fairly steady. Market prices have been rising for some other commodities, though. In early July, soybean futures were in the range of $10. The price strength is surprising, considering the high number of acres planted, Burkhart said. She expects prices to be volatile over the next couple of months as soybeans reach maturity in the growing areas across different states. Canola prices follow soybean prices so those also have rallied pretty well, Burkhart said. Sunflowers is where it could get interesting because acres have been steadily decreasing, she said. “Supplies, I think, are going to get pretty tight. I think the sunflower market is kind of going to be the one to watch,” she said.

JULY 2017

We see a lot of investor activity. They have been buying up these wheat futures and pushing prices up. – Kayla Burkhart

grain division manager at CHS SunPrairie’s Minot office

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An extremely dry summer By KIM FUNDINGSLAND Staff Writer • kfundingsland@minotdailynews.com

Kim Fundingsland/MDN

Some crops in Ward County are showing stress due to a lack of rainfall but many are doing better than anticipated. An exception is the southern part of the county where conditions are very dry.

The Minot region is dry. Statistics, struggling crops and poor pasture growth prove that. While much of Ward County is drier than normal, it is the southern portion of the county that is feeling the brunt of what is now described as “extreme” drought. Virtually all of the state south and west of Minot is harshly effected. Gary Urlacher, Dakota Quality Grain Coop in Parshall, has seen his area go without rain for more than six weeks. “We definitely need moisture. A lot of damage has been done already,” said Urlacher earlier this month. “We don’t have half the crop that it was last year, probably 20-30 bushel wheat.” In the Minot area crops are suffering a bit from lack of rainfall but it could be much worse. Rainfall has been limited, no question about that, but at least crops have been growing and harvesting is expected. There will be the usual exceptions but, overall, yields are not expected to be very good in what is becoming one of the driest growing seasons on record. The official rainfall total kept at the Minot International Airport was more than seven inches below normal on July 11 with less than three inches of precipitation recorded since January first. Further south and west the numbers are staggering. Hettinger, which appears to be the epicenter of the drought conditions, had received a mere 1.28 inches of precipitation by July 11, nearly eight inches below average. The story of the season is the rainfall, or lack of it, over much of the state. In the Plaza area soil conditions aren’t very good. A few miles to the south, at Parshall, it appears to be much worse. “Basically we’re all over the board. Crops planted early look better than those planted later,” said Ted Warehime, PlazaSee DRY — Page 7

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Makoti Equity Elevator interim manager. “Estimated yields are maybe 10-35 bushels per acre for wheat. That’s probably good compared to what we thought we were going to get earlier. A shower would help. By no means is this a bumper crop.” “What crop doesn’t matter. Everything is struggling,” said Urlacher. On the south side of Lake Sakakawea crops are in very tough shape. Barley is considered to be in generally poor condition. Some crops are already being harvested by farmers trying to get what they can from plants withering in the heat in ultra-dry

soil. “Even the peas are rough,” said Jake Smith, Valley Grain Milling, Beulah. “There’s not enough moisture, hardly any peas in a pod.” Smith said the area is in need of rain but, like many others, thinks it is too late for even a good rainfall to rescue crops in the field. Pastures have been hard hit too. The grasses necessary to produce healthy grazing for livestock have grown very little this summer. “Pastures are a little rougher than the crops,” observed Smith. Urlacher agreed, saying pasture is “terrible, dry and brittle.” In many cases cattle are trampling down more grasses than they actually eat. Rain would help but it

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has been spotty to none over much of the affected area of the state. “Early moisture helped the grass come on pretty good in the Plaza area,” said Warehime. “Grassland hay isn’t too awful bad. It isn’t great by any means. It’s just a typical North Dakota drought.” At the time there wasn’t any significant rainfall expected over the stricken region seven days out. All the while temperatures were expected to soar, running several degrees above normal for this time of year. It is not a good combination for growers or livestock producers who will keep watch on the weather and upcoming Kim Fundingsland/MDN forecasts in the hopes that Pastures have been particularly hard hit by dry weather. The Minot region the current dry spell will is on the northern edge of what is considered “extreme” drought condicome to an end. tions.

Inside Ag PAGE 8

MINOT DAILY NEWS

JULY 2017

Ranchers look for ways to survive drought of ‘17 By JILL SCHRAMM Senior Staff Writer • jschramm@minotdailynews.com

Cattle look through a fence from a pasture south of Minot, where dry conditions have made it hard for producers to find adequate grazing land. Photo by Kim Fundingsland/MDN

Turtle Lake rancher Troy Presser has been making plans to sell part of his herd next month as the drought of 2017 creates an increasingly bleak picture for the grazing season.

It’s not the driest year he’s encountered in ranching. But Presser said the inevitability in the past was easier to react to than this year’s minimal rains that have been just enough to keep false hope alive. “It was like a sinking ship,” he said. “This has been continually plugging holes in a boat. But it’s still sinking. It’s kind of been disheartening at times.”

McLean County Extension Agent Calandria Edwards said the northern part of the county has been especially hit hard because it was dry going to winter. Although the snow helped, grasses were starting to show strain already in early spring, she said. She wasn’t aware of any ranchers turning to the Conservation Reserve Program now that it has been opened to ranchers.

