Progressive Rancher May-June 2013 by The Progressive Rancher

NCA 2009 Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Award Recipient

Living in the Now, Preparing for the Future

9th Circuit Ruling...............................pg. 6

Sage Grouse Initiative Shows Benefit of Removing Juniper............................pg. 22 American Lands Council Gains Ground....................................pg. 23

Eye on the Outside...........................pg. 10

Beef Checkoff...................................pg. 27

Ramblings of a Ranch Wife............. pg. 11

Look Up: Stick ’em Up....................pg. 28

Fumes from the Farm.......................pg. 13

Coloring Page...................................pg. 30

Debruycker Charolais Bull Sale Results...............................pg. 13

Grasshoppers Migrate from Southern Nevada..............................pg. 31

Financial Advisor

John W. Marvel.................................pg. 14

Observing Tomorrow: LandSat Satelliete.............................pg. 32

2213 North 5th Street Suite A Elko, NV 89801 775-738-8811

Pauline Riordin.................................pg. 15

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Nevada Cattlemen’s Assn..............pgs. 3-4

Devil’s Gate Pilot Project Adopted.....pg.7

For many of us, our goals in life remain constant: financial independence and providing for family. Striking a balance between saving for goals, such as education and retirement, and allocating money for daily expenses can be challenging. But you can do it.

Financial Advisor

In this Issue...

Bill McKnight...................................pg. 16 Animal Disease Traceability.....pgs. 18-19

www.edwardjones.com

Member SIPC

Source Verification and the ADT Rule: What’s the difference?......................pg. 18 Profitability Starts with Genetics ....................................pgs. 20-21

Wildfire Forum.................................pg. 33 Edward Jones: Financial Focus........pg. 34 Humboldt Watershed CWMA Leafy Spurge.....................................pg. 35 Horse Tripping Bills Advance..........pg. 36 USDA & HSUS vs. The Horse Industry...........................pg. 37

The Progressive Rancher Owner/Editor/Publisher – Leana Stitzel progressiverancher@elko.net

Graphic Design/Layout/Production – Julie Eardley julie@jeprographics.com

Cover Photo: “The Manager” by Cindy Sitz, Stiz Ranch Drewsey, Oregon

America’s greatness is the greatness of her people. —Barry Goldwater / George W. Romney

Mailed to more than 6,000 individuals with approved addresses each month. The Progressive Rancher is published monthly. The views and opinions expressed by writers of articles appearing in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor. Letters of opinion are welcomed by The Progressive Rancher. Rates for advertising are available upon request. Advertising in The Progressive Rancher does not necessarily imply editorial endorsement. Liability for any errors or omissions in advertisements shall not exceed the cost of the space occupied by the error or omission. The Progressive Rancher is free to people working and active in the livestock industry. The Progressive Rancher is donated to the agricultural industry. If you are not currently receiving this magazine on a regular basis, and would like to be a part of The Progressive Rancher family, contact us by e-mail at progressiverancher@elko.net, today, so we can include you on our mailing list. If you have moved or changed addresses, please notify us, by e-mail, so we can keep you informed. All requests for the magazine must be made by e-mail.

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2 MAY / JUNE 2013

The Progressive Rancher

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typical bureaucracy; they are top heavy and feeding off those at the bottom. Those of us in the business know that the margins are slim in this business. While a dollar here and there doesn’t seem like a lot, let us take a little closer look. If a ranching operation has to pay six, eight, or twenty thousand dollars a year to the BLM just to keep all their AUMs regardless of use, that money isn’t being spent on improvements, new equipment, supplies in town, groceries at the local market, or parts at the supply house. These dollars stop circulating in our local economies, and the very basic principal of our local economies starts to fall apart. So what do we do? In some cases, producers will elect to not pay the dollar on suspended AUMs, and those will be taken away and erased from the books. No one can judge an operation for doing this. Unlike the government, we must keep a steady cash flow or we stop operating. What is the result of allowing these suspended AUMs to go away? More room on paper for wild horses is one thing I see coming. As long as we maintain our suspended AUM’s, there is no valid reason to allow for expanding Appropriate Management Levels (AML) without also allowing for an increase in permitted livestock use. If we have no suspended AUM’s and there is found to be resources enough for increased carrying capacity, we won’t realize an increase in permitted livestock use. The Nevada Cattlemen’s Association will continue to fight this issue alongside our national affiliates in Washington, DC. This is an issue that we all need to be concerned about. Granted it will have a tremendous impact on the cash flow of the ranching operation, but it will affect our local economies. I urge the local grocers, seed salesman, supply house owner and barber to stand behind our ranching community. Every dollar that leaves our local economy is a dollar we won’t see pass through our communities again. On a positive note in the struggle to protect our resources and wild horses, NACO unanimously voted to file suit against the BLM in federal court. If we hope to protect our natural resources and protect the health of wild horses, their numbers must be managed at AML. The excuse of “our hands are tied by lawsuits and public opinion” cannot be allowed to continue. This endeavor will take funding from all sources in order to be successful. While many grazing boards and livestock associations have pledged money and spent money to get to this point, it is going to take more contributions from all land users, not just ranchers. With any luck, we can untie their hands with a court order to uphold the very law they are charged with administering.

UPDATE UPDATE

s the month of April comes to a close, cattle are returning to summer ranges in much of the state. Those areas impacted by fire last year are undergoing restoration in some cases, and reduced carrying capacity due to drought is being felt by almost everyone. While those of us in the West continue to struggle to keep our ranching industry afloat, the Obama administration is carefully crafting language and budgets that will further hamper our industry. I don’t know why any of us would be surprised by the fact that there are additional fees proposed for owners of federal land grazing permits. This administration has been actively campaigning for increased revenue from day one. While we managed to stop a one dollar fee on all AUMs last year, we may not be so fortunate this year. Along with a demand to increase grazing fees to bring them more in line with private property grazing fees, we are seeing reductions in permitted AUMs for reasons such as drought, wildlife, and wild horses. Most of this is not news to any of you, but it lays the groundwork for what I feel may truly be behind an increased fee on all AUMs. As I said, there is continued pressure to limit the number of livestock grazing on federally administered lands. “In order to protect our rangelands we cannot allow their use”. We struggle to prevent catastrophic fire and blame the livestock industry when it does burn. The policies managing land use have gotten so far off center, that nothing really surprises us anymore. As an industry we are finding ways to cope with the increased pressures placed upon our operations and to this point managing to stay in business. So now, we will be taxed into giving up some of our property rights. With a dollar on EVERY AUM assessment being proposed, there will be significant costs to livestock producers on public lands. Keep in mind that this dollar will have to be paid on all active and suspended AUMs. Most of us have been carrying our suspended AUMs on the books for years. These AUMs are a part of our ranching operations and should be activated before any increase in wild horses or increases in wildlife are allowed on our operations. Now, we will be asked to pay a tax in order to keep these AUMs. This isn’t like paying the ten cents an AUM to the Nevada Rangeland Resource Commission, this is ten times that amount and payable to an agency that will use it to shuttle paperwork around to comply with court decisions. The chances of us seeing a dime of that money actually put to use on the ground are slim to none. The federal management agencies are becoming a

J.J.

Goicoechea DVM

Nevada Cattlemen’s Association President www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

MAY / JUNE 2013 3

Nevada Cattlemen’s Association By Desiree Seal, Nevada Cattlemen’s Association Executive Director

ell, as much as we have been in a drought, putting a dreary outlook on life and way to much worry on your shoulders, we have had some positive things happen for the cattle industry. This past month, NCA awarded the annual scholarship, members attending our annual Legislative Conference in Washington DC, and the half way mark for the 77th Nevada Legislative Session has come and gone. The later can be positive or negative depending on how you look at it. I’m choosing positive. First off for this month, congratulations are in order! The NCA Scholarship Committee reviewed many scholarships sent in by graduating seniors and has chosen a recipient. (Drum roll please….) Congratulations to Rick Barnes of Spring Creek High School for being chosen as the 2013 NCA Scholarship recipient! Rick has been highly active within his high school and, the community of Elko County, participating as a trainee for the Jiggs Volunteer Fire Department and an active member of St. Joseph’s Parish. Serving in the industry at a young age, Rick participated in his local 4-H club and later, the Silver Sage FFA Chapter, taking an active role in leadership. Rick will be competing on the Casper College Livestock Judging Team next fall and pursuing a degree in Ag Business in hopes returning to his family’s operation to continue to build his personal cattle herd and be an advocate for agriculture. Congratulations again to Rickie! We are very proud of you and have great confidence that your will continue to serve our industry well. Good luck on your future endeavors! To read Rick’s full essay submitted as part of the NCA Scholarship, please check out the NCA newsletter Sage Signals. This month brought our Public Lands Council/National Cattlemen’s Beef Associa-

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tion (PLC/NCBA) Annual Legislative Conference in Washington DC. Members of NCA gathered at our nation’s capital to meet with state leadership and federal land management agencies to discuss current issues and bring awareness to concerns of the ranching industry. This Conference serves as an important part of the year for every State’s Cattlemen’s Association and affiliates to meet with state delegations and address the unique issues and circumstances that face the cattle industry around the nation. As over 88% of Nevada is public lands, many of the presentations from the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service addressed concerns of NCA. Presentations included the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Division, BLM employees of the Rangeland Management Division and the U.S. Forest Service Rangeland Management Division. PLC Legislative Conference also presented updates from Affiliates of the beef industry. Affiliate updates were presented by the Association of National Grasslands, the American Sheep Industry Association and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). The Conference also featured a presentation from Rep. Lucus (R-OK) in regards to the House Agriculture Committee and the Farm Bill 2012. With discussion of the Immigration Reform, NCBA also presented a panel discussion to present to pros and cons of each of the current acts regarding Immigration Reform. Further into the week began meetings “on the Hill” with congressional representatives and agency leadership. Members of NCA met with Senator Reid, Senator Heller, Congressman Horsford and Congressman Amodei and congressional staff members. Meetings with agency leadership included; Acting Director Neil Kornze (BLM) and Director of Rangelands Management Charlie Richmond (USFS), as well as several Division Chairs. Our meetings proved to be productive and NCA was able to address a variety of legislative issues affecting Nevada producers. Current legislation that NCA discussed with leadership included the support of the Grazing Improvement Act, Obama’s proposed Federal Lands Grazing Fee including in his budget, revision of the Endangered Species Act, and the Free Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971. Pushing for less burdensome regulations on grazing was top of the list for this year’s conference. Equally as important, is the urge to have transparency and accountability measures for National Monuments and the Equal Access to Justice Act. Also for this month, I would like to give a brief update on monitoring efforts for NCA of the 77th Nevada Legislative Session. Bills that have met the deadline for passage or have been given exempt status include: a “clean-up” bill for the Department of Agriculture providing revisions, deleting provisions and expanding on the authority and purpose of the Department of Agriculture (AB20), establishes duties and provides the creation of statute of the Sagebrush Ecosystem Council and the associated Technical Team (AB461) and an act governing provisions to placement and maintenance of guzzlers and defines “water” to include snow for the purpose of watering livestock (SB134). Bills that did not meet the deadline for passage include; conversion of the Department of Wildlife into a Division of Wildlife under the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (SB120), required labeling of genetically modified foods produced or sold in Nevada (AB330) and provisions allowing for private land shooting preserves for certain species of game mammals (SB333). These are just some of the bills being monitored and tracked by NCA. If you would like more information regarding these or any other bills, please call the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association office at 1-775-738-9214. Lastly, I would like to reassure you that NCA continues to work on issues such as drought management policies by BLM, traceability rule implementation and livestock disaster programs. Also, we are also still interested to hear from membership about your thoughts on the current office proposal as posted in last month’s newsletter. I hope this month’s update has left you with some positive thoughts moving into the summer! And, we can all still hope that April showers bring May….grass, and less harsh drought conditions as we have previously endured. Here’s to hoping! If you are not currently a member of Nevada Cattlemen’s Association, we encourage you to join. Become part of an Association that is working to protect the future of ranching in Nevada. To learn more about the Association or to become a member, please call the office at 1-775-738-9214 or visit our webpage at www.nevadacattlemen.org. We look forward to hearing from you! If you are currently a member, thank you for your continued support. Without your membership, the Association’s voice could not be as strong as it is today.

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

Nevada Rangeland Resources Commission

evada Rangeland Resources Commission 2012 –2013 budget will include the following projects and will enter into a grant agreement in order to accomplish these promotions of public land ranching.

KNPB Channel 5 Public Broadcasting Television, Reno, NV •

Nevada Ranchers Caretakers of our

Rangelands

One- hour television production to explore the obstacles, environmental issues, weather and government bureaucracy faced by Nevada’s food producers. Will be completed in spring of 2014. The program is designed to educate the general public about the realities of ranching in Nevada.

Cowboys and sheepherders produce food and fiber for the nation. Growing food on Open range is a natural biological process.

Range Magazine •

Their charter is to provide and disseminate information about the use, care and maintenance of natural resources. Range will renew 500 gifts subscriptions for doctors’ and attorneys’ offices back East, which will say “Compliments of Nevada ranchers.” All four issues of Range will have a full color and fullpage ad. Range will also place the latest Range book in schools and libraries throughout Nevada.

Grazing actually benefits the land with hoof action and natural fertilization. Plants are healthier and regenerate faster after the herds move to a new range.

Great Basin Water Network •

Founded in 2005, when the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) reactivated its groundwater applications all over Nevada. The wide-ranging Network works vigorously to oppose SNWA’s massive water exportation project. Their goal being to educate as many rural and urban people about the economic, environmental and social impacts of the proposed SNWA project as well as legally respond to court rulings.

Antelope and other game animals and birds take advantage of the improvements made by ranchers.

Nevada Cattlemen’s Association (NCA) •

NCA will coordinate a Cooperating Agency Status and Coordination Seminar, which will consist of 4 training sessions throughout the state. Historically, public land ranchers have participated by submitting comments to the federal agencies, however this type of commenting is limited. The goal is to show how Cooperating agency status and/or coordination can be a powerful tool when participating in the public input process.

Grazing cattle and sheep coexist peacefully with native wildlife and, in fact, make a friendlier habitat for many species.

The Progressive Rancher •

Founded in 2001 to honor agricultural traditions, while embracing modern education. The grant will promote Nevada Rangeland education materials to an audience which is affected financially by the health of Nevada Rangelands and to educate the readers both in the magazine and on the internet as to how the livestock industry continues to improve and steward the land.

Heritage Foundation •

Great Basin Agriculture Curriculum •

Sheep often graze on steep terrain and can control cheatgrass, a major fuel for wildfires.

Established in 1996 to promote the understanding of Nevada Agriculture and the Northern Nevada Dairymen. In 2006 a set of Ag posters were created to correlate with the state educational standards. These sets have been distributed to classrooms throughout the state. The funds from NRRC will be used to update the information on the back of the posters, print 1,000 sets, and distribute them to the classrooms.

Nevada Ag in the Classroom was established in 1982 to help students understand food, fiber, and landscaping system, and how agriculture affects their daily lives. The funds will develop and produce a curriculum detailing the history of the agriculture in the Great Basin and the issues surrounding public land uses and management for students in grades 4-8.

Nevada Rangeland Resources Commission was created by the State of Nevada to promote responsible public land grazing. Representatives come from Nevada state grazing boards, Nevada Woolgrowers, Nevada Farm Bureau, and Nevada Cattlemen’s Association.

4780 East Idaho Steet, Elko, NV 89801 • 775-738-4082 WWW.NEVADARANGELANDS.ORG This ad is funded through the NRRC’s assessment of 10 cents an AUM paid by public land ranchers.

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The Progressive Rancher

MAY / JUNE 2013 5

The 9th Circuit Favors Ranchers in Sage Grouse Ruling by Andy Rieber - Reprinted with permission

Located in Oregon’s extreme southeast corner, Louse Canyon and the surrounding environs are revered by backpackers, wildlife enthusiasts, and photographers for their remote and scenic splendor. Soaring, pinnacled canyon walls, an enviable population of sage grouse in the uplands, and the Wild and Scenic status of the West Little Owyhee River all contribute to make the area a cause célèbre of environmental organizations. But the region is far more than an environmental poster child. Overseen by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the almost 529,000-acre Louse Canyon Greater Management Area (LC- GMA) provides grazing land for a handful of southern Oregon ranches, some of which have been turning cattle out on this farflung corner of the High Desert for multiple generations. Given the competing interests for this prized piece of Oregon real estate, it’s not at all surprising that the area has been subject to an ongoing legal tug-o-war since 2006, when environmental litigators Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) and Western Watersheds Project sued BLM over its plan to renew grazing permits for the area and install new fences, pipelines, and water troughs. But on March 15, the case yielded an important win for the ranchers who depend on LCGMA for access to summer grass. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, known for its long track record of siding with environmental litigants, disappointed ONDA by refusing to freeze grazing on LCGMA, citing a lack of conclusive evidence that grazing was irreparably harming the greater sage grouse, a species that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has deemed “warranted” for an endangered listing but has not listed due to lack of financial resources.

