LMD June 2010

Livestock “The greatest homage we can pay to truth is to use it.”

MARKET

Digest R

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Volume 52 • No. 6

Chumps or Change?

by Lee Pitts ho is the most important person in animal agriculture today? No, it’s not the CEO of one of the Big Three packers, the President of NCBA, R-CALF, Texas Cattle Feeders or the Farm Bureau. It’s not a purebred breeder, editor, auctioneer or cattle feeder. We’d suggest that the most powerful person in animal ag today doesn’t breed bulls, feed cattle or make vaccines.

No, the most powerful man when it comes to the cattle business was not born to the ranch, but in an orphanage, of all places. His adoptive parents were a real-estate agent/insurance salesman and a homemaker. He was educated in the law, not animal husbandry and we seriously doubt if he knows how to pull a calf, preg check a cow or throw a houlihan, yet his actions over the next two, or possibly six years, will likely determine what the cow business will look like for decades.

The most powerful person in the cow business today is the 30th Secretary of the USDA, Tom Vilsack. Although previous people in his position had plenty of power, the timing wasn’t such as it is today, and due to a confluence of events, he will have the opportunity to change our business in a variety of ways that perhaps no other Ag Secretary in

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NEWSPAPER PRIORITY HANDLING

by LEE PITTS

Dressing For Failure

– JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL JUNE 15, 2010 •

Riding Herd

“Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.” recent memory has had.

President Obama’s election had two primary planks: change and hope. The question is . . . will Obama’s Ag Secretary be an agent for positive change, or is he just making chumps out of us who are holding onto tiny slivers of hope?

Our Vanishing Breed It’s probably safe to say that the majority of ranchers, and most of you reading this paper, did not vote for Barrack Obama for President. Neither did this reporter. Nor do I like what I’ve seen so far. But, as much as it pains me to admit this, (and I

never thought I would) the USDA has been a bit of a bright spot compared to its unheralded past. I’d given it up for a lost cause, a massive bureaucracy with a revolving door of industry insiders who, when it came to the cow business, got their marching orders from Big Business and the NCBA. Thus far, it’s safe to say, Tom Vilsack marches to the beat of his own drummer.

Don’t judge the man by the actions of his boss and don’t label him a liberal Democrat and give up on him. When Vilsack was elected to the first of two terms as the Governor of Iowa,

he was the first Democrat elected to that office in more than 30 years. When the mayor of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, was murdered by an irate idiot, Vilsack was elected to take his place, which laid the political base to be elected to the state senate, and then Governor.

When he was sworn into office as the Secretary of Ag in January of last year legislators on both sides of the aisles had complimentary things to say, and for apparent good reason. Whatever your party affiliation, say this about Tom Vilsack: he seems to have his heart in the right place.

Like those before him, Vilsack speaks of big ideas: increasing broadband service to rural areas, renewable energy, regional food systems, forest restoration, private land conservation, ecosystem market incentives, and on and on. Blah, blah, blah. Talk is cheap, especially in Washington, D.C. No, what gives us a glimmer of hope is that Vilsack actually speaks about our vanishing breed.

For the first time in years we have an Ag Secretary who seems to be worried about truly endangered species: farmers and continued on page two

It’s not about saving species— IT’S ABOUT SPENDING TAXPAYER MONEY AND MAKING SOME GROUPS WEALTHY

by KAREN BUDD-FALEN, Attorney, Cheyenne, Wyo.

ere is some disappointing data regarding Endangered Species Act (ESA) and its cost to the American public. ESA process and litigation are NOT about saving species, it is about spending American taxpayer money. In an economic time where American jobs are scarce, private property rights are being taken and the federal deficit is trillions of dollars, certainly the federal government can find a better way to spend American taxpayer dollars than lining the pockets of radical environmental groups and their “pro bono” (i.e. allegedly free) attorneys and spending money on a program that by the federal government’s data is a complete failure.

The ESA was signed into law in 1978 with the best of intentions. However, over the years it has become the battle cry to eliminate private

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property rights and property use, shut down agriculture and other industries and fund radical environmental group and their attorneys. There is not a single state within the United States that does not have listed, threatened or endangered species. It would not be so bad if the original intent of the ESA was followed and species were listed, then recovered, then removed from the list—but that is not what is happening.

As of May 17, 2010, there are a total of 1,374 species listed as threatened or endangered. This list includes everything, even bugs, worms, plants, snakes, spiders, bogs, moss, mice, rats and other species. According to a 2009 report by Greenwire citing the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), the average cost of listing a single species is $85,000 and the average cost of designating critical habitat is $515,000 per species. continued on page four

ecently someone sent me an anonymous letter along with an article titled “How To Dress for Success.” I have no idea who sent me the story as it could have been anyone who has ever seen me. I’ll admit I don’t know how to dress for success but if you ever want to emulate someone who dresses for failure, well then, I’m your guy.

The article talked about midriffs, French cuffs, arm holes (I think you should have at least two), how to talk to your tailor and single breasted versus double breasted jackets. I don’t know about you but all this talk about breasts in men’s suits makes me a little uncomfortable . . . but not as uncomfortable as the thought of some guy with pins in his mouth measuring my inseam.

According to the advice article, the cuffs on your jacket should come to the middle of your hands with your arms hanging loose.

Listen, I get most of my jackets for free from livestock auction markets and vaccine makers and I can’t be that picky.

The article also placed a great deal of emphasis on lapels and “vents” in your jacket. I have no idea what these vents are but it said that they “can slim your body and allow a suit to stretch, reducing unsightly lumps and bumps.” In that case, I definitely think you should have some. And if these vents also allow bad body odors to escape I recommend having more vents in your jacket than you do in your house.

Most ranchers I know should probably have narrow lapels on their Carhartt jackets because I read that they make a person look slimmer and more successful. On a related matter, if you want your jacket to show how successful you are the back of it should stop at the top of your rear end, which is good because it might take several yards of expensive cloth to actually go around and over it.

To impress people try not continued on page twelve

www.LeePittsbooks.com

Livestock Market Digest

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June 15, 2010

Chumps or Change? ranchers. “We have seen a significant reduction in the number of farmers in the middle, “ says Vilsack. “Our last ag census indicated 108,000 new farming operations in the category of less than $10,000 in sales, an increase in

The most powerful person in the cow business today is the 30th Secretary of the USDA, Tom Vilsack. the number of farms with over $500,000 in sales of about 40,000, but a loss of 80,000 farms in the middle in the last five years.” Vilsack talks about a 15-year trend in which thousands of cattlemen have left the business each year. Some because they’re broke, others because it’s just not worth the effort any more. So now we have the smallest U.S. cow herd in decades and our biggest beef packer is a Brazilian outfit. Yet, Vilsack assures us that the challenges we face to stay in business are being discussed at the highest levels. We certainly hope so!

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Neither Ann Veneman nor Dan Glickman ever called for workshops to be held around the country so that the USDA and the Justice Department could hear first hand from producers about their fears of increasing packer power. (After the workshops were announced over 15,000 people submitted their concerns about competition in the marketplace.) Just to show how serious he was, to the first of the five workshops, this one in Alabama, Vilsack brought along the Attorney General of the United States! “There are many places the Attorney General could be today,” Vilsack told the crowd, “but he dedicated himself to coming to these workshops. It shows his dedication and concern.” And Vilsack’s too, we might add.

Just getting the USDA and the Department of Justice to work together is something no other Ag Secretary in recent memory has achieved, but for the Ag. Secretary and the Attorney General to spend a day listening to the concerns of meat producers was unprecedented.

And it had to be a real eye-opener for the bureaucrats.

When Vilsack told poultry farmers to step forward and voice their concerns they understandably hesitated. Needless to say, if you want to stay in the poultry business these days you don’t criticize the poultry behemoth who holds you hostage with a contract. U.S. Assistant Attorney General Christine Varney told one man who hesitated, “I fully expect you will NOT experience

continued from page one

retaliation.” Then she gave the poultry rancher a card with her name on it, “But if you do, call me at that number.” Dare we say, Neither Clinton’s or the Bush’s Justice Departments had the audacity to ever challenge Tyson in such a manner?

Varney and Vilsack wanted to hear from the little guys, after all, they hear from the big guys all the time. “I can assure you the companies have no problem talking to me,” said Varney. “They are well represented. They are in the halls of Washington. Which is why it is so important for us to be here because we don't often get to talk directly to the producers.

We have approached this in an open, balanced way, and we want to understand what’s going on.”

When Vilsack told poultry farmers to step forward and voice their concerns they understandably hesitated.

Wow! The hope is that the USDA and the Justice Department light a fire under the regulatory bodies who are supposed to be watching the packers, namely GIPSA and the Packers and Stockyards Administration.

The goal is to reintroduce competition into the market for fat cattle, plump poultry and hothouse hogs.

Vilsack is charged with oversight of GIPSA who in turn is supposed to be watching out for livestock producers, guaranteeing them financial protection, making sure that contracts are legal and non-abusive, and enforcing the Packers and Stockyards Act. A 2006 federal audit found that GIPSA under the Bush administration had avoided complex investigations and filed complaints in the round file.

Now the feds are conducting an investigation into whether the handful of large meatpackers that slaughter most of the nation’s cattle are illegally or unfairly driving down prices.

Bill Bullard, CEO of R-CALF USA, is optimistic that some good will come out of the workshops. R-CALF has been in discussion with GIPSA and the Packers and Stockyards Administration for months and according to Bullard, they are clearly asking the right questions. “They appear to be doing a very comprehensive investigation of the overall behavior of meatpackers in the cattle market,” said Bullard.

The Packers and Stockyards Administration went so far as to request the court documents from the 2004 case in which a jury awarded 30,000 cattlemen continued on page three

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

June 15, 2010

Chumps or Change? over $1.28 billion after finding that Tyson had used unfair marketing agreements to suppress cattle prices. The decision was later overturned by a judge.

Other workshops will deal more closely with the beef business on August 27, 2010 in Fort Collins, Colorado, a June 25 session in Madison, Wisconsin, and a December 8, 2010, workshop in Washington, DC. After the listening sessions the USDA this Spring is expected to release sweeping antitrust rules covering the meat industry.

Constitutional Implications Vilsack is even slapping the greedy hand of the NCBA as it tries to take over the checkoff. In a letter to NCBA’s President, Steve Foglesong, Vilsack wrote, “Given the recent discussions within your organization on the Governance Task Force (GTF) recommendations, I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that we do have serious concerns with the approach as we understand it. To be clear, we want to ensure that you understand the requirements of this law.

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight over the national Beef Checkoff program, “ wrote Vilsack, “and I ask that you continue to be mindful of the requirements of the Beef Promotion and Research Act and the Beef Promotion and Research Order should you move forward with implementing the GTF rec-

continued from page two

ommendations. Specifically, in any final NCBA structure, AMS must be able to discern how 100 percent of the beef checkoff funds are used. This is a critical

ticular organization in order to have influence on how their mandated checkoff dollars are used. Any structure that leads this direction could have constitutional implications.”

We couldn’t have said it any better.

A 2006 federal audit found that GIPSA under the Bush administration had avoided complex investigations and filed complaints in the round file. oversight component that you current GTF recommendations would not necessarily provide.

“Over the years, there has been a trend within other research and promotion programs to make a stronger firewall between policy and checkoff funded activities. This separation is critical. NCBA’s reorganization would, instead, weaken the firewall between policy and checkoff-funded activities, thereby jeopardizing the Beef Checkoff program and set a bad precedent for checkoff programs in general. It is important to remember that beef/dairy producers and importers are mandated to pay into the Beef Checkoff and they need concrete assurances that their monies are used as intended by law, and the generated funds support the interests of all producers and importers, not just NCBA members.”