“That doesn’t necessarily help if the CRP is in just as bad condition,” she said. Some ranchers in the region are buying hay and others are considering baling winter wheat or other small grain crops to get through this year. Presser said some neighbors already have claimed insurance on dried up crops, and where nitrate levels haven’t See RANCHERS — Page 9

Inside Ag JULY 2017

Ranchers Continued from Page 8

gotten too high, they have turned their cattle out on the fields. In a normal year, he uses his pastures and crop residues for grazing as late as December before turning to stored hay. That could be challenging this year, given the pasture situation and a spotty corn stand. Presser, who ranches north of Mercer in McLean County, said his pasture grass looked good this spring but it didn’t take long for his cows to graze it down. “And it just never came back,” he said. The three inches of rain from the end of May through June hasn’t been enough. “It’s turned green but it’s not growing. It looks pretty from the road but it’s not much different than a golf course for height,” Presser said.

MINOT DAILY NEWS The first alfalfa cutting in mid-June ran about 40 percent of last year’s first-cut production. Presser said they are hoping for one more good rain to get a second cutting. “Grass is the thing I am going to run out of. I have enough hay supplies to carry me over for this winter. I am just not going to have enough grass for all my cattle,” he said. In early July, he was looking for a partner to hold a late August cattle sale, after calf weaning is done. He hoped to sell about half his cows, keeping his first-calf and bred heifers. Williams County Extension Agent Danielle Steinhoff said ranchers there put their cattle to pasture earlier this spring because of a hay shortage caused by last year’s dry conditions. That’s put pressure on the pastures. Most ranchers still have pasture not yet grazed, but they may

need to rotate to those fresh pastures earlier than normal, Steinhoff said. Without additional rain, pastures may not be adequate to sustain herds through the summer. It’s particularly important now as the warm season grasses are coming up, she said. She said some ranchers are buying hay, although the extent of the drought conditions is going to mean looking out farther geographically to find hay available as the season goes on. She advises ranchers who buy hay to have it tested for nitrates, which grasses can accumulate when conditions are dry. “There can be a pretty high toxicity level and cattle can get sick and die from it. Horses are even more susceptible,” she said. Severe drought conditions led the State Water Commission to reactivate the Drought Disaster Livestock Water Supply Project Assistance Program. Eligible live-

stock producers in drought proclamation counties may qualify for up to $3,500 in cost-share assistance to develop new water supplies. The 26 eligible counties are Adams, Billings, Bowman, Burke, Burleigh, Divide, Dunn, Emmons, Golden Valley, Grant, Hettinger, Kidder, McHenry, McKenzie, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Mountrail, Oliver, Renville, Sheridan, Sioux, Slope, Stark, Ward and Williams. Ranchers affected by drought also are eligible to receive payments under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Livestock Forage Disaster Program. At the end of June, ranchers in 15 North Dakota counties were eligible. The USDA approved emergency haying of CRP acres beginning July 16. This approval enables emergency haying in counties experiencing drought conditions. Interested producers should contact their local Farm

PAGE 9 Service Agency office to access eligible acres. Additionally, USDA is providing producers with FSA loans a 12-month exemption from a requirement that they have physical control of their livestock. This exemption will allow ranchers to weather the drought by moving their livestock to feedlots or other states where they have feed, forage and water, before taking back physical control at a later date. The drought is expected to affect ranch incomes and reduce cow numbers in the state. “We will start seeing people selling cows they would have normally kept at this point,” Edwards said, indicating that will have implications going forward. Ranchers could find themselves later in a rebuilding phase, with possibly less seed stock readily available, she said.

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Once the region’s engine, dairy farmers are a rare breed THAXTON, Miss. (AP) — Every morning, without fail and no matter the weather, Jeremy Graham wakes up at 1:45. Before his neighbors, before most farm animals, before most of his friends and family in this small Pontotoc County community. He might have time to grab a quick bite to eat before heading to the milk barn a short drive from the home he shares with his wife, Beth, and their two daughters. By 2:30 a.m., Graham and some of his workers are ready to milk some of the nearly 200 dairy cows of the Graham Dairy Farm. Fifteen hours later, after a second milking is done, Graham is ready to relax for a bit before the process starts over. After four or five hours of sleep, another day begins. Graham wouldn’t have it any other way. “I never dread going to work,” said the second-generation dairy farmer. “I look forward to every day coming out here. I may get frustrated at times, but that happens to everybody. The Lord has blessed us. Everything’s been paid for by black-and-white cows and white milk. This is our way of life.” And it’s a way of life that is dwindling in Northeast Mississippi, which at one time was one of the largest dairy-producing regions in the country. Today, only a handful of dairy farmers remain in the area. During the peak years of the industry more than a half-century ago, dairy was the mainstay for thousands. “We are few and far between now,” Graham said. “North of Highway 82, there are maybe a dozen dairy farms left.” Among them is Taylor Jersey Farm in Prentiss County, about an hour away from Thaxton. Royal Taylor bought the Prentiss County farm in 1977 and moved

tinues to decline as the number of dairies disappears. With that decline went much of the infrastructure - equipment companies, processors, suppliers, industry specialists and dairy-focused veterinarians. And time has played a major role, too. “Like anything else, there are multiple issues about the decline of the dairy industry, but age is definitely a factor,” said Amanda Stone, MSU Extension dairy specialist. “The average dairy producer in the U.S. is about 55, and they’re retiring. And they’re not necessarily encouraging their children to take over, or their children choose not to. “It’s a very hard way of life. You don’t get a day off, you work all the time and it’s physically demanding.”