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Chris Bengoa, manager of Harry Ranch LLC, which runs cattle on the LCGMA Campbell allot ment, expressed relief at the ruling. An injunction, Bengoa said, would have left ranchers with nowhere to put their cattle. “It would be devastating,” said Bengoa. “Enjoining grazing on Louse Canyon GMA would basically put us out of business. There would be no place to go. We’d just have to sell our cows.” The three-justice panel stated in its ruling that although evidence presented to the court “indicated that grazing poses some danger to sage-grouse, the record also showed that the danger is site-specific and depends on a number of factors. On at least one rangeland, exclusion of livestock had no effect on the sage-grouse population, and some evidence demonstrated potential positive effects from grazing,” the ruling continued. The decision is likely to elate ranchers, who have long argued that grazing poses little threat to the dwindling sage grouse in comparison with fire, urban encroachment, and industrial installations. Many ranchers maintain that grazing may even benefit the bird by reducing accumulation of dead grasses that can choke off new growth and fuel wild fires. The court was similarly unimpressed with ONDA’s argument that water installations, like troughs, and even cattle hoof tracks would provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which ONDA contended would subject the grouse to increased infection from West Nile virus. “The threat of West Nile virus was also too remote,” the judges ruled. “An outbreak requires the presence of a complex set of conditions, but the record did not indicate that those conditions were likely to be present.” The decision is of particular interest because it shows that arguments linking grazing with widespread, irreparable harm to sage grouse can fail to be persuasive even in the 9th Circuit, widely held to be a friendly venue for environmentalist litigants. Given that litigation over grazing sage grouse habitat is only expected to increase, the ruling suggests that the burden is on environmental groups to provide conclusive proof that grazing is a serious threat to sage grouse survival. The 9th Circuit also rejected ONDA’s contention that BLM needed to prepare an environmental impact statement to fulfill its obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), maintaining that a much shorter environmental assessment was sufficient. NEPA requires government agencies to complete an analysis of actions that may have an impact to the environment. The decision caps off more than six years of legal sparring over the LCGMA grazing plan. The case came before the 9th Circuit once before in 2011 when the appellate court agreed with ONDA that its complaint was not rendered moot by the BLM’s move to revise its 2010 grazing plan. With the case remanded back to the federal court, ONDA succeeded in convincing the federal district judge to throw out the revised plan, arguing that BLM had not complied with NEPA. The federal court allowed BLM to revert to its 2006 grazing plan while redoing its NEPA study instead of halting grazing as ONDA had demanded, prompting the group again to appeal the decision in the 9th Circuit. Under the 9th Circuit’s most recent ruling, BLM is now allowed to manage LC- GMA under its 2006 grazing plan while revising its NE- PA study on the new plan. It is not known whether ONDA will attempt to appeal this latest decision. To do so would require petitioning for the case to be reheard, petitioning for a hearing before a full panel of the 9th Circuit justices, or before the Supreme Court. ONDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Bengoa, for one, is happy with the decision as it stands. At least his cows will have a place to go this spring. Without LCGMA available for grazing, Bengoa suggests, ranchers in this remote corner of Oregon simply wouldn’t be able to survive. “It would just eliminate these ranches in this community.” Andy Rieber is a freelance writer and photographer who specializes in ranching, livestock, agriculture, and rural Americana. Her published stories on people and happenings in the ranching world cover a broad range of topics, from the cultural phenomenon of neighboring among ranchers to commodities hedging for profit.She is a regular contributor to the Western Livestock Journal and other industry-related publications. She makes her home in Adel, Oregon. — andyrieber.com

The Progressive Rancher

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Devil’s Gate Sage Grouse Pilot Project Adopted by Neighboring Utah County by Linda Drown Bunch

Elko County’s Sage Grouse Pilot Project at the Devil’s Gate Ranch has been adopted by at least one Utah county as that state begins implementing its own sage grouse plan. A packed house listened as Elko County Commissioners Glen Guttry and Grant Gerber along with Assistant County Manager Randy Brown and Devil’s Gate owner Ken Bowler presented the Elko County Plan on April 9th to the Box Elder County Commissioners meeting in Brigham City. Federal, state, and local officials expressed support for the Box Elder move before it received an affirmative vote by the commissioners. According to Kathleen Clarke, director of the state Public Lands Policy Coordination Office who spoke favorably of the project, “It is a beautiful complement to the state plan,” Larry Crist of the Utah office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in voicing his endorsement commented, “This action will make a difference. It addresses threats and has monitoring. I can’t applaud you enough for taking proactive action. This is going to move us forward.” “Ranching is not a bad thing for sage grouse ... ,” said Troy Forrest, who runs the Utah Agriculture Department’s grazing improvement program. “They like alfalfa, they like the open county that ranchers keep. “We have a great opportunity to do what Elko County is doing and being successful,” Forrest said. The Box Elder County Pilot Project on private holdings in the Grouse Creek Valley near the Utah/ Nevada border will be closely modeled after the Elko County Pilot Project with an emphasis on monitored grazing , removal of invasive junipers, and cheat grass abatement which will not only improve habitat but will also reduce the likelihood of devastating wild land fire which is the primary destroyer of habitat for all wildlife species including sage grouse. Reducing predator numbers, especially ravens, will also be a part of the Box Elder Project as it is in the Elko County model. When asked to comment on the initial positive reception the Elko County Pilot Project has received so far, Elko County Commissioner Grant Gerber had this to say: “I have been tentatively saying this is the first time in the forty year history of the Endangered Species Act that local government and private owners have done anything on the ground that is different from what the US Fish and Wildlife Service has demanded. Everyone that I have talked to that has followed the ESA has agreed - so far. I am continuing to search to see if that statement is correct. I think it is. If it is and we succeed with our plan it could be a major factor in changing the way people look at the ESA. We could make some major changes.” Predictably, the detractors of the program are those same forces whose ultimate agenda is the removal of all livestock grazing as well as oil and gas development on federal lands ensuring the destruction of traditional livelihoods and local economies. An editorial in the Las Vegas Review Journal had this to say: “The Idaho-based Western Watersheds Project, which has actually called for the removal of all livestock, closing roads and a ban on new oil and gas drilling, criticized the plan. ‘Their fixation on killing and poisoning native wildlife and turning lands back into a dustbowl is really twisted,’said Katie Fite, the group’s biodiversity director. But Ms. Fite is wrong. In fact, wildlife has never prospered as well in the arid West as when ranchers are present to develop water resources and thin out predators.”

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The Progressive Rancher

MAY / JUNE 2013 7

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327

$160.00

Small Barn at 10:30 AM Cows at 11:30 AM Feeder Cattle at 1:00 PM

CafĂŠ

Open on Sale Days Stop by and have a Homestyle Burger

SALES

Carlin

BLK

STR

509

$139.00

Fallon

MIX

STR

640

$138.50

Guy Fowler

Fallon

BLK

STR

679

$128.50

STR

618

$138.00

STR

573

$136.00

STR

569

$131.00

Simon Fisher

Eve & Benz Tschannen

Fallon

BLK

STR

502

$129.00

Fidel Carricaburu

Battle Mountain

BLK

STR

703

$126.00

Fidel Carricaburu

Battle Mountain

BLK

STR

820

$120.50

Fernley

BBF

STR

770

$124.50

Kevin Jenkins Jessica Brown

Carson City

STR

768

$123.00

Badger Ranch

Battle Mountain

BLK

STR

812

$121.25

Fallon

MIX

STR

807

$120.50

Hiko

MIX

STR

735

$120.00

Stage Stop Ranch

Austin

BLK

HFR

349

$155.00

Silver Creek Ranch Inc

Austin

BLK

HFR

410

$141.50

CHAR

STR

389

$159.50

Brinkerhoff Ranch

Austin

MIX

STR

415

$158.00

Tory Pomi

Donald & Kenneth Harmon

Fallon

BLK

STR

462

$155.00

Fallon

BLK

STR

615

$138.50

C-Ranches Inc

Beowawe

BLK

STR

567

$150.75

C-Ranches Inc

Beowawe

STR

580

$150.25

Anita Fillmore

Fallon

BBF

B/C

433

$150.00

Jim & Maureen Assuras

McGill

BLK

STR

538

$147.00

Trevor & Jake Wade

Alamo

MIX

STR

465

$147.00

Joe Tibbals

Yerington

BLK

STR

611

$146.00

in conjunction with our Regular Wednesday sale

April 17th & 18th

$114.25

Craig & Margie Burbank

Tonopah

Donald & Kenneth Harmon

814

Guy Fowler

Stage Stop Ranch

Feeder Sale

Weight Price CWT

Lovelock

BLK

HFR

413

$140.50

Fallon

BLK

HFR

490

$132.50

Nevada First Land & Cattle Winnemucca

BLK

HFR

609

$131.50

Nevada First Land & Cattle Winnemucca

BLK

HFR

680

$124.00

Manuel Jimenez

Paradise Valley

BLK

HFR

515

$124.50

Gene Heckman

Winnemucca

MIX

HFR

613

$122.75

Fallon

BLK

HFR

765

$116.50

Boomer Ranches

Carson City

MIX

HFR

728

$116.00

Richard & Teresa Braun Winnemucca

Jessica Brown

BLK

HFR

654

$115.00

31 Ranch

Fallon

BLK

HFRTT

1045

$95.00

Joe Tibbals

Yerington

BLK

STR

594

$144.00

Naggin' Woman Ranch

Winnemucca

BLK

HFRTT

1150

$87.50

Robb Goings

Fallon

BBF

STR

438

$143.00

Michael & Marian Gottschalk

Lovelock

COW

1180

$76.00

Truckee River Ranch

Fallon

BLK

B/C

574

$142.00

Sam Lompa

Carson City

BLRN

COW

1445

$73.25

Michael & Claudia Casey

Fallon

MIX

STR

481

$140.50

Butcher cows on Wednesday

Sam Lompa

Carson City

BCHX

COW

1645

$72.00

Michael & Claudia Casey

Fallon

MIX

STR

340

$140.00

Feeder cattle on Thursday

Jeff Whitaker

Fallon

HOLSTEIN

HFRTT

1385

$80.50

John & Terry Cooper

Oakdale

BLK

STR

588

$140.00

Oasis Dairy LLC

Fallon

HOLSTEIN

COW

2020

$68.50

John & Terry Cooper

Oakdale

BLK

STR

677

$127.00

starting at 11 AM

Oasis Dairy LLC

Fallon

HOLSTEIN

COW

1830

$68.00

Look for Weekly Market Reports at www.nevadalivestock.us We have 4 cattle trains available for your cattle hauling needs. We can haul approx. 80,000# of cattle per load either to our sale or in the country. Give us a call for pricing.

TO ALL OF OUR CONSIGNORS & BUYERS www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

MAY / JUNE 2013 9

By Joe Guild

hhhh! Modern travel – what a marvel. In Reno at 6:00 a.m. and having a drink with friends in Washington, D.C. a mere 9 hours later. You look down from 30,000 feet and you see the broad width of a continent in the time it used to take to ride a horse from Carson Valley, Nevada to Reno. This is how it is supposed to happen and it did on my recent trip to our nation’s capital. On the return trip it was a different story. A huge storm front, which spread from the Gulf of Mexico through the Great Lakes into Canada, disrupted air travel all across the country and it took me almost 21 hours to return home. I was in Washington, D.C. for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands Council annual spring conference to speak with our states’ Congressional delegations and the agencies which impact ranchers through their policies and decisions every day. Readers of my March column in this publication will recall I discussed many of the issues the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Washington, D.C. staff was working on, many of which resulted in successes, during the last session of Congress. I won’t repeat what I recently wrote about the issues themselves, but I want to discuss another topic I have written about in the past – the value of being a part of a larger group of people who all have the same goal in mind. In one sense, every rancher in this nation is a part of a larger organization and may not even know it. The Beef Promotion and Research Act (the check-off) passed by Congress in 1985 requires upon every sale, at every level of the production chain, one dollar be sent to the check-off program. Fifty cents of that dollar is then sent back to the states to be used in beef promotion, education and research. Each state has a Qualified Beef Council, which is a part of the Federation of State Beef Councils (SBC). This Federation has a contract relationship with NCBA and other organizations in the states to put in place programs which help to promote our ultimate product and build demand for beef as the premier consumer protein choice. The Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) is composed of individuals from all sectors of the industry, appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. The Board’s job is to make sure the beef check-off is administered according to the law. The law restricts the use of check-off dollars to research, education and promotion. No check-off dollars can be used for lobbying or litigation. Let me repeat that, because after all these years, there is still a misunderstanding among beef producers about the use of their check-off money. It cannot be used for lobbying activities. Thus, even though the CBB contracts with NCBA to implement the programs developed from check off funded research and development, none of the money is used to further NCBA developed policy issues. Furthermore, no more than 5% of your check off dollars can be used by the CBB for administration. Only those dues that producers pay to organizations such as NCBA can be used to lobby Congress to effect policy which impacts ranching operations. And if NCBA has a contract to do a research program for the Federation, none of that money can be comingled with NCBA dues dollars to be used for policy discussions with lawmakers. There is an accounting system that protects the dues dollars and check-off dollars from being mixed together which would be a violation of the check-off law. I have talked with accounting professionals about this firewall separating dues dollars from the check off money. They have told me they have never seen so many protections separating two sources of funds in all their professional years. So, if you have a hundred thousand dollar lobbying line item in your ranch budget do not read any further. But, if you want to unite in a common cause and have a message carried to Congress which will help your family and your business at a reasonable cost to you, I would suggest that NCBA dues is a great way to get the most effective use of your limited resources to lobby Congress. Can I promise you will agree with every action or policy NCBA creates for its lobbying effort? The answer is no. However, the policies the NCBA staff uses to guide its lobbying activities are developed by producers. Sometimes a county cattle association will develop a policy idea that is brought to a state association affiliated with NCBA. This

10 MAY / JUNE 2013

policy is then brought to the relevant NCBA committee and approved by NCBA’s board of directors. Eventually, this ground up policy developed by producers is what our lobbyists in Washington, D.C. use to try and convince the Congress the cattle industry position is the correct policy for the country. Admittedly, this is a complex and complicated system. But this is the structure within which important laws are created. Alone, a cattle rancher has little chance to make favorable changes. Together, united behind a common purpose, much good can be done. Just look what finally happened after about 20 years of work and what was done with permanent estate tax reform by the NCBA lobby team in Washington, D.C. if you need proof a collective effort can produce meaningful and lasting positive results for you and your family. I have never seen a more enthusiastic, dedicated and knowledgeable group of people than the NCBA staff working every day in Washington D.C. to make sure you can continue to run your ranching business profitably now and into the future. I mentioned the success in opening up the Japanese market that was spearheaded by officers and staff of NCBA in my recent column. I had a conversation just the other day with a senior executive of Costco, the retail warehouse giant. Their long term strategy is to expand the already large network of stores they have in the Far East. A big part of these plans is to grow the already big demand there is in those countries for American beef. This can only help you out on the ranch in the long term. Connecting the dots, it was the efforts of NCBA which will help you realize a continued strong demand for the product you help to put on people’s plates all over the world. The guy on the horse, fixing the fence, treating the sick calf or harvesting the hay every day all across this huge land separating two giant oceans should not have to worry about who is protecting him from the mis-guided folks who do not understand his business but think they know better how it should operate. That is why joining together with like-minded people in a strong, vibrant association working for the common good makes god sense. I invite you to join the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. I’ll see you soon.

Five Projects Funded to Increase Understanding of the Great Basin

Reno, Nev.--The Great Basin Landscape Conservation Cooperative (GBLCC) is providing more than $198,000 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to fund five projects within the Great Basin. The projects were selected from 16 proposals based on their ability to support the GBLCC’s mission of enhancing understanding of the effects of climate change and other natural and human impacts across the region and promoting coordination of science-based actions to enable communities to response and adapt to those conditions. The projects selected for funding include the following: $48,222 awarded to Dr. Elizabeth Leger, University of Nevada, Reno: “Understanding the causes and consequences of cheatgrass die-offs in the Great Basin.” The project will use satellite imagery to provide information on the size and extent of historic die-offs in the Winnemucca area and determine if the die-offs are restoration opportunities by planting native grasses. $44,795 awarded to Dr. Eric Beever, U.S. Geological Survey: “Characterization of montane ecosystems, their microclimates, and wildlife distribution and abundance across the hydrographic Great Basin.” The project will retrieve four years of data from over 200 temperature sensors located on over 100 million acres of the Great Basin to help quantify the variability of climate across varying landscape levels and time periods.

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

of a Ranch Wife J. B. Wh i te l e y

“We Wanna Brand Calves! ” T

R and QT finally got their wish. After begging mom for a week to go brand calves we had the opportunity to go to our cousin’s and brand calves Saturday. It wasn’t the nicest day we have had all year, we were hunting extra coats and sweaters, and nobody complained (except maybe the cooks), when we decided to go to the house for an early lunch, it was dang cold. My kids weren’t the only ones there either. My sister brought her biggest girl out and she kept the boys entertained. In years past, we put the portable play pen on the flat bed pick up for the kids to play in. When you think about it, it is the safest place to be. Especially if mom would rather be dragging calves to the fire instead of kids out of the way! They are too big now, so we tried to run interference for each other and kept them close to the fire, out of the way. Even though the boys were pretty busy playing, TR did take time out to watch his dad rope a few, and try his hand at “wrasslin” a couple. QT was too busy trying to stay warm by the fire to think about wrasslin calves. The Cow Boss and Brother in Law got to rope in the first heat while the weather was still decent. My sister and I agreed that was baloney to let them rope together first because that meant when we got to rope, 1. The calves would be wild, and 2. We would be trying to rope and watch our kids at the same time. It was pretty miserable weather to be roping in by the time my sister and I got to rope. Snow, hail, and rain were coming at us sideways and our fingers froze pretty quickly. I tried to sneak out of the corral with the excuse that there were plenty of ropers, but my brother caught me and sent me back in. The weather was a good incentive to get them caught quickly!

$38,855 awarded to Dr. Elisabeth Ammon, Great Basin Bird Observatory: “Evaluating species management guidance and monitoring programs for the Great Basin.” The project will provide an online, open source document that summarizes the current knowledge on the value of different species management practices, important gaps in knowledge about priority species and current status of monitoring coverage. $35,000 awarded to Dr. Bryce Richardson, USDA Forest Service: “Development of tools and technology to improve the success and planning of big sagebrush ecosystems.” The project creates a knowledge base and tools to assist resource managers by informing them of the most appropriate seed sources to plant to enhance the success of restoration under current and future climates. $31,356 awarded to Dr. Matt Germino, U.S. Geological Survey: “Effects of genotype and management treatments of native and invasive herbs on success of sagebrush restoration.” The research will evaluate how initial establishment of sagebrush is influenced by management treatments and to determine how the effects are varied under different climate conditions. The Great Basin LCC was established in 2011 and is one of 22 LCCs nationwide established by the Department of the Interior to better integrate science and management to address climate change and related issues. The Great Basin LCC is a self-directed partnership among bureaus and others involved in natural resource management and conservation. For more information on the Great Basin LCC contact Todd Hopkins, Great Basin LCC Science Coordinator at todd_hopkins@fws.gov or go to http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/ en/prog/more_programs/GBLCC.html

www.progressiverancher.com

When the last calf was at the fire, I looked up and couldn’t find my kids anywhere. My aunt had gathered them up and took them to the house to warm up. Just goes to show you, you can’t rope and watch kids, they pretty much disappear into thin air! We are so blessed to be able to raise our boys the way we were raised. To put down roots and teach our babies the importance of family, and to foster a love of the outdoors and horses! Next time there just might be pictures of my little cowboys riding calves!

