Fall 2012 Volume 12, Issue 4

®

Fall 2012 Volume 12, Issue 4

Farmers Increase Corn Production – pg. 4

Foresters Discuss Land Succession Options – pg. 18

Trailing of the Sheep Festival – pg. 24

The Ag Agenda

A Labor Plan for All Farmers

By Bob Stallman

President American Farm Bureau Federation

For far too long, farmers and ranchers have had to struggle to make sure that they have a legal, reliable supply of workers. The reality has been a daunting, broken system, riddled with shortcomings that have resulted in labor shortages, lost crops, bureaucratic nightmares and neighbors competing with one another to get the farm hands they need.

Farmers from around the country all feel the pain. From Washington state apple growers to New York dairy producers, there is an across-the-board shortage of labor for hire. Agriculture needs and deserves a legal, stable workforce, and Farm Bureau has a plan.

A tip of the hat goes out to Idaho Governor Butch Otter for a recent letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar requesting that Bureau of Land Management officials take a closer look at placement of a power transmission corridor.

voltage transmission lines between Glenrock, Wyoming and Melba. The project is slated to be completed in phases between 2016 and 2021. More details on the project can be found at the following link:

Flexibility and Stability Matter Farm Bureau, along with other organizations in the agricultural community, is See STALLMAN, page 6

The President’s Desk

Otter Goes to Bat for Landowners

By Frank Priestley President Idaho Farm Bureau Federation

The Gateway West Transmission Line Project is a joint proposal from Rocky Mountain Power and Idaho Power to build about 1,000 miles of high-

http://www.gatewaywestproject.com/

A project of this size requires the cooperation of state and federal agencies, as well as private landowners. BLM reluctance to allow the transmission project on specific parcels of federally-managed lands is where the rub comes from.

See PRIESTLEY, page 6

Inside Farm Bureau

Liberty is Not the Norm

By Rick Keller CEO Idaho Farm Bureau Federation

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My family presented me with a book that I highly recommend: The Miracle of Freedom: 7 Tipping Points that Saved the World, by Chris and Ted Stewart. In their book, the authors explore the idea that throughout the age of human experience, most people have not been afforded the simple right of the freedom of choice.

There have been scattered examples of

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / SUMMER 2012

justice, but the vast majority of human beings never even thought about the possibility of living under the protection of a government that would honor their individual rights or grant them freedom.

The United States has experienced more than 200 years of unparalleled liberty.

We take for granted the extraordinary gifts we have been given, even to the point of being lackadaisical about these gifts. We often fail to recognize how few See KELLER, page 7

Volume 12, Issue 4 IFBF OFFICERS President .................................. Frank Priestley, Franklin Vice President ..................................Mark Trupp, Driggs Executive Vice President .............................. Rick Keller

CONTENTS FEATURES

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

Corn takes prominent role in Idaho agriculture

PAGE 4 Guest Column by Idaho Governor Butch Otter

PAGE 5

PAGE 24 A Taste of Idaho

PAGE 30 County Happenings

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

Trailing of the Sheep Festival

PAGE 33

Idaho’s Top 100

PAGE 8

Life on the Range

Annual photo contest

PAGE 16

PAGE 34

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY USPS #022-899, is published quarterly by the IDAHO FARM BUREAU FEDERATION, 275 Tierra Vista Drive, Pocatello, ID 83201.

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Cover: With 30 percent of the U.S. corn crop

destined for ethanol plants, the overall crop value has risen, increasing the cost of feed for livestock producers. What will happen to the Renewable Fuel Standard after the election is an important topic for U.S. agriculture. Photo by Steve Ritter

DEPARTMENTS The Ag Agenda: Bob Stallman ............................................................ 2 The President’s Desk: Frank Priestley.............................................. 2 Inside Farm Bureau: Rick Keller ........................................................ 2 Insurance Matters .............................................................................. 20 Crossword ........................................................................................... 23 Classifieds ........................................................................................... 42

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

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Renewable Fuel Standard up for Review; Corn growers Support, Feeders Oppose

By Jake Putnam The Obama administration faces a tough decision concerning the future of corn and home-grown energy.

At stake is whether the Administration will cut requirements that blend ethanol into the nation s gasoline supply or keep the Renewable Fuel Standard act in place.

The issue has flown under campaign radar but the billion dollar question is critical to the success or failure of the next generation of biofuel plants that crews will complete in the coming weeks.

The public comment period on the issue ended the last week of October. Now the Administration must act before November 13th. The big question on Capitol Hill is this: Will the Obama Administration decide the fate of ethanol before or after the election?

“We think after,” said Chuck Beck of the American Coalition for Ethanol. “I think the administration will respect the process, study the comments and issue their decision in a timely, studied manner.”

The Renewable Fuel Standard Act was created in 2005 to help the struggling ethanol

industry get off the ground by requiring ethanol in gasoline.

The ethanol requirement has it benefits, namely meeting air pollution standards and lessening the dependence on foreign crude oil.

The mandates were passed before the U.S. economy tanked. At the time, gasoline demand was expected to climb to 160 billion gallons a year, but it’s never reached that peak, in fact current consumption is just 130 billion gallons and falling.

Yet ethanol has become a polarizing issue.

The governors of corn states oppose lifting the ethanol mandate while the governors of feed supply states want lower corn prices, especially after the Midwest drought sent feed prices through the roof.

Idaho is split on the issue. Idaho farmer Tracy Walton of Emmett says the corn crop is a money maker.

“The prices are pretty good, they’re off the all-time high but still strong,” he said.

“Without the drought in the Midwest prices would be half of what they are right now.”

Farmers like Walton stand to make money if the fuel standard stays in place. Accord-

ing to the USDA, Idaho farmers planted 360,000 acres of corn this year. That’s up 3 percent and with healthy market prices in 2012; they’re projected to plant more acres in 2013.

“In this area there’s a lot of corn that got planted,” said Walton. “We have irrigation water so the drought never affected us since we have storage capacity. Hopefully we will get the snow in the winter so we can continue to irrigate, with that water we will plant for next year too.”

According to ethanol industry insiders the Obama administration is expected to keep the Renewable Fuel Standard in place which might not sit well with states hurting because of high feed costs.

But the spiraling feed costs worry members of Congress because it also affects meat and chicken prices. Lawmakers are getting constituent pressure to address the fuel standard just as the ethanol industry gets ready to release the next generation of biofuels.

It’s a complex issue. When the mandates were passed back in 2005 oil demand across the US was at all-time highs. But energy consumption is down this year, natural gas prices are down, corn prices are up and fuel efficient cars are starting to impact fuel use.

To complicate matters further, federal budget cutters have slashed federal subsidies but future mandates for ethanol are ambitious.

Under current language, ethanol is projected to replace 10 percent of the nation’s fuel supply. That’s an unprecedented 13.2 billion gallons of biofuel in 2013, 15 billion in 2015 and 36 billion by 2022.

The Renewable Fuel Standard that mandates mixing of ethanol in gasoline is under review and faces many detractors. However, both President Obama and Mitt Romney say they support continuing the Bush-era subsidy.

Photo by Steve Ritter

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IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

Critics argue that it takes a lot of feed out of production. It’s prompted action by Utah Senator Mike Lee. Lee’s thinks ethanol See CORN CONTROVERSY p.27

The True Cost Of Idaho Wildfires bris that wash into nearby streams and impact important fish habitat and drinking water sources – rolling back progress made by the millions of dollars paid every year by Idaho taxpayers and utility ratepayers to

By Governor C.l. “Butch” otter

help restore salmon runs.

State and federal tax dollars spent on wildfire suppression in Idaho so far in 2012 add up to a whopping $189 million – and it’s increasing by the hour.

Wildfires also cause long-term soil instability, reducing the chance for natural restoration and re-vegetation. That compromises wildlife habitat in some areas, affecting travel corridors for species and in some cases eliminating habitat altogether. That enables the feds to further restrict multiple use of lands designated as “critical habitat” under the Endangered Species Act.

But the actual cost of a bad wildfire season isn’t just about dollars spent on suppression.

It’s also about impacts on the environment and public health, loss of life and property, and of course the lost opportunities for improving the lives of our citizens through the economic benefits offered by healthy, actively managed forests and rangelands.

Despite the best efforts of our congressional delegation, Idahoans and all Americans will continue paying in many ways for the lack of direction – or misguided direction – that federal laws and policies provide public land managers. And while our exceptional firefighters put their lives on the line, the challenges they face on the ground are aggravated by litigious single-interest environmental groups devoted to economically undermining such traditional industries as ranching and forest products.

Estimates indicate that Idaho wildfires this year already have been responsible for more air pollutants being released into the atmosphere than all automobiles and industrial sources in Idaho combined. Severe wildfires also create ash, fine sediment and de-

This year will be one of Idaho’s worst fire seasons since the Panhandle’s deadly “Big Burn” of 1910. To date, 1.7 million acres have burned in Idaho during a fire season that likely will extend for several more weeks. And it’s important to remember that 93 percent of the acres burned in Idaho this year are owned and “managed” by the federal government.

The existing approach to managing these lands and the fires on them is unacceptable.

Public land management and priorities have been studied and debated to death.

Federal land managers are hamstrung by laws that try to be everything to everyone on every acre. Their path forward is being determined by environmental lawsuits and bureaucratic inertia.

Some folks want to return our public lands to their most natural state, when the West was populated only by relatively small

numbers of native people. But our federal land managers need a legal framework that encourages proactive management and takes into consideration the 21st century challenges we face.

Fire behavior is affected by weather, terrain and fuels. Fuels are the only piece of that equation that humans can modify in a short time through active management.