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to it a year later. He remembers those heady days of dairy farming, when the towering silos, sheds and milk barns were a common sight. “There were 27 dairies in Prentiss County when we moved over in 1978,” he said. “Now we’re it. The only one left.” The farm is now run by Taylor’s son and daughter-in-law, Bradley and Carla, who start their days at 5 a.m. and, if they’re fortunate, are done by 9 p.m. Such is the life of a dairy farmer. The early mornings and late nights are one reason why their numbers are disappearing. Statewide, dairy numbers are a fraction of what they were. In 1990, Mississippi had 653 dairy

farms with some 62,000 cows. The number of farms dipped under 100 for the first time in 2013, and today, only 75 remain. And fewer farms and cows mean less milk. In the first quarter of this year, milk production was down 7 percent from the same time a year ago. From January to March of 2016, dairy producers in the state collected 42 million pounds of milk compared to 39 million pounds - or about 4.5 million gallons - this year. “This was primarily due to a lower number of dairy cows,” said Mississippi State University Extension Service livestock economist Josh Maples. “There are about 9,500 dairy cows in

Mississippi - down from 10,000 in the first quarter of 2016.” The value of Mississippi milk production also has fallen. Last year, production was estimated to be $25 million, down from $32 million in 2015. A combination of factors has led to the drop-off in dairy farming, but the biggest blow in recent years was Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Nearly 40 farms closed in the following year. Most of the state’s dairy farms are in south Mississippi, and some were so heavily damaged, many producers opted out. Within three years, some 100 farms were shuttered. From 1990 to 2005, milk production in the state dropped by 50 percent. And production con-

More than half of the states don’t produce enough milk of their own to meet the needs of its residents. Mississippi is one of those “milk-deficit” states. The typical Mississippi dairy farm has a herd of 133 milking cows. Graham has 199 mature cows, about a third more than he had about a decade ago. “The biggest reason why we’ve grown is that as the number of dairies in Northeast Mississippi have dwindled, it’s gotten harder to fill a milk truck to make it economical to go south,” he said. Graham’s milk goes to the Borden plant in Hattiesburg, which runs a route that allows it to pick up raw milk every 60 hours. The Taylors in Prentiss County have 120 milking cows and another 150 young stock.

See DAIRY — Page 13

Inside Ag PAGE 12

MINOT DAILY NEWS

JULY 2017

‘Cattle Capital of North Dakota’ By ELOISE OGDEN Regional Editor eogden@minotdailynews.com TOWNER – For many years the city of Towner has been called the “Cattle Capital of North Dakota.” How did the city get that name? Certainly many cattle are raised in the Towner area but cattle are raised in many other areas in North Dakota as well. A Minot Daily News story published in the 1960s said cattle capitals are a local controversy in North Dakota. It went on to say that Fern Lee, former editor of the Mouse River Farmers Press in Towner, and Howard Doherty, publisher of the Killdeer Herald, had been carrying on a friendly debate for some time. The debate was common knowledge among subscribers of the two weekly newspapers, and Lee and Doherty discussed the debate in their weekly columns quite often. According to a Minot Daily News story,

Eloise Ogden/MDN

This is one of the signs saying Towner is “Cattle Capital of North Dakota.” Towner publicized itself as “the cattle capital” of North Dakota, not without some dispute, possibly referring to the two newspaper leaders’ friendly dispute. Towner came into being with the arrival

of the railroad. It was named for Oscar M. Towner, an early day rancher and promoter who brought many homesteaders into the area. Born in Missouri, he came to Dakota Territory around 1880. Towner operated a

ranch in McHenry County on the Mouse River during the 1880s. He served in the Dakota Territorial Legislature and was chairman for the organizing committee for McHenry County. He died in 1897. The Mouse River Farmers Press in Towner for the city’s diamond jubilee reprinted excerpts from a booklet distributed in the late 1800s about McHenry County and “the famous Mouse River Valley.” One of the excerpts said: “In this valley large herds of cattle and flocks of sheep are raised. Large quantities are fattened here for market which are raised as equal if not superior to grain fed animals. The rich grasses keep the animals in a sleek, fat and healthy condition.” Towner has promoted its beef industry over the years so it’s very likely Towner, the “Cattle Capital of North Dakota,” came up as a fitting way to expand on the area’s heritage and industry. If anyone knows the official origination of Towner as the “Cattle Capital of North Dakota,” please let us know.

Inside Ag JULY 2017

Dairy Continued from Page 11

Dairy farming is a 24hour, seven-days-a-week operation, as Stone said. Cows have to be milked twice a day, and must be cared for and looked after constantly - much like young children. “That’s 260 ‘babies’ we have to provide everything for, and it gets tough,” Carla Taylor said. “It’s gotta be done; somebody has to do it.” The Taylors are part of a dairy cooperative and have their milk picked up every two days. “We market through the co-op, and they dispatch it to where it needs to go,” Bradley said. “Right now our milk goes to the Prairie Farms plant in Kosciusko. Sometimes it goes to Birmingham, and sometimes it goes to Hammond, Louisiana.” An independent producer, Graham sells his milk to Borden. But Graham is one of only four dairies on the Borden route, which covers more than 630 miles and 16 hours on the road. To make the trek worthwhile, farms on the route need to put as much milk as possible on the truck. Graham added more cows which produce about 5 gallons each per day - to help ensure the Borden’s truck gets an adequate load. “It’s going to cost as much to run the truck halffull as it does full. Might as well fill it as much as we can and keep them coming,” he said. Graham’s farm can put 20,000 to 25,000 pounds of milk on a truck, the equivalent of 2,300 to 2,900 gallons. The rest of the Borden route includes Gallop and Sons Dairy Farm, a fourth-

MINOT DAILY NEWS generation producer in Wren, and dairy farms in Montpelier and Philadelphia. Having more farmers on the route would make life easier - and more profitable - for processors and dairy producers, but the numbers aren’t growing.

