October 2012, Volume 16, Issue 7 by Matrix Digital Media Inc

October 2012 • Volume 16, Issue 7

Hops Harvest Underway in SW Idaho

Presidential Candidates Answer AFBF Questionnaire

Idaho Farm Bureau

Fruit Field Day Photos

Your Democracy, Your Vote, Your Responsibility By Bob Stallman AFBF President

Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 is a very important day. Not because a Democrat may be reelected as the U.S. President or because a Republican may ascend to the office. Tuesday Nov. 6 is significant because on that day we will all have a say in the future direction of our government as we

Challenged to Follow Up By Frank Priestley President Idaho Farm Bureau Federation

In 2001 a group of Idaho journalists descended on rural communities with a cooperative agreement, a bank account provided by the Pew

Captial Gains and Agriculture By Rick Keller CEO Idaho Farm Bureau Federation

Many elected officials and political pundits associate capital gains with millionaires and billionaires, who should eagerly seek for the opportunity to have their hard-earned monies redistributed to those more 2

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

The Ag Agenda cast our votes at ballot boxes across America. Because many brave Americans have fought to ensure this inalienable right, it is all of our responsibility as citizens to uphold it by engaging in the political process. This is crucial to a functioning democracy. George Bernard Shaw best stated this sentiment when he said, “Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.” Charitable Trust and an endorsement from the Andrus Center for Public Policy. The story they told was that of a stagnating rural economy, failing federal farm programs, a lack of educational opportunities, failing infrastructure, high unemployment, and young people leaving rural communities in droves. In November of that year a conference was held in Caldwell. Rural development experts were brought in and along with several journalists, deserving, such as the government. This scenario of taxing the wealthy just does not reflect well in agriculture. Capital gains taxes not only affect the current economic wellbeing of the agriculture industry, but also impact the long-term outlook for food, fiber, and energy production in the U.S. The impact of capital gains taxes on farming and ranching is significant because production agriculture requires large investments in land and buildings that are held for long

Road to the White House At the top of the political rung this election are two qualified candidates seeking the presidency. And while the American Farm Bureau remains bipartisan and does not support one candidate over the other, we are most definitely politically active. We encourage Farm Bureau members to study the issues and assess how each of these two candidates would treat See STALLMAN, page 26 legislators and members of a task force appointed by then Governor Dirk Kempthorne, they participated in a stimulating two-day discussion about rural affairs that covered everything from taxes to tourism. They hashed over problems with federal farm programs, the Endangered Species Act, federal land ownership dominating some counties (Lemhi and Custer) to the point of strangling their ability to grow and attract businesses and numerous other topics. See PRIESTLEY, page 27

periods of time. On average, farmers own their farmland for 30 years, during which time land values can more than triple. Capital gains taxes apply when farm or ranch land and buildings are transferred to a new or expanding farmer or rancher while the owner is still alive. This occurs most often when a farmer wants to expand his or her farm or ranch to take in a son or daughter, or when a retiring farmer or rancher sells his business to a beginning farmer or See KELLER, page 26

Volume 16, Issue 7

IFBF OFFICERS

President ................................... Frank Priestley, Franklin Vice President ..................................Mark Trupp, Driggs Executive Vice President .............................. Rick Keller BOARD OF DIRECTORS Bryan Searle ............................................................Shelley Scott Bird .......................................................... Pocatello Chris Dalley ....................................................... Blackfoot Dean Schwendiman ........................................... Newdale Danny Ferguson ........................................................Rigby Scott Steele ..................................................... Idaho Falls Gerald Marchant .................................................. Oakley Rick Pearson ................................................... Hagerman Mike Garner.............................................................. Declo Curt Krantz ............................................................ Parma Mike McEvoy..................................................... Middleton Tracy Walton ....................................................... Emmett Marjorie French .............................................. Princeton Bob Callihan . ...................................................... Potlatch Louis Kins ........................................................... Kootenai Carol Guthrie ......................................................... Inkom Cody Chandler ..................................................... Weiser STAFF Dir. of Admin. Services ....................... Nancy Shiozawa Dir. of Organization............................... Dennis Brower Commodities & Marketing Assistant ........... Peg Pratt Member Services Assistant . ................... Peggy Moore Publice Relations Assistant ..................... Dixie Ashton Dist. I Regional Manager .......................... Justin Patten Dist. II Regional Manager ....................... Kendall Keller Dist. III Regional Manager .................. Charles Garner Dist. IV Regional Manager ................... Russ Hendricks Dist. V Regional Manager ...................... Bob Smathers Dir. of Governmental Affairs ....................... Kent Lauer Asst. Dir. of Governmental Affairs ... Dennis Tanikuni Range/Livestock Specialist..........................Wally Butler Director of Public Relations ............. John Thompson Video Services Manager ............................ Steve Ritter Broadcast Services Manager .................... Jake Putnam Office Manager, Boise ................... Julie Christoffersen Member Services Manager ........................ Joel Benson Printed by: Owyhee Publishing, Homedale, ID

After harvest, workers load hop vines into a machine that separates the vine from the flowers. The flowers are then dried, baled and shipped to breweries.

Hop Grower Brings in Aromatic Crop Article and photo by Steve Ritter

Hops are the female flower cluster or cone that creates the bitter and tangy flavors in beer. Cut from a vine that grows 14 to 16 feet tall on a pre- hung string, the hop plant in a thing of beauty waving in the fall breeze. Obendorf hop farm near Wilder, grows nine-hundred acres of hops. The operation is one of only four in Idaho. Three are located in the Greenleaf, Wilder, Parma area along the Snake River in Canyon County. The fourth is located near the Canadian border in Boundary County. “This years been a pretty decent crop, it’s pretty much average” says Brock Obendorf, a third generation hop farmer who manages the Obendorf operation. Hanging on the vines ready for harvest are several varieties including Chinook, cascade, galena, super galena, Apollo, bravo, and Zeus.

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.

The vines are cut from strings that are stretched from wooden poles set in rows. A specially equipped tractor with a sickle like moving blade, reaches to the top, clips the vine, and it tumbles into the back of a moving truck that hauls the vines to the drying sheds.

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.

Flower cones attached to the vines are shaken loose and put through a drying process that takes less than one day. The dried flower cones are then pressed into bales for shipment to market.

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

Drying is a critical step in the process and one big concern during harvest is drying shed fires. Huge natural gas powered air dryers and the sensitivity of getting the crop dried to the correct temperature before bagging takes a skilled workforce to prevent disaster.

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

Cover: Growers in southwest Idaho say the hops harvest is about average this year. Read about the crop, how it’s produced and what it’s used for on page 3. Photo by Steve Ritter

“It’s all about timing and hops are very fickle, picking and drying, if it’s not perfect you’re going to have wet bales, heated bales and a lot of problems,” Obendorf said. Growers say, from start to finish each growing season, hops require more human touch than any other crop grown in the Treasure Valley. Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Immigration Court decisions chills US Ag labor force By Jake Putnam The U.S. Supreme Court recently delivered a striking split decision in the Obama Administration’s challenge to Arizona’s aggressive immigration law. The decision upholds the so-called “papers

please” provision of the anti-immigration legislation that passed the Arizona Legislature in 2012. The Court ruled that the federal government has the ultimate authority to decide who’s charged, who’s deported and it appears to give states a limited role in im-

migration law enforcement. The Court also blocked parts of the Arizona law that would have made it a state crime for illegal immigrants to carry documents or actively seek work. Idaho farmers have kept a close eye on the

Dairy operators are having a difficult time filling all of the labor positions they have due to increasing regulations in some states and a lack of a viable program to bring in and document foreign workers. Farm Bureau file photo

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Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

case and new laws passed in Alabama this past spring. Brent Olmstead executive director of the Milk Producers of Idaho says the laws have impacted Idaho agriculture. “The reality of it is that we won’t have any labor for agriculture or for the manual trades or construction,” said Olmstead. Olmstead says that although unemployment numbers indicate there are available workers, there is a dearth of people willing to do manual labor. “We’ve seen the trend in agriculture and definitely in the dairy industry, no one wants their kids to one day grow up milking cows,” said Olmstead. With the harvest season in full swing, tough immigration laws have forced undocumented immigrants to flee the Southwest for more hospitable areas. In California’s San Joaquin Valley last year, there were instances where crops were left to rot in the fields. Farmers struggled to make up labor shortages with domestic help. The situation is no better this season. The Alabama bill that passed last March is much tougher than the Arizona bill and could soon face a challenge in Federal Court. That bill gives local police the power to stop and arrest suspected aliens, prohibits illegals from getting food stamps, health care and from attending public schools and universities. The law also prohibits transporting, harboring and renting to illegal aliens. The new laws have dried up the flow of workers from Mexico. Labor experts say that trending studies reveal that by 2015 America will have a negative work placement rate. That means that more Americans are retiring than reentering the work force. “That creates a problem for employers, especially in the manual labor section,” said Olmstead. “In the 1960s’ we had a dropout rate in high school of 40-percent. Now it’s less than 5-percent. Simply put Americans are going to work in sectors requiring more skill than manual labor.” At least 70 percent of the 1.2 million people

working in agriculture are undocumented according the American Farm Bureau. Their study reveals that no American industry is more dependent on undocumented workers. The latest round of labor shortages is brought on by anti-immigration measures and could mean record losses to an industry that s just now reemerging from years of stiff foreign competition. Nationwide, labor shortages will result in losses of up to $9 billion, according to the AFBF study. Olmstead points out that the age old argument that unemployed Americans will take agricultural jobs has not panned out. “Even with high-end unemployment we have not had people waiting in lines to work on dairy farms. It just hasn’t worked out that way,” he said. In Canyon County, field bosses say they have a hard time finding enough workers to bring the crops in and it’s getting tougher each year. That means crews are made up of the very young and very old. Arturo Rodriguez runs a diverse crew of about 70 workers. The crew varies in age from 16 and up. “It’s tough to find viable workers because they all have to be registered and have a valid ID card. They also need a work number and if they don’t have the number, they don’t work,” Rodriguez said. Ada County Farm Bureau President Don Sonke favors a solution that will ensure a long term labor force. “Everyone’s afraid of that word amnesty, well there’s no other way to fix this situation with the people that are here illegally, without some sort of amnesty,” said Sonke. Sonke adds that this is an old issue and a lack of political courage has got us to this point. “I don’t think they can politically do it because the public thinks these people are illegal and most can’t think rationally beyond that. The thinking is that we have plenty of food, so get rid of the workers,” he said.