Particularly in areas where homes meet wild lands, active management not only removes fire-prone fuels but also contributes to increased economic activity. For instance, every million board feet of harvested timber supports 13 family-wage jobs at $55,000 per year.

Idaho families need that kind of opportunity now more than ever.

Managed fuels and better access make fighting wildfire less expensive in a managed area, too. Road systems make it possible for people, engines and bulldozers to respond to fires on the ground so that expensive aerial firefighting resources aren’t the only option. Removing fuel by logging or grazing isn’t the answer for every acre of public land, but it certainly should be considered where it’s needed.

Catastrophic wildfire is a western issue that needs western leadership to find a solution.

Idaho’s congressional delegation knows the challenges federal land managers face, and Idaho wants to pave the way for change.

We have a history of working together and a desire to see public lands in Idaho managed under the principles of active stewardship. It’s the right thing to do, not only for enhanced economic opportunity but also to protect our people and property from the shortsightedness of absentee federal landlords.

Idaho and the nation can’t afford the enormous and unnecessary costs of another fire season like 2012. It’s time for a new dialogue and a new approach to federal land management.

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

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sTAllmAN

Continued from page 2

working on a solution for farmers and ranchers in all sectors, in all regions and for all commodities. What Farm Bureau is bringing to the discussion is a plan that we think will accommodate all agriculture from a grower who needs to hire harvesters for only a few days, to a dairy that needs a workforce 365 days of the year. The crux of Farm Bureau’s plan is to establish and implement a new visa program that would give both employers and employees stability and flexibility into the future, while also addressing the current workforce that has contributed to our farms and communities.

Both elements are necessary to provide a long-term, stable and legal workforce.

Building on how the domestic market currently operates, farmers would be permitted to offer migrant laborers either a contract or at-will work. Similarly, workers would be able to choose their form of employment.

With a contract, both employers and work-

ers would be provided longer-term stability and the worker could have a visa term of up to 12 months. On the other hand, the at-will option offers flexibility to employers who may just need a week’s worth of harvesting, while allowing workers the portability to work at other seasonal jobs for up to 11 months. This program reflects real-life workforce challenges and provides both the flexibility and stability that domestic workers enjoy.

diverse special labor needs within farming, the program has been difficult for growers to use, is not even available to some sectors of agriculture like dairy and simply is not feasible in some parts of the country.

Farm Bureau’s plan would remedy many of H-2A’s failings by offering real-world solutions that better meet both employers’ and workers’ needs. Over time, as farmers begin using the new visa program, we imagine H-2A will become obsolete.

Just as important, the plan would allow key migrant workers—those who have been working in U.S. agriculture for a defined period, as well as those who are in management and other key positions at a farm— the ability to stay in the U.S. and continue to work in the agriculture sector.

A market-based, flexible agricultural worker program makes sense and is long overdue. It is important for workers, farmers and especially consumers that agricultural producers have access to a legal, stable workforce for the future. With all of agriculture working together, we are optimistic we can offer Congress a reasonable, practical, common-sense solution that works for growers while respecting the rights of workers. It is time to move the discussion forward and find a solution that works for all farmers and ranchers.

eliminating rigidity Since its inception, the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program has been riddled with problems, creating more challenges than providing solutions. Because of the

PreIsTley Continued from page 2 As Gov. Otter correctly pointed out, state and local officials have spent two years working to map out a consensus route. However, the BLM preferred alternative ignores that collaborative effort and attempts to steer the project onto private property.

We agree the BLM needs to find a more reasonable position and recognize the collaborative effort of the people who will be affected most.

To lend some understanding to the situation, let’s take a quick look at the interests of those involved. First, the BLM is a federal agency that manages about 12 million acres in Idaho, or 22 percent of the state. All told, federal agencies manage 60 percent of the land base in Idaho. One of the BLM’s major concerns related to this project is that they will be sued by environmental groups for not protecting sage grouse, or other wildlife.

So the BLM’s incentive is to push the project off onto someone else’s land whenever they can.

6

The power companies also prefer the path of least resistance because it reduces their construction costs. We can’t cite specifics and there is no evidence of them being callous about landowners’ rights, but based on evidence from other projects, to them a nice flat hay field looks a heck of a lot better than a rocky ridge or a steep side hill.

As for the environmental groups, we are pretty certain they are going to sue. It doesn’t matter where the power lines run, or that power upgrades are needed to keep the state on a path forward, we are relatively certain they will find a reason to tie the project up in court. Chief among those reasons is the sage grouse. Even though the birds are relatively plentiful, earlier this year a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service evaluation determined the sage grouse deserves protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

However, they delayed listing the bird because of “the need to take action on other species facing more immediate and severe extinction threats.”

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

That announcement is a cause for concern in every state where sage grouse reside and could result in major economic hardship harkening back to what the spotted owl did to the Pacific Northwest timber industry in 1991.

The State of Idaho, and thank goodness for strong leadership, has an incentive to protect its economy. Power line projects take farmland out of production or can severely hamper a farm operation. Throughout the past four years of recession, agriculture has helped keep Idaho’s economy humming along providing jobs, tax base and supporting the state’s rural economy. We are glad Governor Otter and his administration recognizes this fact and has called on federal officials to take another look at this project.

We hope those federal officials accept Governor Otter’s invitation to come to Idaho and learn more about the project on the ground with the people who are most affected by it.

Keller Continued from page 2 we really are who enjoy these freedoms -- only a tiny portion of mankind’s population.

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What are the odds of being born in such a day as this? The best estimates of the number of people who have lived on the earth range from 100 to 110 billion. Freedom House estimates that approximately three billion of the earth’s current population live in “free nations.” Most of this is due to the fact that the number of

“It is important to note that democracy and freedom are very fleeting – they can be possessed and then lost.”

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free nations has almost doubled in the last generation.

It has also been estimated that 554 million people have lived under freedom in the United States since 1780. Postulating, another billion, or fewer, have lived under freedom in the other European nations that evolved into free nations during the twentieth century.

Even being generous in the estimates, it seems clear that fewer than five billion of the earth’s total inhabitants have ever lived under conditions that we could consider free. This would be something like 4.5 percent of the people who have ever lived.

Even more surprising is the fact that freedom is a relatively unstable marvel. In a recent work, Yale professor Robert Dahl could identify only 22 nations with a democracy older than 50 years.

While most of us consider free will and self-government as the norm, there are only 22 nations that have lived under a democratic form of government for even a single lifetime. Most of the nations Dahl identified were European or English speaking, with Costa Rica being the only Latin American country, Israel the only nation in the Middle East, and Japan the only nation in Asia.

The Stewarts issue a final word of warning: “It is important to note that democracy and freedom are very fleeting – they can be possessed and then lost.” The authors point out that other countries have experienced and tasted freedom and democratization, but many of these fledgling free nations stepped back into repressive regimes. As the authors summarize, “The rarity of freedom is matched only by its fragility, its ebbs and flows unpredictable and unsure.”

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We have just witnessed an election in this country, the greatest representation of our freedoms. Liberty is precious. We must be ever vigilant to safeguard the liberty that has cost so dear so that our children and grandchildren will not live under the abusive hands of powerful and cruel systems of government.

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

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A new book about the most influential people in Idaho history was recently released by Ridenbaugh Press.

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IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

New Book Explores the Movers and Shakers in Idaho History

By Jake Putnam How did Idaho become Idaho? There are many pathways, but no single path or single person that definitely shaped the state.

Historical trends have swept across Idaho like everywhere else, but the details easily might have been different. This book is about 100 people who, for better or worse, made Idaho much of what it is today.

In Idaho 100, Marty Peterson and Randy Stapilus, who between them have been studying Idaho history for close to a century, unearth the sometimes famous, sometimes infamous and often obscure people who most transformed Idaho, in ways large and small, to create what many people now take for granted. Jake Putnam sat down with co-author Randy Stapilus: How did the book come to be?

Well, we were talking a bit about who the people were that had the greatest Idaho impact in one sort or another. Now that impact can be positive or negative. It’s just raw effect; not good or bad. We’re talking pure effect that these people made by actions they took and decisions they made.

Marty Peterson and I got started on this some 10 years ago. I had been intrigued by a book that I read before that called the ‘100’ which was a similar kind of book about world history and I thought it would be interesting to see what would happen if you tried to boil it down to a narrower time and place. It grew from there.

I understand there was a debate between you and Marty Peterson on who should and shouldn’t be included?

We agreed on the great bulk of them. In

fact it was not difficult to come to a quick agreement on most of the people on the list. Some were moved up other down with each edit. There were cases of somebody that we initially put on and then we questioned it, dropped them and added them later on. There were a few that we realized later needed to be on the list.

I’m thinking of one of the most obscure...

One of the people near the top was Wetxuwiss, a Nez Perce tribal member who was with Lewis and Clark when they met the tribe. According to a number of oral histories and the lore of the time, she was the person who persuaded other tribal members to help the expedition and to let them pass. Had they not helped it could have ended the journey right then.

And the reverberating effects of that one night of persuasion are enormous. It’s entirely possible that the Pacific Northwest including Idaho could be part of British Columbia now without Wetxuwiss.

You named many interesting turning points scattered through Idaho history that had major effects on Idaho.

In Idaho agriculture one of the highest ranking people in the book is Joe Marshall. It was Marshall more than anyone else who got the Idaho Potato brand well known nationally and internationally. But for his efforts, Idaho might not be known for its potatoes at all because no one had thought of branding the potato. So Marshall and then J.R. Simplot and some others made a huge difference.

Simplot and the dehydration of potatoes, was that a major consideration?

