December 2015, Volume 19, Issue 8

December 2015 • Volume 19, Issue 8

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Cattlemen Learn Consumer Trends at UI Beef School

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Agriculture Career Opportunities Expanding

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Idaho Farm Bureau

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Thanksgiving Dinner Survey Results

American Farms Are Leading the Way in Sustainability

By Bob Stallman AFBF President

Americans love a good story and we love a good meal. All the better when the two can go hand-in-hand.

Consumers are eager for more stories about their food. They want to know where each meal comes from and how it’s grown.

The market responds, but only halt-

WWP Uses Rancher’s Death to Make Political Hay

By Frank Priestley President Idaho Farm Bureau Federation

A fringe environmental group recently displayed its total lack of class, morals, ethics and intelligence by attempting to make po-

Federalism vs.

Anti-Federalism -

The Dividing Issue of the U.S. Constitution

By Rick Keller CEO Idaho Farm Bureau Federation

There is a fundamental tug-of-war being waged in the United States to determine the role of the federal government. The battle rages on many fronts, each side seeking dominance. Examples of some of 2

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

The Ag Agenda ingly. Walk into a grocery store and you can find just about every label imaginable—free range, nonGMO, organic, gluten-free and natural—you name it, there’s a label for it. Some of these labels are helpful, but none of them can fully tell the story of American agriculture.

That’s up to us farmers. We need to tell the story instead of letting others define who we are.

Consider the mantra of sustainability. It’s today’s buzzword, but it’s been our way of life for a century or more. Farmers are producing more food with less land, water and pesticides, and we can prove it. Thanks to tools like Field to Market’s Fieldprint Calculator, we can track our efficiency and environmental impact and share the impressive results. Our practices may vary, but See STALLMAN, page 8

litical gain from the tragic death of Adams County rancher Jack Yantis.

The succession of events that led to Yantis’ death on November 1, will have a profound effect on the lives of hundreds of people for years to come. Yantis’ wife Donna suffered a heart attack after learning her husband was dead. For the two motorists injured after a collision on State Highway 95 with a 2,000 pound range bull owned by Yantis, family members who witnessed the recent skirmishes include: the federal government placing Syrian refugees within the boundaries of states; the federal government determining the parameters of the waters of the United States within the states in which those same waters flow; the role of state governments in providing healthcare to their citizens; the designated closure of tens of thousands of miles of access roads to forests; the restrictions on energy production in sensitive sage grouse habitat; if recreational marijuana can be produced and sold in states by the voice of the

the shooting, the two Adams County deputies who shot Yantis multiple times and many Adams County residents, it was a tragedy that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

In spite of that, the next day, the Western Watersheds Project’s Idaho Director Ken Cole published an editorial blaming the incident on the open range law and calling on the State of Idaho to abolish the law. This attempt to make political See PRIESTLEY, page 16

people. The list continues to grow and amplify.

This battle is not new. It has been constant since even before the signing of the U.S. Constitution. The colonies worked hard to devise a national government to prevent a future monarchy like the one they had fought to escape. After the Revolutionary War, the 13 founding states created a 13-article agreement, “a firm league of friendship” between states called the Articles of Confederation. The Articles See KELLER, page 16

Volume 19, Issue 8

IFBF OFFICERS President ................................... Frank Priestley, Franklin Vice President ...................................Mark Trupp, Driggs Executive Vice President ............................... Rick Keller BOARD OF DIRECTORS Bryan Searle ............................................................Shelley Mark Harris ................................................. Soda Springs Chris Dalley ....................................................... Blackfoot Dean Schwendiman ........................................... Newdale Danny Ferguson ........................................................Rigby Scott Steele ..................................................... Idaho Falls Gerald Marchant .................................................. Oakley Rick Pearson ................................................... Hagerman Rick Brune............................................................Hazelton Luke Pearce ............................................. New Plymouth Cody Chandler....................................................... Weiser Tracy Walton ........................................................ Emmett Marjorie French ............................................... Princeton Alton Howell ................................................ Careywood Tom Daniel ............................................... Bonners Ferry Judy Woody ................................................................ Filer Cole Smith ...................................................... Montpelier STAFF Dir. of Organization............................... Dennis Brower Director of Admin. Services ........................ Cara Dyer Commodities & Marketing Assistant ........... Peg Pratt Member Services Assistant ..................... Peggy Moore Public Relations Assistant ........................ Dixie Ashton Dist. I Regional Manager ........................... Justin Patten Dist. II Regional Manager .............................. Zak Miller Dist. III Regional Manager .................. Charles Garner Dist. IV Regional Manager ..........................Brody Miller Dist. V Regional Manager ....................... Bob Smathers Dir. of Governmental Affairs ................Russ Hendricks Asst. Dir. of Governmental Affairs .... Dennis Tanikuni Director of Public Relations .............. John Thompson Video Services Manager ............................ Steve Ritter Broadcast Services Manager ..................... Jake Putnam Office Manager, Boise .......................... Julie Araquistain Member Services Manager ........................ Joel Benson Assistant Treasurer.................................. Tyler Zollinger Printed by: Owyhee Publishing, Homedale, ID GEM STATE PRODUCER USPS #015-024, is published monthly except February, May, August and November by the IDAHO FARM BUREAU FEDERATION, 275 Tierra Vista Drive, Pocatello, ID 83201.

POSTMASTER send changes of address to: GEM STATE PRODUCER P.O. Box 4848, Pocatello, ID 83205-4848.

Periodicals postage paid at Pocatello, Idaho, and additional mailing offices.

Subscription rate: $6.00 per year included in Farm Bureau dues.

MAGAZINE CONTACTS: Idaho Farm Bureau Federation EDITOR (208) 239-4292 • ADS (208) 239-4279 E-MAIL: dashton@idahofb.org www.idahofb.org

Cover: Gathering cattle at Whittaker’s Two Dot Ranch in Lemhi County.

Photo by Steve Ritter

Cattle producers lead group discussions at the U of I Extension Beef School on November 13.

Keeping Beef at the Center of the Plate: The Other End of the Meat Market Article and photos by Carrie Veselka Eastern Idaho cattlemen learned about consumer preferences during a University of Idaho Extension Beef School held in Fort Hall, November 13.

The school focused on carcass quality and consumer perception.

Jerry Tingey, a meat department and retail sales specialist from Associated Food Stores, gave a presentation on consumer trends and how meat departments are changing their tactics in order to keep beef at the center of the plate despite rising prices.

According to Tingey, Associated Food Stores provides full-line grocery services to over 500 independent stores in 10 western states, along with one store in North Dakota and one in California.

One of the biggest tools in the beef market is the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB), more commonly known as the beef checkoff.

According to the National Agricultural Law Center, checkoff programs “promote and provide research and information for a particular agricultural commodity without reference to specific producers or brands.”

See BEEF SCHOOL page 4

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

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BEEF SCHOOL

Continued from page 3

These checkoff dollars are used for research and promotion of different commodities. These checkoff organizations are responsible for famous tag lines like “Pork. The Other White Meat,” “Got Milk?” and “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner.”

The CBB are currently using beef checkoff dollars to promote beef, especially during the holidays when hams and turkeys are the main fare for family get-togethers. They have been working on a new campaign to promote beef as the meat of choice for holiday gatherings.

“We’re trying to put beef at the center of the plate over the turkeys and hams, for the holidays,” said Tingey.

“And we’ve had some really good success; our beef roast sales increase every year through these types of promotions.”

One notable promotion tool is a version of the pop-up timer on turkeys. A version of that pop-up timer has been created for beef roasts. The timer is set to pop up when the roast reaches the correct temperature for medium rare.

“A lot of people are scared to death to cook a prime rib for the holidays,” said Tingey. “Especially now, with the cost of those things it’s going to be 150 dollars to buy a whole one.”

Tingey said the checkoff paid for the promotion, all the printed sale materials, the posters, and the pop-up timers themselves.

“It’s been a good deal,” said Tingey.

“Everything we can do with “Beef, it’s what’s for dinner.” That tag line has helped a bunch, everybody in the world knows that tag line.”

Tingey said beef is still a top contender in the meat market thanks to the efforts of the checkoff.

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“To be quite honest, I believe beef has fared as well as it has with this price increase because of the efforts that have been made by the checkoff to keep beef on people’s minds, and on top of that, it tastes good.”

“To be quite honest, I believe beef has fared as well as it has with this price increase because of the efforts that have been made by the checkoff to keep beef on people’s minds,” he said.

“And on top of that, it tastes good.”

The checkoff also sponsors Cowboy Cookouts at various locations, which have been successful in the past. The CBB takes advantage of the opportunity to educate consumers about beef by hosting games with beef-related questions and giving consumers an opportunity to communicate directly with producers “In my opinion, the more you can get out in front of people and tell your story, and give those people a face with those who are raising their beef, that’s just another thing to battle the image you guys get in the media, because it’s not favorable, for the most part,” said Tingey. “Another thing I think is really important is getting as many people involved in telling the story as possible.”

The smaller, independent Associated Food stores are up against major competitors like Walmart, Krogers and WinCo in the grocery market.

Associated Foods conducts yearly meat training in all of their stores.

They educate the meat managers from their stores on a variety of subjects like food safety issues, updates on the market, price predictions, and, most importantly, consumer trends.

“We have to stay on top of what we’re doing,” said Tingey. “We think we have a really good competitive edge because we take the time to train our

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

people, and our people are knowledgeable. They know how to cut meat, they can answer the questions.

You can’t get that at Walmart.”

Associated Food Stores are using other tactics like value-added meat to improve sales.

Tingey said stores are offering meats that are marinated, pre-cut and seasoned or otherwise more prepared, ready to go home and cook.

“Nothing there should be more than a half an hour of preparation time, and it’s on the table,” said Tingey. “With the time constraints that are put on families now, with everything they have going on, Mom and Dad are both working, or it’s a single parent household, they don’t have a lot of time for meal preparation.”

Associated Foods brought in real chefs to teach the meat departments how to cook the value-added meats, giving employees in the meat departments the training they need to answer any and all questions customers may have about the meat they’re buying.

“You would not believe how many people come in, even little old ladies who’ve been cooking for a hundred years, and ask how to cook a roast,” said Tingey. “These other stores, they don’t do this. They buy some stuff that’s premade, that’s kind of along this line, but the quality is not even close to what we can do in-store.”

Tingey said there are long-term benefits to having knowledgeable employees.

“If we tell these people how to do

Associated Food Stores specialist Jerry Tingey talks about consumer perception of meat during a meat cutting demonstration that accompanied his presentation.

it and they have a good experience, they’re coming back to us to buy their protein.”

Foods sells about 25 million pounds of beef each year. Chicken is a close second at 21 million pounds.

The grocery stores have also found a new, successful way to market beef called Beef Alternative Merchandizing. They sell smaller portions of beef at a lower price. For example, instead of selling an expensive onepound ribeye steak, they sell two smaller steaks that equal about half the weight for about half the price.

