- Idaho Farm Bureau

Transcription

- Idaho Farm Bureau

January 2005 Volume 9, Issue 1
IDAHO FARM BUREAU
Water Agreement
Threatens Private
Property Rights
IFBF
Convention
Highlights
Dairymen
Warned About
Stray Voltage
Sage Grouse
Numbers Don’t
Warrant ESA Listing
Farm Bureau:
A Kindred Spirit
By Bob Stallman
The Ag Agenda
make it the best yet for Farm
Bureau members.
A Neighborly Process
January is a special time of
This month, more than 4,000
year. Perhaps it is the holiday
The holidays have come and
farm and ranch families will
spirit still fresh in the air that
gone. Gifts have been opened, join together in Charlotte, N.C., makes Farm Bureau annual
eggnog toasts have been
for American Farm Bureau’s 86th meetings affable and producmade and many New Year’s
annual meeting. Old friends
tive. The policy process, at
resolutions have already been will pick up where they left off,
times high-spirited, is always
broken. With another holiday celebrations will take place, new met with congeniality by Farm
season under the belt - as
policies will be decided and
Bureau’s leaders. I would like
well as all the holiday trimFarm Bureau members will reto think it is more than remmings - we can now focus on fresh and recharge their passion nants of the holiday season,
the new year and resolve to
for agriculture.
but instead a kindred spirit
Continued on page 6
President American Farm
Bureau Foundation
Send Water Deal Back
To Negotiating Table
By Frank Priestley
President Idaho Farm Bureau Federation
After nearly five years of
closed negotiations, supporters of the Nez Perce Agreement have come forward with
a directive - take it or leave it
by March 31st.
Free and Open Debate It’s the American Way
By Rick Keller
CEO Idaho Farm Bureau Federation
We expect our government
to be open and above-board.
That is what sets America
apart from other countries
and forms of government.
Open debate, discussion and
the right to question our government - both elected and
2
IDAHO FARM BUREAU NEWS / JANUARY 2005
This agreement is complex and
complicated and there are dozens
of reasons to support or oppose.
Putting all those important details aside, I get skeptical whenever I’m told to evaluate and decide
on something this huge in such
a short period of time. If I am
going to commit to something
for the next 30 years I want to be
darn sure about it.
FB Process
The Idaho Farm Bureau Federation is the largest agriculture
organization in Idaho by a large
margin. Our membership is
also the most diverse including
farmers, ranchers, foresters, veterinarians, school teachers and
many others. After extensive
legal review, discussion, and
three hours of open debate, our
delegates voted to oppose the
agreement on December 2.
After evaluating the Nez Perce
Agreement and a full vetting by
When the agreement was first
Idaho Farm Bureau’s House of
Delegates, I’m confident in saying released for public consumption
this dog won’t hunt.
Continued on page 33
bureaucrats - is our first amendment right, as is the right to petition the government for redress
of grievances. This is especially
important when dealing with
something we hold as dear as
private property rights.
Our form of government is not
a spectator sport and if we are
not actively engaged and vigilant, we will lose our freedoms
and property.
The Nez Perce/Snake River
Water Settlement Agreement
needs openness and transparOur Founding Fathers warned
us repeatedly, (this they learned ency. This agreement is committing Idaho and its citizens
from sad experience), not to
for 30 years and beyond, in
trust government blindly and
land, water, money, and prito challenge and question its
actions and authority. It is this vate property rights. Some
affected by its outcome were
healthy checks-and-balances
and transparency that has kept never consulted nor gave their
our Republic strong for over
Continued on page 6
two and a quarter centuries.
Volume 9, Issue 1
IFBF OFFICERS
President ................. Frank Priestley, Franklin
Vice President ..... Lynn Steadman, Raft River
Executive Vice President .............. Rick Keller
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dave Hall ............................................... Inkom
Albert Johnson ............................... Georgetown
Bryan Searle ..........................................Shelley
Dean Schwendiman............................Newdale
Danny Ferguson ....................................Rigby
Mark Trupp............................................ Driggs
Cloy Jones .........................................Heyburn
Carol Guthrie ......................................... Inkom
Carl Montgomery .................................... Eden
Gerald Marchant ...................................Oakley
Scott Bird ...................................... Chubbuck
Terry Jones .......................................... Emmett
Niel Hergert ...........................................Nampa
Loyal Fleener ..........................................Deary
Marjorie French ............................... Princeton
Herb Offermann .............................. Sandpoint
Curt Krantz ....................................... Parma
STAFF
Dir. of Admin. Services ........ Nancy Shiozawa
Dir. of Member Services ................... Ray Poe
Dir. of Commodities ............... Gary Fuhriman
Commodity Assistant .................. Peggy Pratt
Membership Assistant ............... Peggy Moore
Market Information Assistant .. Dixie Ashton
Dist. I Regional Manager ........ Kendall Keller
Dist. II Regional Manager ........ Dennis Brower
Dist. III Regional Manager.. ..... Charles Garner
Dist. IV Regional Manager ....... Russ Hendricks
Dist. V Regional Manager .......... Wally Butler
Director of Public Affairs ..... Judy Bartlett
Asst. Dir. of Public Affairs ..Dennis Tanikuni
Director of Information...... John Thompson
Video Services Manager .............. Steve Ritter
Broadcast Services Manager ...... Jake Putnam
Office Manager, Boise ............Shawna Yasuda
Member Services Manager ............... Kris Long
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Cover: IFBF delegates recently voted to
oppose the Nez Perce Water Agreement
because it restricts the private property rights
of hundreds of north Idaho landowners.
Photo by John Thompson
The Nez Perce
Agreement:
A Legacy Of
Unintended
Consequences
30-year legacy of inequity for a variety
of citizen groups who had no representation in the Settlement process.
In summary, the Idaho Farm Bureau
Federation opposes the Nez Perce Tribe
Settlement Agreement for three fundamental reasons:
• The Agreement undermines private
property rights.
• The Agreement undermines Idaho’s agriculture-based economy.
Editor’s Note: Following is a white paper
• The Agreement undermines the demooutlining specific reasons for Idaho Farm Bu- cratic process.
reau’s opposition to the Nez Perce Agreement.
The Nez Perce Tribe Settlement
Summary
Agreement: An Overview
On April 20, 2004, the Nez Perce Tribe,
Intent
the United States (represented by the
The purpose of the Nez Perce Tribe
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Rec- Settlement Agreement is to resolve no
lamation, NOAA-Fisheries, U.S. Fish &
fewer than 1,113 water rights claims filed
Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Departby the Nez Perce Tribe in 1983 as part
ment of Justice), the State of Idaho and
of the SRBA. These claims affect stream
Idaho water users (including select irriga- reaches located within the Salmon,
tion districts, canal companies, munici- Clearwater, Weiser, Payette and Snake
palities, industries and timber compaRiver drainage and address instream
nies) agreed upon a proposed settlement flows claimed to provide fish habitat and
to a long-standing dispute over various
long-term channel and riparian maintewater right claims of the Nez Perce Tribe.
“Pull quote
nance. The underlying basis for the Nez
The agreement reached by these parties Perce claims is an 1855 treaty with the
is not a final settlement to the Nezplaceholder,”
Perce United States, which secured reservation
claims, which are based on treaties with land in exchange for ceding more than
six million acres of Tribal territory to the
the United States and include claims
federal government. The treaty further
for federal instream flow water rights
granted the Tribe “the exclusive right of
to protect the Tribe’s treaty reserved
fisheries, but is instead a framework for taking fish in all streams where running
final settlement, referred to as the “Me- through or bordering said reservation…
(and) the right of taking fish at all usual
diator’s Term Sheet.” Implementation
and accustomed places in common with
is currently on a timetable for March
citizens of the Territory…”
31, 2005 and will require numerous
additional steps, including state legisla- History
tion, Tribal approval, a Federal Consent The Nez Perce argue that the 1855 Treaty
Decree to be entered by the Snake River not only protects an activity that constiBasin Adjudication (SRBA) Court, and
tutes a historic way of life and a fundathe drafting of various Endangered Spe- mental means of sustenance, but implies
cies Act (ESA) documents.
water rights as well. Since fish require
water, goes the reasoning, water rights
Following a six-month review by the
must necessarily be reserved to the Tribe
Idaho Farm Bureau Federation, its delegates met in December 2004 to define in order to preserve their fishing rights.
their position on the Nez Perce SettleIn a November 1999 ruling the presiding
ment. By a 3-to-1 margin, IFBF delSRBA Judge Barry Wood, entered a
egates from throughout the state voted
Decision holding that the scope of the
to oppose. While IFBF recognizes and
“right of taking fish in common (as
supports the intent of the Settlement, it worded by the 1855 Treaty) does not
is opposed to the terms defined in the
confer an off-reservation instream flow
Mediator’s Term Sheet. The settlement
right extending beyond the boundaries
attempts to resolve issues of state, fedof the present day reservation.” This
eral, and Tribal rights and sovereignty
in a manner that threatens to create a
Continued on page 4
3
The Nez Perce Agreement:
A Legacy Of Unintended Consequences
Continued from page 3
Decision was appealed to the Idaho Supreme Court, which
rather than hear the case decided instead to order mediation
under the terms of a gag order. Following years of private
negotiation a settlement was reached to resolve the Tribe’s
claims without further litigation, creating the Mediator’s Term
Sheet.
Status
On May 15, 2004, the conditions of the Mediator’s Term Sheet
were made public. In exchange for full waiver and release of
Tribal claims to all water rights within the Snake River Basin,
all claims for injury to such water rights, and all claims for
injury to the treaty rights, the Tribe was granted sweeping
concessions affecting some 11,000 acres of BLM lands and instream flows and water rights on the Salmon, Clearwater, and
Snake Rivers.
Agreement Benefits
Arguments in favor of the Nez Perce Tribe Settlement Agreement boil down essentially to two key issues: 1) the desire
of the State of Idaho to preserve sovereignty over its water
resources, and; 2) the desire by both the state and federal governments to avoid costly and protracted litigation.
This agreement seeks to rectify past inequities to Native Americans by preserving and strengthening treaties they entered into
with the United States. Unfortunately, whatever the intent of
the Treaty of 1855, its language has created fertile ground for
litigation based on its interpretation – and the interpretation
that it provides water rights extending far beyond reservation
domain calls into question the state’s jurisdiction over one of
its most important natural resources.
Agreement Liabilities
However laudable the intent of the Settlement, and however
vital the ultimate resolution of Tribal water rights issues for all
affected parties, the Mediator’s Term Sheet essentially trades
away the rights of unrepresented private property owners. The
abrogation of private property rights has a significant impact
on
a large number of Idahoans, most specifically:
Among the benefits to the Tribe of the proposed 30-year agreement are the following:
• Landowners
• The reserved right of 50,000 acre feet per year from the
• Ranchers
Clearwater River for on-reservation consumption, with a prior- • Farmers
ity date of 1855 (first in time, first in right).
• Agricultural communities
• Rights to springs and fountains on federal land within the
• Taxpayers
Tribe’s 1855 ceded territory.
Landowners
Currently, private property owners follow guidelines estab• Management of the Kooskia National Fish Hatchery.
lished by a number of regulatory agencies. For the past 20
• Co-management of the Dworshak National Fish Hatchery.
years, for example, the Idaho Forest Practices Act (IFPA) has
served as a balanced approach to good stewardship of forest
• Rights to 200,000 acre feet in the Dworshak for fish flow.
lands. One of the conditions of the Mediator’s Term Sheet is
• Establishment of a $50 million trust fund for acquiring lands the reclassification of streams in lands affected by the Agreeand water rights for restoring/improving fish habitat, fish pro- ment from Class II to Class I (from non-fish bearing to fish
duction, agricultural development, cultural preservation and
bearing) – the net effect being the creation of “no harvest”
water resource development for fisheries-related projects.
zones for forest lands and the creation of stricter riparian protection zones in order to protect fish habitat. This portion of
• Federal funding of $23 million for sewer and water systems
the agreement entitled, the Idaho Forestry Program, is based
for Tribal communities.
on the IFPA. Landowners who choose to participate in this
• Rights affecting nearly 200 instream flows in the Clearwater/ “voluntary” program are supposedly given incidental take
Salmon areas.
coverage under the ESA for the incidental taking of any species
covered by this agreement. This essentially means that a land• Creation of a habitat trust fund for instream flows and forowner is “safe” from any litigation brought forth by the Nez
estry programs.
Perce Tribe and the Federal Government.
• Expansion of a 427,000 acre feet water rental from the Snake
However, there is no assured protection from third party lawRiver by an additional 60,000 acre feet for fish flow.
suits through this agreement. No matter what measures these
• Payment by the United States of a $10 million rental for un- land owners take to protect water quality and fish passage,
contracted storage space in the Payette River system.
while continuing harvesting operations, third party lawsuits
Federal and state legislation as well as Tribal and SRBA Court
are inevitable. The uncertain effect the Agreement will have on
approval are required to implement the Term Sheet. On June
the Endangered Species Act further increases the risk to land24, 2004, Senators Mike Crapo and Larry Craig introduced
owners of greater expense and less control over their assets.
Senate Bill 2605 (the Snake River Water Rights Act of 2004) to
Ranchers
implement the United State’s part of the settlement. The legisRanchers pay for grazing allotments on BLM lands, and the
lation passed as part of an omnibus spending package. It repretransfer of these lands to the Nez Perce under the Agreement
sents a $193 million cost to the federal government. The State
will jeopardize the future of existing grazing leases and other
of Idaho has drafted a bill for introduction at the next legislaprivate uses on these lands. An immediate impact will be the
tive session to implement Idaho’s portion of the settlement.
• Transfer of $7 million worth of BLM lands to the Tribe.
4
dramatic increase of allotment fees on transferred lands from
$1.43 per animal unit month (AUM) under the BLM to $18 per
AUM, as currently charged by the Tribe.
Potential disputes will be subject to settlement only through
Tribal Court, depriving landowners of due process. Ranchers
also face the loss of BLM allotted lands resulting in a loss in
value to their base property. This not only threatens their economic viability, it burdens future generations with inheritance
taxes based on the inclusion of that land.
The Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 assured ranchers a federal grazing allotment with a preference number of AUMs, which are
adjusted based on conditions. Allotments are included in the
sale of ranches and add value to the base property. AUM inheritance taxes are paid on based on the value of allotments.