THE JERSEY CAPITAL That wasn’t the case nearly a century ago. Northeast Mississippi made a big, bold step that eventually led it to become a dairy destination. The first creamery began making butter in 1912. The first condensery in the state (and in the South) began operations in 1926. The first cheese plant opened in 1927. Carnation Milk opened a plant in 1927 in Tupelo. The reason why so many farmers had dairy cows was because of the destruction caused by the boll weevil on the economic mainstay, cotton. Farmers were advised they needed a side cash crop to supplement cotton. It was an early call for diversification. In Lee County, some 24,000 acres of cotton was switched to pasture land. The dairy farmers’ milk went to nearby milk plants and other dairy-related operations that dotted the area. There were milk plants in New Albany and in Baldwyn. In Tupelo, Ruff Dairy was the first to pasteurize milk in the area in 1934. Barber’s and Borden’s also later built plants. But it wasn’t until the late 1940s and 1950s that the dairy industry experienced its biggest boom. That’s when longtime Daily Journal publisher George McLean and business leaders in the commu-

nity pooled their money together to buy a prize bull from England. Their aim was to introduce it to the region’s dairy farmers, who would breed better dairy cows. McLean believed that better cows would mean better milk, which would lead to more money for farmers. That, in turn, would put much-needed cash into the economy. “We bought 22 heifers and that one bull, which was named Imported Clemance’s Boy,” Harry Martin, who led the Community Development Foundation from 1956-2000, said in an earlier interview. “The community bought it, and it cost between $1,000 and $2,000. That was a lot of money back then.” The Tupelo Area Artificial Insemination Association started breeding more than 3,000 cows a year to improve the dairy herds across the region. As the better cows produced more and better-quality milk, it didn’t take long for the dairy industry to blossom. “We were the Jersey Cattle Capital’ for several years,” Martin said. “Cotton paid the mortgage. But with dairy you got paid every two weeks. That educated children and bought things the family needed. It was supplemental income.” Milk production statewide was the secondhighest source of income to farmers behind cotton.

LOWER PRODUCTION Today, Mississippi is ranked 41st nationwide in milk production, with about 165 million pounds, or 19 million gallons a year. Seventy years ago, the state produced a staggering 1.4 billion pounds of milk,

PAGE 13 For those still in the industry, there is some promising news, according to MSU Extension. Producers are paid for every hundred pounds of milk or hundredweight. In April, they were paid $17.97 per hundredweight, up from $16.34 a year Taybefore.

lors do what they o r can with 260 Jersey cows, roughly 167 whether it’s during the blistering summer months or million gallons. In comparison, today’s the freezing cold. “They’re creatures of top-producing state is California, which delivers more habit, and any disruption of than 42 billion pounds of their routines also affects production,” Carla Taylor milk annually. But dairy farming has said. “We try to keep everynever been easy in the thing as routine as possible. South. The heat and humid- Happy cows are good ity plays a large role in re- cows.” And happy cows produced production. The average dairy cow in Missis- duce more milk, of course. sippi produces about 14,769 pounds of milk a year, or HOPE FOR about 1,717 gallons. The na- THE FUTURE tional average is nearly The Taylors, in their 30s, 23,000 pounds, or nearly aren’t sure what the future 2,700 gallons. of dairy farming may be, de“It’s harder to dairy farm here than other places,” spite their obvious passion Stone said. “Dairy cows get for the business. They would certainly like heat-stressed at about 68 deto remain in the business, as grees, and that’s not really long as it remains financially hot. We’d like to get as much milk out of them as feasible for them to do so. “It’s hard to say where cows in California, Wisconwe’ll be 10 years from now,” sin and New York, but they don’t have to deal with the Bradley said. “Ten years ago, I could’ve probably told you heat that we do.” Bradley Taylor said with certainty. Now, I’m not when temperatures reach so sure.” For those still in the ininto the 90s during the day and stay in the upper 70s dustry, there is some promand 80s at night, the cows ising news, according to don’t get a chance to cool. MSU Extension. Producers And if the cows are too are paid for every hundred stressed to eat, they’ll pro- pounds of milk or hundredweight. In April, they were duce less milk. “When it’s hot, they don’t paid $17.97 per hundredwant to eat, no matter how weight, up from $16.34 a much you put in front of year before. In addition, the U.S. Dethem. Under the shed and under a fan, you still can’t partment of Agriculture cool them down enough,” forecasts higher demand for milk and exports will drive he said. Like humans, they like to the nationwide average be somewhat comfortable price higher. But whether the price indoing what they do, and the

crease is enough to offset higher input and transportation costs remains to be seen. Stone said as the number of dairy farms decline, some of the remaining ones will get a little bigger to help compensate for some of the losses. They’ll add more cows, as Taylor Jersey Farm has done, and they’ll find ways to adapt. “I think there’s a lot of hope. It won’t look like it used to with farms all over the place, but we’ll always have a presence,” she said. “For example, there might be more of a niche market for some. Mississippi has 11 producers with on-farm processing, where they make cheese or bottle milk and sell it, and I see it going toward that direction with some.” Among those niche dairy farmers is Brown Family Dairy in Oxford, which started in 2009 and sells its milk at farmers’ markets, grocery stores and restaurants across the region. “There are younger people who are more interested in the processing end of the business more so than the dairy farming aspect, and that’s kind of a cool thing we have that other states aren’t doing as much,” Stone said. The Taylors and Grahams, remain hopeful, but cautious. “I’m not so worried about me being economically running the dairy,” Graham said. “It’s whether there’s anybody left around to help me get my milk moved. I’m afraid it’s some other factor outside my control that’s going to put me out. “But every ounce of hope is still right here in milking cows. That’s every bit of my dream. I hope to be in it until I’m ready to retire and can’t move again.”