Some states are addressing the problem with at least one state legislature enacting a guest-worker program. Utah recently approved a program that allows undocumented immigrants to work in the state legally as long as they pass background checks. The measure, though, is still subject to federal approval. Again, the latest round of anti-immigration bills are much tougher and the laws have scared off workers in Idaho. “There have been instances the last few years where farm labor groups needed to bring in 1,200 to 1,500 workers to move pipe.” said Olmstead. “By the time they’ve gone through paper work, they get half of their workers. That means acres go unplanted or the farmers end up working harder and getting less done. It’s hard getting workers, it’s hard to plan from year to year.” Ronaldo Garcia of Burley has a work visa and returns home to Mexico each November. He says the program works fine for him. He’s able to feed his family and return home late in the fall. “We have a drought in Mexico,” said Garcia. “There’s not much work so working up here gives me an opportunity to provide for my family. I sent the money home. I wouldn’t be able to do that without the work Visa. Because I have the papers I can work just about anywhere, but the best part is that I can go home after harvest.” Thus far, anti-immigration bills have not been successful at the Idaho Statehouse. Olmstead thinks it’s because lawmakers understand how critical Idaho’s labor force is to the state’s billion dollar agriculture economy. For workers like Ronaldo Garcia their future is uncertain. They long for a viable worker program that allows the freedom to come and go with the seasons.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

American Farm Bureau Federation Questionnaire for Presidential Candidates - Obama ENERGY Agriculture is an energy-intensive industry and volatile prices significantly affect the cost of growing crops. What policies will you support to meet our energy needs and strengthen energy security? What role do you see for agriculturalbased biofuels in the nation’s energy supply? Our rural communities, farmers, and ranchers can increase our energy independence and boost the transition to a clean energy economy. U.S. biofuel production is at its highest level in history. Last year, rural America produced enough renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel to meet roughly 8 percent of our needs, helping us increase our energy independence to its highest level in 20 years. We are increasing the level of ethanol that can be blended into gasoline, and the new Renewable Fuel Standard helped boost biodiesel production to nearly 1 billion gallons in 2011, supporting 39,000 jobs. ENVIRONMENTAL In the context of regulating water quality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has increasingly encroached on states’ authority, from nutrient loadings in Florida to total maximum daily loads in the Chesapeake Bay to overall regulatory reach through proposing “guidance” that essentially gives EPA regulatory control over all waters. Do you support reaffirming the primary role of states in regulating both non-navigable waters and non-point source runoff? Farmers are some of the best stewards of our environment, which is why my administration is working with more than 500,000 farmers and ranchers on more than 30 million acres of land to help conserve our lands and protect our waters. I have seen how we can bolster growth of our nation’s agricultural economy while protecting our environment. Now there is a lot of misinformation out there about changes to clean water standards. We are not going to be applying 6

standards to waters that have not been historically protected. And all existing exemptions for agricultural discharges and waters are going to stay in place. I believe that we can work together to safeguard the waters Americans rely on every day for drinking, swimming, and fishing, and those that support farming and economic growth. FARM POLICY A new farm bill will be enacted and implemented over the next four years during a time of significant evolution in agriculture. What policy and risk management tools do you propose to ensure that agriculture is a profitable, competitive and viable industry? I understand the need for a strong farm safety net. That’s why I increased the availability of crop insurance and emergency disaster assistance to help over 590,000 farmers and ranchers keep their farms in business after natural disasters and crop loss. My administration expanded farm credit to help more than 100,000 farmers struggling during the financial crisis to keep their family farms and provide for their families. And as farmers continue to go through hard times because of this drought, we are expanding access to low-interest loans, encouraging insurance companies to extend payment deadlines and opening new lands for livestock farmers to graze their herds. And I know that any farm bill passed this year – and there needs to be a farm bill passed this year – needs to have adequate protections for America’s farmers. That’s why I have called for maintaining a strong crop insurance program and an extended disaster assistance program. We can reduce the deficit without sacrificing rural American economic growth, as the Romney-Ryan budget would do. Instead of making farmer pay more for crop insurance, we will do it by cutting subsidies to crop insurance companies and better targeting conservation funding. FISCAL POLICY

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

There are many factors involved in the economic downturn, but federal budget policy and the gridlock that is prohibiting restoration of sound fiscal policy are important factors. What would be your proposed foundation for reforming federal fiscal and budgeting policy? We can’t grow our economy in the long run if we don’t start taking our fiscal and budgeting policy seriously. That’s why earlier this year, I put forward a detailed plan for over $4 trillion in deficit reduction – including $1 trillion in spending cuts enacted last year – that finds savings in every part in the budget, brings domestic spending to its lowest level as a share of the economy in about 50 years, reforms Medicare and Medicaid, and asks the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share. The independent Congressional Budget Office has confirmed that my plan would reduce deficits over time, and stabilize the Federal debt. We faced a more than $1 trillion deficit on the day I took office – overwhelmingly caused by a bad economy and the policies of the prior administration – including two tax cuts weighted towards the wealthy, two wars, and the Medicare drug benefit, none of which were paid for. Paul Ryan voted for these policies, and Mitt Romney supported them. Now, Romney and Ryan are proposing $5 trillion in tax cuts without describing how they’d pay for them, returning us to those same failed policies of the past. LABOR U.S. agriculture has a long history of relying on temporary workers to help plant and harvest crops, tend orchards and manage livestock. What would you do to solve agriculture’s labor shortage problem? To contribute to the vitality of our agricultural economy, we must design a system that provides legal channels for U.S. employers to hire needed foreign workers. This system must protect the wages and See OBAMA page 34

American Farm Bureau Federation Questionnaire for Presidential Candidates - Romney ENERGY Agriculture is an energy-intensive industry and volatile prices significantly affect the cost of growing crops. What policies will you support to meet our energy needs and strengthen energy security? What role do you see for agricultural-based biofuels in the nation’s energy supply? An affordable, reliable supply of energy is crucial to America’s economic future. I have a vision for an America that is an energy superpower, rapidly increasing our own production and partnering with our allies, Canada and Mexico, to achieve energy independence on this continent by 2020. Taking full advantage of our energy resources will create millions of jobs, but this revolution in U.S. energy production will not just expand economic opportunity within the energy industry. Upstream businesses that supply the industry will experience a surge in demand, and perhaps the greatest benefit will occur downstream as agricultural businesses and manufacturers gain access to a more affordable and reliable supply of energy and feedstock. America’s energy resources can be a long-term competitive advantage for American agriculture and their development is key to the success of the industry. The increased production of biofuels plays an important part in my plan to achieve energy independence. In order to support increased market penetration and competition among energy sources, I am in favor of maintaining the Renewable Fuel Standard. I also support eliminating regulatory barriers to a diversification of the electrical grid, fuel system, and vehicle fleet. My policies broadly aim to ensure that all of our energy industries can sustainably become competitive, innovative and efficient. ENVIRONMENTAL In the context of regulating water quality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has increasingly encroached on states’ authority, from nutrient loadings

in Florida to total maximum daily loads in the Chesapeake Bay to overall regulatory reach through proposing “guidance” that essentially gives EPA regulatory control over all waters. Do you support reaffirming the primary role of states in regulating both non-navigable waters and non-point source runoff? Government oversight is of course crucial to the protection of our environment. But statutes and regulations that were designed to protect public health and the environment have instead been seized on by environmentalists as tools to disrupt economic activity and the enjoyment of our nation’s environment altogether. President Obama’s Administration has embraced this approach, his EPA embarking on the most far-reaching regulatory scheme in American history. Modernizing America’s complex environmental statutes, regulations, and permitting processes is crucial to ensuring that the nation can develop its resources safely and efficiently. Laws should promote a rational approach to regulation that takes cost into account. Regulations should be carefully crafted to support rather than impede development. Repetitive reviews and strategic lawsuits should not be allowed to endlessly delay progress or force the government into imposing rules behind closed doors that it would not approve in public. Energy development, economic growth, and environmental protection can go hand-in-hand if the government focuses on transparency and fairness instead of seeking to pick winners and repay political favors.

tools that will work for farmers and ranchers throughout the country. In the near term, my immediate priority should be given to enacting disaster relief for those not traditionally covered by crop insurance as this year’s drought has worsened. My running mate, Paul Ryan, voted for this relief in the House. Unfortunately, the Democrat-controlled Senate went home for August break without enacting them. On the broader question of farm programs, we must be cognizant that our agricultural producers are competing with other nations around the world. Other nations subsidize their farmers, so we must be careful not to unilaterally change our policies in a way that would disadvantage agriculture here in our country. In addition, we want to make sure that we don’t ever find ourselves in a circumstance where we depend on foreign nations for our food the way we do with energy. Ultimately, it is in everyone’s interest is achieve a level playing field on which American farmers can compete. FISCAL POLICY There are many factors involved in the economic downturn, but federal budget policy and the gridlock that is prohibiting restoration of sound fiscal policy are important factors. What would be your proposed foundation for reforming federal fiscal and budgeting policy?

A new farm bill will be enacted and implemented over the next four years during a time of significant evolution in agriculture. What policy and risk management tools do you propose to ensure that agriculture is a profitable, competitive and viable industry?

Getting reckless government spending under control is one of my top priorities. I’ll implement a basic test that looks at every program and asks whether it is so critical that it’s worth borrowing money from China to pay for it. We’ll work to empower states by sending programs that are currently controlled by the federal government back to the state-level where local solutions can be tailored to meet local needs. And lastly, we will reduce the size of the federal government to make sure it’s more efficient and productive.

I support passage of a strong farm bill that provides the appropriate risk management

See ROMNEY page 35

FARM POLICY

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

U of I Showcases Fruit Research

Several hundred producers attended a field day and sampled fruit produced at the University of Idahoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Parma Research and Extension Center on September 19. 8

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

By Jake Putnam Photos by Steve Ritter The sight of tables loaded with fresh peaches, nectarines table grapes, apples and plums was in part surprising and inspiring for fruit lovers attending the annual Fruit Field Day at the University of Idaho’s Parma Research and Extension Center. The event, held September 19, drew a crowd of 700 including Idaho Gov. Butch Otter. Between bites of a peach, Otter praised the U of I Center and the director of the program, Esse Fallahi. Other fruit enthusiasts, including orchard producers, heaped praise on the University’s efforts. “I’m really surprised at how much we grow here in Idaho and happy to see the turnout and that people Idaho Gov. Butch Otter enjoyed the grapes at the annual Fruit Field Day. are interested in being fruit producers,” says Andrea Sprengel, a fruit grower. Fallahi said his job is simple. He plants, grows and studies different kinds of fruit while working with growers. The ultimate goal is finding what works in Idaho and what doesn’t. Within half an hour, the crowd picked the tables of fruit clean and Fallahi called together participants for the final portion of the tour: A trip to lush orchards that sharply contrasted the brown hillsides surrounding the research station. In the orchards, Fallahi showed off the new trellis system that helps apples grow more efficiently with less water. Then there were rows of peach and nectarine trees representing 160 varieties. Very protective of his Esse Fallahi, on the right in the blue shirt, leads the fruit variety development program research, Fallahi told the tourists not to pick fruits from at the UI’s Parma Research and Extension Center. the trees so as not to interfere with yield and fruit quality studies. Then it was on to grapes. The Parma Research and Extension Center’s focus on table grapes highlights a shrewd strategy. They want to compliment California table grape production with Idaho grapes by extending the growing season. This effort could crowd out imported grapes. They are also studying the planting of apple rootstock as part of a national evaluation to help growers choose the best trees for their climates. During the past couple of years, the center landed three specialty crop grants for research on table grapes, apple production, peach and nectarine variety research that totaled more than $275,000. Fallahi says that like the fruit, the research center conUI experts believe there is a lot of potential for table grape production in southwest tinues ripens with age. Idaho. Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Focus on Agriculture