BULLS FOR SALE • • • • • • • •

Black Angus Salers Red Angus Two-year Olds and Yearlings Calving Ease Gentle Disposition Semen and Trich Tested Can Deliver Nyssa, Oregon

541-372-5303 or 208-741-6850

The Progressive Rancher

MAY / JUNE 2013 11

Ship ’Em To

LLON A F

MARKET REPORT April 23, 2013

Weight

TOP OFFERINGS Steer

300-400 135.00-170.00 400-500 140.00-175.00 500-600 135.00-150.00 600-700 127.00-135.00 700-800 110.00-125.00 800-900 98.00-116.00 Lite Holstein (under 600#) Heavy Holstein (over 600#)

Heifer

135.00-155.00 120.00-130.00 110.00-125.00 105.00-115.00 85.00-100.00

80.00-92.00 65.00-83.00

*Single, Small Framed or Plainer Cattle 15.00 to 20.00 less than top offerings

BUTCHER COWS & BULLS

Livestock Exchange, Inc. www.fallonlivestock.com

Sale Every Tuesday at 11:00 AM Selling All Classes of Livestock: • Cattle • Horses • Sheep • Goats • Pigs

Breakers (Fat Cows) Boners (Med Flesh) Cutters (Lean) Holstein Cows Butcher Bulls Shelly (Thin) Bulls Shelly Cutters (Thin) Young Feeder Cows Heiferettes Holstein Heiferettes Holstein Bulls Feeder Bulls Cutting Bulls Used Roping Steers Preg Tested Cows (3, 4, 5 yr. old solid mouth) Pairs (solid mouth) 3-6 yrs Pairs (broken mouth)

70.00-75.00 75.00-80.00 58.00-66.50 35.00-70.00 78.00-85.00 40.00-60.00 20.00-40.00 60.00-68.00 83.00-102.00 80.00-90.00 81.00-85.00 65.00-75.00 80.00-95.00 72.00-85.00

850.00-925.00 1225.00-1300.00 900.00-1100.00

TODAY’S COWS

ANNOUNCING Fallon Livestock Exchange, Inc. is always working to help

Avg. Wt 1135 1440 1190 1191 1850 1695

Avg. Cost 79.50 78.00 71.60 69.60 85.50 70.00

CALVES-SHEEP-GOATS-PIGS-HORSES

their consignors! We have started construction building new feed and water pens. These pens will hold up to 1500 head more when completed, with a one-time capacity of approximately 4000 head, to better serve our consignors.

Beef Calves (HD) Dairy Calves Feeder Lambs Fat Lambs Ewes (CWT) Bucks (CWT) Small Goats (under 65 lbs.) (HD) Large Goats (over 70 lbs.) (HD) Weaner Pigs Feeder Pigs Top Hogs Butcher Sows Horses (under 1100 lbs.) Horses (over 1100 lbs.)

60.00-300.00 2.00-35.00 105.00-140.00 100.00-110.00 25.00-60.00 35.00-48.00 20.00-90.00 95.00-160.00 45.00-95.00 60.00-130.00 60.00-75.00 20.00-45.00 8.00-15.00 16.00-20.00

MARKET TREND:

Stop by and take a look! Remember, Fallon Livestock is always working for you — the consignor — and we say Thank You for your Business! The entire crew at Fallon Livestock Exchange would like to thank all the consignors and buyers alike for your business.

Fallon Livestock Exchange, Inc.

2055 Trento Lane • Fallon, Nevada 89406 • 775-867-2020

12 MAY / JUNE 2013

Top Cow Top 10 Cows Top 50 Cows Top 100 Cows Top Butcher Bull Top Holstein Cows

The Progressive Rancher

Feeder cattle were 1.00-3.00 lower due to dry conditions with very active buyer demand on same kind and quality depending on ﬁll with butcher cows 3.00-4.00 higher on same kind. Fallon Livestock is a key market for the livestock industry, where buyers and sellers meet each week with a professional staff with over 50 years of experience in marketing livestock. PLEASE call us ahead with your consignments. It helps us market your cattle. We talk to buyers all the time–they want you to know what’s coming in. We have trucks available for your hauling needs, pasture to pasture or from your Ranch to the sale yard.

For more marketing information, or to arrange trucking needs: Call Monte Bruck, Manager, at

775-426-8279

www.progressiverancher.com

Fumes From The Farm by Hank Vogler

looked up the word “habitat” in the new collegiate dictionary. The definition is “the place or type of site where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives and grows”, also, “the place where something is commonly found”. This new buzzword has taken on a completely different definition by the anti-grazers. In today’s context, if modern man had a hand in it, it is bad; and if fuzzy friends of the fuzzy animals can destroy family ranching in the West, it’s good. This is quite a departure from the original meaning. It is as though life began when the environmental movement started. The myth of the balance of nature is laughable. The combination of weather cycles, fire and predation has more to do with what lives or dies than a so-called experts wafting philosophically about modern man’s abysmal misuse of the landscape. One good lightning event will release more energy than several atomic bombs. One good flood will alter more landscape than a grundle of Caterpillar earthmovers. When so many people want the good life and think they are giving something back to Ma Nature, these guilt-ridden city folks are an easy mark for the con-artist fuzzy critter protectors. Ever since Walt Disney made wild animals cute and cuddly, the fuzzy friends of fuzzy animals have developed fuzzy science. Unless we want to go back to a society of huntergatherers where the world will only support a small number of Homo sapiens or if we wish to continue to live in huge cities, we had better start using common sense or Ma Nature’s first lieutenant, “starvation”, will take control. Captain Disease will be next to show the animal with the huge brain and the opposable thumb that Ma Nature is really in charge. We have made our entire society function as a result of surplus production of crops and livestock. Genetic engineering began as soon as farming and the domestication of animals began around ten thousand years ago. With advances in science, it has allowed the acceleration of genetic modification, so we can live without much effort in actual food production; a small group of people has been able to feed the masses. It reminds me of the goose that laid the golden egg. The town folk killed the goose for greedy reason of self-interest, only to find that the goose needed to lay the egg first. SNAPPING AT THE HANDS THAT FEED YOU IS ABOUT THE SAME THING.

In Nevada using loss of “habitat” as an excuse for the mule deer disappearing is quite disingenuous. One only needs to go near the suburb of Spring Creek out of Elko to see huge bucks. They have moved to the burbs and fear the predators more than man. An alfalfa field from its planting develops a following of deer, antelope, elk and sage hens to name a few wild and fuzzy critters. Most man-made hay meadows developed to feed the “evil domestic animal”, attract wildlife of many flavors. If you wish to see the reversal of management, look at the Three C Ranch near Ely. Under its new management scheme, the wildlife have voted with their hooves and wings. Compared to when it was in private hands, the amount of wildlife is minuscule unless there is a grand scheme to bring back some exotic species yet to be named. I hate to be so negative, but try as we might, I don’t think that the saber toothed tiger or the woolly mammoth will return anytime soon. The Three C Ranch attracted wildlife because of the irrigated meadows and alfalfa fields. The bazillion dollar elk viewing kiosk should either be removed, or someone should put up some plastic elk for viewing. Over ninety percent of the animals cataloged on the earth were extinct long before modern man developed the traffic jam. Yes, once again Ma Nature had her way with our little planet. It is man’s conceit that makes him think he can control the raw power of the earth. For a moment, let’s examine the excuses of our learned fuzzy-critter lovers. Loss of habitat, drought, bad winters, and fire and, and, and, and, whatever the excuse of the day is for nothing left of mule deer herds, never ends. All the above-mentioned excuses are out of man’s hands. About the only thing that man can effect is PREDATORS!!!!!!!!! What’s wrong with that? If Ma Nature burns up habitat, or bad winters wipe out a few thousand head of deer, oh well! Whatever remains after the wreck can survive and multiply if the number of animals that feed upon them is limited. Man is a predator. Get over it. On the old show, “Wild Kingdom” with Marlin Perkins, the lions whipped up on other predators that tried to steal their prey. Why does modern man wish to let other predators consume the prey base? Must not be very hungry, yet. Farmers and ranchers have fed his fellow man well. Thus, why is it imperative to destroy or bite the hand that feeds you? Mark Twain said it best, “the basic difference between a man and a dog is, if you feed a starving dog it will never bite you”. Hang and rattle. Hank

“2013” DEBRUYCKER CHAROLAIS BULL SALE RESULTS April 6, 2013, Great Falls, Montana

Bulls sold to 20 states, Mexico & Canada: AR, CO, FL, GA, IA, ID, KY, MN, MS, MT, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, MEXICO & CANADA HIGH SELLING BULLS

TOP SELLING SIRE GROUPS

Lot

Sire

10 BHD Cobalt S553

@ $7,350.00

221

$32,000.00

Equity Syndication

College Station, TX

BHD Cobalt S553

4 JDJ Comark W393

@ $4,625.00

112

$13,000.00

Domek Charolais

Wibaux, MT

BHD MrTrademarkU3050

2 CJC Caesar U224

@ $4,625.00

$11,000.00

Roberto Ibarolla

Mexico

JDJ True Mark T39 P

16 LHD Bosque S1195

@ $4,453.13

197

$10,500.00

Resource Syndication

College Station, TX

LHD Bosque S1195

4 LHD Achilles T744 P

@ $4,437.50

$8,000.00

Heath Hyde&Bill Morley

Sulphur Springs, TX

CJC Mr President T122 P

11 JDJ True Mark T39 P

@ $4,409.09

397

$7,750.00

Casey Wellman

Valier, MT

MD Redirect X1158 P

13 BHD Mr Trademark U3050 @ $4,173.08

214

$7,750.00

Heath Hyde&Bill Morley

Sulphur Springs, TX

BHD Cobalt S553

VOLUME BUYERS 33 Bulls

Dragging Y Cattle Co

Dillon, MT

32 Bulls

UC Cattle Co

Orvada, NV

30 Bulls

Bill Sarver

Lewisburg, WV

23 Bulls

Tim Delong

Imlay, NV

22 Bulls

Larry Otley

Princeton, OR

21 Bulls

Ensign Ranch

Henefer, UT

www.progressiverancher.com

169 BULLS TO 60 MONTANA BUYERS

5 JDJ Smokester J1377 P ET

@ $4,050.00

17 CJC Phoenix Son U3078

@ $4,000.00

5 CJC Cheroot W2004 PET

45 BHD Zen X270 P

@ $3,750.00

49 Long Yearling Bulls

@ $3,872.45

37 CJC Mr President T122 P

@ $3,702.70

443 Yearling Bulls

@ $3,708.80

5 JDJ Lithiam W93 P

@ $3,550.00

Overall @ 492 Bulls

@ $3,725.10

3 BHD Reality T3136 P

The Progressive Rancher

34 CJC Trademark H45

@ $3,500.00 @ $3,441.18

MAY / JUNE 2013 13

John W. Marvel J

ohn W. Marvel, a major force in one of the largest ranching operations in Nevada history and among the longest serving members of the state Legislature, died Saturday, March 16 in Carson City at the age of eighty-six. Born in Battle Mountain on Sept. 11, 1926, he spent his boyhood and most of his adult life in the area. After graduating from Battle Mountain High School in 1944, where John was valedictorian of the senior class, he served in the U.S. Army’s 19th Infantry Regiment during World War II. He was in Japan when that nation surrendered to the Allies. John was honorably discharged in November 1946. He was awarded the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the Army of Occupation Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. In 1951, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, with an emphasis on political science, from the University of Nevada, Reno where he was a member and president of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and was active in campus organizations. John was the business manager and a working cowboy for Battle Mountain-based W.T. Jenkins Co., a cattle and sheep operation started by his grandfather, who emigrated from Wales in the 1880s. The Jenkins ranching empire ultimately stretched over a vast area of northeastern Nevada covering parts of five counties. When Jenkins died near the turn of the century, his wife Edith took over and expanded operations. Later, their young daughter Louise took the reins and ran the business with

September 11, 1926 – March 16, 2013

her husband, Ernest (Cap) Marvel. Eventually, control of ranching operations was shared by John and his brothers, Dick and Tom. The family sold the bulk of its ranch properties in 1964, but John remained active in the livestock industry and worked tirelessly to support those throughout the state who are involved in agricultural enterprises. In 1969, John acquired the Dunphy Ranch in Eureka County and operated it until its sale in 1990. John is a past president of the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association and was among those honored as “Cattleman of the Year.” Because of his contributions to the industry, the new Nevada Department of Agriculture building in Sparks was dedicated to John and his wife Willie in 2010. A conservative Republican, John was first elected to the Nevada Assembly in 1978. He served for 15 regular sessions and nine special sessions and was widely respected for his knowledge of the state and his ability to forge consensus on critical issues. John was minority floor leader in 1993, chairman of Assembly Ways and Means in 1985 and co-chair in 1995. His final term ended in 2008 and he was later honored by being recognized on the Nevada Assembly Wall of Distinction in the Legislature Building. At various times, John’s Assembly District 32 covered parts of Lander, Humboldt, Elko, Eureka, Pershing and Washoe counties. He was a member of the Natural Resources, Agriculture and Mining, Interim Finance and Industrial Programs committees. He also served on the Legislative Committee on Public Lands, Interim Finance’s Advisory Board on Prison Industries and the Audit Subcommittee. John was especially proud of his support for education – including his ability to secure funding for the University of Nevada School of Medicine -- and prison industries and he was considered an expert on Nevada tax policy. He was a

member and past chairman of the Nevada Tax Commission and, after leaving the Legislature, served on the Nevada Ethics Commission. He was also on the board of Wells Fargo Bank and on the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s grazing advisory boards. He was one of five Electoral College voters in the 2004 Presidential election and served on the Advisory Council to the Public Land Law Review Commission. He was also a former chairman of the Lander County Planning Commission. Being extremely active in Republican Party activities and championing GOP causes, he was an active supporter of former Gov. and U.S. Sen. Paul Laxalt in his statewide campaigns and of Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaigns. John was a member of several Masonic organizations and was a “Rainbow Dad” for Battle Mountain Assembly 23, International Order of Rainbow for Girls. Also, he was a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council and Western Legislative Conference. Although always proud of his Northern Nevada roots, in recent years, he had adopted Carson City as his second hometown. He is survived by his wife, Wilburta (Willie) Shidler Marvel; daughter Sharon (Tom) Andreasen; son John E. Marvel; daughter Michelle (David) Slagle; brother Thomas J. (Rosita); 10 grandchildren: Amber, Bobby (Rebecca) and Shari Andreasen; Amanda (Darin) Phelps, Dustin Marvel, and their mother, Karen Urriola Marvel; Christopher, Nicholas, Patrick, Jacqueline and Delanie Slagle; one greatgrandchild; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Submitted Photos

14 MAY / JUNE 2013

The Progressive Rancher

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Pauline Lannen Riordan P

1921 –2012

auline Lannen Riordan was born in a log cabin near Fishtail, Montana, to George and Edna Lannen and was the third of nine children of a pioneer ranching family. Her mother was the first white child born in that area in 1897! Pauline moved to Fallon, Nevada, with her parents in 1938 and after graduating from Churchill County High School and completing a cosmetology course in Reno, moved to Elko to work in the Commercial Hotel Beauty Salon. While working in Elko, she shared an apartment with Donna Riordan of Jiggs. Spending weekends at the Riordan ranch brought her in contact with Donna’s brother Joe. Pauline and Joe Riordan were married on December 8, 1942, and moved to the family ranch. Years later Pauline remarked, “Being raised on a ranch, it only seemed natural to pick ranch-raised friends. As a result, I ended up marrying a rancher and moved to Jiggs where I spent the next fifty-six years. My husband once commented that I have my roots down here so good that he can’t shake me loose from this ranch.” Joe and Pauline had three children, Monti, Diane, and Mike. Monti graduated from UNR and went on to a twenty-five year career in the US Air Force. He and his wife Akiko had one son, Steven. Diane and her husband Robin Van Norman own and operate Van Norman Ranch in Independence Valley near Tuscarora, NV. They have two adult children, Dan and Vandy. Joe and Pauline’s younger son, Mike, his wife Claudia, and their son James and his wife Ali along with their two sons operate the Riordan family ranch near Jiggs. James and Ali’s sons represent the sixth generation of Riordans to live there. In addition to being a dedicated ranch wife who was equally at home chairing a committee meeting as pulling a calf or feeding a hay crew, Pauline was active in community and civic organizations. She was a charter member of the Maggie Club, the local women’s organization, and is credited with coming up with its name as in Maggie and Jiggs of cartoon fame. She held numerous offices in that organization. She was also a charter member of the Elko County Cowbelles which later became Elko County Cattlewomen. She served two years as Chairwoman for the women’s auxiliary of the County Farm Bureau and was President of the Elko County CowBelles as well as Chairwoman of many committees for the CowBelles on the county and state level and was selected as 1973 CowBelle of the Year. She also served as the CowBelles’ State Legislative Chairwoman, State Treasurer and Membership Chairwoman. She often remarked that she would rather be on the working end of these organizations than to just be a spectator. She also served as a 4H leader in the Mound Valley 4H Club for fourteen years, volunteered at the Mound Valley Elementary School, and taught kindergarten to several of the ranch children as well as prepared them for first grade by tutoring them in English. She had a keen interest in local history and compiled oral histories of several of the ranches in the valley. She describes herself as being “timid” as a youngster and being “very scared” when performing in the annual Christmas programs at school. This was a condition she obviously overcame as an adult. After Joe died in 1998, she moved to Elko where she kept busy as a Red Cross volunteer until her health limited her ability to support the activities there. She was named the Elko Red Cross Volunteer of the year in 2001.

She enjoyed sewing, knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking, photography, trapping, gardening and canning but most of all, spending time with her grandchildren. For many years she could be seen attacking noxious weeds along the roadside with her pruning shears, shovel and weed spray. An excellent cook, her recipes appear in several cookbooks published by the Maggie Club and the Elko County Cattlewomen. If you see a recipe with Pauline’s name beneath it, you know it will be a good one. They say that still waters run deep, and in the case of Pauline, her serenity and dignity masked a highly energetic, ambitious, creative and selfsufficient woman – that pioneer stock which has formed the nucleus of so many of our ranching families. Pauline Riordan passed away on December 26, 2012 at the age of 91. Submitted Family Photos

— 600 Black Heifers —

AI’d with Angus bulls Final Answer 2 and Cedar Ridge (both calving ease) Will ultrasound June 2nd. For sale immediately after.