That was a consideration, but there were

a number of other things that he did in his lifetime. The sheer number of people he employed in the private sector, quite possibly greater than any other employer makes the list. But apart from that the food processing operations and other developments that shaped communities from Heyburn to Caldwell. One cannot discount the role he played in the development of Micron Technology. He was there at an early stage and employed thousands.

He was an important factor in Idaho.

Former Governor Cecil Andrus made the list? Your thoughts on his impact?

It was large. It was as significant as any governor’s would be. But of all the governors he had lasting impact. Particularly in his first two terms as opposed to the last terms. He pushed through education, planning and zoning measures. State government went through major transitions during that period. He was heavily involved in economic development coming after a long down turn in the state economy. Add those things along with the fact that he served as governor longer than any other and there’s a clear place in the book for him. Some think he should have been rated higher but I think we have to look at turning point figures that made massive differences over whole regions.

Those that changed the landscape in one way or another?

Yes. Ira Perrine for example, without whom, it’s entirely conceivable that the Magic Valley as we know it would not exist at all. The Valley was little more than desert before he organized the effort to See IDAHO 100, page 10

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

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IDAHo 100

Continued from page 9

bring irrigation and extensive development to the area. So all these factors have to be weighted against each other.

Frank Church made the list?

Church is interesting in comparison alongside of William Borah. Both of whom were U.S. Senators. Borah of course was a Republican, Church a Democrat. Both were well known nationally and even internationally. Church modeled his career after Borah. He went to the U.S. Senate

as Borah did, got on the Foreign Relations committee early and became its chairman, even ran for President. There are many parallels and Church understood that. They even married the daughters of governors. In ranking them for the book we came to the conclusion that Borah should rank higher as an influential Senator. But when it came to Idaho, Church clearly had greater influence. There was much federal activity on behalf of Idaho, a lot of federal land set aside including the INL, attributable in part to Church. He

had a lot of individual impact and political impact as well.

Borah’s influence on Idaho was greater perhaps before he became a Senator than after. His list of Idaho-only related activities in the Senate was not large. He merited a place on the list but ranked lower.

There are obscure names that even a history teacher might struggle with.

Most people looking at the table of contents, seeing names listed, most Idahoans

Cecil Andrus, left and Frank Church, right are two of the most influential Idahoans in history, according to a new book published by Ridenbaugh Press.

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would probably recognize just a quarter of the names maybe even less. Some are well known there’s Robert Smylie for those that have been around for a while, Joe Albertson is on the list as are others.

But we took care to make sure that we were not overlooking people who were not well known. We tried to back-track the most important events in Idaho history. Then we look at the cases that were attributable to a particular person and in some cases we found names, some recognizable, some not.

The Idaho National Laboratory can be traced back to a federal bureaucrat by the name of Bill Johnson and we were not familiar with him when we started the book. The more research we did the more we found out about him and the more important he seemed to be.

A little better known in the business community is Ray Smelek, who brought HewittPackard to Boise and help found a number of spin-off businesses. He’s a very important person in the history of this area and not particularly well known. There are many that are much more obscure than Mr. Smelek.

Myran Schlechte, is listed at number 68

Here’s another man that people around the Statehouse know, but those outside state government have never heard of. It’s our contention that he probably had more impact on the law in Idaho than any single legislator Idaho has ever had.

You almost would have had to see him in action in order to see why he made the list. He was a legislative staffer that could have been dismissed by legislative leaders. But he was respected to the point that he could tell a legislator that they had a really foolish idea and just throw their proposed legislation in the trash can. They accepted his opinion because he knew what he was talking about. He literally saved the state from a lot of bad ideas and probably made mediocre ideas better.

led to positive things a significant human rights movement can also be attributed to Butler.

There’s an interesting mix in the next 50 that didn’t quite make the list Yes. For instance Philo T. Farnsworth the inventor of television. He grew up in Rigby and there are so many others like him. He didn’t quite meet the basic criteria. They came from so many professions and all areas of interest of one sort or another. Everything from athletics, business, politics...

Just coming in under the wire is former Idaho Governor Phil Batt: We included him in part because of his career. It was a

very long career in Idaho government. He was elected to the Legislature back in 1964, served as governor in the late 90’s and through all that time whether in office or out, had real impact. The single biggest factor was his nuclear waste agreement with the federal government. There’s a line of thought and good basis for it, that if the agreement might not been reached the INL might have become non-existent in the years since. We don’t know how the INL will play out, that’s for the future to see.

The INL is still there, but his political skills had an impact.

You can buy the book on Amazon.com, your local bookstore or at Ridenbaugh Press at http://www.ridenbaugh.com/

The infamous Richard Butler is on the list He’s a perfect case study. He demonstrates the fact that the list is not just the best, brightest and most wonderful. Butler is not a person we endorse. But the fact is that Idaho became known for its ties to the Aryan Nations and the Neo-Nazi movement, thanks to Butler. If you travel around the country, people will mention Idaho potatoes and the Neo-Nazis. So he had negative affect on the state. But in some ways that

In Idaho 100, Marty Peterson and Randy Stapilus unearth the sometimes famous, sometimes infamous and often obscure people who most transformed Idaho, in ways large and small, to create what many people now take for granted.

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

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Focus on Agriculture Connecting All Farm Types to Direct Marketing

By Julie murphree Not long ago, Bob McClendon, an organic produce grower in Arizona, had a clear and concise answer when asked how Arizona Farm Bureau could help small and local farmers and ranchers succeed.

His reply: Help direct-market farmers and ranchers market their products.

Not only did McClendon’s request ring loud and clear at the time, but it also had staying power. By digging into how best to honor his request, Arizona Farm Bureau discovered an opportunity to approach its bottom-line support of farmers and ranchers with a different method.

The end result is a new guidebook, A Farmer’s Guide to Marketing the Direct-Market Farm.

The book is the result of three years’ worth of interviews with direct-market, or “retail” farmers about their marketing strategies and needs. One common thread is that farmers have often asked for simple, quick and inexpensive strategies for marketing their agriculture products to the public.

In other instances, innovative farm fami12

lies have come up with simple and straightforward methods of connecting with their customers and selling their products.

Both sides of this story became the foundation of the 68-page guidebook. It’s loaded with questions for farm families to answer as they develop their marketing strategy and specific examples that other farm families in the retail agriculture market can relate to in a competitive market.

Uncovering “traditional” farm and ranch families slowly dipping their toes into this new market was one of the most fascinating aspects to emerge from this quest to help direct-market agriculture. One of the book’s most interesting stories highlights the saga of a traditional farm family as they begin direct-marketing.

As the book went to press, more and more farm families with a traditional farm and ranch enterprise began to emerge as interested direct marketers. It’s clear that they identified with the goal of helping farm families of all types benefit from doing business directly with their end customers.

One resounding experience common to all the farmers interviewed for the book— regardless of size and type—was how they

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

grew to believe their farm story was their marketing message. They also realized that before re-evaluating a direct market connection, they were not inclined to tell their stories.

As a result, many of the marketing strategies in the guidebook are built around the story that must be told.

The last chapter is devoted to storytelling and easy tips for telling the farm story.

When farmers are able to tell their stories in an engaging way, they are better able to connect with their customers—the quintessential “public.” In this way, they earn trust from their customers and relationships develop.

When a farm family recognizes that marketing is about their story, marketing becomes manageable and rewarding. Ultimately, marketing is simply a platform for a story; it gives voice to farm families and their products.

Julie Murphree is director of public relations for the Arizona Farm Bureau and is author of the book, A Farmer’s Guide to Marketing the Direct-Market Farm, which is available at Amazon.com.

Every acre tells a story.

Turn to us when it’s time to turn the page.

When you’re ready to transition the family farm or business it’s taken a lifetime to build, we’re here to help. As part of your team of advisers, your Farm Bureau agent can work with you to create a succession plan that fits your unique needs.

Call your Farm Bureau agent today and visit www.SmallBusinessTransition.com for ideas and information.

Securities & services offered through FBL Marketing Services, LLC+, 5400 University Ave., West Des Moines, IA 50266, 877/860-2904, Member SIPC. Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company+*/West Des Moines, IA. +Affiliates *Company provider of Farm Bureau Financial Services BT-003-ID (10-12) ID-Transition(1-12).indd 1

10/4/12 9:10 AM

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

13

Fruit grower Bob Benson travels across the state regularly during the summer and fall making deliveries to his customers.

The Fruit Peddler Article and photos by steve ritter It runs in the family. Grow a good crop of fruit each year and then sell it. That’s the way its been done at Benson Orchards in Gem County for nearly 100 years.

In the old days the fruit was loaded on a wagon and pulled to town by a team of horses. “My dad did that” says Bob Benson, and “he was often referred to as a peddler.”

14

Now days, it’s mostly refrigerated semi’s and trains moving the fruit across America in a matter of hours to market - except in the case of Bob Benson.

Benson likes the personal contact with his customers and is willing to drive 700 miles in a day to deliver his fruit. From his home in Emmett to either Challis or Rigby, once a week in the peak of the season, Bob makes the round trip. “It’s 700 miles round trip and we like to leave by 3 a.m., get there

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

by ten, then get back home about dark. It’s a long day.”

“It’s definitely windy and curvy, there’s rocks on the road, there’s deer and elk, it is a drive you don’t want to be tired on,” says Cindy Philps, the client Bob delivers to in Challis.

“His fruit is the best, it sells itself,” Philps said.

Cindy, her husband Dave and their sons

Nearing his 92nd birthday, Bob Benson of Emmett remains active in his family’s fruit business.

have developed a close relationship with Bob. “He’s like a best friend, a grandpa to them,” said Cindy. “The kids hate going to school if they know he’s coming, he’s just one of a kind.”

