LMD Dec 2020

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

– JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL

December 15, 2020 • www.aaalivestock.com

Volume 62 • No. 12

Us Versus Them

BY LEE PITTS

A

versus the East anymore, the big divide that currently exists in this country suggests that if there is ever another Civil War it will be between urbanites and ruralites.

Heaven help us!

The Big Divide

Trump’s supposed loss was not my biggest takeaway following the 2020 elections. The real story is that for rural residents the next four years are going to be even worse than you can possibly imagine.

For 20 years now, as a result of the Bush-Gore election that started us down this polarized path, we have classified our political differences by the color of the state you live in. Red was Republican and conservative and blue was Democratic and liberal. If you looked at the electoral map from 20 years ago you would have noticed a solid swath of red through the South, the Mountain West, (with the exception of New Mexico) and it was safe to say that the political war was a regional conflict.

Up until election night 2020, this is how I viewed the country, the east, where the rules were made, versus the west. I could even envision that someday when westerners finally got fed up with being treated as a poor stepchild that a second Civil War might occur in this country. But something happened on election night 2020 that clearly showed that it wasn’t the West

A study by political scientists at Washington University in St. Louis, clearly identifies the sides in the upcoming battle for the heart and soul of our country. In their analysis, Andrew Reeves and Bryant J. Moy, used Gallup survey data between 2003-18, to find that the things that divide us aren’t easily identified by geography or by soldiers wearing either red or blue uniforms, but in how close people live to a big city.

According to the U.S. Census, urban areas make up only 3% of the entire land mass of this country but are home to 80% of our population. Looking at it another way, 97% of our country’s land mass is rural but

NEWSPAPER PRIORITY HANDLING

s this story is being written (Thanksgiving) I don’t know whether Sleepy Joe Biden and his band of socialists has retaken the swamp or not. (Or is it a sewer?) I also don’t know about the state of the Senate but if Georgia uses the same programmable voting machines they used to elect Sleepy Joe and Commie Kamala, it’s possible the Democrats will control both the legislative and executive branches of government.

ample, in the 2016 presidential election, 10 of the 13 most urban states voted for Hillary Clinton while 12 of the 14 most rural states voted for Trump.

The urbanization of our country hasn’t just happened overnight, rather it has been a steady progression ever since the Pilgrims landed. During our relatively short history, the U.S. has transformed from a predominantly rural, agricultural nation into an urbanized, industrial one. For example, in 1790, only one out of every 20 only 19.3% of our population Americans lived in urban areas but this ratio had dramatically lives there. Do the math!

The Census identifies two changed to one out of four by types of urban spheres: “Urban 1870, one out of two by 1920, areas” are those metropolitan two out of three in the 1960s, areas with more than 50,000 and four out of five in the 2000s.

Do you see the trend here? residents and “urban clusters” have between 2,500 and less than 50,000 people. Generally A Deep and speaking, those who work in Widening Chasm In writing this story I was rural areas produce stuff like food, energy and forest prod- surprised by many other demoucts whereas those who live in graphic facts of life such as...

Did you know that the westurban areas and urban clusters for the most part are engaged in ern U.S., not the east coast, is secondary jobs like government the most urbanized part of the and services. People in rural ar- country? That’s because its popeas live with and are sustained ulation is more heavily centered by nature while those who live in large urban areas like LA, San in urban areas are surrounded Francisco, Portland and Seattle by concrete valleys, asphalt jun- that are connected by urban gles and artificial surroundings. clusters up and down the coast Urban areas have large migrant with comparatively few folks livpopulations while rural areas ing out in the hinterlands, like are more monochrome. And farmers and ranchers.

According to Professors here’s where the real problem comes in: cities and suburbs Reeves and Moy, “Just four vote Democratic while rural U.S. states have a rural majority areas vote Republican. For excontinued on page two

The best way to predict your future is to create it.

There Is No RevenueNeutral Carbon Dioxide Tax

BY H. STERLING BURNETT / CLIMATE CHANGE WEEKLEY

Each time politically influential elites propose a tax on carbon dioxide emissions to fight climate change, economists and other analysts demonstrate such a tax will impose far more harm on society than the climate harms the tax is intended to avoid. As a result, Congress has repeatedly rejected attempts to impose a carbon dioxide tax, even passing resolutions putting a majority of the body on record as opposing it. Despite that clear opposition, Joe Biden is raising anew the specter of a carbon dioxide tax.

Biden is a climate change true believer, stating repeatedly human fossil fuel use is undeniably causing catastrophic climate change that poses an “existential threat” to human existence. The names Biden has floated for his Cabinet picks and key appointees, such as Janet Yellen for Treasury Secretary, Anthony Blinken as Secretary of State, and former Secretary of State John Kerry as a special envoy on climate, reflect his commitment to imposing drastic policies to fight climate change.

As with fanatics and zealots throughout his-

tory, the fact that data indicate Biden and his prospective appointees are wrong and climate change, though occurring, is not catastrophic, does nothing to dissuade them from their blind faith that anthropogenic climate change must be stopped at all costs. Nor are Biden and his allies—multimillionaires with multiple homes, multiple cars, yachts, and private jets—apparently bothered by the fact their lifestyles don’t reflect their purported fear that large carbon footprints are dooming the world. There is a fundamental disconnect between their professed fear of a climate change disaster and how they live their lives. Climate hypocrisy is the modus operandi of those expected to populate a Biden administration.

The carbon dioxide tax is foremost among the policies Biden and company have embraced to fight climate change. While professing the carbon tax is meant to fight climate change, in reality it is simply another way for elites to accrue more power for themselves, exerting ever-greater control over the lives of the common folk—the hoi polloi, Joe and Jane Sixpack, whom they disdain. After all, these common people, who stubbornly cling to their God, guns, pickup trucks and SUVs, air conditioning, and on-demand electric power, are destroying the planet. Biden and company say, “Trust us. We’re from the government, and we know best how you should live.”

Polls consistently show a majority of the public, although concerned about climate change, oppose paying more for their electricity and gasoline in an effort to fight it. Accordcontinued on page four

by LEE PITTS

MakeBelieve Land

“A

s your guide I’d like to welcome you on this tour of make-believe authoritarian figures. Please keep your hands and heads inside the bus as danger lurks around every curve.”

“Hey,” said one rubber-necker, “is that Santa Claus taking a knee over there?”

“No, that’s Uncle Sam. Admittedly, both show a striking resemblance and they are both authoritarian figures who make big promises. Santa and Sam may say that if you’re a good boy or girl you’ll be rewarded with all kinds of free goodies but I speak from experience when I say that all you’re going to get from them is underwear and tee shirts. Uncle Sam looks a lot like Santa because as a government employee he’s put on a lot of extra flab. But when you see his sign that says, “Uncle Sam Wants you!” don’t fall for it. He just wants your money. Notice that in Sam’s other hand he’s holding a sign that says, “Will work for food.” Don’t fall for that trick either. Don’t encourage the phony glutton by putting any money in his tip jar.”

“Quick, look out the lefthand side of the bus and you’ll catch a rare glimpse of the Tooth Fairy. Getting to see the Fairy is a very rare occurrence ever since he got a stiff prison sentence for dealing in ivory, even if it came from screaming little kids, not elephants in Africa.”

“Hey look,” said an excited tourist. “Isn’t that Smokey Bear over by that burnt out log?”

“Yes it is and I’m surprised you can recognize him with his nicotine stained teeth and fingers.

Smokey has been trying to kick the smoking habit for years and has tried everything from the patch to hypnotism. One shrink suggested Smokey let himself go to pot because of the lie he’s been telling for years that, “Only YOU can prevent forest fires.”

It turns out that chainsaws, thinning crews, clear cuts and cows can too.

Smokey’s worsening condition should serve as a warn-

continued on page four

Page 2

Livestock Market Digest

December 15, 2020

US VERSUS THEM

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today, and even they are con- mestic product and conflating tinuing to urbanize. Some U.S. growth with the stock market states currently have an urban have encouraged the corporate percentage around or above extraction of wealth out of ru90%, an urbanization rate al- ral areas. This mindset has holmost unheard of a century ago.” lowed out rural communities A big part of the reason for this and institutions while enriching has been the spoken policy urban shareholders,” says Myof swamp bureaucrats, urban lott. planners, and Democratic lead“There also is a lot of reership to cram more and more sentment on the part of rural people into bigger and bigger residents toward urban commetropolitan areas where they munities. There is a common are easier to control. perception that cities receive “The state of Maine has more than their fair share of rebucked the trend towards great- sources and look down on rural er urbanization which is exhib- communities. The media helps ited throughout the rest of the enforce these beliefs.”

United States,” say Reeves and “Although agriculture, manMoy. “Maine’s highest urban ufacturing, and mining have percentage ever was less than been the mainstays of the rural 52% in 1950, and today less economy,” writes Mylott, “due than 39% of the state’s popu- to increasing concentration of lation resides in urban areas. industries creating firms with Maine is currently the least ur- extreme market power, this is ban U.S. state; its urban per- no longer the case. In fact, the centage is less than half of the largest sector in rural communiU.S. average (81%).” ties in terms of employment is Democrats have always tend- the service sector, specifically ed to cluster in more crowded in health, education, and social spaces than have Republicans. services. Geographic inequalOn average, Democrats crowd ity is driven by the movement 1,197 people into one square of wealthy and high-earning mile while 585 Republicans live Americans to urban centers, inin the same amount of space. creased monopoly power, and According to Reeves and Moy, the loss of manufacturing jobs “On average, Republicans lived due to globalization and trade 20 miles from a city while Dem- agreements that have failed to ocrats lived 12 miles away.” protect workers.”