NORTE TRAILERS Call Mitch, to get your Norte Horse Trailer! Mitch Goicoechea

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MAY / JUNE 2013 15

William (Bill) Floyd McKnight 1953-2013

orking cows and with a rope in his hand, Bill McKnight passed away on Wednesday, April 10, 2013, doing what he loved best. Bill was born in Elko, Nevada, March 6, 1953, to William and Thelma McKnight. As a fifth generation Elko County rancher, Bill was born to be a cowman, and he grew up helping his dad manage several ranches throughout Elko County. Bill graduated from Elko County High School in 1971. He was an active member in the Ruby Mountain FFA Chapter all through high school , holding many chapter offices and the Nevada State FFA Vice Presidency his senior year. Bill was awarded the American Farmer degree in 1972. He attended the College of Agriculture in Reno with plans of becoming an ag teacher, but Bill’s true calling was in ranching so he returned to Elko County to purchase the Ryndon Ranch. In 1974, Bill married Sharon Frost. They were blessed with three sons, Ben, Dan, and Will. Bill was very proud of his boys and was involved in their activities. He coached PAL basketball for twelve years and was active in the Elko County 4-H program. Bill served on the 4-H County Grievance Committee and was a Barn Superintendent at the Elko County Fair in addition to being the Lamoille 4-H Club Beef Leader. Through Bill’s interest and participation in his own son’s activities, he ended up being a wonderful influence on the lives of many kids. Bill was a member of the Spartan Booster Club, the Silver Sage FFA Agriculture Advisory Board, FFA Alumni Association, and the Lamoille Water Users. One of the founding committee members for the Rancher’s Roundup, Bill remained actively involved ; every year he could be found in front of the barbeque; making sure the steaks were grilled as requested. Bill was a hard worker and dedicated his life to his love of cattle and ranching. A

man not caught up with materialistic values but, rather, living life to its fullest with no regrets and doing what he loved. Bill will forever be remembered for his smile, that amazing laugh, and his wonderful stories. Finding Bill at any gathering was easy — you just had to listen for his laughter. Always ready to lend a hand for a neighbor or take the time to stop and visit, Bill was a friend to all. Bill is survived by his wife, Sharon, their sons: Ben (Kim) McKnight, Dan (Sheena) McKnight, and Will McKnight, sisters: Debby (Tom) Bowers, Wendy (James) Morgan, and grandchildren: Dayton, Natalya, Emilyn, Payslie, and Taylor, along with many nieces, nephews, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Glenn. Funeral services were be held Saturday, April 20th. A private burial will be held at a later date. Donations can be sent in memory of Bill McKnight (for the establishment of a memorial trophy) to the Elko Co. 4-H Office, 701 Walnut St., Elko, NV 89801, or to the Silver Sage FFA Alumni Association Scholarship Fund PO Box 8124, Spring Creek, NV 89815.

Bill MicKnight with his granddaughter, Taylor

WINCHESTER 19th Annual Open Rodeo NEW EVENT: RANCH BRONC RIDING

Saturday, July 6, and Sunday July 7 Starts at 2:00 p.m. each day

Arena in the Pines – Winchester, Idaho Rodeo Stock provided by Bar X Rodeos of Asotin, Washington

$8,000 Added Money plus Pot Payback & 1st Place Silver Buckles in ALL Events EVENTS — $ENTRY FEES — (ADDED MONEY) Womens Open Barrel Racing - $40 ($600) Jr. Bull Riding - 15-17 – $55 ($600) Open Breakaway – $40 – ($500) Sr. Bull Riding - 18 & Older – $70 ($1,000) Mutton Bustin - 60 lbs. & under – $10 ($400) Bareback Riding – $60 ($1,000) Calf Roping – $40 ($600) Steer Riding - 10-14 – $30 ($500)

Saddle Bronc Riding – $60 ($1,000) Jr. Calf Riding - 9 under –$20 ($200) Team Roping – $40 ($600) Jr. Barrels - 10-15 – $30 ($300) PeeWee Barrels –9 & under –$15 ($300) Chute Doggin – $40 ($300) Ranch Bronc Riding – $60 ($500)

ENTRIES ARE OPEN June 17 & 18 — Call (208) 924-6247, 8 am - 8 pm For Information Contact: Janell (208) 924-6247; willsonj@wildblue.net

All Contestants pay $7 Oﬃce Charge at the Gate

Saturday, July 6 Cowboy Breakfast – 7 to 9 am, Community Center • Main Street Parade - 10:30 am • Rodeo – 2 pm Sunday, July 7: Slack - 10:00 am • Rodeo – 2 pm

An Old Fashioned “Hang On The Fence” Family Rodeo 16 MAY / JUNE 2013

Shannon Sustacha Photos

Don’t Miss Our VIDEO Extras The Progressive Rancher is very proud to provide video advertising and documentaries on our website.

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Call for information 1-208-733-1828

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Nutrition & Health Your success depends on it. Opportunity is knocking. Cattlemen are seeing some of the most favorable market conditions they may see in their lifetimes. More than ever, every pound counts. Loss of gain due to stress, sickness, poor nutrition, late calving, etc. does not have to happen. With good nutrition and animal health, producers can reduce unnecessary performance losses and add to their bottom line. For more than 20 years, Anipro has been designing supplement programs that will help make the most of your herd and feed dollar. Now is the time to work with your Anipro consultant to anyalyze feedstuffs and design a program to maintain cow body condition, calf health and optimize breed-back. Call 800-558-3341 today.

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The Progressive Rancher

MAY / JUNE 2013 17

Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) a new Federal Rule for Cattle in Interstate Transport by Dr. Anette Rink, DVM, PhD

The new federal animal disease traceability rule became effective on March 11th, 2013. The rule establishes minimum requirements for official identification on a national scale. The implementation of this rule will establish information as to where diseased, exposed and at-risk animals are, where they’ve been and when they may have been in contact with other animals. Without this information it is impossible to ensure a quick, effective response in the event of an animal disease event. Animal disease traceability helps reduce the impact of disease investigations on both animals and producers. Currently, it takes approximately 150 days to complete an epidemiological investigation (trace back to herd of origin and contact herds). Nobody expects this system to be perfect, however it will provide a level of traceability which we currently do not have but need to remain a beef exporting country and protect the national cattle herd. Nobody denies that identifying and tracing individual animals will incur additional costs to the producer and the consumer; but let’s remind ourselves that not having a traceability system in place is costing us right now in cumbersome and expensive disease investigations (particularly TB), lost opportunity and international market access (BSE). The USDA estimated that less than one third of the 100 million US beef cattle have official identification, and most of those cattle come from states which require official calfhood vaccination, such as Nevada. The new rule is based on two tools to achieve the goal of better traceability, 1) individual animal identification and 2) the use of Interstate Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI). For the purpose of this program a brand is not considered individual identification. Fifteen states west of the Mississippi have active brand programs which are vital in establishing lawful possession before movement for sale or slaughter and can be crucial in prosecuting cattle theft. However, ownership and location of cattle can change multiple times during the lifetime of a breeding animal and traceability in interstate trade cannot be maintained based on brands alone. When it comes to choosing the type of official identification producers have options.

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18 MAY / JUNE 2013

1/22/2013 12:34:24 PM

USDA promotes the silver brite tag as a low cost and low technology option. Silver bright tags can be requested from this office and will be provided upon request to NV accredited veterinarians only. The use of RFID tags cannot be mandated under this rule but is something worth considering. The tags will cost a couple of dollars and producers and sale yards have to invest in readers to utilize the technology. Electronic reads are not perfect and approx. 20% are missed when a group of cattle runs through a set of panels, hand held scanners often

From the American Angus Association

Source Verification and the Animal Disease Traceability Rule:

What’s the difference?

Many programs in the cattle industry verify genetics, source, age, vaccinations and many other components. They are popular because, in order to be enrolled, producers must go through an extensive process, which adds a certain amount of credibility for potential buyers. But how do these source verification programs relate to the new Animal Disease Traceability Rule? Most value-added programs today require a tamper evident ear tag that has a 15-digit unique animal identification number. The traceability rule lists official identification as an Animal Identification Number (AIN). Ten years ago, the American Angus Association® created AngusSource® as an online marketing program where producers could list their Angus-sired feeder calves and replacement females for sale. Producers purchased an ear tag to identify the calves. This program continues to grow, transition and change. Although AngusSource still uses a 15-digit unique animal ID numbers on every tag. Many producers will not need to change their management practices to comply with the new traceability rule. Cattle (show cattle, rodeo stock and cattle under 18-months-of-age are exceptions) moved within the state do not need a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI). However if you plan to sell replacement heifers or breeding bulls across state lines, you will need to find out what the receiving state requires. Each state has chosen what type of documents and identification they will accept. This link lists each state’s general requirements. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ import_export/animals/animal_import/animal_imports_states.shtml As spring calving season is winding down fast, many producers are getting ready to move their cattle to grass. This would be the perfect time to enroll in a value-added program that uses an ear tag with an AIN number. Do you use Angus bulls? Take a look at the updated AngusSource Genetic program that is designed for commercial cattlemen who want to document that their calves are sired by registered Angus bulls and were born on their ranch. This program requires you to purchase a tamper evident tag that uses an AIN number system that is compatible with the new rule. Producers can use other American Angus Association services, too. A very useful feature is the electronic calving book that allows producers to manage herd inventories. This is an easy-to-use program that is customized by the producer. You choose what information you want to submit for the reports/results you want from the program. There is a compatible Angus Mobile smartphone application that can be downloaded on your Apple or Android phone that offers tools such as a gestation calculator and table to tabulate the date when a calf is due. So the difference is this: You can put in a generic tag to meet the Animal Traceability Requirement, or you can put in an AngusSource Genetic tag that meets requirements and gives you access to commercial programs and services from the American Angus Association. It will give your buyers data and information on the bulls you used to sire the calf crop they may bid on and purchase. It gives you additional marketing support and passes documented information to the potential buyer from a name trusted in the beef business.

The Progressive Rancher

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read 100% if animals are handled appropriately. When reading silver bright tags it appears that approx. 20% of the tags are read or recorded incorrectly. Reading and transcribing takes time, which in turn costs money. As I mentioned earlier, this system is not perfect but it will be 80% better than what we have now. It has been 44 years since we’ve put a man on the moon; Walmart can track every clove of garlic from producer to check out, and we the cattle industry and animal health officials can implement a usable animal traceability system because it makes sense, and we have to!

The Progressive Rancher Magazine is Proud to announce its 2013 Summer

Official Identification is required for the following cattle: • All sexually intact beef cattle 18 months of age and older • All dairy cattle of any age • All rodeo, recreation, show and exhibition cattle

The following exemptions from official identification requirements are currently in place: • Cattle moving from Nevada on a commuter herd permit (pasture to pasture permit) to CA, ID, OR and UT do not have to have official ID listed on the permit. However, all females 1 year and older have to be officially calfhood vaccinated for Brucellosis and should have an orange bangs tag in their ear; all bulls 12 months and older require a T. fetus test and the associated color coded tag for that test year (official ID in every ear >18 months). • Cattle moving interstate to an approved tagging site have to be officially identified at that site before they commingle with other cattle and the origin information is lost. Backtags may be used for that purpose (particularly if the animals are not branded or have an illegible brand). Cattle need to be traceable to the premises of origin at all times. • Cattle moving directly to a recognized slaughter facility or to no more than one approved livestock facility and then directly to a recognized slaughter facility where they are harvested within 3 days. • Cattle moving interstate with a USDA approved backtag; or a USDA approved backtag is applied to the cattle at the recognized slaughtering establishment or approved livestock facility. • Feeder/stocker cattle 18 months and younger currently do not have an individual identification requirement under this rule. However, expect this to be addressed in a separate rule within the next few years. This means for right now the vast majority of Nevada origin cattle entering interstate commerce are not affected by this rule! The following requirements already exist but are also specifically listed in the new rule: Cattle moving interstate must be accompanied by an Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI) or health certificate with the following exceptions: • Commuter herd movement • Cattle movement from farm of origin to a veterinary clinic and back • Cattle moving directly to a recognized slaughter establishment, or through an approved livestock facility to a recognized slaughter establishment • Cattle moving directly to an approved livestock facility

The Winner receives their choice of an iPod or Nook*

SUGGESTED PHOTO TOPICS: • Cattle in ﬁelds

• Range Health

• Cattle turned out in AUMs

• Wildlife on your Ranch

• Sage Grouse on your Ranch

• Ranchers and Crews working together

Contest ends July 20th, 2013

Cindy Sitz one Alex Car

The official (individual) ID must be recorded on the ICVI with the following exceptions: • Beef cattle sexually intact and under 18 months of age • Steers and spayed heifers • Cattle moving from an approved livestock facility to a recognized slaughter plant

What are acceptable forms of Identification? 1) Official eartags, either metal of 840 compliant (visual and RFID) 2) Official USDA backtags for cattle moving directly to slaughter 3) Registered breed tattoos, only when accompanied by a copy of the registration certificate For a list of all acceptable eartags for cattle and other livestock species please go to: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/traceability/downloads/ADT_eartags_criteria.pdf Brand inspection requirements are not changed by this rule and stay in effect as written. Before any livestock shipment, check with the receiving state for their import requirements when exporting livestock from Nevada! Dr. Anette Rink, DVM, PhD is the Acting State Nevada Veterinarian and Supervisor Animal Disease and Food Safety Laboratory. Dr. Rink can be contacted at: 405 S 21st Street, Sparks NV 89431. Telephone 775-353-3700, Fax: 775-353-3659 www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

Cindy

Sitz

Email your digital photos to: progressiverancher@elko.net Photos must be received on or before July 30, 2013 Please send high quality images, no less than 1800x1200 pixels (or 6x4 at 300 dpi). Please do not compress photos for “quick” emailing. Cindy Sitz of Oregon was the winner of the ﬁrst 2013 Photo Contest. Cindy chose a Nook as her prize. All photos become property of The Progressive Rancher Magazine. The Progressive Rancher will have the right to publish and/or use the photos and/ or images in any way, including, but not limited to: editorial content, advertisements, and cover photos. *iPod and Nook are registered trademarks of their respective owners and are not afﬁliated with this contest.

MAY / JUNE 2013 19

840 Tag

The American Angus Association describes updates to its age-and-source verification program.

t one point or another, many cattlemen wonder: Do all black-hided calves bring the same price on sale day? How much emphasis do buyers put on the genetic value of those calves? For about 14 years, Certified Angus Beef LLC (CAB) Supply Development has been conducting research to answer those questions. The study, titled “Here’s the Premium,” (available at http:// www.cabpartners.com/articles/news/2501/MKT_AngusPremiumHTP_NR.pdf) analyzed data from 10 markets that sold more than 300,000 calves in 13,794 lots. What they discovered is positive news for those who rely on Angus genetics. Data from nine cooperating auction markets last fall showed an all-time high Angus premium. It was $5.30 per hundredweight (cwt.) for the combination of 504-pound (lb.) heifers and 511-lb. steers sold in 660 lots.

AngusSource® Photo

In addition, data from 13 years of marketing 4.9 million cattle in 40,799 lots on the leading U.S. video auction shows a clear dominance of Angus genetics. Most of the calves sold on the video include data on breed type, which consistently affects sale price. The study has also found that the premiums for Angus calves have grown in a near linear trend for the past 13 years. So the answer is yes, known Angus steers and heifers bring more on sale day. But to tap into that added value, producers need to provide potential buyers with an idea of how the cattle will perform — and to verify that those black hides are, in fact, Angus-sired. Verifying Angus genetics The American Angus Association® recognized the upward trend early and anticipated the need for an identification program that could differentiate simply blackhided calves from known Angus-sired calves. The solution – AngusSource®. In 2003, the program began as a way to help commercial producers market their feeder calves and replacement heifers. In 2005, AngusSource transitioned to a USDA process verified program (PVP) documenting source, group age and a minimum 50 percent Angus genetics. When the calves enter the sale arena, AngusSource tags let buyers recognize the added value associated with each animal. “The AngusSource program has grown significantly over the past 10 years,” says Ginette Kurtz, AngusSource quality manager. “Our goal, every day, is to help producers better market their cattle and increase the profitability of their operation. We believe AngusSource does that extremely well.” However, today’s beef industry is much different than it was a decade ago. Historically low cow herd numbers, coupled with widespread drought, have many cattlemen looking toward management strategies that increase the value of the calves they do retain. On top of that, consumers are demanding more information — like documented source — on the beef products they purchase. A new plan for AngusSource will assist with both. Introducing AngusSource® Genetic The American Angus Association is developing plans to better serve its members and their customers through an updated age-and-source verification program called AngusSource Genetic. It will continue to document Angus genetics, source and age, while also incorporating valuable information from the Association database. It will also improve user experience and reduce implementation hurdles on the ranch. “Today’s cattle producers have a number of options when it comes to managing their herds,” Kurtz says. “By launching AngusSource Genetic we hope to streamline the process and make our program the easiest – and most reliable – genetic verification resource in the beef industry.” The Angus breed boasts the nation’s largest beef cattle registry, and the new AngusSource Genetic program is designed to more closely align with those records, which are updated weekly. Commercial cattlemen using AngusSource Genetic will be encouraged to take advantage of the Association’s suite of performance tools and records. “Simplicity is key to all our updates to the AngusSource program,” Kurtz says. “Enrolling in AngusSource Genetic will be a straight-forward and

20 MAY / JUNE 2013

The Progressive Rancher

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AngusSource® Photo

RFID e.Tags assign a unique numeric identity to livestock through universally recognized radio frequency technology. RFID e.Tags are commonly called EID or RFID tags throughout the industry. The RFID e.Tag is a Full duplex (FDX-B), ISOcompliant tag. RFID e.Tags can be read by all ISO-compliant readers; read range is up to 4 feet depending on system used and optimal tag orientation.

simple process, and producers have the option to enroll even before the calves are born.” Once enrolled, AngusSource Genetic cattle are designated in two ways. The first is an official marketing document that authenticates the genetic integrity and potential worth of the enrolled group of calves. The document will be available online and emailed to a targeted group of buyers who have expressed interest in verified Angus cattle. The second way is a bright, neon-green ear tag. After supplying bull turn-out dates, AngusSource Genetic can process your enrollment and send your program compliant ear tags so that they are ready when calving season begins. The Destron Fearing tamperevident tag is available in three options: visual, e.Tag and ChoiceSet. These fade-resistant, laser-engraved tags have superior readability and retention. “We feel confident that as the market changes, the value of record keeping is only going to increase,” Kurtz says. “When you see an AngusSource Genetic ear tag, it means that calf has been raised on an operation focused on quality, rooted in data evaluation and determined to move the industry forward.” Interested producers are encouraged to contact the Association’s AngusSource department to learn more about the program or stay tuned to the website for more information as it becomes available.