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Inside Ag MINOT DAILY NEWS

JULY 2017

PAGE 17

Researchers say happiness turns dairy cows into cash cows SAUK CITY, Wis. (AP) — Dairy farmers, take note: The key to turning your dairy cow into a cash cow is udder happiness. Give her a bigger stall, increase air circulation and provide some shelter to prevent overheating. That’s according to a University of Wisconsin initiative that focuses on making dairy cows happier so they provide more milk. “I think it’s really important that we give them the spa treatment,” said Nigel Cook, who has directed the Dairyland Initiative at the University of WisconsinMadison’s School of Veterinary Medicine since 2010. Cook and his team visit farms to give advice about myriad issues, including behavior and easing cow stress. They also provide workshops and have created a

AP Photo

Cows lie down on a bed of sand in their stalls at Mystic Valley Dairy in Sauk City, Wis. The farm's owner Mitch Breunig has spent over $100,000 to improve his farm to make his cows happier, including making his barn and stalls bigger and adding fans and other air circulation equipment.

website to share advice with farmers worldwide. Cook said major concerns include leg pain or lameness, especially among cows that stand for long periods without a comfortable resting place. “It impacts the way she rests, the way she milks, the way she eats, her ability to reproduce and ultimately her ability to stay on the farm,” he said. One solution? Take her to the beach — or at least the farm equivalent. “The deep soft bedding of sand creates an environment where cows can rest half the day,” Cook said. Other recommendations include adding sprinklers and feeding cows at the same time — since herd animals prefer to do things together. And while you’re at it, regroup cows less around

birthing time to decrease stressors associated with establishing a hierarchy. It’s advice Mitch Breunig has been closely following with his 400 cows at Mystic Valley Dairy in Sauk City, about 25 miles northwest of Madison. He has spent over $100,000 in improvements aimed at making his cows happier and says it’s been worth it. He has even added an automatic brush in his barn that constantly cleans dust off his cows. “If you take away their stress, they actually produce more milk, and the other thing that is actually interesting is they do it by eating less feed,” Breunig said. Breunig has seen milk production increase from about 13 gallons of milk a day per cow to 15 gallons. He said his cows also have fewer injuries and live about a year longer.

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Inside Ag PAGE 18

Optimistic start for

FARMERS MARKET Molly, left, Abby, AriAnna, Kelsey and Austin Wingenbach of Dakota Roots Farm, enjoyed tremendous success during day one of the 2017 North Prairie Farmers Market in downtown Minot. Within two hours, Dakota Roots Farm was sold out of cucumbers. Allan Blanks/MDN

MINOT DAILY NEWS

By ALLAN BLANKS Staff Writer ablanks@minotdailynews.com Hundreds of patrons attended opening day at the 2017 North Prairie Farmers Market in Minot July 8. Throughout the day, patrons marveled at Great Pyrenees puppies, handcrafted pottery and fresh produce before embracing the scent of summer flowers and the sight of homemade jams and desserts. From Maxbass to Bismarck, nearly two dozen farmers set up shop in downtown Minot, at the corner of 3rd Avenue SW and 1st Street SW. Inside the bustling parking lot were rows of blue and white canopy tents along with a truck selling ice cold lemonade. While crowds traveled across the well attended market, young children could be seen learning their family trade from parents and relatives. AriAnna Wingenbach, the president of North Prairie Farmers

Market and owner of Dakota Roots Farm, was delighted to share family time with her children while serving the public. Within two hours, Wingenbach and her children were sold out of cucumbers. “People want what’s first,” Wingenbach said. “What comes in season, that’s what people go for.” Along with the popular sale of cucumbers and pickled jalapenos, Dakota Roots Farm provided a sought after healing cream. “I make comfrey salve, it’s a healing ointment,” Wingenbach said. “It heals cuts, burns and scrapes. I’ve heard it can also help with scar tissue too.” As Dakota Roots Farm thrived in the heated conditions, Marvin Baker, the former president of the North Prairie Farmers Market, expressed great excitement about the success of opening day. “Today has been a success and we’re anticipating better sales as we progress into the season,” Baker said. “Early on, there were a lot of people here. Later in the day, people came in spurts but the turnout

has been pretty decent considering the hot temperature. The energy of the vendors is really good and the crowds remain steady. We’re all happy to be here.” Baker, the co-owner of North Star Farms, was delighted to see lines of patrons supporting fellow farmers and friends. “There’s Jim, who makes his own pottery, we have Doug, “The Flower Guy” and Rachel is back with her breads and jellies,” Baker said. “Everybody I’ve spoken to are all happy to be here and see the locally grown and locally made products.” Before the conclusion of opening day, the co-owner of North Star Farms reported that he was sold out peas and onions. As Baker’s garlic, onions and peas sold out, Gladys Kraft experienced similar success, as her famous doughnut balls sold out within five minutes of opening her stand. Kraft, affectionately described as “The Doughnut Lady”, is the owner of Grandma’s Bakery. Since the market first opened

JULY 2017

11 years ago, Grandma’s Bakery has been a popular attraction for patrons and a welcomed addition at the North Prairie Farmers Market. Today, Kraft remains a respected vendor and friendly face in which farmers and patrons look forward to visiting. “It feels good to be here, we’re all nice to each other and we’re good neighbors,” Kraft said. In addition to purchasing produce and desserts, beef provided by Prairie Rose Organic Farms was also in high demand. “People have given a very favorable response to our beef,” Somebody said. “Some of our customers are more concerned about the health benefits of organic and grass finished beef. You also have those who buy our beef because it tastes good.” Prairie Rose Organic Farms alongside North Prairie Farms are both certified organic. For more information about the North Prairie Farmers Market, contact AriAnna Wingenbach at 7217765.