In Rigby, Marcene Ferguson has been getting fresh fruit from Benson for about 15 years. Cherries and apples grown in Bob’s orchard (now managed by Bob’s son Alan) plus peaches, pears and apricots grown in other Treasure Valley orchards.

Ferguson shares the bounty with neighbors and his fruit is so delicious that a 500 to 600-box order of apples is common in the peak of harvest.

Bob likes people. And people like him. “We are very good friends, he’s the most pleasant fellow to do business with in the whole wide world, we just love him,” is the way Marcene describes their relationship.

Over in Challis, Cindy laughs out loud sharing some of her more humorous memories of Benson. “Just the other day on a delivery he said; now I don’t want anybody thinking I’m Jesse James and ripping anybody off.”

Benson plans to keep peddling fruit with a personal touch for a few more years. Bob says “Things change rapidly, but I still hope to work at it another year or so, or more.”

In December, Bob Benson will celebrate his 92nd birthday.

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

15

Photo Contest 2012

“Seasons of Agriculture in Idaho” photo contest is a project of the IFBF Women’s Leadership Committee.

Completing another year, winning photos will be used in the 2013 Calendar published by the committee. Requirements for the contest are full frame photos with lots of creativity.

It is limited to amateur Idaho resident photographers only.

Entry deadline for the 2013 contest is September 1st, 2013.

Grand Prize - Jessica Alvari, Soda Springs (age group 13-20)

21+ Category

2nd –Shera Adair – Preston (photo taken west of Bloomington, Id)

1st – Esther Brune – Caldwell (photo taken in Hazelton, Id) 16

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

3rd – Esther Brune - Caldwell (photo taken in Hazelton, Id)

6-12 Year-old Category 13-20 Year-old Category

1st – Jenna Harrison – Grace, Id 1st – Jessica Alvari, Soda Springs

2nd – Becca Lau – Soda Springs, Id

3rd – Aubrey Banks – Bancroft, Id

2nd – Kara Harrison, Grace, Id

3rd – Kara Harrison, Grace, Id IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

17

Ties to the Land

What is the Future of Your Land? modity to be cashed out. But most families I have worked with as an extension forester see their land as much more than this. succession Planning versus estate Planning

By Chris schnepf While many landowners would say income from crops, timber harvest, or grazing is their central ownership goal, most would also mention a place to raise their family, wildlife habitat, and many other cherished values of their ownership. Many landowners would like to see the next generation of their family pick up where they left off in managing the family place. But too often, they don’t act on this instinct soon enough, or they may have made some effort towards estate planning and a will, but haven’t brought the next generations of the family into the discussion.

Reluctance to engage the larger family on ownership transition can stem from many sources, ranging from not knowing how to broach the subject within the family to concerns about the expense of working through the process relative to the benefits. But for families who want to see their property continue as part of a well-cared for working landscape, the discussion must be joined. Without planning, differences among family members’ skills, values, goals, and personalities can lead to outcomes no one is happy with, especially if everyone waits to discuss these questions until the family is grieving or dealing with health problems.

Without careful planning, critical working forests, farms, and rangeland are often converted to other uses, which may be fine if the family sees the land strictly as a com18

Clint Bentz, a certified public accountant and Oregon Master Woodland Manager, describes succession planning as “preparing your property and your family for a change in ownership and leadership.”

He distinguishes it from estate planning, which he describes as “understanding and using the set of legal tools that are available to make sure your succession plan happens the way you want it to happen.”

it easier to evaluate tools such as conservation easements (which can reduce estate taxes and make it more possible for heirs to keep the property as a working ranch, farm or forest) and decide how well such tools fit your family’s needs.

Even where some conflicts emerge from succession planning discussions, families often emerge from the process closer and have more piece of mind about their land.

For many families, the renewal of family ties from talking about future of the family’s land may be one of the most important benefits of succession planning.

If nothing else, asking family members who have a present or future stake in the place to participate in discussion about the future of the land beforehand can make time spent with estate planning professionals more efficient and less expensive. For example, if you are thinking the kids will continue to manage the land, do they have the interest and skills to do so? Have they been asked?

Thoughtful succession planning also makes Passing on the legacy of land stewardship takes planning.

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

uI extension Workshops on succession Planning This fall, University of Idaho Extension is offering a 7-hour workshop titled “Ties to the Land,” an award-winning project that uses presentations, video clips, and interactive exercises to help families who own farm, forest, or range land learn more about planning for an orderly transition. The program covers the following topics: Passion, Preparation, and Planning Family Ties, Differing Objectives 10 Steps to Successful Succession Planning Generation Gaps The Heirloom Scale, Values and Goals Conflicting Roles of Family and Business Guidelines for a Successful First Family Meeting Guidelines for Good Communication Choosing the Best Team of Advisors for You Putting the Plan Together, Success Strategies Transferring Ownership Legal and Financial Instruments The workshop will be held in three different locations around the state this fall: Friday, Nov. 23, 2012 at the University of Idaho Extension Office in Kootenai County; Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012 at the Washington County Fairgrounds Exhibitors Hall; and again on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012 at Salmon Valley Business & Innovation Center.

Each session can accommodate a limited number of people. Those wishing to participate should pre-register at the University of Idaho Extension Office in the county in which the program will be held by five working days prior to the workshop. A $35 registration fee covers refreshments, a 76 page color workbook, and companion DVD for the first family member. Additional family members are $10 each and additional workbooks may be purchased for $25.

For registration questions, contact the University of Idaho Extension Office in the county in which the program will be held. Registration forms can also be downloaded at http://www.uidaho.edu/ extension/forestry. For program questions, contact Kirk David at (208) 683-3168. These workshops are supported by funds from the Idaho Department of Lands, in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service.

Good land management is often the result of multiple generations of hard work on the land. Future land stewardship depends on talking about and planning transitions between generations. If you would like to learn more about what kinds of questions to ask about succession planning, attending one of these workshops should be very helpful to you. If you are unable to attend, or would like to do some reading before the sessions, there are many excellent articles available through the Ties to the Land web site (tiestotheland.org – click on “Resources for Landowners.”)

Chris Schnepf is an area extension educator – forestry – for the University of Idaho in Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai and Benewah counties. He can be reached at cschnepf@uidaho.edu

Keeping land in the family takes careful planning. Three generations of the Funk family from Kootenai County recently accepted the National Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year award.

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

19

INSURANCE MATTERS MIKE MYERS — Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. of Idaho

Celebrate the Season of Light Safely Candles, lights and decorations are an essential part of the holiday season. Unfortunately, they also increase the risk of fire and injury. Each year fires occurring during the holiday season injure nearly 3,000 individuals and cause over $900 million in damage.

To have a safe and healthy holiday season, the Insurance Information Institute recommends following these important safety tips: Christmas trees Pick out a freshly cut Christmas tree-one that is too dry can easily catch fire. Trim at least one inch from the bottom of the tree; this will increase the tree’s ability to absorb water. Live trees need a lot of water so check the water level and refill often.

Place the tree in a secure stand designed to hold the weight of the tree. Never place a Christmas tree near a heat source such as a fireplace, radiator or stove. Do not use candles to decorate a tree. And never go near a tree with an open flame such as a candle, lighter or matches.

a community pick-up service.

If you buy an artificial tree, make sure that it is made of fire-resistant material.

Decorations and lights Do not overload electrical sockets by plugging too many cords into a single outlet.

Always unplug holiday lights when no one is home or when everyone goes to sleep for the evening. Use only Underwriters Laboratories (UL) approved lights. Inspect old light strands for any cracks, frayed edges or bare spots. Throw out any damaged chords.

When decorating a tree with lights, fasten them securely to the tree and make sure that no bulbs come in contact with needles or branches. Check wires regularly. If they become warm, unplug the lights immediately.

Never use indoor lights outside. They are not designed to withstand the elements and if they get wet, can cause an electric shock.

Remove outdoor lighting as soon as the season is over. Even specially created outdoor decorations are not designed to withstand prolonged exposure to the elements.

Do not block exit paths to doors or fire escapes with Christmas trees or other decorations.

Fireplaces Never burn wrapping paper in the fireplace.

This may release fire-starting embers or produce a build-up of dangerous chemical fumes in the home. entertaining If you entertain guests who smoke, provide large ashtrays and check for cigarette butts in upholstered furniture before going to bed. Cigarette fires are a leading cause of fire fatalities in the home.

Dispose of the tree when it becomes dry, or when the needles begin to fall off in large quantities. Never burn old trees or needles in a fireplace or woodburning stove. Instead, take it to a recycling center or Each holiday season, fires from candles, lights and decorations injure nearly 3,000 people and have it removed by cause over $900 million in damage.

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IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

Do not leave the stove unattended when cooking-in the excitement of entertaining, it is easy to forget something on the stove and leave it to burn, causing a potential fire hazard.