There are several other maIf these current trends conjor differences between Demo- tinue the public lands rancher, crats and Republicans such as... the American family farmer and adults in rural areas have a me- small towns will continue to dian age of 51 while urbanites disappear even faster than they have a median age of 45. Folks have in the recent past. in rural areas have lower rates of Although economic fallpoverty (11.7%) than do urban- out from COVID has been ites (14.0%) but are less likely to worse in small towns depenhave obtained a bachelor’s de- dent on small businesses, rural gree or higher (19.5% compared Republicans mostly spurned with 29.0). Rural communities the COVID-19 business shuthave fewer adults born in other downs. Many Democrats called countries (4%) compared with them essential to protect public those in urban areas (19.0%). health. “There’s this sense that Small towns have always decisions about the pandembeen Republican and conser- ic are being made in cities and vative-leaning and in the 2020 kind of imposed on rural spacPresidential election Trump es,” said Kathy Cramer, an exracked up wins in some rural pert on the rural-urban divide counties by even bigger mar- at the University of Wisconsin. gins than in 2016. The biggest “That doesn’t sit well with a lot problem for rural residents of folks.” is that while they’re in direct Two land development trends contact with nature on a daily paint an even graver outlook for basis, urbanites have very little rural folks. Expansion of urban knowledge about the natural areas and large-lot development world and agriculture, yet it (greater than one acre) in rural is their votes that decree how areas are reshaping urban and farmers and ranchers must con- rural landscapes. And it’s not duct their business. Rural resi- necessarily big cities getting dents tend to send down roots bigger that should bother ruin their communities and rarely ral residents the most, rather it relocate whereas urban people is large-lot developments like change their occupation or res- ranchettes that pose more of a idence frequently in search of danger. Call it the, “Hello, I’m better opportunities, leaving be- your new neighbor” phenomehind laws and regulations that non. Urbanites fleeing deteriregularly remind farmers and orating or burning urban cores ranchers that, “They were here.” looking for “a quiet place in the country” pose a greater danger Growing Resentment to rural residents because the Elizabeth Mylott has studied first thing they do is try to transthis growing conflict between form their new neighborhood urban and rural and has come into the mess they just escaped. to several conclusions. “The re- 1.4 million acres of rural land gional development planning each year is changed into an urused to create a better balance ban environment which leads to between urban and rural and loss of agricultural production, reduce migration pressure on more water pollution, loss of urban areas has disproportion- habitat and biodiversity.

Unfortunately for ranchers ally benefitted large farms and wealthy land owners. Instead of it can also lead to more wolves, stimulating the regional econ- grizzly bears, red-headed frogs omies, the goods and services and fairy shrimp, conservation required by the new economic easements, huge wildfires, fewactivities stimulated by these er cows run on BLM land and in policies come from business- forests, having their water sold es located outside the regional and shipped off to the big popboundaries and new income is ulations centers, less resource not reinvested in the communi- extraction, less local control and more Socialists type edicts from ty.

“Decades of measuring eco- Washington DC like the Green nomic value through gross do- New Deal.

December 15, 2020

Livestock Market Digest

Page 3

Your Survival Guide The best way for rural residents to survive the next four years, if Biden or Kamala are indeed our President, was put forth by a deep thinking friend of mine, Darol Dickinson of Barnesville, Ohio.

Darol is an accomplished painter, renaissance man and the most famous Longhorn breeder in the country. Recently he sent me a road map of how rural residents can survive any upcoming Biden/ Harris reign.

■■ “First of all” says Darol, “with Biden, take my dad’s advice, “Never invest in anything you can’t throw a rock at.”

■■ For every elected person there are over 2,000 bureaucrats.

With elections, a few of the c hairs on the Titanic will be moved around, yet the bureaucrats have tenure that never changes. They never get fired no matter the fumb-dumbling they may do. Projects started in Obama’s first year will still be in the mill and thousands of government employees will silently keep moving darkly on. (Animal Disease Traceability is one project that never dies) ■■ Obama and Hillary said they would end coal production, the lowest-cost method of electric power generation. Well, they almost did. Biden says he will rejoin the Paris Climate Accord -- the USA will pay the bill and it will come from taxes.

■■ Trump reduced regulations on oil production and the USA became the leading producer of exportable oil in the world.

Biden says the oil and gas industry will “phase-out” to be replaced with solar, etc. If the oil industry goes bust like coal mining, go buy a wood stove quick before the price explodes.

Also buy axes -- chain saws won’t have gas to cut the firewood.

■■ The meat industry will change. The environmentalists will soon revolt when they see that up to 90% of what chickens, turkeys, hogs and fed-cattle eat is human consumable. These food producers will be considered enemies of the people.

Only food animals that can do well without massive grain consumption will be considered “human friendly.” That will be fish, goats, sheep -- and Texas Longhorn cattle.

Biden said he would make workers safer by increasing OSHA ■■ regulations. OSHA is already a major cost addition to any building project.

■■ Gun control may be tough to enact in the USA, but bullets may each have $10 of added tax. That is how liberals do it.

Watch for the old criminals who Obama used for FBI, Justice, ■■ etc. They are all coming back.

■■ Brace yourself for a Secretary of Agriculture to be a bleeding heart liberal tree-hugger who hates all livestock and is full vegan. Yet, X-Rep. Collin Peterson, who just got booted from a sweet 30 years mostly as Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, may get reinstated as the Sec. of Agriculture. He was vicious hammering ADT and NAIS against 91% opposition of cattle producers. His baggage will be thousands of cattle producers who fear his brutal control.

■■ The USDA may go totally to welfare funding and disregard all ranches and farms. It is over half way there already.

■■ Don’t go into any business or service that requires government licenses, inspections, or taxes. All taxes, inspection fees, and licenses will increase in enforcements and costs. Bartering will become the national transaction process of choice.

Operate on little or no borrowed money. Create an economical marketing program for volume sales.

And remember the words of Abraham Lincoln, “The best way to predict your future is to create it.”

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Getting Rid of the Electoral College ... Not So Fast

BY LEE PITTS

E

ven more scary than the Green New Deal, the scariest proposal for rural residents that has been put forth by the left-leaning liberals who have taken over the Democratic Party is getting rid of the Electoral College. Ever since Gore won the popular vote but lost the election and Trump beat Hillary in 2016 despite the fact that Clinton won the popular vote by almost 3 million votes, we’ve heard that the first order of business for the far left, if they ever got complete control, would be to do away with the Electoral College. This would mean all a politician would have to do is campaign in, and win the big cities in five states and that candidate would be elected President.

The lefty urbanites hate the Electoral College because it gives disproportionate power to rural states by giving Wyoming the same number of Senators as California, even though Wyoming’s entire population is about that of Sacramento’s. Most people in America agree with the lefty-progressives and want the Electoral College gone.

Sixty five percent of Americans in an Atlantic/PRRI poll last year said that whoever wins the popular vote should win the Presidency.

“It really does over-represent some sparsely populated states, and it provides some skew and bias to our system that I just don’t think is healthy anymore,” said Paul Gronke, a political scientist at Reed College.

Vice President-elect and

President-in-waiting, Kamala Harris wholeheartedly agrees.

The elimination of the Electoral College would be the death knell for rural residents who live in states like Wyoming, North and South Dakota and the rest of rural America. While it may be true that the Electoral College disproportionately inflates the influence of rural areas while undervaluing the votes of cities and thereby devaluing the votes of non-white voters, the reverse is true. Do we really want 97% of the land mass of

the country being run by folks who live in apartments and condos stacked on top of each other in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco who have no knowledge of the natural world? Heck, they can’t even count votes how are they going to manage 97% of the land mass in this country.

This is how you end up with such devastating wildfires that have ravaged the west ever since the urbanites got rid of roads in national forests, drastically curtailed logging and the let the deadfalll and slash accumulate and act as kindling for these giant conflagrations that are denuding the west.

Luckily for rural residents, getting rid of the electoral college is a lot harder than it sounds and cannot be done by rigging voting machines.

Fully overhauling the way the

President is selected would take a Constitutional amendment, which would require the votes of two-thirds of the U.S. House of Representatives, two-thirds of the Senate, and three-fourths of the states. As few as 13 states could prevent it from being ratified.

“There’s no realistic chance of a Constitutional amendment to abolish the Electoral College,” said Jacob Levy, a professor of political theory at McGill University.

President Trump has said, “Smaller states and then entire Midwest would end up losing all power.” ....just the large States - the cities would end up running the country. Smaller States and the entire Midwest would end up losing all power and we can’t let that happen. I used to like the idea of the Popular Vote, but now realize the Electoral College is far better for the U.S.A.” Hugh Hewitt, who teaches constitutional law recently defended the Electoral College and calls it “one of the two load-bearing walls on which the Constitution is built.”

If the urban lefty-progressives ever do accumulate enough voting power to abolish the Electoral College it will mean they’ll have total control over the country and we’ll be well on the road to socialism anyway, so it won’t matter to any rural residents that are left because their goose would have already been cooked long ago.

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HERD

Livestock Market Digest continued from page one

CARBON

December 15, 2020 continued from page one

ing that smoking is not good for throwing rocks at each other. ingly, the carbon dioxide tax bears, people or forests.”

And those on the left-hand side most often floated by American “Now if you will turn your of the bus can see Mr. ® trying elites is one which they refer to att......” to clean up the BIG mess left as revenue-neutral. The problem “Look,” interrupted one sight- behind by the ® Clydesdales.” is, a revenue-neutral carbon tax, seer, “it’s the Easter Bunny trylike Bigfoot, is a myth. It is as SCREECH! CRASH! ing to outrun that fire!” fantastical as dragons, unicorns, BOOM! CRUNCH! “No, that’s the Energizer® and catastrophic human-caused “Sorry folks, it seems we’ve climate change itself.

Bunny. Sadly, we lost the Easter Bunny last year in a devastating just run over Tony the Tiger® As my colleague James Tayfire in California. That’s why you who was sleeping in the middle lor has persuasively written, may have seen a tear in Smokey of the road. Tony was a popu- no carbon dioxide tax is reveBear’s eye. Smokey and the Eas- lar advertising figure here in nue-neutral for the households ter Bunny were very close. Alas, Make-Believe Land. Perhaps it’s being taxed. A carbon dioxide perhaps it’s just as well because a blessing though because Tony tax raises the price of coal, natThe Easter Bunny was really was becoming more emaciated ural gas, and gasoline in order depressed about having such a by the day. That’s because he to force consumers to purchase hard time finding enough polit- was a gummer, his teeth having more-expensive wind power, soically correct, organically raised fallen out years ago from all that lar power, and electric vehicles. eggs to hide. And with all the sugar.”

Although consumers will spend “This next part of Make-Be- substantially more money on denuded forests and burned out urban landscapes it was lieve land is a cemetery and energy and energy-related bills, just too easy for the kids to find scrap yard for Make-Believe the wind and solar industries the eggs as they stuck out like authoritarian figures who are will pay no carbon dioxide taxes. the warts on Rudolph the Red no longer with us including the As Taylor points out, the tax revNosed Reindeer’s face. Speak- Taco Bell® Chihuahua, Bud- enue generated by a ‘successful’ ing of which, we’re sorry to say wesier’s frogs named Frank and carbon dioxide tax—one that we won’t be seeing Rudolph on Louie, Spuds MacKenzie, Mor- significantly reduces carbon dithis tour because he’s in rehab. ris the Cat and others.” oxide emissions—will decline “What about Joe Camel?” sharply over time, matching the He started drinking heavily after Santa sold the sleigh and started asked one of the gawker’s. “I decline in fossil-fuel use, leavsending everything via Amazon.” love Joe Camel.” ing little money to return to the “I’m afraid Joe went the way people. Thus, although govern“Now we have entered that part of the park reserved for of the Marlboro Cowboy. They ment would not receive much Make-Believe authority figures both got lung cancer at the revenue to return to consumers that serve as pitchmen. For ex- same time and the Cowboy from the tax, people will face a ample, on the right-hand side rode old Joe Camel off into the dramatic decline in their discreof the bus you’ll see the Gei- sunset.” co® Gecko and the Aflac® Duck

tionary household incomes as they are forced to pay substantially more on their energy bills.