NEVADA STALLION STAKES & Elko County NRCHA Show NRCHA Approved

Working Cowhorse ★ Aged Event ★ August 24-25 ★ Elko, Nevada Judge: Blue Allen Stallion Nomination Deadline: July 1st Nomination fee: $200.00 Late Nominations will be accepted until August 1st with an additional $100 late fee.

Article provided by the American Angus Association for educational purpose.

★ NOMINATED STALLIONS to Date ★

Paula Wright Memorial Scholarship

Twist of Docs Fate RC Yankee Slider

Gary & Candace Wines

★

Tamara Casey

Check the website, after July 1st, for updated list.

Together with the family of the late Paula Wright, the Silver State Stampede Association would like to make known the availability of a $2,500 memorial scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded to an Elko County graduate, but is not limited to 2013 graduates. Any past graduate of an Elko County high school who is currently pursuing higher education is eligible to apply. While 2013 will be the first year that this scholarship will be awarded, in future years, former recipients will be eligible to reapply. Paula touched the lives of literally thousands of people through her work and dedication to community service; thus, the scholarship will be awarded according to applicants’ extracurricular and community service activities as well as goal-setting and plans for the future. All applicants will submit a resume and essay that will be reviewed and scored by a panel of Paula’s family and friends, and finalists will be interviewed in person. Finalists will also have the opportunity to earn additional points through hands-on volunteer work at the 2013 Silver State Stampede.

Nevada Stallion Stakes Show Entry deadline: August 1 with late entries accepted to Aug 15th. ECNRCHA Show Entry Deadline Aug 23th, Noon Late entries accepted up to show start time with penalties.

Entries forms available at www.elkocountyfair.com E-mail entries to elkocountyfair@hotmail.com Mail entries and payments to: Elko County Fair Board, PO Box 2067, Elko, NV 89803 For More Information contact: JJ Roemmich 775-397-2769 or elkocountyfair@hotmail.com

Interested students can call Becky Lisle at 775-934-9201 or email paulawrightmemorial@hotmail.com for more information and application materials. Interested individuals will be given the actual judging criteria to help with preparation. Deadline for resume and essay submissions will be JUNE 1, 2013. Entries can be dropped off or mailed to Paula Wright Memorial Scholarship, c/o JM Capriola’s at 500 Commercial Street, Elko, NV 89801. The scholarship will be awarded at the 2013 Silver State Stampede rodeo; monies will be paid directly to the institution of higher learning.

www.progressiverancher.com

★

Elko County Fair August 23 - September 2

www.elkocountyfair.com The Progressive Rancher

MAY / JUNE 2013 21

Sage Grouse Initiative Shows Benefit Of Removing Juniper From Owyhee Range Past OCA president Chris Black joins the fight for habitat

by Joshua White

hen Chris Black walked into the Mountain Home Service Center in November, he seemed to have read my mind. The Owyhee County rancher had been high on my list to contact about planning a habitat project with the Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI), a highly targeted and science-based landscape approach to enhance and conserve rangelands for sage-grouse. It works by helping ranchers improve and conserve their lands for wildlife and for livestock across 11 western states. Since the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) launched the Initiative in 2010, more than 700 ranchers have enrolled and hundreds of partners have participated. Black’s property is one of the remaining pieces of the puzzle needed to connect a large stretch of NRCS juniper removal and grazing projects to a substantial breeding population of sage-grouse, part of the larger Great Basin Population of sage-grouse. As a range and wildlife conservationist serving in a partnership with the NRCS and Pheasants Forever, I assist landowners like Black to carry out the SGI on the ground. Prior to moving here from South Dakota last March, I had put my wildlife ecology degree to work on projects for waterfowl and pheasants, but I was a novice of the Idaho landscape and sage-grouse. Fortunately, the NRCS and partnering agencies had laid the foundation for the Sage Grouse Initiative. Through working with participating landowners and area staff, I quickly grew to appreciate the importance of ranching to good wildlife habitat. Through the SGI, ranchers have treated approximately 3,400 acres of western junipers and are slated to remove another 13,000 acres in the upcoming years on Owyhee County rangelands. Through partnerships between participating ranchers, the Owyhee Sage Grouse Local Working Group, Pheasants Forever, Idaho Department of Fish & Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Idaho Department of Lands, The Nature Conservancy, the Bureau of Land Management, and the NRCS, these successes will continue. Linking these restored sagebrush-steppe habitats to existing sage-grouse populations is the next step. That’s where willing ranchers like Black are vital for success. The Black family settled in southern Idaho and northern Nevada in 1875. Black, a fifth-genration rancher and model land steward, has been a longtime advocate for healthy grazing lands, ranching and wildlife. Black is a past president of the Owyhee Cattlemen’s Association, chairman of the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission, and a supervisor for the Bruneau River Soil and Water Conservation District. He has earned awards from the Society of Range Management for excellence in range management and the President’s Award, as well as the 2008 National BLM Rangeland Stewardship Award. In 1992, Black adopted a holistic style of grazing to employ short-duration, highintensity grazing management. He has witnessed a substantial improvement in the health of his range, higher yearly gains on his cattle, and a positive response from sage-grouse. “The sage-grouse, as other wildlife, have really benefited from our grazing strategy,” Black said. “The grouse usually follow our rotation, and use areas near some of our reservoirs that have been grazed for lekking (breeding) purposes.” Under Black’s strategy, the range has time to rest after the cattle have moved through, providing an ideal location for insect production for foraging grouse. Black also noted that in drought years such as 2012, private lands are important for the bird because that is where water is located. Black noted several hundred birds congregated on his deeded riparian areas last fall versus years when water was better dispersed across the landscape. Water is the key for both wildlife and livestock in this part of the country, he stressed. In drought years such as 2012, this region will likely never meet what most scientified literature suggests as ideal grouse habitat, yet Black’s deeded property and adjacent allotments support a large, stable population of grouse, largely because of his prescribed grazing system and distribution of water. Besides managing his cattle herd, water and range to support a healthy grouse population, Black partnered with USFWS to construct 13 ponds for the Columbia Spotted Frog, a candidate species for listing under the Endangered Species Act. One year later, there were

22 MAY / JUNE 2013

documented breeding frogs in the ponds. After that success, Black is ready to tackle the junipers encroaching into the meadows and associated uplands that were once treeless landscapes supporting sage-grouse and livestock. Traditionally, we used fire to suppress encroachment of junipers, but that just hasn’t been feasible for the past 15-20 years with the current restrictions on fire,” Black said. Black’s property borders other juniper removal projects that are planned or being implemented. Adding his rangelands will open up a large expanse of riparian areas and meadows as well as associated uplands. Past fire management of encroaching junipers has helped maintain a quality forage base on Black’s property. Currently, most of the planned treatment area is in phase 1, which consists of a low density of junipers and a healthy understory of grass, forbs and shrubs; this provides an ideal location to implement juniper removal where the ground has great potential for restoration. In contrast, older, larger trees can consume more than 40 gallons of water per day and hinder the growth of grasses and shrubs beneath them. Fire suppression over the past century allowed thick stands of junipers to take hold over a large region. The trees continue to expand into some of the best remaining sage-grouse habitat left in Idaho. Conifers reduce the quality and quantity of habitat for sage-grouse and other sagebrush-obligate species. Today, ranchers and partners are helping the land heal. Removing phase 1 and 2 junipers infringing upon areas of highest sage-grouse importance offers the highest return on the conservation dollar. Cutting junipers is not a one-time fix; it is part of the larger toolbox to manage these systems in the absence of fire. The price tag can be high, and follow-up treatment is crucial for the investment to pay off. Black appreciates the financial support of the Sage Grouse Initiative funds, while looking down the road to future needs. He believes re- introducing fire into some of the higher-elevation rangelands is a must for the long-term health of the land. Developing a project that works for Chris Black is part of a landscape-level effort across private and public boundaries to maintain the vast areas sage-grouse depend upon for nesting, brood-rearing, and over-winter purposes. Every rancher like Black is making a difference. Putting the right conservation practices to work in the right places is our best bet for the future of sage-grouse — and for ranching. Joshua White is a Mountain Home-based range and wildlife conservationist. For more information on the Sage Grouse Initiative, contact him at jwhite@pheasantsforever.org or (208) 590-9527.

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

American Lands Council Gains Ground T

By Rachel Dahl, Special Assignment Writer

he Nevada Assembly recently passed A.B. 227, creating the Nevada Land Management Task Force with the intent to look at how to go about the in-depth process of transferring and managing some of the public lands in Nevada that are now owned by the federal government to the state. The Assembly approved the measure on April 23, 2013, by a vote of 23-18. It now goes to the Senate where American Lands Council spokesman in Nevada, Demar Dahl an Elko County Commissioner says they expect little opposition. “We think it will pass ok,” he said. The legislation was co-sponsored by Assemblyman Ellison and Senator Goicoechea, and is supported by the ALC, a group created last year after a show-down with the United States Forest Service in Northern Nevada over what many of the Nevada residents involved call a swindle over the USFS process for creating their new Travel Management Plan across the national forests. Born of frustration with a lack of respect for the local government input and citizen involvement into the travel plan process, a group of people from Nevada and Utah got together to create the ALC and model its efforts after the Utah “Transfer of Public Lands Act” (H.B. 148). The Nevada bill (A.B. 227) provides for a task force made up of one County Commissioner from each county in Nevada which will report on a regular basis to the Committee on Public Lands as they meet throughout the state between legislative sessions. During the 2013-14 legislative interim, the task force will study the possible transfer of certain public lands from the federal government to the State of Nevada. As does the Utah legislation (H.B. 148) that passed in 2012, A.B. 227 gives the task force and the public a chance to contemplate and discuss at length the concept of Congress turning over management and control of specific public lands to Nevada by the end of June 2015. Dahl says there will be plenty participation throughout the interim as the task force is directed to make regular updates to the Legislative Committee on Public Lands. “By then it will be well vetted,” he said, “everyone will have had a chance to voice their support or objections as the committee meets all over the state. The administration for the task force will be provided for by Nevada Association of Counties. Although the USFS began their federal TMP update process in 2005, it wasn’t until 2009 that they began addressing the TMP in Elko. From the beginning of the process in Elko County, regulators from the USFS said they didn’t anticipate closing any roads or access to federal lands and asked the county to become a cooperating agency. As the process went on it became clear the USFS would allow for several hundred miles of road to end up closed to public access. Randy Brown, Director of Natural Resources for Elko County realized that in actuality it was closer to 2,000 miles of roads that would be closed. “What happened was the first maps presented to us at the beginning of the scoping process did not show all of the roads in the forest, they had been omitted from the maps.” At that point Elko County made the decision to withdraw from their cooperating agency status. Even after extensive public input into the USFS process, when the proposal finally came out it not only was there the issue with the road closures, but it also allowed for the USFS to do away with dispersed camping (camping outside of designated campgrounds), did not allow for big game retrieval, and much of the forest access from private land had been closed by simply not including existing roads in the TMP maps. The plan also included provisions to fine violators $5,000 and up to six months in jail. The USFS had continually maintained that there would be minimal impact to the Elko economy. However, when Elko County hired a firm to assess the economic impacts should the TMP be enacted, it was found there would be at least a $160 million cost to Elko in loss of hunting, resource production, and tourism activity. According to Dahl there were over 104 specific contacts made by Elko County to the USFS during the process, along with regular hearings to express concerns over provisions in the plan. After many protests by citizens and the local governments affected Dahl says, “they (USFS) finally gave in on one issue of big game retrieval—they agreed to allow for the retrieval of Elk only, no other game, but only a distance of ½ mile from the road, one trip only, and only between the hours of 9 o’clock a.m. and 3 o’clock p.m.” Dahl says it was this lack of common sense over simple provisions like retrieving wild game during hunting, that finally drove folks from Northern Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and as far away as Arizona to ask for a Congressional hearing to look into the USFS process. On March 12, 2012, the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands held an oversight field hearing in Elko County. Congressmen Bishop (RUT) and Amodei (R-NV) heard testimony from the USFS, local officials, and impacted citizens about county interaction with federal land management agencies over land-use regulations. In spite of ongoing conflict with the people affected by their plan, the USFS signed www.progressiverancher.com

the cumbersome regulation and issued a Record of Decision with little acknowledgment of the practical concerns brought by the users of the public lands. Shortly after that the American Lands Council was conceived. The group is held together in a loose structure by Ken Ivory of Utah, who originally introduced the Utah legislation, H.B. 148. Organizers of the ALC decided early on that they didn’t want to dilute the importance of their mission with egos or personalities so they didn’t form a board of dignitaries like many issue-based organizations. “Everyone involved in this does the heavy lifting of getting out the message,” says Dahl. Based on the original “Enabling Acts” that created new states when they joined the United States, the ALC maintains that the federal government promised to transfer title to the public lands within these new states in a timely fashion. The position of the ALC is that for nearly 200 years, Congress recognized its duty to dispose of the public lands within a state to benefit that state economically, and respect “the uniquely sovereign character” created when that state was admitted into the Union. The problems really began, say the organizers of the ALC, in 1976 when Congress passed the Federal Lands Policy Management Act (FLPMA) and declared that it was their new policy to retain all public lands in federal ownership. In 2009 the Supreme Court made it clear that federal agencies have it wrong when the Court decided in favor of Hawaii (Hawaii v. OHA) saying Congress can’t change the conditions of a state’s admission into the Union, particularly where public lands are an issue. Hawaii was finally given control over their public lands by Supreme Court even though they first became a state in 1959. Dahl has been working to get Nevada counties and local government officials on board with the proposed Nevada legislation and speaks on behalf of the ALC in Nevada. “We’ve got ten counties signed on so far,” he said. “Churchill, Elko, Eureka, Lander, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, and White Pine and we’ve got Storey and Esmeralda coming right up in the next few weeks.” Each county commits $5,000 to the ALC when they agree to join and even more importantly commit the time and energy of one of its commissioners. The ALC maintains that states should manage the public lands rather than the federal government. “Because of the arrogance of the federal agencies and the financial considerations,” says Dahl, “we would be better off financially and there would be more access for the public.” He says the states are more responsive and more responsible to their citizens and have a greater interest in seeing the public lands within their borders well-managed. Dahl says the transfer of ownership of the public lands would allow the state to make better decisions in how lands are used and would benefit the state financially. These decisions would be made with and by the people who live in the state and who are directly affected by the ways public lands are managed. The transfer would allow the state to make decisions about access to resources and provide revenue from those resources. “This would allow oil and gas leases to benefit the state financially,” says Dahl. “Everything North of I-80 is off limits to oil and gas right now because of the BLM.” He says costs to fight catastrophic wild fires are also a concern but also says, “The idea is to manage these lands so we don’t have big fires.” According to the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, which is opposed to the ALC mission, the BLM spent $300 million in Utah last year to manage public lands. Contrary to many of the comments by those who oppose the ALC proposals, the transfer of public lands in designated Wilderness areas, National Monuments, and National Parks are not included in transfer language and would remain under federal management. Supporters of the ALC note that huge expenditures out of the federal budget by federal land management agencies wouldn’t be necessary if the public lands outside those protected areas were transferred to the Western states and those states were allowed to decide management issues. As far as the current activities of the ALC, the group continues gaining ground throughout the west. In addition to the Utah legislation, Wyoming, Idaho, and Arizona have all passed similar TPLA language through their legislatures. Three states, besides Nevada, are currently working on getting TPLA bills passed into law, New Mexico, Colorado, and Montana. Additionally, several Eastern states are lending their support including Arkansas and South Carolina which have both passed resolutions supporting the transfer of public lands. The American Lands Council is making progress in Nevada toward their goal “to secure and defend local control of land access, land use, and land ownership” but Dahl says getting AB 227 passed through the legislature is just the beginning. “This is just one little part of the process,” he said. “Once we get this legislation, Nevada would then join with the eight other states and along with whatever support we can get from the Eastern states, we’ll go to congress.”

The Progressive Rancher

MAY / JUNE 2013 23

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The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

USDA Funds for Rural Energy for America Program Funds Increase to $60 Million Grant Application Now Open; Program Supports Renewable Energy Systems or Energy Efficiency Improvements for Agricultural Producers or Small Business in Rural Areas (CARSON CITY –April 23, 2013) – USDA Rural Development Nevada has learned that the funding for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) has increased from $22 million to $60 million nationwide. The recent appropriations act passed March 26, 2013 allows for remaining funds from the 2008 Farm Bill and funds from prior year de-obligations to be available for FY 2013. As a result, Nevada’s REAP grant application deadline has been extended to May 31, 2013. Eligible applicants include small businesses and agricultural producers. Eligible

projects include installing renewable energy systems such as wind turbines, solar, geothermal, biomass, anaerobic digesters, hydroelectric or hydrogen systems. Funding may also be used to purchase energy-efficient equipment, add insulation, and improve heating and cooling systems. Agricultural producers anywhere in the state and rural Nevada businesses in communities of 50,000 or less are eligible for the funds. In Nevada, these grants and loans have been used to develop hydropower systems for ranch irrigation, to build a wind turbine to offset energy costs

for a business, to install high efficiency HVAC systems for a business to reduce energy usage and costs, and for the Desert Research Institute to conduct energy audits for small businesses and agricultural producers. For more information contact Mark Williams, Energy Coordinator at (775) 887-1222, Ext. 116. Applications must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. May 31, 2013 to the USDA Rural Development State Office, 1390 S. Curry, Carson City, NV, 89703, or submitted online via www.grants.gov .