Children and pets Place all ornaments and candles out of reach of small children and pets. Small or breakable ornaments can be easily knocked down, which can result See INSURANCE MATTERS p.37

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

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IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

CROSSWORD Idaho FunPUZZLE: Facts #2 Idaho Fun Facts #2

Across 3. Idaho’s world famous hot springs are located here 8. Recreation area north of Ketchum 10. Home to Idaho State University 12. Silver City, Yankee Fork, Gold Dredge and the Sierra Silver Mine are now considered this 15. The Niagara of the West 16. Recognized as America’s first destination ski resort and first alpine chairlift. The 1936 fee: 25 cents per ride 19. One of the oldest weekly publications in Idaho. First issue in 1879 21. State park that contains North America’s tallest sand dune 22. State fruit

ANSWERS ON PAGE 29

Down 1. Boasts the largest man-made geyser in the world 2. A Lemhi Shoshoni from an area on the Montana/Idaho border that escorted Lewis and Clark in their expedition 4. First community in the world electrified by nuclear power 5. This word first appeared on an Idaho license plate in 1928 6. Community is considered the getaway to five wilderness areas and four national forests 7. Founded in 1891 and is the state’s oldest four-year institution of higher learning 9. Idaho received this nickname because it produces 72 types of precious and semi-precious stones 11. It’s against the law for anyone over the age of 88 to ride one of these in Idaho 13. Nearly 85% of this fish sold in the US is produced in the Hagerman Valley 14. Idaho’s folk dance 17. State insect (butterfly) 18. A treasure is said to be hidden near here that has never been located. Said to be from Sheriff Henry Plummer turned outlaw 20. The birthplace of televisions inventor IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

23

Trailing of the Sheep Festival Celebrates 16th Year Article and photos by Julie Christoffersen In the early years of Idaho’s sheep industry, more than 2 million sheep could be found in the valleys and grassy hillsides. Today fewer than 250,000 sheep are left.

At the annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival in Ketchum this fall, some 1,700 sheep, herders and dogs trailed down Main Street.

The event honors the families, men and women of Idaho’s sheep industry.

Longtime Wood River sheep producer John Peavey participated in a question and answer session at a local coffee shop during the event. He told the crowd “If

we tell our stories right, we will be here a long time.” Peavey and wife Diane are cofounders of the event, which kicked off in 1997. Concerned about the disappearance of their industry and the public perception of grazing, the Peaveys use the festival as a tool to honor and preserve the culture, history and families in the sheep industry.

“The ranch and its sheep follow a seasonal cycle” Peavey said. “In early spring, this particular band heads to Idaho from California after lambing. The ewes and lambs are trucked to the desert near Carey to begin their summer migration. This is a migratory operation covering about 100 miles horizontally and climbing about one

mile high.”

The band of sheep is herded through the Pioneer Mountains by Peruvian herders and their Pyrenees dogs. The sheep graze at elevations up to 10,000 feet at times with the mountains providing good grazing, Peavey said. Sometime in July or August the lambs are sold. Then, the migration reverses for the ewes in October as they make their way through the Wood River Valley on the way back to California.

According to Peavey, about 15 years ago the industry fell on tough times. With fellow sheep producers, a cooperative was started in Wyoming. “Believe it or not we bought one-half interest in Rosen & Sons Lamb and Veal processors in Bronx, New York.” Having to borrow big to buy in, the group of producers was elated when their purchase helped revive the business. Previously the producers couldn’t even get people to bid on their lambs while imported lamb was being sold at a premium. They were getting only 53 cents a pound.

“In today’s market a lamb is bringing close to $300 and over $2 per pound,” Peavey said. “In addition we are now able to put an additional 20-30 pounds on the lambs in the feed lot. We have become the 500 pound gorilla in the market.”

Answering a question about the viability of the sheep industry, Peavey said “This is what the festival is all about folks – we are trying to put a good face on the grazing industry. We want to show how the interaction works with the plants, environment, hillsides and mountains that we utilize.”

There is a misguided perception of what grazing does or does not do, he said. With the goal of “righting” the perception, ranchers are working hard to tell the truth about the benefits of grazing. “There are a lot of things people have been told about in agriculture, especially about grazing, that are not true,” Peavey said.

A band of sheep makes its way through Ketchum at the culmination of this year’s Trailing of the Sheep Festival.

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IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

Rest-rotation grazing helps restore damaged lands. Sheep act as gardeners using their hooves to break up the soil. This al-

lows seeds from vegetation to be planted when the sheep travel the hillsides. The sheep move into an area, grazing it, and then move on.

Rest between grazing gives the plants time to recover and regrow not just their tops, but their roots as well. Peavey explained the three phases of grazing. Phase one is not to graze at all in the spring, wait for all the plants to get very crispy dry and brown. In the fall the animals go into the area for fall grazing and knock a lot of the growth over. As they graze they push the seeds into the soil for good regrowth next

spring. In Phase two there is no grazing in the area at all. This gives the area a rest for good regrowth of the seeds the animals helped plant the fall before. In Phase three, the third year, phase one is repeated.

Each year during the festival, lamb dishes are served by local restaurants. They call it “For the Love of Lamb Foodie Fest.” Visitors didn’t seem to mind the wait for the chance to sample cooking from these top chefs. In Hailey the “Fiber Fest” featured knitting workshops, demonstrations and the Championship Sheepdog Trials. The sheep producers and families take this time

to share their love of the industry.

Along Main Street the crowds saw the richness in the heritage of the sheepherders as the Peruvians, Basque, Polish and Scottish, danced their way through town. And the band travel out of town on their way back to California for the winter it was evident that a lot of people are learning about the sheep industry and Idaho history through this event. They are learning about the significance of sheep ranching in the Wood River Valley with the positive culinary, cultural, environmental and industrial impact it brings.

Peruvian dancers participate in the parade during the annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival.

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

25

Farm Bureau Members Ski For Less This Winter

www.idahofbstore.com

208-239-4289

Exclusively For Farm Bureau Members Members can pick up discounted tickets from one of the following Farm Bureau county offices: Boise - Nampa - Caldwell - Meridian - Coeur d’Alene - Post Falls - Idaho Falls Pocatello - Blackfoot - Mountain Home - Rexburg - Rigby - American Falls - Malad

Regular Price For Evening Show (Ages 12-59)

$10

Farm Bureau Price

$7.50

Regal Riverstone Stadium 14 Coeur D’Alene

Regular Price For Evening Show (Ages 12-64)

$9.50 $9.75

Farm Bureau Price

$7.50

Some restrictions apply. Contact a Farm Bureau county office listed above for details. Prices subject to change.

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IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

XTREME SIDE x SIDE PERFORMANCE.

CorN CoNTroVersy Continued from page 4 negatively impacts feedstock.

“As the mandate for corn-asfuel rises, so does the price,” he wrote in an Op-ed piece in the Ogden Standard Journal. “The Heritage Foundation calculates that ethanol production will increase the price of corn by up to 68 percent worldwide. As the cost of corn rises, so will the price of countless other products directly and indirectly related to corn production.”

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:

Lee along with 25 other Senators wrote a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency calling for them to waive the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Congress has provided you, as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, with the authority to waive the RFS mandate in an effort to help both business and consumers and to protect our economy.

I encourage you to exercise that authority immediately,” he wrote.

Farmer Tracy Walton sees it differently.

“Actually with ethanol we don’t lose as much feed as you think,” he says. “A third of the corn used for ethanol we get back in feed. In fact the digestibility is twice as high and protein is twice as high. So we get double benefit, so we don’t lose that much feed.”

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.

The International Food Policy Research Institute also is worried. They want the U.S. to stop using corn in ethanol production “to prevent a potential global food price crisis.”

“Poor and vulnerable groups in developing countries are hard

hit by high and volatile prices of the agricultural commodities they depend on for their primary daily caloric intake,” said Shenggen Fan, director general of the International Food Policy Research Institute, a Washington D.C. think tank.

President Barack Obama has made ethanol a cornerstone of his strategy for energy independence. Mitt Romney released a white paper on agriculture on Oct. 9, and also supports the existing Renewable Fuel Standard.

The candidates have kept a close eye on jobs, and while most ethanol produced in the United States is made from corn, several expensive bio-refineries are under construction that are expected to produce cellulosic ethanol in the near future. These refineries will use corn stover as a feedstock, essentially the leftover corn stalk after corn has been harvested.

In 2012 the fuel standard again boils down to jobs. The ethanol market is huge for corn growers and it creates agriculture related jobs from farm products to the truck drivers that feed ethanol plants 24 hours a day.

A pullback now from the fuel standards, just as profit margins change because of soaring corn prices could prove disastrous.

Idaho Farmers could see the best corn crop in history, but expect market prices to tumble next year. Many like Walton think that they’ll at least have a stable market if the Administration renews the Renewable Fuel Standard.

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

27

Farm Facts

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IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

world

Henry Plummer turned outlaw

2. A Lemhi Shoshoni from an area on the Montana/Idaho border that escorted Lewis and Clark in their expedition

20. The birthplace of televisions inventor

CROSSWORD ANSWERS - From p. 23

Top Farm Bureau agenTs Rookie of the Month: Agent of the Month: Agency of the Month: Cody Bird

Schmitt Agency

Tony Evans Hart Agency

Across: 3. Lava Hot Springs, 8. Sawtooth, 10. Pocatello, 12. Ghost Towns, 15.

Shoshone Falls, 16. Sun Valley, 19. Idaho Enterprise, 21. Bruneau Dunes, 22.

Huckleberry.

Schmitt Agency

Down: 1. Soda Springs, 2. Sacajawea, 4. Arco, 5. Potato, 6. Grangeville, 7. Albertson College, 9. Gem State, 11. Motorcycle, 13. Trout, 14. Square Dance, 17.

Monarch, 18. Spencer, 20. Rigby.

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

29

A Taste of Idaho: Trout and Red Cabbage Slaw

By Julie Christoffersen One thing for certain, fish are plentiful in Idaho. Idahoans are blessed with many pristine waterways filled with fish. In the Thousand Springs area of eastern Idaho, the aquifer generates clear, refreshing spring water. These are ideal conditions for raising fish, specifically trout. Trout farming has been in Idaho since the 1940’s when the first trout eggs were hatched in tents during the cold winters.