Farmers
Irrigators who rely on ground water in the Snake River Basin
suffer the loss of the additional 60,000 acre feet of natural
flow rights for use in the augmentation program required by
the agreement. As junior water rights holders, ground water
irrigators must pay increased rental charges for water released
for flow augmentation and be forced to compete against the
federal government. These rental charges will increase from a
current level of $9 per acre foot to $14 through 2012 and $23
per acre foot from 2023 to 2030. Not only will this create more
competition for Idaho farmers seeking rental water, it could
also impair the ability of Idaho ground water users to acquire
water to provide mitigation to surface water users to avoid curtailment and reduce opportunities for water recharge projects.
Communities
County governments dependent on payment-in-lieu-of-taxes
(PILT) from BLM lands will lose a source of revenue as these
lands are transferred to the Tribe. The Nez Perce Tribe, as a sovereign nation will not be required to pay taxes on these assets.
Additionally, the Tribe is given the first right of refusal to other
BLM lands. Timberland management provisions of the Agreement will impose additional burdens and expense on forest
landowners and state endowment lands above those required
under Idaho law. This will ultimately result in less timber harvested and less endowment money allocated to schools. This
tax would need to be replaced by other taxes. In addition, the
impact of the agreement will require changes to roads and culverts affecting buffer zones and riparian areas – further diverting money from county infrastructure needs.
Taxpayers
While it may be argued that much of the direct compensation to the Nez Perce under the Mediator’s Term Sheet will be
borne by the federal government (in the amount of $193 million over the specified 30 years), it is reasonable to assume
that Idaho taxpayers will be affected more directly. State
monitoring activities to ensure compliance will place additional administrative burdens on state agencies. The state will
be required to cooperate with future research projects under
PO BOX 4848
1-208-232-7914
Pocatello ID, 83205-4848
(FAX) 1-208-232-3616
[email protected]
5
demonized for seeking that
transparency. We have tried
to
keep the leadership and
membership informed, so we
can make a determination on
consent. Once fi nal, it cannot what may affect us for years
realistically be reversed, no
to come. This is the right of
matter what “off-ramps” are the governed. It is a standard
provided. Once the Tribes
we hold dear.
have title to the land, the
The State and Federal governwater, the hatcheries, the
ments need to learn from
money; no one will be able
Farm Bureau about open and
to take those from them.
free debate. The trend in govThe grazing allotments
ernments is becoming more
will be gone, the minimum
and more secretive, willing to
streamflows set. We will
make agreements during the
live under Section 6 agreemidnight hours, with select,
ments, which are yet be
hand-picked groups, purposedetermined. This agreement
ly avoiding Congressional and
should be investigated, dislegislative committee review
cussed and debated.
and discussion. They abandon
The Idaho Farm Bureau has open and fair hearings if they
sought open and free disfear their pet cause cannot
cussion of this agreement
stand the scrutiny of public
because of its sheer impordisclosure. We must condemn
tance. We expect the right to this process, even if it can be
transparency, to determine
used to our advantage. Open
the unintended consequenc- debate and full disclosure are
es without fear of being
what we expect and deserve.
Rick Keller
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It is with full and open
debate that wise decisions
are made and tyranny is
avoided. This is the Farm
Bureau way. Disclosure does
not hinder, it builds. After
the facts are disclosed, then
an informed legislative body
votes on the issues, as the
Idaho Legislature will on the
Nez Perce/Snake River Water
Settlement Agreement.
Bob Stallman
that links all Farm Bureau
members.
Building up to what I like to
call Farm Bureau’s annual
reunion, there have been
thousands of hours spent on
grassroots policy development work and countless
volunteer hours of communicating agriculture’s many
good deeds and making our
nation a better place to live.
families volunteer their time
and financial resources to
such worthy causes as feeding America’s hungry, helping families of sick children
at Ronald McDonald houses
and teaching students about
agriculture.
This year, Farm Bureau will
be helping our troops in
Iraq. Through Farm Bureau
member donations, we will
be able to include beef jerky,
one of the most requested
items by our service men
and women, in care packages
sent to the troops. This special USO program is a good
example of Farm Bureau
supporting our troops with
nourishment, warm wishes
and a little touch of home.
Farm Bureau is also committed to its family. Grounded
in a policy process that begins with individual members and ascends through
county, state and national
levels, we know that it is its
people that drive the organization. And it is these same
folks with which we celeCulminating in one big
brate a good harvest, mourn
celebration in Charlotte,
the loss of loved ones and
members will have an oprejoice at the many blessings
portunity to work together
toward one common goal: To we have been given.
implement policies that are
It is these individual memdeveloped by members and
bers that I am proud to repprovide programs that will
resent, and I look forward to
improve the financial wellseeing them come together
being and quality of life for
as family every January.
farmers and ranchers.
I can’t wait for that kindred
This year, 433 voting delegates from all 50 states and
Puerto Rico will debate and
decide official public policy
positions that will guide
Farm Bureau. This get-together is truly unique and,
as I have said before, is like
a spirited discussion around
the family dinner table.
A Blessed Family
Farm Bureau is about more
than just helping secure agriculture’s future. It is about
helping others. Every day
thousands of Farm Bureau
spirit to shine through in
Charlotte.
I look forward to sharing
the many blessings, as well
as challenges, with my
Farm Bureau family in this
new year.
May God bless us all in 2005.
7
Food Fight
Goes To
Supreme
Court
By Jake Putnam
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The
U.S. Supreme Court recently
heard arguments on the
constitutionality of the beef
checkoff program.
The primary question before
the Court is whether advertising funded by checkoff dollars is “government speech,”
because the Agriculture
Department administers the
program and approves all
checkoff marketing.
The eventual ruling could jeopardize more than 100 federal and
state campaigns for other products including eggs, mangoes,
popcorn and even alligators.
“The beef checkoff is overwhelmingly supported by 70
percent of the nation’s beef
producers,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman, a Texas
cattleman. “The checkoff has
helped grow consumer demand for beef by more than
16 percent since 1998. It is a
critical program that helps
sustain the largest part of
American agriculture.”
The U.S. Agriculture Department, which runs dozens of
promotion programs, argues
that the Beef Act establishes
a valid program of government speech.
Some justices also seemed
concerned that a ruling
against the government would
hurt efforts to force cigarette
makers to pay for ads warning
about the dangers of smoking.
The government claims
it may say what it wishes
without infringing upon the
First Amendment, which
permits the use of money it
has raised for that purpose.
Checkoff opponents contend
they’re forced to pay for marketing campaigns they don’t
agree with.
“The ultimate beneficiary of
the advertising is the consumer,” Bush administration
lawyer Edwin Kneedler said,
defending the beef campaign.
Although beef checkoff dollars are used for a wide range
of consumer oriented programs including safety and
nutritional education and
accuracy of information, it is
the constitutionality of the ad- Still, the court seemed divided
vertising part of the program on how to settle the case.
that is before the court.
“Consumers overwhelmingly
recognize the ‘Beef. It’s What’s
for Dinner’ campaign,” said
Stallman, who added that it
is widely understood that the
checkoff enhances the beef industry and the U.S. economy.
“Every time we
pay general taxes
we’re supporting
Created by Congress, the beef
government speech
checkoff became policy in
1988. Since then, ranchers have
we may not agree
paid one dollar on the sale of
every animal. Checkoff revewith,”
nue from cattle sales total more
than $80 million annually.
Justice Antonin Scalia said.
He said the government
believes beef should be part
of Americans’ diets, and
formed the program to help
small farmers who could not
mount a national campaign
on their own.
The National Cattleman’s Beef
Association (NCBA) receives
about two-thirds of the fees
to do research, promotion,
and public relations under
contracts with the Cattlemen’s
Beef Board (CBB), which
oversees the checkoff. Checkoff funds made up 87 percent
of NCBA’s budget in 2002.
A final decision by the
court is expected in the
spring of 2005.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently began deliberations over whether the beef checkoff violates the U.S. Constitution. The decision, expected this
spring, could have wide ranging effects on many other similar checkoff programs.
Farm Bureau File Photo
8
It’s Your Money
Managing
Retirement
Income
By Gordon Lawlor
Bill and Mary Sample are retired and have a lump sum of
$500,000 (after tax) from the
sale of their farm. They called
the bank and learned that the
rates on certificates of deposit
are 2.75 percent if funds are
committed for four years. They
called their Farm Bureau agent
and discovered that if they
deposited their funds in an annuity they would receive 4.65
percent. What should they do?
many variations of this product which are adaptable to
accomplish numerous investment and income objectives.
The above solution should not
Step two: Bill and Mary deposited $150,000 in a ten year be interpreted as investment
advice for a given situation,
deferred fi xed annuity offering a rate of 4.65 percent. (At but rather is only an example
of a solution for a hypothetithe end of three years, when
cal
situation. The approprithe payout of the first annuity
ate
application
of annuity
has completed, Bill and Mary
products
is
best
achieved with
will be able to “annuitize”
a
trusted
fi
nancial
advisor.
these funds without any surPlease
consult
with
your Farm
render charges and if they are
Bureau
agent.
correct and interest rates are
higher, the rate of the annuitization will be greater than
currently offered.
funds, Bill and Mary are satisfied that this amount is sufficient for their monthly care
for the next three years.
Gordon Lawlor is a life /
investment specialist covering
southeast Idaho. He can be
reached at 478-2300. Or contact
your local agent.
Step three: Bill and Mary
deposited $200,000 in a six
year deferred annuity offering a rate of 4.30 percent.
With the expectation that in
six years interest rates may
be higher, Bill and Mary will
have the flexibility to roll the
This is a dilemma faced by
funds into another deferred
many retired people who want annuity at higher interest rates
to receive the highest possible (probably with a period that
return, but at the same are
will extend to the end of the
concerned about “locking up” annuitization of the funds in
their funds for long periods.
step two). Alternatively, if adTheir concerns, like Bill and
ditional risk would be suitable
Mary’s, often stem from two
and desired, Bill and Mary
fears: (1) What if interest rates might consider a variable ango up and I’ve locked in lower nuity after consulting with a
rates. (2) What if I need or
trusted advisor.
want some of my money for
emergencies (especially medi- The above strategy provided
immediate income for Bill
cal) and for travel.
and Mary, and also addresses
Should Bill and Mary purtheir fears: Regarding their
chase the annuity just because concern about being “locked”
the rates are higher? The best into lower rates, if rates go
solution may involve an adhigher, steps two and three
ditional strategy: A procedure will provide flexibility and
commonly referred to as “lad- opportunity to take advantage
dering” and might work in the of those rates. Regarding their
following manner.
concern about money for
emergencies and travel; the
Step one: Bill and Mary defunds deposited in step two
posited $150,000 in a 3 year
and three allow withdrawals
single premium immediate
annuity which will provide a of ten percent per year without any penalty.
monthly income of $4,395.
Since there will be no sigAnnuities are an important
nificant income tax on these
financial vehicle. There are
9
John Andersen,
right, of American
Falls receives the
Young Farmers and
Ranchers Discussion
Meet Award from
YF&R Chairman
Scott Bird. Andersen
will compete in the
national discussion
meet during the AFBF
Annual Convention
in Charlotte, North
Carolina.
Delegates Confront Tough
Issues During IFBF 65th
Annual Convention
By John Thompson
MOSCOW - Delegates to the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation’s
65th Annual Convention faced several contentious issues in the
process of outlining the organization’s policy for 2005.
Delegates representing 37 counties met in Moscow Nov. 30 Dec. 2 to debate policy ranging from water and trade to taxes
and education. In his opening remarks IFBF Chief Executive
Rick Keller said the organization’s strength and longevity result from a grassroots policy development process that begins
in the individual counties and culminates during the delegate
session. Quoting Abraham Lincoln, Keller warned IFBF members that “a house divided against itself cannot stand.”
“Issues may be predicted to divide this organization, but
Farm Bureau stays together, grows and strengthens,” Keller
said. “Open debate proves to be healthy, though at times
painful. One such issue is the Nez Perce/Snake River Water
Settlement. It has the potential to divide North Idaho against
South; forester against irrigator; surface water user against
groundwater pumper; and neighbor against neighbor.”
Idaho
Congressman
Butch Otter,
left, receives
the Friend of
Farm Bureau
Award from
IFBF President
Frank Priestley.
IFBF delegates
grappled with many
difficult issues during
the organization’s 65th
annual convention.
10
Don Oleson, center, a longtime Latah County farmer receives the
President’s Cup Award from IFBF President Frank Priestley, left, and
IFBF Vice President Lynn Steadman, right.
Bannock County Farm Bureau President Jim Guthrie receives and
Outstanding County Gold Star Award from IFBF President Frank
Priestley, left, and IFBF Vice President Lynn Steadman, right.
IFBF’s Women of the Year for 2004 are left to right, Lisa Jensen of Gem
County, representing District IV, Linda Lemmon of Gooding County,
representing District III, Christine Ward of Oneida County, representing
District I, Marianne Josephson of Teton County, representing District II Jefferson County Farm Bureau President Holly Hancock receives
and Josephina Schoenick of Benewah County, representing District V. an Outstanding County Gold Star Award from IFBF President Frank
Wanda Jones, far right, presents gifts to the ladies.
Custer County Farm Bureau President Rod Evans receives an
Franklin County Farm Bureau President Lauritz Smith receives and
11
Delegates Confront Tough Issues
During IFBF 65th Annual Convention
As expected, the hottest issue on the table was
the Nez Perce Water Agreement (see related story
in this magazine.) After nearly three hours of
floor debate and several hours more of behind
the scenes lobbying, the delegate body voted
against the agreement. Delegates representing
several different vocations including farmers,
ranchers, school teachers, foresters, horticulturists, aquaculture producers, veterinarians and
others, listened and participated in the debate.
Although the agreement could provide potential
benefits to Idaho irrigators, delegates said there
were too many uncertainties and infringements
on private property rights.
A new book containing IFBF’s policy for 2005
will be available in mid-January. The American
Farm Bureau’s 86th Annual Convention will be
held January 9-12 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Idaho delegates to that convention will carry several policy recommendations.
Beth Kienitz of Meridian receives the Young Farmers and Ranchers Excellence in
Agriculture Award from YF&R Chairman Scott Bird.