Nor will the tax be revenue-neutral for households with workers in the fossil fuel industry or related fields. The idea that all the oil field workers, coal miners, coal and natural gas power plant operators, and those working in chemical and plastics manufacturing will be able to transition to other jobs without a hitch is a myth. Their household incomes will fall sharply in the short term, if not permanently. And even if they could simply snap their fingers and magically switch jobs, the jobs they would be taking installing and servicing solar panels and wind turbines don’t pay as well as the jobs the carbon dioxide tax will destroy.

Nor could any carbon dioxide tax be truly neutral in terms of government revenue.

Even if Congress and the president keep their hands out of the till and refrain from finding creative ways to spend whatever revenue a carbon dioxide tax generates—such as diverting the revenue to politically connected crony capitalists pushing big wind and solar projects, as environmentalists

have demanded in past carbon dioxide tax proposals—and returns it through some scheme to those paying the tax, it’s simply a fact a good portion of any revenue generated by the tax will be diverted to the bureaucracies involved in collecting it and disbursing the checks. No government program is costfree.

As with every other government program, there will be huge operating costs involved in collecting, tracking, auditing, and archiving taxes paid and revenues paid out. New employees will have to be hired, or existing federal workers will have to divert their time from other responsibilities, to account for the carbon dioxide taxes to be paid, ensure they are paid, police the program to prevent cheating and fraud, send out the revenue checks, and handle complaints when disputes arise.

These and other costs will eat up billions of dollars each year.

Unless these costs are paid directly out of the carbon dioxide tax revenues—meaning all the revenues will not be returned to taxpayers as promised—then the government will have to impose other taxes or take on additional debt to pay for the program. So much for revenue neutrality..

ganization that challenged the Montanore mine permit. “It was issued to a company after the previous company had abandoned the mine and moved on.

The court issued a clear directive to the agency that it violated the Montana Water Quality Act with this pollution permit.”

A company called Noranda Minerals started the Montanore mine in 1989 and got a water pollution permit from the state in 1992. However, it stopped working on the project in 1991, citing rising pollution levels and falling metal prices. Then in 1993, a state court found Noranda had violated the Montana Clean Water Act, fined it and ordered it to seek new permits.

Noranda got a new permit in 1997 and applied for a renewal in 2001. But in 2002, the company decided to abandon the project and tried to relinquish its water discharge permits. DEQ instead ordered the permits to remain active while Noranda cleaned up its site. Its other mining permits also expired or were terminated in 2002.

Two years later, Mines Management Inc. submitted propos-

als for resuming the project and got a renewed DEQ water discharge permit in 2006. It got another renewal in 2017 for an enlarged discharge operation, and several environmental groups challenged the plan in court. A Montana District Court judge agreed in 2019, vacating the new pollution permits.

The Supreme Court justices acknowledged that Montana’s water quality rules were different in 1992, when the original pollution permits were issued.

At the time, mine waste was allowed to damage water quality “as a result of necessary economic or social development.”

But in 1993, the Legislature changed the law and required tougher standards.

That left the question whether the mine ever stopped operation between its existence as Noranda in 1992 and its takeover by MMI in 2006. The justices ruled that the first company had ceased to function and abandoned its permits in 2002, so there was no legal way for its old permits to be passed to the new owners. Although the 1992 permit stated it would remain in effect “for so long thereafter as

necessary” after the operational life the mine, the justices wrote “It would be absurd to interpret the BHES order’s ‘as necessary’ language to include Noranda’s abandonment of the project and nearly complete reclamation work to extend MMI’s proposed new mine project.”

“I’m disappointed with the ruling,” Hecla Vice President Luke Russell said on Wednesday. “We think Justice Rice in his dissent got it right. The permit was not challenged when the renewal was made in 2006, 14 years ago. Reclamation is part of a mining plan of operations.

That was still going on and economic conditions changed. It’s not uncommon for mining to continue.”

The Montanore mine and nearby Rock Creek Mine have both tangled with environmental and conservation opponents in court over their potential impact on the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness. The area has threatened bull trout and grizzly bear habitat.

Russell said Hecla would continue to pursue new permits with DEQ for Montanore

USDA: Live Cattle Imports Up 3.8%

animals into the United States, USDA said.

U.S. imports of feeder cattle increased 2.8% in the January-August period this year.

This category accounted for about 74% of cattle imports, with most of these animals originating from Mexico. The lower-valued Mexican peso likely incentivized U.S. cattle feeders to import Mexican feeder animals, USDA said.

Zealand and Mexico, accounted for 76% of August’s total beef imports. New Zealand’s August shipments were the largest for the month since 2003.

Beef imports from Mexico have set monthly records in each of the last four months.

Imports of Brazilian beef in August were the largest since December 2008. July imports from Brazil were also large, just below August’s levels. U.S. beef imports from Uruguay were the largest since September 2007.

U.S. beef imports are expected to remain large, USDA said, forecast at 1.025 billion pounds in the third quarter and 800 million pounds in the fourth quarter, on continued strong demand for processing-grade beef. Total beef imports for 2020 are projected at 3.447 billion pounds.

The annual forecast for 2021 is 3.135 billion pounds.

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www.LeePittsbooks.com

Montana Supreme Court blocks permit for mine near Libby

BY ROB CHANEY / MISSOULIAN

A

proposed silver/ copper mine near Libby can’t rely on a 30-year-old water quality permit granted to a bankrupt company, according to a Montana Supreme Court decision.

The Montanore project on the border of the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness must seek new permission from the state Department of Environmental Quality if it wants to keep pursuing the mineral deposit, a four-member majority led by Justice Ingrid Gustafson ruled. Justice Jim Rice dissent-

ed, arguing he thought the permit question wasn’t discussed enough to warrant overturning 14 years of current work on the mine and its permits.

But Gustafson ruled that Montana’s constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment required the court to take a hard look at the permit and its history.

“DEQ’s use of an expired 1992 (Bureau of Health and Environmental Science) order to sidestep Montana’s enhanced non-degradation policy … was unlawful and rightly rejected by the district court because ‘Montana courts do not defer to incorrect or unlawful agency decisions,’” Gustafson wrote.

Mine owners Hecla Mining Co. and its subsidiary Montanore Minerals Corp. will have to seek a new review and permit application if they wish to pursue the project, the majority ruled.

“We were really surprised DEQ continued to push this 30-year-old permit through,” said Bonnie Gestring, of Earthworks, an environmental or-

BY SUSAN KELLY / MEATINGPLACE.COM

T

he U.S. imported 1.4 million head of live cattle in January through August, 3.8% higher than in the same period a year ago, USDA said in the October edition of the “Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook” report.

Cattle for immediate slaughter, which accounted for about 25% of total imports and originated mostly from Canada, increased 6.7% compared with a year ago. Lower Canadian fed steer prices likely served as an incentive to import Canadian

Robust beef imports U.S. beef imports continued at a robust pace in August at 351 million pounds, up 32% from year-earlier levels, the report said. Large import volumes reflect strong shipments from major suppliers, as well as robust growth in shipments from Central and South America.

The major U.S. beef suppliers, Australia, Canada, New

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December 15, 2020

A New Presidente

I

t would appear we have a new President. This will mean new appointments, new administrative policies and new legislative initiatives. What affect will all this have on you?

First, we need to look at appointments to Cabinet-level positions, agency heads and other subcabinet personnel.

The first place to look for clues is the folks appointed to Biden’s transition teams, and the news there does not look promising.

On the Interior Department transition team we see representatives from the Everglades Foundation, Colorado River Sustainability Campaign, Evergreen Foundation, Center For American Progress and various former Obama appointees.

The team leader for the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is a representative from Earth, Energy and Democracy.

The team leader for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a representative from Earthjustice, joined by representatives from the Sierra Club, Harvard Environmental and Energy Law Program and Grist Magazine.

On the United States Department of Agriculture team we find representatives from the Natural Resources Defense Council, Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards, Good Food Institute, Foodcorps, and United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.

Can we draw any conclusions from this? I don’t know about you, but it seems very clear to me the enviro-progressives will have a huge impact on the personnel and policies of the Biden Administration.

As I write this column, Biden has announced his Cabinet nominations for the Departments of State, Treasury, Homeland Security, and National Intelligence.

In addition, he has announced a new position, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. His nominee is John Kerry, the primary U.S. negotiator for the Paris Accord while serving as Secretary of State in the Obama Administration. The NY Times says this appointment, “elevates the issue of climate change to the highest echelons of government and marks it as an urgent national security threat.” Tod Stern, a former Obama official, says “John Kerry brings unmatched stature, a record of being an effective, tireless and indefatigable negotiator, a record of profound commitment to this issue and an understanding of just what the speed and scale of the transformation needs to be.” And Kerry himself says, “America will soon have a government that treats the climate crisis as the urgent national security threat that it is.”

You might be thinking all this might be of interest to the Denizens of DC, but probably won’t have that big of an impact on me or my operation. Well, you better ask yourself the question, “what impact does my raising beef or mutton on federal land have on climate change”? You may soon have your answer.

I suspect that in the near future, all government actions, no matter how large or small, will be run through the gauntlet of a climate change analysis.

By the time you read this we may know who the nominees are to head Interior, USDA and the EPA. Right now all we have is speculation in the media.

Three New Mexicans are reportedly being considered for Secretary of Interior – Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, and representative Deb Haaland. Udall was considered the front runner by many because of his long friendship with Biden. Plus there is the family tradition. His father, Stewart Udall, was the Secretary of Interior during the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations. More recently, though, Haaland has been endorsed by those opposing the Keystone XL Pipeline, and more than 50 House Democrats are pushing Biden to select Haaland, a move that would for the first time bring a Native American into the Cabinet. “Representative Deb Haaland is eminently qualified to be Interior Secretary. She has been a champion for our environment and public lands and has worked tirelessly to improve the nation-to-nation relationship between the United States and Indian tribes,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to the transition team, noting their ability to “make history by giving Native Americans a seat at the Cabinet table for the first time.” Udall, who is leaving the Senate in January, asserts that he is still in the running for the role. “Like so many New Mexicans, I’m excited about the vision of the incoming Biden-Harris administration and I am honored to be considered for an opportunity to continue my public service” he told one publication.

One thing is for sure – none of the three are renowned for their support of livestock grazing on federal land.