Rainmaking Deserves a Fresh Look

By Stewart Truelsen In the 1950s movie “The Rainmaker,” Burt Lancaster played a smooth-talking con man named Bill Starbuck who promises to bring rain to drought-ridden western towns. Starbuck also sold rods with a gizmo on top to prevent hailstorms. This image of the rainmaker is all too familiar to Dr. Joseph Golden, president of the Weather Modification Association. According to him, “The image of the industry ranges from witchcraft to shysters and snake oil salesmen to unproven claims, and there are elements of truth in all of those.” With the 2012 drought expected to cost the nation in excess of $10 billion, maybe it’s time to give weather modification another look. However, conditions have to be right for it to work. According to Golden, “Any rainfall enhancement effort requires suitable clouds, and during drought periods, especially the record-breaking one we are in, suitable clouds are at a premium.” In addition, most cloud-seeding 10

projects are done on a countywide basis. Trying to bring rain to a large area like the nation’s breadbasket is beyond reach at this time. Golden is more optimistic in the short-run about using weather modification to divert hurricanes. He and several colleagues have just published a scientific paper about new, viable approaches to weakening and altering the path of hurricanes. With potential savings to the economy of billions of dollars, to say nothing of the human hardship that could be spared, one might think weather modification receives support from the federal government, but it does not. Golden describes himself as the Gen. Custer of federal research programs. He’s been shot at a lot in seeking funding. Today, there is no federal program supporting weather modification research in the United States. In the past, government involvement included a secret program during the Vietnam War to extend monsoon rains to slow down enemy troop movements. Another program of the same era, Project Stormfury, attempted to disrupt hurricanes. Cloud-seeding can be done from the air using specially equipped aircraft or from the ground. Silver iodide crystals and dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide) are two cloud seeding agents that can be emitted by flares attached to planes. A newer method, hygroscopic cloud–seeding, uses a highly

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

concentrated salt solution. Golden believes there is a need for a fresh look at the possibilities of weather modification in addition to addressing research needs. Agricultural producers would be among the biggest beneficiaries. Weather modification efforts generally take place west of the Mississippi River, and agriculture is the largest customer. A number of successful programs to increase precipitation or suppress hail have been around for years but receive little national attention. “The Rainmaker” movie had a happy ending—the sky opened

up with a gully washer, and Starbuck was paid $100 by grateful ranchers and moved on. Call it a miracle or coincidence. Today’s rainmakers—those engaged in corporate practice and scientific research—believe they can overcome skepticism with science, technology and measurable results. We might just see a cloudburst of progress in the years ahead. Stewart Truelsen is a regular contributor to the Focus on Agriculture series and is the author of a book marking the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 90th anniversary, Forward Farm Bureau.

The lifeblood of America . Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the humble heroes who rise before dawn and battle the elements. They put clothes on our backs and food on our tables. Their genuine values and tireless work ethic are an inspiration to us all. We appreciate all that Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farmers do and invite you to join us in saying thanks at www.fbfs.com/SayThanksToAFarmer. FB02-ID (3-12)

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Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Norkotah potatoes being harvested at Searle Farms near Shelley.

2012 Spud Harvest: Average across Idaho By Jake Putnam Photos by Steve Ritter Great clouds of dust mark the annual Norkotah harvest on Bryan Searle’s farm outside of Shelley. “We started on labor day,” said Searle. “It’s just an average crop. We won’t set records this year. We thought with the early planting and a good year that it would be better than it is but its average and that’s a good thing.” The hot, dry summer appears to have taken the top off yields. “Right now the heat and the dust haven’t affected us much because some of these are going to processing. If we were going to storage then we’d have to be careful and 12

check temperatures, but we have nothing going into cellars until next Monday,” added Searle. Searle says he’ll have a better fix on the total potato crop once they start digging russet Burbanks. “The Norkotahs are big so I think as harvest began they’ve pushed that price down,” said Searle. “Yields have been decent and I think that’s a concern. We also have concerns about the quality of our crop. We don’t think it’s as good as last year, but last year was record quality.” The Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service released its first potato forecast in July revealing that farmers planted 345,000 acres across Idaho in 2012.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

That’s up 8 percent from 2011. Nationwide, spud acreage could be at least 5 percent higher in 2012, with total planted acreage estimated at 1.15 million. The figure includes plantings from all four seasons, with the fall crop accounting for the majority. The estimates are based on mail surveys and phone interviews with growers, said Brad Early, an agricultural statistician with NASS. Brent Ishida of Parma says western Idaho Norkotahs are big and yields are up. “I think we have a real good crop on our hands,” he said. “It was cool in the spring and we had a delayed planting. Overall it was a cooler season but our sizes are up 1520 percent over the previous year. Actually that’s a normal crop for us.”

The USDA will release their annual objective crop estimate November 9th. Ishida of Parma says his Norkotahs are well travelled and prized on the East coast. “A lot of them go back to New York and Boston, but being an Idaho potato they go all over the United States. That’s what’s unique about an Idaho potato. It’s limited marketing-wise to one area.” Transportation costs are skyrocketing because of recordhigh fuel costs and that’s affecting the farmer’s bottomline this year as margins get thinner. “That all comes back to me and my farm, I get less and pay more,” Ishida said. “At my shed we end up taking our standard pack charge, what’s left over goes to our farm and transportation affects our share and goes deep into our pockets. It’s always more expensive to operate this year than last.” In 2012, russet Burbanks will account for 52.4 percent of total acreage in Idaho, russet Norkotahs account for 20.9 percent of the plantings while ranger russets are 12.3 percent of the

Growers are hoping the market rebounds after harvest this fall. Early season prices are well below production costs.

total. With Norkotahs nearly done Searle and his neighbors move on to the next step. “We’ll start with the Burbanks next week and we will start going into the cellars. I think the yields we be off. There are just not as many potatoes under the hill. Size is okay but we’re not going to set any records. You

take a shovel out, dig into a hill and feel good one day and bad the next,” explained Searle. The russet Burbanks are marketed different, prices vary and they go into storage. It’s another ball game and a different harvest according to Searle. “So I think once we get the crop out of the ground we can manage it much better,” he said. “I

think the size of the crop will come back some, the story isn’t written yet. We won’t know how big a crop we are dealing with for a few weeks. I’m optimistic the Burbanks will be off on yields, but it’ll be an allright crop and that will bring the price back,” said Searle. “It’s all about the finish, hopefully we will finish strong again this year,” said Ishida

The potatoes in this photo are Cal Whites, a processing variety that were harvested near Osgood in early September. Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

What’s Wrong with My Tree? Part 2 – Controlling Tree Problems By Yvonne Barkley Editor’s note: This article is the final in a series that will help landowners work with professionals to figure out what’s wrong with their trees. Healthy, vigorous trees are able to withstand threats better than weakened, stressed trees and the best way to control problems in trees is to prevent them. Regrettably, nature has a way of not giving us much say in the matter. So, how do you make the decision to treat tree problems and what do you treat those problems with? Economic thresholds Treatment decisions can be made by looking at economic thresholds. The economic threshold is the level of damage where the benefits of the treatment are equal to or less than the cost of the treatment. If damage levels are below the threshold, the cost of treatment exceeds the benefits and the landowner sustains a loss by applying the treatment. Types of Treatment The goal of any type of treatment or control measure is to favor the health of the tree and not favor the problem. Landowners in urban environments or with small acreages have more options for treatment than those with large acreages, where size and numbers 16

Ladybugs are voracious natural enemies, capable of eating hundreds of aphids a day.

of trees make many treatments economically unfeasible. There are three types of control treatments: Cultural controls are activities that foster tree and landscape health and vigor. Biological control is the use of natural enemies or agents to suppress pest populations. Chemical control involves the use of some type of chemical, usually a pesticide.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Cultural control Maintaining your trees in peak condition allows them to protect themselves from insect and disease attacks, as well as unseasonal frosts and freezes. Cultural controls on forestland sites are known as silvicultural practices. Silviculture is the art and science of growing trees. Recommended silvicultural practices are the same as the cultural practices listed below, just on a much grander scale. Common cultural control ac-

tivities start with selecting the right trees for the site, using resistant varieties, and planting trees correctly. Yearly maintenance activities can include spring fertilization, supplemental irrigation, pruning, and thinning. Practicing good sanitation, which is the removal of fallen branches, nuts, fruits, and leaves, eliminates common overwintering areas for many insects and diseases. Compost piles in many areas of Idaho do not get hot enough to kill pathogens or insect eggs, so burning

Anthracnose on maple can be controlled with a commonly available fungicide.

refuse is best, if possible. If not, dispose of plant materials at your local recycling center or waste management transfer station. Biological controls Natural enemies include predators, parasitoids, and pathogens. Use has increased as new agents are discovered for particular problems and applied to landscapes. One of the most commonly used biocontrol agent is Bacillus thuringiensis (BT), which is used to control a wide variety of insect pests. Other methods include the release of sterile males, which compete with wild populations and decrease future generations by preventing fertilization. Pheromone traps are also gaining in popularity. Natural insect attractants or repellents are put into traps which then release a message into the environment. These messages allow insects to communicate such information as the location of fertile females or that a site is fully occupied and that there is no room for more individuals to mate or feed there. Chemical controls Pesticide products must be toxic to the pest or pathogen but not

toxic to the plant or to off-target organisms such as people, pets, beneficial insects, bees, and fish. Pesticides must be used according to label directions or they will not work and timing the application correctly is of paramount importance. Some pesticides are for insects and some for diseases, particularly those caused by fungi. There have different modes of action, which is how the chemical kills or breaks an organism’s lifecycle. Federal law prohibits the use of a pesticide in any manner inconsistent with the product label. All pesticides should be considered poisonous to people and should be handled and stored with great care.

Fungicides

Where to find help

Many foliar plant diseases are not fatal, so fungicides are used primarily to keep a tree looking good. Contact fungicides are applied to emerging leaves to prevent fungal strands from penetrating healthy tissues and do not control existing problems. Complete coverage is important, as is the timing of the application. Systemic fungicides are taken up by the tree and stop already established infections as well as prevent new ones from occurring. They tend to have limited range of control, so an accurate diagnosis is key to success.

The University of Idaho Extension Forestry Tree Clinic that is available to Idaho landowners for problems on both urban and woodland trees. Contact Yvonne Barkley at (208) 8857718 or yvonnec@uidaho. edu for more information.