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Inside Ag MINOT DAILY NEWS

JULY 2017

PAGE 21

Despite dry weather, threshing shows going on as planned By MARK JONES Staff writer mjones@minotdailynews.com The current drought affecting the north-central part of the state is having a big impact on the farming industry. Still, that won’t stop the annual regional threshing shows from taking place. Despite the dry conditions, two of the shows have already gone on as scheduled. The 48th annual Crosby Threshing show was held July 14-16 at Pioneer Village, five miles west of Crosby. And in the final days leading up to the annual event in Crosby, or-

ganizers were not worried about the impact of drought conditions. “Why would they?” said John Tysse, Crosby Threshing Show president. “We’ve had lots of heat before. It’s bad for the workers, but not for the crops.” During the weekend, events included a kids carnival. There were also demonstrations on sawmill turning out lumber and blacksmith. The 45th annual Lansford Threshing show also went without much of a problem. The Lansford event was held June 23-24 on the south side of town, and it was probably held at a good time. “Due to the cool weather during

our show, the fire index was low,” said Roger Sauer, event coordinator for the Lansford Threshing show. “But we did have emergency services present both days. The events at the Lansford show included an ice cream social, a parade and threshing of wheat. “All in all we had a good show,” Sauer said. “At this point, the drought has reduced the crop yields but we still have subsoil moisture left, so we will be able to cut the bundles for next year.” There are two other region threshing shows scheduled for later in the summer. The 49th annual Drake Threshing Show will be held Sept. 9-10 and will be held a half mile west of

Drake on U.S. Highway 52. Scheduled events include a parade (both days), a tractor poll (both days), a vendor show (both days) and a tractor give away. For more information on the Drake event, call 626-7337. The last threshing show in the region will be the one held in Makoti, set for Sept. 23-24. The event will be held along South Main in Makoti. The scheduled list of events for the Makoti show include a stationary engine display, an indoor flea market, and a plowing demonstration. For additional information on the Makoti Threashing show, log onto www.makotithreshingshow.org.

Inside Ag PAGE 22

MINOT DAILY NEWS

JULY 2017

Drones help Illinois farmers, businesses QUINCY, Ill. (AP) — As The FAA also has ruled that Greg Mitts guides an aerial all agricultural drone usage is drone over farm fields he creconsidered a commercial use. ates more than just pictures. He Greg Mitts, who has been a can provide farmers with deprofessional photographer for tailed data that can locate bug 15 years, received his commerinfestations, plant diseases and cial certification and has been harvest indicators. using drones to shoot 3-D mod"We create a 3-D model of els, images from nonvisible the field that lets the farmer light spectrums and other data turn and twist and look at that can be used to program things, down to a half-inch defarm equipment. Producers can tail of the crop itself," Mitts said. then use pesticides, fertilizers or Mitts and his wife, Paige, other applications on only the founded Vision Quest in 2009. parts of the fields that need The couple, who split their treatment. time between Quincy and Paige Mitts said the couple South Carolina, bought their also is offering their expertise to first drone in 2013. Initially, farmers and others who want they used the remote controlled to buy a drone. aircraft to shoot video of hotels, "You can buy a drone anyreal estate listings and busiwhere, but the question is what nesses. They have traveled to can you do with it and what do all 48 of the continental United you get out of it?" Paige Mitts States doing that work. said. Now they are doing more "Instead of dealing with this work for farmers. (steep) learning curve they can "We believe that drone techget the drone delivered to us, nology in agriculture will acand we'll bring it to their field count for 80 percent of drone and set it up and guide the peruse in the future," Paige Mitts son through it all." AP Photo said. Jim Robesky of Quincy is a Drones -- also known as un- Jim Robesky hovers his DJI Phantom drone at eye level with the remote control, at Parker Heights recreational drone user. He has manned aerial vehicles or Park in Quincy, Ill. The drone has a small video/still camera below which he can view from his phone been flying a quadcopter drone UAVs -- are a hot item right with the downloaded app. Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs, are a hot item for several years after first getnow. The Consumer Technol- right now. The Consumer Technology Association said about 2.8 million drones were sold in the ting into radio-controlled airogy Association said about 2.8 United States last year. planes in the 1990s. million drones were sold in the "It's the most user-friendly United States last year. Industry experts say as prices come down, they expect sales could top 5 mil- piece of equipment there is," Robesky said. lion units this year. For Robesky and other hobbyists, the drones are just fun. He also has noticed the number of UAVs The Federal Aviation Administration has been struggling to control drones for the last several is on the rise. years. In 2014 the agency ruled that drones could not be used for commercial purposes. At that time, Chris Kelley of Table 16 Productions initially resisted the use of drones. Kelley does videos, still Paige Mitts said the drone they used to shoot 360-degree pictures could be used to take pictures of her pictures, TV spots and films. mother-in-law's garden but not the corn field adjacent to the garden. "People tend to rely on it too much when they find a new tool. I want to use it sparingly and make The FAA considered rules that would require a drone pilot to obtain a license. Later the certifica- it count, but sometimes it's the best route to get a project done," Kelley said. tion for operators was spelled out in greater detail and did not require operators to be airplane pilots. When the FAA registration law took effect, Kelley was certified as a UAV operator. He has been Starting in December 2015, the FAA said all UAVs had to be registered, with owners paying a $5 using his drone on jobs but still is not satisfied with all of the results. fee. A federal appeals court in Washington D.C., ruled last month that the FAA lacks the authority to "I love flying the drone. It's really fun,"Kelley said. regulate "model aircraft" as spelled out in a 2012 federal law. That has brought registration to a near It also is a big responsibility. He said the certification process for business users is meant to "weed halt. out the idiots" who might not focus on safety. Other rules remain. Personal drones must be within sight of the operator and may not be operated Global reports show several drones have hit, or nearly hit, several helicopters and planes. U.S. rules also will not allow the craft to hover or fly directly over people. within five miles of an airport without prior notification to the airport and traffic controllers. "If you're flying toward a crowd of people there's some rules that have to be followed," Kelley said. There are tighter rules on drones used for commercial uses. They must fly within 400 feet of the "I'm happy that rules are in place to protect people and that I can use (drones) to make a little ground and at speeds of 100 mph or less. Drones may not fly over people and cannot be controlled money, too." from a moving vehicle.