Vilsack wrote, “Producers also should not feel compelled to directly or indirectly join a par-

Health. They are now writing a proposed rule that will give states and tribes the responsibility for their animal disease traceability programs. The big difference is that producer’s information will be held by states, not the federal government. The USDA is also supposedly embracing lower cost and lower technology systems.

So far Vilsack’s USDA says that their new proposed animal disease traceability program will build upon successful programs like the brucellosis and scrapie programs, state brand programs,

Giving Us Hope For A Change Our first inkling that Vilsack was different, in that he had two ears and knows what they’re for, was when he announced on February 5 that the USDA would abandon the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) they’ve been trying to cram down our throats for years.

Instead, the USDA announced that it would offer a new approach to animal disease traceability. Instead of NAIS we will have the ADT, Animal Disease Traceability plan. The main difference being that the USDA is going to prescribe standards that the states must meet in order to engage in interstate commerce.

Just like they’ve done with market concentration, the USDA held a listening tour to get feedback on NAIS and boy, did they get an ear full! Surprisingly, the USDA then ditched NAIS and set up a Secretary's Advisory Committee on Animal

The big difference is that producer’s information will be held by states, not the federal government. and existing age and source programs that many breed associations have already put in place.

APHIS, under the auspices of the USDA, says they hope to publish the proposed rules for ADT by this winter, followed by a 90-day comment period. A final rule will be published eight to 10 months after the close of the comment period.

We are not thrilled with the idea that the USDA will NOT shred the National Premises Repository, although states can withdraw all of their participants.

And time has taught us that when it comes to the USDA, it’s

Page 3 always best to watch your back and count your money.

R-CALF’s President, Max Thornsberry says, “Mounting evidence demonstrates that USDA’s intentions are disingenuous. Evidence further suggests that USDA’s real motive is to coerce unsuspecting U.S. livestock producers into assisting the agency in the development of a trace back system that USDA will later use in an attempt to mitigate and defend its reckless actions of continually inviting foreign animal diseases into the United States from diseaseaffected countries.”

Says Thornsberry, “I am praying for some “Change”, but expecting the same old rhetoric.

And I don’t have much “Hope.”

To be sure, perhaps all this activity on the part of the USDA is just window dressing for chumps and suckers like me.

There are countless other instances where the USDA is still proving to be its same old self. But in the next six months Tom Vilsack will either prove himself to be the rancher’s best friend and deliver big changes, or he will show himself as just another politician trying to pull the wool over the eyes of a bunch of cowboys.

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Livestock Market Digest

Page 4

Saving a Species?

Thus, the approximate cost to the American taxpayer of listing the 1,374 species is $116,790,000 and the approximate cost of designating critical habitat for those species is $707,610,000.

If it weren’t bad enough that America’s taxpayers are spending millions simply listing species, that is not the end of the story.

The ESA sets very specific time frames for species listing and critical habitat designation; time frames which the federal government cannot seem to meet.

Species are listed by a petition process, which means that anyone can send a letter to the federal government asking that a species, either plant or animal, be put on the ESA list. The federal government has 90 days to respond to that petition, no matter how frivolous. If the federal government fails to respond in 90 days, the petitioner — in the vast majority of cases, radical environmental groups — can file litigation against the federal government and get its attorneys fees paid. The simple act of filing litigation does not mean the species will get listed or that it is warranted to be protected; this litigation is only over whether the federal government failed to respond to the petition in 90 days. Between 2000 and 2009, in just 12 states and the District of Columbia, 14 environmental groups filed 180 federal court complaints to get species listed under the ESA and were paid $11,743,287 in attorneys fees and costs.

Again, there are listed ESA species in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Territories. Consider how much in attorneys fees have been paid if all litigation in all states is considered.

And it doesn’t end there; the federal agencies have placed 341

continued from page one

more species on the candidate species list, meaning that they are under consideration for listing on the ESA threatened or endangered species list. That is 341 species times the average cost of listing of $85,000 per species and $515,000 for each critical habitat designation for a total of $204,600,000 — all from America’s pocketbooks.

And it still doesn’t end there; certain radical environmental groups have petitioned for additional listings of even more species and critical habitat designations.

In the last eight (8) months, the Center for Biological Diversity, the WildEarth Guardians (WEG) and the Western Watersheds Project (WWP) have threatened the federal government with litigation if the government fails to list 238 more species. If the federal government does not respond to those listing petitions or Notices of Intent to Sue, federal court complaints will be filed and according to recent history, attorneys fees will be paid.

And with all this money — $116,790,000 for species listing; $707,610,000 for critical habitat designation; $11,743,287 in attorneys fees paid to some radical environmental groups because the federal government simply missed deadlines — only 47 species have been taken off the ESA list and of that 47 only 21 because they were recovered. That is a 1.5 percent success rate! The other 26 species were taken off the list because they either went extinct (9 species) or should never have been put on the list in the first place (17 species). There is something wrong with this picture.

While you are thinking about the ESA and its cost versus failure rate, consider the additional

individual costs to American taxpayers and small businesses.

The California red and yellowlegged frogs have cost the taxpayers $445,924 just in litigation attorneys fees. Part of the reason that California farmers in the Central Valley have no water for their crops is because of Natural Resources Defense Council litigation over the delta smelt, a 2- to 3inch long minnow. Wolf litigation has cost American taxpayers $436,762 in attorney fees, all paid to environmental groups who sue the federal government. Litigation over the desert tortoise, (a total of 11 cases) — a species that only spends five percent of its life above ground — has cost the American taxpayers $702,519 just in payment of attorneys fees. In fact, in the last 10 years, the federal government has spent more than $93 million in taxpayer money on the desert tortoise.

That is not counting the costs to American business, even “green business.” In California, Brightsource Energy will have to spend $20 million dollars to relocate 20 tortoises plus create a permanent tortoise trust fund so it can build its solar power plant.

That is $1 million plus per tortoise. Other businesses that have been impacted or stopped by the desert tortoise include a wind farm that would supply electricity to Las Vegas. Private landowners who wish to develop their own property are required to pay “mitigation fees” of between $370 and $550 per acre to develop private lands designated as desert tortoise critical habitat. Once the money is paid, it does not matter how many desert tortoises are killed.

The Hyundai auto company had to buy 3,000 acres of additional land for $5 million so that it could use its own private property for a car safety test track. In addition to the $5 million, the

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June 15, 2010 company also agreed to pay $1.5 million into an endowment fund for the desert tortoise. The National Military Training Center at Ft. Irwin has also been negatively impacted, agreeing to pay $6.9 million to relocate desert tortoises on the base so it can conduct its military training.

None of this counts the over 30 family ranches that were eliminated because they used to graze their cattle on desert tortoise critical habitat.

It is clear that the American taxpayers have a tremendous problem. This wouldn’t be so hard to take if the ESA was successful or if the radical environmental groups that are getting taxpayer money to litigate over the ESA were spending money on species or their habitats. However, there is no evidence that one

single dime of the money the federal government pays to environmental groups to litigate over ESA species is spent on habitat or species research or mitigation projects — the money is just spent to get more taxpayer money and put more small businesses out of business or stop private landowners from using their properties. Even those businesses that supply “green jobs” and “green technology” suffer. This is a maddening state of affairs for America — somewhere the madness must stop!

Karen Budd-Falen is working with the Western Legacy Alliance (WLA), http://www.westernlegacyalliance.org , to educate the public on ESA and fee payment issues. The group has gotten H.R. 4717 and S. 3122, the “Open EAJA Act of 2010” in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate respectively. Work is currently being done to gather sponsors for each of these measures so that hearings can be held.

Baxter ON THE EDGE OF COMMON SENSE

BLACK

Food Deserts any of us in the food producing business are watching with a suspicious eye, Mrs. Obama’s pending federally funded efforts to combat obesity in children. Our skepticism is justified because every special interest group from global warming to UFO conspirators somehow wind up casting blame on modern agriculture.

Nevertheless, obesity apparently is a serious problem and worthy of attention. Her “Let’s Move!” web page states that “6.5 million children (live) more than a mile away from a supermarket. These communities are now called “Food Deserts.”

More than a mile! It is obvious that Mrs. Obama and I live in different realities. I would guess many who read this column live more than a mile from a supermarket. I can picture a rancher’s wife twenty miles north of Ekalaka, MT, a farmer’s wife in Oyen, Alberta who gets snowed in for three days, or a family riding out a hurricane, flood and five-day power outage on the South Carolina coast. Food Desert?

I guess what is most unsettling for me, is the helplessness Mrs. Obama ascribes to the urban parents of obese children.

She assumes they are incapable of planning a trip to the store, teaching their children discipline, managing a budget and, God forbid, having to walk, drive or bus more than a mile of couple times a week to shop.

Truthfully, no one expects them to grow a garden or can their own food. But I would bet that if these helpless parents had a grocery store right next door it still wouldn’t decrease children’s obesity. It’s not just what you eat, it’s how much you eat! My ignorance of big cities precludes any comment about big city grocery stores and their proximity to the “Food Desert victims.” But in rural communities people are forced to do some planning.

Years ago JFK had physical fitness as one of his administrative concerns. It would seem to be beneficial for overweight kids to exercise, right? How ‘bout the victims walkin’ to the grocery store once or twice a week. Is that unthinkable? Of course, I concede that most urban teens are not expected to do physical work like mowing lawns, sweeping floors, picking up trash, pulling weeds, painting houses or walking the dog. That’s why the immigrants and illegals are in such demand; they do the manual labor.

Well, despite my cynicism, I wish her good luck. Her motives are good. We just have a different approach. She is of the ‘entitlement mentality’ that says obese children and their parents are helpless victims and the government sponsored ‘meals on wheels’ to the able-bodied is their only hope.

Whereas I have the ‘entrepreneurial mentality’ that says each person is responsible for their own behavior and that of their dependents. As I said, she and I live in different realities.

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www.baxterblack.com

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

June 15, 2010

Study Shows Ground Beef From GrainFed Cattle Healthier Than Grass-Fed rass-fed beef may not have as many healthful traits as some perceive, according to results from a recent Texas AgriLife Research study.

Dr. Stephen Smith, an AgriLife Research meat scientist, and a team of researchers have found that contrary to popular perception, ground beef from pasturefed cattle had no beneficial effects on plasma lipid.

However, high monounsaturated fat ground beef from grainfed cattle increased HDL cholesterol, increased LDL particle diameters, and decreased insulin, suggesting that ground beef produced by intensive production practices provides “a healthful, high-quality source of protein.”

“We wanted to see from this study if product from pasturefed and corn-fed cattle had different effects on LDL or HDL cholesterol,” Smith said. “We looked at the scientific literature and could not find any justifications for the statement that pasture-fed beef is better for you.

All we found were rat studies in which they were fed omega-3 fatty acids, so we wanted to know if this applied to beef from grass-fed cattle.”

The study, funded by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, used Angus cattle raised at the McGregor AgriLife Research Center. One group of cattle was fed a pasture diet with supplement hay. The steers were kept on pasture until 20 months of age.

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A second group of Angus steers was fed the same way a feedlot operator would and kept on a corn-based diet until 16 months of age, then reaching USDA Choice status.

A third group of Angus steers were fed the corn-based diet the longest, until reaching USDA Prime. The fat in cattle that are high in marbling is low in saturated and trans-fats, and higher in monounsaturated fats.

Beef cuts from the plate and flank taken from all three grades were made into a ground beef product, containing 24 percent fat.

Next, a group of 27 men completed a three-way crossover study. Each group rotated, consuming five 114-gram ground beef patties per week for six weeks from each of the three sets of cattle used in the study.

“There really were no negative effects of feeding ground beef from the pasture-fed cattle,” Smith said. “We did see many positive effects in men that consumed ground beef from corn-fed cattle. The ground beef from the USDA Prime cattle increased HDL cholesterol and LDL particle diameter. Both effects are protective against cardiovascular disease. The Prime ground beef also decreased insulin, so it may have some protective effect against type II diabetes.”