For more information There are many on-line resources for finding control recommendations for your tree problems. We use the Pacific Northwest Handbooks for Insect, Plant Disease, and Weed Management, available on-line at: Insects - http://insects.ippc.orst. edu/pnw/insects Diseases - http://plant-sisease. ippc.orst.edu/Default.aspx Weeds - http://insects.ippc. orst.edu/pnw/insects

Idaho Department of Lands Private Forestry Specialists are available to help Idaho landowners with their woodland trees. You can find your local IDL office at http://www.idl. idaho.gov/bureau/ForestAssist/contact/bfa_contact.htm What’s Wrong with My Trees? Part I – The Diagnostics Process is available online at http://www.idahof b.org/ assets/pdfs/QuarterlySummer_2012.pdf What’s Wrong with My Trees? Part II - Understanding Your Diagnosis is available online at http://www.idahofb.org/ assets/pdfs/Sept_2012_web. pdf Yvonne Barkley is an associate extension forester for the University of Idaho. She can be reached at yvonnec@uidaho. edu

Insecticides Insecticides work in different ways and can either be eaten or kill on contact. Insecticides that are ingested are often combined with bait or attractants and are most effective against chewing insects. Contact insecticides are best used for insects with piercing and sucking mouth parts. Systemic insecticides are applied to the soil or injected into the tree, where the chemical is then distributed through the tree. These products work well Many insects and diseases overwinter in fallen leaves and nuts. for a wide variety of insects. Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Royce Hoopes and his team, Don and King, compete in the Eastern Idaho State Fair horse pulling competition.

Rescued Horse Wins the Day Article and photo by John Thompson Whenever you see tears welling up in a tough, old cowboy’s eyes, it’s a safe bet that what just happened was significant. Don, a percheron gelding rescued off a meat truck made up half of the winning team in the lightweight horse pulling contest at the Eastern Idaho State Fair. Royce Hoopes of Afton, Wyoming bought the horse and gave him a new lease on life. The horse has paid Hoopes back in spades, winning numerous horse pulling events around the region. “He’s a horse that nobody wanted,” Hoopes said. At the Eastern Idaho State Fair, Hoopes’es team of Don and King weighed in at just under 3,200 pounds and pulled 5,600 pounds 11 feet for the win. Hoopes said the sled, or stone boat as it’s called, felt sticky in the soft dirt at the Fairgrounds on September 5. His team pulled 9,000 pounds 18 feet a week prior to win a competition in Driggs. “One of my horses is fast and the other is slower but a lot stouter, so if I can keep the little horse out in front he just keeps trying to be out in front and the other horse just 18

keeps trying to catch him,” Hoopes said. “It’s a great combination they just compete with each other. There is a lot of love and effort in it.” Among the five teams competing in the lightweight division, Hoopes’es team was best at lunging ahead at the same time on a voice command to get the load moving. The event announcer quieted the crowed after a loud cheer raised from the grandstand at the end of the winning pull. He said horses work on voice commands and can be distracted during competitions. All of the other teams struggled to get the 5,600 pound load moving because they were out of step or unruly at the critical time. Draft horses have been part of Hoopes’es entire life. This year was close to his 50th in competition at the Eastern Idaho State Fair. As a youngster he came with his grandfather and later his father who were both competitors. Close to 30 friends and family members came to this year’s event. “My grandfather pulled when I was just a baby,” he said. “I trucked with him and pulled with him and it’s been a great legacy in our family. My dad pulled and won here

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

quite a few times and I have won here a few times. I’m just proud of it and pretty lucky. It’s a real neat thing when you work hard and you get two horses that will work together as a team.” At the onset of a horse pulling competition the teams take turns pulling a sled that is about equal to their combined weight. A successful pull is 20 feet. At the end of each round, 1,000 pounds is added to the sled. Each team is given the option of a second chance if a full pull is not achieved. The distances are measured and winners awarded based on distance when the weight of the sled prohibits teams from achieving a full pull. Hoopes competes in about 10 events each year. During the winter he uses his team to pull a hay sled to feed cattle. In years past he has used his team to feed elk at the National Elk Refuge near Jackson Hole, Wyoming. To get ready for competition Hoopes said he hooks up a 3,000 to 4,000 pound drag and the team pulls it three to four miles, four or five times a week.

Gary Lemmon, owner of Blind Canyon Aquaranch, discusses sturgeon production with legislators and county government officials during a recent farm tour in Gooding and Lincoln counties. The tour was sponsored by the Gooding / Lincoln County Farm Bureau.

Gooding / Lincoln FB Host Farm Tour

Photo and article by John Thompson Gary and Linda Lemmon, owners of Blind Canyon Aqua Ranch hosted about 50 people on a farm tour in mid-September. Those in attendance, including county commissioners, legislators and others, learned about how the Snake River Plain Aquifer was developed to accommodate fish farms in the Hagerman area. The Lemons’ produce trout and sturgeon that are sold to food service companies, restaurants and in several ethnic markets. However, what makes their operation unique is caviar production. In addition to the fish farm, those in attendance also visited the Steve Ballard Dairy and cheese plant. Ballard, the Gooding County FB president, and his wife Stacie have expanded their dairy and added an artisan cheese plant. Over the past few years their business has grown and their cheese is now sold all over the state including several retail outlets. Ballard has installed several energy efficient improvements over the past year to help his family cheese company remain competitive. The tour also visited Donley Farms Dairy to see how new

technology is helping the dairy industry become more efficient. The tour wrapped up with a picnic at the Shoshone Park. The water that flows out of the cliffs above the Lemmon’s raceways comes from the Snake River Plain Aquifer and maintains 58 degrees Fahrenheit all year round, which is nearly perfect for growing fish. The cool water relieves disease pressure on the fish. Gary Lemmon also explained how the water that flows out of the aquifer is fully charged with oxygen. “It’s rare, but in this aquifer the rock is porous and it allows oxygen to mix into the water, which is a great benefit to our operation,” Lemmon said. Lemmon’s father was a water master in the area for 30 years. Lemmon said his father bought the property knowing that he could develop the water and make it flow through raceways to grow fish. Gary and Linda Lemmon expanded their family business to include sturgeon and eventually caviar production. Sturgeon production is a lot different than trout that only swim in the raceways for about a year

before they are shipped to market. Sturgeon eat mostly at night and feed on the bottom. Female sturgeon that are being raised for caviar production can take up to 15 years before their eggs are ready for harvest. Male sturgeon are shipped to market at about two years. The females grow slowly at first but by the time they mature and are ready for egg production they measure over six feet in length and weigh in excess of 150 pounds. They are checked regularly using ultrasound and when the eggs are ripe the ovary is removed in a surgical process and the fish is sold for meat. White sturgeon caviar is fetching about $60 per ounce currently. It is considered the second best caviar in the world, second to European beluga caviar, which can no longer be shipped to the U.S. It was banned in 2005 due to endangered species concerns. Farm raised caviar is now the standard in U.S. markets. The Lemons’ and a couple of other sturgeon producers in the Hagerman area began selling caviar at about that time.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

XTREME SIDE x SIDE PERFORMANCE.

Top Farm Bureau Agents

Rhett Price Agent of the Month (Schmitt Agency) Ryan Porter Rookie of the Month (Newell Agency)

Polaris would like to congratulate Jake Andersen the winner of this year’s Young Farmer and Rancher Discussion Meet as well as Greg and Gwen Andersen for being presented with the Idaho Farm Bureau’s 2011 Young Farmer and Rancher Achiever Award. We hope you enjoy your new Polaris Trail Boss 330 and RGR 400 and thank you for your continued contributions to the Idaho Farming and Ranching Community. A big thank you to those Idaho Polaris dealers who continue to support the Idaho Farm Bureau and Young Farmer and Rancher Program:

Agency of the Month Schmitt Agency

Idaho Farm Bureau members can save a significant amount on their medications. Take 5 minutes to get a price quote.

USE IDAHO FARM BUREAU CODE (IDFB) Toll-Free Phone 1.866.335.8064 www.thecanadianpharmacy.com

Vehicles shown with optional accessories. Avoid operating Polaris RANGERs on paved surfaces or public roads. Riders and passengers should always wear helmets, eye protection, protective clothing, and seat belts. Always use cab nets. Drivers of RANGER vehicles must be at least 16 years old with a valid driver’s license. Warning: ATV’s can be hazardous to operate. For your safety: Avoid operating Polaris ATV’s on paved surfaces or public roads. Riders and passengers should wear helmets, eye protection, protective clothing, and seat belts. Polaris ATV models are for riders aged 16 and older. Be sure to take a safety training course. For safety training information in the U.S., call the SVIA at (800) 887-2887, see your dealer, or call Polaris at (800) 342-3764. In Canada, see your local dealer. ©2011 Polaris Industries Inc.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Step 1:

Call 1.866.335.8064 or go to www.thecanadianpharmacy.com

Step 2:

Tell them you are with the Idaho Farm Bureau (code IDFB) and that you need a price quote on your medication.

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If this price is lower than what you currently pay, then The Canadian Pharmacy will help you get your prescription at the discounted price.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Vaquero Onion celebrates 20 years By Jake Putnam Photo by Steve Ritter Parma--Western Idaho farmers are observing a special birthday this fall. It’s not about birthday cake and candles. Instead, it’s about appreciation and gratitude to a team of Idaho research scientists that developed the Vaquero onion. Dr. Rick Watson, of Nunhems Seeds, headed up the development team that began work in 1981 and introduced the Vaquero commercially in 1992 exactly twenty years ago this fall. Insiders say the Vaquero onion is one of the most successful varieties in the world. “The Vaquero has been an integral part of our global success,” said Kent Whittig, Nunhems Seed onion crop sales manager. Nunhems held its 29th annual Onion Showcase in September and the legendary Spanish sweet onion continues to grow in popularity around the world. More than 400 Idaho and Oregon growers, along with industry specialists from around the world, attended the special event. As part of the observance, Nunhems donated $5,000 to the Snake River and Western Idaho Future Farmers of America districts. Dr. Rick Watson led development of the Vaquero onion variety. This particular variety has now been propagated in several countries.

Vaquero Facts: • Development work for Vaquero began as early as 1981, and the variety was introduced commercially in 1992. • Vaquero is a long day, Spanish-type onion. • Vaquero was the first variety whose genetic potential for single centers was much higher than what was currently available on the market when it was introduced. • Its traits allowed it to be sold successfully in the processing and fresh markets.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

• Over the past 20 years, Vaquero has been among the most successful onion varieties in the world, grown widely in North America, Argentina, Chile, Spain, China, Turkey, Russia and Ukraine. • The demand for Vaquero led to the introduction of many other full-season, Spanish-type, highly single-centered varieties to fill additional maturity ranges within the Nunhems long-day onion portfolio. These include Ranchero, Granero, Arcero, Montero, Anillo and Joaquin.

County Happenings

A Message For Our Dairy Farm Customers Sharon Bloomsberg was recently recognized by the Kootenai / Shoshone County Farm Bureau for her efforts as the county Women’s Chair. She was presented with a plaque by Del Rust, husband of District 5 Women’s Chair Carol Rust, who was unable to attend.