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Inside Ag MINOT DAILY NEWS

JULY 2017

PAGE 25

4-H SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Static exhibits at Magic Place in the State Fair Center throughout the fair, from July 21 to July 29 Sunday, July 23 11 a.m.: 4-H Poultry Show 2 p.m.: Communication Arts Contest, Upper Atrium of State Fair Center Monday, July 24 8 a.m.: 4-H horse show in Arena II 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.: 4-H Project Expo in State Fair Center 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Clothing Revue judging and rehearsal 3 p.m.: 4-H Project Expo Awards 3:30 p.m.: 4-H Clothing Revue, State Fair Center 4:15 p.m.: 4-H Clothing Revue awards Tuesday, July 25 8 a.m.: 4-H horse show 11 a.m.: State 4-H Consumer Choices Contest, State Fair Center Wednesday, July 26 8 a.m.: 4-H Horse Show, Arena II 8 a.m.: Junior steer and heifer point show, All Seasons Arena. 8 a.m.: 4-H Swine Show, Livestock Expo Barn 10 a.m.: 4-H rabbit show in Bunny Barn Thursday, July 27 8 a.m.: 4-H beef show, All Seasons Arena Noon: 4-H sheep show, Livestock Expo Barn Friday, July 28 8 a.m.: 4-H goat show, Livestock Expo Barn East Arena 10:30 a.m.: 4-H dairy Show, Arena II Saturday, July 29 9 a.m.: 4-H round-robin showmanship, Livestock Expo Building

Andrea Johnson/MDN

Emily Goff, Ward County NDSU Extension Agent for 4-H Youth and Development, in her office.

4-H has a lot to offer By ANDREA JOHNSON Staff Writer ajohnson@minotdailynews.com The North Dakota State Fair gives young 4-H members from across the state an opportunity to showcase their talents. Dean Aakre, 4-H Youth Specialist at the Center for 4-H Youth Development at North Dakota State University in Fargo, said there will be more than 8,000 exhibits on display this year in the Magic Place in the State Fair Center. “That’s a starting point,” he

More than 8,000 4-H exhibits on display at North Dakota State Fair this year

said. In addition, there will be 4-H members competing in livestock events and in different areas like the communication arts contest that gives youngsters a chance to compete with prepared speeches, demonstrations, dramatic readings and in broadcasting. The event is similar to high school speech and debate, but younger children are able to take part and the event doesn’t use high school rules. Emily Goff, Ward County NDSU Extension Agent for 4-H Youth and Development, was a 4-

H member herself when she was growing up in Minnesota and reaped the benefits of making friends and learning different skills. Despite the longevity of the organization, Goff said she thinks many people still think that 4-H is only for farm kids. While 4-H does give children a chance to raise their own livestock or learn related skills, there are also a lot of other opportunities for kids to learn new things, she said. Aakre said there are activities related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, skills

that carry over into adulthood. “They get to experiment with a lot of different potential career opportunities,” said Aakre. Kids can raise livestock, learn about plant science and horticulture or practice sewing and food preparations. Others do welding projects or create needle work. “Our enrollment in 4-H has remained strong and has actually increased a little,” said Aakre. This year there will be opportunities for 6,000 4-H members in elementary through high school to compete.

