NFB | Grassroots Newsletter

Nevada Farm Bureau Offers Presentation To Public Lands Subcommittee

On Friday, April 15th Nevada Farm Bureau shared a presentation with the Nevada Legislature’s Public Lands Subcommittee, offering background on Nevada Farm Bureau, an overview about Nevada agricultural production and the importance that water plays for the state’s farmers and ranchers. The Legislature’s Public Lands Subcommittee was assigned an interim study “concerning water conservation in this state.” The language of the legislation (AB 356) regarding the study stated: “The study must include, without limitation, an examination of: (a) The management of water resources in this State; and (b) Programs and policies to promote water conservation in this State that also protect and support existing water rights….” As the Subcommittee kicked off their first meeting, Doug Busselman, Nevada Farm Bureau Executive Vice President wanted to make it clear where the organization’s policy weighs in on the matter of “Conservation of Nevada Water”…

Nevada Water Conservation Program:

NFB supports appropriate management of agricultural irrigation water and conservation measures which provide for proper management of water resources which maintain the long-term ability of a water basin to not exceed perennial yield levels. Agricultural irrigation water use should not exceed the duties associated with a water right. Attention needs to be directed at addressing overappropriated groundwater basins with solutions oriented to bringing water rights and water being pumped into balance with perennial yields. Ongoing monitoring reports need to be shared with water right owners in the groundwater basin to assist in a better understanding of the conditions and status of the groundwater basin. Conservation and irrigation efficiency by an agricultural water right owner is already addressed without government involvement because of the costs and economic self-interest of the water right owner who has significant investments associated with the infrastructure and operations of applying irrigation water for beneficial use. The Subcommittee will hold it’s next meeting in Boulder City on May 23. The subcommittee is also scheduled to meet in Nixon, NV on June 27th.

New Development That Might Trigger Legislative Attention

On April 19, 2022, District Court Judge Bita Yeager issued a ruling on the State Engineer’s Order 1309. The ruling pulls the footing out from under two rather significant points that the State Engineer had determined were the basis for the authority to manage the Lower White River Flow System in Southern NV. Point number 1 that came down with Judge Yeager’s ruling involves the State Engineer’s creation of a super-basin for combining multiple groundwater basins (seven existing basins) into a single jointly administered unit. The 8th District Judge said that since the state’s water law doesn’t give the State Engineer the authority to be reconfiguring water basins – there wasn’t authority for setting up such a super-basin to be managed conjunctively. Point number 2 that came down with the ruling deals with conjunctive management. Again, Judge Yeager notes that legislative intent does not constitute a grant of the authority of the State Engineer to make decisions that are believed to be water management and then justify those decisions as being covered by the legislative intent. “In fact, there is no authority or guidance whatsoever in the statutes as to how to go about conjunctively managing water and water rights.” Judge Yeager wrote. This point is a similar perspective that NFB policy on “Conjunctive Water Management” when it stated “We

are very concerned over the lack of legislative direction and absence of specific parameters in regard to how ‘Conjunctive Management’ is going to be carried out.”

How this court decision will translate into possible legislative actions, aimed at addressing the way that current law only states “Legislative Intent.” It may cause a legislator or a group to promote the need for expanding on “Conjunctive Management” as a way to rescue the whole concept from the waste basket where it might be now? NFB Policy might also need to be adjusted in light of the present status, but there is reason to believe that our present policy still retains some very important relevance in dealing with whatever conversations might evolve. One of the present elements of Nevada Farm Bureau Conjunctive Water Management states – “We urge a full public discussion of what

conjunctive management of water resources means and how combining separate sections of state law will be implemented. Long and established separations for surface and groundwater rights cannot be quickly combined without a complete vetting of how issues and impacts will be worked through. Top down edicts by the State Engineer’s office, without local, public engagement of those being affected is not acceptable.” Ideas/Thoughts For Recommendations

To Natural Resources Committee

The Joint Interim Standing Committee on Natural Resources will be holding their next committee meeting on June 16th. This will be their fourth meeting of the interim session. Earlier in the process of this committee’s work they made an offer to anyone interested to offer recommendations on proposed bill draft request or something coming in the form of a recommendation for action to submit those proposals for consideration. A form was provided on the committee’s webpage to be used for submitting the recommendations you would like to be considered: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/InterimCommittee/ REL/Document/26644 The deadline for submitting recommendations is Friday, June 24th. If you have any suggestions or input to Nevada Farm Bureau, which you think we ought to submit. Please email doug@nvfb.org with that input for Farm Bureau to consider.