At Idaho Power, our goal is to provide you with fair-priced electricity safely, reliably and responsibly. If the quality and reliability of your electric service fails to meet your expectations, or if you have questions or concerns about stray voltage, please contact your Idaho Power agricultural representative.Idaho Power’s agricultural representatives have the skills and resources to address your concerns. If necessary, they can arrange for an on-site investigation so that we can resolve any electric service issues quickly. Blackfoot & American Falls Area Dennis Elison 208-236-7744 delison@idahopower.com Mini-Cassia Area Daniel Moore 208-736-3215 dmoore@idahopower.com Twin Falls, Jerome & Gooding Area Gerald Orthel 208-736-3430 gorthel@idahopower.com

Joe Dobson, left, Kootenai/Shoshone County Farm Bureau vice president presented Idaho State Rep. Marge Chadderdon with a Farm Bureau Friend of Ag Award in late September.

Mountain Home & Boise Area Tim Fenwick 208-388-6366 tfenwick@idahopower.com Nampa & Caldwell Area Mike Liechty 208-465-8626 mliechty@idahopower.com Payette & Ontario Area Cortney Forsberg 208-642-6546 cforsberg@idahopower.com

State Senator James Hammond of Kootenai County recently received a Farm Bureau Friend of Ag Award. The award was presented by County Service Representative Debbie Gamble. Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Grain Marketing with Clark Johnston

U.S. Wheat Poised to Move Back Into Export Postition Well, now what do we do? For the most part we know the fundamental news in the market. The corn crop is projected to come in at 10.4 billion bushels, an even 2 billion less than the two previous years. Total wheat in the U.S. was a good crop compared to last year and for now it looks as though stocks to use ratio for 12/13 will be around 28 percent. We are still high priced on the export market but, Russia which has been selling wheat at a record pace could slow dramatically in the near future as their production this year looks to be only 71 percent of last year. We also see the wheat crop in Western Australia reduced by dry conditions thus leaving the potential for US wheat to move back in the export picture. World prices have increased slightly over the past few weeks and depending on just what the Fed does and the value of the dollar we could very well see our exports pickup as we move into the winter months. Wheat prices in the Chicago December contract have gained on December corn widening the spread from 90 cents at the end of August to $1.27 by the 18th of September. This was partly due to the food market finally competing with the feed market for bushels. We have also seen the December to September inverse in Chicago wheat narrow by 6 cents during this same time frame. The Kansas City December to September inverse narrowed from 27 cents to 15 cents and Minneapolis moved from a 5 cent carry to a 4 cent inverse during the same time

frame. Remember the spreads in the futures will tell us a great deal as to just what the market is thinking. If we continue to narrow this inverse in the market it could be your best interest to be looking at contracting wheat for next year. A carry charge market indicates an ample supply of wheat for the upcoming year thus leaving us with the possibility of the market moving lower into harvest. Even though we are all busy with our fall work it is still important to continue to look at and monitor the market for next year. With the volatility in the market we can see our opportunity come and go in just a day or two. It is good to set your pricing orders either with the local elevator or in the futures market. With the markets now open for trading almost around the clock your opportunity can very well be lost during the night trade. Another thing to keep in mind is that the volatility in the market really works in your favor as the market can move to meet your objective in a short period of time no matter where you have placed your order. Now that we know just where the fundamental numbers are the technical indicators will begin to play a larger role in the movement of the markets. Watch the momentum studies for indications of the market being over bought or oversold. As we have mentioned before the RSIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are a good indicator to watch. It isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exact but, it will give you an idea as to just when to buy or sell. It would be good to look at these indi-

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Clark Johnston

cators and position yourself in the market with between 30% and 50% of your 2013 harvest contracted by the end of November. When selling your commodities whether grain in the bin or forward contracting it is important to know just where your profit levels are and does this sell give me the opportunity to be profitable this year. To assist you in your efforts the Idaho Farm Bureau will be introducing in November a web based budget program. We have studied this program and feel that it could be a benefit to the Farm Bureau Membership. Once in place you will be able to login on your computer to determine if this is a benefit to your operation. You will be able to use it yourself or have us help you implement the program and assist you in its use. 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

USDA to Survey Wheat Growers

In October, Idaho Field office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will begin contacting wheat growers to learn about their production practices during the 2012 growing season. NASS and USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) jointly conduct the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS), which gathers data on farmers’ chemical use and pest management and irrigation practices for these grains.

“The results of this survey will help agricultural leaders and decision-makers better understand how producers cope with risks and make decisions about chemical use, new technologies and other aspects of farming,” said NASS Idaho Field Office director Vince Matthews. “Producers themselves can use the survey results to make irrigation and production decisions on their farm” ARMS serves as the primary source of information on production practices, resource use and economic well-being of America’s farm operations and farm households. Beginning in

October and continuing through mid-December, NASS representatives will conduct faceto-face interviews with more than 6,000 growers nationwide, including 100 in Idaho. “Interviewers will ask all growers to provide information on their fertilizer or nutrient use, their pest management and irrigation practices,” added Matthews. “Early next year, we will follow up with some participants to obtain additional economic and cost of production data.” As with all NASS surveys, information provided by respondents is confidential by law. NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents and publishes data only in aggregate form, ensuring that no individual operation or grower can be identi-

fied. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, visit www. nass.usda.gov or call the NASS Idaho Field Office at 800-6919987.

Red Meat Production up 10 Percent

Commercial red meat production at Idaho packing plants for August 2012 totaled 3.7 million pounds, up 10 percent from August of last year, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Accumulated red meat production for the January-August 2012 period totaled 27.9 million pounds, down 65 percent from the comparable period a year earlier. More News Briefs - Page 29

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Stallman Continued from page 2 U.S. agriculture and our rural communities. President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney recently took time to answer an AFBF questionnaire on important agricultural issues and how their administrations would work with farmers and ranchers. From the past four years, we know where President Obama has stood on many Farm Bureau priority issues. For example, he has shown his support for AFBF-supported trade agreements, home grown energy sources and passage of the farm bill. But, he has also overseen the Environmental Protection Agency’s power grab on environmental issues impacting farmers. In his responses, President Obama said a farm bill must be passed this year that maintains a strong crop insurance program and an extended disaster assistance program. He also said he will increase funding for agricultural research and development by more than 20 percent and extend tax incentives for wind energy and other clean energies that would help farm income. According to Governor Romney’s responses,

he supports many of the same tax incentives as Farm Bureau members, like eliminating the estate tax and the alternative minimum tax, as well eliminating the capital gains tax for lower income Americans. He also supports making environmental regulations more rational and cost-effective. On labor issues, he supports allowing kids to work on family farms. Differing from Farm Bureau, Romney supported his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.), vote on the House disaster bill, an alternative to pushing for congressional agreement on the long-term farm bill that is much needed. All Politics is Local Just as important to agriculture and rural America are the ballot initiatives taking place around the country. Often the agriculture industry is far more impacted by local referenda than what happens in Washington. For example, the North Dakota Farming and Ranching Amendment, also known as Measure 3, sponsored by the North Da-

kota Farm Bureau, would forever guarantee modern agricultural practices in the state. Specifically, the measure calls for a constitutional amendment that would block any law ‘which abridges the right of farmers and ranchers to employ agricultural technology, modern livestock production and ranching practices.” In California, many farmers are fighting Prop 37, a ballot initiative that, if passed, would make California the first state to require labeling of foods produced with biotechnology. According to opponents of Prop 37, like the California Farm Bureau, the measure would raise food costs, hurt small businesses and farmers and create frivolous lawsuits. Further, farmers feel that labeling wrongly implies that biotech foods are unsafe and misleads many consumers. So, as Tuesday, Nov. 6 approaches, take the opportunity to read up on the candidates and issues that could impact your lives and livelihoods. Once you get past all the campaign rhetoric, you may be surprised at what’s really at the heart of the issues. It’s your democracy—get involved!

keller Continued from page 2 rancher. Starting or expanding a farm or ranch requires a large investment because of the capital-intensive nature of the business. Land and buildings typically account for 76 percent of a farmer or rancher’s assets. The added acquisition cost associated with covering the tax can increase the cost of starting or expanding a farm or ranch. The cost impact also increases the likelihood that farm and ranch land will be sold outside of agriculture to commercial uses that are willing to pay for the asset. To remain efficient and profitable, farmers and ranchers must have the flexibility to change their businesses to be responsive to market signals from American and overseas consumers. Because capital gains 26

taxes are also imposed when buildings, breeding livestock and farmland are sold, it is more difficult for producers to shed unneeded assets to generate revenue to adapt and upgrade their operations. The current top capital gains tax rate is 15 percent but is set to increase to 20 percent in 2013. Keeping the top capital gains tax rate at 15 percent is especially significant for farm and ranch owners because they are much more likely to pay capital gains taxes than the population at large. Forty percent of all agricultural producers report some capital gains; nearly double the share for all taxpayers. The average amount of capital gain reported by farmers is about 50 percent higher than the average capital gain reported by other taxpayers.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Congress is considering changes in the tax code and its relationship to capital gains taxes. Last week Farm Bureau provided comments to a joint committee of the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Finance on this subject. Farm Bureau supports eliminating capital gains taxes and, until that can be accomplished, supports cutting the capital gains tax rate to help farm and ranch businesses improve productivity and remain competitive in the world market. Farm Bureau supports a capital gains tax exclusion for the sale of agricultural land that remains in production and when a family business is transferred between parents and children.

priestley

Continued from page 2

It was made clear at the onset that they weren’t out to solve rural Idaho’s problems, but to shed light on them and to facilitate a discussion that may lead us in the direction of some solutions. One of the conference speakers, Marc Johnson, a longtime pundit and former press secretary for Gov. Cecil Andrus, directed a poignant comment at the journalists who participated. He said “The role of the journalist is to watch the battle and then go out and bayonet the wounded. This audience is telling you to stay engaged on this subject and to sheath the bayonets.” One of the keynote speakers said the theme should be changed from “Challenged to change” to “change or die.” Multiple speakers said agriculture was and would continue to become less important to the state’s economy. There was an interesting discussion on

development of a rural policy for Idaho. If they were to revisit the state of rural Idaho today, many of the same problems persist. Rural internet access challenges remain. Stands of timber on federally-managed lands remain under-utilized, while our forests burn. Private landowners continue to have zero incentive to participate in the conservation of endangered species for fear of losing access to their property . . . the list goes on. Agriculture came through some tough years early in the decade but has bounced back with vigor. Idaho’s gross state product in 2011, the value of all goods and serviced produced, totaled $57.9 billion. That’s a 3.4 percent increase over 2010. GSP in the agriculture sector rose 21.3 percent, from $2.8 billion to $3.4 billion, by far the largest increase of any sector. Farming also led Idaho’s 5.4 percent increase in total personal

income during 2011. Total personal income in the farming sector during 2011 jumped 41 percent over 2010, from $1.6 billion to $2.22 billion. At the onset of the “Challenged to change” project, this column was critical of the premise that rural Idaho was dying. Agriculture, including timber production, has always been subject to peaks and valleys, and rural residents are steadfast in their resolve, which is sometimes difficult for some to understand. As stated previously, this conference generated significant ideas and discussion about the problems facing rural Idaho and rural development successes in other states. It’s a shame the dialogue stopped. For those interested in reading the conference transcript, it can be found at www.andruscenter.org under Past Events.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

2011 Potato Crop Valued At A Record High The final value of Idaho’s 2011 potato crop was $1.04 billion, surpassing 2010’s record value of $915 million by $128 million. The market year average price received by growers, at $8.10 per cwt, equaled last year’s record high $8.10. Fresh prices averaged $8.05 per cwt, down from last year’s $9.55 per cwt. Market year average processing prices were $7.70 per cwt, up from last year’s $7.00 per cwt. Idaho’s growers sold 120 million cwt from their 2011 crop while using 925,000 cwt on the farm for seed, feed, and household consumption. The remaining 8.00 million cwt was lost to shrinkage, de-

cay and dumping. Fresh market sales accounted for 33.7 million cwt of the 2011 crop, up 2 percent from the 2010 crop, and processing accounted for 75.6 million cwt, up 21 percent from the 2010 crop. Processors in Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon used a total of 84.8 million cwt of 2011 crop potatoes compared to 70.1 million cwt used in 2010. Of the total processed from the 2011 crop, 75.6 million cwt were Idaho potatoes. Processing in Idaho and Malheur County accounted for 58.7 percent of Idaho’s production compared to 55.3 percent of the 2010 crop. Idaho’s 2011 production of 129 million cwt accounted for 33 percent of the entire U.S. Fall production of 391 million cwt. Production in the Pacific Northwest, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon, collectively, totaled 250 million cwt or 64 percent of the U.S. Fall production.

much public appreciation of how it got there.”