Idaho is currently the number one trout producing state; it produces approximately 75 percent of all trout in the U.S. The U. S. grows over 53 million pounds of trout for consumption annually. In addition to that, it grows large numbers for recreational use. Idaho accounted for 50 percent of the total value of trout sold.

The aquaculture industry in Idaho is mainly located in Twin Falls, Jerome and Gooding 30

Counties. There are approximately 80 facilities in the three counties. Along with the 42 million pounds of trout produced, there are 1.25 million pounds of tilapia, and 450,000 pounds of catfish. Among other species produced is alligator, not only produced for aquarium trade, but also human consumption.

The cutthroat trout is the state fish and a member of the salmon family. It was adopted as the official state fish by Governor Cecil Andrus in 1990. The bright red slashes under the jaw inspired the name Cutthroat, which is one of many species known as trout and is native to the state.

With the ample supply of trout in our state, you should have no problem finding good fresh trout for this recipe. This “Wine Steamed Trout in Foil” recipe came from the U.S. Trout Farmers Association website. If you like fish, this is very flavorful and is easily prepared; the

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

clean-up is quick too. Here is a tip: Trout baked at a low temperature absorbs too much fat, it should be between 325 and 350 degrees. Like most fish, it will dry out if over cooked, use a fork to test; it will flake easily when done.

I paired a “Red cabbage, blue cheese and walnut slaw” with the trout. I liked the blend of vegetables and the salt from the blue cheese.

That along with the crunch from the vegetables and walnuts makes this a tasty salad. Because I love blue cheese, I added a little extra when combining the cabbage, carrots, and pepper.

And don’t forget to use Idaho Blue Cheese when making this slaw.

Of course, a nice cold glass of milk will taste delicious with this meal. For those who want a wine, try a Sauvignon Blanc, it will pair well with the trout and the salad. This is a crisp, elegant, and fresh wine.

Wine Steamed Trout in Foil Foil for baking

Red Cabbage Slaw with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

1 small onion – finely chopped

4 cups finely shredded red cabbage

1 celery stalk – cut in thin strips

2 carrots - shredded

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

1 sweet yellow pepper - thinly sliced

1 bay leaf

1 small onion - thinly sliced

2 whole dressed trout (12 oz. each)

½ cup celery - thinly sliced

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 small carrot – cut in thin strips

¼ cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley (or 2 tsp dried parsley)

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ cup dry white wine

½ teaspoon salt

sauce

½ teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoon soft butter

½ cup crumbled blue cheese (additional ¼ cup is desired)

⅓ cup light cream or milk

⅓ cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

2 teaspoon flour

Preparation

Prepare a foil pouch for trout using 3 large sheets of foil on a baking sheet. Join 2 sheets together by forming a seam lengthwise.

Fold seams over tightly to prevent any leakage. Lay the third sheet of foil over the seam.

In large bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, yellow pepper, onion, celery and parsley; set aside. (This is where I added ¼ cup of blue cheese).

Place 1 tablespoon of butter on the foil and layer with the vegetables, seasonings and top with the trout. Before adding the wine, carefully bring edges of foil toward the center, forming a pouch.

Add the wine and seal pouch tightly by folding over the edges.

Place in a baking dish and bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees.

In small saucepan, stir together vinegar, oil, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper; bring to boil. Pour over cabbage mixture; stir to coat.

Let stand for 10 minutes or until cabbage is slightly wilted. (Can be prepared to this point, covered and refrigerated for up to 6 hours; let come to room temperature before continuing.) Sprinkle with cheese and walnuts; toss to serve.

Carefully place the trout on a serving platter and keep warm.

In a small saucepan, over medium heat, mix flour and butter together to form a paste. Add reserved cooking liquid and vegetables, then cream. Bring the sauce to a boil stirring constantly until it thickens. Pour over the trout.

Serves 2

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

31

IdahoIDAHO Farm Bureau FARM BUREAU FFederation EDERATION 73rd Annual Meeting Agenda 73rd Annual Meeting Agenda

Riverside Hotel -­‐ Boise, Idaho

riversideDecember Hotel -4 -­‐Boise, Idaho 6, 2012 December 4 P- erceptions" 6, 2012 "Growing New “Growing New Perceptions”

Monday, December 3

7:00 pm Early-­‐Arrivers Ice Cream Social (Optional)

Tuesday, December 4 9:00 am REGISTRATION DESK OPENS 11:00 am-­‐12:30 pm GENERAL SESSION LUNCHEON 1:00 pm FARM BUREAU'S LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE AND WORKSHOPS Legislative Issues -­‐ IFBF Governmental Affairs Residue Management in Animals – Dr. Scott Tripp, Dr. Mark Kirkpatrick Working With Local Media – Vickie Holbrook, Press-­‐ Tribune and Jon Brown, Owyhee Avalanche MAC Trailer – Justin Patten, IFBF 2:00 pm REFRESHMENT BREAK 2:15 pm FARM BUREAU'S LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE AND WORKSHOPS (continued) Market Outlook and New Marketing Tools – Clark Johnston, J.C. Management Affordable Care Act – Sen. Dean Cameron, Sen. Russ Fulcher Constitutional Law – Dan Eismann, Idaho Supreme Court Agri-­‐Tourism Panel Discussion – Fred Schreffler, Debi Vogel 3:00 pm DISCUSSION MEET PARTICIPANTS AND JUDGES 3:15 pm DISCUSSION MEET SEMI-­‐FINALS 4:45 pm SCREENING COMMITTEE MEETING 5:00 pm CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE MEETING 5:15 pm YOUNG FARMERS AND RANCHERS CAUCUS 5:15 pm HOUSE OF DELEGATES PROCEDURES 6:00 pm DISCUSSION MEET FINALS 7:00 pm AWARDS BANQUET -­‐ Live Auction

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IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

Wednesday,

December 5 6:00 am HEALTH FAIR

7:00 am RISE 'N SHINE BREAKFAST Affiliated Company Reports: Insurance, Phil Joslin, Marketing, Dennis Brower 8:00 am HOUSE OF DELEGATES SESSION BEGINS 8:00-­‐9:15 am DISTRICT WOMEN'S CAUCUSES 10:00 am REFRESHMENT BREAK 9:30 am WOMEN'S COMMITTEE BUSINESS MTG Noon WEDNESDAY LUNCHEON -­‐ YF&R Awards 2:00 pm HOUSE OF DELEGATES CONTINUES 2:00 pm WORKSHOP –“Fantastic AgTivities” – Judy Woody 3:15 pm REFRESHMENT BREAK 4:30 pm DISTRICT CAUCUSES 7:00 pm FARM BUREAU'S ANNUAL BANQUET President’s Cup Award, Entertainment: “Musettes”

Thursday, December 6 6:00 am EARLY MORNING HEALTH WALK (Optional) -­‐ Health/Safety Committee 7:00 am COUNTY PRESIDENTS’ BREAKFAST 8:00 am ELECTION OF DIRECTORS 8:20 am HOUSE OF DELEGATES CONTINUES 10:15 am REFRESHMENT BREAK 12:00 noon ADJOURN HOUSE OF DELEGATES 12:30 pm STATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS LUNCHEON 12:30 pm STATE BOARD SPOUSES LUNCHEON 1:30 pm STATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

County Happenings

Â

The District 5 Young Farmer and Rancher Discussion Meet was held October 17. One of the topics for discussion this year is transferring farm operations to the next generation.

Kandy Wood receives a scholarship check from Twin Falls County Farm Bureau President Jim Pearson.

Steve Rahe receives a teacher basket from the Twin Falls County Farm Bureau.

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

33

Life on the Range Butch Klaveano - A Master of Managing for Multiple Use

The Klaveano Ranch.

Photos and article by steve stuebner Butch Klaveano is a master of managing for multiple use. He shares grazing lands in North Central Idaho with a garnet-mining operation, recreationists, Potlatch Corp., and the Forest Service. He shares his private ranchland near Pomeroy, Wash., with a wind farm, and fences off streams to protect steelhead and water quality.

But Klaveano understands that the public doesn’t always get the multiple-use concept without a little public relations and education. This was true in the Fernwood area in North Central Idaho.

“With all of the people coming up here in the summertime, we were starting to get some scrutiny from people wondering, what are you doing?” Klaveano says.

34

“They were asking the timber companies, Potlatch, and the Forest Service, why are you logging? They were questioning the cattlemen, why are you destroying property and riparian areas?”

This was in the early 1990s. The questions were coming from new employees working for land management agencies as well as from the public. Klaveano remembers coming to the first meeting with donuts in hand for the group, and someone said, “We don’t eat that kind of food.” It was a little bit of a rocky start, but after people started talking, things got better.

About 10 different entities working side by side in the 50,000-acre area formed the Emerald Creek Management Cooperative. “It was to tie everything together,

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

educate the public, and educate ourselves,” Klaveano says. “Each one of us was kind of a separate entity out here, but as we had meetings, we understood a little better about what each of us were doing. The end result was a good thing. Everybody was happy. Just like any good relationship, it’s all about communication.”

The communications helped with managing livestock. Potlatch would give Klaveano a head’s up that they would be logging in a certain area, and that would help him decide where to pasture his cattle on Potlatch land. Idaho Fish and Game officials discovered a few instances where Klaveano’s cattle managers had placed salt too close to a road, which had the unintended effect of big game animals congregating near the road, and inviting hunters to shoot from a

road.

“So we moved the salt,” he says. “This whole area is multiple use. We’re all in this world together. With better information and communication, our management improved for everyone concerned.”