IFBF honored Women of the Year and President’s Cup recipients during the Moscow gathering. Don Oleson, a Latah
County, farmer received the IFBF President’s Cup. Over the
years Oleson has allowed dozens of University of Idaho
students to conduct wildlife, forestry and agriculture experiments on his property. He is also a local historian, father of
four and is one of Farm Bureau’s longest serving volunteers.
Farm Bureau’s Women of the Year for 2004 are: Christine
Ward of Oneida County, representing District I; Marianne
Josephson of Teton County, representing District II; Linda
Lemmon of Gooding County, representing District III,
Lisa Jensen of Gem County, representing District IV; and
Josephina Schoenick of
Benewah County, representing District V.
Chris and Kimmel Dalley of Blackfoot are this year’s winners of the Young Farmers and Ranchers Achiever Award.
12
IFBF also awarded Outstanding County Gold Star
Awards to four different
counties for membership
growth, public affairs and
public relations activities,
political education, young
farmers and ranchers
programs, women’s activities and others. The top
four counties are: Custer
County with 17 years of
continuous growth, a 5.37
percent gain in membership and 89.9 percent
member retention, President Rod Evans; Franklin
County with four years of
continuous growth, 1.4
percent membership gain
and 90 percent member retention, President Lauritz
Smith; Jefferson County
with 17 years of continuous growth, two percent
Delegates Confront Tough Issues During IFBF
65th Annual Convention
membership gain and 90 percent retention, President Holly
Hancock; and Bannock County with 40 years of continuous
growth, one percent membership gain and 87.1 percent member retention, President Jim Guthrie.
The Young Farmer and Rancher discussion meet winner this
year was John Andersen of American Falls. The Excellence in
Agriculture Award went to Beth Kienitz of Meridian and the
Achiever Award went to Chris and Kimmel Dalley of Blackfoot.
IFBF grew to 62,508 member families in 2004 and remains
the largest agriculture organization in the state. Growth
during 2004 was 2.4 percent with 8,593 new members,
1,204 gain in farmer / rancher members, and 88.3 percent
member retention.
Delegates elected Russ Lowry of Plummer and Rick Pearson
of Hagerman to the IFBF State Board of Directors. Re-elected
to the State Board were Terry Jones of Emmett, Bryan Searle of
Shelley, Dean Schwendiman of Newdale, Danny Ferguson of
Rigby, Albert Johnson of Georgetown, Scott Bird of Pocatello
as the Young Farmer and Rancher Chairman and Carol Guthrie of Pocatello as the Women’s Committee Chairwoman.
Idaho Congressman Butch Otter attended and spoke during
the convention. Otter received Farm Bureau’s Friend of Agriculture Award during the event.
13
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Donates Trail Boss to YF&R
I
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organization that offers opportunities for members to meet each other, travel and share ideas. One of the
exciting activities is the Achiever Award competition. The award will be presented to a young farmer and
rancher who has demonstrated great leadership potential, plus the ability to be progressive in the farming or
ranching operation. This year, the award winner will receive a brand new Polaris Trail Boss four-wheeler. The
Polaris dealers listed have joined in a cooperative effort to donate this prize.
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the Section 6 Agreement without knowing the financial and
other burdens – the equivalent of signing a blank check on
behalf of Idaho taxpayers.
“A House Divided”
Perhaps the greatest shortcoming of the Nez Perce Tribe Settlement Agreement is its lack of openness and transparency. The
agreement commits Idaho and its citizens for 30 years and beyond, in land, water, money, and private property rights. Some
affected by its outcome were never consulted nor gave their
consent. Once final, it cannot realistically be reversed, no matter what “off-ramps” are provided.
While the proposed Nez Perce Agreement undeniably preserves Idaho’s sovereignty over its water, and protects the treaty
rights of a Native American group to an ancestral way of life,
it accomplishes these objectives at onerous costs – not all of
which are known at this time. While it resolves a number of
tribal claims, it does not address others, such as claims pertaining to the construction and operation of the Dworshak
Dam, the Lewiston Orchards Irrigation Project, and the operation of Idaho Power dams on the Snake River.
These unresolved claims, uncertainty of the ESA outcomes,
interference with private property rights, and potential adverse
impact on the timber industry and local tax base are among
the substantial and negative uncertainties of the Agreement.
Options
Because Idaho Farm Bureau members cannot support this
agreement, the most attractive option to move forward would
be to support the previous decision made by SRBA Judge Barry
Wood that Nez Perce Tribal claims for off-reservation instream
flows were not valid. There are six other similar U.S. Supreme
Court decisions that support Wood’s decision. If the Nez
Perce Agreement is not implemented an appeal to the Idaho
Supreme Court is likely to go forward. An appeal to the U.S.
Supreme Court is likely after that. It will not end up before a
federal appeals court, as some have suggested, because water
adjudication is a state matter and states have control of water
within their boundaries.
Another option would be to send the negotiators back to the
table and in a process open to public discourse, continue to
look for compromises that will settle the Nez Perce claims
without harm to private property rights.
15
Utility Warns
Dairymen
About Stray
Voltage
By Jake Putnam
lion in punitive damages.
Idaho Power hasn’t been
shy in their dissent of the
jury award. They are appealing the decision saying independent engineers found
voltage on the Vierstra’s
farm to be within normal
operating standards.
Stray voltage according to
a University of Minnesota
study, is a small voltage difference between two animal
contact points. In dairy
barns, this is often called a
cow-contact point.
TWIN FALLS - After a multimillion dollar court decision,
Idaho Power Company officials
are talking to dairymen about
the problem of stray voltage on For instance, a small voltage
difference can exist between
dairy farms.
the water trough and the floor
Legal experts say the Magic
Valley court case has served as
a wake up call, shedding light
on potential electrical problems on farms.
Following a 10-week trial last
summer, a 12-member jury
found that dated Idaho Power
equipment caused cows to get
sick and milk production to
drop over a period of several
years. The plaintiffs in the
case are Mike and Susan Vierstra of Twin Falls County.
The jury set compensatory
damages at $7.49 million and
set punitive damages at $10
million. The dairy had sought
$8 million in compensatory
damages and up to $40 mil-
of a dairy barn; when the
cow touches both surfaces, it
completes the electrical circuit
and current flows through its
body. Elevated voltages across
cow-contact points are called
“stray” because they’re not
usually there under normal
conditions. When voltages go
through cows in significant
numbers the production losses can be substantial.
Many older farms are not
wired properly and dairy
barns tend to be dusty and
damp. That environment can
cause electrical connections
and wire insulation to deteriorate much faster than in other
Stray voltage can cause dairy cow production to drop. Idaho Power
Company is encouraging dairy owners to have their barns, corrals and
loafing sheds checked in light of a recent court decision.
16
“There’s no charge for however long it takes us to determine what’s happening,” said
Ortman has a two-pronged
Ortman. Stray voltage can
approach when he visits a
be found at some level or andairy. First he looks at the
Idaho Power Company equip- other on any farm.
“It’s a natural result of the
buildings. When stray voltage electrical system we use and ment and lines around the
Since the late 1980s, the Pubproblems occur the sources
farm and then the barns both lic Safety Corporation of Wisit is usually not a problem
can be found and corrected
consin has collected data from
unless there’s a voltage dif- inside and out.
after an inspection.
1,700 Wisconsin farms susference,” said Ramsey.
“In general what we’re lookpected of having stray voltage.
In a series of meetings held
ing at are places where a
Idaho Power wants to fix
Of
these farms, they found
in eastern Idaho, Twin Falls
the voltage problem in Ida- cow is forced to go as part of
that
more than 90 percent had
and Boise, Colleen Ramsey of ho. They have staff on call
their normal activities in the
“cow
contact currents” with
Idaho Power told farmers the and on the road and will
operations of the dairy and
less
than
2 milliamps and
utility wants to take care of
inspect any barn. The com- where they might find a voltmore
than
70 percent had curthe voltage problem.
pany says that all they need age. We try to find and test all
rents
less
than
1 milliamps,
of those locations.”
“We’re trying to communicate is a call from the farmer.
but
research
found
that feed
Idaho Power has trained
to dairymen what stray volt“In general we will test our
and
water
intake
and
milk
engineers who are looking
age is and that it’s detectable
recommendations first. Most production were not affected
and correctable,” said Ramsey. for stray voltage on dairy
of the recommendations are
at these levels.
“Those problems are correct- farms. That’s what Paul
fairly simple things. It’s drive
Idaho Power is telling all
Ortmann does.
able if they’re found on the
a ground rod and connect
farm and that we have many
that ground rod to this metal dairymen, even those with
“All of our power quality
services to help farmers do
water case, that kind of thing.” modern facilities to have their
engineers are trained in
farm checked so in the future
that,” said Ramsey.
these investigations and
And the best part of this inthey have data they can refer
we’re looking at adding
The inspection program
vestigation, which takes up
to if problems arise.
some technicians that will
has been around for a
to three days, is the price.
Utility Warns Dairymen
About Stray Voltage
Johanns
Appointed
U.S. Ag
Secretary
By Jake Putnam
WASHINGTON - President
George W. Bush appointed a
governor from the Corn Belt
to lead the U.S. Department of
Agriculture. In mid-December
Bush asked Nebraska Gov.
Mike Johanns to replace Ag
Secretary Ann Veneman who
resigned last month.
Johanns becomes the fi fth
candidate that Bush has
chosen for his second-term
cabinet. The nomination is
subject to Senate confi rmation. Johanns, 54, was born
number of years but the
Vierstra lawsuit against
Idaho Power made the
company much more pro active about stray voltage.
assist us in this as well,”
said Ortman.
“Like me, Johanns grew up
on a dairy farm, And like me,
he knows that when American producers are given an
“Mike Johanns brings to the
even chance to compete,
Department of Agriculture
they’re the best in the world,”
a real understanding of the
said Congressman Otter. “He
issues that matter to rural
has a tough job ahead, and I
America,” said Idaho Conlook forward to working with
gressman Butch Otter. “He
him for the benefit of Ameriknows the tough decisions
that have to be made, and he’s can agriculture.”
made them himself as gover- The National Cattlemen’s Beef
Association and the National
nor of a farm state.”
Pork
Producers Council quickJohanns’ appointment returns
ly
issued
statements endorsing
leadership of the USDA to its
the
two-term
governor, while
traditional Midwest roots. The
Idaho
Farm
Bureau
Federation
Republican-controlled Senate
President
Frank
Priestley
apis expected to confirm him
plauded
Johanns
for
his
work
with little or no dissent.
on trade and ethanol.
“Governor Johanns is an
“Having Mike Johanns in
experienced public servant
Washington will help us in
from America’s agricultural
terms of Idaho trade,” said
heartland,” Bush said. “He
grew up close to the land. He Priestley. “We’re looking at
what they’ve done in the Midwill bring to this position a
lifetime of involvement in ag- west with Ethanol; if we could
riculture, and a long record of do that nationwide we’d
a faithful friend to America’s greatly reduce our dependence
on Middle East oil.”
farmers and ranchers.”
in Iowa attended college in
Minnesota and law school
in Nebraska.
Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns,
left, with President Bush during a
recent White House ceremony.
President Bush called his pick
“a strong proponent of alternative energy sources, such as
ethanol and biodiesel,” later
adding that “in a new term,
we’ll continue policies that
are pro-growth, pro-jobs,
and pro-farmer.”
Right now the ethanol industry is going gangbusters: In
the past four years, it has seen
explosive growth of 20 to 30
percent annually, and further
17
Top Farm Bureau Agents
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18
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19
“We have learned that ESA
mandates are unlikely, but
more work is needed to increase the size of this game
bird population. That was our
original goal and remains the
point of our efforts.”
ing on-the-ground conservation that helps the bird and
works for people. Many people have already agreed that
sage grouse populations need
to be higher. I believe they
are on the right track and I
The Fish and Wildlife Service’s plan to help them succeed.
Ironically, the ESA can someBy Jake Putnam
regional directors and senior
times
slow down the process
scientists completed the study
rather
than help it.”
WASHINGTON D.C. - A govern- and the document is being fi ment study recently concluded nalized. Williams will review Environmentalists say sage
the recommendation before
grouse numbers dropped from
that the greater sage grouse
making a decision on whether 2 million in the mid-19th cenis not an endangered species. to propose the species for list- tury to between 140,000 and
Idaho ranchers, many of whom ing by Wednesday, Dec. 29.
200,000 today. Sage-grouse
are ground-nesting birds. They
have worked hard on habitat
“Together we have worked
are the largest and
restoration and lobbied Coneffectively with lofastest flying North
gress to get the grouse off the cal governments,
American game
tribes, local comlist, have waited a long time
birds. Adult males
munities, conserfor this decision.
can reach seven
vation groups, pripounds. They’re
vate landowners
“Our biologists have conalso called sage
ducted a thorough review of and other partners
fowl, spine-tailed
to conserve and
the best available scientific
grouse, fool hen,
restore sagebrush habitat
information and, in their
cock-of-the-plains,
and sage
that is vital to sage grouse
view, recommend that the
chicken.
Sage
grouse
depend
greater sage grouse does not and many other species,”
on
sagebrush
most
of
the year
Williams said. “We must
warrant the special protecfor
roosting
cover
and
food,
continue - and wherever postions of the Act across its
relying
on
it
almost
entirely
for
sible expand - these efforts
range,” said Fish and Wildfood
in
the
winter.
life Director Steve Williams. to achieve measurable, onthe-ground habitat conserva- Over the past five years, the
“Ranchers, conservationists,
tion and restoration.”
BLM has worked with several
landowners, and others have
western states on cooperabeen trying to raise the num- Crapo added, “Even without
ESA the sage grouse remain a tive sage-grouse conservation
ber of sage grouse for almost
federal case because the bird projects and also established
ten years. That teamwork,
partnerships with communiis already a Special Status
commitment, and on-theties throughout the West to
Species on Bureau of Land
ground action is the fastest
conserve and restore sageway to restore species and it Management lands, and we
grouse habitat. These efforts
is working here,” said Sena- need to be sure that the rules
are designed to stop the deand regulations are promottor Mike Crapo (R-Idaho).