WSJ Commentary Gives Kudos to Farmers Guest commentary in a recent Wall Street Journal, by Victor Hansen, a senior fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, focuses on the impacts of the drought and consumers’ lack of understanding of challenges facing farmers. In his commentary, “Amid Acres of Wilting Stalks, Farmers Stand Tall,” Hansen gives props to U.S. farmers and ranchers. “We are an insular suburban culture,” stated Hansen. “Our food is grown by only about 1 percent of the population. Usually an impressive variety of produce simply appears—safe, plentiful, fresh and relatively cheap—on our grocery store shelves without

“At a time of table-talk about American decline—staggering deficits, lackluster manufacturing, mediocre public schools and insolvent entitlement programs—American farming keeps producing record harvests that earn critical foreign exchange and ensure relatively cheap food prices. At least it did until this summer,” said Hansen. “The parched summer of 2012 reminds us that we still live in an often tragic world that all our high-tech devices and therapeutic gobbledygook cannot quite overcome. The comfortable life of smartphones, reality TV and Facebook seems a birthright only because it is predicated on the talents of Americans who, with little fanfare, put a bounty of food on our tables and the world’s.”

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Life on the Range

Ranchers learn firefighting techniques during a training course. The training enabled them to form Idaho’s first Rangeland Fire Protection Association.

Mountain Home Ranchers Form Fire Protection Association By Steve Stuebner

summer forage for livestock.

Over the years, ranchers have often tried to help the Bureau of Land Management fight range fires on public lands. After all, it’s in their interest to prevent rangelands from burning up and losing vital feed for their livestock. Many ranchers have permits from the BLM to graze livestock on public lands during the summer months. The public grasslands provide important

But in recent times, federal policy has prohibited ranchers from fighting fires on public lands for safety and liability reasons. A range fire last year brought things to a flash point. “We had a fire, a lightning strike that started some ground on fire over by the

Blair Trail Reservoir,” said Wes Wootan, a Glenns Ferry farmer and Elmore County commissioner. “Two ranchers had it controlled and shut down until the BLM could get there.” When the BLM fire crew showed up, Wootan said, the ranchers “were asked to leave, they did, and that fire that See LIFE ON THE RANGE page 32

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Life on the range

Continued from page 31

was potentially a 5-15 acre fire grew to a 40,000-acre fire.”

“We do make a living off this land,” says Charlie Lyons, Mountain Home rancher. “It’s important to us to protect the resource the best we could. Some of the tactics that the BLM was using weren’t getting to the issue of stopping the fires at a short duration.”

Home have been getting burned repeatedly almost every year. A national wildfire frequency map shows that the Southwest Idaho region burns more often than any other place in the nation. The fire frequency is related to people throwing cigarettes out the window of vehicles on Interstate 84, flaming bits of rubber from flat tires, careless target-shooting practices, and more. It’s also due to the large amount of highly flammable cheatgrass growing in the area.

In fact, the rangelands near Mountain

“In the United States, the most fires are

Ranchers felt the BLM policy was unacceptable.

right here, they burn the most ground,” Wootan says. “Because of that, it’s proactive for us to put something together that addresses the issue of first response.” BLM officials admit that the federal policy regarding whether ranchers could help fight range fires has been inconsistent. “In the late 80s, ranchers would come to fires and do some suppression work, but they were kind of operating as a standalone entity,” says Steve Acarregui, fire operations manager for the BLM Boise District. “The feds were doing their own

This map shows the areas where the most frequent fires occur. Southwest Idaho along I-84 is one of those areas. 32

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

thing, and the ranchers were doing their own thing, which raises a lot of safety concerns. And it was a very unsafe way to suppress a fire.” The BLM’s policy that prohibited ranchers and other private citizens from working on wildfires resulted from a lawsuit filed against the BLM in the aftermath of the Initial Point range fire near Kuna in 1995, a fire that killed two Kuna firefighters. “What came out of that was ranchers weren’t allowed to come on a fire,” Acarregui said. “It was a safety liability issue for the government.” Over the winter of 2012, several Mountain Home ranchers contacted the Idaho Department of Lands and the BLM about working together to stop wildfires. Using a private-public partnership model developed in Oregon, the agencies helped the ranchers form Idaho’s first Rangeland Fire Protection Association. Craig Glazier, National Fire Plan coordinator for the Idaho Department of Lands, notes that “Idaho code that spoke to timber protection associations - which Idaho has a long history of - also addressed rangeland associations, but no one had taken advantage of it until this time.” Glazier sees a clear need for the Mountain Home Rangeland Fire Protection Association, and perhaps others in southern Idaho. “We’re extremely excited about it,” he says. To form the association, the parties signed agreements to work together, and the ranchers received more than 40 hours of wildfire training. The ranchers also had to create a board of directors, form a nonprofit organization, and obtain liability insurance. After completing the training, the ranchers received official firefighting gear, communications equipment, and resources for fighting fires, such as a shiny red fire engine from the Idaho Dept. of Lands. All of these things take time. “It takes

someone who is fairly well-motivated,” Glazier says. “There’s a fair amount of work involved.” Wootan is pleased to see the RFPA come together in a year’s time. “We brought all of the entities together to end up with a positive situation that addressed everyone’s issues,” he said. The agreement came together just in time for the ranchers to help the BLM fight the Scout Fire near Mountain Home in July. “This was the first fire we interacted on and incorporated the Rangeland Fire Protection Association into suppression operations, and it went very well,” says Acarregui. “Some of the actual firefighting resources they provided were dozers, fire tenders and engines, they did a lot of

“We do make a living off this land, it’s important to us to protect the resource the best we could. Some of the tactics that the BLM was using weren’t getting to the issue of stopping the fires at a short duration.” line construction, and it was very beneficial.” “The other part of it was their local knowledge,” Acarregui continues. “I logged 10-12 hours with a rancher in my command vehicle, strategizing on how to put the fire out. Where water resources are, access routes and developing contingency plans. We were able to get a rancher in a helicopter for a recon flight and doing the same sort of things. That proved very valuable. “ As things turned out, the range fire was contained and controlled at 12,000 acres. “It was a good catch considering the conditions and the resources assigned,” Acarregui says.

Still, it was the 3rd time that the rocky foothills north of Mountain Home had burned in the last 10 years. Charlie Lyons laments the loss of his spring range and wildlife habitat. “From a ranching standpoint, yeah, it knocks the air out of us, we’re two years out of here, it’ll be a tremendous expense,” Lyons says. “From a habitat issue, this is huge! It took the last of the chukar habitat. It’s a bigger picture than making a dollar off a cow. It really is for me.” Mountain Home rancher John McGrew agrees. “If we can keep that range productive, it’s good for us and it’s good for the game animals. That’s my primary concern. It’s such a waste of resources to watch it go up in smoke.” The Mountain Home RFPA will work on adding more firefighting resources to their arsenal and work together with IDL and the BLM to extinguish range fires. By being a bonafide fire protection association in Idaho, the Mountain Home RFPA will be eligible to apply for grants from the IDL for firefighting equipment. Glazier expects that once other ranchers in southern Idaho hear about the Mountain Home RFPA, they may want to create another fire protection association in their area. “We’re excited to see these guys take on the challenge and try to solve this problem at the local level,” he says. “We would strongly encourage others to contact us, and we’ll do what we can to help them out. There’s about 2 million acres of unprotected area in southern Idaho, so there’s a real need there.” Glazier can be contacted at the Idaho Department of Lands in Coeur d’Alene, 208-666-8646 or cglazier@idl.idaho. gov. Steve Stuebner is the writer and producer for Life on the Range www.lifeontherange.org.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

OBAMA

Continued from page 6 working conditions of U.S. workers and only be used when U.S. workers are not available. I have called on Congress to pass and implement the AgJOBS Act, which allows farmers to hire the workers they rely on, and provides a path to citizenship for those workers. But we cannot wait for Congress to act, which is why my administration is already taking action to improve the existing system for temporary agricultural workers. We are also standing up a new Office on Farmworker Opportunities at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the first office for farmer workers in the Agency’s history. These measures are helping to identify the challenges faced by farmworkers and address the need for a reliable labor force. TAXES What priorities will you set for reforming the tax code? How should tax reform deal with the estate tax and capital gains taxes, two critical concerns for farmers and ranchers? The tax code has become increasingly complicated and unfair. While many tax incentives serve important purposes, taken together the tax expenditures in the law are inefficient, unfair, duplicative, or even unnecessary. That’s why I’m calling for comprehensive tax reform. First, we must extend the middle class tax cuts for the 98 percent of Americans making less than $250,000 for another year. In fact, my proposal extends tax cuts for 97 percent of all small business owners in America. But at the same time, we need to ask the wealthiest to pay their fair share. I remain opposed to the extension of tax cuts for those with household income is above $250,000 and support the return of the estate tax exemption and rates to 2009 levels. These policies were unfair and unaffordable when they were passed, and they remain so today. Governor Romney would take the opposite approach – his tax plan would require an average tax increase of $2,000

on middle class families with kids, to pay for a new round of tax cuts for multi-millionaires, who would get an average break of $250,000. My proposal would return the top tax rate on estates to 45 percent and reinstate the $7 million per-couple estate tax exemption, which exempts all but the wealthiest 3 in 1,000 decedents from the tax, but still helps us reduce the deficit. Independent experts estimate that under this plan, only 60 small farm and business estates in the entire country would owe any estate tax in 2013. I’d also return capital gains taxes to the rates they were when Bill Clinton was president. But I’m calling for the permanent elimination of capital gains taxes on key small business investments. TRADE Expanded export opportunities are essential for agriculture’s continued growth. What are your views on enforcing existing trade agreements and pursuing new trading opportunities for the United States? I have expanded markets for American goods that help support over a million agriculture jobs here at home. In 2011, American farm income reached a record high, with a record number of agricultural exports and a record agriculture trade surplus that means more of our products are being sold in markets around the world. I signed three historic trade agreements with Panama, Columbia, and South Korea which will increase exports by $2.3 billion – supporting nearly 20,000 American jobs. And I am working to expand local and regional food markets, a multi-billion dollar industry. We’ve increased the number of farmers markets by 53 percent since 2008. Through these policies, we are expanding markets for American goods abroad and at home.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