USDA Invites Rural Small Businesses and Agricultural Producers to Apply for Rural Energy for America Program Funds Program Supports Renewable Energy Systems or Energy Efficiency Improvements

(CARSON CITY –April 2, 2013) – USDA Rural Development Energy Coordinator Mark Williams is reminding rural small businesses and agricultural producers that funds are now available to help them improve energy efficiency or install renewable energy systems. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty. Today’s announcement is one part of the Department’s efforts to strengthen the rural economy. “This Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) funding will help owners of small rural businesses, farmers, and ranchers reduce energy consumption and conserve natural resources,” said Williams, Energy Coordinator for USDA Rural Development. “Through this program, farmers and agricultural producers can upgrade or replace outdated, inefficient systems in their operations, which may help them improve their bottom line.” REAP, authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, (Farm Bill) is designed to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs and consumption and help meet the Nation’s critical energy needs. USDA is accepting the following applications: • Renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvement grant applications and combination grant and guaranteed loan applications until April 30, 2013; • Renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvement guaranteed loan only applications until July 15, 2013; • Renewable energy system feasibility study grant applications through April 30, 2013.

More information on how to apply for funding is available in the March 29, 2013 Federal Register, pages 19183-19190. For more information contact Mark Williams, Energy Coordinator at (775) 887-1222, Ext. 116. Eligible projects include installing renewable energy systems such as wind turbines, solar, geothermal, biomass, anaerobic digesters, hydroelectric or hydrogen systems. Funding may also be used to purchase energyefficient equipment, add insulation, and improve heating and cooling systems. USDA has made a concerted effort to deliver results for the American people, even as USDA implements sequestration – the across-the-board budget reductions mandated under terms of the Budget Control Act. USDA has already undertaken historic efforts since 2009 to save more than $700 million in taxpayer funds through targeted, common-sense budget reductions. These reductions have put USDA in a better position to carry out its mission, while implementing sequester budget reductions in a fair manner that causes as little disruption as possible.

Now is Your Chance to Help Sage-Grouse Find a Home Reno, April 23—Bruce Petersen, state conservationist for the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service announced today that there is still time for ranchers to sign up for financial assistance to benefit sage-grouse habitats. This may also include restoration of lands damaged by wildfires. Installing water developments, replacing fence and managing rangelands are just some of the practices that can be installed under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, according to Petersen. Landowners can also remove pinyon-juniper woodlands, restore meadows and control noxious weeds. “In addition, landowners who enroll in NRCS programs to www.progressiverancher.com

benefit sage-grouse are provided regulatory certainty,” said Petersen. This action protects landowners from increased regulation should the bird be listed under the Endangered Species Act in the future. Last year, NRCS awarded over $1.5 million for 21 contracts to restore over 300,000 acres of habitat, remove 8,000 acres of pinyonjuniper woodland and mark 13 miles of fence. Landowners are encouraged to sign up soon before all of the funds are allocated. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis but are ranked periodically so that projects can begin. For more information, contact your local NRCS office. The Progressive Rancher

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MAY / JUNE 2013 25

USDA Rural Development and Storey County Announce $ 7 million to Replace Virginia City Wastewater Treatment Plant System Improvements Will Eliminate Pollution Threats to Historic 6-mile Canyon Watershed

(CARSON CITY—April 19, 2013) -- In celebration of Earth Day, USDA Rural Development (USDA RD) and Storey County today announced a $7 million project to replace the wastewater treatment plant that serves the historic communities of Virginia City and Gold Hill. The funding will replace a system constructed in the 1970s with a larger and more efficient plant, eliminating the threat of watershed pollution during floods and providing service for years to come. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty. Today’s announcement is one part of the Department’s efforts to strengthen the rural economy. Special guests included Storey County Manager Pat Whitten, Public Works Director Mike Nevin, and USDA RD State Director Sarah Adler. “We are especially appreciative that the national allocation set aside for Earth Day investments allowed for the maximum grants on this project,” said Nevada Rural Development State Director Sarah Adler. “I am also proud of my staff’s effort for diligently working the final loan numbers through at a lower interest rate, thereby saving the project $200,000.” USDA RD provided a $3 million loan and a $2.3 million grant from the Water and Environmental Program; an additional $1.7 million grant from the U.S. Army Corps

of Engineers was used for preliminary environmental and engineering design costs. The Nevada announcement is one of 43 water and wastewater projects in 32 states that USDA has funded this year in honor of Earth Day. As a result, more than $145 million will be invested across the country in essential water and wastewater treatment systems to improve water quality, protect groundwater and provide a safe and healthy environment for rural Americans. One significant aspect of this project has been USDA RD, the Bureau of Land Management, Nevada State Historic Preservation Office and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers working together to create a programmatic agreement that allows the agencies to complete the environmental review process more efficiently and ensures that each agency’s environmental protection regulations are met. This will save the community unnecessary delays during pre-construction. Pat Whitten, the Storey County manager, called the wastewater treatment plant a “very positive move forward for the region.” “Not only will this plant handle our community needs now, it provides support for economic development into the future for both our tourism economy and the growing industrial complex,” said Whitten. The wastewater treatment plant is phase one of a number of planned projects, which in the future will include

sewer line extensions. A request for proposals on the project may be released as early as September, with construction estimated to begin in March, resulting in 40 temporary jobs. Following the funding announcement, USDA RD and Nevada Rural Water Association staff provided an educational program on watershed protection at Hugh Gallagher Elementary School in Virginia City. Forty-eight 4th and 5th grade students learned about the importance of protecting their watershed. Earth Day is observed annually on April 22 to raise awareness about the role each person can play to protect vital natural resources and safeguard the environment. Since the first Earth Day celebration in 1970, organized through the efforts of the late Wisconsin Senator and conservationist Gaylord Nelson, the event has expanded to include participation by citizens and governments in more than 195 countries. USDA has made a concerted effort to deliver results for the American people, even as USDA implements sequestration – the across-the-board budget reductions mandated under terms of the Budget Control Act. USDA has already undertaken historic efforts since 2009 to save more than $700 million in taxpayer funds through targeted, commonsense budget reductions. These reductions have put USDA in a better position to carry out its mission, while implementing sequester budget reductions in a fair manner that causes as little disruption as possible.

Record Cash Dividends for American AgCredit Represents Significant Growth in Loan Volume for 2012 Net Earnings for 2012 are $107 million with cash dividends to member-borrowers hitting a record $45 million

SANTA ROSA, CA (April 2013) – On the heels of a successful year, Farm Credit lender American AgCredit distributed $45 million in dividends to its customers for 2012. The Association experienced significant loan growth in 2012, with loan volume increasing 6.7% overall for the year. “This is the second year in a row that we’ve handed back 1% in dividend earnings to our members, and for 2012 this is the largest cash dividend in our history,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Ron Carli. “Agriculture has continued to be a strong sector in a challenging economy. This year’s growth in loan volume and resulting cash dividend payout directly represent our success and the success of agriculture as we move forward.” 2012 Financial Results Earnings for the year totaled $107.3 million, up nearly 16% from 2011 (excluding adjustments for non-recurring 2011 transactions). Total loan volume at year-end was $5.8 billion, up from $4.4 billion, with the majority of the increase attributed to the January 2012 merger with Farm Credit Services of the Mountain Plains. Net interest income was $160 million, with a permanent capital ratio at year-end standing at 21.12%.

26 MAY / JUNE 2013

Net interest income increased substantially compared to 2011, with growth of nearly 25%. Improvement in economic conditions has opened up opportunities for capital investments in all sectors of agriculture, with wine grapes, nuts, grains, and cattle remaining strong. “2012 represents the first year as an integrated Association with Farm Credit Services of the Mountain Plains,” Carli stated. “We remained strong through expanding our territory and increasing the diversity of our portfolio and lending base.” Credit quality in the loan portfolio remained stable at 95.8% acceptable as of December 31, 2012. CEO Ron Carli emphasized the Association’s commitment to sound underwriting standards and its geographic, commodity and customer diversity. “Our strength lies in the strong financial condition of our borrowers and their own sound business practices.” 2012 Dividend Payout Based on the strength of its 2012 earnings, American AgCredit has paid out $45 million in dividend distributions to its customers, the highest customer dividend paid out in the history of the Association– representing 29% more than the previous year’s dividend of $34.8 million. The Progressive Rancher

Current dividends paid to the borrowers from the Reno/Fallon/Elko areas total $1.4 million. The Intermountain region, which covers all the state of Nevada as well as Alpine, Lassen, Modoc, Mono, Plumas, Sierra, and Siskiyou Counties in California, paid dividends which totaled $1.9 million. Over the past six years, American AgCredit has returned more than $166 million in dividends to memberborrowers in California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Kansas and Oklahoma. “As a cooperative, American AgCredit returns dividends to customers based on their patronage, or loan volume, effectively reducing interest rates paid by returning 1% of our borrower’s average daily loan balances,” said Chief Financial Officer Vern Zander. “A strong capital base and a customer dividend are important components of American AgCredit’s business values.” “Our emphasis on a strong capitalized organization has ensured growth that allows for a substantial cash dividend,” added Carli. “Our mission is to ensure that reliable financing remains available to agricultural producers in our territory. In order to do this, American AgCredit must remain a safe and sound organization that can meet the needs of a constantly changing marketplace.” www.progressiverancher.com

CHECKOFF NEWS News From the Nevada Beef Council: CHECKING-IN ON YOUR BEEF CHECKOFF

Spotlighting Beef via “Campaign of the Decade” Named “Campaign of the Decade” by Nation’s Restaurant News, the checkoff’s BEEFlexible campaign helps contemporize beef and inspire foodservice operators to draw on beef’s versatility and taste. This year’s national foodservice advertising effort highlights Boneless Country-Style Ribs with innovative culinary concepts for the burgeoning fast casual segment. Research indicates that the easy yet savory appeal of slow-cooked beef will resonate with the fast casual segment, which enjoyed nearly 10 percent in sales growth in 2012. The campaign includes a mix of print ads in leading foodservice publications and digital media and merchandising opportunities, which are extended by national and state checkoff staff to build awareness of beef’s ability to drive sales and attract patrons.

Simplifying Beef-Cut Names Based on research identifying a need for consumer education about beef-cut names and cooking methods, the Beef Checkoff Program partnered with the National Pork Board to unveil new Uniform Retail Meat Identification Standards (URMIS) nomenclature for fresh beef and pork for retailers to use on meat packages. Innovative eye-tracking research helped shape the new names and labels, and the revised nomenclature was reviewed by USDA and the Industry-Wide Cooperative Meat Identification Standards Committee (ICMISC). Retailers, packers and scale label companies also engaged in creation of the new names and labels.

Building and Repairing Muscle Growth As sarcopenia – the age-related loss of skeletal muscle and strength that can have a significant effect on mobility and independence – begins to develop for many in their mid-40s, management of diet and exercise are critical. Toward this end, changes in dietary patterns may be one of the simplest interventions – and a new study published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that moderate amounts of 85-percent lean beef may significantly improve the rate of muscle growth following resistance exercise to counter-act sarcopenia – all the while falling within dietary www.progressiverancher.com

guidelines for protein.

Beefing Up the Millennial Diet The Millennial generation (sometimes called Generation Y or Generation Next) is made up of consumers born between 1980 and 2000. At 80 million strong, they are a huge consumer market – bigger even than the Baby Boomer generation. In fact, Millennials currently make up about a fourth of all Americans and a third of all adults, and many of them have already started expanding their own families. With that in mind, the checkoff has focused market research on understanding Millennials, how to increase their preference for beef and, most recently, the role that beef plays in Millennials who are managing their kids’ diets. A 2011 checkoff study that found Millennial parents limiting their children’s consumption of beef prompted a 2012 study to find out why. A Market Research Executive Summary details the findings of this study, which identifies strategic pressure points critical to improving beef’s role in the diets of Generation Next … and the next generation after that.

New Research Funded through RFP for FY 2013 Product Enhancement Research The Department of Research, Education & Innovation has just recently funded research proposals for FY 2013 checkofffunded Product Enhancement research. Beef’s quality and consistency must continue to develop to match consumer’s increasing and changing expectations. This research is intended to generate novel scientific evidence to fill knowledge gaps to make beef more consistent and to improve beef’s palatability attributes. The research funded through this RFP focuses on improving the quality and consistency of beef tenderness and/or juiciness attributes and evaluates pre- and post-harvest factors impacting these attributes.

Research working groups established for sustainability program Following the release of preliminary results from the More Sustainable Beef Benchmarking Study, research working groups comprised of beef producers and

industry partners were established to advise future research. These working groups represent the following beef producing sectors; cow-calf/stocker, feedlot, packer/ case ready, and retail/restaurant and will be paramount to identifying and addressing knowledge gaps and key research needs. To learn more about the checkoff’s beef sustainability research, go to Sustainability Research Program.

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Beef Safety Workshops Announced

Cattle Ranch South of Eureka (Duckwater)

The North American Meat Association (NAMA) has announced a series of regional beef safety workshops organized in conjunction with the Beef Industry Food Safety Council (BIFSCo) and funded by the beef checkoff. These workshops provide an opportunity for beef processors to stay up to date on the latest information about beef safety, and take messages shared at the Beef Safety Summit to regional locations in order to reach more industry participants. The workshops will be held May 15th in Oakland, Calif., June 11th in the greater New York City area, and June 20th in Atlanta, Ga. Topics covered will include a regulatory update, information of testing technologies and strategies, HACCP plan updates for non-intact beef, Salmonella and STECs, and Food Safety Assessments. Speakers include Dr. Kerri Harris, International HACCP Alliance and Texas A&M University, Dr. Kendra Nightingale, Texas Tech University and Food Safety Net Services, Dr. John Ruby, JBS USA, and Alex Brandt, Texas Tech University. More information and registration for these workshops is available at www.meatassociation.com.

4851 deeded acres, of which 600 acres are hayable meadows & 410 irrigated pasture meadows from year-round springs. 3820 acres of native grazing lands) will run 830 head of cattle. Family owned for generations. 807,954 BLM acres out the gate for spring, summer & winter grazing. Also, 134,865 acres summer Forest grazing. $3,500,000.

Call or Stop By!

Congratulations

Graduates

Sonny Davidson Jason B. Land 2213 N. 5th St. , Elko, NV 89801 775-738-8811, 800-343-0077 www.edwardjones.com

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Sherman Hills Ranch All Private. Approx. 1,259 acres, six pastures, with corrals, shop, garage, newer 2040 sq. ft. perm. man. home, landscaping, nice BBQ deck. Yearround creek. In Osino - within 15 min of Elko! NEW PRICE $1,500,000

Flying M Ranch Great ranch, Just minutes from I-80 (Imlay, NV) & not far from Winnemucca. Approx. 23,000 acres of deeded ground with over 23 miles on the river. Winter outside-no feeding. $15,000,000

Bear Ranch Great Development Possibilities. Meadow & Range Ground, East Idaho St., Elko. Cattle Operation & Open Space!, Meadow Water Righted; Produces Grass Hay! $1,700,000, (Ranch Headquarters not included)

Wildhorse Ranch Approximately 4,500 deeded acres north of Elko, Nevada. 2,123 accepted water-righted acres. Borders the forest & Wildhorse Reservoir.

View comple liﬆings at:

www.ARanchBroker.com

775-738-8535 Allie Bear, Broker/Realtor 775-777-6416

MAY / JUNE 2013 27

LookUP

Stick ’em Up!

by Pastor Diana Gonzalez

on’t ya hate it when someone gets separated from their stuff, be it money or ing in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. whatever? Where I grew up in the San Joaquin Valley, us kids heard stoFor “whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” NAS ries about the bandits who used to operate in the old days, close to our home. Three Pretty simple. Finger Jack, Joaquin Murrieta and others had ridden across the land where I grew Okay, so now that we’re saved, born again, spiritually regenerated, what’re our up. Sometimes they rode fast with a posse after them. Three Finger Jack, while being benefits? chased, supposedly stashed some stolen money in a river within eyesight of our place. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is Maybe it’s still there. neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong In the old westerns we used to watch, you would hear the to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs acdreaded words, “Stick ‘em up!” Some bad guy would relieve the cording to promise. Galatians 3:28-29 NAS bank, the stagecoach, or some cowboy carrying the payroll, of their money or gold. Thank goodness for our cowboy heroes who Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, “When believed and always got it back. Then the bad guys got thrown in jail to think then an heir through God. Galatians 4:7 NAS about their evil ways. received, God’s Word Now we can declare, through what the Word says, that we Well, we have today someone (the devil) trying to steal from are God’s kids! You can bet your boots that you have just made us, and it’s time we believers laid down the law (the Bible) to him. (His promises) the thief (the devil) very nervous. Let’s see what the Bible has to say about it. Let’s see what Jesus So let’s do a little devil stomping – it’s my favorite event. had to say in John 10:7-11 NAS: will never be (Branding calves comes next.) Have you ever lost any calves, So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, cows, horses, trucks, trailers, bridles, saddles or even sheep? I without fruit.” I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are have. (Not the sheep.) So who is behind stealing and killing? The thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am spirit of the anti-Christ (I John 2:22), the devil. the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, Let’s look in our Bibles and see what happens when the thief and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes is caught. Proverbs 6:31: only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have But when he is found (the thief), he must repay seven fold; he must give all it abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life the substance (or wealth) of his house. NAS for the sheep.” Folks, let’s bankrupt the devil! When you catch him stealing, killing or destroying The one who comes to steal, kill and destroy is the devil. So how do we fight him? your stuff, call him on it. Quote Proverbs 6:31 to him. Then, in the Name of Jesus, demand With the Word of God. Jesus said in verse 9 above, “if anyone enters through Me, he will that he pay seven fold (seven times). It’s your right as a child of God. be saved.” Saved in Greek is sozo, which means: to save, heal, cure, preserve, keep safe But even better, if you’re like me, you don’t like to lose any cows or horses. Let’s use and sound, rescue from danger or destruction, deliver. Sozo saves from physical death by the powerful prayers of binding and loosing, and the powerful prayer of agreement. Jesus healing and from spiritual death by forgiving sin and its effects. (Strong’s dictionary word said in Matthew 18:18-20: #4982.) “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Father, but through Me.” NAS (No other way!) So how do we get this saved (sozo) life? Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that Romans 10:8-10, 13 gives us the answer. they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For But what does it say? “The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their heart” - that is, the Word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess midst.” NAS with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him We can use the Name of Jesus to bind the devil and his little demon friends off of from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulteverything that pertains to us. We can also loose the Holy Angels to enforce our words, which are the Words of God prayed back to Him. So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void (empty, without fruit), but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall Are you having a You are invited to prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11 NKJV Rodeo or Livestock event? When believed and received, God’s Word (His promises) will never be without fruit. COWBOY CHURCH! The power in His Word will always, always fulfill the promise of His Word. Faith comes by, Give us a call. 1st Saturday of every month and fruitfulness is realized by hearing, reading, and studying God’s Word (Romans 10:17). We would love to come to your So let’s humbly believe and receive God’s Word. It will bear fruit in your life. It cannot Standish, CA @ 6:00 p.m. be barren. His own power is within it! event or ranch and host Hwy. 395 /A3 — Standish 4-H Hall So now we are armed and dangerous with the Holy Word and the Name of Jesus. Let’s Cowboy Church for you. tell the devil, “Stick ’em up!” Happy trails. May God richly bless you. We love you and would love to hear from you. If you would like someone to pray with, or just have a question, please give us a call at (775) 867-3100. ‘Til next time…

Harmony Ranch Ministry

3767 Keyes Way Fallon, NV 89406

Tom J. Gonzalez Diana J. Gonzalez, Pastor threecrossls@cccomm.net

28 MAY / JUNE 2013

(775) 867-3100 Cell (775) 426-1107

Scripture reading: Psalm 103, I John chapters 1-5, Mark 11:22-26

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SILVER STATE INTERNATIONAL RODEO “WHERE RESERVE CHAMPIONS BECOME CHAMPIONS”

At the Winnemucca Events Complex

Winnemucca, NV



JULY 2-6, 2013

8 perfs. and FINALS

Mud Volleyball Dog Races Parade Rife/Trap Shoot Teen Dances

HORSE TRAILERS FOR

ALL-AROUNDS

We take contestants that place 5th through 15th at their state ﬁnals ONLY!