Sage Grouse
Listing
Unwarranted
on Capitol Hill. In 2007 he’ll
have to oversee a new farm
Johanns is just the guy to make bill, cope with international
trade rulings affecting cotton
that happen, according to the
subsidies, as well as come up to
American Coalition for Ethaspeed on the several hundred
expansion is predicted. Acnol. “The nomination deficording to Gary Blumenthal,
nitely bodes well for ethanol,” specialty crops.
who served as farm adviser to said Brian Jennings, the orgaJohanns has a lot in common
George H.W. Bush and is now nization’s executive vice presi- with his predecessor Ann Venethe head of World Perspectives, dent. “We have confidence that man. Both are lawyers, both
a Washington, D.C.-based ag- Johanns will do everything
grew up on farms and both emriculture consulting company, necessary to continue growing phasize trade. In fact, Johanns
“currently about 12 percent of America’s ethanol industry.”
just returned from a trade misthe country’s corn yield goes
sion to Mexico; his eighth misBesides ethanol, Johanns will
to ethanol production, but
sion as governor of Nebraska.
I’ve heard projections that this have his work cut out for him
Johanns Appointed
U.S. Ag Secretary
20
trend will increase to 20 percent in less than a decade.”
cline of the West’s important
sagebrush ecosystems that
supports hundreds of animals
including sage-grouse.
“With local Farm Bureau
involvement, there has been
an unprecedented effort in
11 states - on more than 100
million acres - to help conserve the sage grouse. Local
working groups comprised
of agencies, organizations
and individuals have come
together to work toward protecting and improving sage
grouse habitat,” said President
Bob Stallman of the American
Farm Bureau.
About one half of the sagebrush habitat in the United
States is on land administered
by BLM. BLM will spend
$1.235 million this year on a
variety of projects to map and
monitor sage-grouse populations and habitat, develop
cooperative conservation projects to conserve these game
birds, and work with state and
federal partners on other conservation planning initiatives.
“The Idaho Farm Bureau is
optimistic the director of the
Fish and Wildlife Service will
okay the scientific recommendation. We do think that
it’s important that our farmers, ranchers and the BLM
continue their efforts to conserve the sage grouse,” said
Idaho Farm Bureau President
Frank Priestley.
“He is a good friend whom I’ve
worked with closely over the
years,” said Veneman.
“I have devoted a substantial
amount of my time promoting
rural economic development
and ag issues, not only in our
state, but across our country
and overseas,” Johanns said at
the White House.
Administration Continues
To Push Trade Agreements
To Forefront.
By Cathy Roemer
POCATELLO - By the time you
get them all sorted out, the
acronyms of trade agreements
can make your head spin.
Whether it’s APEC (Asian
Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum), MEFTA (Middle
East Free Trade Agreement),
NAFTA (North American Free
Trade Agreement) or CAFTA
(Central American Free Trade
Agreement), one thing’s for
sure, the office of the United
States Trade Representative
(USTR) is bent on achieving
its “U.S. strategy of competitive liberalization - opening
markets globally, regionally
and bilaterally.”
The office of the USTR lists
several areas of expertise that
include ongoing negotiations
for “bilateral, regional and
multilateral trade and investment issues” and “expanding
market access for American
goods and services.”
Putting his expertise to
work, Robert Zoellick, the
U.S. trade representative has
one of the most expansive
trade agreements waiting in
the wings - the Free Trade
Area of the Americas or
FTAA. An all encompassing
Western Hemispheric proposal, the FTAA would put
thirty-four countries, Cuba
excluded, under one free
trade umbrella.
“From Alaska to the bottom
of Argentina, the FTAA has
been a long-standing goal of
the United States,” said Richard Mills, USTR spokesman.
Formally launched at the 1994
Summit of the Americas in
Miami, the FTAA is considered
a crown jewel trade agreement
and offers up an 800 million
person marketplace.
At a 2003
FTAA Miami
Ministerial
meeting Zoellick said FTAA
offers a vision
of hemispheric
trade, prosperity and democracy that dates
back to the
1820’s.
“So it
completion in January
2005, still hasn’t made its
way to Congress?
Also, according to Senator
Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, at a
pre-election question and
answer session in November,
not much was heard about the
FTAA this year because “the
administration
did not want it
to be an elecis not
tion issue.”
surprising that
it involves tough
issues and
meeting difficult
challenges,”
“So it is not
surprising that
it involves tough issues and
meeting difficult challenges,”
he added.
Which may be one reason
the FTAA, scheduled for
Lindsay Nothern, Crapo’s spokesman, said the
senator does
not support
the FTAA mostly due to
the track record of previous free trade
agreements.
“They are not all they’re
cracked up to be,” Nothern
said. “In poorly negotiated
trade agreements, the United
States always starts below
the bar and it puts
our producers at a
disadvantage.”
The Bush Administration
has been aggressive in
seeking new markets
for U.S. farm products.
However, agreements
such as these don’t
happen without
compromise, which
surfaces concerns about
U.S. sovereignty.
21
Conservation
Easements
By Chris Schnepf
Most studies of family forest
owners reveal a wide array
of values motivating their forest ownership, ranging from
income from timber harvest,
to recreation, to preserving
nature. Such values are often
not mutually exclusive, but
they can all be threatened by
steady development pressures.
Inadequate planning for estate
taxes and wills can compound
the pressure to split forest
properties into smaller and
smaller units.
Small management units are
not necessarily
bad for forests.
On a per-acre
basis, some 5-20
acre properties
are among the
most intensively
managed I have
seen in Idaho.
This is because
smaller acreage
forest owners often have
more time (per
acre), to plant
blister rust resistant white
pine, maintain road drainage
structures, thin to favor better
species, and implement other
forest stewardship practices.
But in broader landscapes,
fragmented ownerships often
make it harder to manage for
threats to ecological values
Conservation easements are frequently used to protect wetlands.
Photo Courtesy University of Idaho
22
that cross property boundaries,
such as noxious
weed invasion or
cumulative sediment impacts to
streams. Even if
the majority of
the landowners
in the basin are
conscientious
land stewards,
there are more
people to get
to the table on
shared issues,
and a larger
number of roads are typically
created to reach the larger
number of ownerships.
being diminished. For this
and other reasons, there is a
growing interest in conservation easements.
A conservation easement is
a legal agreement between a
landowner and a land trust or
government agency that limits
uses of the land to protect
conservation values outlined
in the agreement. The land
remains in private ownership,
but the easement provisions
are permanently tied to the
land, and require all future
owners to adhere to the terms
of the agreement.
Conservation easements have
grown in popularity in recent
years, as landowners seek
Landowners all over the coun- to protect forests, wetlands,
try have seen the effects of
wildlife habitat, farmland,
suburban sprawl, and many
and other values from develhate the thought of all their
opment. When you donate or
careful efforts at protecting
long-term forest sustainability Continued on page 33
Understanding
West Nile Virus
How Is WNV
Transmitted?
Birds of many species
are the hosts and serve
as a reservoir for WNV.
Mosquitoes are the
vectors and transmit the virus
from bird to bird through their
bites. Occasionally a mosquito
West Nile Virus (WNV) was
that has contacted the virus will
recognized for the first time
also transmit it to other species,
in 1999 in New York State and including humans and equine
has since been confirmed in all (horse, donkeys, mules).
By Mark Heitstuman
48 of the lower United States.
While no cases were diagnosed in northern Idaho or
the entire state of Washington
this year, it appears to be just
a matter of time before the virus is reported in our area.
Cases of WNV were confirmed in southern Idaho,
southeastern Oregon, and
western Oregon this year,
and the spread of the virus to
our area appears likely in the
very near future.
While rare, other animals that
also have tested positive for
WNV include alpacas, cats
and dogs, cattle, bats, chipNorth Idaho is one of a few places where West Nile Virus hasn’t been
munks, skunks, squirrels, rab- confirmed. Veterinarians recommend all horse owners vaccinate their animals.
bits, sheep and alligators.
Farm Bureau file photo
It should be noted there is no
scientific evidence at present
that suggests that an infected
horse can transmit the virus
to another horse, or from a
horse to a human.
The mosquito, through its bites,
serves as the transmitting agent.
What Are Symptoms Of WNV?
Horses are affected more than
any other species of animal. Scientists estimate the ratio of horses infected with WNV which
show symptoms compared to
those that are asymptomatic
(show no symptoms) is 1 to 9.
In other words, for every 10
horses that are infected with
WNV, it is likely that only
one will show visible outward signs of infection. Signs
of WNV in horses include:
ataxia (or difficulty walking),
23
can be applied to groups of
animals, if they spend their
Agriculture Secretary Ann Ven- entire production life together
eman announced in December as a group or unit,” he said.
2003, after the first U.S. case of In the Northwest, the pilot projects are limited on how many
bovine spongiform encephaproducer’s time to tag their an- lopathy was found, that USDA premises can participate due to
imals and do all the additional would speed implementation the number of tags available.
paperwork.
Those participating will receive
of the national animal ID
Last summer the USDA trans- system. Its goal is to identify a the tags, readers and access to
databases, all of which is paid
diseased animal’s herd mates
ferred $18 million from the
for through grant money.
within 48 hours.
Commodity Credit Corp.
(CCC) for animal ID, of which USDA is currently impleAs many as 80,000 individu$11.64 million was made
ally numbered electronic tags
menting the first phase of the
available to state and tribal
will be used by the pilot projprogram, in which animal
governments to start premises premises will be identified.
ect. Tags may be applied to
identification systems.
animals before they leave the
The second phase involves
farm and ranch, or upon arrividentifying
individual
animals
According to USDA guidelines
al at feedlots or order buyers’
or
groups
of
animals.
The
third
released in October, a ‘premfacilities, at livestock markets
phase
involves
retrofi
tting
ises’ includes everything from
or other livestock sites.
feedlots and dairies, to barns, processing plants, sale barns
stables and pastures said Idaho and other industry segments
He said this will give facilwith the technology to track
State Veterinarian Clarence
ity owners and managers an
livestock throughout the mar- opportunity to evaluate the
Siroky. Idaho got a $1.6 million dollar grant but it is being keting chain.
system and calculate the costs
shared with five other states to Dr. Bob Hillman, formerly
and time involved with tagset up a statewide animal ID
ging animals, and collecting
Idaho State Veterinarian, now
pilot program.
and reporting animal moveserves on the Secretary’s Adment data.
visory
Subcommittee
on
the
The pilot program will deterNational
Animal
Identifi
cation
mine if existing programs like
An animal will receive only
System. “The premise ID uses a one tag during its lifetime.
Idaho’s brand identification
and dairy electronic identifica- seven-character alphabetic and The 15-digit number on each
numerical ‘address’ and this
tion systems can meet a 48
electronic ear tag or implantinformation will reside on a da- able device can be ‘read and
hour test. The 48 hour test
tabase, managed by each state
is the gold standard in the
recorded’ with a hand-held or
and accessible only by animal
National Animal Identificastationary tag reader; ear tags
tion program with the goal of health officials,” he said.
will also carry the number.
tracing livestock from birth to The second part of the pilot
When identified animals are
barn in 48 hours.
project, will “field test” the
sold, moved or harvested,
“The next step here in Idaho is identification of each head
project participants will report
to develop an accurate registra- of livestock moved from its
the event to third-party data
original herd. For cattle, sheep, service providers by computer,
tion system within the state,”
goats, deer and some other
said Siroky. “Our proposal is
fax or mail, Hillman said. The
species of livestock, an elecsomewhat unique than the
pilot project will determine
tronic ear tag will be used, also if there are problems mixing
other states because we’re going to manage the data that we called a radio frequency ID.
information from several data
already have. We already have “So what the proposed system collection systems into a cena degree of registration.”
tral or common database.
does is allow us to do things
that take us four or five weeks “Once the field trials are comAFBF doesn’t expect the fedto do now. We want to find out pleted, improvements can be
eral government to cover all
exactly where the animal was, made before the animal identhe expenses, said Ludlum,
but it needs to cover enough of what it contacted and we need tification system is launched
the cost that farmers will want to know it in 48 hours. That’s
nationally. By that time, we
to participate. The program is extremely important when
hope to have confidentiality
we’re talking about highly con- issues, and any equipment
currently voluntary.
tagious disease,” said Siroky.
and database compatibil“There should be adequate costity problems evaluated, ad“For
other
species,
such
as
share between government, indressed and resolved.”
swine
and
poultry,
the
number
dustry and producers,” Ludlum
AFBF Requests Funding
For ID Program
By Jake Putnam
WASHINGTON D.C. - Capital Hill
lawmakers are close to passing
a $33 million dollar appropriations bill to provide seed
money to start up the National
Animal Identification System.
That’s the same amount the
Bush administration included
in their budget proposal. But,
it’s just a fraction of what’s
needed for a program that can
identify and trace livestock
from birth to barn inside 48
hours, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.
The program is expected to cost
about $545 million over the
next six years. “Implementation
of national animal ID is moving
slowly because the states don’t
have enough money to do everything that USDA wants them
to do,” explained Kelly Ludlum,
AFBF director of regulatory relations. “AFBF will continue to
lobby for more money.”
That could be a problem because the budget deficit stands
at more than $400 billion and
President Bush has vowed to
tighten the budget next year.
Reducing the deficit will be a
top priority in the president’s
second term said Treasury Secretary John Snow.
“I’d like to see next year’s
funding at closer to $75 million. The cost of the program
is expected to be as much as
$100 million per year,” said
Idaho Farm Bureau President
Frank Priestley. “It’s going to
be hard for the state and our
producers to make up the gap.”
Livestock producers will have
to pay for ear tags, computer
software and even radio-frequency scanners to read the
tags. That doesn’t include the
24
said. “All three want and need
this program to succeed.”
By Jake Putnam
count in milk, the less cash
farmers receive.
Seoul National Professor Park
accompanied the LG Life
Sciences representatives to
Moscow for the signing. “Collaboration among experts in
immunology, molecular biology and veterinary science made
this happen,” he said.
MOSCOW - University of Idaho
and Korean scientists have
discovered a breakthrough
technology that could improve the health of dairy
cows and save dairy farmers
billions of dollars.
“If they can affect any percentage of mastitis it would be a tremendous boost for the dairy industry,” said Kuna Veterinarian
Dr. Greg Nelson. “The research
done in Moscow could help local dairies greatly cut expenses.”
“It was a greater accomplishment because it was achieved
through international collaboration between academia
and a world famous industrial
company, LG Life Sciences in
Korea,” Park added.