OTHER Why should farmers and ranchers vote for you? I am committed to building the foundation for a renewed rural economy so that future generations can enjoy the way of life in rural America. I am building a rural economy built to last – one focused on reclaiming the security of the rural middle class by growing products that the rest of the world buys, and restoring the basic values of hard work and fair play that made our country great. Farmers and rancher should vote for me because I am the only candidate that is committed to strengthening the farm safety net, strengthening rural economic growth, and supporting rural investments in clean energy. Not only am I committed to providing farmers the safety they need to grow America’s food, but I am also planning for a strong agricultural future, increase funding for agricultural research and development by over 20 percent. My Administration is boosting rural small businesses by making it easier for them to access the capital they need to sell their products, expand operations and hire workers. And we are investing in a 21st century infrastructure - expanding broadband service for nearly seven million rural residents. We are working aggressively with our nation's rural communities, farmers, and ranchers to increase our energy independence and boost the transition to a clean energy economy. We are also partnering with over 13,000 farmers and ranchers to support renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that help save energy and improve their bottom line. Unlike my opponent, I understand that clean energy can provide farmers with additional income and economic security, which is why I have called on Congress to extend tax incentives for wind energy, which Mitt Romney would let expire.

ROMNEY

Continued from page 7 LABOR U.S. agriculture has a long history of relying on temporary workers to help plant and harvest crops, tend orchards and manage livestock. What would you do to solve agriculture’s labor shortage problem? I understand and appreciate the critical role that foreign temporary workers play in the agriculture industry.I also understand that our current system for issuing visas to temporary, seasonal workers is broken. Too often, harvest or tourist season passes before temporary worker visas are approved. Indeed, in 2006 and 2007, 43% of all applications for temporary agricultural workers were not processed on time. As president, I will make the system for bringing in temporary agricultural workers and other seasonal workers functional for both employers and workers.I will get rid of unnecessary requirements that delay issuance of a visa and will speed the processing of applications. A legal immigration system that works will provide a lawful alternative to workers who would otherwise enter illegally and employers who face the choice of either reducing operations or turning to illegal labor to address labor shortage problems. Additionally, let me add what my Administration will not do in this area. We will not propose heavy-handed regulations that will limit opportunities for our youth to be involved in agriculture. This is a stark contrast to what the Obama Administration proposed in their regulations to prohibit those under the age of 16 from working on farms, in some cases even one owned by their family. The impacts of this rule would have negatively affected our next generation of farmers, ranchers, and rural leaders. That’s why even the National FFA Organization opposed this misguided regulation. While the Obama Administration has since retreated on this ill-advised regulation, it demonstrates how out of touch they are with our nation’s family farms and their possible agenda if given another four years unhindered by reelection.

TAXES What priorities will you set for reforming the tax code? How should tax reform deal with the estate tax and capital gains taxes, two critical concerns for farmers and ranchers? We must pass fundamental tax reform that lowers tax rates, broadens the base, achieves revenue neutrality, and maintains the progressivity of the tax code. This will help jumpstart an economic recovery that will help create 12 million jobs in my first term in office. Regarding the estate tax and capital gains taxes, we must work to help all working families, including farmers and ranchers, keep more of what they earn. As president, I will eliminate the estate tax, helping keep family farms and ranches intact when businesses pass on from one generation to the next. I will also maintain the current 15% capital gains rate for wealthier Americans, while totally eliminating capital gains, dividend, and interest taxes for those who earn less than $200,000 per year. This will help middle-class families save tax free for long term costs like college tuition and retirement, and to generally enjoy the freedom that accompanies financial security. TRADE Expanded export opportunities are essential for agriculture’s continued growth. What are your views on enforcing existing trade agreements and pursuing new trading opportunities for the United States? As the United States is the largest agricultural exporter in the world, I understand that agricultural trade is incredibly important to our economy and to job creation in our country. A thriving agriculture sector is a key to getting our economy going again. We must continue to encourage this sector to grow, not stifle its success with ineffective trade policies that linger in bureaucracy and do not advance our economic interests. As president, I will work to promote multilateral trade agreements and reverse the course of the Obama Administration which has only enacted three trade agreements – all initiated in the Bush Administration. As

president, I will work with Congress to gain Trade Promotion Authority in order to facilitate the negotiation and completion of trade agreements. I will also stress that the World Trade Organization should reassert itself in order to resolve and restrict non-sciencebased trade restrictions prohibited by the overriding agreements, and I will value the important roles of the USDA and USTR as they provide focused attention and resources important to agricultural trade issues. OTHER Why should farmers and ranchers vote for you? As the breadth of your questions indicate here, American agriculture needs relief from the Obama Administration’s crushing onslaught of unnecessary regulations; a commonsense energy policy that develops our resources right here at home; a renewed focus on opening new markets; and a progrowth tax policy that encourages investment and recognizes that death should not be a taxable event. On day one of my administration, farmers and ranchers would have something they’ve lacked over the past several years – an advocate. Farmers and ranchers are the backbone of America and play a critical role in ensuring Americans across the country have access to safe and affordable food. The fruit of your labor nourishes the world, and I admire your hard work in harvesting our country’s bountiful resources. I also admire our farmers and ranchers for the critical role you play in the health of our economy, employing millions of Americans. I’m honored to have interacted with so many farmers and ranchers during this campaign, and I’m grateful to have them supporting our efforts to turn around the economy and strengthen the middle class. If you haven’t yet signed-up to help with the campaign or just want to learn more, please visit my website at www.mittromney.com. Much is held in the balance of this election for all Americans, but particularly for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities, and I hope I can count on your vote this November 6th.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Farm Bureau Members Pay Less For Choice Hotels!

FARM BUREAU COMMODITY REPORT GRAIN PRICES

Portland:

White Wheat 11% Winter 14% Spring Corn

Ogden:

White Wheat 11.5 % Winter 14% Spring Barley

A $40 room will be closer to

Pocatello:

White Wheat 11.5 % Winter 14% Spring Barley

$32 A $60 room will be closer to

Burley:

White Wheat 11.5 % Winter 14% Spring Barley

Nampa:

White Wheat (cwt) (Bushel)

$48 A $90 room will be closer to

Lewiston:

White Wheat Barley

8/22/2012

9/24/2012

8.90 9.35-9.60 9.90 342-346.50

8.77 9.43-9.48 No Bid 311-312.50

- .13 + .08 to - 12 N/A - 31.00 to - 34.00

8.00 8.05 8.68 13.50

7.95 8.29 8.91 12.20

- .05 + .24 + .23 - 1.30

7.70 7.91 8.39 12.81

8.00 8.36 8.68 12.92

+ + + +

7.97 7.93 8.30 13.00

7.82 8.00 8.43 13.00

- .15 + .07 + .13 Steady

13.08 7.85

Steady Steady

8.62 246.50

8.55 236.50

- .07 - 10.00

Feeder Steers

1.800.258.2847

Farm Bureau Discount Code

New 2012 Code - 00209550 advanced reservations required

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

8/20/2012

9/24/2012

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Trend

126-180 116-164 115-144 101-130

126-187 116-170 115-151 110-129

Steady to + 7 Steady to + 6 Steady to + 7 + 9 to - 1

117-171 110-157 105-134 92-121

117-174 116-155 110-133 98-120

Steady to + 3 + 6 to - 2 + 5 to - 1 + 6 to - 1

75-110 75-100

75-118 63-103

Steady to + 8 - 12 to + 3

60-83 53-77

54-78 55-72

- 6 to - 5 + 2 to - 5

800-1200

N/A

72-93

70-90

- 2 to - 3

No Bid No Bid No Bid

38.00-40.00 40.00 40.00

N/A N/A N/A

Compiled by the Idaho Farm Bureau Commodity Division 36

.30 .45 .29 .11

LIVESTOCK PRICES

$72

Trend

IDaho Hay Report Alfalfa Small Square Premium

Fri Sept 21, 2012 Tons: 6655 Last Week: 35,840 Last Year: 13,780 Compared to last week, Premium Alfalfa for domestic use steady. Trade slow to moderate. Demand remains good for all hay. Retail/feed store/horse steady as most supplies going to eastern interests. Buyer demand good with light to moderate supplies. All prices are dollars per ton and FOB unless otherwise stated. Alfalfa Large Square Supreme Good/Premium Good

Tons

Price

2700 580 2800 250

200.00-225.00 210.00-210.00 200.00-200.00 180.00-180.00

Wtd Avg

204.63 210.00 200.00 180.00

Comments

150

230.00-230.00

230.00

Retail/Stable

Alfalfa/Orchard Mix Small Square Premium 175

230.00-230.00

230.00

Retail/Stable

Alfalfa hay test guidelines, (for domestic livestock use and not more than 10% grass), used with visual appearance and intent of sale Quantitative factors are approximate and many factors can affect feeding value. Source: USDA Market News, Moses Lake, WA.

Rain Damage

POTATOES FOR PROCESSING September 18, 2012 POTATOES FOR PROCESSING IDAHO---Open-market trading by processors with growers was inactive. Harvest continues to move up the valley producing a wide variety of yields and quality.

5 Year Grain Comparison Grain Prices................09/26/2008...................09/22/2009...................09/21/2010...................09/21/2011..................09/24/2012 Portland: White Wheat..................... 6.65 .............................4.40 ..............................6.51 ............................6.58 ........................... 8.77 11% Winter................... 7.56-7.76 ....................4.78-5.04 .....................No Bid ............. 7.66-7.86 .......... 9.43-9.48 14% Spring.........................9.15 ..............................6.31 ............................No Bid.............................9.46 ........................No Bid Corn.............................. 238-242.50 .................. 155.50-157....................209-209.75......................... N/A..........................311-312.50 Ogden: White Wheat..................... 6.26 .............................4.20 ..............................6.05 ............................6.55.............................. 7.95 11% Winter....................... 6.76 ..............................3.97 ..............................6.14 ............................6.65 .......................... 8.29 14 % Spring.......................7.93 .............................. 5.18 .............................7.21 ............................8.30 ........................... 8.91 Barley................................. 9.80 ..............................4.99 ..............................6.70 ...........................12.10............................ 12.20 Pocatello: White Wheat..................... 5.90 ..............................4.10 .............................5.85 ............................6.45............................ 11% Winter....................... 6.42 ..............................3.56 ..............................5.97 ............................6.40 ......................... 14% Spring.........................7.71 .............................. 5.13 .............................7.14 ............................7.95 .......................... Barley..................................9.15 ...........................4.48 ...........................6.46 .........................11.67...........................