We shall persevere, however, and I want to wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Frank DuBois was the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003, is the author of a blog: The Westerner (www.thewesterner.blogspot.com) and is the founder of The DuBois Rodeo Scholarship and The DuBois Western Heritage Foundation

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Livestock Market Digest

Wendy Anderson Wildlife Services New Assistant Director

W

endy Anderson has been selected as an Assistant Regional Director for the Western Region. Wendy has worked for Wildlife Services (WS) for nearly 23 years, working in a variety of positions and locations in both regions, headquarters, and with multiple national programs.

Anderson’s work experience demonstrates both her technical and operational

Page 5

skills, as well as supervisory and managerial accomplishments and national level leadership, said Keith Wehner, USDA APHIS. Her roles within WS have included: Airport/Urban Wildlife Biologist in Phoenix, Arizona from 1998-2002, Operational Support Staff/Environmental Coordinator for the National Rabies Management Program in Raleigh, North Carolina from 2002-2008, State Director of the WS Program in New Jersey from 20082014, Assistant National Feral Swine Program Manager in Fort Collins, Colorado from 2014-2018, and Policy and Science Advisor for the Office of Deputy Administrator in Fort Collins, Colorado from 2018-Present.

Anderson is from Anchorage, Alaska and spent summers commercial salmon fishing with her family in Bristol Bay. Her formal education includes a B.S. in Wildlife Bi-

ology and Natural Resource Sciences from Washington State University and a Master of Public Administration (MPA) with an emphasis in National Security from Troy University. In 2019, Wendy attended the Brookings Executive Education Fellowship in Washington, DC and obtained a Certificate in Public Leadership. She has proactively volunteered for and completed several detail assignments in WS, including Acting Assistant Deputy Administrator (2020) and Acting Assistant Regional Director (2018, 2013). She is also a Certified Wildlife Biologist and a member of The Wildlife Society.

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Thank you to all our new & returning clients!

Best Wishes for a Merry Christmas & Prosperous New Year!

Connie Cowan • 602.944.0044 cowan@chisholmco.com

NPN 1800930 AZ/NM/TX

Page 6

Livestock Market Digest

APHIS Grants $14.4M for Biosecurity Research

BY LISA M. KEEFE / MEATINGPLACE.COM

U

SDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is awarding $14.4 million to 76 projects with states, universities and other partners to strengthen the agency’s programs to protect animal health, the department said in a news release.

The funding, allocated in the 2018 farm bill, supports projects focused on increasing practical livestock biosecurity measures or advancing rapid depopulation and disposal abilities to be used during high-consequence animal disease outbreaks. It will also support projects to enhance early detection of high-consequence animal diseases and improve emergency response capabilities at National Animal Health Laboratory Network veterinary diagnostic laboratories.

Specifically, APHIS is awarding $9.3 million through the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP). The 46 NADPRP funded projects will be led by state animal health authorities in 16 states,14 landgrant universities and two industry/veterinary organizations.

Of the 46 selected projects, 24 focus on livestock biosecurity; 22 focus on large-scale animal depopulation and carcass disposal in animal disease outbreak response events; 12 are national in scope; seven have a regional scope; and 27 focus on state-specific issues.

APHIS is awarding $5.1 million through the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) for 30 projects led by NAHLN laboratories representing 21 states. The projects will help NAHLN enhance early detection of high-consequence animal diseases and improve emergency response capabilities at NAHLN veterinary diagnostic laboratories.

Several projects include improving diagnostic testing for high concern diseases, including African swine fever, classical swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease and avian influenza.

The 2018 Farm Bill provided funding for these programs as part of an overall strategy to help prevent animal pests and diseases from entering the United States and reduce the spread and impact of potential disease incursions, APHIS said in the release. This is the second year APHIS is providing this farm bill funding. Last year, APHIS provided $10.2 million that funded 44 projects.

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How Sand To Soil Technology Helps Achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger

H

eliae Development, LLC and Agricola Cerro Prieto (ACP) has announced the findings of a year-long water retention trial with global significance, revealing a major advancement in the world’s ability to sustain itself by transforming sand to soil, thereby expanding the boundaries where food can be grown while greatly increasing soil health and water retention.

The goal to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture through the Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2) is a top focus for Heliae. With deserts comprising an estimated one-third of the Earth’s total landmass and 23 hectares of arable land lost per minute to desertification, Heliae’s microalgae based innovation, PhycoTerra®, could be a justin-time natural breakthrough

December 15, 2020

in enabling global food production on marginal land.

Eric Lichtenheld, President and CEO of Heliae observes, “Heliae’s ten years of unwavering commitment to researching algae, shows that, as demonstrated in this trial,with PhycoTerra,that a nature based solution may be at least one technology to help counter this threat and give us all our first and best chance at a sustainable future where food insecurity does not exist.”

Heliae’s and Agricola Cerro Prieto’s water retention trial began in November of 2019 on one-hundred barren acres of desert. The planting conditions were 99 percent sand, where conventional methods of agriculture are not supported. The crops selected were water intensive table grapes, asparagus, avocado trees, and blueberry bushes.

From the start PhycoTerra® was introduced as a natural intervention for crop growth in adverse conditions. As a result, it increased the microbial population and improved the water holding capacity by close to 15%, giving sand the same water retention properties that make soil fertile and barren lands farmland. As a consequence, thriving acres of test crops were produced.

Alfredo Lira Chirif, General Manager of ACP adds “This is what the world needed, an actionable technology that makes the sustainable impact tackling this crisis requires. Working with the experts at Heliae, we are finding a way and it’s quite remarkable. Now we need to get this in the hands of other agribusinesses.”

David Godfrey-Thomas, CEO of Afina, Heliae’s international commercialization partner, remarked, “Enabling sustainable farming in desertified landscapes is a reality we all face, and the results of this trial give me hope that it is possible to improve food security and water conservation worldwide, but only if other concerned parties step up to the challenge.”

Eric Lichtenheld had this to say about what needs to happen next, “The results from this desert trial, along with results from our other conventional soil/crop trials point to one thing - that it is possible to regenerate the soil microbiome, and the structure of almost any soil type with Phyocterra.

I believe SDG 2 is achievable, so long as we focus on the soil beneath our feet in honor of world soil day.”

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Alltech Presents 2020 Forrest Bassford Student Award to KSU Young Leader

A

gricultural communicators are essential to help educate and bridge the gap between rural and urban audiences on food production, innovation and technology. Traditional and new media platforms allow for these stories to be told and shared beyond traditional borders, with the next generation of agricultural communicators leading the way.

The Livestock Publications Council (LPC) Forrest Bassford Student Award, sponsored by Alltech, honors excellence, professionalism and leadership among students. Katelyn Harbert, a senior in agricultural communications and journalism and global food systems leadership at Kansas State University, was announced as the recipient of the 2020 LPC Forrest Bassford Student Award during the LPC Annual Membership Meeting, held virtually on Nov. 9, 2020.

“Receiving an award in honor of someone as influential as Mr. Bassford is incredibly humbling,” Harbert said. “I hope that I can spread my passion for agricultural communications in such a way to make a fraction of the impact he made on the industry and in the Livestock Publications Council.”

Harbert credits growing up in a small town in rural Kansas and spending much of her childhood on tractors and combines for her passion for agriculture and love of the industry. In high school, she was an active member of the Kingman FFA chapter, going on to become the first female American FFA Degree recipient from the chapter in 2019. Harbert’s involvement in FFA showed her the opportunities available in agricultural communications and inspired her to pave her own path.

In addition to being an officer in Kansas State’s Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow chapter, Harbert is also involved in the College of Agriculture Ambassadors, Agricultural Communications Advancement Team, Alpha Zeta Agricultural Honorary Fraternity and Royal Purple Yearbook at Kansas State University.

The application process for the LPC Forrest Bassford Student Award was competitive, with talented agricultural communication students as candidates. In addition to Harbert, the finalists for the award were Kylie Harlan, Texas Tech University; Hannah Chambers, Texas A&M University; and Lacy Jackson, Texas Tech University.

“As a voice for the farmers and ranchers who work hard to feed our growing world every day, agriculture communicators help educate consumers about our industry and how food is produced,” said Jenn Norrie, communications manager at Alltech.

“Alltech is proud to sponsor the LPC Forrest Bassford Student Award and to support future agricultural communicators.”

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December 15, 2020

Livestock Market Digest

Page 7

REAL ESTATE GUIDE

July 15, 2019 Selling residential, farm, ranch, commercial and relocating properties.

COLETTA RAY

Pioneer Realty 1304 Pile Street, Clovis, NM 88101

575-799-9600 Direct 575.935.9680 Office 575.935.9680 Fax coletta@plateautel.net www.clovisrealestatesales.com

TEXAS & OKLA. FARMS & RANCHES 208 ACRES, 39 MILES OUT OF DALLAS – High traffic count, long frontage on U.S. Highway ready for a developer. $14,000 per acre, 25 acre $700. Ready to develop.

230 ACRE GAME & RETREAT that is a dream. Lakes, woods, meadows, game galore, 35 miles out of Dallas, Kaufman County.

133 ACRES – 24 Miles out of Dallas, ready to develop. $13,000 per acre Paul Bottari, Broker 313 ACRES 775/752-3040 NORTH OF DALLAS ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS 121 & Nevada Farms 69 – Nice horse barn with living quarters. $11,500 &

BenDigest G. Scott – Broker Livestock Market www.scottlandcompany.com

Krystal M. Nelson – NM QB 800-933-9698 5:00 a.m./10:00 p.m.

RANCH & FARM REAL ESTATE

We need listings on all types of ag properties large or small!

■ NORTHEASTERN NM – 10,730 total acres +/- (6,290 deeded acres +/-, 3,840 +/- Kiowa National Grassland & 600 +/- New Mexico State Lease), nice home w/beautiful landscaping & state-ofthe-art livestock barn w/vet room, cattle & horse pens, large, virtually new set of steel pens w/hydraulic chute, lead-up alley & tub, loading/ unloading chute w/lead-up alley & tub, on pvmt. & all weather roads.

Addtl. 14,000 ac +/- may be available for more acreage if desired.

■ ALAMOSA CREEK RANCH – Roosevelt Co., NM – 14,982 +/acres (10,982 ac. +/- deeded, 4,000 ac. +/- State Lease). Good cow ranch in Eastern NM excellent access via US 60 frontage between Clovis and Fort Sumner. Alamosa creek crosses through the heart of the gently rolling grassland.

■ TRINCHERA CREEK – Colfax Co., NM – 1,513 +/- acres (1,313.57 +/- deeded, 200 +/- State Lease). Located off the northern rim of Johnson Mesa. Features of the ranch include: 1,300 feet of elevation change, great elk hunting, Trinchera Creek, custom built log home, horse facilities incl. indoor arena, pine trees, lake and tanks, irrigation rights,521 etc…West Second St. • Portales, NM 88130 575-226-0671 or 575-226-0672 fax ■ HI-LINE SPECIAL RANCH, UNION COUNTY, NM – large electrical transmission line runs through the ranch – wind lease being negotiated, 3,449 +/-Buena deeded acresVista plus 160Realty acres State Lease, good house and pens, good fences, well-watered, located in close proximity Qualifying Broker: to the Elk Canyon A.H.Ranch.