This introduces more portion control and makes beef more appealing and affordable for the customer while allowing the store to sell the meat at a sustainable price. Tingey credits this kind of merchandizing with sustaining the beef market through the frequent price changes in the market.

“Chicken is growing and gaining on beef pretty steady every year, because of the price gap,” said Tingey.

According to Tingey, Associated

Associated Foods also sells 12.5 million pounds of pork, 4 million pounds of ham, 360,000 pounds of lamb and veal, 2.5 million pounds of seafood and 5.6 million pounds of turkeys.

Tingey said most of the turkeys are sold in a four to five-week period from early November to mid-December.

According to Tingey, the price gap is the biggest hurdle beef has to overcome. In a price comparison, Tingey showed that beef prices were anywhere from two to three dollars more than pork or chicken.

“There’s a pretty big gap there when you figure the cost,” he said. “The good thing is people still like beef, and they’re still buying beef, even though it’s more expensive. They’re trading down, these other proteins are gaining some ground, but we’re still selling a lot of beef. I think it’s directly because of the work that has been done, up to this point, to promote beef.”

“Those (other) proteins wouldn’t survive that kind of a price increase and hold their market like beef has, so hats off to everybody who’s put money in that checkoff, because it’s paid off.

That and raising good cattle that taste good, because that’s one of the main reasons we sell a lot of beef; people still like it, it’s their favorite protein.”

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

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Custer County Veterinarian Rod Evans pregnancy checks and vaccinates cattle.

Farm Bureau file photo

Food and Drug Administration Releases New Veterinary Feed Directive

By Carrie Veselka The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a new Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD), effective October 1, requiring producers to get a prescription from a veterinarian if they want to administer feedadditive antimicrobial drugs to livestock.

feed efficiency (the animals need less food to gain weight).”

Danielle Gunn, Fort Hall extension educator from the University of Idaho recently gave an in-depth presentation on the new VFD.

According to the FDA, this new directive has two goals: Phase out the use of antimicrobial drugs for food production purposes and to ensure that the use of any antimicrobial drug will require an order or prescription from a licensed veterinarian.

“The proposed federal bill seeks to eliminate beneficial uses of antimicrobials in the livestock industry, which is pretty scary for us as producers,” said Gunn. “It effects how we can treat our animals. This act is actually not supported by scientific data, it would only allow for therapeutic use.”

The FDA defines food production purposes as “the intent of enhancing growth (to make animals grow faster) or to improve

Gunn says the biggest concern with a directive like this is that producers will no longer be able to make preemptive strikes

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Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

against diseases in their animals, but will have to wait until the animals get sick before treating them.

“You wouldn’t be able to give antimicrobials to prevent disease, you’d have to wait until your animals got sick, and then you would treat them,” said Gunn. “We all know that once they get sick, you have to use a lot more antibiotics and a lot more intensive treatment to get them well again, that’s the scary part of the act.”

According to Rod Evans, a veterinarian in Challis, the new rule, effective October 1, makes the most trouble for feedlots.

“Mostly feedlots have been feeding those, mostly the Aureomycin, which is a tet-

A new set of regulations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration restricts use of antibiotics in livestock.

Farm Bureau file photo

racycline,” said Evans. “They are fed in feedlots, primarily, to cut down on liver abscesses and things like that that will affect (the animals’) performance. They’ve basically been able to do that whenever they want to; there were really no regulations on it.”

Things have changed under the new directive.

“In the past, we’ve been able to use several different combinations to help prevent or treat livestock disease, said Gunn. “Some of those combinations are going to be illegal now, since this rule has been implemented, so we won’t have quite as many options out there to treat our livestock.”

Most of the antibiotics and other preventative medicines are over the counter. Under the new rule these medicines are accessible only with a prescription from a licensed veterinarian.

“What brought (the rule) about is the perception that feeding low-level antibiotics is causing a resistance and that in turn is leading to these “super bugs” that are resistant to all of the antibiotics that are being used in humans,” said Evans. “I have never seen any real evidence and I don’t think there is any real evidence that that’s affecting it, that that perception is reality.”

According to Gunn, the risk of a human contracting resistant bacteria from animal products like meat, milk, and eggs is very low.

“I think that the people who are pushing it have a little skewed idea that there’s more indiscriminate feeding of low-level antibiotics than there really is,” said Evans.

“I don’t think you can refute the idea that feeding low-level antibiotics can lead to resistance, but I don’t think that that’s a problem in the food animal world because

there are not a lot of the same drugs used in humans.”

The FDA believes that the scientific knowledge and professional experience of the veterinarians will help ranchers utilize their medications to the fullest extent and assist in identifying the threat and choosing the right medication to fight it.

For producers, this means increased interaction with veterinarians. Ranchers will be required to go through a veterinarian and get a prescription for low-level preventative antibiotics like Aureomycin or other medications used to ward off sickness in their livestock.

This rule, called the Veterinary Client Patient Relationship (VCPR), is already a rule. According to Gunn, some states are going to make their own set of specificaSee FDA REGULATIONS page 10

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

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STALLMAN

Continued from page 2

we all know the importance of protecting our resources. Our livelihoods depend on it.

Whether conventional or organic, we all work hard to produce the highest quality food for our customers as affordably as we can. American farms are growing more food using less water and energy, all while protecting the soil for future crops.

We need to get out there and tell consumers how we’re making

this happen.

We need to tell people in cities and suburbs—cubicle dwellers and factory workers—about the new technology we’re using. They need to know how we are growing more crops on less land with less soil erosion than ever before. Even water use is down thanks to better equipment and genetically modified seeds.

Big data systems let us zero

in on fields to use the exact amount of water, seed and crop protection each crop needs. Average consumers don’t know how practices like conservation tillage are protecting our soil, but we can teach them. We can explain how homegrown fuels like ethanol are cutting greenhouse gas emissions. We can proudly share more about how we rotate our crops and use conservation plans to keep the soil healthy. Cover crops, green

manure, grassland preservation, no-till techniques—all this and more are mysteries to non-farmers.

their stated goal. They don’t care about saving wildlife but they’re willing to make any number of false claims if they think it will help their cause.

Now they’ve shown us they’re not above using human death, grief and trauma, as tools to reach their ends.

Agriculture has a great story of sustainability to share. Conventional and organic alike—we’re keeping America fed and preserving our valuable resources for generations to come. People need to hear it straight from the ones who know it best.

priestley

Continued from page 2

gain from a tragic accident is despicable, sickening and crass.

Cole wrote: “These special laws, written solely to protect a special class of people (ranchers) are responsible for the incident in Adams County on November 1st. It is likely this incident would not have occurred if it was the responsibility of the ranchers to keep livestock off public highways.”

Cole’s written words not only take insensitivity to new heights, they demonstrate a true lack of understanding of open range and the laws of nature.

Open range laws in the West date back to the 1880’s. In a nutshell, the laws state that motorists are liable for accidents with livestock.

However, it’s a fact that even if Idaho never had an open range law on its books, nothing would be different today with regard to this tragedy.

It’s a fact that fences fail nearly every day due to unforeseen circumstances, such as floods, 8

fires, snow drifts, fallen trees, and many others.

It’s a fact that livestock get spooked sometimes and four strands of barbed wire is not going to stop a large range bull if he decides otherwise. The same goes for elk, horses, deer, bears and wolves.

It’s a fact that livestock owners can’t be everywhere they have a fence 24 hours a day seven days a week.

It’s a fact that livestock and wildlife will continue to cross and sometimes dwell on Idaho roads regardless of any law passed by the Idaho Legislature.

It’s a fact that a grand total of zero Idaho livestock owners want their animals out on roads where accidents could happen.

Western Watersheds Project’s stated goal is to remove all livestock from public land. Over the last several years they’ve argued in court against delisting wolves, grizzly bears and various other wildlife and plant species, in order to meet

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

Representative Thomas Dayley, R-Boise calls the IDWR ruling on storage water “an unprecedented attack on the social and economic well-being of our valley.

Lawmakers fight for stored water rights Article and photo by Jake Putnam Nearly a dozen Idaho legislators, both Republican and Democrat, want the Idaho Department of Water Resources to stop counting flood control releases from Boise River reservoirs against their stored water rights.

making sure Treasure Valley water is secure,” added Burgoyne.

This is not a new water issue, irrigators fought the state in two different court cases with support of both parties. They say they’re ready to intervene should Idaho Governor Butch Otter fail to take action.

“Whatever the game being played here is, it has to stop,” said Senator Grant Burgoyne. The lawmakers drew a line in the sand November 5th, at a Statehouse news conference vowing an aggressive fight for water rights.

“The water users in this Valley will take all legal and legislative steps necessary to prevent this unconstitutional taking of their property and secure their water,” said Senator Burgoyne a Democrat from Boise’s District 16.

“The Court has issued a decision on stored rights and the Department of Water Resources must accept and abide by it rather than going against it. All we’re doing is

Idaho Farmers like Lou Murgoitio of Kuna not only feel threatened but vulnerable. He says the economic impact to the Treasure Valley and the economy would be disas-

trous to everyone.

“The amount of money that agriculture puts into state coffers is huge, let alone all the golf courses, the lawns, subdivisions that would run out of water and its monumental, losing that water,” said Murgoitio.

Representative John Gannon of District 17A of Ada County, says he was shocked by the Department of Water Resources decision.

“This refill proposal is an unconscionable and unfair attempt to reduce the water right, which will increase water costs for thousands of homeowners throughout the Treasure Valley,” added Gannon.

See WATER RIGHTS page 10

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

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FDA REGULATIONS Continued from page 7 tions on this part of the VFD rule.

“It’s not clear what Idaho’s going to do at this point in time,” said Gunn, “but what they have to do for minimal type veterinarian relationships is that the veterinarian has to be responsible for making medical judgements regarding animal health and treatment needs and he or she has to examine and diagnose the conditions. The veterinarian will also be responsible for determining if a VFD drug is necessary, and they have to be available for follow up if there are any adverse reactions.”

“It’s going to affect anybody that feeds antibiotics, but as far as antibiotics that are used for treatment on a sick animal, it isn’t going to affect that,” said Evans. He said vaccines and other forms of treatment should also remain under their current guidelines.

This new rule means a few changes are in order for producers. This will require increased contact between veterinarians

and producers, which means an increase in cost. There is now a hard and fast expiration date of six months after the date of issue and products cannot be used once they have expired. There are no refills unless specifically noted by the vet on the script or prescription. Extra-label use, or using the medication for something not specified on the label, is prohibited.

Another significant change incurred under the VFD is that producers are required to keep records of the medications they buy for up to two years. The producer, vet, and feed mill are all required to keep track of purchases for at least two years.

Gunn said that, although the VFD has been in effect since October 1, only three medications are on the watch list at present. There are 200 to 300 over the counter products that will be regulated by the VFD by the time the full procedure comes into effect in January 2017. This gives everyone involved enough time to navigate the logis-

tics of such a big change and finalize the list of VFD medications.