The cooperative involves the Forest Service, Potlatch, Klaveano Ranches, Emerald Creek Mining Co., Idaho Fish and Game, Idaho Department of Lands, University of Idaho, and more. Klaveano owns about 1,950 acres in the area, including a big meadow adjacent to Emerald Creek, where his Angus-cross beef cattle graze alongside a commercial garnet mining operation. The Fernwood area is wet -- it receives an average of 50 inches of rain per year. “That’s why we’re here,” he says. “It’s very productive for cattle, and it’s also an area where trees grow very rapidly.”

Once the management cooperative had been formed, the different groups kept talking,

and all of the issues were addressed. Now things are quiet, Klaveano says. To him, that means the management of the area is in harmony. “No one seems to have any complaints,” he says with a smile.

All told, Klaveano grazes about 900 cowcalf pairs in the Fernwood area in the summer. On a drizzly June day, his cows grazed one part of the big meadow along Emerald Creek, while mining operations dug for garnet in a several acre-area nearby. The creek is fenced to allow a new riparian restoration project to reach fruition.

Emerald Creek Mining Co. hired a professional hydrologist to design the stream project. “The stream is designed by hydrologists for optimum fish habitat,” says David Thom, president of Emerald Creek Mining in Fernwood. “The idea behind the alders is to shade the stream to keep the water temperatures low. We have glides and riffles in the stream to enhance spawning beds and the feeding areas for the trout. It’s

more friendly in terms of habitat for cutthroat trout.”

The mining operation provides extra income for Klaveano. “We lease the land for mining from Butch,” Thom says. “We cooperate in fencing out the areas where we’re mining so we don’t conflict with the grazing, and we also fence it off to keep the cattle off the reclamation plots.”

The scale of the mining operation is comparatively small, allowing the company to excavate a small portion of the meadow at a time, extract the garnet, and then reclaim the land. “We mine a substrate of gravel that carries garnet sand,” Thom says. “It ranges from a few feet down to about eight feet down below the surface. “We strip back the top soil, mine out the garnet substrate, replace the top soil, re-seed the meadow and make sure the area is reclaimed properly.”

Emerald Creek also is managing an aspen stand in the meadow in hopes of expandSee LIFE ON THE RANGE p.36

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

35

lIFe oN THe rANGe

Continued from page 35

ing the trees and wildlife habitat in the area. “We’ve been mining around the aspen grove in the last 25 years or so,” Thom says. “We fence it off to keep the elk out.”

Last year, when Emerald Creek planted a number of aspen seedlings, the “elk came in and chewed them right down,” he says.

“We learned our lesson after that. With the barrier fence in place, we’ll transplant trees next spring and restore the aspen grove area.”

Thoms shows us the tiny pebbles of garnet in the palm of his hand. Garnet is used as a cleanser for sand-blasting ships and also for waterjet cutting to remove paint and other things. “It’s tough, coarse and very pure,” he says. “It’s quite unique. We expect to be here for many years to come.”

Emerald Creek Mining has received several awards from the Idaho Department of Lands and the Forest Service for showing excellence in mine reclamation. That works well for Klaveano, who wants to make sure that the meadow remains productive for cattle grazing. “Once we’re released from the reclamation bond, the land is put into productive service for Butch’s operation,” Thom says.

About a mile or so up the road, a Forest Service campground provides a place to camp for people who like to mine star garnets on a hobby basis. It’s a popular place in the summer. To help with education, Klaveano visits with people at the campground to talk -- and listen -- about multiple use.

“I really wanted to hear what they had to say and to educate myself as much as them about what their thoughts and feelings were,” Klaveano says. “The little kids, they really love seeing the livestock, love seeing the cows. As farmers and ranchers, we’re trying to do the best we can for the area, but also need to be educated. We have to get out of the mind-thought that of just doing what’s best for us. We have to do what’s best for the whole area, for all of the public.”

Across the road from the campground, a 36

barbed-wire fence lines both sides of Emerald Creek to protect native west-slope cutthroat trout. It also lets the public know that the streambanks and creek water are protected from overgrazing.

Klaveano has plenty of places to graze his cattle in the basin, so he doesn’t mind protecting the creek. “There’s several little meadows up this valley where they pasture. I just fenced them off the creek. There are two watering areas where the cattle can go in. They’re hardened so the cattle can’t trample the banks of the stream. The Forest Service has been very good to work with.”

Indeed, Forest Service officials agree. Kim Frymire, a range technician for the St. Joe National Forest, said the fencing project protects riparian vegetation, streambanks and spawning areas for west-slope cutthroat trout. She commends Klaveano for cooperating on the project. “He is well-known in our area for pretty good grazing techniques. That’s coming from a botanist.”

Klaveano keeps his cattle in the Emerald Creek area for the summer months, and in the fall, he rounds them up and brings them to the lower country near Pomeroy, Wash., the location of Klaveano’s base ranch. The ranch lies in a pocket of land where Meadow Creek and Deadman Creek come together just upslope of Lower Granite Reservoir, a portion of the Lower Snake River hydroelectric complex.

On the top of the grassy hills above the ranch, the tri-blades of gleaming-white wind turbines spin fast in a brisk wind on a hot summer day. Fourteen of the turbines are located on Klaveano’s ranch. Each wind turbine produces enough power to electrify 500 homes a year. Klaveano receives a percentage of the revenue produced by each turbine, which were built by Puget Sound Energy in the winter of 2012.

“This is our winter range,” he says. “The best use for this land is grazing, so now we have multiple use again with wind energy.

It’s green power and cattle, an eco-friendly thing, so it’s really a win-win for our county and the whole country. We have great

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

infrasture now -- we have road access for fire, spraying weeds and checking cattle.

It’s been excellent for us.”

Klaveano was a Garfield County commissioner when the projects were first proposed. After reviewing the projects, he was a big supporter because of the energy production potential and new tax base for the rural county. There are 149 units installed now in Garfield County, a place where the wind blows consistently next to the breezy Snake River hydro complex. “Each blade is 139 feet long,” Klaveano says. “I’ve heard that each blade costs $1 million. You can put a 747 inside the circle of those blades.”

On the home ranch, Klaveano has partnered with the Washington Department of Ecology to fence Meadow Creek and Deadman Creek to improve water quality. Washington DOE officials say the Meadow Creek project has improved water quality over the last 10 years. Before and after photos show the change in vegetation along the creek.

“The idea is to keep the livestock out of the stream and provide off-site water for cattle,” says Duane Bartels of the Pomeroy Conservation District. “The cattle used to cross Meadow Creek all winter long to reach a feeding area. Now they stay out of the creek, and get water from the troughs.

The cattle would rather drink out of the troughs than a stream anyway.”

The Deadman Creek project was just completed in 2011. It will benefit steelhead spawning habitat and water quality. The $30,000 project was funded by the Washington DOE; Klaveano had to contribute 25 percent of the cost. “We’re improving water quality and also providing some shade for the stream, so we’re planting some willow trees and other species.”

Deadman Creek also has gaps in the fencing for cattle to follow historic crossing areas to reach upland pastures. “There stream crossing here is a water source for the cattle,” Bartels says. “It’s hardened so when they drink, they don’t stir up a bunch of sediment.”

See LIFE ON THE RANGE p.41

INsurANCe mATTers

Continued from page 20

in cuts or choking. Curious children and playful pets can topple a tree in seconds causing serious injury.

Beware of toxic decorations. Mistletoe and holly berries may be poisonous if more than a few are swallowed. Old tinsel may contain lead so discard old tinsel if you are not sure of its composition. Fire salts (which produce a multi-colored effect when thrown on burning wood) contain heavy metals, which if swallowed may cause serious gastrointestinal problems and vomiting.

Candles Check candles frequently to make sure they do not burn down too far or drip hot wax.

Make sure candles are placed in sturdy, non-combustible holders away from deco-

rations and other combustible materials.

Clean and trim candlewicks to 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch before lighting. Long or crooked wicks cause uneven burning and dripping.

Candles should be placed at least three inches apart so they do not melt onto one another. Keep candles free of wick trimmings, matches or any flammable material that might ignite.

Never leave candles burning unattended.

Remember to snuff out all candles when leaving a room or before going to sleep.

Give your family the priceless gift of safety this holiday season. Prepare for the New Year by getting into good safety habits and teaching family members what to do in a fire or other emergency. Print a list of emergency phone numbers such as

the poison control center, and police and fire departments and place them near the telephones in your home. Make sure that smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are in good, working condition.

You may also want to consider installing a sophisticated alarm system that, in the event of an emergency, rings at an outside service to contact the fire, police or local emergency medical service.

For more information on making your home safer, contact the United States Fire Administration at or the Candle Fire Safety Association.

For more information on insurance and safety, visit the I.I.I. web site www.iii.org Source: Insurance Information Institute

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

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IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

Marketbasket Survey Shoppers Find Higher Prices for Breakfast Items WASHINGTON, D.C., October 15, 2012 – Shoppers paid slightly more for food at the grocery store during the third quarter of the year, with many popular breakfast staples showing an increase in retail price. Higher retail prices for eggs, bacon, orange juice, milk and toasted oat cereal, among other foods, resulted in a slight increase in the latest American Farm Bureau Federation Quarterly Marketbasket Survey.

The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 food items that can be used to prepare one or more meals was $51.90, up $1.00 or about 2 percent compared to the second quarter of 2012. Of the 16 items surveyed, 9 increased and 7 decreased in average price compared to the prior quarter. The cost for the overall basket of foods decreased about 2 percent compared to one year ago.

Most of the slight quarter-toquarter increase in the marketbasket of foods can be attributed to higher retail prices for breakfast staples, apples and bagged salad.