(Jack) Merrick 575-760-7521 www.buenavista-nm.com ■ ELK CANYON RANCH – Harding County, NM - Another “hunter’s paradise” listed by Scott Land Company, LLC along w/the Elk Ridge Ranch, great opportunity for livestock/hunting/recreation, 2,240 ac. +/-, well watered w/good fences. Located just west of the Hi-Line Special Ranch.

■ QUAY CO., NM – 775 ac. +/- (455 ac. +/- deeded, 320 ac. +/- state lease), nice home, barns, pens, 14 old irrigations wells 83&acre wood with barns, (not in •use) a complete line ofhome farm equipment included w/the sale, on pvmt. meadows and woods. Fronts State ■ COWEN ROAD FARM – Sedan, NM – two circles in CRP until 2023, Rd.sown$545,000 one circle back to native grasses, all weather road.

■ QUAY CO., NM – 567.22 ac. +/- sprinkler & flood irrigated from local water district, modest home, barn & shop, on pvmt.

160OFacre RangerNMEastland ■ EAST• EDGE FT. SUMNER, – a 900 hd. Co, grow yard w/ immaculate 7.32 ac. +/-, a beautiful home, & other improvements $560,000 w/a long line of equipment included, on pvmt.

REAL ESTATE GUIDE

SOCORRO PLAZA REALTY

Bar M Real Estate

On the Plaza

Donald Brown

SCOTT MCNALLY

Qualifying Broker

505-507-2915 cell www.ranchesnm.com 505-838-0095 fax 575/622-5867

116 Plaza PO Box 1903 Socorro, 87801 RanchNM Sales & Appraisals www.socorroplazarealty.com dbrown@socorroplazarealty.com

575/420-1237

Scott Land co.

Ranch & Farm Real Estate

Bottari Realty

raNch PrOPerTY Joe www.bottarirealty.com Priest Real Estate

1-800/671-4548

joepriestre.net1301 • joepriestre@earthlink.com Front Street, Dimmitt, TX 79027 Ben G. Scott - Broker Krystal M. Nelson - NM Qualifying Broker 800-933-9698 • 5:00am/10:00pm www.scottlandcompany.com

WE NEED LISTINGS ON ALL TYPES OF AG PROPERTIES LARGE OR SMALL!

TEXAS & OKLA. FARMS & RANCHES

■ PRICE REDUCED! MALPAIS OF NM – ■ PECOS RIVER RANCH – Guadalupe Co., Lincoln/Socorro Counties, 37.65 sections +/- NM – Scenic, 968 +/- ac. deeded & 519 (13,322 ac. +/- Deeded, 8,457 ac. +/- BLM +/- state lease acres, live water ranch on both Lease, 2,320 ac. +/- State Lease) good, useable sides of the Pecos River (strong flow daily) improvements & water, some irrigation w/water between Santa Rosa & Ft. Sumner; wildlife, rights for 2 pivot sprinklers, on pvmt. & all-weather paired w/water & cattle for the buyer looking road. for top tier assets in a rugged New Mexico ■ UNION CO., NM – 955 ac. +/- w/excellent ranch!

• 270 acre Mitchell County, Texas improvements for a stocker or cow/calf operation, ■ LOGAN/NARA VISA, NM – 980 ac. +/modern ¼ mi. sprinkler, all-weather roads on three w/940.6 ac. CRP, irrigated in the past, land lays ranch. Investors dream; excellent sides, 374 ac. +/- CRP. good & is located on the north side of Hwy. 54. cash flow. Rock formation being ■ MIAMI SPECIAL – Colfax Co., NM – 40 ac. ■ TOP OF THE WORLD – Union Co., NM – +/- w/irrigated pastures, great cattle working & 5,025.76 +/- ac. of choice grassland w/statecrushed and sold; wind turbans, handling facilities & a beautiful home, on pvmt., of-the-art working pens, recently remodeled some minerals. Irrigation water irrigated from Miami Lake. bunk house, barbed wire fences in very good ■ WE CAN NOW DIVIDE – THE PAJARITO to new condition, well watered, on pvmt. developed, crop & cattle, modest RANCH – Guadalupe Co., NM as follows: 3501.12 ■ SANTA ROSA, NM – 78 ac. +/- heavily improvements. Just off I-20. Price Buenawater VistawellRealty at 575-226-0671 ac. +/- of grassland w/aCall commercial improved for horses, cattleor&the otherlisting livestockagent w/ Lori Bohm 575-760-9847, or Melody Sandberg 575-825-1291. located adjacent to I40 w/capability of producing virtually new barns, pens, cross fences etc., on reduced to $1.25 million. pictures onwater, MLS w/internet or www.buenavista-nm.com large incomes together w/aMany great good set of pens, a city access to the front gate.

17,000 gal. water storage tank, overhead cake ■ OTERO CO., NM – 120 scenic ac. +/- on bin, hay barn & other stock wells. 700.89 ac. the Rio Penasco is surrounded by Lincoln • 840 Immaculate, Hunt Co, TX. +/- of grassland can be purchased in addition National Forest lands covered in Pines & Qualityto the ranch property in northern ChavesupCounty, New Mexico approximately miles 40 northwest Ranch.20 Pastures, tanks, andof 3501.12 ac. The located beautiful, virtually new opening to a grass covered meadow built homeinw/all a large deeded Elida.custom Configured twoamenities tracts and of 7,200 acres andof the 640Rio acres state lease. by three along 3,300 feet +/Penasco.ofThis lakes.Watered Beautiful home, barns,wells virtually new metal barn w/an apartment inside property is an ideal location to build a legacy and pipelines. capacity to be 130 animal units yearlong. Pricedandatother $370improvements. per deededSome acre. on 40 ac. canGrazing be purchased separatelyestimated or w/the mountain getaway home. ranch.

Adjoins the Boylan Ranch if more acreage minerals, game galore. All for $1.35 Call foris desired. more information and a brochure. ■ TEXLINE SPECIAL – 472.4 ac. irr., on Dalhart/Clayton hwy. in New Mexico, adjoins million.

■ THE BOYLAN RANCH – Newkirk, NM - 2,360 the Grassland w/Organic Potential. ac. +/- w/useable house & pens, a large domestic ■ GRASSLAND W/ORGANIC POTENTIAL well for lvstk./wildlife watering w/potential for – Union Co., NM - adjoins the Texline Special, commercial water sales, all weather road. Adjoins 927.45 ac. +/-, on pvmt.

Pajaritolocated Creek Ranchapproximately if more acreage is desired.

Cattletheranch 50 miles northwest of Roswell, New Mexico along and on both sides of the ■ FT. SUMNER, NM – 17 ac. +/- w/water ■ BROWN CO., TX – near Brookesmith 424.79 Lincoln/Chaves County line. Acreage includes deededin alfalfa acres,& a3,600 rights 3,048 currently planted beautifulNM State Lease acres and 11,905 ac. +/-, very scenic ranch w/one mi. of Clear Creek, home built in 2007 w/3 bdrms., 3 bathrooms, FederalhighlyBLM leaseranch acres (18,900 Total Acres).

Grazing capacity set at 450 animal units yearlong. Divided into improved w/fencing, well watered, an oversize garage & a 24X50 metal shop. home, hunting cabin & abundant wildlife.

CALDWELL RANCH

GALLO RANCH

Joe Priest Real Estate

1-800/671-4548

joepriestre.net • joepriestre@earthlink.com

four larger pastures and two smaller holding traps. Headquarters improvements include residence, barns and pipe pens with scales. Water is provided by four wells and buried pipeline. The Gallo Draw runs through the entire ranch provides significant overflow areas of giant sacaton. Most of the permitted animal units utilized the Gallo Draw throughout the summer. Not many ranches in the area are blessed with this asset. Come take a look.

Price: $3,995,000 (8,880.00/Animal Unit). Call for more information and a brochure.

Scott McNally, Qualifying Broker

SULTEMEIER RANCH – First time offering of a ranch that has been owned and operated Bar Real Estate, by the same family for over 70 M years.

Fifteen miles LLC southeast of Corona, NM in Lincoln County. 11, 889 Deeded Acres,428, 1,640 Roswell, Federal BLM Lease Acres and 2,240 NM State P.O. Box NM 88202 Lease Acres. Grazing Capacity estimated at 300 AUYL. Water provided by five wells and Office: 575-622-5867 Cell: 575-420-1237 pipelines. Improved with two residences, barns and corrals. The ranch had a good summer Website: with abundant grass.

Good mulewww.ranchesnm.com deer habitat. Call for a brochure or view on my website.

Price: $4,400,000 $4,100,000

U N DER

19TH STREET FARM – Located just outside the city limits of Roswell, NM. Six total acres with 5.7 acres of senior artesian water rights. Improved with a 2, 200 square foot residence,

Bar M Real Estate

Page 7

Selling residential, farm, ranch, commercial and relocating properties. www.ranchesnm.com

SCOTT MCNALLY COLETTA RAY

575/622-5867 575/420-1237 575-799-9600 Direct

Pioneer Realty 1304 Pile Street, Clovis, NM 88101

Ranch Sales & Appraisals 575.935.9680 Office 575.935.9680 Fax coletta@plateautel.net www.clovisrealestatesales.com

SOCORRO PLAZA REALTY 521 West Second St. • Portales, NM 88130 On the Plaza 575-226-0671 or 575-226-0672 fax Donald Brown

Qualifying Broker

Buena Vista Realty

505-507-2915 cell Qualifying Broker: 505-838-0095 fax A.H. (Jack) 116 Merrick Plaza 575-760-7521 PO Box 1903 www.buenavista-nm.com

Socorro, NM 87801 www.socorroplazarealty.com dbrown@socorroplazarealty.com

Realty AG LAND LOANS AGBottari LAND LOANS AsLow Low 3% As AsAs 4.5% Paul Bottari, Broker OPWKCAP 2.9% OPWKCAP 2.9%

775/752-3040

INTEREST RATESAS AS LOW 3% INTEREST RATES LOW ASAS 4.5% Payments Scheduledon on2525 Years Payments Scheduled Years

Nevada Farms & Joe Stubblefield & Associates raNch PrOPerTY 13830 Western St., Amarillo, TX

806/622-3482 • cell 806/674-2062 joes3@suddenlink.net Michael Perez Associates Nara Visa, NM • 575/403-7970

www.bottarirealty.com

521 West Se

575-226-0

B

A.H. (J ww

AG LAND LOANS

521 West Second St., Portales, NM 88130

575-226-0671 As Low As 3.5% www.buenavista-nm.com OPWKCAP 3.5%

INTEREST RATES AS LOW AS 3.5%

Rural Properties aroundPayments Portales,Scheduled NM on 25 Years 1242 NM 480 - Nice home on 59.7 acres, grass 427 S Rrd P 1/2 - Large nice home, lots of barns 24+ ac 1694 S Rrd 4, Great home, barns, cattle pens, location 2344 S Rrd K east of Dora, NM, greatJoe - Near wind farms Stubblefield & Associates Western St., Amarillo, All properties excellent homes & can13830 have horses, etc. TX 806/622-3482 • cell 806/674-2062

joes3@suddenlink.net See these and other properties at www.buenavista-nm.com Michael Perez Associates

AS PROV R

14298 N.

Nara Visa, NM • 575-403-7970

10 ACRES OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY. Incredible highway visibility & access from either East or West directions on Hwy. 60, 3 miles East of El Rancho Truck & 4 miles West of Willow Call Buena Vista Realty atPlaza 575-226-0671 or the listingSprings. agent Natural gas may be available on LOCATION PLUS! Thisorproperty well suited 575-825-1291. for many types Lorisite.