“The best thing to do right now is contact your veterinarian in case you use medicated feed, so you can get on the bandwagon and make sure you don’t delay treatment of your animals for different diseases,” said Gunn. “Begin the conversations early to prevent any treatment delays you might experience.”

More information on the new directive is available at: http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/GuidanceComplianceEnforcement/GuidanceforIndustry/ucm216939. htm http://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/developmentapprovalprocess/ucm071807. htm http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/ SafetyHealth/AntimicrobialResistance/JudiciousUseofAntimicrobials/ucm390429. htm

WATER RIGHTS Continued from page 9 Gannon represents the Boise Bench which has more than 1,000 homes, several schools and three parks that use irrigation water.

“People don’t know this, but the city use of irrigation water helps prevent future water shortages by recharging the ground water,” said Gannon. “Recharge helps minimize depletion of the aquifer to the point that future generations will have water. If we don’t recharge, future growth could be hindered.”.

According to the Idaho Water Users Association, the impacts to homeowners is easy to visualize, lawns and gardens would have to make do without any irrigation water after mid-July. Farmers growing water intensive crops like sugar beets, potatoes, seed crops need water through September.

Golf courses would stop watering mid-season, during the hottest months of summer.

Lawmakers add that this ruling could turn 10

the Treasure Valley brown by the last week of July.

Special Water Master Theodore Booth of the Snake River Basin Adjudication Court ruled October 9th that the water that fills reservoirs following flood control releases is part of existing storage water rights and flood control releases do not count against farmers’ storage water rights.

But six days later, IDWR Director Gary Spackman issued an order in a separate, department-initiated contested case hearing that backs the department’s position on the issue and was issued in direct contradiction to Booths ruling.

Representative Gayle Batt called Spackman’s action an administrative power grab.

“The Idaho Department of Water Resources and its Director are doing some of the most egregious abuses of administrative

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

power I have seen,” Batt said. “IDWR’s actions run directly contrary to water right accounting practices that have been used for more than a century.”

Spackman has not commented on the issue publicly other than the 84-page order, where he wrote that, “Current water right accounting method is consistent with the prior appropriation doctrine and is the best method for efficiently accounting and distributing water and maximizing water use without waste.”

Furthermore, Rep. Batt says the Department of Water Resources ignored an agreement by water users, the State of Idaho and the Federal Government approved by Congress back in 1953. Idaho Lawmakers are drafting legislation to address the grievance when the session starts in January.

Agriculture Deputy Secretary Announces New USDA Plans to Assist New Farmers and Ranchers LOUISVILLE—Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden announced a commitment by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to prioritize $5.6 billion over the next two years within USDA programs and services that serve new and beginning farmers and ranchers. Deputy Secretary Harden also announced a new, tailored web tool designed to connect burgeoning farm entrepreneurs with programs and resources available to help them get started.

“Today’s announcement is symbolic of the evolution of USDA’s efforts to better serve the next generation of farmers and ranchers. What began seven years ago with the recognition that the rapid aging of the American farmer was an emerging challenge has transformed into a robust, transparent, tech-based strategy to recruit the farmers of the future,” said Harden.

The new web tool is available at www. usda.gov/newfarmers. The site was designed based on feedback from new and beginning farmers and ranchers around the country, who cited unfamiliarity with programs and resources as a challenge to starting and expanding their operations. The site features advice and guidance on everything a new farm business owner needs to know, from writing a business plan, to obtaining a loan to grow their business, to filing taxes as a new small business owner. Farmers can use the site’s Discovery Tool to build a personalized set of recommendations of USDA programs and services that

may meet their needs.

Using the new web tool and other outreach activities, and operating within its existing resources, USDA has set a new goal of increasing beginning farmer and rancher participation by an additional 6.6 percent across key USDA programs, which were established or strengthened by the 2014 Farm Bill, for a total investment value of approximately $5.6 billion. Programs were targeted for expanded outreach and commitment based on their impact on expanding opportunities for new and beginning farmers and ranchers, including starting or expanding an operation, developing new markets, supporting more effective farming and conservation practices, and having access to relevant training and education opportunities. USDA will provide quarterly updates on its progress towards meeting its goal.

A full explanation of the investment targets, benchmarks and outcomes is available at: BFR-Commitment-Factsheet.

Deputy Secretary Harden made the announcements during remarks to more than 60,000 attendees at the National FFA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. The National FFA Organization is the largest youth organization in the United States, and focuses on preparing students for a wide range of careers in agriculture, agribusiness and other agriculture-related occupations.

As the average age of the American farmer now exceeds 58 years, and

data shows that almost 10 percent of farmland in the continental United States will change hands in the next five years, we have no time to lose in getting more new farmers and ranchers established. Equally important is encouraging young people to pursue careers in industries that support American agriculture. According to an employment outlook report released by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and Purdue University, one of the best fields for new college graduates is agriculture. Nearly 60,000 high-skilled agriculture job openings are expected annually in the United States for the next five years, yet only 35,000 graduates with a bachelor’s degree or higher in agriculture related fields are expected to be available to fill them. The report also shows that women make up more than half of the food, agriculture, renewable natural resources, and environment higher education graduates in the United States.

Today’s announcement builds on USDA’s ongoing work to engage its resources to inspire a strong next generation of farmers and ranchers by improving access to land and capital; building market opportunities; extending conservation opportunities; offering appropriate risk management tools; and increasing outreach and technical support. To learn more about USDA’s efforts, visit the Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Results Page.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

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Focus on Agriculture GMOs Are Saving Hawaiian Farms and Forests from Extinction

By Joni Kamiya More evidence is cropping up all the time to support the environmentally friendly nature of biotech seeds and crops. As we’ve learned in Hawaii, GM papayas are a great example of how biotechnology keeps forests intact and decreases the amount of pesticides needed to grow marketable fruits. I call this “GMOrganic” because it’s earth-friendly, farmer-friendly and good for the consumer.

Our three-generation farm has been growing papayas since the 1960s and continues to grow these delicious, highly sought after Hawaiian staple. The papaya is a fruit that many locals buy religiously, every week for years. But for a long time, this local favorite was under constant threat.

The papaya ringspot virus was prevalent for decades and managed for a long time by cutting down the infected trees or moving fields. Leaf hopper bugs spread the virus, and no pesticide could stop or control 12

the disease. Once a leaf was bit, the whole tree was infected and would eventually die or become a vector itself. The virus would come and go on the islands, and was managed well for the most part. But with no permanent solution, the virus became more prevalent as time went by. Simply cutting down infected trees or plowing new fields no longer stopped the problem.

Some farmers even relocated to other islands to find refuge but they couldn’t fully escape the problem. No matter what farmers tried, the papaya ringspot disease ravaged fields across our state.

Then, thanks to biotechnology, a new breed of tree came in to save papaya farms from extinction. The GMO solution saved crops by creating a plant that essentially was vaccinated with a weaker form of the virus. A farmer could now grow crops without having to cut down forests to escape the virus. We could once again plant in existing fields without fearing crop failure. GM papayas saved our businesses and

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

helped preserve our vibrant ecosystem.

These stronger trees produce a more consistent supply of papayas, often yielding fruit for up to 5 years. The trees are also less susceptible to other common fungal diseases and consistently provide sweet, juicy fruit in all seasons.

This nutritious breakfast staple is once again on Hawaiian plates, and our customers are happy to have safe affordable fruits available year-round. Lines of eager customers waiting at stores for our papayas are once again a regular occurrence, thanks to biotechnology. Our farm is alive and buzzing, and our fields are green with papaya trees brimming with fruit, ensuring a harvest for years to come.

Joni Kamiya, an avid farm advocate, blogs regularly at www.hawaiifarmersdaughter.com. Her father’s third-generation papaya farm is located on Oahu’s North Shore.

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13

Why a College Education is Important

By Carrie Veselka

nology field.

Jobs in agriculture are expected to increase between five and nine percent over the next seven years, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

An increasingly curious consumer population is calling for an increase of agriculture journalists and public relations representatives, not to mention tech and culture-savvy farmers, who have the ability to effectively communicate with consumers and act as mediators between agriculture and the non-ag world.

Farming as a self-employed occupation is projected to drop 19 percent between now and 2022, due to the increase in technology that enables farmers to accomplish more with less help, according to the OOH. Jobs in food science, animal science, crop science and others are expected to increase. According to the OOH, “Agricultural and food scientists need at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited postsecondary institution, although many get a doctoral degree. Food scientists and technologists and soil and plant scientists typically earn bachelor’s degrees. Most animal scientists earn a Ph.D.” Fields like crop science and soil science are rapidly growing, thanks to new technology that enables scientists to produce better quality crops and helps farmers manage their crops better.

Technology in agriculture is a growing enterprise. Businesses of all kinds compete to produce new products that further refine farming and help farmers increase the yield and quality of their crops and decrease their labor time and costs. Drones, satellite-steered tractors and high-tech milking machines are only a sample of the innovations in the ag-tech14

A college education is invaluable to young men and women planning on taking over the family farm. Running a farm effectively is becoming more difficult and turning a profit even more so. A college education can provide many tools to younger farmers taking the reins.

Larry Makus, Associate Dean and Director of Academic Programs for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Idaho, said a college education is beneficial to both young men and women preparing to take over the family farm and those seeking a job off the farm, yet in the agricultural sector.

He said agriculture means more to the world than just production farming. What he calls the farm-to-fork occupations or the “big picture” are all of the supporting operations that are ag-related like animal science, soil science and agribusiness.

He said the University offers 25 degree programs in agriculture.

“The programs we have prepare people for all aspects of

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

A college degree would help give young farmers access to the most recent innovations in the industry, along with the management experience necessary to running a successful operation.

Farm Bureau file photo

agriculture in this big-picture perspective,” said Makus, “all the way from soil science that helps farmers be more efficient, to agribusiness graduates who work with financing the production agriculture sector, to nutritionists who deal with human nutrition.”

Majoring in agriculture, business, engineering or even economics is helpful to a prospective farmer because the education and experience gained in a professional setting outside the

farm helps broaden perspective and establish a connection with the world outside of agriculture, one that is not going away and is becoming more inquisitive about food production.

A business major is one of the more versatile college majors.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about a fifth (20.5 percent) of the 1.79 million bachelor’s degrees conferred in 2011-12 were in business. According to the Pew Research Center, busi-

In the course of obtaining a degree, ag students learn all about the different aspects of both the crops they grow and the industry they belong to.

Farm Bureau file photo

ness has been the most common major since 1980-81. A business major is helpful to a prospective farmer because of the management skills and social and professional networking that can take place, particularly during college years.

Most colleges, especially those in Idaho, offer an agribusiness major, a more specialized major that focuses on the mastery of business practices in direct relation to agriculture.

Makus said the University has developed majors specially designed for young people interested in returning to the family farm.