Inside Ag PAGE 26

MINOT DAILY NEWS

KINGSTON, Wash. (AP) — Tania Issa's pigs always look sheepish. Not abashed, mind you, just woolly. Her 18 mangalitsa hogs are covered from snout to hoof in a mat of curly hair, which gives them the appearance of being fluffy. The wool is actually coarse and wiry to the touch, but that doesn't keep Issa from indulging her pigs with long belly scratches. "I could spend hours and hours hanging out with them, they're just so happy," she said on a recent visit to the Jefferson Point farm Issa owns with her husband Antoine. Issa is one of the few Washington farmers raising pure mangalitsas, a heritage breed developed in Hungary, where the pigs are considered a national treasure. Once numbering in the millions, mangalitsas nearly went extinct during Hungary's communist era, according to "The Mangalitsa Pig," a book published to promote the breed. A concerted breeding effort has returned the furry pigs to prominence. AP Photo It helps that mangalitsas are Tania Issa stands with one of her mangalitsa pigs at her farm in Kingston, Wash. Issa is one of the exceptionally tasty. Cooks prize the hogs' meat few Washington farmers raising pure mangalitsas, a heritage breed developed in Hungary, where the for its flavor and high lard conpigs are considered a national treasure. tent. Cuts of the meat are marbled and ringed in layers of snowy white fat. Foodies celebrate the health benefits of mangalitsa (the lard is rich in monounsaturated fat, considered a good fatty acid). "The mangalitsa is totally different, you can't compare it to other pork," said Barbara Meyer zu Altenschildesche, who raises mangalitsas in the Netherlands and helped establish the breed in the United States. "You don't need salt and you don't need pepper. It's delicious by itself." Issa sells whole and half pigs, and markets smaller cuts like chops, bacon and brats, at her Kingston Mercantile & Marine store. Chefs at North Kitsap farm-to-table restaurants Mossback and Butcher & Baker have incorporated meat

Washington farm raises a pig in sheep's clothing

JULY 2017 from Issa's pigs in their recipes. Delectable as they may be, Issa was first drawn to mangalitsas for a different reason. The Kingston resident, whose background is in bio-medical research, is fascinated by animals that can both be harvested and used to help manage land. While browsing through papers, Issa stumbled across an article on mangalitsas being deployed to eradicate invasive plants from wetlands in Europe. "I read about them and I fell in love," she said. Issa bought her first mangalitsas from a breeder in California last year and introduced them to her small farm overlooking Appletree Cove. The pigs promptly cleared her fields of Scotch broom, devouring the invasive plants whole. Unlike commercial meat hogs, mangalitsas add weight gradually. Issa will let her pigs grow for up to 18 months before harvest, when they typically weigh about 300 pounds. She feeds the mangalitsas a mix of native grass, nuts and organic feed. The pigs are often let out to forage in the shady grove of maples outside their pens, grunting happily as they dig for roots. "You are what you eat, and that's all the more true with these guys," she said. "If we were feeding them slop, they wouldn't taste the way they taste." The pigs' endearing character makes harvest time bittersweet. Most of the hogs are outgoing and friendly. They trotted across their pens to greet visitors on a sunny afternoon last week. One lolled against Issa's legs as she scratched behind its floppy ears. Zach Finley, who helps care for the hogs, sometimes takes piggyback rides on Hanzir, a 500-pound mangalitsa boar. "They're really fun to work with," he said. "They each have their own personality."

Inside Ag JULY 2017

MINOT DAILY NEWS

PAGE 27

Donkey defenders stand between coyotes and a herd of sheep AURORA, Colo. (AP) — It takes a real ass to stand up to a band of coyotes. And it takes two asses to keep the wild dogs at bay while simultaneously corralling some 130 roving eaters that have hundreds of acres of grassland to till. But such is the task for Paco and Maria, a pair of local donkeys charged with protecting a recently introduced herd of sheep at the city’s freshly reopened Plains Conservation Center. For the past month, scores of rams and ewes have been eating their way through some 1,000 acres of prairie grasslands at the conservation center, slowly aerating the arid soil and promoting the growth of a new generation of grasses. As part of a so-called “holistic con-

servation grazing program,” the herd is attempting to imitate the grazing and fertilization patterns mammals like bison would have naturally left on the land hundreds of years ago, before the first European settlers arrived, according to Eric Watts, superintendent of open space and natural resources for the city. “This type of grazing is pretty unique — it’s very specific and labor intensive because the sheep need to be moved regularly so they don’t overgraze,” Watts said. “We try to mimic how bison would have moved through the grasses, eaten some and then moved along.” The group’s stubborn overseers, however, are indeed an unusual addition to the grazing effort, according to Watts.

“When they said they were going to protect them with donkeys I said, ‘OK, are you sure?’” he said. “But it turns out that donkeys, by their very nature, are very protective animals. The coyotes don’t want to mess with an animal that’s that much bigger than them. “There’s this indescribable relationship between the sheep and the donkeys where (the sheep) know (the donkeys) are there to protect them.” The city got Paco and Maria, along with the flock of sheep, from Willow Creek Pastures, a ranch in Castle Rock. Watts said the Willow Creek crew got Paco locally, while Maria was originally a wild donkey born in Arizona on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Watts said the herd eats its way

through about 15 acres every three days. He said the bunch will remain at the conservation center until the end of August, at which point they’ll return to their home in Castle Rock for the winter. The animals will resume their duties at the Aurora site next spring. So-called holistic grazing stormed into vogue about four years ago, after humanitarian and conservationist Allan Savory touted the practice in a widely disseminated TED Talk. In the years since the address, however, other conservation groups, including the Sierra Club, have questioned the merits of Savory’s grazing principles. The Plains Conservation Center nonprofit organization, which managed the site in Aurora for the better part of the past decade, started looking into holistic grazing at the com-

pound last year, according to Watts. The conservation center nonprofit agency is teed up to work closely with Savory’s own nonprofit organization, The Savory Institute, at the Plains Center’s massive satellite campus south of Strasburg in the future. At the site, local hikers are invited to watch the gaggle of sheep and donkeys munch their way through the plains near the center seven days a week, Watts said. He added that city staffers also recently discovered a bald eagle’s nest on the property. The center informally reopened to the public June 24, marking the newest chapter in the facility’s more than 75-year history. After a period of inactivity last year, the city officially assumed management duties of the PCC site in April.

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