Losses in milk production,
quality, and vet bills, can cost
as much as $200 per cow each
year, according to some esti-
The National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service of the Republic of Korea
played an important role in
UI, Korean Firm License
Mastitus Product
At the University of Idaho and
laboratories in Seoul, Korea,
scientists cooperatively developed a defanged toxin
that boosts the immune
systems of dairy cows,
allowing them to better
combat mastitis infections.
U of I President Tim
White met with Korean
scientists from LG Life
Sciences and members
of the Idaho Research
Foundation to sign a
historic licensing agreement for the new product in early December.
Bohach has a long history of
studying mastitis. As far back
1985 he was working mastitis
research and the toxins it produces. He joined the UI faculty
in 1988 as a microbiologist.
He helped land a $9.7 million
grant from the National Institutes of Health in 2000 to establish a Center of Biomedical
Research Excellence focused on
infectious diseases.
“I don’t think people realize
it but that biotech center is a
real plus to Idaho Agriculture,
with our large dairy industry
everything they come up with
is going to help cut costs,” said
Idaho State Department of Agriculture, Director Pat Takasugi.
The LG Life Sciences
mastitis product relies
on a modified toxin
from the Staphylococcus
aureus bacterium, which
is considered the most
common cause of mastitis. The modified toxin is
patent pending.
The UI-Seoul NationalWSU team focused on
testing the immune
system booster to protect
against mastitis and elevated somatic cell counts
induced by staphylococcal toxins. Research
showed that these toxins
dramatically increased
the number of somatic
cells in milk.
“The primary role of a
research university is to
bring new knowledge,
The University of Idaho recently signed a licensing agreement on a new product
new science and new
that protects cattle from mastitis. The product could save the dairy industry millions,
information to bear on
officials say.
the challenges of the
day,” White said. “The
A modified form of the
mates. The total loss to the U.S. the scientific work to develscience produced by these retoxin
that
was less harmful to
dairy industry is more than
op the product for licensing
searchers could have a direct
the
cows
was
created by the re$1.7 billion annually.
and marketing.
and dramatic impact on the
search team. The mutant toxin
international economy.”
U of I’s Bohach, who worked
Bohach says that the United
stimulated cows’ immune
closely
with
Park
of
Seoul
Dairymen of Idaho, National systems to create antibodies to
The new product centers on
National University, said the
Institutes of Health and U.S. neutralize the real toxin.
stimulating cows’ immune
new
product
will
cut
some
of
Department of Agriculture
systems to combat bacteria that
“I think you are probably going
cause mastitis as well as the el- those losses. The two have vis- invested financial support
to see more coming out of the
evated milk somatic cell count ited each other’s labs and have that led to development of
University of Idaho. This mastrained students from their
the product.
caused by bacterial toxins.
titis research is a real money
cooperator’s university.
Mastitis, an inflammation of
In 1999, the cooperation besaver, hopefully we will see
the udder, cuts milk production “Mastitis is a complex disease tween the scientists led to the
more of that,” added Takasugi.
and reduces the quality of milk. so no one treatment can cure
signing of a memorandum of
understanding between Seoul
Cows with mastitis shed more it,” Bohach said. “Our approach
clearly
has
the
potenNational University and the
somatic cells in their milk.
tial
to
help
the
dairy
industry
University of Idaho.
The higher the somatic cell
cut its costs.”
25
Administration
Continues To Push
Trade Agreements
To Forefront.
the Western Hemisphere and
would claim jurisdiction over
an ever-increasing swath of
functions (deepening) that
have previously been solely
the purview of national governments and their state and
local governments.”
From the USTR office, Mills
said the FTAA could be a year Stop the FTAA believes
or more away from a Congres- “harmonization and integration” represent an assault on
sional vote.
sovereignty and government
In the meantime, the strat- functions and powers put in
egy appears to be complete place by the U.S. constitution
a list of smaller trade agree- and are “being transferred to
ments first.
unaccountable, un-elected inIn a November 2004 meetternational bureaucracies that
ing in Santiago, Chile,
are not bound by the checks
Zoellick said by the time in- and balances in our constitudividual country trade agree- tional system of government.”
ments are complete; USTR
will have covered two-thirds Nafta’s Chapter 11 Is An
Example.
of the GDP (gross domestic
According to Todd Weiler, a
product) of the Western
NAFTA attorney for the CanaHemisphere.
dian Cattlemen for Fair Trade,
FTAA slow but steady was re- Chapter 11 allows state to
iterated by Hillary Deveaux,
state (country to country) lawFTAA chairman of the negoti- suits if a trade grievance ocating group for services at the curs. A three-person tribunal
October 2004 Globalization: is appointed to hear the case
Free Trade and Services gath- and awards a monetary settleering in the Bahamas.
ment at taxpayers’ expense.
“You have to look at history,” The tribunals can also call for
he said. “FTAA basically start- changes that could well override national or state policy.
ed with George Bush; there
was a very easy transition into “Chapter 11 hasn’t been used
the Clinton administration
much until the last five years,”
and also a further move to the Weiler said. “But now it’s reGeorge W. Bush administraally gaining momentum.”
tion. So this thing transcends
Calling the FTAA an “enorpolitical lines.”
mous power grab, the group
More Than A Trade
noted, “The promise of inAgreement?
creased economic prosperity
A watchdog group, Stop
is merely enticing but poisonthe FTAA.org. hopes to acous bait for a trap designed
complish just that - Stop the
to hobble once-independent
FTAA. Likening FTAA to a vast nations to an emerging hemi“broadening and deepening of spheric super state.”
NAFTA”, the group says terms
like “harmonization,” “conver- Enticing bait could be evidenced in the Hemispheric
gence,” and “integration” has
Cooperation Program (HCP).
double meaning beyond free
A November 2003 USTR press
trade of goods and services.
release said, “The United
Commentary on the website
States is a strong supporter of
says, “Following the EuroHCP, a trade capacity buildpean Union model, the FTAA ing program designed to
would expand the tri-national help countries participate in,
NAFTA (broadening) to inimplement and adjust to trade
clude all of the nations in
26
negotiations.”
In May 2004, the USTR announced a $1million donation to the World Trade
Organization for trade related
technical assistance (TRTA)
bringing the total amount
donated to TRTA to $4 million since 2001. In the same
announcement, Zoellick announced the U.S. was to date
the largest single donor of
trade capacity building - $761
million in fiscal year 2003, up
from $369 million in 1999.
USTR’s Mills, said the money
is not intended to buy a
country’s vote for FTAA but
“some of those countries are
so poor they can’t afford to
buy computer systems to enter
into negotiations.”
Lastly, Stop the FTAA
cited a 1994 study by the
Institute for International
Integration that claims U.S.
sovereignty is threatened by
the proposed agreement.
“The more countries that
participate in integration
and the wider its scope, the
greater the need for some
institutional mechanism to
administer the arrangements
and to resolve the inevitable
disputes, the stronger the
case for a common legal
framework.” (i.e. supranational legislative, executive,
and judicial institutions - a
new regional government.
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ad. Forty (40) words maximum. Non-member cost- 50 cents
per word. You may advertise your own crops, livestock, used
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refuse to run any ad.
Please type or print clearly. Proof-read your ad.
Mail ad copy to:
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or email Dixie at
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Focus On Argriculture
Yes, We Have No
Tomatoes Today
By Lynne Finnerty
If you have visited the produce section
of the grocery store lately, you may have
noticed that prices for fresh tomatoes are
up, due to a shortage. Some grocery stores
have posted signs explaining the reason
for the price increase. Why is there a tomato shortage? Charley, Frances, Ivan and
Jeanne are to blame.
It’s estimated that the four hurricanes
wiped out as much as 90 percent of Florida’s tomato crop in August and September. Agricultural experts are still adding
up the total cost of the hurricane damage.
It’s a reminder that tomatoes - and cheese, meat,
flour, beans and potatoes
and hundreds of other
foods - don’t just magically
appear in the store. They
come from the farm, and
farming can be a tough,
risky business. And, it’s
a reminder that if those
farms weren’t around, such
food shortages might be
more common.
Most consumers probably won’t think about
it. They may simply feel
frustrated about the
higher price, or that what
they want to buy isn’t
readily available in large
quantities, six flavors and
a dozen colors.
Through its agricultural
education and public relations work, Farm Bureau
will continue helping the
Supermarket and restaurant managers
public make the connecaround the country already know the
cost to their businesses. Some are eating tion between the availthe higher wholesale price for tomatoes, ability and affordability
of food and the existence
but others are taking tomatoes off the
menu or raising their prices. Retail prices and profitability of farms. Events like
for tomatoes are averaging about $4 per Food Check-Out Day, coming up in
February and spearheaded by the Farm
pound, compared to $1.80 normally.
Bureau Women’s Committees, highlight
The hurricanes also have Southerners be- how affordable food is thanks to U.S.
moaning the shortage of pecans. Prices
farmers and farm policy.
are sky high, so chances are there won’t
Other efforts like Farm Bureau’s quarbe as many pecan pies on the holiday
terly Marketbasket Survey and annual
buffet table. The hurricanes also cut the
Thanksgiving Meal Price Survey reinforce
Florida citrus harvest, so there could be
the message that farmers produce abunfewer oranges in Christmas stockings
dant, affordable food for only about 19
this year. Cucumbers, snap beans and
cents
per dollar of the retail food price.
other crops were also hit hard.
As long as these efforts continue, maybe
American citizens are spoiled by an
abundant, affordable food supply. Food it won’t take food shortages for consumcosts less here than anywhere else in the ers to realize where their food comes
from and why a strong agriculture indusworld. But that doesn’t mean U.S. contry is important.
sumers are immune to shortages.
Agriculture in the Southeast will recover
from the hurricanes, but in the meantime, these shortages should teach us
not to take our agricultural abundance
for granted. Maybe, in a way, it’s a good
thing that consumers are seeing those
signs in the grocery stores.
Lynne Finnerty is editor of Farm Bureau News,
a publication of the American Farm Bureau
Federation
27
FB Family Students Can
Apply for FFA Scholarships
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Applications are being accepted for
the National FFA Scholarship
sponsored by Dodge in association with the American Farm
Bureau Federation.
The scholarships, for students to pursue a two or
four-year degree in any major, are a cooperative effort
among Dodge, Farm Bureau
and the National FFA. A
total of 50 scholarships at
$1,000 each are available.
The student must be an FFA
Understanding
West Nile Virus
member and a member of a
Farm Bureau family.
“We appreciate Dodge recognizing students of Farm
Bureau families with these
scholarships and encourage
FFA member students to take
advantage of the opportunity,” said Steve Anderegg,
AFBF Young Farmer and
Rancher chairman.
The Dodge Scholarships are
designed to recognize FFA
members from Farm Bureau
families throughout the United States for their supervised
skin rash, swollen lymph
glands, neck stiffness, disorientation and convulsions.
agricultural experience programs, academic achievements
and other school accomplishments. Financial need will
be considered and applicants
must complete the parent fi nancial analysis section.
The scholarships are part of
the National FFA Scholarship Program which awards
over $2 million in scholarships annually to FFA
members, through the sponsorship of generous corporations and individuals.
Students must complete the
official National FFA Scholarship Application by Feb. 15,
2005. Dodge sponsors these
scholarships as a special
project of the National FFA
Foundation, and scholarships
WNV Cases Reported in Idaho
2003
2004
Humans 1
2
Horses 0
23
Birds
0
6
are presented to the winning
students by Dodge dealers on
behalf of the company.
Visit www.ffa.org under Program Information and Scholarships for more information.
FFA is a national youth organization of 476,000 student members preparing for
leadership and careers in the
science, business and technology of agriculture with 7,500
local chapters in all 50 states,
Puerto Rico and the Virgin
Islands. FFA strives to make
a positive difference in the
lives of students by developing their potential for premier
leadership, personal growth
and career success through
agricultural education.
yourself or your horse being
bitten by a mosquito.
There are several excellent
veterinarians in our area that
specialize in equine medicine
and can provide you with
depression, weakness in the
Protecting Your Horse
additional information on
hind limbs, the difficulty or
What can horse owners do
WNV in horses and help you
inability to rise, muscle tremto protect their animals? It is
get started with your annual
ors, fever and death.
recommended that all horses
vaccination program. Now is
receive the WNV vaccinaBetween 25 to 33 percent of
a great time to contact them
tion. Two shots, three to six
affected horses eventually
regarding the best vaccination
weeks apart, are given durdie of WNV. A recent study in
schedule for your horse.
ing the fi rst year of the vacciColorado found that the avernation program, followed by Another resource with a treage age of death from WNV
mendous amount of informaan annual booster.
was 9 years, but ranged from
tion on WNV is the WashingAccording to the Centers for
3 months to 35 years. FortuWith WNV being reported in
ton State University We site at
Disease Control, 2,359 human both Oregon and southern
nately, an infected human is
wnv.wsu.edu. In addition to
cases of WNV have been remuch less likely to die from
Idaho this year, the potential
current information on WNV
ported so far this year, resulting is there to see WNV in the
WNV than a horse.
in horses and humans, there
in
84
deaths.
Regionally,
WNV
local area in 2005. Timing is
Scientists estimate that less
are several great articles on
was reported this past year in
critical with the WNV horse
than 1 percent of infections
reducing the amount of moscause West Nile Neuroinvasive both Oregon and southern Ida- vaccination program, as
quito around your home or
Disease (WNND) in humans; ho (data from the Washington you want to have maximum acreage. Check it out.
State Department of Health,
immunity built up in your
and only 10 percent of those
Nov.
23,
2004):
equine before the mosquito Mark Heitstuman is a WSU/Asotin
affected with WNND die.
County Extension educator.
season begins in late spring
He may be contacted at
Roughly between 70 and 80
WNV Cases Reported in Oregon and early summer.
[email protected]
percent of all humans show
2003
2004
Eliminating
mosquito
no symptoms, while the other Humans 0
3
breeding areas and making
20 percent display mild cases Horses 0
31
an extra effort to reduce the
of WNV fever.