“We have majors that are specifically connected to management, which I think is very important in running a family farm,” said Makus. “A couple of examples would be Agribusiness and Ag Systems Management. Both tend to have a management orientation as-

sociated with them, something that I think is very important in a family farm sector, or the production agriculture sector.

Makus said young farmers wanting to return home with a valuable education could choose a more specific major that would help them run an efficient, innovative operation.

“If it’s a crop production farm,” he said, “then a major in soils or a major in plant science might be more appropriate. If it’s a dairy farm, then we have majors in the Animal Science program that are specifically focused on the dairy sector.”

A college education not only results in a greater understanding of the industry and how to improve the home operation, it also can help create a professional network of informed, forward-thinking people in the agricultural sector.

“An education certainly ex-

pands your network to have a better understanding of what the issues are, alternative perspectives on the issues connected to agriculture, and people who are involved or play a significant role in influencing the production agricultural sector,” said Makus. “I think you begin to meet that network of people who will influence your profession in the future, or that will influence the success of your business in the future.”

Beyond the professional level, young farmers who leave both their homes and their comfort zones can start developing a new and ever-growing set of life skills in the classroom that are harder to come by in the familiar farm setting.

“I think it does begin to develop your sense of independence,” said Makus. “You begin to mature, to be your own person. I think it’s an opportunity to get away from home and do that.

To me, that’s an important life skill.”

Makus said it was even more important for young farmers to make an informed choice about their future. He said going away to college helps young people realize all the opportunities the professional world holds.

“I think it opens your eyes to the alternatives that are available. That’s not to say you shouldn’t go back to the family farm, but you should be aware of what the choices are,” said Makus. “Sometimes, when you grow up in a rural area, in an agricultural environment, you are only aware of one or two choices. Whatever one chooses to do, they should know what the choices are, and I think going to college certainly makes it very clear, of all the choices that you have in agriculture, as far as trying to pursue a career is concerned.”

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

15

KELLER

Continued from page 2

The Antifederalists were distressed over the fact that this secret convention, authorized only to modify the Articles of Confederation, had instead established an entirely new form of government. were a very weak agreement.

They included no president, no judicial branch, required a super majority for all decisions, and could not fund any of the resolutions the Confederation passed. The power rested with the individual states. It was not a good government.

The national government was heavily in debt with no source of revenue, as were the individual states. Local rebellions surfaced. An economic depression settled upon the newly foughtfor nation. Disaster was looming in the distance. What was the nation to do? Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress authorized a convention to be assembled in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787 to provide suggestions on tweaking or making adjustments to the Articles to make them more efficient.

The 55 delegates met and instead of fine-tuning the articles, they wrote an entirely new constitution, which 39 delegates signed, endorsing the action.

They agreed to the division of responsibility in the branches of government; executive, legislative, and judicial. They supported a republican form

of government over a direct democracy. As the idiom goes, “the devil was in the details.”

The convention brought up several struggles of epic proportions among the delegates, which were ultimately resolved by a series of compromises.

After the signing came a critical grace period for ratification.

Formally and technically, the number of states required was nine, but everyone knew that if the new republic was to have a chance, the Constitution would have to be ratified by certain key states. Very quickly, national leaders divided into two camps: The Federalists, who supported the new Constitution and the Antifederalists, who opposed it.

The Antifederalists were distressed over the fact that this secret convention, authorized only to modify the Articles of Confederation, had instead established an entirely new form of government. Worse yet, it was a national government, with some of the very centralized features and powers that the Articles of Confederation had been deliberately designed to avoid, preferring instead for power to remain in the hands of

The Federalists wanted a stronger national government and needed the ratification of the Constitution in order to properly manage the debt and tensions following the American Revolution.

16

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

state and local governments.

The Federalists wanted a stronger national government and needed the ratification of the Constitution in order to properly manage the debt and tensions following the American Revolution. The Federalists, in their efforts to secure ratification, published a series of 85 essays entitled “The Federalists.”

The Antifederalists quickly focused their attack on the lack of a “bill of rights.” The country assumed that if the Antifederalist succeeded in sending the Constitution into a second Constitutional convention for revision, there would be no Constitution at all. Once again,

a compromise carried the day, with a proposed list of amendments that Congress would consider after ratification.

Ratification of the Constitution passed and shortly after, the Bill of Rights.

The disparity between the Federalists and Antifederalists continues today. The U.S. Constitution is a compromise between those who want a strong national government and those who wish to limit governmental authority. The U.S. Constitution continues to be tugged from both sides. It has withstood the clash between the two parties for more than 200 years and endures, strong and viable, keeping both sides at bay.

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17

Postfire Reforestation cupies the space is the vegetation you want and planned for.

Reforestation is the process of establishing a new stand of trees on a previously forested site following a disturbance such as fire.

A successful reforestation project requires planning and preparation.

There are two ways to re-establish a stand of trees:

By Yvonne Barkley One of the first activities most people plan after a burn is reforesting their forestland.

As a rule, the more severe the burn, the more likely the need for reforestation. One thing you can count on – empty space will quickly be occupied by vegetation. Your goal is to ensure that the vegetation that oc-

• Natural regeneration is when you let nature handle the job of revegetating a site with trees and depends on the availability of postfire seed, both in surviving species and in soil seedbanks. Though the most cost-effective means of reforesting your property, natural regeneration does not allow for species selection, stocking levels, and spacing. • Artificial regeneration is when you bypass nature and seed or plant the site yourself. In Idaho it is recommended that you plant seedlings - you can select favored species and get a one to five year head start on other plants that will sprout from local seed. Direct seeding is not recommended.

Seed eaten by rodents, birds, and insects

effects success and can incur additional costs for fill-in planting, brush control, and thinning.

Select the species you want to plant It is important to match the species to the site characteristics and management goals.

Review management records to see what species did well and what did not. Consider soil type, amount of precipitation, slope aspects, and frost pockets. This is the time to review your management objectives as well. Timber production goals will have different criteria than other objectives such as riparian or wildlife habitat management.

Select the type of stock you want to use Planting stock comes in two basic forms.

Bareroot stock is grown in nursery seedbeds, lifted, and transplanted to field sites.

This type of stock has no rootball of soil around the roots, is the most commonly found reforestation stock, and is usually available in larger sizes at a lower cost.

Bareroot stock is susceptible to stresses such as heating and drying during storage and shipping.

Plug, or container grown, stock is grown in containers and removed, soil and all, from the container and stored. This type of stock is becoming more readily available, though usually costs more than bareroot seedlings. Containerized seedlings tend to experiences less transplant shock and more frost heaving than bareroot trees.

Determine the number of trees you will need The number of trees you will need will vary depending on burn severity, management objectives, and site characteristics.

Idaho landowners must meet Idaho Forest Practices Act reforestation standards, an activity regulated by the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL). Details can be found at the IDL website at: http://www.idl. idaho.gov/forestry/fpa/index.html

Store seedlings in their original boxes in a cool environment until ready to plant.

Photo Courtesy of the USDA Forest Service

18

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

Tree planting recommendations are usually offered as number of trees/acre or as

a specified spacing; recommendations not very useful to landowners who are facing areas with a mosaic of burn severities.

Restocking your land to mimic pre-burn densities is not a good guideline either chances are good to excellent that you had too many trees/acre before the burn – most people do.

Reforestation companies commonly plant 435 trees/acre at 10’ x 10’ spacing on clearcut sites with harsh conditions such as south- or west-facing aspects or high animal depredation. Numbers decrease when you have residual trees and/or better conditions. A distance of 16-feet between trees will give you approximately 170 trees/acre; 20-foot spacing will result in 110 trees/ acre.

Using your management objectives, site characteristics, and your state’s reforestation requirements, determine the number of trees/acre at maturity and subtract the number of residual trees/acre. Add 10% to compensate for mortality - 25% if the site is particularly challenging.

Order trees When ordering reforestation stock order early to get the number and species of trees you want. Trees that are grown from seed gather at sites with similar conditions to yours will do better. The most commonly used criteria for matching seed zones in the Inland Northwest is elevation, and reputable nurseries should be able to tell you at what elevation their seed was collected for each species.

Prepare the site Even low intensity burns will leave you with partially prepared seedbeds by decreasing or removing duff layers and competing vegetation and exposing mineral soil. Treat weeds and any remaining undesirable vegetation before planting.

Plant Spring planting conditions are optimal when soil temperatures are 40oF at a depth of four to six inches, but many reforestation projects start as soon as sites are accessible to take advantage of spring moisture.

Spades, shovels, and hoedads are the tree planters’ tools of choice.

Photo courtesy of Bugwood.org

When trees arrive, gently handle boxes to prevent damage. Open boxes to make sure roots are moist and store in a cool place in the original packaging. If you need to store seedlings for a week or more, put boxes in refrigerated storage at temperatures as close to 35o F as possible.

Take as many boxes out to the site as you can plant in one day, keeping boxes and bundles of seedlings out of direct sunlight.

FYI - seedlings in tarp-covered boxes will

be hotter than if placed in direct sun; heavy shade under exiting trees is best. If there is no shade, store boxes under a tarp suspended at least three feet above boxes so air can circulate freely.

When possible, choose planting areas on the north- or east-sides of stumps and logs, which will provide some protection from direct sun. Dig a good hole. Planting holes See UI FORESTRY page 25

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

19

20

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

County Happenings The University of Idaho Collegiate Farm Bureau recently sponsored a professor discussion meet at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in Moscow. Professors Garth Tayler from the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Jack Brown – Agricultural Plant Science, Gordon Murdoch – Department of Animal and Veterinary Science, and John Hammell – Former Dean of CALS all participated in the discussion meet. The topic that was chosen by Collegiate Farm Bureau President Logan Zepp was: “How can we influence state and local policy that more effectively balances the social and economic interests of farmers and ranchers versus burdensome federal regulation?”

About 50 students attended the event. The judges were Bob Callihan, former IFBF state director, Joshua Jones, Moscow area farmer, and Idaho Farm Bureau North Idaho Regional Manager Bob Smathers. The competition was very close. The winner of the discussion meet was Dr. Gordon Murdoch.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

21

Thanksgiving Dinner Up a Tad, to Just Over $50 WASHINGTON, D.C., November 19, 2015 — The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 30th annual informal price survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $50.11, a 70-cent increase from last year’s average of $49.41.

The big ticket item – a 16-pound turkey – came in at a total of $23.04 this year. That’s roughly $1.44 per pound, an increase of less than 9 cents per pound, or a total of $1.39 per whole turkey, compared to 2014.

“Retail prices seem to have stabilized quite a bit for turkey, which is the centerpiece of the meal in our marketbasket,” AFBF Deputy Chief Economist John Anderson said. “There were some production 22

disruptions earlier this year due to the highly pathogenic Avian influenza outbreak in the Midwest. Turkey production is down this year but not dramatically. Our survey shows a modest increase in turkey prices compared to last year. But we’re now starting to see retailers feature turkeys aggressively for the holiday.