8.00 8.36 8.68 12.92

According to NASS, Final disposition numbers show Idaho’s 2011 potato crop totaling 129 million cwt, an increase of 1.3 percent from earlier estimates and 14.0 percent more than the 2010 crop. Field run yield of 404 cwt is 6 cwt more than the previous estimate and 20 cwt more than the 2010 crops yield. Harvested area for the 2011 crop was 319,000 acres. From USDA reports

Burley: White Wheat..................... 5.55 ..............................3.99 ..............................5.80 ............................6.55............................. 11% Winter....................... 6.38 .............................3.78 ..............................6.05 ............................6.43 .......................... 14% Spring........................ 7.36 ..............................5.00 ..............................7.17 ............................8.03 .......................... Barley................................. 8.75...............................4.50 ..............................6.75 .........................11.50...........................

7.82 8.00 8.43 13.00

Nampa: White Wheat (cwt)...........9.17 .............................5.68 ..............................9.42 ...........................10.42........................... 13.08 (bushel)........... 5.50 ............................. 3.41 .............................5.65 ............................6.25............................. 7.85 Lewiston: White Wheat..................... 6.45 .............................. 4.13 .............................6.40 ............................6.30............................. 8.55 Barley...............................166.50............................91.50 ......................146.50...........................211.50........................ 236.50 Bean Prices: Pintos................................40.00..............................2.00.............................No Bid......................42.00-45.00.................38.00-40.00 Pinks................................No Bid.......................32.00-34.00.......................No Bid......................44.00-45.00.................40.00-42.00 Small Reds.......................No Bid.......................32.00-35.00.......................No Bid......................42.00-45.00.................40.00-42.00 ***

IDAHO Milk production DOWN 0.2 Percent September 19, 2012

Idaho milk production during August 2012 totaled 1.18 billion pounds, a 0.2 percent decrease from the same month last year and a 0.5 percent decrease from July 2012, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. July 2012 milk production was revised to 1.19 billion pounds, down 14 million pounds. Average milk production per cow in August 2012 was 2,040 pounds, up 10 pounds from last year’s level. The average number of milk cows during August was 578,000 head, down 4,000 head from August 2011.

Milk production in the 23 major States during August totaled 15.3 billion pounds, down 0.2 percent from August 2011. July revised production at 15.5 billion pounds, was up 0.7 percent from July 2011. The July revision represented a decrease of 24 million pounds or 0.2 percent from last month’s preliminary production estimate. Production per cow in the 23 major States averaged 1,803 pounds for August, 10 pounds below August 2011. The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major States was 8.50 million head, 32,000 head more than August 2011, but 4,000 head less than July 2012. Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

5 Year livestock comparison .....................................09/26/2008...................09/22/2009...................09/21/2010...................09/21/2011..................09/24/2012 Under 500 lbs................. 89-114 ........................90-134 ........................115-145 ....................128-181 ...................126-187 500-700 lbs..................... 83-110 ........................85-114 .........................101-137.........................116-160.........................116-170 700-900 lbs.....................87-104 ..........................80-96 ........................95-112 .....................101-133.........................115-151 Over 900 lbs................... 82-101............................78-87 ..........................80-102.........................101-118........................ 110-129 Feeder Heifers Under 500 lbs................. 82-101 .........................83-112...........................105-141 ....................119-170.........................117-174 500-700 lbs......................82-97 .........................79-97 .........................96-121 .....................114-144.........................116-155 700-900 lbs......................75-96 ...........................68-89 ..........................90-108.........................103-125........................ 110-133 Over 900 lbs....................78-95 ...........................73-78 .........................84-100..........................90-114..........................98-120 Holstein Steers Under 700 lbs..................40-64 ..........................45-69 ...........................65-91 .......................... 78-92 ........................ 75-118 Over 700 lbs.................... 47-70 ...........................50-66 ...........................65-82 ...........................74-92 ........................63-103 Cows Utility/Commercial...........36-64.............................33-54.............................47-67.............................51-71............................54-78 Canner & Cutter..............30-51.............................20-48.............................40-55........................... 42-67............................55-72 Stock Cows......................650-850 ......................650-850 ..................... 800-1000.......................... N/A .....................N/A Bulls â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Slaughter............50-72.............................45-64.............................47-77.............................61-89 .........................70-90

Idaho Cattle on Feed Up 5 Percent from Previous Year September 21, 2012 Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Idaho from feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head on September 1, 2012 totaled 205,000 head, up 5 percent from the previous year, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service.The cattle on feed inventory is up 8 percent from August 1, 2012. Placements of cattle in feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during August totaled 53,000 head, up 23 percent from August 2011 placements. Marketings of cattle from feedlots with 1,000 head or more during August totaled 37,000 head, down 5,000 head from last year. Other disappearance totaled 1,000 head during August. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.6 million head on September 1, 2012.The inventory was 1 percent below September 1, 2011. Placements in feedlots during August totaled 2.00 million, 11 percent below 2011. This is the second lowest cattle placements for the month of August since the series began in 1996. Net placements were 1.94 million head. During August, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 482,000, 600-699 pounds were 385,000, 700799 pounds were 475,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 660,000. Marketings of fed cattle during August totaled 1.96 million, 5 percent below 2011. Other disappearance totaled 61,000 during August, 15 percent below 2011.

Cattle Outlook September 21, 2012 Domestic beef demand during July was up 1.8% compared to a year earlier, but export demand for U.S. beef was down 14.9%. Export demand has declined each month this year. Why? Record beef prices may have something to do with the decline. Slaughter steer demand was down 3.2% in July. August demand calculations have to wait until next month when August trade data are released. Retail beef prices averaged $4.945 per pound during August. That was down 6.8 cents from July, up 7.3 cents from August 2011, and the ninth highest month ever. The 5 area average live price for slaughter steers in August was $120.30/cwt, up $4.70 from July, and up $6.70 from August 2011. The beef packer gross margin dropped to $119 last week, the lowest in five weeks. Beef carcass cutout values were higher this week. On Friday morning, the choice boxed beef carcass cutout value was $193.88/cwt, up $2.44 from last Friday and up $10.10 from a year ago. This week the select carcass cutout was up $3.40 from the previous week to $184.19/cwt. Fed cattle prices were slightly lower this week. Through Thursday, the 5-area average price for slaughter steers sold on a live weight basis was $125.29/cwt, down 62 cents from last week, but up $9.42 from the same week last year. Steer prices on a dressed basis averaged $195.02/cwt this week, down 39 cents from a week ago, but up $11.91 from a year ago.

Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012

Cattle slaughter totaled 623,000 head this week, down 3.7% from the week before and down 5.9% from the same week last year. The average steer dressed weight for the week ending September 8 was 870 pounds, up 5 pounds from the week before and up 15 pounds from a year ago. This was the 35th consecutive week above yearearlier. Oklahoma City feeder cattle prices were called steady to $3 higher this week with prices for medium and large frame #1 steers: 400-450# $183-$199, 450-500# $164.50-$177.50, 500-550# $152.25-$177, 550-600# $148-$158.50, 600-650# $143-$154, 650-700# $141-$156.75, 700-750# $142-$150.50, 750-800# $135.50$142.50, 800-900# $128-$141, and 900-1000# $127-$132/cwt. The October live cattle futures contract settled at $125.52/cwt, down $1.53 from the previous Friday. December cattle closed at $128.47/cwt, down $1.45 from the previous Friday. February fed cattle contracts settled at $131.92/cwt. September feeder cattle futures ended the week at $143.80/cwt, $1.20 lower than last Friday. October feeder cattle contracts ended the week at $147.22, up 60 cents from the week before. November feeders settled at $148.70/cwt. Provided by: University of Missouri

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Horse property, Wilder, Idaho. Quiet; 10 irrigated acres; six horse pens; 50’ round pen; 35’x40’ barn/shop w/shop power and insulated tack room; two fenced pastures; corral. Three bedroom, 2 bath home with full-length covered patio. $269,000. 208890-3503

1971 Chev. 3/4 ton pickup. Eden, Id 208825-5195

APHA Broodmares. Excellent bloodlines. Great conformation. Super dispositions., Herd reduction. Great prices. Stallion Service Available-$400 fee LFG. Caldwell, Id 208454-2454 Navajo-Churro and Karakul sheep. Natural colored, high luster, long staple wool. Exceptional dispositions and hardiness. Cross well with all breeds. Arco, Id 208-5899042 100% All Natural Grass Fed Lamb for sale: Whole, ½’s or individual retail cuts available. USDA Inspected. Nampa, Id. Please contact Sharon Gutierrez at (208) 899-7715 or gutierrezfamily@clearwire.net or 208-8997715

Farm Equipment Challenger MT 755, 2209 hrs, annual service checks by Western States, 1000 hrs on 25” tracks, Trimble auto steer and sprayer control, clean one owner, $152,000.00; deegt@aol. com or call 208-220-3335 1946 H Farmall NF. Runs, new paint. Show Tractor. Spirit Lake, Id. 208-263-1774 Farmhand 8/10 pack bale loader head with quick-attach adapter. Very good condition. Salmon, Id 208-756-7212 8N Ford Tractor. Eden, Id. 208-825-5195 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

Household Blue Recliner chair, Eden, Id 208-825-5195

Recreational Equipment New Custom built 5th wheel trailer. 6 ft upper deck. 20 ft lower deck. Tandem axles. 6000#. 3 fold down ramps – wood deck. Spirit Lake, Id 208-263-1774 2005 Forest River Wildwood Camp Trailer - $7500 Clean. No Smoking, Flipped axles, Polar Package, 40gal water, Sleeps 4, Am/fm/ CD player, Stabilizer jacks, Skylight, Furnace 13000-17000 BTU, Awning 13’ x 14’, LPG gas/Smoke Detector, Gas/Elc water heater, Pocatello, Id 208-241-2048

Vehicles 1952 Harley Davidson Panhead, custom, sharp! Spirit Lake, Id 208-263-1774 2001 Ford Escape 98,000 miles, Like new, $5,500.00; 1980 Honda Motorcycle, New Paint and rebuild; 1981 Yamaha 250XT street or off-road. American Falls, Id. 208226-3105 1979 Jeep CJ6 needs some mechanic work 1350.00 need to sell. Twin Falls, Id. 208733-2854 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche crew cab. 1500 LT, 4 WD, Trailer brake equipment, 5.36 V8 Flexible fuel. 47,500 miles. $24,000. Glenns Ferry, Id. 208-366-7425 1946 Ford Super Deluxe Coupe. 350/350. Rebuilt Trans, new torque converter. All new window glass. This car is in parts ready to rebuild. All there except rear seat. Pictures upon request. Good shape. $5,700. cwchar0@gmail.com or 208-664-2361

Wanted 1 or 2 row corn harvester/chopper. contact Lyle D. Rowbury at 281-797-6955 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. 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

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Idaho Farm Bureau producer / OCTOBER 2012