Birds
0
19
total mosquito population
Symptoms of WNV in huin your area will, of course,
mans include: a high fever,
reduce the risk of either
headache and body aches,
Spread Of WNV Toward
Our Area
Since 1999 when it was diagnosed in New York State, WNV
has spread to each of the lower
48 States. While Washington
has not had a case of WNV
documented in 2003 or this
year, it did have two cases in
horses (both in western Washington) and two cases in dead
birds documented in 2002.
28
Agenda YF&R Leadership
Conference
January 20-22, 2005
Registration Form
Idaho Farm Bureau Young Farmers and
Ranchers Leadership Conference
January 20 - 22, 2005
Holiday Inn, Boise
Holiday Inn, Boise
Tentative Agenda
Thursday, January 20th
12:30 - 1:30 pm
Registration
2:00 pm
Load buses for Capitol. Dress is FB denim shirts/Business
Casual (no children)
3:00 - 5:00 pm.
Senate Ag Committee and Capital Tour
5:00 pm.
Load buses return to Hotel
6:00 pm.
Dinner
7:00 pm.
Quiz Bowl. Farm Bureau Finance Co.
Friday, January 21st
8:00 am.
Breakfast
9:00 - 9:30 am.
District Caucuses
9:30 - 10:45 am. Workshops: Decorative Painting
Creative Ways to Build a Land Base with Gordon Lawlor
Legislative Education with FB Public Affairs Director Judy
Bartlett
Conference Cost:
Registration: $20 for single, $30 per couple
Meals: $94.00 per person
All registration and meals need to be paid for in advance,
there will be no billing the counties.
Room Reservations: Room rates will be $71 plus taxes,
single or double.
Every one is responsible for making and paying for there
own room reservations.
NAME:
ADDRESS:
STATE
CITY
ZIP
COUNTY:
10:45 - 11:00 am. Break
I (we) will be going on the tour. Please indicate how many will
be going on the tour:
11:00 - 12:15 am. Workshops: Landscaping
Creative Ways to Build a Land Base with Gordon Lawlor
Legislative Information with FB Public Affairs DirectorJudy Bartlett
Holiday Inn phone number: 208-343-4900
You’ll need to ask for reservations and then ask for the Farm
Bureau YF&R Conference to get the correct room rate
12:30 pm.
Lunch
Please Mail Completed Registration Form:
Idaho Farm Bureau
1:30 pm.
Load buses for tour Sugar Beet factory -- No Children-
ATT: Peggy Moore
7:00 pm.
Banquet Awards Semi-formal dress
PO Box 4848
9:00 pm.
Live Scholarship Auction
Pocatello, ID 83205
Saturday, January 22nd
8:00 - 9:00 am.
Breakfast
Introduction of YF&R Committee
9:00 - 11:00 am. Wrap up speaker Matt Rush YF&R Chairman New Mexico
Farm Bureau
11:00 am.
Adjourn
Please use one form for each single person registering or one
form per couple. If you need more forms, you can make photocopies or call Peggy Moore. at 239-4271.
DEAD LINE FOR RESERVATIONS IS: January 5, 2005
Each county is encouraged to bring door prizes in the price range
of $7 - $15. Also, auction items are needed to raise money for the
IFBF Scholarship Fund.
29
30
31
Farm Bureau
Offers Grain
Marketing
Seminars
2005 Market Education Seminars
During the 2005 seminars market timing and market planning will be presented. The exercise
gives each participant a set number of bushels to market. We will also discuss the risk management programs available. Seminars will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Date
City
Location
January 6-7 ........................... Pocatello ...................... Farm Bureau Home Office *
January 11 ............................ Emmett ....................... USDA Service Center
The Idaho Farm Bureau’s Market Development Team will be
conducting marketing seminars
across the state this winter.
These seminars will be a follow up to the seminars conducted over the past few years.
The seminars will review seasonal trends and changes in
the world production affecting our commodity prices.
January 12 ............................ Moscow ....................... TBA
January 13 ............................ Bonners Ferry ............. Chick-Chop Restaurant
February 22 .......................... Pocatello ..................... Farm Bureau Home Office
February 23........................... Preston ........................ TBA
February 25 .......................... Twin Falls ................... Twin Falls County Farm Bureau Office
March 2 ................................. Idaho Falls .................. Bonneville County Farm Bureau Office
* In partnership with the Idaho Barley Commission, call for additional information
Registration Fee:
$50 for non-Farm Bureau members.
$20 Members at the door or $10 advance.
The balance of the seminars
Lunch is included with registration.
will give a hands-on simulation of the tools available for Questions?
Contact your Area Member Services Representative,
the producer to gain a better
Gary at 208-239-4206 or Peg at 208-239-4228.
income for the commodity.
A new method of teaching
Registration Form
these skills will be used and
Name
we think participants will be
able to learn much faster and
Address:
better the things they need
City
State
Zip
to know. Cash prizes will be
Phone(
)e-mail
awarded to the best marketer
at the end of each session and
an overall winner will be announced after all the seminars
are finished. See the attached
Enclosed is a check in the amount of $
for registration.
schedule and locations for a
seminar near you.
I will attend the (City)
seminar on (Date)
Return registration form to:
Idaho Farm Bureau
Market Education Seminar
PO Box 4848
Pocatello ID 83205-4848
Phone: Gary - 208-239-4206, Peg - 208-239-4228
Fax: 208-232-3616
32
Conservation
Easements
sell a conservation easement
to a land trust, you give up
some of the rights associated
with the land. In exchange,
you can
• continue to own and use
your land (often including
timber harvest and grazing) and to sell it or pass it
on to heirs;
• permanently protect important conservation resources;
• save on income and estate
taxes; and
• make it easier for heirs to
keep the land intact.
Conservation easements got
their biggest start in the nongovernmental sector. Many
people have heard of larger
organizations that set up
conservation easements (e.g.,
the Nature Conservancy, the
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation), but a whole host of
smaller, local land trusts have
sprung up in recent years as
well. There are at least 11 such
land trusts operating in Idaho.
by the Natural Resources
Conservation Service.
For more information on
conservation easements
and land trusts, and links
to land trusts in your area,
the Land Trust Alliance has
an excellent web site (http:
//www.lta.org). UI Extension
is also offering a couple of
evening programs on conservation easements in February, 2005. These 21/2 hour
The U.S. Department of Agri- evening programs will feature
culture also offers conservaa short introduction to contion easement programs. The servation easements followed
primary program for forest
by a panel of representatives
lands is the Forest Legacy
from public and private instiprogram, administered by the tutions that set up conservaIdaho Department of Lands. tion easements and landownThere are also agricultural
ers who have enrolled in
land and wetland conservathem. The program will be
tion easements, administered held in Lewiston on February
streams – many of which are
dry for long periods every year.
Currently,
landowners with
Water Transfers – IFBF opstreams
and
forested property
poses the continued use of
are
required
by
IFPA to keep
427,000 acre-feet of water for
we could tell it was written
heavy
equipment
out of buffer
flow augmentation. The Nez
in a version of English comzones
around
Class
I streams
Perce Agreement provides for
monly referred to as legalese
and
leave
enough
trees
to
continuation of 427,000 acre
– the polar opposite of plain
maintain
shading
on
streams.
English. Therefore, we had to feet, plus an additional 60,000 The state has vigorously defendacre-feet for flow augmentation
go out and hire an attorney
ed the current buffer zones,
to interpret what the other at- – an experiment that has never established by the IFPA as betorneys wrote. So we did that proven to help migrating fish.
ing sufficient to protect wildlife,
– twice. At this point several
Riparian Management – Mod- soil, air and water.
questionable compromises
ern and proper multiple use
came to light. North Idaho
management of riparian areas However, regulations contained in the Nez Perce Agreelandowners were raising seri- includes grazing and timber
ment expand the size of buffer
ous concerns about private
harvesting. The Nez Perce
property rights – a fundamen- Agreement takes grazing rights zones around streams, which
reduces the number of trees
tal Farm Bureau belief. Other from 43 Idaho ranchers and
parts of the agreement that fly places new regulations on tim- a landowner can cut. A lot
of variables associated with
in the face of long established ber harvesting.
forest production make it difFarm Bureau policy include:
Private Property Rights – Deficult to quantify how much
IFBF supports the Idaho Forfending private property rights money these landowners stand
est Practices Act (IFPA) and
is one of our most important
to lose. But before southern
opposes new regulations that charges. The Nez Perce AgreeIdaho irrigators conclude this
go above and beyond IFPA.
ment compromises private
is a good deal for them and
The Nez Perce Agreement ap- property rights and in doing so contact their legislators, they
pears to supercede IFPA.
pits north Idaho land owners
should bear in mind that
for every 300 feet of stream
Dams – We oppose increases against south Idaho irrigators.
that exists on private ground
in minimum stream flow un- This agreement increases the
in north Idaho, landowners
less sufficient storage is built size of buffer zones around
stand to lose production on an
to supply priority needs first. north Idaho streams and reacre of land if the agreement
The Nez Perce Agreement
classifies hundreds of those
passes. That’s a blatant taking
Frank Priestley
doesn’t increase storage or
recharge efforts.
9 (for more information call
476-4434) and in Sandpoint
on February 16 (for more information call 446-1680).
Conservation easements are
a valuable tool to manage
forestlands more effectively.
The specific requirements of
the agreement can be quite
varied. Timber companies are
looking closely at the possible
benefits of these programs,
and many family forest owners would be wise to take a
look as well.
Chris Schnepf is an area extension
educator - forestry - for the
University of Idaho in Bonner,
Boundary, Kootenai and Benewah
counties. He can be reached at
[email protected].
of private land with no compensation offered.
IFBF has a statewide membership made up of many diverse
interests. The one thing we
all have in common is private
property ownership. If we are
willing to compromise the
private property rights of our
neighbors, what might we be
expected to compromise next?
In my experience most proposals, agreements etc. that
were good ideas to begin with
didn’t change after a vigorous
round of public discourse. But
when our organization held
this agreement up to the light
it didn’t pass the test.
The Nez Perce Tribe claiming
every drop of water in the
Snake River is outrageous.
The concessions Idaho landowners are being asked to
make are unacceptable. If it
took nearly five years to hammer this agreement out, it
might take five more to get
something that works. Our
members would rather wait
five more years than take this
beating now.
33
er Jan. 8 at the 2005 Treasure
Valley Small-Acreage Conference and Southwest Idaho
TWIN FALLS – National Ani- Sheep Symposium. Addressmal Identification will lead
ing the Idaho Preferred Prodthe agenda Jan. 12-13 at the
ucts luncheon, he’ll describe
University of Idaho’s Interhis 24-year evolution from
mountain Cow Symposium.
simply growing grapes to
Producers can learn about the contracting their production
NAIS numbering system and and-more recently-develophow to get a premises identifi - ing retail channels for his
cation number. Electronic ear Bitner Vineyards.
tags and radio frequency read- The conference will be held
ers will be discussed.
in the Simplot Dining Room
Other topics will include trace at Albertson College of Idaho
from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
mineral supplementation, a
Jan. 8. Pre-registration by Jan.
cattle industry outlook, the
3 is $25 for adults and $15
use of DNA testing in livefor youth ages 12-18 and covstock selection, calf-health
from birth to weaning, a risk ers handouts, refreshments
and lunch. Fees at the door
analysis for bovine spongiwill be an additional $20.
form encephalopathy, and
communications with media. For more information, call
the UI Ada County Extension
The symposium will be held
Office at 377-2107 in Boise or
at the College of Southern
click on www.ag.uidaho.edu/
Idaho. Registration begins at
sustag/SmallFarms.
9:30 a.m. Jan. 12 in the Fine
Arts Auditorium. The event
Idaho Dry Bean
concludes at noon Jan. 13.
Production
Pre-registration by Jan. 5 is
$50--$10 below the walk-in
USDA - According to the
price-and includes all meals
Idaho Agricultural Statistics
and snacks. Students pay $25. Service, Idaho’s 2004 dry
edible bean production is
For more information,
expected to total 1.64 milcall J. Benton Glaze, Jr.,
lion cwt, up 9 percent from
UI Extension beef speciallast year’s production of 1.50
ist in Twin Falls, at (208)
million cwt. Planted acre736-3600 or write him at
age of 80,000 and harvested
[email protected].
acreage of 78,000 increased
from last year’s 75,000 acres
Producers Face
planted and 73,000 acres
Challenges
harvested. Average yield is
CALDWELL - It’s not easy sell- expected to be 2,100 pounds
per acre, up 50 pounds from
ing wine from a state that’s
synonymous with potatoes. It’s last year.
kind of like selling ice-fishing Pinto production declined
gear from Samoa or mountain- from last year, but continues
to account for the largest
eering boots from Kansas.
portion of Idaho’s crop with
But the producers of Idaho
36.2 percent of Idaho’s prowines and other small-acreduction. Pink production
age products can indeed
accounted for 15.8 percent of
succeed, says Ron Bitner, a
production. Small red propremium wine-grape grower duction accounted for 11.7
from Caldwell. They just have percent of production. Chickto work together.
pea (garbanzo) production
Bitner will be keynote speak- had the largest increase from
Intermountain Cow
Symposium
2005 Potato Conference Five workshops will be preThe University of Idaho 2005
Potato Conference will be
held Jan. 19-20 at Idaho State
University’s Pond Student
Union Building in Pocatello.
The conference will include
a presentation by Patrick
Moore, a founding member
of GreenPeace who now
promotes sustainability and
consensus-building among
competing concerns. A panel
of industry representativesfrom McCain, Potandon and
Basic American Foods will
discuss how producers can get
the best possible raw-product
prices. Keith Esplin of the
Potato Growers of Idaho will
join the panel to describe
PGI’s Best Management Practices checklist and opportunities for marketing to Mexico.
sented in Spanish: diseases,
weeds, insects, integrated pest
management and an Idaho
State Department of Agriculture Spanish Worker Training.
Pre-registration by Jan. 7 is
$15 for in-state participants
and $75 for out-of-state participants; costs at the door
will be $20 and $90, respectively. The conference will
begin at 8 a.m. Jan. 19 and
conclude at noon Jan. 20. For
more information or a registration form, click on http:
//extension.ag.uidaho.edu/
district4/potato.html or call
(208) 529-8376 in Idaho Falls.
Grain Marketing & Risk
Management Workshop
BOISE – The Idaho Barley
Commission, Idaho Wheat
In addition, the agenda
Commission, Idaho Grain
includes a presentation by
Producers Association and
Albert Wada on the new coIdaho Farm Bureau Federaoperative, United Fresh Potato tion are sponsoring a 2005
Growers of Idaho.