Smith said the study results surprised many. “As we talked to some user groups and told them that we had found pasture-fed

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beef is higher in saturated transfat, they were shocked.”

Smith presented the findings to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association last year and is now sharing among consumers and producers. He recently gave a presentation at the Texas Human Nutrition Conference in College Station. Smith said he did receive some initial negative feedback from ranchers in the grass-fed beef business, but he isn’t telling them that what they are doing is wrong.

“I know that cattle are adapted to growing on high-roughage, pasture diets, but my focus is the beef product,” he said. “A lot of producers are receptive. What I’m trying to show them is that the longer cattle are fed a corn or grain-based diet, the healthier the product will be.”

“I realize cost is involved – feeding corn is expensive. But, if you want a healthier product, you need more marbling. Time on feed is a big factor."

The study team included Dr. Rosemary Walzem, AgriLife Research poultry scientist, and Dr. Stephen Crouse, researcher from Texas A&M University’s health and kinesiology department.

Source: AgriLife Communications, Texas A&M University. EDITOR’S NOTE: From Advocates for Agriculture: a new study suggests grain-fed beef is healthier than grass-fed beef. However, the real lesson here is that producers should never distribute misinformation about their neighbor’s product in order to promote their own. All beef is healthy to eat, some is just raised differently than others and it’s going to take all of us to meet the demand.

Page 5

The Top Ten Point Earners are as follows: Left to right back row: Emily Griffith, Temple Griffin, Andrea White, Jacqualyn Cawley and Judge Cary Crow. Left to right front row: Kalli Ellis, Mabree Haliburton, Ty Reeves, Shawn Skaggs, Nikki Brady. Not pictured, Wesley Marsh.

Junior Beefmaster Breeders Excel at the Springtime In Texas Heifer Show unior Beefmaster Breeder Association members excelled at the Springtime In Texas Heifer Show held on April 24, 2010, in Brenham, Texas. The show was judged by Cary Crow with a total of 69 entries.

Winners are as follows: Ethan Saye from Pilot Point, Texas, exhibited the Calf Champion, while Nikki Brady of Carrizo Springs, Texas, earned the Reserve Calf Champion title.

Junior Champion title was Sage McManus from Lake Charles, La. In addition, Mabree Haliburton of Waco, Texas, was named Reserve Junior Champion.

Jacqualyn Cawley from Frost, Texas, earned Senior Champion honors, and the Reserve Champion title went to Shawn Skaggs of De Leon, Texas.

Grand Champion went to Ethan Saye of Pilot Point, Texas, while Nikki Brady from Carrizo Springs, Texas, earned the Reserve Grand Champion title.

Additionally, Nikki Brady from Carrizo Springs, Texas, was named Bred & Owned Champion.

Reserve Champion Bred & Owned went to Emily Griffith of Springtown, Texas.

To couple the class winners, Junior Champion Showmanship was earned by Kasey Mitchell of Katy, Texas, Kalli Ellis from La Ward, Texas, won the title for Intermediate Champion Showmanship and the Senior Champion Showmanship title was earned by Mabree Haliburton of Waco, Texas.

For more information and results, please call the BBU office at 210/732-3132, or visit the Web site www.beefmasters.org.

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June 15, 2010

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SUPPLY SIDE?

by CODI VALLERY-MILLS, Cattle Business Weekly

he U.S. Meat Export Federation Board of Directors met recently in St. Louis for a product showcase and conclave of experts from the beef, pork and lamb sectors.

Reports from the director meeting are positive for the U.S. meat exports. In a media conference call President and CEO Philip Seng says that the first three months of 2010 have gone well despite economics. An increase of 11 percent has been seen in export volume and a 14 percent increase has been seen in value.

“We are coming out of a worldwide recession and competition has stepped up in the trade markets with everyone rushing to sign agreements.

There is an increase and emphasis on trade agreements,” warns Seng.

Jim Peterson a cow/calf producer from Montana and also the USMEF chair says the goal is to improve working relationships with other countries to improve consumption levels of U.S. meat. He believes there are tremendous opportunities for U.S. product.

He says between 2008-2018 it is expected pork consumption will be up 20 percent, which is 1.8 times the amount of pork produced in the U.S. in 2008. Beef will be up 15 percent an equivalent of three-quarters of beef currently being produced in the U.S. Domestically there will be a growth of 5 to 8 percent in consumption.

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John Brook, USMEF Europe Director reports demand in Russia is going strong and is back to its 2008 levels. The nervousness felt from Greece’s debt and the rumor that the Euro is on the verge of disappearing is “ridiculous” according to Brook who reminds everyone that Greece only makes up 2.5 percent of the European economy.

He also reports the Middle East has a strong market for beef livers and is beginning to gain a market share in high-end markets. “We are very competitive against Australia in the Europe market,” says Brook.

Mexico and Central America is not a thriving picture for beef according to USMEF Mexico and Dominican Republic Director Chad Russell. He says this is due to less variety meats coming from the U.S. and the increase of poultry and pork consumption. Russell says Russia’s open-ended ban on U.S. chickens has caused the product to go else-

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where—to Mexico. Beef hasn’t been able to compete because Mexico prohibits some beef products yet as a result of BSE regulations.

“Two weeks ago the Mexico Ag Ministry and the U.S. Department of Ag were part of a discussion that addressed those restrictions but no resolution was agreed upon,” says Russell. “It isn’t their ag ministry that is holding things up but rather their health ministry.”

In Asia, Japan continues to be a key volume market for beef and pork products. Joel Haggard USMEF senior vice president for the Asia Pacific region says the beef outlook is positive across the board and while more market access would be nice, the picture is looking “rosy”.

Concern over a political election in Japan is worth watching though as the current Farm Minister in Japan risks the chance of being moved into a different position once new leadership is elected.

Before being placed with the agriculture ministry he was a well-respected cabinet member.

Haggard says there has been indications of a pledge between Japan and the U.S. to improve export relations and says he is a big proponent of having those talks before the Japan election later this year.

In China, Seng cited Hong Kong as one of the most rapidly growing destinations for U.S. beef.

Though limited to boneless cuts from cattle less than 30 months of age, this year’s U.S. beef exports to Hong Kong have more than tripled their 2009 pace.

“There are more than 40 countries currently supplying beef to Hong Kong, which shows you just how competitive the international marketplace really is,” Seng said. “This also illustrates how important it is that we differentiate our product. Our competition is well aware of the opportunities in these key markets and they are doing everything they can to avail themselves of those opportunities.”

Opportunities in key markets are great but the USMEF acknowledges there is a critical issue of being able to supply meat to those markets. The U.S. cowherd is shrinking and demand interest is on course to outpace supply.

“Currently we are addressing the issue by developing alternative cuts of meat,” says Seng. “It is critical to maintain market share and if we are not successful we will lose it to someone else.”

Reprinted with permission of Cattle Business Weekly, www.cattlebusinessweekly.com.

What does the farmer and rancher mean to your community?

from TRI-STATE LIVESTOCK NEWS

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT! 1 9 4 2 4 H I G H WAY 9 6 O R D WAY, C O L O R A D O 8 1 0 6 3 LUKE LARSON, MANAGER TELEPHONE 719/267-3551

n financial terms it means a lot, according to Calvin Pietz, Farm Business Management Instructor at Mitchell Technical Institute. The average business purchases within local communities based on information proved by farmers enrolled in South Dakota’s Farm/Business Management Program was $561,556, an increase of $9,126 over 2008.

Feed purchased topped the expense list in 2009 at $79,934 for the average enrolled farm.

Much of this feed is produced and processed in South Dakota creating a multi-million dollar industry within the state.

Equipment repairs and purchases provide the basis for the ag equipment industry in local communities. The average farm generated $30,855 in repair bills.

Gas and lubricant purchases added another $21,209 in dollars paid to local businesses.

The livestock health industry received an average of $17,414 per farm in 2009.

“The industries save the producer millions in livestock losses, creating more spending revenue within each community,” says Pietz.

Crop input expenses also make up a large part of the farm purchases from local vendors. In 2009 the average farm spent $50,389 for fertilizers, $29,221 for chemicals, and $66,592 for other crop expenses.

There are other farm expenses which benefit their communities.

Hired labor cost were $17,308 per farm in 2009, providing jobs and income for employees within the community. Interest payments of $36,312 were paid per farm allowing lending agencies

to raise funds for other community investments.

The average farm also generated $7,946 in property taxes. A great deal of the budget of community schools and local government is carried by taxes paid by each farm or ranch.

In addition to $561,556 spent on operating costs, ag operations spent another $111,928 on capital improvements — expenses included $42,025 on new buildings and land, and $58,199 on new machinery and livestock equipment.

An additional $11,704 was spent on the purchase of breeding livestock.

Family living costs were $46,306 in 2009.

The average farm consisted of 1,790 acres, of which 663 acres were farmer-owned and 1,127 acres were rented. Total investment per farm by owner/operator and lenders is $1,707,644.

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

June 15, 2010

Los Alamos Researchers Studying Bovine TB quick, accurate means of diagnosing bovine tuberculosis (TB) is the goal of a team of researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. The ongoing research of the biosensor team, led by principal investigators Harshini Mukundan and Basil Swanson, is being funded through New Mexico Small Business Assurance and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Caused by the Mycobacterium bovis, bovine TB is a chronic disease, wherein infected animals can carry the bacterium without showing any outward signs of the disease for several months. Current methods for diagnosis are either expensive, time consuming or intensive. In some regions, the disease is endemic in wildlife, and can be transferred to pasture livestock, making it especially difficult to control.

The Los Alamos biosensor team is attempting to adapt a waveguide-based sensor, developed at LANL, to detect biomarkers (eg: biological molecules specific to the bacterium, found in the infected host, during the course of a disease that do not occur in a healthy animal) specific to M. bovis in infected cattle, Mukundan said. “Several other tests are available, but none are what you would call a “chuteside” test - something that can be done simply and accurately in the field.”

Existing tests for the disease are only about 80 percent accurate. Currently, the most common diagnostic is a skin test, similar to the one done on

A

humans for tuberculosis diagnosis. The animal is injected with a mixture of Mycobacterial proteins. If it has been exposed to TB, the animal will show a strong immune response. The sensitivity, time to result and interpretation of the results are difficult with the skin-test, Mukundan explained.

Confirmation of diagnosis is typically done by laboratory culture. This, however, takes several weeks, because the bacterium that causes bovine tuberculosis grows very slowly and is difficult to culture.

The Los Alamos team’s research focuses on the use of optical waveguides as the sensor platform. Waveguides are comprised of a material with a high

rate test, and a limited suite of biomarkers to ensure its sensitivity and specificity. We are currently working on evaluating feasibility in infected animals and we hope to have more results by the end of the year. The research was supported by New Mexico Small Business Assurance funding. Initial research was sponsored by Gonzales Dairy, Yesterday’s Valley Ranch, Inc., Steve Warshawer, Track L Ranch, and JX Cattle Company, LLC. The technology being developed can also be used for human disease diagnosis. “This is an exciting project, with many potential uses. With this tool, we hope to be able to detect small concentrations of biomarkers in the body that conventional technology cannot detect at this time. It has already shown prom-

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ise in diagnosing influenza and breast cancer.”

“Until recently, there was a lower degree of interest in bovine TB and the expression of biomarkers as a diagnostic method had never been studied. We are hopeful that our data will be valuable in the study of disease and beneficial to the nation.”

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Angus juniors will attend leadership workshops presented by the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) Board and hear from past Oklahoma state FFA president and motivational speaker Rhett Laubach.

Diane Johnson of Details by Design will present sessions on public speaking and business etiquette, and attendees will participate in team-building, workshops and an overview about Tennessee agriculture.