According to USDA retail price reports, featured prices fell sharply just last week and were actually lower than last year,” he added.

The AFBF survey shopping list includes turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a relish tray of carrots and celery, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and beverages of coffee and milk, all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of 10.

There is also plenty for leftovers.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

Foods showing the largest increases this year in addition to turkey were pumpkin pie mix, a dozen brown-nserve rolls, cubed bread stuffing and pie shells. A 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix was $3.20; a 14-ounce package of cubed bread stuffing, $2.61; and two nine-inch pie shells, $2.47.

“Despite concerns earlier this fall about pumpkin production due to wet weather, the supply of canned product will be adequate for this holiday season,” Anderson said.

Items that declined modestly in price were mainly dairy items including one gallon of whole milk, $3.25; a combined group of miscellaneous items, including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal (butter, evaporated milk, onions,

Year

Average

1986

$28.74

1987

$24.51

1988

$26.61

1989

$24.70

1990

$28.85

1991

$25.95

1992

$26.39

1993

$27.49

1994

$28.40

1995

$29.64

1996

$31.66

1997

$31.75

1998

$33.09

1999

$33.83

2000

$32.37

2001

$35.04

2002

$34.56

2003

$36.28

2004

$35.68

2005

$36.78

2006

$38.10

2007

$42.26

2008

$44.61

2009

$42.91

2010

$43.47

2011

$49.20

2012

$49.48

2013

$49.04

2014

$49.41

2015

$50.11

eggs, sugar and flour), $3.18; a half pint of whipping cream, $1.94; and 12 ounces Year Average of fresh cranberries, $2.29. A one-pound relish tray of carrots 1986 $28.74and celery (79 cents) and one pound of green peas ($1.52) also decreased slightly in price.

1987 $24.51 The average cost of the dinner has remained $49 since 2011. This 1988around $26.61 year’s survey totaled over $50 for the first time.1989 $24.70 “America’s farmers and ranchers are able to provide 1990 a bounty $28.85of food for a classic Thanksgiving dinner that many of us look1991 forward $25.95 to all year,” Anderson said.

“We are fortunate to be able to provide a special holiday$26.39 meal for 10 people for just 1992 over $5 per serving.”

The1993 stable average $27.49price reported this year by Farm Bureau for a classic Thanksgiving dinner tracks closely with 1994 $28.40 the government’s Consumer Price Index for food at home. For October, the 1995eaten$29.64 most recent month available, the food at home CPI posted a 0.7 percent increase 1996 $31.66 compared to a year ago (available online at http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.

1997 $31.75 nr0.htm).

A total of 138 $33.09 volunteer shoppers checked 1998 prices at grocery stores in 32 states. Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers are asked to look1999 for the $33.83 best possible prices, without taking advantage of special promo2000 tional coupons$32.37 or purchase deals, such as spending $50 and receiving a free turkey.

2001 $35.04 Shoppers with an eye for bargains in all areas of the country should be able to 2002individual $34.56menu items at prices purchase comparable to the Farm Bureau survey 2003 Another $36.28 averages. option for busy families without a lot of time to cook is ready2004 $35.68 meals for up to 10 to-eat Thanksgiving people, with all the trimmings, which are available supermarkets and take2005at many $36.78 out restaurants for around $50 to $75. $38.10 The2006 AFBF survey was first conducted in 1986. While Farm Bureau does not make any 2007 scientific $42.26 claims about the data, it is an informal gauge of price trends around the 2008 nation. Farm Bureau’s survey menu $44.61 has remained unchanged since 1986 to allow 2009 for consistent price comparisons. $42.91

2010

$43.47

2011

$49.20

Item

2014 Price 2015 Price Difference

Misc. ingredients

3.48

3.18

-.30

Sweet potatoes, 3 lbs.

3.56

3.57

+.01

Whipping cream, 1/2 pint

2.00

1.94

-.06

Milk, 1 gallon whole

3.76

3.25

-.51

Pumpkin pie mix, 30 oz.

3.12

3.20

+.08

1-pound relish tray (carrots and celery)

.82

.79

-.03

Green peas, 1 lb.

1.55

1.52

-.03

Cubed stuffing, 14 oz.

2.54

2.61

+.07

16-pound turkey

21.65

23.04

+1.39

Fresh cranberries, 12 oz.

2.34

2.29

-.05

Pie shells (2)

2.42

2.47

+.05

Rolls, 12

2.17

2.25

+.08

TOTAL

49.41

50.11

+.70

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

23

Grain Marketing with Clark Johnston

Watch for Marketing Opportunities When None Seem Evident

By Clark Johnston December is usually a month without much new news or excitement in the grain industry. The push to meet the holiday demand is over and buyers and processors are looking at sliding into the holiday. Most years it is a challenge to get them to start anything new but, that doesn’t mean it can’t be accomplished.

Sometimes our opportunities present themselves when it looks as though nothing is there. When everyone else is idling into the end of the year let’s look at the market as if there is an opportunity for us to fill even a small void in demand.

Keep an eye on the Chicago March wheat futures. We have traded up into the $5.25 to $5.30 range twice since the first of October. This would be a level that if for whatever reason we move to once again we should take a serious look at and contract some of our inventory.

With the local basis for soft white stalling out this could be as good as it gets for a few months. Basis has strengthened again this year from the first of July until now making four out of the past four years we have followed this trend. And remember we should always have a price level in mind to make an offer or contract as soon as the market reaches that point.

With market prices depressed it will be very important for us to take the emotion out of our marketing plan and contract when we reach our price objective. Don’t be one of those marketers that when the prices rally and reach the level we earlier 24

set says, “I wonder how much higher the market will go?” Usually when we hesitate like this we will lose the opportunity the market has just presented us with.

Let’s take a look now at our 2016 crop. All indications are that we are currently swimming in wheat and should continue to have a large supply as we move into the 2016 crop. Chicago futures have a 28 cent carry from March 2016 and December 2016 futures. This may not be a full carry in the market but, it is telling us that supplies will be ample to meet to demand.

With this in mind we need to keep an eye on the new crop futures. Our opportunity to contract new crop wheat at a level that will help us be profitable just may be between now and late spring. This has the potential to be another year in which separating the futures and basis when marketing will pay us big dividends.

Over the past few years we have seen Chicago December futures move lower from June into the end of November. This year followed the same trend. We should look for any rally in the futures that will give us our opportunity to lock in the futures whether we do that with a futures only contract at the elevator or simply selling a futures contract on the board.

By doing so we would then set our basis level at a later date. New crop bids usually have the lowest basis levels for the year and we have seen soft white basis strengthen from spring into the end of the year the past five years. By locking in the futures early and then keeping track of the basis we will have an opportunity for additional

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

Clark Johnston income.

However, it is important to keep in mind the amount of cash needed to enter into a futures position. This doesn’t mean that the money needed to trade futures is lost and gone forever but rather you will need money to meet margin requirements while you are waiting for the basis to strengthen.

Don’t let this keep you from utilizing these types of strategies in your marketing plan.

When you start just enter into small positions. This will let you learn just how effective this type of marketing will be on a percentage of your crop. We should always remember to diversify when writing our marketing plan. I know that many producers are already diversifying your marketing as you sell portions of your crop at different time of the year. If you are already doing this it won’t be that big of a stretch to implement one more strategy into the plan.

I am grateful for the opportunity to associate with all of you throughout this past year. I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Clark Johnston is a grain marketing specialist who is on contract with the Idaho Farm Bureau. He is the owner of JC Management Company in Northern Utah. He can be reached at clark@jcmanagement. net

UI Forestry

Continued from page 19

should be twice as wide and as deep as the root system or plug.

Spades, shovels, and hoedads are the tree planters’ tools of choice – dibbles are not recommended.

Maintenance Expect weeds. They will be most abundant in areas that were severely burned, adjacent to established weed populations, and/or in poor condition before the burn. Pay special attention to riparian areas, as they typically have richer and moister soils and are able to support a greater diversity of plant species.

Weed control methods include hand treatments, herbicide applications, biological controls, and changes in grazing prescriptions, with the most commonly used being chemical control.

More information Request a copy of After the Burn: Assessing and Managing Your Forestland After a Wildfire from yvonnec@uidaho.edu Yvonne Barkley is an associate extension forester for the University of Idaho. She can be reached at yvonnec@uidaho.edu

Expect weeds, such as spotted knapweed to attempt to establish after a fire.

Photo courtesy of Tim Prather, UI Extension

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

25

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Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

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Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

27

Many northern Idaho landowners are trying to schedule salvage logging from fires that burned last summer.

Landowners Scramble to Salvage Timber After North Idaho Fires

By Carrie Veselka Landowners in northern Idaho are struggling to salvage any burned timber they can after the fires in August and September decimated stands all over the area.

Tom Mosman, a farmer/rancher near Craigmont, lost a lot of timber in the summer fires. He said the demand for loggers is high, with everyone trying to salvage what they can from the wreckage.

“There’s a lot of burned wood in the area,” said Mosman. “The mills have worked really hard and they’re all trying to take the burned wood and get it used up, but there’s just so much of it, all the loggers are busy cutting burned wood. There’s more burned wood then there are loggers, I guess.”

Mosman said waiting on the loggers was his only option. “I’m a farmer/rancher, but I’m not a logger,” said Mosman. “A lot of it needs to have line machines, and of course we don’t have any of that. Plus, we’re slammed doing our regular work and the 28

window is getting pretty short with winter coming on.”

Mosman said most of the pine will be spoiled by spring, so if any good is to be made of it they have to get it out before winter. He said 40 to 50 percent of the burned timber on his land is pine, so if they lost even the salvage value they would take a terrible hit. The spruce that makes up the rest of their burned range should maintain its quality until next spring or summer.

Some salvaged timber can be still be turned into useable lumber, but if it’s too damaged, mills can only turn it into cheap biomass fuel, also called hog fuel. According to Mosman, burned lumber cannot be turned into pulp, so a limited lumber market and hog fuel is all that the burned timber will be good for.

“The mills know how to take care of burned timber,” said Mosman. “They do it a lot. I’ve talked to a couple mills and they’re all pushing to get as much of this

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

burned wood as they can. ” The Idaho Forest Group has been really good about trying to get loggers in here to take care of this. All the local mills are doing what they can, but there’s just so much this year.”

Mosman said landowners in the area are working together to help the timber salvage move along as quickly and smoothly as possible.

“We’ve met with numerous different loggers and all of the landowners are on the same page,” said Mosman. “It would be a pretty good bunch of wood and there is a lot of logging here with all the neighbors; it’s just crunch time now, trying to get someone to do the logging for us.”

There are many facets to the timber salvage process. First, every timber extraction must be documented with the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL). JoAnne Anderson of the Kamiah IDL office said that all IDL does, as far as timber salvage on private land goes, is paperwork and a little

before it comes to your property, to remove as much weed seed as possible,” said Schnepf. “Put that into a written timber sale contract.”