“While prices were up from the second quarter, compared to a year ago, the marketbasket price was actually lower, by about 2 percent,” said John Anderson, AFBF’s deputy chief economist. “For most of this year, food prices have been relatively stable. This is consistent with the very slow but steady growth in the general economy that has been seen throughout the year, along with fairly stable energy prices.”

Items showing retail price increases for the third quarter included apples, up 36 cents to $1.86 per pound; large eggs, up 33 cents to $1.94 per dozen; bagged salad, up 20 cents to $2.94 per pound; bacon, up 19 cents to $4.23 per pound; whole milk, up 19 cents to $3.55 for one gallon; orange juice up 13 cents to $3.30 for a half-gallon; boneless chicken breasts, up 8 cents to $3.17 per pound; sirloin tip roast, up 5 cents to $4.74 per pound; and toasted oat cereal, up 1 cent to $3.00 for a 9-ounce box.

These items showed modest retail price declines: ground chuck decreased 19 cents to $3.47 per pound; white bread decreased 13 cents to $1.75 for a 20-ounce loaf; vegetable oil, down 7 cents to $2.91 for a 32-ounce bottle; flour decreased 5 cents to $2.57 for a 5-pound bag; Russet potatoes decreased 5 cents to $3.01 for a 5-pound bag; sliced deli ham decreased 4 cents to $5.20 per pound; and shredded cheddar decreased 3 cents to $4.26 per pound.

age food dollar that America’s farm and ranch families receive has dropped.

across-the-board, the farmer’s share of this quarter’s $51.90 marketbasket would be $8.30.

“Through the mid-1970s, farmers received about one-third of consumer retail food expenditures for food eaten at home and away from home, on average. Since then, that figure has decreased steadily and is now about 16 percent, according to the Agriculture Department’s revised Food Dollar Series,” Anderson said. Details about USDA’s new Food Dollar Series may be found online at http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/err-economic-researchreport/err114.aspx.

AFBF, the nation’s largest general farm organization, has been conducting the informal quarterly Marketbasket Survey of retail food price trends since 1989. The mix of foods in the marketbasket was updated in 2008.

Using the “food at home and away from home” percentage

According to USDA, Americans spend just under 10 percent of their disposable annual income on food, the lowest average of any country in the world. A total of 79 shoppers in 26 states participated in the latest survey, conducted in August.

See TRACKING MILK & EGGS p.41

Several items showing an increase in retail price from quarter-to-quarter also showed year-to-year increases: sirloin tip roast, up 11 percent; eggs, up 9 percent; bagged salad, up 8 percent; and apples, up 2 percent.

The year-to-year direction of the Marketbasket Survey tracks with the federal government’s Consumer Price Index (http:// www.bls.gov/cpi/) report for food at home. As retail grocery prices have increased gradually over time, the share of the averIDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

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IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

lIFe oN THe rANGe Continued from page 36 A total of 16 miles of fence have been built along Deadman Creek, eight milers on each side. Washington DOE allows ranchers to graze the riparian areas. “You can graze it lightly a couple of times a year,” Bartels says. “You just take it down to about 4 inches so the grass can seed itself.”

From the wet meadows and forests in north central Idaho to the grassy hills above the Snake River, Butch Klaveano tries to work in harmony with other interests all year long with the goal of maintaining a sustainable environment. Wally Butler, livestock specialist for the Idaho Farm Bureau, says Klaveano’s mastery of multiple use management serves as a good example to other ranchers.

“I’m a Butch Klaveano fan,” Butler says, noting that he’s spent time working with Klaveano as a consultant for Potlatch, and as an adjunct professor at the University of Idaho, Butler took a class on a tour of Klaveano’s grazing operations. “He’s way ahead of the bulk of the ranching operators because he’s got many facets to his operation, and he’s doing it in an environmentally friendly way.

Very progressive. He’s an example of what the rest of the ranching community could be doing, or at least ought to take a look at.”

Steve Stuebner is the writer and producer of Life on the Range, www.lifeontherange.org, an educational project sponsored by the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission.

Tracking Milk and Egg Trends For the third quarter of 2012, shoppers reported the average price for a half-gallon of regular whole milk was $2.31, up 10 cents from the prior quarter. The average price for one gallon of regular whole milk was $3.54, up 18 cents. Comparing per-quart prices, the retail price for whole milk sold in gallon containers was about 25 percent lower compared to halfgallon c o nt a i n ers, a typical volume discount long employed by

retailers.

The average price for a half-gallon of rBST-free milk was $3.35, down 22 cents from the last quarter, about 40 percent higher than the reported retail price for a half-gallon of regular milk ($2.31).

The average price for a half-gallon of organic milk was $3.81, down 9 cents compared to the prior quarter, about 70 percent higher than the reported retail price for a half-gallon of regular milk ($2.31).

Compared to a year ago (third quarter of 2011), the retail price for regular milk in gallon containers declined about 3 percent, while regular milk in half-gallon containers declined 5 percent. The average retail price for rBST-free milk decreased 1 percent compared to the prior year, while organic milk declined 3 percent.

For the third quarter of 2012, the average price for one dozen regular eggs was $1.94, up 33 cents compared to the prior quarter. The average price for a dozen “cage-free” eggs was $3.22, dow n 7 cents compared to the prior quarter but nearly double (90 percent higher) the price of regular eggs.

Compared to a year ago (third quarter of 2011), regular eggs increased 9 percent while “cage-free” eggs increased 4 percent.

IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012

41

CLASSIFIEDS

Animals

Household

Real Estate/Acreage

Vehicles

Wanted

ASCA registered Australian Shepherd pups. Working line since 1968. Full satisfaction guaranteed. All four colors available. Boise, Id 208484-9802

Antique Oak sellers cupboard with flour bin and sifter, porcelain top, restored, oak pie safe restored small oak ice box. Burley, Id. 208678-2036 or 431-2036

Farm Equipment

Miscellaneous

Building lot – 5 wooded acres with pond and well near Snake river north of Idaho Falls. Lots of wildlife, close to hunting, fishing, camping, golf, swimming, skiing and BYU Idaho campus. $150,000.

For more info call 208-520-8787

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. 208-2851258

Combine rental for 2013 season.

Late model Case and John Deere.

Call Frank. 208-312-1123

Antique grain drill, $175.00, handmade saddle, 16” seat numbered by maker in Carmel California, appraised at $1500.00 will sell for $650 OBO. For pictures and more info e-mail to jpdownard@juno.com. Rigby, Id. 208.745.6072

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

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 Reverse Plow, very good condition, needs one tire, $2195.00 OBO 208-255-4873 1946 H Farmall NF. Runs, new paint. Show Tractor. Spirit Lake, Id. 208-263-1774 Farmhand 8/10 pack bale loader with quick attach. Very clean.

Homedale, Id 208-337-3360 Balewagons: New Holland selfpropelled or pull-type models. Also interested in buying balewagons.

Will consider any model. Call Jim Wilhite at 208-880-2889 anytime Help Wanted

Earn $75,000/yr Part Time in the livestock or equipment appraisal business. Agricultural background required. Classroom or home study courses available. 800-488-7570

Are your precious photos stored in boxes and trunks? Want to preserve your one-of-a-kind photos and share the memories? I provide safe, local scanning of your photos and special documents. Call for pricing and information. Donna Rae Reuser, donnareuser@ gmail.com or 208/755-4872 donnareuser@gmail.com

Real Estate/Acreage Estate Sale: 109 Pine Hollow Road, Stevensville, Montana. 18 irrigated acres, 1960 3 bdrm, 2 bath house with 1 car garage and deck, hay shed, 2110 sq. ft. shop. Was asking $495,000. Price reduced to $295,000. 208-232-8796 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.

208-890-3503

Ideal Ranch for horses in King Hill, ID. Log home, 99 acres. Borders BLM. Two ponds, springs, Clover Creek runs through ranch. 8 stall horse barn, tack room, indoor arena. Shop, wild life, quiet. More details phone 208-989-6795

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 208241-2048

Vehicles 1952 Harley Davidson Panhead, custom, sharp! Spirit Lake, Id 208263-1774 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

FREE CLASSIFIED ADS

FOR FARM BUREAU MEMBERS

Camper Shell with floor. Fits standard pick-up, 61 inch wide x 34 inch deep. Windows all sides, back door, wired for lights. $400.

Pocatello, Id 208-238-3625

Wanted Buying U.S. gold coins, proof and mint sets, silver dollars, rolls and bags. PCGS/NGC certified coins, estates, accumulations, large collections, investment portfolios, bullion, platinum. Will travel, all transactions confidential. Please call 208-859-7168.

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.

DEADLINE DATES:

ADS MUST BE RECEIVED BY January 20 FOR NEXT ISSUE OF THE QUARTERLY

SEND US YOUR CLASSIFIED ADS!

FREE CLASSIFIEDS Non commercial classified ads are free to Idaho Farm Bureau members.

Must include membership number for free ad. Forty (40) words maximum.

Non-member cost- 50 cents per word. You may advertise your own crops, livestock, used machinery, household items, vehicles, etc. Ads will not be accepted by phone. Ads run one time only and must be re-submitted in each subsequent issue. We reserve the right to refuse to run any ad. Please type or print clearly. Proof-read your ad.

Mail ad copy to: P.O. Box 4848, Pocatello, ID 83205-4848 or email Dixie at DASHTON@IDAHOFB.ORG Name: __________________________________________________________________________ Address: _________________________________________________________________________ City / State / Zip: __________________________________________________________________ Phone: _____________________________________ Membership No. ___________________ Ad Copy: ________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

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IDAHO FARM BUREAU QUARTERLY / FALL 2012