Other highlights of the conference will include tours of Tennessee Angus operations Deer Valley Farm and Robert Elliott & Sons Angus.

While in Nashville, participants can also look forward to sightseeing at the Country Music Hall

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“We’re looking forward to another great LEAD event this year,” says Robin Ruff, director of junior activities. “Past flooding in parts of Nashville has not affected our facility nor event plans, and we’re excited to visit a city so deeply rooted in agriculture and country music.”

Conference space is limited, and early registration is encouraged by the June 15 deadline. The early registration fee for NJAA members is $200.

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Registration is available online at www.angus.org/njaa . For more information, contact the junior activities department at 816/383-5100. LEAD is funded in part by the Angus Foundation and is a program of the NJAA, which provides programs for nearly 7,000 members across the nation.

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refractive index, surrounded on all sides with a material of lower refractive index. This arrangement allows for the selective propagation of light through the material of high refractive index, creating an intense optical field.

Detection of biological processes within this field offers certain advantages in terms of sensitivity and specificity. The team has previously adapted the technology for detection of biomarkers associated with other diseases, such as breast cancer and influenza, Mukundan explained.

“The Los Alamos test takes 15 minutes, and is much more rapid than the conventional skin test,” she said. “We are working to develop patterns of recognition that will result in a quick, accu-

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My Cowboy Heroes

Bobbi Jeen Rob Krentz OLSON on called Rob up one day and said, “Hey Rob, I’ve got this prolapsed cow over at the Double Adobe Ranch locked up in the corral and I was wondering if you could give me a hand?”

“Sure,” says Rob, “just come on over and get me on your way.”

So the two men headed over to the Double Adobe Ranch which is about an hour away from Don’s main ranch at Apache. They didn’t take a horse with them because Don had trapped the cow in the water lot earlier. Upon their arrival they found a mean old hussy who was none too happy about her current uncomfortable condition or the arrival of the two “would be” cowboy doctors.

“You run her up the alley and I will catch her with the head gate,” Don instructed.

After giving Rob quite a run around in the alley, he finally got her headed up the lead-up. She was really moving fast as she hit the front. As a matter of fact, she hit the front with such a force that the old bolts holding the head gate in place just popped like buttons on a shirt! The old gal then proceeded to run around the water lot with the head gate on her head and Don still holding on to the lever. Don didn’t want to let her go for fear she would escape, or worse yet, chase him around while wearing the head gate.

After a minute or so of dragging Don around, the cow smartened up and backed out of the contraption till she was free of it. She then chased Don around the lot until at last she cleared the top rail of the fence like a hurdler at a track meet.

Laughing at the sight of all this, Rob says, “Well, now what are we going to do boss?”

It would take about two hours to go back to the main ranch and get a horse, so Don rummaged around behind the seat until he came up with an old catch rope.

“We’ll rope her using this old truck,” declared Don. “You drive!”

Rob says “Your ranch . . . your cow . . . your truck . . . you drive . . . I’ll rope.”

So off they went across the mesquite flat dodging bushes and arroyos chasing after the prolapsed cow. The rope was tied to the gooseneck ball in the back and Rob had fashioned a hand hold onto the headache rack for balance and support.

After chasing the cow far enough that she finally began to wear out a little bit, Don was able to line out on her in a fairly level area.

As Don pulled up beside the cow, Rob swung a time or two and then landed a loop that should have made a professional

D

by JIM OLSON

roper proud.

Rob threw the trip and Don turned the pickup off to the left just as if he was in Cheyenne at the Frontier days! The truck didn’t quite work like a good quarter horse would have, so the cow was difficult to throw down. Don figured that after a while, the old cow would just choke down enough that they could tie her up and doctor her. The ole gal was too smart for that though and she always kept just enough slack in the rope to keep her breath.

As Don and Rob tried many different methods of getting the cow down, about all that was accomplished was she was mad.

Very mad. So mad, as a matter of fact, that she spent all of her time trying to chase the two cowboy doctors. Around the truck, in the cab, on the back, it didn’t matter; she was after her antagonists with a vengeance.

Finally the two men came up with a plan; they had rummaged around behind the seat and came up with another catch rope. This one they tied off to the base of a larger mesquite bush.

Don says, “Let her chase you by here and I’ll heel her.”

Rob says, “You’re skinny and fleet of foot . . . you chase . . . I’ll rope.”

So as Don let the cow chase him around like a champion bull fighter, he finally got her to go by the spot where Rob waited.

With a heel shot that was sent by the Gods, Rob snagged a hind leg. Don jumped in the truck and took out the slack; the cow was tied down. Then, and only then, was she given slack.

Well, they got her stuffins put back where they belonged and sowed her up, then they cautiously let her go. Both men were wore out from the ordeal. As they headed back towards Apache Don told Rob, “I sure do thank you for helping me out pard. That would have been quite a job for one man.”

Rob’s reply? “Well that’s what friends are for.”

This is a true account as told by a neighbor when asked, “Just what kind of friend was Rob Krentz?”

The immigration vs. secure border issue has gotten more press lately than a political love scandal. It seems everybody has an opinion on the subject and most are quite vocal. But you know what they say about opinions . . .

While this subject is not new by any stretch of the imagination, if you could point to one thing that has brought it to the forefront of political issues lately, it would have to be the murder of a southern Arizona rancher on his own property. On March 28,

2010 Rob Krentz became the poster child for the secure border issue. Unfortunately, it cost him his life.

At the time of this writing Rob is without a doubt the most widely known rancher in America, maybe the world. Just ask anyone, anywhere, to name an American rancher today and they will more than likely say Rob Krentz, or at least, “You know . . . that guy that got killed down along the border.”

As I read with interest all of the stories concerning the border and immigration, I started to wonder “just who was Rob Krentz?” I mean the person Rob Krentz, not the image or martyr that he has become for the secure border issue. I know several of the Krentz Ranch neighbors, and when one of them approached me about doing a story on the subject, I readily agreed on the condition that it was with the Krentz family blessing and that it would be a story on the man himself, not the political issues. I am honored that they agreed, because now I feel as if I know who Rob Krentz really was. I only wish that I could have met him prior to March 28.

While interviewing several family members and neighbors of Rob’s, I got a glowing report of a great man. Friend, family man, conservationist, good rancher and kind-hearted were all thrown about. Of course they wouldn’t have bad things to tell me about one of their own, I thought, but you know what? I read articles and contacted several people who are on the other side of the political issue, if you will, and couldn’t find one single person who had anything bad to say about Rob. Even the most adamant immigrant rights people had nothing bad to say about the person Rob Krentz himself.

All they could talk about was being against the reform issue.

Amazing! Even the so-called enemy could not run down Rob’s character. Here is why: Rob Krentz was a man of values. From the time he was just a little boy, Rob’s dad, Bob, grilled into him the importance of doing things the right way. Throughout his life, Rob worked extra hard on doing just that. He wouldn’t cut corners when it might have been easy to do so — not if it weren’t the right thing to do. Little things that some people don’t think twice about like moving cattle without the proper inspection papers or running red (illegal) diesel in his pickup truck were out of the question as far as Rob was concerned. You never cheat, not even one little bit, was what Rob lived by and he inspired friends and family in the same way.

To understand Rob, you need to know more about his family history. The Krentz family emigrated (legally) from Alsace-Lorraine (which once was a little country between Germany and France and now is part of France) around the turn of the continued on page nine

June 15, 2010 last century. They were butchers by trade and first went to St. Louis. Family lore says that after government regulations became too cumbersome there (even back then), the Krentz family headed west. Upon leaving St. Louis, they settled in Winslow, Ariz., about 1902, operating a butcher shop and a ranch. While operating the Chevelon Creek Ranch south of Winslow, the family recorded one of the earliest brands in the state of Arizona, the 111 bar brand, which is owned by the Babbitt family today. In 1907 the family sought out new ventures in the border town of Douglas, which was booming at the time. The Krentz’s bought the historic Tovrea Meat Market in Douglas and also the Spear E Ranch at the foot of the Chiricahua mountains. In about 1918, the meat market was sold and they concentrated their efforts solely on ranching from then on.

It took several years, but eventually the Krentz family was able to buy up the little homesteads surrounding them when they became available. Back then just about everyone in that country had a section or two of land that had been homesteaded. As people went broke or moved away, the Krentz family was in a position to buy out the smaller outfits and eventually put together one big ranch. Most of their pastures had been individual homesteads at some time, and are named after the original homestead. Each has its own history as well.

In media reports that circulate these days, the Krentz Ranch is said to be 35,000 acres.

I can tell you that isn’t quite right, but it is impolite to ask a person the size of his or her spread. It’s kind of like asking people how much money they have in the bank. Only the IRS and a rancher’s banker are privy to that information in the eyes of most ranchers, including the Krentzes.

The family were pioneers.

They were the kind of people that settled and developed this country and made it safe for others to follow. They are the kind of family that should be considered the backbone of America.

Surviving bad droughts, cyclical markets, government regulations, and a myriad of other issues made them into the strong ranching family that we have today. The Krentz Ranch has been there since before Arizona was a state. It has been there since long before there was ever a United States Forest Service dictating rules to them. This is the background and legacy that Rob was born into, a salt of the earth kind of old-time ranching family.

When asked about some of Rob’s other qualities, over and over again I am told about his willingness to help out. Rob’s wife, Sue, says, “Most of the time when Rob left the house he would say, ‘I am going to help (fill in the blank).’” Rob’s neighbors all have great stories to tell about Rob going out of his way

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper” to help them out of a jam. Not only would he help a neighbor, but Rob was kind to strangers as well, including the illegal immigrants that inundated his property.

Rob was known to help out a thirsty, starving or wounded immigrant on more than one occasion. That may have been what got him killed. Rob’s last radio transmission to his brother Phil was something like: “going to help an illegal in distress.” Rob and his dog, Blue, were found shot several hours later.

Rob’s friends and family could not stress strongly enough that he loved to help people. “A friend in need is a friend indeed” was a motto of Rob’s. Not only did he help out friends and strangers in and around the ranching country of southeastern Arizona, but Rob was very involved in many other projects as well.

Rob was very active in the Cattle Growers’ Associations at the local and state levels. He worked with the Malpai Borderlands group trying to preserve ranching and wildlife habitat for future generations. He testified numerous times to congressional leaders about the issues facing the international border and always seemed to find the time to continue helping out where he could.

The Krentz family were well known as good stewards of the lands that they control. They were honored for practices such as their long gravity flow water pipeline that served cattle and wildlife across their large ranch.

Rob and his family took such good care of their land that they were used as examples of range stewardship on numerous occasions, and to top it off, the Krentz Ranch was inducted into the Arizona Farming and Ranching Hall of Fame in its inaugural year, 2008.

Rob was a favorite around brandings on the nearby ranches.

He was nicknamed “Crunch” and everybody laughs as they recall the “Krentz Crunch” that Rob used on waspy calves. Rob was a large man physically and after watching younger or smaller cowhands get mucked out by an unruly yearling, Rob would come running and put the Krentz Crunch on the offending animal. The move has been described as a cross between tackle football and wrestling.

Rob loved to hunt, fish, and do just about anything outdoors.

He was a good roper, rancher, horseman, cowman, husband and father. Everybody I talked to had nothing but praise for Rob. He was easy to get along with.

He was always positive. He was a genuine kind of person. Those are just some of the comments.

Rob loved life and would constantly tell his family, “We are so very blessed. We are blessed to live in this beautiful place that we live in. We are blessed to get to live the lifestyle that we want to, and do what we want to every day.” As one of Rob’s friends put it “Rob was one of the good guys, he was a good ole boy.”