Schnepf said vigilance was key to preventing invasive species from taking root in fire-damaged areas.

“Monitor the timber sale and associated access roads after the sale for weeds and control new patches as promptly after they are discovered,” said Scnhepf.

Replanting grasses is a good way to keep weeds from taking over, according to Schnepf. He advises seeding roadsides with grasses and other plants. Different rules apply in areas where seedling trees are planted.

Sometimes the only option for marketing burned timber is as biomass fuel.

extra advice, if the landowner wants it. The only thing the IDL needs is the paperwork; as far as the actual salvage and sale, that’s all up to the landowner. They make their own arrangements for an operator to extract the timber and get it to the mill.

There are forestry specialists at the Kamiah, Orofino and Craigmont offices that can provide general forestry information to landowners to help them safely extract their timber.

“These three guys would go over the rules and regulations and what (landowners) need to do in order to get trees off their property and what they’d need to do as far as planting trees back after the harvest,” said Anderson.

supervise their work, among many other services.”

Schnepf said consulting foresters are also a helpful resource when landowners have large areas to reforest because they can help landowners line up planting crews and look at cost-share funding that may be available through agencies.

Schnepf also gave a few tips for working in a recently burned area and making the best recovery possible.

When working in a recently burned area, invasive species are always a major concern. Schnepf offered a few ways to avoid bringing weed seed into a burned area.

“Have logging equipment pressure washed

“Avoid seeding grass in areas where tree regeneration is desired unless it is a highly erodible slope—grass competes very effectively with new tree seedlings, especially on drier sites,” said Schnepf.

According to Schnepf, landowners should order desired tree seedlings as early as possible, since supplies of desired seedling species and sizes may be gone by planting time.

Schnepf said that new seedlings will need extra protection against elk or deer, especially on sites that coincide with winter range and that livestock should be kept out of planted areas until trees are shoulder high because concentrated livestock can trample young trees.

Chris Schnepf, a forestry expert in the University of Idaho’s forestry extension program said landowners should work with qualified forestry consultants to get their timber out without further damaging the burned land.

“Most consulting foresters supervise many timber sales each year and can supervise the job to make sure it is done in accordance with the landowners’ expectations and Idaho Forest Practice laws,” said Schnepf. “A consulting forester can serve as the landowners legal representative, can shop around for the best prices for logs, Fires burned thousands of acres of timber in northern Idaho last summer. Landowners are currently help the landowner choose a logger and attempting to salvage as much as they can.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

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Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

American farm bureau federation news WOTUS Guidance Would Result in Continued Confusion, Chaos WASHINGTON, D.C., - If federal agencies are left the task of developing implementation guidance for the Waters of the U.S. rule, the result will be a continuation of the rule’s “liabilities, confusion and chaos.”

Issuing guidance can’t fix a broken rule, according to a letter the American Farm Bureau Federation and other farm groups sent to members of the Senate who voted to oppose bipartisan legislation (S. 1140) seeking to revise the rule.

The groups encouraged the Senators to support any new ef-

fort in the Senate “to direct the agencies not to implement this rule and initiate a new, more responsible, balanced and lawful rulemaking.”

According to the letter, if the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers are allowed to issue guidance for the implementation of the WOTUS rule, such guidance will be of no assistance to address the rules flaws, since many stem directly from the language used by the agencies in the final rule.

The final WOTUS rule con-

tains “flaws and ambiguities that create confusion and uncertainty rather than provide clarity,” according to the letter.

The rule also includes “vague terms and concepts, despite the numerous comments received” and fails to define a number of key terms that are “critical for determining whether a feature is a regulated ‘water of the United States.’”

The letter pointed out that the confusion and inconsistencies will produce similar results in the field and the nation’s courts.

Already, the rule is has been

challenged in multiple district and appeals courts in lawsuits brought by many dozens of states and stakeholders across the country.

The final rule’s issues are not superficial, interpretational matters that can be corrected through guidance, the letter states. Guidance “will not stop agency overreach as the rule language itself is what matters; agency personnel now and in the future and the legal system will ultimately rely on what the law says, as it is now stated in the final rule.”

AFBF Statement on New Speaker of the House WASHINGTON, D.C., “We’re excited to learn that Paul Ryan has been chosen to be speaker of the House of Representatives. Speaker Ryan has been a faithful friend of farmers and ranchers in his time in Congress. He has supported

sensible changes in enforcement of the Endangered Species Act, backed open and fair trade with the rest of the world, fought chronic overreach by the Environmental Protection Agency and has been working to bring needed relief on the

tax burden farmers and ranchers face.

“We have repeatedly called for pragmatism and bipartisan cooperation in Washington, and our new speaker has a record of delivering just those things.

We look forward to working closely with the speaker and his leadership team to move the policy and fiscal reforms important to agriculture forward.”

Big Data Brings Farmers Rewards, Risks WASHINGTON, D.C., - Farmers and ranchers see tremendous benefits with technology, but can’t turn a blind eye to the privacy concerns that remain, Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst told the House Agriculture Committee.

Hurst, a board member of the American Farm Bureau Federation, was asked to testify on innovation and its implications for agriculture.

“The big data movement--and the innovative technologies and analytics it yields--could

lead to at least as much change in agriculture as the Green Revolution and the adoption of biotechnology did,” Hurst said.

“Farmers are reporting higher yields, fewer inputs, more efficiency and higher profits thanks to technology.”

While farmers are eager to adopt these groundbreaking tools, they are not willing to simply hand over their sensitive business information - nor should they have to. Farmers have the right to know what information is collected, how

exactly their data is used and who else has access to it. “It’s then up to farmers to determine whether the benefits outweigh the privacy and security risks associated with usage,” Hurst said.

These concerns are best resolved through private partnerships where farmers can work directly with businesses to address problems and find workable solutions. “If we rely on the government to make changes, the undue overhead might irreversibly deter inno-

vation,” Hurst said.

AFBF has led the way in addressing big data concerns and recently joined with other industry players to produce a set of principles to govern data privacy and security. AFBF and its partners are currently developing tools to help farmers evaluate privacy agreements and data storage options.

When farmers and businesses work together, Hurst told the committee, they can “expand their return on investment and unlock the power of ag data.”

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

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Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

IDAHO FFA EXCELS AT NATIONAL FFA CONVENTION Idaho FFA Members Earn Recognition in 23 Career Development Events Congratulations to FFA members representing Idaho and earning recognition in National FFA Career Development Events (CDEs) October 27—31 in Louisville, KY. CDEs provide competitive learning activities that help students develop the abilities to think critically, communicate clearly, and perform effectively in a competitive job market. Teams and individuals representing Idaho on the national level earned the right to compete by placing first at the state level earlier in the year.

Congratulations to Idaho’s top placing team, Kuna FFA’s 1st Place NATIONAL CHAMPION Farm Business Management Team. Pictured from left are Macy Hagler, Megan Berheim, Mr. Joe Blackstock, Kuna FFA Advisor, Eric Ball, and Calvin Baker. Calvin Baker was 6th High Individual in the event and Eric Ball was 8th.

Here are the rankings for all Idaho participants:  Agricultural Communications – Preston FFA

Chapter, 2nd Place—Gold Award, and Kendal May 4th High Individual  Agricultural Issues Forum – American Falls FFA Chapter, 4th Place—Gold Award  Agricultural Sales – Madison FFA Chapter, Silver Award  Agricultural Technology and Mechanical Systems – Nampa FFA Chapter, Silver Award  Agronomy – Kuna FFA Chapter, 7th Place— Gold Award  Creed Speaking – Ryan Clements, Fruitland FFA Chapter, Silver Award  Dairy Cattle Evaluation and Management –

Middleton FFA Chapter, Silver Award

 Dairy Cattle Handlers' Activity – Leah

Stouder, Wendell FFA Chapter, Gold Award

 Environmental and Natural Resources –

Rigby FFA Chapter, 6th Place—Gold Award

 Extemporaneous Public Speaking – Caleb

Johnston, New Plymouth FFA Chapter, Bronze Award  Farm Business Management – Kuna FFA Chapter, 1st Place—Gold Award, and Calvin Baker, 6th High Individual and Eric Ball, 8th High Individual  Floriculture – Cambridge FFA Chapter, 10th Place—Gold Award, Bret Kindall, 1st High Individual  Food Science and Technology – Meridian FFA Chapter, 8th Place—Gold Award, and Kirsten Forster, 7th High Individual and Clayton Christensen, 9th High Individual  Forestry – Jerome FFA Chapter, Silver Award  Horse Evaluation – Meridian FFA Chapter, 9th Place— Bret Kindall, Gold Award, Lauren Cambridge FFA— Anderson, 8th High 1st High Individual Individual in  Livestock Evaluation – Floriculture Kimberly FFA Chapter, 7th Event.

Place—Gold Award, and Cecily Coleman, 7th High Individual  Marketing Plan – Homedale FFA Chapter, Bronze Award  Meats Evaluation and Technology – Fruitland FFA Chapter, Silver Award  Milk Quality and Products – Fruitland FFA Chapter, 9th Place—Gold Award  Nursery/Landscape – Cambridge FFA Chapter, Silver Award  Parliamentary Procedure – Meridian FFA Chapter, 6th Place—Gold Award  Prepared Public Speaking – Madison Fisher, Homedale FFA Chapter, Bronze Award  Veterinary Science – Meridian FFA Chapter, 6th Place—Gold Award, Madison Bloom, 2nd High Individual

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

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Temperate Weather Increases Vole Damage

MOSCOW, Idaho – Voles are causing widespread problems for farmers, ranchers and homeowners this fall across much of southern Idaho.

These rodents damage trees and shrubs by gnawing on the bark and, when present in large numbers, cause significant damage to crops, including hay, grain and pasture.

Voles have short legs and tails, heavy bodies, coarse brown or gray fur and small, round ears.

Voles are typically 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 inches long, including the tail.

“It’s a big problem in southern Idaho,” said Ronda Hirnyck, University of Idaho Extension pesticide specialist in Boise. “The populations have increased because of mild winters, reaching almost catastrophic levels in some areas.”

Recent mild winters appear to have allowed more voles to survive. Prospects for continued warm weather with abundant forage available from timely rains seem to signal that the problem isn’t likely to go away anytime soon, she added.

Voles can be a problem year around, even causing damage under snow cover. Autumn is an optimum time to control voles because fresh, green vegetation is not as readily available for feeding, so they are more likely to consume bait.

34

“Winter wheat is sprouting and everything else is drying up,” Hirnyck said. “The voles love succulent, green vegetation, so they’re attracted to fall crops and pastures be

out of reach of children, pets and non-target animals. Good target sites include vole runways, underground in vole holes or in enclosed bait stations, which are required for some baits.

In the spring it’s the same story: Large fields of young plants present a banquet.

When zinc phosphide comes in contact with moisture, it acts rapidly by releasing lethal phosphine gas inside the animal’s stomach.

Zinc phosphide should not be used when precipitation is expected.