Follow Up Meat Industry & Stakeholders Roundtable Set For April 29

In December the Nevada Department of Agriculture and NFB hosted a roundtable information session to discuss future opportunities for meat processing in Nevada. This included exploring possible avenues for a Nevada Meat Inspection program, similar to other state programs in the West which would allow for commercial meat sales within Nevada. Earlier in April the Nevada Legislature’s Interim Finance Committee approved funding for the Nevada Department of Agriculture to develop a State Meat and Poultry Inspection program, using dollars from the American Rescue Plan. Plans are for another roundtable session to be held at the Nevada Department of Agriculture headquarters in Sparks, NV on Friday, April 29, starting at 9 a.m.. There is also going to be an option for participants to tune in by Zoom, if you can’t attend in person. NV. A zoom link and phone number are provided below for those that cannot participate in person. If you have any questions, please contact Samantha Bellwood at sbellwood@agri.nv.gov or (775) 432-4263.

Virtual Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89413386487 Meeting ID: 894 1338 6487 Phone: +1-669-900-9128 Phone Access Code: 894 1338 6487

Nevada Heritage Foundation

Continuing Education Scholarship

The Nevada Heritage Foundation is excited to announce the Continuing Education Scholarship is now open. This scholarship award is available to students currently enrolled in either a traditional or non-traditional post-secondary program and have completed at least one year of higher education. Preference will be given to students pursuing career goals in the Agricultural or Ag-Business industry. The successful candidate must be from a Nevada Farm Bureau member family and an interview may be required of the top individuals before the recipient is selected. Two scholarships may be awarded in the amount of $2,000.00 and $1,000.00. Applications must be received by July 30, 2022. Full application and details can be found here: www.nvfb.org/articles/ nevada-heritage-foundation-continuing-educationscholarship/

Hats Off To Humboldt County For The 2022 Return Of Ag In The Classroom!

Congratulations to the Humboldt County Ag In The Classroom Committee for their successful 2022 effort to bring Ag In The Classroom back to the third graders of Humboldt County! They held their event on March 22nd in the Winnemucca Events Center with 15 learning stations for students to visit. Students were able to experience ultra-sounding of sheep (see the photo above) and x-raying the leg of a horse at the veterinarian station. They were able to learn about sheep production and products, got an in-depth lesson on potatoes, learned about dairy cows and dairy products, working stock dogs and poultry. The Nevada Farm Bureau corn trailer provided a historical and interactive station about the history of grain and corn. Students were able to have handson learning at the tractor station and learned about mint and the many products made from it. At one station there was a description of how sod is grown. At another why and how fertilizer and herbicides are used and spread with a big spreader, which was provided by Simplot. Students visited the beef station and learned about the many uses of beef by-products. There were goats to see and learn about and a livestock demo station where students got to brush and have hands-on time with the animals at the station. In the weeks leading up to the event, third-grade teachers throughout the county received “teacher bags” filled with educational agriculture resources. The book, “How Did That Get in My Lunchbox,” along with an educator’s guide and various other ag related educational materials were provided in the bags. After a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic, the 2022 return of the event marked the 19th year it has taken place in Humboldt County.

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Nevada Farm Bureau Comments On NDEP Proposed Regulations

The 55-page proposed regulation by the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) to rewrite the state’s antidegradation program and establish a system for nominations of “water of extraordinary ecological, aesthetic or recreational value” (EAW) drew these comments from Nevada Farm Bureau: https://files. constantcontact.com/ce74815a701/480ec5a2-37ad4c12-b1d6-4be5f6d94fe8.pdf In order to protect existing land uses from being harmed by a weaponized designation process, NFB called for language to be included in the regulation stating… “any land use which could be impacted by a designation of an Ecological Waters of Significance (EAW) should result with the proposal for an EAW designation to be disqualified as being incompatible.”

Western State Farm Bureaus

Urge BLM To Continue To Gather

Wild Horses With Motorized Vehicles

Nevada Farm Bureau joined with eight other Western State Farm Bureaus to share written comments as part of the hearing that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is holding on whether to use motorized vehicles in the management of wild horses and burros. (Read comments here: https://files.constantcontact. com/ce74815a701/9ddec3fd-57d0-4f6b-a366201ec02131d9.pdf ) BLM’s virtual public hearing to deal with using motorized vehicles and aircraft in the management of wild horses and burros was held on Tuesday, April 26. It was a livestreamed hearing. The Western Farm Bureaus’ letter observed “On January 5, 2022, BLM announced plans to gather “at least 22,000 wild horses and burros form overpopulated herds, remove at least 19,000 excess animals, and treat at least 2,300 animals with various forms of fertility controls.” It continued: “With over three times the appropriate management level of wild horses and burros (estimated to be more than 86,000 animals in 2021), the only way for these plans to feasibly be implemented is through the use of motorized vehicles. Discontinuing the use of motorized vehicles or the use of aircraft in management of wild horses and burros would harm the ability to remove animals, transport horses from gathering sites to holding facilities to reduce overpopulation, as well as various related activities.”