Grain Marketing & Risk
Management Workshop on
Conference participants can
January 6-7, 2005 at Idaho
select from seminar topics
Farm Bureau Federation headincluding bacterial ring rot,
late blight, sugar ends, aphids, quarters, 275 Tierra Vista Dr.,
Pocatello, ID.
pesticide drift, new variety
storage, optimal potato rotaOther sponsors include:
tions, Ranger Russet greenBusch Agricultural Resources,
digging and the future of the Inc., Great Western MaltTri-State Potato Variety Devel- ing Co., Coors Brewing Co.,
opment Program.
AgriSource, Inc., General
They can also attend workshops on farm size and economic efficiency, cost-of-production calculation, precision
agriculture, and managing
necrotic viruses, pink rot,
weeds, nematodes, seed, crop
fertility, and solids and sugars.
Other workshops will cover
the potato market situation,
entomology, machinery costs,
pesticides and water quality,
and key issues in planting,
harvesting and storage.
34
Mills, District IV Extension
Cereal Schools, Farm Credit
Services, DL Evans Bank, Trac
One Insurance LLC, Farmers
Crop Insurance Alliance, Inc.,
Premier Insurance, Pendleton
Flour Mills.
Registration cost is $45 per person. Pre-registration is requested, by calling the Idaho Barley
Commission at 208-334-2090
(Pam Moffet) or by email at
[email protected].
corporation and is not a part
of the United States government. The mission of the
USO is to provide morale,
welfare and recreation-type
the 2003 crop, accounting for FB Helps USO ‘Beef Up’ services to uniformed military
10.9 percent of the total. The
personnel. The USO currently
Troops
majority of chickpea prooperates 124 centers around
Washington, D.C., – The
duction was the large type,
the world, including five moAmerican Farm Bureau Fedalso known as kabuli. Navy
bile canteens, with 70 located
eration will hold a donation
production accounted for
in the continental United
drive for the USO’s “Opera6.0 percent. Great northern
States, three in the Caribbean
tion Beef Up Our Troops” pro- and 46 overseas.
and black production both
accounted for 3.5 percent of gram during the 2005 AFBF
annual convention, Jan. 9-12,
Idaho’s production. Small
Methyl Bromide
in Charlotte, N.C. The prowhites, light red kidneys,
Exemption
Approved
gram supplies high-quality
dark red kidneys, cranberries, and other classes made beef jerky – one of the most
AFBF - Additional methyl
up the remaining dry edible requested items by troops in
bromide use in the U.S. was
the field – to American service approved Nov. 26 by delegates
bean production in Idaho.
members overseas.
Of the 12 classes of dry edat the 16th meeting of the
ible beans estimated for
“Farm Bureau members can
Montreal Protocol. Methyl
Idaho during 2004, pintos,
join with other members of
bromide was originally schedgreat northerns, and small
the U.S. ag community by
uled for complete phaseout for
reds posted production losses helping to support the puragricultural use during 2005,
while all other classes posted chase of beef jerky for USO
but an extension was previousproduction gains.
care packages through monly earned. Now growers have
Nationally, production of
etary donations,” said AFBF
additional critical use exempdry edible beans is estimat- President Bob Stallman. “Mak- tions for 2005 and 2006.
ed at 18.1 million cwt for
ing a donation during our an2004, down 3 percent from nual convention is an excellent The phaseout of methyl bromide began in 1991. For 2005
the October forecast and
opportunity for America’s
and 2006, U.S. growers will
19 percent below last year.
farm and ranch families to
be allowed to use 37 percent
Harvested area is forecast
say thank you to our men and and 27 percent, respectively,
at 1.23 million acres, 2 per- women in uniform.”
of the 1991 use. The 2006 use
cent below the last forecast
Beef jerky funded through the will be revisited at a later date
and down 9 percent from
because 17 developed coun2003. The average U.S. yield program will feature a label
with
the
message,
“Donated
tries, including the U.S., claim
is forecast at 1,479 pounds
by
America’s
farming
and
alternatives to methyl broper acre, a decrease of 16
ranching
families.
We
thank
mide are not technologically
pounds from the October
you
for
your
service
to
our
and/or economically feasible.
forecast and 191 pounds becountry. Our thoughts and
low a year ago. Production
prayers are with you.”
is below a year ago in 12
Ecosystem Changed
of the 18 producing States.
Farm Bureau will be collectMost in Last Half
Most notable is a 39 percent ing cash, check and credit
Century
production decrease in both card donations for Beef Up
Minnesota and North DaAFBF - Changes made by man
Our Troops at the Charlotte
kota where an early frost in convention. In addition, Farm to the environment in the last
mid-August severely dam50 to 60 years are greater than
Bureau members and others
aged the crop. Production
may mail in donations at any all previous changes made by
is down from a year ago for time, noting “beef jerky” on
humans to the world’s ecolarge lima, baby lima, navy, the check memo line, to:
system. Preliminary findings
great northern, pinto, light
from a United Nations Envired kidney, dark red kidney, “Beef Up Our Troops”
ronmental Program study were
pink, and blackeye. Produc- Operation USO Care Package released during this month’s
tion increased from last year PO Box 8069
World Conservation Congress.
Topeka, KS 66608
for small white, small red,
The study notes that more land
cranberry, black, and small The USO is chartered by Con- was converted to crops use
and large chickpeas.
gress as a nonprofit charitable since 1945 than in the 18th
and 19th centuries combined.
A total of 34 percent of the
Earth’s land surface is now
cultivated. Additionally, water
withdrawal from lakes and
rivers has doubled since just
1960, the study says.
Exports and Imports
Equaled
AFBF - The value of agricultural imports into the United
States is anticipated to equal
agricultural exports from the
U.S. during 2005, according
to recent projections from the
Agriculture Department.
The value of U.S. farm exports
is projected to decline to $56
billion during the government’s 2005 fiscal year, down
from $62.3 billion in 2004.
Meanwhile, the value of imports of agricultural products
into the United States is expected to increase from $52.7
billion to $56 billion. The projections are for the fiscal year
that started Oct. 1.
If projections hold true, this
would be the first time since
the late 1950s that the value
of U.S. agricultural exports
has not exceeded the value of
U.S. agricultural imports. The
increasing appetite for foreign
foods, ingredients and beverages is suggested as a contributing factor to the swing in
import/export dollars.
Ethanol Production
Developments
AFBF - New processes for efficiently producing ethanol
are being touted. A proposed
Mead, Neb., ethanol plant
would use manure from a
cattle feedlot to generate
energy for producing steam
used to fuel the plant’s boilers. And Broin Companies
claims it has developed new
technology eliminating the
cooking step from ethanol
production, thus reducing the
35
FARM BUREAU
COMMODITY REPORT
Month End Comparison
Contact Dixie Ashton, 208-239-4279
GRAIN PRICES
11/23/2004 12/20/2004 Trend
PORTLAND:
White Wheat .......................... 3.92.....................3.96 ....................+ 0.04
11% Winter............................ 4.18-4.27 ............4.26-4.36 ............+ .08 to + .09
14% Spring ........................... 5.06.....................5.06 ....................Steady
Barley (export barges)............ 98.00...................95.00-95.50 ........- 3.00 to - 2.50
Corn ...................................... 101.00-102.25 ....104.00-105.25 ....+ 3.00
OGDEN:
White Wheat .......................... 3.50.....................3.53 .................... + 0.03
11% Winter............................ 3.32 ....................3.40 ................... + 0.08
14% Spring .......................... 4.10 ....................4.07 ................... - 0.03
Barley.................................... 4.00.....................3.70 .................... - .30
POCATELLO:
White Wheat .......................... 3.40.....................3.35 .................... - 0.05
11% Winter............................ 3.35 ....................3.42 ................... + 0.07
14% Spring ........................... 4.01.....................4.03 .................... + 0.02
Barley.................................... 3.80.....................3.75 ....................- 0.05
NAMPA:
White Wheat (cwt).................. 5.23.....................5.37 .................... + 0.14
(Bushel) ................................. 3.14.....................3.22 .................... + 0.08
LEWISTON:
White Wheat ......................... 3.62.....................3.68 .................... + 0.06
Barley.................................... 85.50.................. 81.50 ................. - 4.00
BEAN PRICES:
11/23/2004 12/20/2004 Trend
Pintos .................................... 30.00...................30.00 ..................Steady
Great Northerns ..................... 19.00...................19.00 ..................Steady
Small Whites.......................... 24.00...................N/A ....................N/A
Pinks ..................................... 23.00...................22.00-23.00 ........- 1 to Steady
Small Reds ............................ 22.00-23.00 ........22.00-23.00 ........Steady
LIVESTOCK PRICES
11/18/04
12/20/04
Trend
FEEDER STEERS
Under 400 lbs ........................ 115-149 ..............110-149 ..............- 5 to steady
400-600 lbs........................... 96-143 ................95-145 ................- 1 to + 2
600-800 lbs........................... 92-112 ................90-108 ................- 2 to - 4
Over 800 lbs .......................... 75-104 ................84-106 ................+ 9 to + 2
FEEDER HEIFERS
Under 400 lbs ........................ 105-144 ..............100-130 ..............- 5 to - 14
400-600 lbs........................... 93-130 ................90-126 ................- 3 to - 4
600-800 lbs........................... 85-102 ................85-104 ................Steady to + 2
Over 800 lbs .......................... 73-98 ..................80-94 ..................+ 7 to - 4
HOLSTEIN STEERS
Under 700 lbs ........................ 75-105 ................72-107 ................- 3 to + 2
Over 700 lbs .......................... 64-86 ..................64-80 ..................steady to - 6
COWS
Utility/Commercial ................. 37-54 ..................41-57 ..................+ 4 to + 3
Canner & Cutter..................... 28-48 ..................31-50 .................. + 3 to + 2
Slaughter............................... 48-71 ..................44-65 ..................- 4 to - 6
LAMBS
Fats ....................................... 85-95 ..................81-95 ..................- 4 to steady
Feeders ................................. 87-115 ................92-105 ................+ 5 to - 10
Butcher Hogs......................... 46-55 ..................45-51 ..................- 1 to - 4
Compiled by the Idaho Farm Bureau Commodity Division
36
IDAHO HAY REPORT
Dec 17, 2004
Tons This Week: 11,375, Last Week: 2,650, Last Year: 1,325
Compared to last week, few sales on Premium and Supreme Alfalfa were steady
to firm. Demand good with supplies very limited. Fair and Good Alfalfa sales were
mostly steady. Demand light to moderate with supplies moderate to fairly heavy.
Retail/feed store/horse hay sales fairly limited with steady prices on comparable
types. Demand light to moderate with moderate supplies.
Quality/Bale
Tons
Price
Export Alfalfa sales to move in 60 days unless noted:
Good midsize/ton
500
80.00
Alfalfa, domestic sales:
Fair midsize/ton
300
65.00
Wtd Avg
Feed store and horse accounts sales on covered hay, mostly 2-3 tie bales: Premium
Alfalfa, to eastern race tracks 120.00 FOB. Good to Premium Alfalfa 100.00 FOB.
Prices quote are FOB for current delivery unless otherwise stated. Alfalfa hay test
guidelines, used with visual appearance and intent of sale. Quantitative factors are
approximate and many factors can affect feeding value.
ADF
Supreme <27
Premium 27-29
Good
29-32
Fair
32-35
Utility
>35
NDF
<34
34-36
36-40
40-44
>44
RFV
>185
170-185
150-170
130-150
<130
TDN-100%
>62
60.5-62
58-60
56-58
<56
TDN-90%
>55.9
54.5-55.9
52.5-54.5
50.5-52.5
<50.5
CP
>22
20-22
18-20
16-18
<16
RFV calculated using the Wis/Minn formula. TDN calculated using the western
formula. Values based on 100% dry matter, TDN both 90% & 100%.
Source - USDA Market News, Moses Lake, WA
80.00
65.00
10,575 tons of other hay. Package Premium to Supreme Alfalfa, one ton bales, to
dairy account 140.00 FOB. 1st cutting Alfalfa, 3/4 bales, rain damage, to feedlot
account 70.00 FOB. Fair to Good Alfalfa, midsize/one ton bales, some rain damage, to dry cow and/or feedlot accounts 63.00-70.00 FOB.
POTATOES FOR PROCESSING
Idaho Potatoes
16
December 15, 2004 - IDAHO--- Processors in Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon
used 24.4 million cwt of 2004 crop raw potatoes to Dec. 1, slightly more than a
year ago. Idaho potatoes contributed 21.1 million cwt of the total potatoes processed, the remaining 3.30 million cwt were produced in other states. Processing of
the 2004 crop potatoes totaled 70.7 million cwt to Dec. 1, down 2 percent from
last year. Of the total 70.7 million cwt processed, 13.4 million cwt were used for
dehydrated products, excluding starch and flour.