Page 9

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June 15, 2010

The Humane Conflict

by DR. JIM HUMPHRIES, Veterinary News Network

here’s a battle brewing and it is not terrorism or presidential politics. This conflict centers on our domesticated pets and is generating heated debates, controversial laws and impassioned pleas for help. On the surface, the welfare of America’s pets seems to be at the center of the battle, but are there deeper, more sinister motives?

The images are designed to enflame our anger and tug at our hearts. Severely matted dogs, wounded cats, and emaciated horses linger on the television screen and in our minds.

Throughout the ninety second infomercial, celebrity voices plead with us to open our hearts, and our wallets, to save these poor creatures.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has spent more than 50 years standing on the front lines in the battle against animal cruelty. From raids on “puppy mills” and animal hoarders to helping enact legislation for more humane conditions at farms and feedlots, HSUS considers itself the largest and most effective animal protection organization in the world. So, with such a positive agenda, why would anyone criticize their efforts?

Critics of HSUS claim that the tear-jerking commercials mislead animal lovers into donating $19 per month that is then used to fuel questionable lobbying efforts, pay six figure salaries and fund yet more infomercials.

HumaneWatch.org, a watchdog website dedicated to “watching the Humane Society”, issued a press release detailing a survey in which more than 70 percent of respondents believed that HSUS is an “umbrella organization for local humane societies”. Not true.

Beyond that, more than 60 percent of surveyed adults believe that their local animal shelter is actively associated with HSUS. Fifty-nine percent believed that HSUS used “most of its money” to provide care and support at their local humane organizations. Again not true.

The FAQ section on the HSUS website says “local humane societies and SPCAs are independent entities and are not run by the HSUS.” Furthermore, HumaneWatch has evaluated IRS forms from HSUS and found that less than ½ of 1 percent of donated monies went to the care of dogs and cats in local shelters. The total returned to local shelters was less than $500,000 for 2008 out of $100 Million dollars raised!

More than $2 million went to the Californians for Humane Farms, a political committee that was the driving force behind controversial Proposition 2. Production animal experts say the bill is fraught with unintended consequences. They claim it is a law based on emotion and not science, and one that has the

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potential to cause a dramatic rise in the cost of food and put many farmers out of business.

Some agricultural groups believe that this type of law is merely a stepping stone towards removing meat from our diet.

The Humane Society counters HumaneWatch claims by stating that they “provide direct care for thousands of animals at our sanctuaries and rescue facilities”. What is left unsaid is that these five facilities are focused on the care of wildlife and animals “rescued” from circuses, zoos, farms and laboratories.

While HSUS does not run an actual shelter, it does provide funding for many spay/neuter organizations.

Even local animal shelters and humane groups are often left wondering about the motives of HSUS. Some small shelters have been overwhelmed with animals after well-publicized “raids” by the HSUS and feel that the Humane Society should offer more financial support.

After an amazing bust of an eight-state dog fighting ring, the Humane Society of Missouri (HSMO), along with many other local groups, ended up caring for the 450 dogs rescued that day.

But, in spite of receiving extensive media attention and using images of one of the dogs as a fund-raising initiative, the HSUS

did not initially contribute any monies to the dogs’ care. Finally, after an outcry on many pet blogs, $5,000 was given to one of the rescue groups.

Still, as an animal protection organization, HSUS has done much to help criminalize abuse of animals. Their legislative efforts have helped pass animal protection bills in almost every state. Their lobbying and legislative experience enables them to take on larger animal welfare concerns beyond the reach of local groups.

But, critics are increasingly concerned that HSUS is transparent with how donations from millions of animal lovers are being spent. Many who donate to HSUS see their local shelter struggle financially to care for the homeless and stray pets in their community. They believe their donation to HSUS is going to help those animals. Instead, it appears that the bulk of American’s donations fund efforts to make laws based on emotion rather than fact and, of course, for more fundraising.

If you wish to help your local shelter give to them directly where you know your money and your time will be used to help pets in your community. Talk with your veterinarian or local shelter manager about what groups have the biggest needs and how you can help. It’s the best way to insure that your donation will have the biggest impact!

NMSU-bred bull in the running for ABBA Premier Show Bull of the Year champion Brahman bull bred and raised by students, faculty and staff at New Mexico State University is not your average bull.

The bull named NMSU Garrett Manso 7057 is the leading contender for the 2010 American Brahman Breeders Association (ABBA) Premier Show Bull of the Year. If he wins, he will receive the award in March 2011. The titles the bull has claimed include 11 Grand Championships, seven Reserve Grand Championships, 19 Division Championships and six Reserve Division Championships.

NMSU 7057 competed in numerous U.S. Brahman shows from 2008-2010. He finished his showing career at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, where he, as well as NMSU, received international recognition from those in attendance.

But NMSU 7057 is more than a great show bull. The study and research programs he was a part of while at the University are significant for livestock production across the state.

“Of the $3 billion New Mexico generates in agricultural commodities a year, 75 percent is from the cattle and sheep industries, making the research and work done with cattle at NMSU important for the state,” said

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Milton Thomas, professor of animal and range sciences and the Gerald Thomas Chair for the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

The bull was bred and raised

by NMSU as part of a historic Brangus breeding program.

Undergraduate students helped raise the bull, and graduate students studying reproductive physiology also had the opportunity to work with the animal.

“There is value in being able to go out and work with the animals. The students get a handson learning experience when working with the animals on campus. It’s what makes us Aggies,” Thomas said.

NMSU 7057 has high yield grade potential as a sire, which is based on how much muscle and ribeye area the animal possesses.

When sold, he was the highestselling yearling Brahman bull in the history of marketing Brahman bulls at NMSU. The bull is now owned by Mike and Janet Partin of the Heart Bar Ranch in Montalba, Texas.

Mike Partin said, “We feel that NMSU did an outstanding job with this bull as a calf and up until we purchased him. The nutrition program he was raised on certainly helped in his development and they should be commended on that.”

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

June 15, 2010

Working Ranch Cowboys Present $50,000 to Clarendon Foundation College Ranch Program hen a representative of the Working Ranch Cowboys Foundation called Laban Tubbs, director of the Ranch & Feedlot Operations Programs at Clarendon College in Clarendon, Texas, and told him that the Foundation wanted to give the program some financial help, Tubbs was exited. He immediately began to think about the things the program needed, such as a few supplies, a jacket sponsor for all the students, and maybe some scholarship help.

That’s when the Foundation representative told him that all that was fine, but they were talking about a significant grant, maybe $50,000. Then, Tubbs really got excited.

The working Ranch Cowboys Foundation is the benevolent arm of the Working Ranch Cowboys Association, which is headquartered in Amarillo, Texas, and produces the World Championship Ranch Rodeo each November in Amarillo. The Foundation has as its goal to provide assistance to ranch cowboys and their families in times of need. This has been carried out through the Foundation’s crisis fund, which, to date, has distributed more than $275,000 to ranch families in need, and through the scholarship fund, which provides financial assistance to family members of the working ranch cowboy who wants to attend a college or university, or a vocational program.

To date, more than $160,000 has been awarded in scholarships.

“The association was started years ago with the intent of furthering our western heritage and helping the working cowboy on the ranch,” said Dan Daube, president of the Foundation.

“Then we started the Foundation, and it has the duty of dis-

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persing the funds that the WRCA generates. Through our scholarships, we’ve had lots of kids graduate and go back to the ranch with a college education, and through our crisis fund we’ve been able to help some families through some really bad times.

Now, we’re able to make a bigger impact with this grant to the Ranch & Feedlot Operations program. They are educating kids to work on a ranch, and by making a grant to that program we are able to help a lot of people.”

The Ranch & Feedlot Operations program is a work force educational program that is structured to help young people get an introduction into the ranching and feedlot industries.

“Clarendon College was seeing a lot of rural kids who weren’t going to college but needed some sort of education to help them get started with their lives and their careers,” said Jason Green, an instructor with the program, “we start out with basic animal health, basic nutrition, basic feeds and feeding, marketing, anything that you would probably learn while working for an operation for a year or two.

“Probably 80 percent of the students coming into this program have what you would call a cowboy background,” Green said. “They grew up on a ranch, and they know that working on a ranch is what they’re going to do the rest of their lives. Some of them already have jobs. Sometimes the ranchers pay their tuitions so they will come here and learn something and then go back to the ranch and go to work.

To complete the Ranch & Feedlot Operation program takes two semesters. However, Clarendon College also offers an RFO Associate Degree, where the student takes math, English,

and science courses in addition to the agriculture courses taken in the RFO program. The student graduates with an associate degree after two years of course work, and this provides a good basic program for a student who wants to transfer to a major university and obtain a bachelors degree.

Green said that each student pays, in addition to his tuition, a professional services fee that goes toward artificial insemination schools, training clinics and things like that. He says that they always run short of funds for those services before the end of the year, and they plan to use part of the WRCF grant to supplement that.

“There are also lots of travel expenses,” Green said. “We have two vans that hold 14 passengers each, and this year we went 6,500 miles. So we can use some help on those expenses, and we’re also going to use some of the money to help boost our scholarship fund. We give 13 scholarships a year, and we need some help in that area right now, too.”

Daube says that the grant is actually a matching grant. In order for the program to receive all of it, the school must raise another $50,000.

“I know they plan on matching that grant,” he said, “and that will give the program $100,000 to work with.

“The number one thing we want this money to do,” Daube said, “is directly impact those students and get them as good of an education as possible, and we want to make sure the program continues and grows. And, of course, we want people to understand what the Working Ranch Cowboys Foundation is doing, so they will continue to support it.”

Page 11

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Congressman Seeks to Expand EPA’s Control of Water

by BRIAN WILSON, FOXNews.com

Democratic congressman is seeking to strip the word “navigable” from the 1972 Clean Water Act to allow the Environmental Protection Agency to surpass the limits imposed by a 2001 Supreme Court ruling on the kinds of waterways the agency can regulate.

That word typically is interpreted to refer to any body of water that is “deep enough and wide enough to afford passage to ships.”

But Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., who worked on the 1972 legislation as a Capitol Hill staff member, said he is trying to restore the original intent of the law.

“I know what it means and it says the purpose of this act is to establish and maintain the chemical, biological and physical integrity of the nation’s waters,” Oberstar said.

Some Republican advocates of land rights are wary, fearing that striking the word “navigable” from the Clean Water Act will bring every lake, pond, creek or mud hole under the EPA’s control.

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“It potentially puts government in charge of all waters, including mud puddles, irrigation ditches,” said Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash. “If you take out ‘navigable’ in this bill, it could potentially lead to the federal government usurping state laws as it relates to water and regulating, therefore, mud puddles. I just think that’s bad policy.”

And that, he says, could place onerous burdens on farmers, ranchers and some small businesses. Not all Republicans are aligned against Oberstar’s bill. Some feel his bill strikes the right balance.

“The bill is seeking to protect all the waters of the United States from pollution,” said Rep. Vernon Ehlers, R-Mich. “That’s the goal. The question is where do you draw the limit.”

Oberstar tried in vain in 2007 to pass his water bill. Back then, the legislative waters were not “navigable,” so to speak, because the Bush White House issued a veto threat. But when Democrats control Congress and the White House, chances for passage appears more likely.

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Page 12

Southern Arizona man pleads guilty in jaguar’s death

by BOB CHRISTIE, Associated Press

southern Arizona biologist pleaded guilty on Friday to a misdemeanor federal charge for his role in the 2009 trapping and subsequent death of a rare jaguar known as “Macho B.” Emil McCain, 31, of Patagonia, entered his plea to illegally “taking” an endangered species in U.S. District Court in Tucson and was immediately sentenced to five years probation. McCain was also barred from being employed or involved in any project or job

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involving large wild cats, according to his plea agreement.