Anticoagulant baits act more slowly and may require multiple feedings for adequate control. The UI Extension team recommends alternating types of baits used in an area for vole control.

“Everything is palatable to them: sugar beets, green beans, alfalfa, corn, wheat and barley,” Hirnyck said.

For farmers or homeowners noticing plants with clipped leaves or gnawed bark, fall and spring offer the best times to try to control vole numbers.

Hirnyck and UI Extension colleagues Danielle Gunn, Fort Hall agricultural Extension educator, and Glenn Shewmaker, Extension forage specialist, issued recommendations for vole-control options. Their recommendations are online at www.cals.uidaho.edu/edComm/pdf/PNW/ PNW0627.pdf In addition to mowing ditches and clearing weeds and debris from vole-infested areas, the UI Extension team’s recommendations include proper use of zinc phosphide baits or others with anticoagulant chemicals.

Some baits are restricted use pesticides, which require a pesticide applicator license. Other baits can be purchased from farm supply, home and garden stores. All baits should be used with caution and placed in areas where they are

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

A detailed publication on vole control can be found online at: www. cals.uidaho.edu/edComm/pdf/ PNW/PNW0627.pdf A short factsheet on vole control can be found online at: http:// w w w.c a l s.u id a ho.e d u /e d Comm/pdf/CIS/CIS1214.pdf.

A table of registered pesticides for vole control can be found online at: http://www.uidaho.edu/~/ media/Files/Extension/IPM/ Rodenticide-table-PNW-627. ashx

USDA Safety-Net Programs Trigger for Idaho Farmers

USDA Idaho Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director, Mark Samson announced that approximately 1600 or 13% of Idaho farms who enrolled in the new safety-net programs

established by the 2014 Farm Bill will soon begin receiving financial assistance for the 2014 crop year. The programs, known as Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), are designed to protect against unexpected drops in crop prices or revenues due to market downturns.

“These new safety-net programs provide help when price and revenues fall below normal, unlike the previous direct payments program that provided funds even in good years,” said Samson. “For example, many Idaho wheat growers experienced revenue prices below the established guarantee for wheat in their county. Idaho also has 23 counties who harvest corn and these counties experienced a 30.1 percent drop in price below the historical benchmark price established by the ARCCO program. For these counties payment distribution began in October. However, in counties where revenue from a combination of price and yield were the same or higher, no financial assistance occurred.”

No Idaho crops with a final marketing year average price calculated to date will receive PLC payments. Pulse crops could trigger payments once final marketing year average prices are determined.

“Other crops that fell below the established guarantee included barley and oats. This is not a full list of the crops,” said Sam-

son. “Payments by county can vary because crops and average county yields will differ.”

Statewide, 2,768 farms participated in ARC-County for all crops; 7760 farms participated

Food & Ag Resource Guide for Educators Available

The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture has released a new Food & Ag Resource Guide, a curated list that features top recommended resources by age group. The guide is designed to encourage agricultural literacy for young rural and urban students and to teach them about the importance of agriculture.

The resource guide is intended

in PLC for all crops; 1,936 participated in ARC-County for some crops and PLC on others.

As of November 5th, PLC payments have not triggered because the effective price of the covered commodities has been

higher than the respective reference price for that commodity.

More details on the price and yield information used to calculate the financing assistance from the safety-net programs is available on the FSA website at

to offer an easy way for educators and ag literacy coordinators to find the latest resources on the web. http://www.agfoundation.org/ag-resourceguide

deadline for compliance of Dec. 31 could also affect farmers.

All ag retailers, including those that sell anhydrous ammonia to farmers, will be required to comply with process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals regulations. The regs previously only applied to manufacturers of products like ammonia.

OSHA Exemption Change Harmful to Farmers

An Occupational Safety and Health Administration change in the interpretation of an exemption for ag retailers with a

The change was made by OSHA without talking to anyone from the industry, especially farmers, according to AFBF’s Kristi

www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc.

To view Idaho maps for ARCCounty go to www.fsa.usda. gov/id and select ARC-Co Maps.

Boswell. Farmers are the top users of anhydrous ammonia and will feel an economic pinch because “the cost has to go somewhere” explained Boswell. Many retail facilities are expected to bear compliance costs of more than $100,000 according to an industry survey.

Farm Bureau and a coalition of agriculture groups are pressing lawmakers and industry stakeholders for either a deadline extension or a retraction of the memo announcing the change.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

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FARM BUREAU COMMODITY REPORT GRAIN PRICES

Portland:

White Wheat 11% Winter 14% Spring Oats

Ogden:

White Wheat 11% Winter 14% Spring Barley

Blackfoot/ Idaho Falls:

White Wheat 11.5% Winter 14% Spring Hard White

Burley:

White Wheat 11% Winter 14% Spring Barley

Nampa:

White Wheat (cwt) (Bushel)

Lewiston:

White Wheat H. Red Winter Dark N. Spring Barley

10/23/2015

11/17/2015

Trend

5.20-5.59 5.75-5.89 6.23-6.58 260.00

4.83-5.40 5.48-5.68 6.10-6.50 265.00

- .34 to - .19 - .27 to - .02 - .13 to - .08 + 5.00

5.30 4.45 5.58 6.88

5.18 4.28 5.40 6.98

- .12 - .17 - .18 + .10

5.00 4.10 5.10 4.65

4.95 4.00 5.00 4.55

-

.05 .10 .10 .10

5.05 4.10 4.88 6.10

5.00 3.94 4.80 6.00

-

.05 .16 .08 .10

9.28 5.57

9.33 5.60

+ .05 + .03

5.25 5.60 6.23 136.50

5.10 5.33 6.10 131.50

-

.15 .27 .13 5.00

LIVESTOCK PRICES

Feeder Steers

Under 500 lbs 500-700 lbs 700-900 lbs Over 900 lbs

Feeder Heifers Under 500 lbs 500-700 lbs 700-900 lbs Over 900 lbs

Holstein Steers Under 700 lbs Over 700 lbs

Cows

Utility/Commercial Canner & Cutter

Stock Cows

Bulls

Slaughter

BEAN PRICES: Pinto Pink Small Red Garbanzo

10/23/2015

11/17/2015

Trend

210-300 160-237 145-193 120-170

180-265 150-220 135-188 100-149

-

30 10 10 20

280-269 150-223 135-180 120-164

160-250 141-196 130-167 107-142

-

120 to - 16 9 to - 27 5 to - 13 13 to - 22

110-180 118-140

102-150 89-137

- 8 to - 30 - 29 to - 3

61-94 50-79

57-84 51-76

- 4 to - 10 - 1 to - 3

850-1700

975-1325

+ 125 to - 375

72-120

75-115

+ 3 to - 5

20.00 Not Established 33.00-35.00 29.00-30.00

22.00 Not Established 33.00-35.00 29.00-30.00

+ 2.00 N.A. Steady Steady

Compiled by the Idaho Farm Bureau Commodity Division 36

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

to to to to

-

35 17 5 21

IDaho Hay Report

USDA Market News, Moses Lake, WA November 13, 2015

Tons: 1860 Last Week: 6100 Last Year: 9000 Compared to last Friday, Supreme, Premium and Good Alfalfa steady in a light test. Trade slow this week with continued light demand. Exporters continue to look for covered hay, with producers sorting out bottom bales. Retail/feed store/horse not tested this week. All prices are dollars per ton and FOB the farm or ranch unless otherwise stated.

Potatoes & Onions

UPPER VALLEY, TWIN FALLS-BURLEY DISTRICT, IDAHO---Shipments 687718-707 (includes exports of 2-4-2) ---Movement expected to decrease slightly as Thanksgiving business starts to wind down. Trading baled very active, others moderate. Prices Burbank baled slightly higher, others slightly lower. Russet Burbank U.S. One baled 10-5 pound film bags non size A mostly 6.00; 50-pound carton 40-50s mostly 8.00-9.00, 60s mostly 8.50-9.00, 70s mostly 9.00-10.00, 80-100s mostly 10.00.

Norkotah Russet U.S. One baled 10-5 pound film bags non size A mostly 5.50-6.00; 50-pound carton 40-70s mostly 7.00-8.00, 80-100s mostly 9.00.The traditionally two biggest shipments weeks of the season are behind us and shipments are down from last year. Week ending 11-07-2015 718,093 cwt, 11-08-2014 768,043 cwt, 11-152015 707,190 cwt, and 11-15-2014 800,655 cwt.

5 Year Grain Comparison

Grain Prices.................11/17/2011....................11/26/2012....................11/22/2013...................11/19/2014...................11/17/2015 Portland: White Wheat..................... 5.92 ............................No Bid............................. 7.11 ...........................6.92 ......................4.83-5.40 11% Winter...................6.87-7.02 ............9.65-9.77 ............7.92-7.97.......................7.17-7.36......................5.48-5.68 14% Spring........................10.17 .............................9.98 ............................8.40...............................9.35..........................6.10-6.50 Corn...............................267-267.25 .............. 308-310.50 ................No Bid ...............265.00 .............. 265.00 6.60............................. 5.18 6.31............................ 4.28 7.49............................. 5.40 5.55............................ 6.98

Pocatello: White Wheat..................... 5.65...............................8.00.............................. 6.25..............................6.25.............................. 4.95 11% Winter....................... 5.91 .............................. 7.92............................... 7.03..............................6.82.............................. 4.00 14% Spring........................ 8.81 ..............................8.43............................... 7.00..............................7.12.............................. 5.00 Barley.................................10.41.............................. 11.83............................ No Bid............................6.87.............................. 4.55

MILK PRODUCTION

October 23, 2015

Milk Production up 0.4 Percent

145.00-145.00 250.00-250.00 250.00-250.00 120.00-120.00 90.00-90.00

Wtd Avg

Comments

145.00 250.00 250.00 120.00 90.00

Organic Organic Export Rain Damage

IDAHO---Open-market trading by processors with growers was inactive.

Potatoes

6.57.............................

7.21.............................

7.54.............................

7.30.............................

Price

Potatoes for Processing

November 17, 2015

Ogden: White Wheat.....................6.00.............................. 8.30..............................

11% Winter....................... 5.82 ............................ 8.47..............................

14 % Spring...................... 8.75 ............................. 8.97..............................

Barley.................................11.40..............................12.00..............................

Tons Alfalfa Mid Square Supreme 350 Premium/Supreme 275 Good/Premium 235 Good 500 Fair/Good 500

Milk production in the 23 major States during September totaled 15.6 billion pounds, up 0.4 percent from September 2014. August revised production at 16.3 billion pounds, was up 0.9 percent from August 2014. The August revision represented an increase of 15 million pounds or 0.1 percent from last month’s preliminary production estimate.

Production per cow in the 23 major States averaged 1,805 pounds for September, 1 pound below September 2014. This is the second highest production per cow for the month of September since the 23 State series began in 2003.