Bohm 575-760-9847, MelodyisSandberg of businesses. (Restaurant, Retail,Many Motel,good Business of anyon kind)!

A or Must See Property. MLS#11402703 pictures MLS www.buenavista-nm.com GREENFIELD TRADING POST. Available for sale at the corner of Hwy. 160 (Grand) & H Hwy. Newer tile floors, ADA bathrooms, outside storage tanks, 4 double side gas pumps. Owner reports a brisk business with sales around $1M last year. Store features a bait room for fishing at nearby Stockton Lake. Property has roll up garage door for easy storage of equipment and inventory. Vendor for popular Hunt Pizza with small eat-in area. Multiple coolers, coffee makers & shelving are included in sale. 2080 sf in store, 1120 sf for storage of inventory. This is an unbranded station. MLS# 60140876

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RANCH PROPERTY 31 years in the ranch business - see www.ranch-lands.com for videos & brochures

O’NEILL LAND, llc

DUANE & DIXIE McGARVA RANCH: approx. 985 acres Likely, CA. with about 600+ acre gravity flood irrigated pastures privateCimarron, 542 AU BLM permit.

About 425 acres so of the irrigated are level to flood P.O. PLUS Box 145, NM 87714 • 575/376-2341 • Fax: 575/376-2347 land@swranches.com • www.swranches.com excellent pastures with balance good flood irrigated pastures.

NO PUMPING COST! Dryland is perfect for expansion to pivot irrigated alfalfa if desired. Plus BLM permit for 540 AU is fenced into 4 fields on about WAGON PLACE, Mora HIDDEN PLACE, Colfax 18,000 acres only MOUND 7 miles away. REDUCED ASKING PRICECIMARRON - $3,125,000

CONTRACT P E N D IN G

County, NM 8.202 +/- deeded acres on

County, NM. 1.66± deeded acres with

outbuildings and many trees would

rooms and two bathrooms, edge of

BEAVER CREEK RANCH: 82,000 acresMound - with 2,700 deeded acres plus & BLM with western edge of about I25/Wagon a 2,304 sq contiguous ft homeUSFS updated permits 450homes, pair; 580+-abundant acres irrigatedwater alfalfa, pasture, meadowremodels from Beaver including Creek water rights andopen has for two with andrecent large one irrigation well. 3 homes, 2 hay barns, 4 feedlots each w/ 250 ton barns, 2 large reservoirs, can run up to one well, two springs and pond. Other kitchen vaulted tin ceiling, three bed500-600 cows YEAR ROUND. REDUCED ASKING PRICE - $5,400,000.

suitCREEK manyRANCH: purposes. townand amazing BEAR Approx.$190,000.

1,278 acres winter range ground recreationalviews. property.$299,000 Located on Bear Creek and accessed from South Cow Creek Valley Road. Should be great hunting for deer, wild turkey, wild RATON MILLION VIEW, COLMOR-OCATE CREEK, pigs, quail & owner states good DOLLAR trout fishing in Bear Creek. Deeded access easement thru neighbor Colfax ranches. and County, 97.68 +/-ranch. deeded Mora County, NM 853 +/- deeded NoColfax improvements & veryNM. private inside the Now onlyin $700 acre - with $894,600 acres 2 per parcels excellent home, acres split by I25 and Ocate Creek.

big shop, wildlife, a true million dol- Suit cattle operation, with some wildlar BILL view atWRIGHT, the end of a SHASTA private road.LAND life drawn to water holes SERVICES, INC.in creek. $489,000.

Also listed with house $617,000 530-941-8100 • DRE#the 00963490 • www.ranch-lands.com and one parcel for $375,000 EAGLE NEST ESCAPE, Colfax County, MIAMI 20 ACRES, Colfax County, NM. 78.42± deeded acres in off HWY NM quality 2,715 sqft adobe home, 64 overlooking Eagle Nest Lake, pribarn, grounds, fruit trees and mature vate pond, two elk tags, 3 bedroom home with and large shop garage trees. Extremely P.O. Box 145, private Cimarron, NMsetting.

87714 • 575/376-2341 • Fax: 575/376-2347 land@swranches.com • www.swranches.com able to store your RV and big toys.

REDUCED $353,000.

This is a must Improvements a mile see. sameNM.house with CIMARRON CHICOAlso CREEKlisted RANCH, with Colfax County, NEW LISTING. ON THE RIVER, almost Colfax County,half NM. 7.338 +/- off highway. an escape.

10 +/-+/-deeded acresapproximately for $298,000 6,404.26 Total Acres, Located 10 miles east of deeded acres with Truly 4.040 acre-feet per annum$850,000 out of the

O’NEILL LAND, llc

Springer New Mexico. 3,692.60 +/- deeded acres with balance in state lease. Excellent grass and water. Two plus miles of the Chico Creek meandering through the center of the property.

Additional wells and dirt tanks. Nice historic head quarters privately located with shade trees and excellent views of the property. Shipping pens in central portion of property. $2,837,318

Maxwell-Clutton Ditch. Custom country-chic 2,094 +/- sq ft home. Owns both sides of river in places. Horse/cow/chicken/ vegetable garden/greenhouse/orchard set up. Country living at it’s finest, in town, but in a world of your own. Very special on river. Appointment only. $650,000.

E

E

BY BARRY DENTON

I

thought by now the election would be over and we would all be happy with our President. However, that’s not the case and the plot thickens. The rig was in and now it has been uncovered. Believe me I would much rather be discussing horses and cattle with you folks, but this is getting to serious to ignore.

First cowboys and cowgirls let me define what a “Kraken” is for you. It is a legendary cephalopod-like sea monster of gigantic size in Scandinavian folklore.

The Kraken lives off the coasts of Greenland and Norway and terrorizes nearby sailors. Legend has it that this creature originated from the sailors sightings of giant squids that grow tentacles up to 15ft. in length. The monstrous size and scary appearance of the Kraken have made it a prime character in fiction books for years. In modern times the phrase, “release the Kraken” means to kick someone’s butt.

Attorney Sidney Powell working for the Trump administration says she has “staggering” statistical evidence to show Dominion voting machines altered ballots. Dominion voting ma-

▫

DWR Prepares for Impacts Removing Federal Gray Wolf Protections Will Have on Utah’s Wildlife

BY CONNOR RICHARDS / DAILY HERALD, PROVO

After four and a half decades of federal protection, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services (FWS) announced last month its plans to remove protections of the gray wolf and delist the animal from the Endangered Species Act. In a press release published October 29, the agency announced the gray wolf, which nearly went extinct in the U.S. in the early 1900s, had “exceeded all conservation goals for recovery.”

“Today’s announcement simply reflects the determination that this species is neither a threatened nor endangered species based on the specific factors Congress has laid out in the law,” U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt said in a press release.

Gray wolves historically lived all across North America, including in Utah, but “almost entirely disappeared from the lower 48 states” in the mid-20th century, according to a 2005 paper published by the Animal Legal and Historical Center at Michigan State University.

“Because humans who settled the United States brought with them an intense hatred and fear of wolves, and because wolves can upset farmers by eating their livestock, human activity such as poisoning, trapping, and shooting wolves led to the almost complete extinction of the wolf in the United States,” wrote Catherine Archibald, the paper’s author.

Today, there are more than 6,000 gray wolves across the lower 48 states, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, a number “greatly exceeding the combined recovery goals for the Northern Rocky Mountains and Western Great Lake populations.”

The decision to remove federal protections of the gray wolf was applauded by Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Executive Director Brian Steed, who said states “are often best positioned to appropriately manage wildlife populations.”

“With the number of wolves growing across the West, we believe it is time to allow the states to take the helm,” Steed said in the October 29 press release. “Utah has shown success in growing and maintaining wildlife populations statewide, and we anticipate similar success in managing wolf populations.”

Though there have been confirmed wolf sightings in Utah over the years, there are “no known established packs in Utah,” according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

Before the recent delisting, wolves were considered an endangered species in all of Utah except for a small portion of northern Utah classified as a “delisted zone,” the DWR wrote in a fact sheet about wolves in Utah.

Steed said actions by neighboring states “have complicated Utah’s ability to manage gray wolves under the ESA” and referred to a since-approved Colorado ballot initiative “to implement a reintroduction of wolves west of the continental divide.”

“If wolves enter Utah from Colorado, DWR must have the ability to manage them or there could be significant conflicts with agriculture and wildlife populations,” Steed wrote.

With the federal protections now lifted, the DWR announced it would implement its “Utah Wolf Management Plan,” which was prepared in 2005, in order to “guide management of wolves in Utah during an interim period from delisting until 2030, or until it is determined that wolves have established in Utah, or assumptions of the plan (political, social, biological, or legal) change.”

“The goal of this plan is to manage, study, and conserve wolves moving into Utah while avoiding conflicts with the wildlife management objectives of the Utah Indian Tribe; preventing livestock depredation; and protecting the investment made in wildlife in Utah,” the DWR wrote in an executive summary of the wolf management plan.

Under the DWR plan, wolves will be conserved and “allowed to disperse into Utah” except when they “conflict with the wildlife management objectives of the Ute Indian Tribe,” cause “unacceptable livestock depredation” or “contribute to wildlife populations not meeting management objectives as defined by the Utah Wildlife Board’s Predator Management Policy.”

Additionally, livestock owners “will be fully compensated for losses of livestock to wolves.”

Some conservation and environmental groups criticized the decision to remove gray wolf federal protections, including Defenders of Wildlife, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit, which announced it “will be taking the FWS to court to defend this iconic species.”