McCain worked with the Borderlands Jaguar Detection Project, which was contracted by a joint New Mexico-Arizona jaguar conservation team to study the elusive big cats. A Game and Fish employee who worked with McCain has been fired.

A U.S. attorney’s office spokesman said the criminal investigation was ongoing but wouldn’t comment on whether others might also be charged.

Another investigation into the matter by the state wildlife

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department was also ongoing.

Macho B was trapped on Feb. 18, 2009, fitted with a radio collar and released. Game and Fish initially called it an “inadvertent capture” and a potential treasure trove for scientists trying to determine if the cats lived in the U.S. or just were occasional visitors from Mexico.

The jaguar was recaptured due to health problems and euthanized on March 2, 2009. It was the only known wild jaguar in the United States.

It wasn’t until several months later that questions began to arise about whether the jaguar had been intentionally the target of Game and Fish trappers who were looking for cougars and bears.

According to the plea agreement McCain signed, he placed jaguar scat or told a woman on the trapping team to place jaguar scat at three snare sites in an attempt to capture and trap the jaguar.

McCain knew a jaguar had recently been in the remote area between Arivaca and Nogales and the Game and Fish team he was working with only had authorization to trap mountain lions and bears for research, his plea stated.

“We now know that McCain acted in a personal capacity to intentionally capture a jaguar,” Arizona Game and Fish said in a statement. “McCain’s admission of guilt supports the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s longstanding assertion that agency personnel did not set out with intention to capture a jaguar.

“Until the Department has

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June 15, 2010 access to the federal investigation, the Department’s own internal investigation continues to be open and ongoing.”

McCain’s lawyer, Alfred Donau, said his client has already taken a job out of the country as a wildlife biologist but wouldn’t disclose where.

Donau told The Associated Press Friday that while McCain was remorseful the jaguar had died, the trapping would have had much different results if the cat had lived because he was seeking scientific data for conservation purposes.

“If this jaguar hadn’t been the equivalent of 100 years old human age and he lived it would

have been a huge boon to scientific research, because we would have known with a collar on him whether or not he was from Mexico or the native range was Arizona,” Donau said.

“If the cat hadn’t died, there would have been a much different point of view of what took place here. This isn’t a case where somebody went out and tried to kill an animal.”

The largest cats native to the Western hemisphere live primarily in Mexico, Central and South America. But they’re known to roam in southern Arizona and New Mexico and are the only cat native to North America that roars.

Animals’ Right to Privacy Denied by Wildlife Documentaries, Says Researcher from NEWSCORE / FOX NEWS

nimals filmed for television wildlife documentary series are denied their right to privacy, a leading U.K. academic claimed in a report that emerged late in April.

Dr. Brett Mills of the University of East Anglia in Norwich, southeastern England, analyzed the behind-the-scenes footage of the BBC documentary series “Nature’s Great Events.”

The series followed animals such as polar bears, African elephants and humpback whales during epic annual environmental events. Mills examined the way in which the animals were filmed and concluded that animals, like humans, have a basic right to privacy that the documentary filmmakers ignored by filming their most intimate moments.

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Riding Herd to look like you spent the night before sleeping under a bridge.

While frilly cuffs might look stupid on a sweatshirt, the least you can do is wear a well-ironed shirt. I don’t know about you but my wife hasn’t ironed one of my shirts since the Reagan administration, and yet my shirts always look sharp. I know you’ve all hung your shirts near the shower for the steam to remove the wrinkles but that’s so out of style. What I do is use two hangers and hang my shirts upside down with a log chain or a full feed sack attached to the bottom hanger. I guarantee this will stretch all the wrinkles out. But don’t use my trick on any shirt you don’t tuck in because your shirt will probably hang down to your ankles. And don’t press your pants this way or you’re going to be walking on the cuffs.

Speaking of cuffs, the article said cuffs are back in style but my experience with cuffs is that they fill up with dirt, which falls out on the carpet when you take your pants off. Then your wife is gonna kill you. The anonymous missive also said that the bottom of your pants should reach the

He said that the show’s producers only considered the mechanics of filming, using the latest equipment to capture previously unseen natural events, and did not take into account the ethics of broadcasting an animal mating, giving birth and dying.

Mills’ report, published in the latest edition of “Continuum: Journal of Media and Cultural Studies”, claimed that this is speciesism and that in order to make a successful wildlife documentary, filmmakers must inevitably deny many species the right to privacy.

However Piers Warren, the founder of interest group Filmmakers for Conservation, disagreed with Mills’ claims.

“How can you say whether an animal wants to filmed? No animal will understand the concept,” he said.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE

top of your footwear but that’s baloney. You’ll look like a dude if your pants stop at the top of your boots. A final word about pants: avoid fancy pants where the pocket is real deep. I had my pocket knife in one of those pockets once and my knee was black and blue by the end of the day.

The successful man also wears cuff links, an accouterment I thought went out of style with avocado colored refrigerators.

The only pair of cuff links I own are a pair of red dice and I hardly see how that’s going to impress anyone, especially the banker.

After all, what message am I sending? That I like to shoot craps?

Other subtleties of success include the width of your tie, fabric of your suit and number of jewels in your watch. Really successful people, it seems, don’t even carry a watch because they have servants to tell them what time it is. That’s how I feel and it’s also why I don’t wear a tie. If I ask my wife more than ten times in one day what time it is the potential to use my tie as a choke strap would simply be too great.

June 15, 2010

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

Page 13

DJ Japan Foot-And-Mouth Outbreak Infects Top Stud Bull DJ—Agriculture Online

ne of Japan’s most prized stud bulls has been infected with foot-and-mouth disease, the government said in late May, as the country’s first outbreak in a decade continues to devastate livestock.

The discovery was a blow to the southern prefecture of Miyazaki, which evacuated the region’s six top seed bulls, including the affected animal, to a special facility to keep them away from the disease, which has hit more than 100 farms in the area.

The highly contagious virus has brought to a halt all Japanese beef and pork exports for the past month and crippled the premium beef industry in Miyazaki.

“We have taken biosecurity measures to counter the epidemic, but unfortunately we fell short,” said Miyazaki governor Hideo Higashikokubaru.

The six bulls are the only remaining breeding animals for the highly sought-after “Miyazaki beef,” as the foot-and-mouth outbreak which began last month has forced the cull of 49 other seed bulls in the prefecture.

Among them, the six bulls accounted for some 90 percent of artificial breeding in the prefecture.

“The affected bull shall be immediately slaughtered,” the farm ministry said in a statement.

The other five animals have so far tested negative for the disease, and “will remain under observation,” the statement said.

Masaharu Hada, head of Miyazaki’s farmers’ cooperatives, said a century of work would be undone if the remaining bulls died.

“We spent 100 years to improve the breed and created

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the best seed bulls in Japan. To let them die is to deny the history,” he told reporters.

“I hope the five remaining bulls will survive,” he said.

Usually, all bulls and pigs kept with infected animals are culled, but officials have decided to keep the five remaining seed bulls under observation for a week in an effort to preserve the premium Miyazaki beef strain.

The news came as officials prepared to slaughter some 205,000 animals in Miyazaki — 50,000 cows and 155,000 pigs — as the highly contagious disease spreads rapidly in the region.

The six prized stud bulls were removed from their regular farm near the areas hit by the disease and were assigned individual care managers and kept in separate stalls, but inside a shared stable, in a bid to stop them contracting the disease.

Japan’s famed “Wagyu” beef is sought-after worldwide for its intense marbling with mostly unsaturated fat, and the variety from Miyazaki typically wholesales for up to $320 a kilogram in Japan.

The latest foot-and-mouth outbreak, Japan’s first since 2000, was detected on April 20 and spread quickly in Miyazaki, on the southwestern island of Kyushu.

The health threat prompted Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama to pledge more than $1 billion to help farmers who have to slaughter their livestock.

Foot-and-mouth disease affects cloven-hoofed animals, also including sheep, goats and deer. It is rarely transmitted to humans but spreads easily among animals, causing them pain and often killing their young.

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USDA/APHIS/Veterinary Services in Atlanta, Georgia. He was then assigned to Alabama and later transferred to Roseburg, Oregon where he has spent the past 16 years. Hensley served as the Designated Brucellosis Epidemiologist, FADD, served as the USDA/VS liaison with Oregon State University, College of Veterinary Medicine where he taught a regulatory medicine class to junior veterinary students and was responsible for the accreditation seminar for senior veterinary students. He worked closely with the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife by providing wildlife disease consultation, necropsy and diagnostic assistance to wildlife biologists.

Hensley also served as USDA liaison to the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, where he helped develop an annual EIA surveillance program for reservation horse, an equine vaccination clinic and helped establish a brucellosis vaccination program for reservation cattle.

To list your herd here, please contact Debbie Cisneros: 505/332-3675, or email: debbie@aaalivestock.com

BRANGUS DEES BROTHERS BRANGUS Yuma, Arizona High-Quality Brangus Breeding Stock Available

LIMOUSIN

Running Creek Ranch 2-year-old Bulls Proven Genetics, Range Ready WE SELL OVER 250 HEAD ANNUALLY.

JOE FREUND 303/840-1850 (H) 303/341-9311 JOEY FREUND 303/841-7901 PAT KELLEY 303/840-1848

ELIZABETH, COLORADO 80107

ALEX DEES • 760/572-5261 • Cell. 928/920-3800 www.deesbrothersbrangus.com

RED ANGUS CHAROLAIS

PerformanceTested Bulls SPRING AND FALL Jeff Schmidt

•

509/488-2158

angus

Bell Key Angus Dennis Boehlke 208/467-2747 Cell. 208/989-1612

A few Choice Bulls Available at Private Treaty.

Creating Greater Rancher Returns PRIVATE TREATY

BRUYCKER DCEHAROLAIS HEREFORD

ART

Washington’s Oldest Source of Herefords

FAMILY

“SINCE 1938” Selling Range Bulls in Volume (Top Replacement Heifers)

SCHUSTER CLAY SCHUSTER 509/773-5089 Home 541/980-7464 Cell

BEEFMASTERS

Foundation Herd of the Beefmaster Breed

The Lasater Ranch, Matheson, CO 80830 719/541-BULL (2855) • (F) 719/541-2888 lasater@rmi.net • www.lasaterranch.com

BRANGUS

209/727-3335

SANTA GERTRUDIS

Dan Wendt

GOLDENDALE, WA 99620

S

Santa Gertrudis Cattle Polled and Horned HERD ESTABLISHED 1953

S

Call: 979/245-5100 • Fax 979/244-4383 5473 FM 457, Bay City, Texas 77414 dwendt@1skyconnect.net

BEEFMASTER

LASATER

14298 N. Atkins Rd., Lodi, CA 95240

BRETT & KAY 406/476-3214 1690 6TH LN., DUTTON, MT 59433

NAMPA, IDAHO

“THE PEDIGREE IS IN THE NAME”

A SOURCE FOR PROVEN SUPERIOR RED ANGUS GENETICS

S

he Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) is excited to welcome Dr. Terry Hensley to its organization. Hensley joined the organization on May 17 as the assistant executive director over animal health programs.

Hensley is a native Texan raised in northeast Texas. He grew up in the small town of New London. His wife Kathleen, also a native Texan, is from Navasota. Hensley and his wife are both Texas Aggies. He holds a Bachelor in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, a Masters in Poultry Science and a DVM. He began his veterinary career in a mixed practice in Ketchikan, Alaska. After four years in private practice he spent one year in Athens, Georgia in a post-doctoral position with the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia.

In October, 1989 Hensley accepted a position with the

All Cattlemen do not have the same seedstock needs. We have realized this and have a good selection of functional Braford Bulls for sale.

Horned and Polled cattle are available. Our percentages are tailored to meet the needs of the commercial cattleman who need more ear with a 3/4 Brahman bull or just a little ear with a 3/16 Brahman bull. We currently have a good selection of Yearling and Two-Year-Old Bulls Available.