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
11/23/04
11/30/04
12/07/04
U.S. One baled 5-10 lb Mesh bags non-size A
Ogden
Pocatello
Portland
6.00
5.00
4.00
3.00
2.00
1.00
0.00
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
70 Count Burbank
5 Year Grain Comparison
Soft White Wheat 10 Yr History for December
7.00
12/14/04
2003
2004
Grain Prices 12/29/2000
12/28/2001
12/17/2002 12/19/2003 12/20/2004
Portland:
White Wheat.................3.00 ........................ 3.70.........................4.18 ....................... 4.00........................3.96
11% Winter..................3.93 ............... 3.75-3.79.................4.77-4.85 ............... 4.54-4.64 ...............4.26-4.36
14% Spring ..................4.29 ........................ 4.08.........................5.02 ....................... 4.89........................5.06
Barley (ton) ...............106.00 ........... 93.00-96.00.................116.00 ......................N/A ...............95.00-95.50
Ogden:
White Wheat.................2.70 ........................ 3.55.........................3.60 ....................... 3.45........................3.53
11% Winter..................3.40 ........................ 3.16.........................4.18 ....................... 3.77........................3.40
14 % Spring .................3.46 ........................ 3.18.........................4.39 ....................... 3.89........................4.07
Barley..........................4.30 ........................ 4.55.........................5.00 ....................... 5.04........................3.70
Pocatello:
White Wheat.................2.51 ........................ 3.30.........................3.42 ....................... 3.26........................3.35
Ordinary Winter ...........2.99 ........................ 2.96.........................4.00 ....................... 3.68........................3.42
14% Spring ..................3.39 ........................ 3.30.........................4.15 ....................... 4.05........................4.03
Barley..........................4.20 ........................ 4.30.........................5.10 ....................... 4.90........................3.75
Caldwell/Nampa:
White Wheat (cwt)........3.78 ........................ 4.95.........................5.75 ....................... 5.50........................5.37
Lewiston:
White Wheat.................2.69 ........................ 3.41.........................3.92 ....................... 3.72........................3.68
Barley.........................92.50 ...................... 82.50......................103.50 ................... 102.50.....................81.50
Bean Prices: 12/29/2000
12/28/2001
12/17/2002 12/19/2003 12/20/2004
Pintos.....................15.00-16.00 ................. 21.00..................18.00-19.00 ........... 16.00-17.00 ................30.00
Great Northerns...........16.00 .......... 17.00-18.00.............18.00-19.00 ........... 16.00-17.00 ................19.00
Small Whites ..........16.00-17.00 ............ 19.00-22.00 ...............20.00 ..................... 20.00....................... N/A
Pinks......................15.00-16.00 ............ 24.00-25.00..................20.00 ..................... 20.00.................22.00-23.00
Small Reds .............15.00-16.00 ................. 25.00.......................20.00 ..................... 21.00.................22.00-23.00
37
CATTLE OUTLOOK
December 17, 2004
Beef imports by the US for January through October were larger than for all of last year
by 1.3%. For these 10 months, beef imports were up 24.4% from 12 months earlier.
All major exporters to the US were up in rates to us for January through October
except Australia.
For January through October, Australian exports to us were down 5.2%, New Zealand up 3.7%, Canada up 60.3%, Brazil up 4.3%, Argentina up 33.8%, Central
America up 17.7%, Uruguay up 351.0%, and Mexico up 23.5%.
Our beef exports were down by nearly 84% from a year earlier for January through
October compared to 2003.
Our live cattle imports from Mexico for January through October were up nearly
25% from the same period 12 months earlier.
Our total live cattle imports for the first 10 months of 2004 were down over 22%
because of the embargo for live cattle from Canada due to BSE.
There is a chance that the border from Canada, for at least young cattle, will be
opened sometime in the first three months of 2005.
Live fed cattle prices were held in the mid 80s this week for the five-market-area. The
five-market-area average weighted price for the week through Thursday at $84.25
per cwt was steady with a week earlier. The weighted average carcass price was
down $6.90 from 7 days earlier at $134.00 per cwt.
The range in prices for the Midwest direct trade was $82 to $84 per cwt. The
weighted average price for the Midwest was $83.38 per cwt. The price for the
High Plains was $86 per cwt with a weighted average of $86 per cwt.
Beef product prices were pushed lower this week. Yield 3 Choice beef at $136.65
per cwt was down $5.25 per cwt from Friday morning a week earlier. Yield 2-3
Select was down $7.18 per cwt for the week at $128.62 per cwt Friday morning.
Feeder cattle and calf prices at Oklahoma City were steady to $3 per cwt below
a week earlier.
The prices per cwt for medium and large frame number 1 steers at Oklahoma City
this week by weight groups were: 400-500# $120.50 to $150.50, 500-600#
$106.75 to $126.50, 600-700# calves $103 to $111.50, 700-800# calves
$97 to $103.75, 650-700# yearlings $105.50 to $110.50, 700-800#
$102.50 to $109, and 800-100# $95.75 to $103.75.
Slaughter this week under Federal Inspection was estimated at 624 thousand head
--- down 1.9% from a year earlier.
The number of cattle on feed December 1 came in slightly less than the trade
estimates at 100.1% of a year ago.
Placements on feed during November were down 9.5% from 12 months earlier. Fed
marketings during November were up 5.7% from a year earlier.
This report is not likely to have much impact on the market unless the trade was
using different numbers than the average of the people who estimated what the
report would show.
University of Missouri - Columbia
5 Year Livestock Comparison
Grain Prices 12/27/2000
12/28/2001
12/17/2002
12/18/2003 12/20/2004
Under 400 lbs ............94-126 .................... 85-110 ................... 86-123 ....................95-137 .................110-149
400-600 lbs ...............90-114 .................... 77-100 ................... 78-111 ....................88-130 ...................95-145
600-800 lbs ...............80-100 ..................... 70-80 ..................... 73-85 .....................86-107 ...................90-108
Over 800 lbs ...............65-88 ...................... 60-80 ..................... 68-83 ......................80-97 ...................84-106
Feeder Heifers
Under 400 lbs ............88-113 .................... 87-100 ................... 72-109 ....................90-122 .................100-130
400-600 lbs ...............82-106 ..................... 71-97 ................... 70-95 .....................87-119 ...................90-126
600-800 lbs ................68-91 ...................... 61-83 ..................... 65-82 .....................81-100 ...................85-104
Over 800 lbs ...............61-77 ...................... 63-76 ..................... 66-80 ......................80-94 .....................80-94
Holstein Steers
Under 700 lbs .............65-97 ..................... 59-86 .................... 55-71 .....................71-103 ...................72-107
Over 700 lbs ...............54-74 ...................... 51-68 ..................... 51-62 ......................67-86 .....................64-80
Cows
Utility/Commercial ......29-49 ...................... 30-51 ..................... 27-45 ......................42-69 .....................41-57
Canner & Cutter...........25-41 ...................... 25-40 ..................... 22-35 ......................32-52 .....................31-50
Stock Cows ................375-800 .................. 350-765 ................. 350-720 .................500-1000 ...............510-1150
Bulls – Slaughter.........37-54 ...................... 38-56 ..................... 31-46 ......................44-67 ....................44-65
December 1, 2002. Placements in feedlots during November totaled 1.74
million, 10 percent below 2003 and 12 percent below 2002. This is the
lowest placements for the month of November since the series began in
1996. Net placements were 1.64 million. During November, placements of cattle
and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 590,000, 600-699 pounds
were 557,000, 700-799 pounds were 326,000, and 800 pounds and greater
were 270,000. Marketings of fed cattle during November totaled 1.63 million,
6 percent above 2003 but 6 percent below 2002. This is the second lowest fed
cattle marketings for the month of November since the series began in 1996. Other
disappearance totaled 108,000 during November, 11 percent above 2003 and
20 percent above 2002.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call (208) 334-1507
IDAHO CATTLE ON FEED DOWN 2 %
December 17, 2004 - Cattle on feed for the slaughter market in Idaho from feedlots
with a capacity of 1,000 or more head on December 1, 2004 totaled 305,000
head, down 2 percent from the December 1, 2003 inventory, according to the
Idaho Agricultural Statistics Service. The inventory was unchanged from the number
on hand November 1, 2004. Placements of cattle into State feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during November totaled 50,000 head, down 14,000
from November 2003 placements. Marketings during November totaled 48,000
head, up 1,000 from November 2003 marketings.
Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots
with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.3 million head on December 1,
2004. The inventory was slightly above December 1, 2003 and 4 percent above
pounds, up 1.2 percent from November 2003. October revised production, at 12.3 billion pounds, was up 1.4 percent from October 2003.
The October revision represented an increase of 9 million pounds from
last month’s preliminary production estimate. Production per cow in the 20 major
States averaged 1,526 pounds for November, 9 pounds above November 2003.
The number of milk cows on farms in the 20 major States was 7.77 million head,
44,000 head more than November 2003, but unchanged from October 2004.
For More Information Call: (208) 334-1507.
IDAHO MILK PRODUCTION UP 4.6 %
December 17, 2004 - Idaho milk production during November 2004 totaled 750
million pounds, a 4.6 percent increase from the same month last year, but down 31
million pounds from October 2004, according to the Idaho Agricultural Statistics
Service. Average milk production per cow in November 2004 was 1,720 pounds,
down 20 pounds from November 2003, and 80 pounds below October 2004.
The average number of milk cows during November was 436,000 head, up
2,000 head from October 2004, and up 24,000 head from November 2003.
Milk production in the 20 major States during November totaled 11.8 billion
38
CLASSIFIEDS
DEADLINE DATES: ADS
MUST BE RECEIVED
JANUARY 15 FOR NEXT
ISSUE
SEE PAGE 26 FOR AD FORM
Animals/Livestock
A.K.C. Toy Poodle Puppies. Two black
females, born 9/1/04. Two apricot
females and one male born 10/30/04.
Two cream females born 11/30/04.
First shot, 4 generation pedigree chart.
Two free groomings. Idaho Falls. 208529-2148
Eight year old Belgian Draft Horse, has
pulled wagons and sleighs, will work as
a team or alone. $2400.00. Cascade, Id.
208-382-4872
Equipment
BALEWAGONS: New Holland selfpropelled and pull-type, two or three
bale wide models. Can deliver or
possibly trade. Also may be interested
in purchasing your balewagon. Call Jim
208-880-2889 or evenings 208-4593268.
Allen 8827 rake, 1998 model, excellent
condition; John Deere 975 5 bottom
plow, like new; 1989 TrailKing trailer,
hydraulic tail, new deck, excellent, new
pipe trailer. Salmon. 208-756-4414
Hobart commercial meat slicer $390.00; Antique U.S. Standard platform
scale, 300lb. exlnt. $700.00 obo; “85”
Ford engine & trans + extras, 1500 mi
.on overhaul - $550.00; Marlin mod
AS30 like New cal.30/30 Rifle. $200.00.
Princeton, Id. 208-875-0344
1955 Ford Tractor, Model 600, 3 point
hitch with 6 foot blade and manure
bucket. $3,200. Extra equipment
with it. Call evenings. Shoshone, Id.
208-886-7698
JD 444H Loader with 3800 hours,
3-yard bucket, 2 hay forks, hydraulic
quick-disconnect. $67,500. JD 570A
Articulating Motor-grader. $21,500.
Both pieces of machinery are in very
good condition. Wilder, Id. Call Terry
at (208) 573-2359 or evenings at
(208) 482-7776
Miscellaneous
2 Cookstoves, both are in very
nice condition. 1 is a wood-electric
combination stove. $400; 1 is a
Commercial Wolf Range, propane
$1,000. Open to all offers. Clark Fork, Id.
208-266-1223
Flag poles by Old Sarge. Custom made
from 2” galvanized poles. Any length, 1630 ft. Check us out. Wilford Green, 2618
N. Inkom Rd. Inkom, ID 208-775-3490
MEAT GRINDERS, cubers, butcher supplies,
catalog $2.00. Home Processor, 4500 Ledan
Rd. Ext., Gainsville, GA 30506. www.homeprocessor.com 770-535-7381.
Matco Tool Box - 7 drawers on bottom
5 on top. 66 inches high. $1,500. Twin
Falls. Call Stan - Days 208-733-5938
Real Estate/Acreage
3 bedroom, 2 bath home built in 2000.
On 112 acres of hay and pasture with
93 water shares. Large shop. All fenced.
$350,000 with equipment. Gooding, Id.
208-934-9470
Household
Online Commodity
Trading Game
AFBF - Actively farming U.S.
residents still have time to
register to play an online corn
and soybean trading game
– Market Maxx. Players will
make simulated online commodity trades based upon
actual Chicago Board of
Trade real-time grain quotes.
Each participant will have
100,000 bushels of corn and
50,000 bushels of soybeans
(simulated) to trade as the
contest begins Jan. 3. Achieving one of the three highest
average selling prices will
result in prizes including use
of a combine or tractor. The
contest has been organized by
Primedia Business Magazines
& Media, Inc. (publishers
of Corn & Soybean Digest).
Registration Web site: http:
//www.MarketMaxx.net/
Sawmill: portable and complete. Not
chainsaw or toy. Small repairs OK. Up to
$4,000. Call evenings. North Sandpoint.
208-263-2096
Need horns for art projects - all kinds
- donation only. Tendoy, Id ask for Dea.
208-756-1471.
Bernina 130 sewing machine used
very little has many attachments Paid
$1200 plus attachments sell $795 with
attachments ask for LaRue. St. Anthony
208-624-7070
Paying cash for German & Japanese
war relics/souvenirs! Pistols, rifles,
swords, daggers, flags, scopes, optical
equipment, uniforms, helmets, machine
guns (ATF rules apply) medals, flags, etc.
208-549-3841 (evenings) or 405-9338.
Vehicles
Help Wanted
1970 Classic Cadillac Deville convertible.
Price just reduced $500! Beautiful
show car! Candy apple red, new white
convertible top. Runs good. $7000. Call
357-7807 leave message.
AG APPRAISER- Earn up to $65,000 per
year, part time. If you have a livestock or
farm equipment background you may
qualify to become a Certified Agricultural
Appraiser. For free information please
call the American Society of Agricultural
Appraiser (800) 488-7570 or visit
www.amagappraisers.com
1999 Chrysler Concorde LXI Price just
reduced $1000! Beautiful car! Excellent
condition, fully loaded, leather, sunroof,
in burgundy. $12,500. Call 357-7807
leave message.
Wanted
Wanted: Oven coils for antique range
(stove) call collect. Fairfield, Id. 208764-2565
Eminent Domain Case
cost of producing ethanol by
drastically reducing the energy needs of a plant.
BALEWAGONS: New Holland selfpropelled or pull-type models. Will
consider any model. Call Jim at 208880-2889 or evenings 208-459-3268
AFBF - The American Farm
Bureau Federation filed a
friend-of-the-court brief Dec.
3 in a property rights case before the U.S. Supreme Court.
The case involves a Connecticut homeowner being displaced so that the city of New
London can turn property
over to a developer.
“It is imperative that the Supreme Court hear from farmers and ranchers on this very
important issue,” said AFBF
President Bob Stallman. “Agricultural land is the livelihood
of our farmers and ranchers
and important for U.S. food
and feed production, but land
used this way is not the highest income generator for government bodies. Tax revenue
cannot be the basis for seizing
private property.”
The brief says the Connecticut
Supreme Court was in error
ruling it is legitimate for the
city to seize non-blighted
private property and make it
available to another private
entity just so the city might
earn higher tax income.
39

- Idaho Farm Bureau

Transcription

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