Onions

IDAHO AND MALHEUR COUNTY OREGON---Shipments 295-313-290---Movement expected to remain about the same. Trading moderate. Prices White jumbo higher, Yellow super colossal, colossal and jumbo lower, others generally unchanged.

Yellow Spanish Hybrid U.S. One 50-pound sacks super colossal mostly 10.00, colossal 8.00-9.00, jumbo mostly 7.00, medium mostly 5.00; White U.S. One 50-pound sacks jumbo 13.00-14.00, medium mostly 12.00; Red Globe Type U.S. One 25-pound sacks jumbo 14.00-15.00, medium 9.00-10.00.

Burley: White Wheat..................... 5.85...............................7.98................................6.17...............................6.30.............................. 5.00 11% Winter....................... 5.67 ..............................8.01................................6.51...............................5.75.............................. 3.94 14% Spring........................ 8.71 ..............................8.44................................6.82...............................6.65.............................. 4.80 Barley................................ 10.25.............................12.25...............................7.50...............................5.20.............................. 6.00 Nampa: White Wheat (cwt).......... 8.67 ............................13.08..............................10.42.............................10.50..............................9.33 (bushel)........... 5.20...............................7.85................................6.25...............................6.30.............................. 5.60 Lewiston: White Wheat..................... 5.64...............................8.50.............................. 6.94.............................6.60...............................5.10 Barley............................... 194.50...........................241.50.......................... 141.50.........................141.50...........................131.50 Bean Prices: Pintos................................45.00 .....35.00-38.00..................40.00-42.00.................40.00-42.00......................22.00 Pinks.................................45.00 .... 40.00-42.00.......................No Bid ...............No Bid ....................No Bid Small Reds...................45.00-46.00 ................ 40.00-42.00.......................No Bid...........................No Bid......................33.00-35.00 ***

The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major States was 8.63 million head, 41,000 head more than September 2014, but unchanged from August 2015.

July-September Milk Production up 0.9 Percent

Milk production in the United States during the July - September quarter totaled 51.6 billion pounds, up 0.9 percent from the July - September quarter last year.

The average number of milk cows in the United States during the quarter was 9.31 million head, 7,000 head fewer than the April - June quarter, but 43,000 head more than the same period last year.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

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5 Year livestock comparison ......................................11/18/2011....................11/26/2012....................11/22/2013...................11/19/2014...................11/17/2015 Under 500 lbs................130-194 .....................126-191..........................150-218........................ 250-352........................180-265 500-700 lbs.................... 122-158.........................116-167..........................143-186.........................210-292........................150-220 700-900 lbs.................... 101-137.........................103-140.........................125-165........................ 180-246........................ 135-188 Over 900 lbs..................105-120.......................... 91-116...........................100-148........................160-212........................100-149 Feeder Heifers Under 500 lbs................ 121-166.........................121-172..........................145-201........................ 230-345........................160-250 500-700 lbs.....................112-145.......................... 117-149..........................130-165.........................196-275........................ 141-196 700-900 lbs....................105-129..........................92-145...........................120-146.........................171-227........................ 130-167 Over 900 lbs................... 88-115...........................80-116...........................100-127.........................150-212........................ 107-142 Holstein Steers Under 700 lbs..................65-94 ..........................75-105...........................80-118......................... 150-230........................ 102-150 Over 700 lbs...................65-100...........................63-102...........................75-108..........................135-204......................... 89-137 Cows Utility/Commercial...........40-71.............................57-78..............................61-80............................92-125...........................57-84 Canner & Cutter..............44-62.............................45-70.............................50-69...........................80-110............................51-76 Stock Cows.....................750-1325.......................700-1500......................1100-1675.................... 1225-2275.....................975-1325 Bulls – Slaughter............45-75 ...........................61-90.............................65-90..........................105-147......................... 75-115

Cattle on Feed October 23, 2015

United States Cattle on Feed Up 2 Percent

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.2 million head on October 1, 2015. The inventory was 2 percent above October 1, 2014. The inventory included 6.93 million steers and steer calves, up 7 percent from the previous year.

This group accounted for 68 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 3.29 million head, down 7 percent from 2014. October 1, 2015 heifers and heifer calves inventory is the lowest percent of total October inventory since the series began in 1996.

Placements in feedlots during September totaled 1.93 million head, 4 percent below 2014. Net placements were 1.87 million head. During September, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 395,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 290,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 416,000 head, and 800 pounds and greater were 830,000 head. Placements are the lowest for September since the series began in 1996.

Marketings of fed cattle during September totaled 1.64 million head, 2 percent below 2014.

Other disappearance totaled 57,000 head during September, 12 percent below 2014.

Cattle Outlook November 13, 2015 Cattle prices continue to be highly variable. Through Thursday on light volume, the 5-area average price for slaughter steers sold on a live weight basis was $126.27/cwt, down $4.17 from last week’s average and down $41.26 from a year ago. The 5 area average dressed price this week for slaughter steers was $201.47/cwt, down $3.27 for the week and down $60.53 compared to the same week last year.

This morning the choice boxed beef cutout value was $209.37/cwt, down $6.55 from the previous Friday and down $43.50 from a year ago. The select carcass cutout was $200.94/cwt down $6.44 from last week and down $37.41 from last year.

USDA’s November World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates predicted U.S. meat production would be up 2.9% in 2016 with pork up 1.7%, beef up 4.8%, broilers up 1.9% and turkey up 7.9%. More meat is likely to mean lower prices. USDA expects hog prices to average $1-$4/cwt lower next year.

This week USDA raised their estimate of corn yield by 1.3 bushels to 169.3 bushels per acre.This is the second highest corn yield ever behind last year’s 171 bushels per acre. Corn production is expected to total 13.654 billion bushels, the third highest ever after 2014 and 2013. USDA is predicting the seasonal average corn price will average close to $3.65 per bushel, down 5 cents from the year before.

USDA increased their estimated soybean yield by 1.1 bushels to a record 48.3 bushels per acre.They estimate this year’s harvest at a record 3.981 billion bushels. USDA expects the marketing year average price for soybeans to average close to $8.90 per bushel, down $1.20 from the year before.

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Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

The average steer dressed weight for the week ending on October 31 was 920 pounds, down 7 pounds from the week before, but up 18 pounds compared to the same week last year, and above the year-ago level for the 72nd consecutive week.

This week’s average steer dressed weight is 14 pounds heavier than any week prior to September.

Cattle slaughter this week totaled 556,000 head, down 1.2% from the week before and down 1.4% from the same week last year.

Feeder cattle prices at Oklahoma City were $4 to $6 lower this week with stocker calf prices as much as $20 lower. Prices for medium and large frame #1 steers by weight group were: 400-450# $217-$245, 450-500# $205-$241, 500-550# $202$225, 550-600# $193-$218, 600-650# $170-$205, 650-700# $162.50-$181, 700750# $160-$181.75, 750-800# $161-$180.50, 800-900# $171-$180.50 and 9001000#, $169-$174.50/cwt.

Cattle futures were lower this week. The December live cattle futures contract settled at $130.67/cwt today, down $4.26 for the week. February fed cattle settled at $132.65/cwt, down $4.50 from the previous week. November feeder cattle ended the week at $175.07/cwt, down $6.56 from a week earlier. The January contract lost $7.47 this week and closed at $164.55/cwt.

University of Missouri

Classifieds Animals

Miscellaneous

Wanted

Wanted

Interested in Alpacas? We have quality animals with beautiful fleece! Prices range from $200 to $6000. You can also “rent” a female, breed her, and have the baby Moscow, ID. Email StirlingRidge@moscow. com. Please call Deb at 208-301-2121.

Stilwill Buckaroo saddle. 16 inch, semi quarter horse. Ridden 6 times. Pictures available. McCall, Id. 208-841-5111.

Older camp trailer wanted. 50s rounded style, up to 15, 16 long. Just retired and need a project. Prefer no water damage and will consider all available. Please call 208-865-2100 and leave a message if I don’t answer.

Old License Plates Wanted: Also key chain license plates, old signs, light fixtures. Will pay cash. Please email, call or write. Gary Peterson, 130 E Pecan, Genesee, Id 83832. gearlep@gmail.com. 208-285-1258.

Dog Kennel. Chain link. 3 sides w/gate.

Chain link can be added to 4th side. 6’x9’. $150.00. Pocatello, Id 208-251-6937.

Woodmaster outdoor wood stove for sale.

Sits outside and heats home, hot water, shop or barn. Works for small homes or large ones. Can burn either wood or pellets.

Safe and efficient way to heat your home.

Horseshoe bend, Id. John 208-781-0691.

Farm Equipment

Lovely Ladies Camel hair coat, size 14. Very Heavy. $60.00 Pocatello, ID 208-478-2897.

Older International Farmall M tractor.

Wonderful restorer project. Needs paint, all sheet metal perfect. Run and drives well. $2,000. Bonners Ferry, Id. 208-267-2857.

Real Estate/Acreage

Small ditcher-V type, Corrugator-5 spring shank w/gage wheels, ground drive manure spreader, fuel tank, back of p/u, 10’ harrow tools bar, small concrete mixer, 6’ mohawk blade, model 60 john deer tractor w/manual loader. Buhl, Id. 208-543-6948.

New Squeeze chute, green, hand pull, $1,300.

Midvale, Id 208-355-3780.

Balewagons: New Holland self-propelled or pull-type models. Also interested in buying balewagons. Will consider any model. Call Jim Wilhite at 208-880-2889 anytime.

Help Wanted

Agricultural Appraiser. Our top part-time livestock and Equipment appraisers earn 60,000/year. Agricultural Background Required. Call 800-488-7570 www. amagappraisers.com.

Paying cash for German & Japanese war relics/souvenirs! Pistols, rifles, swords, daggers, flags, scopes, optical equipment, uniforms, helmets, machine guns (ATF rules apply) medals, flags, etc. 549-3841 (evenings) or 208-405-9338.

Paying cash for old cork top bottles and some telephone insulators. Call Randy.

Payette, Id. 208-740-0178.

DEADLINE DATES:

ADS MUST BE RECEIVED BY

DECEMBER 20 FOR

NEXT ISSUE.

Cedar Hills Condo in Pocatello - Aspen model, 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath, completely remodeled floor to ceiling in 2014. All new decks, front and back. Unfinished basement, a blank slate. Call 406-570-5878 Lot for Sale - 3/4 Acre Country Lot. City water, Gas, Utilities. $25,000. Shelley. Call 528-5337.

Small acres in desert wanted in Idaho or Nevada, no power - water. 208-358-7475.

Vehicles 1976 1 ton Chev Flatbed and steel stock rack, 454 engine. $1,700. Orofino, Id 208476-7329.

dashton@idahofb.org

1070 GMC 1500 p/u - 2 WD auto. 1960 Ford F100 p/u - 2 WD 3 speed column.

Buhl, ID 208-543-6948.

FREE CLASSIFIED ADS FOR IDAHO FARM BUREAU MEMBERS send to: dashton@idahofb.org

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / DECEMBER 2015

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