325/226-2317 Cell (Anytime) www.bossranch.com • MARATHON ,TX

Sell More Bulls!

S

Texas Animal Health Commission Gets New Assistant Executive Director

All Breeds

g•u•i•d•e

Gino & Mona Pedretti 209/722-2073 Gino Pedretti, Jr., 209/383-1905 Mark St. Pierre, 209/384-0129 1975 E. ROOSEVELT RD. EL NIDO, CA 95317

Santa Gertrudis Breeders International

LIMOUSIN Red & Tender

By Design

Seven Mile

P.O. Box 1257 Kingsville, Texas 78364 361/592-9357 361/592-8572 fax ervin@santagertrudis.com

www.santagertrudis.ws

LIMOUSIN Come by anytime and see our herd.

R.L. Robbs 520/384-3654 4995 Arzberger Rd. Willcox, AZ 85643

Willcox, AZ

• RED, BLACK POLLED LIMOUSIN • LIM-FLEX • LIMOUSIN PRIVATE TREATY ERIC HERR 208/365-8583 ericph1@frontiernet.net KEVIN NESBITT 208/365-8069 SWEET, IDAHO 83670

Shorthorn AMERICAN SHORTHORN ASSOCIATION 877/274-0686 8288 HASKELL ST., OMAHA, NE 68124 WWW.SHORTHORN.ORG INFO@SHORTHORN.ORG

Livestock Market Digest

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June 15, 2010

T HE L I V E S T O C K M A R K E T D I G E S T

Real Estate

GUIDE To place your listings here, please call Debbie Cisneros at 505/332-3675, or email debbie@aaalivestock.com!

WAHOO RANCH – Approx. 41,376 acres: 12,000 deeded, 6,984 BLM, 912 state, 40 uncontrolled and 21,440 forest. Beautiful cattle ranch located on the east slope of the Black Range Mountains north of Winston, N.M., on State Road 52 — three hours from either Albuquerque or El Paso.The ranch is bounded on the east by the Alamosa Creek Valley and on the west by the Wahoo Mountains ranging in elevation from 6,000' to 8,796'. There are 3 houses/cabins, 2 sets of working corrals (one with scales) and numerous shops and outbuildings. It is very well watered with many wells, springs, dirt tanks and pipelines.

The topography and vegetation is a combination of grass covered hills (primarily gramma grasses), with many cedar, piñon and live oak covered canyons as well as the forested Wahoo Mountains. There are plentiful elk and deer as well as antelope, turkey, bear, mountain lion and javelina (46 elk tags in 2009). Absolutely one of the nicest combination cattle/hunting ranches to be found in the Southwest. Price reduced to $7,500,000.

SAN JUAN RANCH – Located 10 miles south of Deming off Farm Portion Hwy. 11 (Columbus Hwy) approximately 26,964 total acres Under consisting of 3,964± deeded, 3,800± state lease, 14,360± A gr eement BLM and 4,840± Uncontrolled. The allotment is for 216 head (AUYL). There are 278± acres of ground water irrigation rights (not currently being farmed) as well as 9 solar powered stock wells and metal storage tanks and approx. 6½ miles pipeline. The ranch begins on the north end at the beautiful Mahoney Park high up in the Florida mountains and runs 5½ miles down the mountains to their south end. It continues another 7½ miles south across their foothills and onto the flats. The ranch has a very diverse landscape with plentiful wildlife including quail, dove, rabbits, deer and ibex. Lots of potential and a good buy at $1,200,000.

46 ACRE FARM LOCATED IN SAN MIGUEL – Full EBID irrigation and supplemental well. Bounded by Highway 28 on the east, County Road B-041 on the south and County Road B-010 on the west. Priced at $14,000/acre – $644,000.

212 ACRE FARM BETWEEN LAS CRUCES, NM AND EL PASO, TX – Hwy. 28 frontage with 132 acres irrigated, 80 acres sandhills, full EBID (surface water) plus a supplemental irrigation well, cement ditches and large equipment warehouse. Reasonably priced at $2,000,000.

50.47 ACRE FARM - Located on Afton Road south of La Mesa, N.M. Paved road frontage, full EBID (surface water) plus a supplemental irrigation well with cement ditches. Priced at $14,500/acre – $731,815.

BEAUTIFUL 143.81 ACRE NORTH VALLEY FARM located in Las Cruces, N.M. next to the Rio Grande River. Great views of the Organ Mountains. Cement ditches, 2 irrigation wells & EBID. 2 older houses and shed sold “as is”. Priced at $13,212/acre - $1,900,000. Will consider dividing.

OTHER FARMS FOR SALE – In Doña Ana County. All located near Las Cruces, N.M. 8, 11, and 27.5 acres. $15,000/acre to $17,000/acre. All have EBID (surface water rights from the Rio Grande River) and several have supplemental irrigation wells. If you are interested in farm land in Doña Ana County, give me a call.

DAN DELANEY R E A L E S T AT E , L L C 318 W. Amador Ave. • Las Cruces, N.M. 88005 (O) 575/647-5041 • (C) 575/644-0776 nmlandman@zianet.com • www.zianet.com/nmlandman

Properties

and Equities

CALIFORNIA RANCHES FOR SALE Crane Creek Ranch: Tehama County, 556 acres. Two small homes, winter range. West of Red Bluff.

Priced at $975,000.

Wilson Ranch: Modoc County, 487 acres, house, barn, summer range. Surprise Valley, Calif. Priced at $950,000.

Willow Springs Ranch: Shasta County, 1,470 acres, barn, two homes, Cottonwood Creek frontage. Make offer.

Pasture Ranch: Modoc County, 427 acres, nice home, 400 acres irrigated.

2.5 miles Pit River frontage, priced at $1,600,000.

Fisher Ranch: Modoc County, 2,808 acres, 465 irrigated, USFS and BLM permits, older nice home, 200 cows included. Priced at 2,999,000.

Hooker Creek Ranch: Tehama County, 1,023 acres, winter range, large ponds, recreation, electric, well, septic, telephone. Priced at $1,095,000.

19855 S. Main St. P.O. Box 1020 Cottonwood, CA 96022 Office: 530/347-9455 Fax: 530/347-4640 homeranchr@aol.com

R.G. DAVIS, BROKER

Rubicon Ranch: Tehama County, 2,082 acres, Hunting Ranch, pigs, deer, quail dove. Ponds and creek. Priced at $1,350,000.

Spring Meadow Ranch: Shasta County, 160 acres, water rights, 50 acres irrigated, large home, swimming pool, barn, shop. Priced at $699,000.

Trinity River Ranch: Trinity County, 117 acres, 5,000 ft. Trinity River frontage, excellent trout fishing.

Priced at $665,000.

Kelley Ranch: Modoc County, 658 acres, 156 acres irrigated, three houses, barn, shop. Priced at $900,000 Paskenta Ranch: Tehama County, 487 acres, house, corrals, barns. Approx.

200 acres, class one soil. New well, nursery-orchard. Priced at $1,795,000 Horse Ranch: Tehama County. 26+ acres, 14 acres irrigated, house, corrals, 120x200 covered arena. 140 ft. cutting arena, 16-stall barn, Cottonwood Creek frontage. Priced at $1,350,000

“EAGER SELLERS” 1,350 -1,400 AU’s YEAR ROUND – WINTER RANGE – 11,750 DEEDED PLUS BLM and STATE LEASES - ONE CONTIGUOUS BLOCK - LOW OVERHEAD – GOOD IMPROVEMENTS – 10 MINUTES TO TOWN and SCHOOLS -$6,000,000 – CAN CUT TO 1,000 HD AND REDUCE PRICE! – P BAR 225 – 250 AU’s - 850 DEEDED (650 irrigated) – 1-1/2 MILE RIVER - NICE MEADOWS – MODEST IMPROVEMENTS WITH GREAT WORKING FACILITIES – CLOSE TO TOWN and SCHOOLS - $1,800,000 – WANT OFFER -CAN ADD CUSTOM HOME AND 80 ACRES – GREAT STOCKER OPERATION – LYMAN – RAE @ 208-761-9553 LIFESTYLE RANCH 55 MILES TO BOISE – 2,213 DEEDED ACRES PLUS STATE AND BLM – DROP DEAD PRIVATE – 2 MILES MAJOR STREAM – BEHIND LOCKED GATE – COMFORTABLE IMPROVEMENTS – ELK, DEER, TURKEY, CHUKAR, HUNS, QUAIL, WATERFOWL - BEAR, LION AND VARMINT – TROUT and BASS PONDS - $1,400,000 – WANT OFFER – TURKEY CREEK LIFESTYLE – 320 DEEDED ACRES (105 irrigated) COMFORTABLE IMPROVEMENTS – SPECTACULAR VIEWS – BORDERS FEDERAL LANDS – ELK, DEER, TURKEY – ONLY MINUTES TO SOME OF THE FINEST YEAR LONG FISHING IN THE NORTHWEST – STEELHEAD, STURGEN, TROUT, BASS, CRAPPY AND MORE - $690,000 – WANT OFFER – POSY -RAE @ 208-761-9553 LIFESTYLE/INCOME – POSSIBLY THE FINEST WILDLIFE VARIETY/QUANITY AVAILABLE – 1,160 DEEDED ACRES (180 irrigated) – 2-1/2 MILES RIVER – 2 BASS PONDS – PLENTIFUL QUAIL, CHUKAR, DOVE, PHEASANT, WATERFOWL, DEER and AND VARMINTS - EXCELLENT IMPROVEMENTS – COW/CALF AND/OR STOCKER OPERATION FOR INCOME /TAX ADVANTAGE - $1,900,000 – LANDRETH

AGRILANDS Real Estate www.agrilandsrealestate.com Vale, Oregon • 541/473-3100 • jack@fmtcblue.com

Scott Landco.

“America’s Favorite Livestock Newspaper”

June 15, 2010

1301 Front St. Dimmitt, TX 79027

Ranch & Farm Real Estate

This ad is just a small sample of the properties that we currently have for sale. Please check our website and give us a call! We need your listings both large and small, all types of ag properties (ESPECIALLY CRP).

Ben G. Scott, Krystal M. Nelson–Brokers • 800/933-9698 day/night • www.scottlandcompany.com

SUNSHINE BELT OF N.M. – approx. 30 sections, mostly deeded, some BLM and State, employee housing, and two sets of steel pens, county maintained, all-weather road. Your cows will think they are in Florida!

READY TO RANCH and DEVELOP: (wind energy, comm., res.) – Potter Co., Texas – 4,872.8 acres of beautiful ranch country, four miles north of Loop 335, Amarillo, Texas, pavement on four sides. Well watered by pumps powered by solar energy (state-of-theart). Deer, quail and dove.

Page 15

Idaho-Oregon

KEVIN C. REED

Call 208/345-3163 for catalog.

KNIPE LAND CO.

RANCHES FARMS COM’L.

Ranchers Serving Ranchers Texas and New Mexico

Established 1944

LEE, LEE & PUCKITT ASSOCIATES INC.

RANCH SALES & APPRAISALS Office: 325/655-6989 Cell: 915/491-9053

1002 Koenigheim, San Angelo, TX 76903 • www.llptexasranchland.com • llp@wcc.net

Cattle Ranch For Sale

L

ocated in Southeastern New Mexico approximately 25 miles west of Jal, N.M. along and on both sides of N.M. State Hwy. 128 situated in both Eddy and Lea Counties. 28,666 total acres with 2,250 deeded. BLM grazing permit for 370 AUYL. Eleven pastures and traps. No cattle since March, excellent grass. Headquarters with residence, shop, hay barn and shipping pens with scales. Price: $985,000

Bar M

Contact: Scott McNally, Qualifying Broker, 575/622-5867

REAL ESTATE

www.ranchesnm.com

INTEREST RATES AS LOW AS 3%. PAYMENTS SCHEDULED ON 25 YEARS

JOE STUBBLEFIELD & ASSOCIATES 13830 Western St., Amarillo, TX 806/622-3482 • cell 806/674-2062 Drew Perez Assocs.