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Advertise to Cattleman in the Livestock Market Digest

Riding

“The gre can pay atest homage we to truth is to use – JAMES it.”

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LING

Release the Kraken

livelihoods is much more devastating than being sick for a few days.

Yes, I do agree that folks should be smart and take precautions, but not ludicrous measures that cripple the economy. For instance, we were just returning with a load of horses from the American Quarter Horse Association World Championship Show in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma last week. We would normally spend a night in New Mexico each way, use a horse motel, get something to eat, etc. However, we made one stop for fuel and they wouldn’t wait on you unless you had a mask on. You also could not go in any place that we could find to have a meal.

How do you get through a restaurant’s drive through window pulling a 36 ft. goose neck trailer? I mean there was just no point in stopping in New Mexico. Too many rules, the people were upset and bitchy because of the totalitarian rules. Obviously, the citizens don’t realize that the Governor really doesn’t have that authority. I didn’t see anyone challenging it yet. Just multiply our little experience times thousands of travelers who made sure that they spent their money elsewhere. Now if the Governor and the legislature had to give up their paycheck’s maybe you wouldn’t have this problem. I certainly feel sorry for the people of New Mexico, but quit electing governors that think they are smarter than you.

As I just mentioned that we were at the horse show for 2 weeks in Oklahoma. There were probably 2000 horses there at any given time and probably as many people if not more. The entire horse show is inside as are the stalls. The only time we were “asked” to wear a mask was if we went into the coliseum where you would be sitting next to people. It was certainly understandable and reasonable and there was no illegal “mandate.”

We visited several restaurants and stayed in a hotel for the 10 days. No one forced you to do anything. Isn’t it funny that we all didn’t die and there was no massive outbreak of Covid.

I have pretty much decided that the only people I really want to social distance from are Democrat governors. I truly think that is a much worse disease than Covid. Stop and think about it, Covid can ruin a few days of your life, but if you are a business person, a democrat governor can ruin your livelihood. Do they provide a solution when your business goes under? From what I can see democrat leaders are hell bent on gaining control of every aspect of your life. They want you scared of Covid-19, global warming, oil pipelines, guns, going to church, believing in God, etc.

Just like you will see attorney Sydney Powell do in regard to the bogus presidential election in the near future, we all need to “Release The Kraken!”

AND

FROM THE BACK SIDE

chines were used in Venezuela, Cuba, and China to rig recent elections there as well.

No wonder Joe Biden did virtually no campaigning during this election cycle. He knew it was “in the bag”. To me, the other amazing point here is that this Dominion voting system was only contracted by swing states such as Pennsylvania, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, and Georgia.

Now if you start looking this up online Google will try and fact-check you and debunk the theory. Just be aware of how many forces are working together against our great President and his quest to maintain liberty for all of us. Dominion is also very connected to George Soros and others trying hard to destroy the America we know. Is it too much of a coincidence that Dr. Fauci and Bill Gates are invested in the vaccine or both have connections to the lab in Wuhan, China? If you doubt my premise here, how many of your relatives died fighting in wars defending America from Socialism, Communism, Nazism, and dictatorships?

Take a minute and consider their sacrifice.

Once again New Mexico Governor Michelle Grisham has gone off the rails and shut down her state for 2 weeks to try and curb the effects of Covid-19.

Funny thing, but it’s already been proven that shutdowns do more harm than good for a disease with a 99 percent recovery rate. I do not quite understand how New Mexicans tolerate this totalitarianism and do not challenge the governor’s authority in the courts. Destroying people’s

December 15, 2020

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The View

Livestock Market Digest

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December 15, 2020

Livestock Market Digest

Fire, Cattle & the Need for Change

BY ELISABETH WATKINS

R

anchers and landowners are increasingly turning to organizations and lobbying agencies in hopes to create action from lawmakers in the wake of a disastrous fire season.

According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California’s North Complex Fire burned over 300,000 acres claiming 15 lives and an uncountable number of livestock and wildlife throughout Yuba, Plumas and Butte Counties in August as reported by CAL FIRE. CAL FIRE and local fire departments have responded to 9,177 wildfires this year to date, representing a 46 percent increase over 2008, CAL FIRE website reports.

The North Complex Fire took the life of 350 cows and calves owned by cattle rancher and California Cattlemen’s Association Past President Dave Daley. Daley’s family has been grazing cattle in the Plumas National Forest dating back to 1882 before it was designated as such. Today the US Forest Service issues grazing permits which come with oversight and regulatory restrictions on grazing in the forest. Daley argues the North Complex Fire “is not a result of what’s happened this year but what’s happened for the last 60 years.”

His deep ties to the land are evident. He has begun to raise the seventh generation to love every stream and ravine the cattle graze. “I grew up hearing the stories from my dad and grandad of the ‘last man out’ lighting the forest floor to burn the low undergrowth. Their generations knew to reduce the ladder fuels that spread the fire to the canopy, to open it up for the wildlife,” explains Daley.

Organizations like the California Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) are working to document the tragedy and challenges presented by wildfires.

“Throughout this fire season leadership has been documenting the challenges. We have been in contact with ranchers on the miscommunication between agencies, access issues and other challenges they’ve faced amid the wildfires,” says Katie Roberti, Director of Communications at CCA. She continues, “CCA will be pushing for change in land management practices.

We will ask for more prescribed

burns and the reintroduction of livestock grazing on private and public lands. Both will be essential to mitigating the impacts of future extreme fire seasons.”

The CCA is encouraging those both directly and indirectly affected by the wildfires to document the events they have endured. Every story is a reason for lawmakers to pass policies to improve the management of our federal lands and keep our forests healthy.

Wildfires are dangerous to our firemen. Julian Rodriguez was one of the thousands of firefighters assigned to the North Complex Fire. For seven days straight he fought the fire for 12 hours a day.

“Each year we say we’ve seen the worst fire, yet each year the record is surpassed” explained Rodriguez. He continued, “Our forest management practices are not working.” The way the federal lands are being managed is creating more danger for our firemen, destroying property and taking lives. He continues, “As a fireman I am sworn to protect life, property and the environment.”

To reduce the number of wildfires we need to “take away the fuel that the fires have to grow on” says Rodriguez. He believes this is possible by reevaluating vegetation control plans to include more prescribed burns and animal grazing.

Poor forest management puts firemen in danger. We know from experience that stopping every small fire only leads to more fires. They gain traction faster due to the enormous quantities of fuel created from vegetation on forest floors not cleared by natural causes explains Rodriguez. Nature has its cycle to clean, clear and reproduce.

Daley stressed by imposing government regulations on forest management and stopping every phenomenon of natural forest management we are destroying our forests, killing our citizens and endangering our animals.

Daley urges for action, “We need to communicate to people that this is not a cattle or rancher issue. It’s a California issue.

This is not about me or ranching. If we don’t change policy people are going to lose their lives and their homes.”

Professor Dave Daley is the past Associate Dean for the College of Agriculture at California State University, Chico.

He serves as the chairman of the California Cattle Council.

USCA Member Selected to Serve on CFTC Subcommittee

I

n early December, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Heath P. Tarbert announced the members of the Agricultural Advisory Committee’s (AAC) new Agricultural Futures Contracts with Open Interest Subcommittee (Ag-OI Subcommittee).

United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) Marketing and Competition Committee Member Brett Crosby, Cowley, Wyoming was among the 22-members selected.

The subcommittee was established to provide recommendations to the AAC for Commission policy related to the implementation of amendments to futures contracts based on enumerated agricultural commodities when

Ranch Sales Boom as COVID Migrants Seek Refuge

BY BRETT FRENCH / BILLINGS GAZETTEBY BARRY DENTON

A

lthough the novel coronavirus has been the death of some businesses, it appears Montana ranch sales are cruising along at a heated pace.

“It’s the craziest year I’ve ever seen,” said Jim Taylor, director and real estate partner at Hall and Hall. “People just want to get out of wherever the hell they are.”

A 50-year veteran of ranch sales, Taylor said because the rate of return from buying a ranch is low, it isn’t always a compelling investment when there are other alternatives.

But, right now he is working with buyers who are seeing fewer stable alternatives.

“People look at them as an investment even though the ranching business isn’t good,” he said.

Hot summer In his 33 years in the business, Bozeman ranch broker Jeff Shouse, of Live Water Properties, said he’s never seen anything like this summer’s aggressive buying.

“By the first of July we had exceeded our whole production compared to the year prior,” he said, despite a quiet spring.

The jump in real-estate sales is somewhat reflected in First Interstate Bank’s third quarter earnings statement.

The bank’s residential real estate loans increased $54.6 million, or 4.3 percent, compared to last September.

Those loans don’t reflect big buyers who are paying cash, Taylor pointed out.

Daley was nationally recognized with the Continuing Service Award from the Beef Improvement Federation in 2009, a member of the UC Animal Welfare Task Force and statewide co-chair of the Animal Welfare Task Force for California Cattlemen.

Editor’s Note: Elisabeth Watkins, is a junior member of the San Joaquin-Stanislaus CattleWomen. She is sophomore at the University of Nevada, Reno.

▫

those amendments would apply to contract months with open interest.

“I could not be more pleased that we have such a diverse and experienced group of individuals who expressed interest in serving on this subcommittee,” said Chairman Tarbert, who serves as the AAC’s sponsor. “I look forward to the members’ input regarding how we can better fulfill our statutory duty in approving amendments to futures contracts based on enumerated agricultural commodities when those changes will apply to open interest. Ultimately, more clarity in this space could help exchanges minimize risk to market participants and themselves.”

Mr. Crosby will join USCA Vice President Justin Tupper in representing the organization within the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Mr. Tupper currently serves as a member of the CFTC Agricultural Advisory Committee.

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Page 9

Going up Buyers with deeper pockets are needed as land prices continue to rise and the amount of land for sale shrinks.

Shouse’s niche has been recreation properties in the $2.5 million to $3 million range. This year those prices have doubled.

“The sub-$5 million properties are gone,” he said. “Everyone I know has multiple buyers looking.”

The buying binge isn’t isolated to Montana, he added.

His fellow brokers in Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho and Washington are seeing the same high demand.

“I had three deals for full price sight unseen, contingent on them looking at them,” he said.

Some buyers haven’t even been to Montana, Shouse said, noting they learned about the state’s beauty by watching the television show “Yellowstone,” about a ranching family starring actor Kevin Costner.

Reasons Inflated prices aren’t isolated to Montana ranch properties. According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, the median price of a home in August was $584,000 in the college town, up by more than $100,000 from a year earlier.

Shouse said when he started in real estate in 1987, homes in the town’s university district were selling for $65,000. The same places now are valued at more than $1 million.

“It’s definitely a sellers’ market,” he said.