Website:

ssir.us

Contact: Kathy Gonzalez: 775-217-2810 Jamie Dellera: 775-423-3739 Fax: 775-867-4400

Funded in part by the Winnemucca Convention and Visitors Authority

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MAY / JUNE 2013 29

The Progressive Rancher Coloring Page

30 MAY / JUNE 2013

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High Numbers of Grasshoppers Migrate from Southern Nevada NDA monitors their movement into central Nevada

Sparks, NV- The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) has received numerous calls from across southern Nevada of large numbers of grasshoppers in the area. The insects have been seen in Laughlin, Pahrumph, Las Vegas and around Lake Mead. The reported grasshopper is a large species called the pallid bandwinged grasshopper (Trimerotropis pallidipennis). It gets its name from the yellow hindwings that have a large black band running around the edge of the wing. This species is common throughout Nevada, but occasionally high numbers build up in southern Nevada, most likely due to the rains last fall. The insects then migrate northward into the center of the state. These grasshoppers are normally not considered to be a damaging species, eating mostly weedy species, but high numbers can be a nuisance. Chemical control of the adult insects can be very difficult and is generally not recommended. More grasshoppers will simply move back into the controlled area. However, this species is highly attracted to certain lights. In some cases, simply changing the light bulb to a low ultraviolet bulb can reduce or eliminate the grasshoppers. The insects should pass through the area and be gone within one or two weeks. The NDA will have personnel surveying southern Nevada for the species this week. Information on the grasshoppers and the high numbers

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may be reported by contacting Jeff Knight at (775) 848-2592 or at jknight@agri. nv.gov. Please include your contact information and the location of the grasshoppers. Or visit the website which has a form for reporting grasshopper infestations: http:// agri.nv.gov/Plant/Entomology/ Entomology_Home/. Additional pictures may also be obtained by contacting Knight.

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MAY / JUNE 2013 31

Observing Tomorrow: Continuing Landsat’s Long Look at Our Changing World Mustang Complex Fire Lightning started the Mustang Complex Fire in northeastern Idaho on July 30, 2012, and soon had consumed more than 330,000 acres of mountainous pine forests in the Salmon-Challis National Forest. By the end of September the U.S. Forest Service announced the fire had been “significantly moderated and rehabilitation is beginning.” Still, high winds and extreme drought continued to hamper efforts of those working to extinguish the flames, and many homes continued to be threatened. Landsat imagery illustrate the conditions related to the fire. An image acquired on July 21, 2012 (left), shows the area before the fire. A Landsat image acquired on September 7 (right) shows the devastating effects of the still active fire. The imagery are being used to track the growth and moderation of the burn and to monitor the land cover destroyed.

NASA, in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey, launched the Nation’s next Earth-observing satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on February 11. Currently known as NASA’s Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM), the satellite will be renamed Landsat 8 after three months of extensive testing. Operational control will then be transferred to USGS. Landsat 8 will extend the longest continuous and comprehensive record of the Earth’s land as viewed from space. As the world’s population surpasses seven billion people, the impact of human society on the planet is increasing. The continuation of Landsat’s fourdecade look at Earth will help monitor those impacts and more accurately forecast future environmental change. Seeing beyond human sight Landsat data can assist a broad range of specialists in managing the world’s food, water, forests, and other natural resources for a growing world population. Landsat images from space are not just pictures. They contain many layers of data collected at different points along the visible and invisible light spectrum. Consequently, Landsat images can show where vegetation is thriving and where it is stressed, where droughts are occurring, where wildland fire is a danger, and where erosion has altered coastlines or river courses. Landsat satellites give us a view as broad as 12,000 square miles per scene while describing land cover in units the size of a baseball diamond. From a distance of more than 400 miles above the earth surface, a single Landsat scene can record the condition of hundreds of thousands of acres of grassland, agricultural crops, or forests. Landsat images reveal subtle, gradual changes, such as Wyoming rangelands greening up after a drought, as well as massive landscape changes that occur in rapidly growing urban areas. Landsat can also provide broad assessments of sudden natural or human-induced disasters, such as the number of acres charred by a forest fire or the extent of tsunami inundation. Landsat data have been used to monitor water quality, glacier recession, sea ice movement, invasive species encroachment, coral reef health, land use change, deforestation rates, and population growth. Free data for innovation The Department of the Interior (DOI) policy of unrestricted access and free distribution of Landsat data encourages researchers everywhere to develop practical applications of the data. Specific, purpose-driven applications of Landsat data can serve commercial endeavors in agriculture and forestry; they can enable land managers in and out of government to work more efficiently; they can assist scientists in defining and assessing critical environmental issues. With its long-term historical record of the entire globe and widely recognized high quality of data, Landsat is valued all over the world as the gold standard of land observation. Ready access to authoritative Landsat images provides a reliable common record of Earth conditions that advances the mutual understanding of environmental challenges by

32 MAY / JUNE 2013

citizens, researchers, and decision makers around the globe. Interior and Landsat from the start In 1966, at the start of the Landsat era, Interior Secretary Stewart Udall announced Interior’s new Project EROS, the acronym for Earth Resources Observation Satellites. In a statement that echoes to this day, Udall said, “…the time is now right and urgent to apply space technology towards the solution of many pressing natural resources problems being compounded by population and industrial growth.” Udall’s announcement was a catalyst for what eventually became the world’s first civilian land-imaging satellite, developed by NASA and launched on July 23, 1972. USGS role in observing Earth USGS and NASA have distinct roles in the Landsat program. NASA develops remotesensing instruments and spacecraft, launches satellites, and validates their performance. The USGS then assumes ownership and operation of the satellites, in addition to managing ground-data reception, archiving, product generation, and distribution. USGS has managed the operations of two Earth observing satellites — Landsat 5 and 7 — for over a decade. Recently, USGS announced that, after nearly three decades of service, Landsat 5 would be decommissioned over the coming months, bringing to a close the longest-operating Earth observing satellite mission in history. Launched in 1984, Landsat 5 orbited the planet over 150,000 times while transmitting over 2.5 million images of land surface conditions around the world, long outliving its original three-year design life. Vital observations by Landsat 5 of the Mount Saint Helens eruption, Antarctica, the Kuwaiti oil fires, the Chernobyl disaster, rainforest depletion, major wildfires and floods, urban growth, global crop production, and ice shelf expansion and retreat have helped increase our understanding and awareness of the impact of humans on the land. Landsat 7, launched in 1999, continues to provide daily information about our planet from space, although an instrument problem reduces the amount of data it collects. Observing tomorrow The LDCM/Landsat 8 satellite carries two instruments, the Operational Land Imager (OLI) and the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS). Advanced technology increases the reliability and sensitivity of these instruments, while the improved measurements are still compatible with the past Landsat data record. The technical capabilities of LDCM/Landsat 8 move forward in three areas in comparison to Landsat 7: increased spectral coverage; higher data precision (the ultimate resolution is not changed); and increased quantity of data collection (60% more scenes per day). Landsat 8 will orbit Earth once every 99 minutes at an average altitude of 438 miles (705 kilometers), repeating the same ground track every 16 days. Landsat 8 data is expected to be available within 100 days of launch from the USGS data archive.

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An Excerpt from

Wildfire

GREAT BASIN

FORUM

THE SEARCH FOR SOLUTIONS

by Dr. Paul Tueller

There are five important areas for consideration in addressing wildfire issues. The first has to do with potentially changing public land policy and creating new laws that reduce litigation. The annual budget cycle is a major culprit in preventing success in rangeland enhancement efforts. A second important consideration is the need to use grazing management to help solve the fire problem. The extreme fire years in the recent past must be due, in part, to the noted reduction in grazing the forage base, resulting in significant fuel buildup. The lower and sometimes upper reaches of the mountain Remote sensing, Global Positioning Systems ranges have turned yellow as a result of postand Geographic Information Systems can be fire cheatgrass establishment. The buildup of used to provide important information to help cheatgrass has tended to shorten the grazing searefine our understanding of (the) Great Basin... son across the state, as this grass is only green with a sufficient biomass for a short timeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;one month or less in the spring. Development of intensive grazing management strategies is needed to allow utilization of cheatgrass and reduce future fuel loads. Grazing animal will be the tools that must be used to make desirable changes in vegetation. A third area is seeding with species that are known to be effective. It is important to highlight the scientific evidence that the most adapted and useful species have heretofore been non-native species. The argument about native versus non-native species is not useful and must be resolved based on available scientific findings. There is no good reason why the

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best and most useful species should not be used independent of origin. Fourth, there is a need to maintain or develop strong rangeland management programs at universities that graduate well-trained, competent students who can enter into careers leading to management of these landscapes. In addition, increased support for herbaria is critical since individual plant species form the basis of sound rangeland management. Every good manager must be able to identify these species and have knowledge of their characteristics. Fifth, the final area of concern relates to the under-utilized technology of remote sensing. Remote sensing, Global Positioning Systems and Geographic Information Systems can be used to provide important information to help refine our understanding of Great Basin vegetation and soil ecosystems in relation to fire ecology. Remotely obtained imagery can be used to follow greenness and maturation of vegetation for grazing management plans and a general consideration of fuel loads across large landscape areas. Remote sensing data would be useful for the design of experiments related to fire management efforts both pre- and postfire. These data could also assist in the design of grazing management plans and the selection of sites that have the highest probability for success in revegetation efforts.

Portions of Great Basin Wildfire Forum: The Search for Solutions are reprinted with permission. The technical editors are Dr. Elwood Miller, Professor Emeritus, and Dr. Rang Narayanan, Associate Dean of Outreach, both from the University of Nevada, Reno, and the copy editing and design was done by Mr. Bob Conrad, Nevada Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Great Basin Wildfire Forum: The Search for Solutions is a publication of the Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Nevada, Reno. For more information, go to the website: www.cabnr. unr.edu/naes. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views of the University or the Experiment Station.

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MAY / JUNE 2013 33

Financial Focus Presented by Sonny Davidson and Jason Land, Financial Advisors, Edward Jones in Elko, Nevada 2213 North 5th Street, Suite A | 775-738-8811

Is Your Portfolio Truly Diversified?

ife is full of ups and downs — and the financial markets are no different. As an investor, you’re no doubt happy to see the “ups” — but the “downs” can seem like a real downer. Isn’t there any way to help smooth out the volatility in your investment portfolio? First of all, to cope with volatility, it’s helpful to know what causes it — and there can be many causes. Computers that make trades in milliseconds, based on mathematical models, are sometimes blamed for intraday volatility, but large price swings can also occur following the release of government economic reports, such as those dealing with unemployment and housing starts. Global events, such as the European economic malaise, can also send the financial markets into a tizzy. By being aware of the impact of these events, you can see that the workings of the markets — especially their volatility — may not be as mysterious as you thought. Still, while knowing the causes of volatility can help you prepare for market swings, it won’t blunt their impact on your portfolio. To do that, you need to create a diversified mix of investments because your portfolio can be more susceptible to negative price movements if you only own one type of asset. To illustrate: If you owned mostly bonds, and interest rates rose sharply, the value of your bonds would likely drop, and your portfolio could take a big hit. But if you owned stocks, bonds, government securities, certificates of deposit (CDs) and other investment vehicles, the rise in interest rates would probably affect your portfolio less significantly. Unfortunately, many investors think that if they own a few stocks and a bond, they’re diversified. But you can actually extend your diversification through many levels — and

Clover Valley Farm: 243 Acres with 160 acres with underground water rights, two irrigation wells, a stock well and a good domestic well. Large modern home with detached 5 car garage, 4000 and 5000 sq. ft metal buildings and greenhouse. All for only $500,000. Elko Co. 10,706 deeded with BLM grazing permit: These private sections are in the checkerboard area and are intermingled with public lands. The ranch has historically been a Spring Sheep range. The BLM permit is only 29% public lands. Price includes 50% of the mineral rights on all but 320 acres. Price:$130/ acre. Or $1,392,000. Considering adding the property below to it to make a year around unit. Elko Co. Humboldt River Property: 650 acres located between the Ryndon and Osino Exits on I-80. This property has over 300 acres of surface water

rights out of the Humboldt River. The BLM permit for the 10,706 acres above is a short distance from this property with a stock driveway on this property. Price:$1.2 million. Tent Mountain Ranch: Approx. 3500 deed acres in Starr Valley. Nice larger home on paved road plus mountain cabin. Great summer range with water from numerous creeks and seeps. This ranch is made of up of over 20 separate parcels if a buyer were more interested in Investment property vs. Agricultural property. Over 135 acres with surface water rights. Price $3.7 million based on recent appraisal. Indian Creek Ranch: 126 acre Homestead with large Spring and at the foot of the Cherry Creek Range in White Pine County. Certiﬁcated and permitted water rights on the spring for 60 acres. Price reduced to $275,000.

For additional information on these properties go to: BOTTARIREALTY.COM SOLD IN 2012: Antelope Peak Ranch -5000 deeded; Z Bar Ranch- 2400 deeded; and Mason Mountain Ranch-3700 deeded. We need more ranch listings! Sold in 2013: 113 Ranch at Panaca

Paul D. Bottari, Broker

Work: 775-752-3040

paul@bottarirealty.com

1222 6th St., P.O. Box 368 Wells, NV 89835

34 MAY / JUNE 2013

Home: 775-752-3809 • Fax: 775-752-3021

•

www.bottarirealty.com

you should. For the equity portion of your portfolio, try to own stocks representing many market sectors and industries. Also, consider international stocks. And rather than just owning U.S. Treasury bonds, consider corporate bonds and municipal bonds, and diversify your fixed-income holdings further by purchasing short-term, intermediate-term and longterm bonds. Work with your financial advisor to determine the mix of asset classes and investments that are appropriate for your financial goals and objectives. How you ultimately diversify your portfolio depends on your risk tolerance, time horizon and long-term goals — there’s no one “correct” asset mix for everyone. And over time, your diversification needs may change. To cite one example, as you enter your retirement years, you may need to increase your percentage of income-producing investments while possibly reducing the amount of growth investments you own. These growth-oriented investments tend to be more volatile, and you may want less volatility during your retirement. However, even during retirement, you will need to own a certain percentage of growth investments to provide you with the growth potential you’ll need to stay ahead of inflation. Keep in mind that diversification can’t guarantee a profit or protect against loss. Nonetheless, building a diversified portfolio may help take some of the volatility out of investing — so look for diversification opportunities whenever possible. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Tenth Annual California Trail Days begins May 18

ELKO, Nev.— Mark your calendars! It’s time again to celebrate Western heritage and history. The Bureau of Land Management, Elko District is hosting the 10th annual California Trail Days at the California Trail Interpretive Center Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. A variety of displays for all ages is available at this free event, including black powder rifle demonstrations, period music, gold panning, Native American crafts and formal presentations on the history and culture of the area. The theme of this year’s Trail Days is “The top 40 of the 1840s.” Featured artists will be Los Californios playing the Spanish and Mexican Music of California prior to the gold rush and Phil and Vivian Williams playing fiddle tunes of the overland trail era. Vivian has won many fiddle contests in the U.S. and Canada. Her accolades include the 1999 National Senior Championship, seven-time Washington State Senior Champion and three time Washington State fiddle champion. Each group will perform twice each day. Highlighting this year’s celebration will be an old time dance Saturday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. featuring the music of Southwind. Surrounding the Trail Center will be Living History Encampments where visitors will enjoy walking through a replica trail camp. Volunteer interpreters will be in period costumes and answer questions about what is being displayed and about the equipment and history of the California Trail. The California Trail Center, operated by the Bureau of Land Management, is eight miles west of Elko at Hunter Exit 292. The Center is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please call (775) 738-1849, or visit www.elkotraildays.com or http:// blm.gov/cv5c for more information.