Nara Visa, NM • 806/392-1788

We continue to specialize in large working cattle ranches priced to sell based on today’s economic conditions. These ranches are poised to have substantial appreciation when the market turns.

Southeast New Mexico Ranch: 13,397 deeded acres plus 7,393 acres of New Mexico State Lease. The terrain is fairly level to gently sloping and sometimes undulating. Soils range from sandy loam to sandy, with some sand hill country. Over the years, the owners have continued to improve this property with many miles of new fencing, additional water facilities and substantial brush clearing. The headquarter improvements are well maintained and the property shows pride of ownership. Improvements consists of an attractive owner’s home, guest house, barns, shop, horse pens, shipping pens, roping arena and other outbuildings. This working cattle ranch is set up and ready to operate. The property is priced at $2,500,000, or approximately $186 per deeded acre.

Lincoln County, New Mexico Ranch: 50,300 deeded acres. The terrain is a combination of productive spring fed meadows, low mountains/foothills and gently rolling plains country. The rougher portions of the ranch have good protection with mixed canopies of oak, juniper, piñon and scattered ponderosa pine. The gently rolling country has an open appearance. The ranch is improved by two sets of headquarters, outbuildings and several large sets of working/shipping pens. This outstanding ranch is well watered by live spring/creek water, earthen ponds, numerous wells and an extensive waterline network. This scenic property is realistically priced at $340 per acre.

Eastern New Mexico Ranch: This is a low overhead operating cattle ranch comprised of approximately 70,000 deeded acres and 9,000 acres of leased and free use land. The property is northeast of Roswell, New Mexico and has historically been stocked with around 1,600 animal units. The terrain is rolling and sloping hills draining to huge flats. The ranch is principally watered by large dirt tanks, but several water wells are available. Don’t expect to see stylish improvements or scenic views, but if you are in the market for a no frills working cattle ranch, you will have to look long and hard to match this deal at an asking price of $110 per deeded acre.

Colfax County, New Mexico: Highly improved 702 acre ranch located in a very scenic setting southeast of Raton. The terrain is diverse with rugged canyons, rim rocks and valley meadows. Well watered. Beautiful owner’s home and many other support structures. $1,950,000.

Eastern Plains of Colorado: 37,140 deeded acres with four sections of Colorado State Lease. This ranch has been owned by the same family for almost 60 years. The ranch is approximately 90 miles east of Colorado Springs. The terrain is open rolling, well sodded, native prairie country. The ranch has adequate headquarter improvements and is watered by live creek water, wells, an extensive waterline network and earthen ponds. This is a rancher’s ranch, priced to fit a rancher’s pocketbook at $245 per deeded acre. The property is rated at 1,000+ A.U. The Colorado State Lease will be assigned subject to approval of the CSLB. East-Central New Mexico Cattle Ranch: 60,400 deeded acres with approximately 6,000 acres of leased and free use land. The ranch is located near Santa Rosa and historical stocking rates indicate a carrying capacity of 1,200 – 1,300 animal units. The ranch has a rolling to hilly terrain with a small amount of canyon country. The property is watered by natural lakes, submersible wells, windmills and an extensive waterline network. Improvements include a nearly new Spanish style hacienda, two camps and several good sets of livestock pens. The price on this ranch has just been reduced from $285 to $240 per acre. The seller is motivated to get this property marketed in the near future.

Northeast New Mexico River Ranch: 10,005 deeded acres along with 1,320 acres of leased land. This unique, highly improved ranch features approximately 6-7 miles of Canadian River Canyon Country. Numerous structural improvements include over 30 miles of high game fence, landing strip, 15,000 square foot office/airplane hanger, along with numerous other structural improvements. The structural improvements offer a huge depreciation schedule, and everything is in place for DESCRIPTIVE the sportsman. $495 per deeded acre.

BROCHURES O F F E R E D E X C L U S I V E L Y B Y ——

AVAILABLE ON ALL RANCHES.

Proven Performance.

Let me help you find your perfect property!

BETTY HOUSTON Realtor®, GRI, CRB

Office 575/835-1422 Cell 505/440-8297 Los Lunas 505/865-5500

Digest

Classifieds Auctions

socorronmproperty.com

SMITHFIELD

TEXAS & OKLA. FARMS & RANCHES

• REGULAR CATTLE SALES EVERY THURSDAY • DAIRY 1st and 3rd FRIDAYS

Call Debbie at or email 505/332-3675, tock.com es liv aa @a debbie here! ad ur to place yo

Livestock Auction

• 503 Ac. So. Navarro Co., Texas.

It’s got it all. $1,950/ac.

• 632-acre CATTLE and HUNTING, N.E. Texas ranch, elaborate home, one-mile highway frontage.

OWNER FINANCE at $2,200/ac.

• 274 acres in the shadow of Dallas.

Secluded lakes, trees, excellent grass. Hunting and fishing, dream home sites. $3,850/ac.

• 126 ac. jewel on Red River, Tex. – Nice river frontage, irrigation well, excellent soils for crops, nursery stock, cattle grazing, you name it! $3,250/ac.

• 1,700-acre classic N.E. Texas cattle and hunting ranch. $2,750/ac. Some mineral production.

• Texas Jewel, 7,000 ac. – 1,000 per ac., run cow to 10 ac.

• 126 ac. – Red River Co., Tex. Home, barns, pipe fence. $225,000.

Joe Priest Real Estate 1205 N. Hwy 175, Seagoville, TX 75159

972/287-4548 • 214/676-6973 1-800/671-4548 www.chassmiddleton.com • 806/763-5331 • 1507 13th St., Lubbock, TX 79401

12,000 acres, Terrell County, Texas.

Southwest of Sheffield, southeast of Fort Stockton. Excellent hunting ranch, mainly deer (whitetail and mule) and turkey. New hunter’s lodge and walk-in freezer. Surface rights only; no minerals. Principals only. $400/acre, cash.

billkalil@juno.com • 432/683-0990 • 432/349-8448

P.O. BOX 4 28 • ROSWELL, N EW MEXIC O 88202

Ranches FORSale

PREMIER RANCH FOR SALE

www.joepriest.com joepriestre@earthlink.com

Lane or Dean Parker 435/757-4643 SALE BARN 435/563-3259 P.O. Box 155, Smithfield, UT 84321

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Equipment POWDER RIVER LIVESTOCK EQUIPMENT. Best prices with delivery available. CONLIN SUPPLY CO. INC., Oakdale, CA. 209/847-8977.

NEW HOLLAND pull type bale wagons: 1033, 104 bales, $5,100; 1034, 104 bales, unloads both ways, $4,400; 1044, 120 bales, $3,700; 1063, 160 bales, $10,800; 1010, 56 bales, $1,200. Also have self propelled wagons. Delivery available. 785/ 336-6103, www.roederimp.com.

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Equipment

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Kaddatz Auctioneering & Farm Equipment Sales New and used tractors, equipment, parts and salvage yard. www.kaddatzequipment.com • 254/582-3000

LIVESTOCK HAULING California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Idaho

Livestock Market Digest

Page 16

June 15, 2010

U.S. Panel Criticized as Overstating Cancer Risks

by DENISE GRADY, The New York Times

dire government report on cancer risks from chemicals and other hazards in the environment has drawn criticism from the American Cancer Society, which says government experts are overstating their case.

The government’s 240-page report, published online May 6, 2010 by the President’s Cancer Panel, says the proportion of cancer cases caused by environmental exposures has been “grossly underestimated.” It warns of “grievous harm” from chemicals and other hazards, and cites “a growing body of evidence linking environmental exposures to cancer.”

Children are especially vulnerable, the panel says. It urges the government to strengthen research and regulation, and advises individuals on ways to limit exposure to potential threats like pesticides, industrial chemicals, medical X-rays, vehicle exhaust, plastic food containers and too much sun.

A

A cover letter urges President Obama “most strongly to use the power of your office to remove the carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water and air that needlessly increase health care costs, cripple our nation’s productivity, and devastate American lives.”

ment and undue industry influence.

The report looks at contaminants from a variety of sources: industry, agriculture, air and water, medical imaging and contaminated military sites. It also considers natural hazards, like radon gas in homes and arsenic

cers in the United States — 34,000 cases a year — are related to environmental causes (4 percent from occupational exposures, 2 percent from the community or other settings).

Suggesting that the risk is much higher, when there is no proof, may divert attention from

Suggesting that the risk is much higher, when there is no proof, may divert attention from things that are much bigger causes of cancer, like smoking . . .

Nearly 80,000 chemicals are in use in the United States, and yet only a few hundred have been tested for safety, the report notes. It criticizes the nation’s regulatory approach, calling it reactionary rather than precautionary, which means that the government waits for proof of harm before taking action, instead of taking preventive steps when there is uncertainty about a chemical. Regulation is ineffective, the panel says, in part because of inadequate staffing and financing, overly complex rules, weak laws, uneven enforce-

in drinking water. The report concludes, “At this time, we do not know how much environmental exposures influence cancer risk.”

Dr. Michael Thun, an epidemiologist from the cancer society, said in an online statement that the report was “unbalanced by its implication that pollution is the major cause of cancer,” and had presented an unproven theory — that environmentally caused cases are grossly underestimated — as if it were a fact.

The cancer society estimates that about 6 percent of all can-

things that are much bigger causes of cancer, like smoking, Dr. Thun said in an interview.

“If we could get rid of tobacco, we could get rid of 30 percent of cancer deaths,” he said, adding that poor nutrition, obesity and lack of exercise are also greater contributors to cancer risk than pollution.

But Dr. Thun said the cancer society shared the panel’s concerns about people’s exposure to so many chemicals, the lack of information about chemicals, the vulnerability of children and the radiation risks from medical

San Angelo Packing Co., Inc.

1809 NORTH BELL ST., SAN ANGELO, TX 76903 P.O. BOX 1469, SAN ANGELO, TX 76902

A DIRECT MARKET FOR THE PRODUCER A BUYER OF QUALITY SLAUGHTER COWS & BULLS 800/588-6328 • 800/LUV-MEAT

imaging tests.

The chairman of the president’s panel, Dr. LaSalle D. Leffall Jr. of Howard University, said the panel stood by the report.

“This is an evenhanded approach, and an evenhanded report,” Dr. Leffall said. “We didn’t make statements that should not be made.”

He acknowledged that it was impossible to specify just how many cancers were environmentally caused, because not enough research had been done, but he said he was confident that when the research was done, it would confirm the panel’s assertion that the problem had been grossly underestimated.

Despite the uncertainties, the panel recommended more research and stronger regulation to protect public health.

The report also mentions things that people can do themselves to lower their risks. The measures include these: ■ Protecting children by choosing foods, house and garden products, toys, medicines and medical tests that will minimize exposure to toxic substances.

■ Filtering tap water, and storing water in stainless steel, glass or other containers to avoid exposure to BPA and other plastic components that some studies have linked to health problems.

■ Buying produce grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, or washing it thoroughly to remove them.

■ Buying meat free of antibiotics and added hormones, and avoiding processed, charred and well-done meat.

The panel normally has three members, appointed by the president. Currently there are only two: Dr. Leffall and Dr. Margaret L. Kripke, a professor emerita from the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Both were originally appointed

by President George W. Bush.

Over two years, Dr. Leffall and Dr. Kripke held meetings and heard presentations from academic and government scientists, industry representatives and members of advocacy groups and the public.

A version of this article appeared in print on May 7, 2010, on page A16 of the New York edition.

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