Andy Rahn of Montana Land Source, a website tracking land listings and sales in the state, said he’s not seeing sales higher than last year yet, but that could change as volume has increased in the last two months. He also noted there are fewer properties on the market this year, which surprised him. He speculated that may be due to the fact that sellers are worried they won’t be able to find another

home or may be rethinking leaving their Montana refuge when there’s a pandemic.

There may be several factors driving buyers to more rural areas, Rahn said. Some have the “get me out of here kind of mentality,” he said, which may be propelled by masking and social distancing mandates to disagreements with their home state’s politics or fear of social unrest. Gun sales, after all, are booming.

Fay Ranches’ website also theorized that some families see rural areas as safer from COVID-19 if it sticks around.

Plus, the reasons they enjoy urban areas — museums, concerts, restaurants — now seem less safe or even unattractive.

Outdoor activities are more appealing for those seeking to avoid being infected by the novel coronavirus. Fay Ranches foresees the shift continuing for a few more years.

Shouse is unsure. He said some buyers had planned to buy property in the future but were urged to action by the pandemic. He’s uncertain how long the aggressive buying will continue. The first brutal winter may send East Coast and California transplants south, he said.

Those who decide to stay may now have the ability to work from home with greater ease, or with greater societal acceptance, making it less important that they’re in the office — the so-called Zoom boom. Taylor said he’s seeing that scenario play out even with the executives he works with. They used to be willing to hop in a jet or airplane to conduct a business meeting, but are now more comfortable with using a computer to Skype or Zoom.

“That whole world is definitely changing,” Taylor said.

“Now they can spend more time on their ranches.”

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Page 10

Livestock Market Digest

Baxter BLACK

worked for a living, earned their daily oats and ON THE EDGE OF made a contribuCOMMON SENSE tion to the good www.baxterblack.com of mankind.

Backyard horse practice sorta ranked with spayin’ cats and trimming Chihuahua’s toenails.

That same kind of ‘snobconsider myself among bery’ still exists, I think. Someother things, a former how working on a valuable horse mechanic. The race horse, a Tennessee walkin’ horses I did veterinary show horse, an endurance Arawork on were ranch and feedlot bian, a Budweiser Clydesdale, beasts of burden. Workin’ ani- Fred Whitfield’s ropin’ horse, mals from man’s point of view.

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“I’m so proud of you, Geldy.

You bring so much happiness into the world.”

Coyote Cowboy Proverb: Work to a horse is anything he does because you make him do it.

I tell people my horse likes to rope. Meaning, I guess, that he likes to chase cattle. But he spends a lot of time in the pasture with cows and calves, I’ve never seen him chase them on his day off.

Ah, but you good horsemen say, “This horse loves to run”, or “He was born to buck”, or “I can tell he loves to pull this plow. He can’t wait for me to crack this whip!”

I see them run and kick up their heels in an open pasture... but not for long. Are they hav-

Chick-fil-A Files Its Own Poultry Price-Fixing Lawsuit

BY LISA M. KEEFE / MEATINGPLACE.COM

I

n early December Chick-fil-A Inc. filed a price-fixing lawsuit against major poultry producers, including Tyson Foods, Pilgrim’s Pride, Sanderson Farms and Perdue Farms, according to an article in The Wall Street

Journal.

The Atlanta-based chain alleges that producers coordinated pricing for meat supplies and collectively reduced production to push up prices. Chick-fil-A is seeking unspecified damages and to recoup legal fees, according to the report.

Other lawsuits alleging price-fixing behavior have been filed in the last several years not only against poultry producers, but beef and pork producers as well. Earlier this year, the federal Department of Justice filed its own case against major poultry producers.

The Journal report quoted a Tyson spokesman as saying Chick-fil-A’s claims “were unfounded and that Tyson would defend against them.” Spokespeople from Perdue and Sanderson Farms declined to comment, and representatives for Pilgrim’s didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Chick-fil-A reportedly is part of the Justice Department’s case, identified as “QSR-5” in the complaint.

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g•u•i•d•e

Charolais Bulls & Angus Bulls

terpreted as doing something more worthwhile than floating the teeth on a backyard plug.

These working horses have a purpose. That dignifies your veterinary efforts, lends some value to your education and experience. All your acquired ability isn’t being wasted in frivolous endeavor on a horse that isn’t really ‘workin’ for a livin’.

But, with all that being said, what’s work to a horse?

Is it something they feel good about? Does it give them a sense of self worth? Of course not.

“Well, my little mare, I better finish this hay. Crooked Jack will be comin’ to take me to the mall where I can walk in circles all day giving joy to little boys and girls.”

December 15, 2020

SPIKE RANCH Robbie & Pam Sproul Turkey Creek, Arizona 520.824.3344 520.444.4939 Robbie cell 520.975.2200 Pam cell pamsproul@gmail.com

BEEFMASTER

ing fun? Can horses have fun?

Are they bored? Can they get bored?

I’d be hard put to argue that they can’t have fun, get bored or get mad.

Horses are domesticated animals. Under the care of and at the pleasure of those who pay for their keep. It is not their choice. It is ours. Like teenagers, if we give them room and board we expect something in return. At our pleasure, even if our pleasure is team roping, showing Arabians or just a good companion.

But in the end, it’s all work to a horse.

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www.baxterblack.com

SDSU Extension to Host BeefUP Calving Strategies for Market Advantages Webinar Series

B

eginning January 7, 2021, SDSU Extension will host a four-week webinar series related to the importance of calving distribution and subsequent market outcomes. Webinars will be held on Thursday of each week at 12:30 p.m. CST and will run through January 28.

The series will consist of management strategies related to four key biological cycles in the cow and will address those things that are critical to each stage of that biological cycle.

Each webinar will feature a different industry expert and will focus on a different topic including late gestation, calving-breeding, breeding-weaning and weaning-late gestation.

Topics to be discussed within each series will include, nutrition, reproduction, health and economics.

Cows that calve on time are the number one predictor that cattle within that operation fit the managerial program. Furthermore, calf crops uniform in size and age have market advantages and exceed returns over calves that lack uniformity in both age and weight. Management decisions made prior to the first calf hitting the ground can have significant impact on the following breeding and calving season.

This webinar series will support cow/calf producers willing to implement new strategies for greater financial gain. Applications will focus on herd data and management decisions that promote market advantages.

Those interested can register at extension.sdstate.edu/event/ beef-2020-registration Registration costs $50 and is open to the public through January 6, 2021.

For questions about the webinar series, contact Olivia Amundson, SDSU Extension Cow/ Calf Field Specialist at Olivia.Amundson@ sdstate.edu

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210.732.3132 • beefmasters.org 118 W. BANDERA ROAD BOERNE, TX 78006

December 15, 2020

Livestock Market Digest

Angus Internship Applications Now Open Four hands-on internship opportunities are available to college students

BY KAREN HILTBRAND, AMERICAN ANGUS ASSOCIATION

I

n agriculture, learning by doing has proven to be the best form of experience. Applications are now open for college-age students to apply for the American Angus Association, Angus Journal® and Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI) 2021 summer internships. These 10-week internship programs provide a unique hands-on experience that will challenge and instill confidence both professionally and personally.

“It was truly incredible to be involved in such purposeful work, serving breeders each day in ways that we could make their experiences better,” says Peyton Schmitt, 2020 Communications intern. “Team Angus made me feel like I was a true member of the team.”

Not only are these internships valuable in helping students build specific skills, but they provide participants opportunity to extend their professional network. Interns at Angus are assigned responsibilities and guided by experts in their career field to help instill confidence and ensure success.

The four internships being offered are: Angus Journal: This writing-intensive opportunity offers the chance to join a multi-media effort, which includes the Angus Journal print publication and the AJ Daily electronic newsletter, as well as the Angus Journal’s website and social media presence. The internship can be tailored to the intern’s strengths, but many duties can be anticipated, including travel-

ing to industry events. Experience in news and feature writing, editing and photography are strongly suggested.

Communications: From print stories to video scripts, photography, graphic design and more, the communications intern will truly gain valuable agricultural communications experience. Applicants should have strong writing and design skills and have completed coursework in news and feature writing, editing and design. Experience in photography, video and social media would be helpful.

Events and Education: The intern will assist in planning and executing youth events hosted by the National Junior Angus Association (NJAA), including preparations, correspondence and coordination for junior shows and events. Applicants should be self-starters, detail-oriented and outgoing with the ability to work well with others. Livestock and event-planning experience is a plus but not required. Travel to the 2021 National Junior Angus Show (NJAS), Leaders Engaged in Angus Development (LEAD) conference and other events is expected.

AGI: Students pursuing their master’s degree or doctorate in animal breeding and genetics should apply for the AGI summer internship. The intern will have the opportunity to work with one of the world’s largest beef genomic databases. The internship will be focused on research that involves data analysis, so candidates should have experience in analyzing animal breeding data sets and genomic data.

Additionally, Angus Media is finalizing an internship structure with the Angus Beef Bulletin that will likely include a parttime schedule on a quarterly basis. Look for details to come.

esto tive liv forma

ost in est’s m

T

he U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona has found sufficient evidence of bad faith to grant a motion authorizing discovery and compelling the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) to produce internal documents showing whether political corruption influenced an abrupt reversal of policy regarding a huge property development near the San Pedro River.

Conservation groups represented by Earthjustice filed the motion after a longtime FWS official told reporters on the record that he was pressured by a “high-level politico” to reverse his determination that the Endangered Species Act required the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete a comprehensive consultation with FWS before approving a necessary

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permit for the Villages at Vigneto development. The conservation groups also sought to compel the government to produce emails, drafts, and other internal documents that corroborated the improper political interference. The government opposed the motion based on the assertion that the political interference was merely a “legal” conversation.

The court granted the motion, finding that it could not ignore “the gravity of Director Spangle’s statements indicating political interference.” The court further concluded that those statements “at the very least, support a showing of bad faith sufficient to warrant deliberative materials and extra-record discovery.”

Lower San Pedro Watershed Alliance, Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, Maricopa Audubon Society, Tucson Audubon Society, and Cascabel Conservation Association filed the motion as part of litigation brought against the Corps and the FWS over the Vigneto development.

Students interested in applying should send a résumé, cover letter and references to careers@angus.org by February 1, 2021. Visit angus.org/careers for internship descriptions and requirements.

! w o N e b i r c s b u

S

Discovery Motion Granted in FWS’ San Pedro River Policy Reversal

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G A

Offering the finest services in agriculture and policy development from association and board training to crafting legislation and lobbying.

CAREN FOR AG, LLC

CAREN COWAN, P.O. BOX 7458, ALBUQUERQUE NM 87194 505.263.2015 • CAREN@CARENFORAG.COM • WWW.CARENFORAG.COM

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Livestock Market Digest

December 15, 2020