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Leafy Spurge

ello from the Humboldt Watershed Cooperative Weed Management Area! This month we would like to introduce you to a Nevada state-listed noxious Large infestation of leafy spurge. weed, leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula). Leafy spurge is native to Eurasia and is widely distributed from Spain to Japan. Since the first recording of this weed in North America at Newbury, Massachusetts in 1827, it has become widespread in certain regions of the United States and Canada. Leafy spurge has been recorded in 35 states within the United States and it lacks the insects and diseases in North America that keep it in check in its native range. Leafy spurge is very competitive; one of the first plants to emerge each spring, and uses moisture and nutrients that otherwise would be available for more desirable vegetation. FlowLeafy spurge plant. ering occurs primarily in April and May but may occur through fall. Leafy spurge is an erect plant that grows 1 to 3 feet tall. The leaves are bluish-green with smooth margins, 0.25 inch to 0.5 inch wide, and 1 inch to 4 inches long. The plants umbel flowers are surrounded by heartshaped, showy, yellow-green bracts. (An umbel looks like the stays of an umbrella if it is held upside down.) Flowers occur in many clusters toward the top of the plant. Each flowering shoot produces an average of 140 seeds which are round to oblong, about 1/12 inch long, gray or mottled brown with a dark line on one side. The seeds can also be expelled up to 15 feet Leafy spurge flower. when capsules dry and they are viable up to eight years in soil. The noxious plant contains white milky latex in all plant parts. Latex distinguishes leafy spurge from some other weeds particularly when plants are in a vegetative growth stage. Leafy spurge has an extensive root system that is abundant in the top foot of soil, and it may grow 15 feet deep or more. The roots contain substantial nutrient reserves that allow the weed to recover from stress, including control efforts. Many vegetative buds along roots grow into new shoots which contributes to its persistence and spread. Leafy spurge is difficult to manage and can recover from almost any control effort. Therefore, a management scheme that combines control methods over four to five years is recommended. Even after that time, it is very important to monitor infestations for recurrence and adopt a maintenance program. Cultural control. Vigorous grass growth is an important aspect of leafy spurge con-

trol. Over-grazing stresses grasses and makes them much less competitive with weeds, leafy spurge in particular. Irrigation, where applicable, may favor grass growth and make it more competitive with leafy spurge. Chemical control. For optimum leafy spurge control, proper timing of herbicide application is imperative. Research from North Dakota-State University indicates that Tordon 22K (picloram) 2,4-D, Banvel/Vanquish/Clarity (dicamba) are most effective when applied in spring when true flowers emerge (not just bracts). Fall application to leafy spurge regrowth also is good timing for these herbicides. Refer to the table below for rates and application timings. Biological control. Although leafy spurge is toxic to cattle and horses, goats and sheep are tolerant and have been successfully used in control programs. A grazing program should be implemented in the spring when leafy spurge emerges. Researchers recommend sheep stocking rates of 3-6 head per acre of leafy spurge infested land per month, or 12-16 goats per acre of leafy spurge per month. These animals will not eradicate leafy spurge, but will allow grasses to more effectively compete and become established. It is extremely important to place animals in a holding pen for 3-5 days before moving to a new area. This will prevent viable seed from being dispersed to new areas through the animals. Grazing by sheep or goats followed by fall herbicide treatment may be an effective, integrated means to use infested ground and control the weed. There are a number of insect biological control agents that have been successfully used to control leafy spurge. Leafy spurge flea beetles, Apthona spp., adults and larvae attack leafy spurge by feeding on leaves and flowers (adults) and on root hairs and young roots (larvae). The red-headed leafy spurge stem borer, Oberea erythrocephala, have larvae that feed within the stems and root crowns and the adults cause secondary damage by chewing around (girdling) stems and causing stem death. The leafy spurge tip gall midge, Spurgia esulae, has larvae that feed and form galls on young stem tips. The galling and feeding by the larvae suppress flowering and seed production. Please notify the HWCWMA if you see leafy spurge growing along the Humboldt River. Our staff can provide the property owner or appropriate public agency with sitespecific advice on how best to remove it. We have an opportunity to stop it from spreading if we act quickly. We map all known locations of regulated noxious weeds in order to help us and others locate new infestations in time to control them. The Humboldt Watershed CWMA has also developed a website to serve as a clearinghouse for information on weeds in the Humboldt Watershed. Our website (http://www. humboldtweedfree.org) contains fact sheets for state listed noxious weeds in Nevada, Board of Directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s information, funding partnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s links, and many more features including a detailed project proposal packet that you can print, fill out and mail back to us at your convenience. We are currently looking to expand our project area outside of the Humboldt River and always welcome new funding opportunities and partnerships. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Andi Porreca, HWCWMA Coordinator at (775) 762-2636 or email her at aporreca@humboldtweedfree.org. Or you may speak with Rhonda Heguy, HWCWMA President at (775) 738-3085, email: hwcwma@ gmail.com.

Herbicide rates and application timings to control leafy spurge. Herbicide

Rate (Production/A)

Application timing

Comments

Tordon

1 quart

Spring at flowering growth stage; or fall

May need treatment 3 to 4

Plateau

8 to 12 fl oz

Early fall (August through October) before loss of latex

Use higher rate for older and dense stands; adds 1.5 to 2 pint/A of methylated seed oil; high rate or consecutive year treatments may injure cool season grasses

Banvel, Vanquish, or Clarity (diacamba)

2 quarts

Spring at flowering growth stage; or fall

Fall applications most consistent results; may need re-treatment 2 to 4 years

Roundup

1 quart each application; 2 quarts total

Apply sequentially; first application first of June and second one month later

Must be combined with grass seeding

www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

MAY / JUNE 2013 35

it’s in the bone Jake Telford on Nabisco Roan (full brother to Frettin)

Boonlight Dancer x Crackin

2007 Red Roan Stallion

Fret’s First Foals

Frettin

with Cory Shelman

standing to a limited number of mares

PRIVATE TREATY Linda Bunch Tuscarora, NV

36 MAY / JUNE 2013

775-756-6508

Horse Tripping Bills Advance I

by Becky Lisle

n both Nevada and Oregon, “horse tripping” bills have advanced. Nevada’s SB 72 and Oregon’s SB 835 have both passed their respective state Senates. Sponsored by Senator Manendo, the original text of Nevada’s SB 72 read: “…a person shall not intentionally engage in horse tripping or steer tailing for sport, entertainment, competition, or practice; knowingly organize, sponsor, promote, oversee, or receive money for the admission of any person to a horse tripping or steer tailing event; use a cattle prod or other similar electronic device on the face of an animal.” However, SB72 does state that “the provisions of this section do not apply with respect to an injury or to the death of an animal that occurs accidentally in the normal course of carrying out the activities of a rodeo or livestock show, or operating a ranch.” It defines “horse tripping” as “the roping of the legs of or otherwise using a wire, pole, stick, rope or other object to intentionally trip or cause a horse, mule, burro, ass, or other animal of the equine species to fall or lose its balance. The term does not include tripping such an animal to provide medical or other health care for the animal.” The activities detailed will result in misdemeanors for the first two offenses (within the immediately preceding seven years), with increasing jail times and fines. The third offense within the specified time period will result in a category C felony. The amended version of SB 72 that passed the Nevada Senate on April 23 reads: A person shall not…intentionally engage in horse tripping for sport, entertainment, competition or practice; or knowingly organize, sponsor, promote, oversee or receive money for the admission of any person to a charreada or rodeo that includes a horse tripping event unless the horse tripping event is allowed by the local government where the horse tripping event is conducted. This would mean that horse roping events on Indian reservations would not be subject to the law. Sponsored by Senators Hass and Hansell, Oregon’s SB 835 bizarrely combines a “right to rodeo” with ban on horse tripping. Apparently meant to allay fears that a banning of horse tripping could lead to similar action against more common rodeo events, the bill states: “…a person may conduct or participate in rodeos in this state. State law may not be applied in a manner that affords the conducting of or participation in rodeos less favorable treatment than for other organized exhibitions or events.” Even while superficially supporting “rodeo,” the bill takes direct aim at Oregon’s Jordan Valley Big Loop Rodeo, as well as at numerous jackpot-style horse roping and charreadas, stating that: “…a person commits the offense of equine tripping if the person intentionally causes an equine to trip or fall, or intentionally ropes or lassos the legs of an equine, for the purposes of a rodeo, contest, exhibition, entertainment or sport, or as practice for a rodeo, contest, exhibition, entertainment or sport.” The offense of equine tripping would be a class B misdemeanor, and result in a maximum of six months in prison, a $2500 fine, or both. Traditional Great Basin horse activities are not alone in being targeted by the animal rights movement. On the national level, Congressman Ed Whitfield (R-KY) introduced HR 1518 “The Prevent All Soring Tactics”(PAST) amendment to the Horse Protection Act. His bill seeks to further regulate the Tennessee Walking Horse industry, which is already stringently self-regulated, in coordination with the USDA. Whitfield’s bill is yet another conflict of interest, as his wife, Connie HarrimanWhitfield, is a senior paid executive with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Mark Patterson, CEO of The Cavalry Group stated, “The American people must wake up to the scam that is being perpetuated by the Humane Society of the United States. They are an animal rights, vegan extremist group which seeks to destroy animal related industries and they are doing so by imposing unreasonable regulatory reform by using highly charged emotional propaganda.”

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

USDA & HSUS vs. The Horse Industry by Becky Lisle

n April 10th, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack introduced the USDA 2014 appropriations bill. Despite the findings of a 2011 GAO report that clearly showed that the lack of domestic horse processing facilities had resulted in increased suffering, abandonment, and neglect of horses, Vilsack proposes in the 2014 budget to again defund the USDA inspection of horsemeat. The federal fiscal year starts on October 1. Following a lawsuit by Valley Meats, the New Mexico company that made significant investments in modifying their facility to accommodate humane horse processing, the USDA was forced to follow the law, and was scheduled to inspect the plant on April 16th. An attorney for Valley Meats was quoted in an April 23 press release as saying, “agriculture officials found no issues at Valley Meat Co. and told the owners they are recommending a grant of inspection be issued immediately.” The Humane Society of the United States, along with Front Range Equine Rescue, have declared their intent to sue the USDA if the agency provides the inspections necessary for interstate and international sales of horse meat. Despite the fact that the Roswell, New Mexico plant slaughtered cattle for over twenty years before converting to a horse processing facility, the animal “advocacy” groups claim that the plant owners and USDA failed to adhere to the Endangered Species Act, as they have not consulted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service about the impact Valley Meats’ proposed operations could have on threatened and endangered species in the area. Since the 2007 closing of the last horse processing plants in the United States, approximately 150,000 horses have been shipped to Canada and Mexico annually. A 2010 study by the Journal of Animal Science showed that the 326 existing equine rescues could accommodate a total maximum of 13,400 horses. At the time, the estimated annual cost for care of a rescued or relinquished horse was $3, 648. Since 2:23 then,PMhay prices have nearly Hometown Solutions_Qtr Page ad_1_redSans.pdf 1 7/21/11 doubled in some places, and many rescue facilities have gone out of business. If passed, Vilsack’s budget would ensure that unwanted horses not only face the in-

creased possibility of abandonment, neglect, or starvation, but also are denied the chance for a humane end in a regulated plant within our borders. While Vilsack conveniently points to the sequester as a cause for the proposed budget cuts, we can’t forget that when his wife, Christie, ran for an Iowa state office, she listed HSUS among her campaign contributors. The timing of this special-interest puppetry is especially interesting considering Congressman Ed Whitfield’s PAST legislation (see accompanying article), which, if passed, would onerously require increased USDA funding for additional, unnecessary regulation of Tennessee Walking horse shows.

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Rancher

MAY / JUNE 2013 37

17th Annual

PRODUCTION SALE 3 1 0 2 , 4 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3 1 r e b m e t Sep r 13 mbe e t p e llenge a S h , C y a e s d r i o r h F n Stock Norma 9:00 Van Rodeo la io r p a C . 5:00 J.M

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w w w.va nn or m an sa le .c om 38 MAY / JUNE 2013

The Progressive Rancher

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USDA Designates Elko County in Nevada as a Primary Natural Disaster Area (RENO, NEVADA), April 11,, 2013 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated Elko County in Nevada as a primary natural disaster area due to damages and losses caused by the recent drought. “Our hearts go out to those Nevada farmers and ranchers affected by recent natural disasters,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “President Obama and I are committed to ensuring that agriculture remains a bright spot in our nation’s economy by sustaining the successes of America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities through these difficult times. We’re also telling Nevada producers that USDA stands with you and your communities when severe weather and natural disasters threaten to disrupt your livelihood.” Farmers and ranchers in Eureka, Humboldt, Lander and White Pine counties in Nevada also qualify for natural disaster assistance because their counties are contiguous. All counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas April 10, 2013, making all qualified farm operators in the designated areas eligible for low interest emergency (EM) loans from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses. FSA will consider each loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability. FSA has a variety of programs, in addition to the EM loan program, to help eligible farmers recover from adversity. The Obama Administration remains committed to helping the thousands of farm families and businesses struggling with natural disasters. Actions taken by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in 2012 to provide assistance to producers impacted by the drought included: • Extended emergency grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres, freeing up a record 2.8 million acres and as much as $200 million in forage and feed for ranchers during a challenging time. • Purchased $170 million of pork, lamb, chicken, and catfish for federal food nutrition assistance programs, including food banks, to help relieve pressure on American livestock producers and bring the nation’s meat supply in line with demand. • Reduced the emergency loan rate, from 3.75 percent to 2.375 percent, as well as making emergency loans available earlier in the season. • Allowing haying or grazing of cover crops without impacting the insurability of planted 2013 spring crops. • USDA worked with crop insurance companies to provide flexibility to farmers, and one-third of all policyholders took advantage of the extended payment period. • Authorized $16 million in existing funds from the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to target states experiencing exceptional and extreme drought. • Transferred $14 million in unobligated program funds into the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to help farmers and ranchers rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters and for carrying out emergency water conservation measures in periods of severe drought. • Authorized haying and grazing of Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) easement areas in drought-affected areas where haying and grazing is consistent with conservation of wildlife habitat and wetlands. • Lowered the penalty on CRP acres used for emergency haying or grazing, from 25 percent to 10 percent in 2012. • Simplified the Secretarial disaster designation process and reduced the time it takes to designate counties affected by disasters by 40 percent. Additional programs available to assist farmers and ranchers include the Emergency Conservation Program, Federal Crop Insurance, and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program. Interested farmers may contact their local USDA Service Centers for further information on eligibility requirements and application procedures for these and other programs. Additional information is also available online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov. Secretary Vilsack also reminds producers that Congress has not funded the five disaster assistance programs authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill.These are SURE; the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP); the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP); the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP); and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP). Production losses due to disasters occurring after Sept. 30, 2011, are not eligible for disaster program coverage. www.progressiverancher.com

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Announces

Grazing Management Workshop

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, in cooperation with the Northeastern Nevada Stewardship Group, announces an upcoming grazing workshop in Elko: • Strategic & Targeted Grazing Workshop, May 22, Great Basin College, Greeenhaw Technical Arts Building Room 130: This workshop focuses on the science and practical use of livestock as a tool for reduction of invasive weeds, wildlife habitat enhancement, and fuel load modification to reduce wildfire threat. Questions can be directed to Kent McAdoo (mcadook@unce.unr.edu; 775-7381251). An agenda is included below.

Strategic & Targeted Grazing as Vegetation Management Tools – A Symposium* Great Basin College, 1500 College Parkway Greenhaw Technical Arts Bldg., Room 130, Elko, NV May 22, 2013 Welcome – Kent McAdoo, Univ. of Nevada Cooperative Extension

8:00 am 8:15 am 8:45 am 9:15 am 9:45 am 10:00 am 10:30 am

11:00 am

11:30 am

Strategic Grazing How Plants Grow - Brad Schultz, Univ. of Nevada Cooperative Extension Timing and Duration Management of Livestock Grazing - Kent McAdoo Strategic Grazing for Riparian Recovery - Carol Evans, Bureau of Land Management Break What Can We Learn from the Murphy Fire and Range Literature? Dr. Karen Launchbaugh, Univ. of Idaho Effects of Long-Term Livestock Grazing on Fuel Characteristics in Rangelands: an Example from the Sagebrush Steppe – Dr. Tony Svejcar (via webinar), USDA Agricultural Research Service Can We Select Cattle for Grazing Distribution and Sustainable Use of Extensive and Mountainous Rangeland? - Dr. Derek Bailey, New Mexico State Univ. Lunch Targeted Grazing The Benefits of Targeted Grazing - Dr. Karen Launchbaugh, Univ. of Idaho Fall Grazing to Reduce Cheatgrass – Kent McAdoo (for Dr. Berry Perryman, Univ. of Nevada) Using Sheep for Green-strip Creation and Maintenance – Jay Davison, Univ. of Nevada Cooperative Extension Cattle Browsing Sagebrush Steppe during Fall: Influence of Experience and Effects on Plant Community Structure - Chuck Petersen, Natural Resources Conservation Service Break Keys to Making Targeted Cattle Grazing More Effective - Dr. Mitch Stephenson, New Mexico State Univ. Effectiveness and Costs of Using Targeted Grazing to Reduce Fire Danger and Alter Fire Behavior - Dr. Allen Torell, New Mexico State Univ. Panel Discussion: What Are the Opportunities and Constraints for Using Strategic and Targeted Grazing as Vegetation Management Tools on Public Lands? Participants Amy Leuders (or alternate), Bureau of Land Management Dave Palmer, U.S. Forest Service Dr. JJ Goicoechea, Nevada Cattlemen’s Association Patti Novak, Natural Resources Conservation Service Dr. Sherm Swanson, University of Nevada Adjourn

1:00 pm 1:30 pm 2:00 pm 2:30 pm

3:00 pm 3:15 pm 3:45 pm

4:15 pm

5:30 pm

*This event is free to the public, but please RSVP to Candie Kevan (kevanc@unce.unr.edu; 775-738-7291) by May 12, 2013.

The Progressive Rancher

MAY / JUNE 2013 39

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit # 3280 Salt Lake City, UT

The Fort Ranch welcomes TED ROBINSON 7 Time NRCHA World Champion

Saturday

d June 22n 2013

36th ANNUAL PRODUCTION SALE Doc Quixote Colonel Freckles Doc Oak Young Gun

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SATURDAY, JUNE 22nd 2013 AT THE RANCH IN PROMONTORY, UTAH

Eric Duarte - Auctioneer 541-533-2105 www.duartesales.com

Ted Robinson - Pedigrees 805-649-9028 www.tedrobinsoncowhorses.com

40 MAY / JUNE 2013

The Progressive Rancher

FOR INFORMATION & CATALOG CONTACT: Rick Ellis 208-681-9829 435-471-7411 Brian Anderson - Trainer