The Progressive Rancher April 2014 by The Progressive Rancher

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

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In this Issue... Nevada Cattlemen’s Assn.............pgs. 3-4

Mind of a Millennial, Part II...........pg. 22

Talking About NCBA........................pg. 5

Beef Checkoff............................ pg. 24-25

Sifting for Soundess...........................pg. 6 Ramblings of a Ranch Wife...............pg. 8 To Tag or Not to Tag........................ pg. 10

Fumes from the Farm.................... pgs. 14 Snyder Sale Report:......................... pg. 16

Elk In Nevada...................................pg. 29 Nevada’s Priority Weeds: Cocklebur?................................ pgs. 30-31 Cooperative Extension Researches

Buy Nevada: NV Grows Winners ........................ pg. 17

Ways to Restore Sagebrush............. pg. 32

Idaho Cattle Association........... pgs. 18-19

Spotted Knapweed........................... pg. 33

Spring Cove Ranch & JBB/AL Herefords Sale Report....... pg. 19

Suite A Elko, NV 89801 775-738-8811

Jake Eary Rodeo Results.................pg. 28

Eye on the Outside..........................pgs. 11

Roman Charolais Sale Report......... pg. 19

2213 5th Street JasonNorth B Land, AAMS® Suite A Financial Advisor Elko, NV 89801 . 775-738-8811 2213 North 5th Street

Look Up: Good Folks......................pg. 26

The Organic Movement: Part III.......................................pgs. 20-21

HWCWMA:

Coloring Page...................................pg. 34 NVSRM: Time Sequence Photography of Roosters Comb Area............. pgs.35-37 February RAC Meeting...................pg. 38

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2 April 2014

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

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RIDING FOR THE NCA BRAND Ron Torell, Nevada Cattlemen’s Association President Dave Stix Jr., Nevada Cattlemen’s Association President Elect Sam Mori, Nevada Cattlemen’s Association First Vice President Tom Barnes, Nevada Cattlemen’s Association Second Vice President

Earth Day 2050

he American public has the potential for having the highest quality of life in the world. A major reason for this is due to the Green Revolution that began in the 1950’s which involved the introduction of genetically superior, disease-resistant cultivated crops, mass production and use of petroleum-based fertilizers and chemical pesticides, expanded irrigation, and the development of crop rotation. The Green Revolution reshaped the U.S. into a dense urban society. At present it is estimated that a mere 2% of the U.S. population feeds the nation and the average age of that 2% is over 55. As a result, the average American does not experience hunger and spends less than 9% of their total disposable income on food. Many American consumers have become complacent and take it for granted that food will always be plentiful at a low cost. The question becomes: Is U.S. agriculture capable of meeting future needs? The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization recently stated that in just 40 years global food production must double. This doubling of food production is necessary in order to head off mass global hunger and feed the projected global population of nine billion by 2050. There is a general consensus that agriculture has the capability to meet the food needs of 8–10 billion people but there is little agreement on how this can be achieved by sustainable means. Sustainability implies that high yields can be maintained through agricultural practices that have acceptable environmental impacts. Hindering our ability to feed the world in 2050 and beyond are the efforts of well-intended, public-funded special interest and radical environmental groups. These groups continue to push for unrealistic legislation that hinders agriculture’s ability to produce food and fiber in a supposedly environmentally friendly and sustainable manner. Much of this unrealistic legislation has been successful primarily because many of our county, state and national politicians are far removed from agriculture as are the population base they represent. The tsunami that agriculture is facing threatens our ability to feed the world and meet those projected 2050 needs. About half of the world’s land surface is suitable for rangeland only and not for growing food crops. More than two-thirds of land used for grazing in the United States is not suitable for raising crops. Rangelands do produce significant quantities of grasses, shrubs and forbs that only livestock can utilize. Livestock contributes 40% of the global value of agricultural production and supports the livelihoods and food security of almost 1 billion people. Globally, livestock contributes 15% of total food energy and 25% of dietary protein. Well-managed grazing of rangelands, grasslands, and pastures is the most sustainable form of agriculture known. www.progressiverancher.com

Nevada, one of the driest and least populated states in the nation, supports a livestock industry that is very dependent on the state’s 87% public-owned land. In addition to livestock grazing, other multiple uses include recreation, mining and wildlife. Additionally, Nevada rangelands may play a significant role in meeting the nation’s energy needs through wind and solar energy generation. All of these tangible and intangible goods and services are important to the economic and social well being of the residents of Nevada. How can agriculture feed the growing food supply needs? How much longer can society disregard the fundamental importance of our agriculture industry? When will it change? This situation may only change after hunger pains are experienced by the general public similar to what occurred during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. As long as the bulk of our population has access to a cheap, reliable and quality food source, along with financially supporting radical anti-agriculture interests, we will continue to see erosion of our agriculture base and our ability to feed the world. Agriculturists have one more job to do that has not been necessary in the past. Because of the general public’s huge disconnect to the land and agriculture, it is up to each and every agriculturist to educate the public about environmentally sound food and fiber production practices. We must reinforce the safety, wholesomeness and importance of our domestically produced food supply. We must defend only the production practices that are environmentally sound and not excuse those practices and producers who do not subscribe to these production methods. We must also listen to our detractors and consider that possibly they are not entirely wrong. We must not assume we are always right and consider that other people may have something to contribute in reaching long term agricultural sustainability. As a consumer, before you criticize agriculture, consider your full stomach and comfortable lifestyle. Keep in mind that production agriculture is greatly responsible for the pleasures of life we all have grown accustomed to enjoying. As agriculturists, it is our responsibility for making a constructive and convincing argument to those who disagree with the issues. It is our hope that through this article your eyes may have been opened as to the past and future of agriculture production in the great nation of the United States of America on this Earth day 2014 as we prepare for Earth Day 2050. Nevada Cattlemen’s Association’s mission continues to be to promote, preserve and protect a dynamic and profitable Nevada beef industry. Should you like to visit with NCA staff or leadership feel free to contact NCA at 775-738-9214 or my NCA e-mail address ncapresident@nevadabeef.org

The Progressive Rancher

April 2014 3

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

Nevada Cattlemen’s Association Announces 2014 Scholarship Requirements

raduating seniors interested in pursuing an agriculture education should apply for the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association annual scholarship. The Nevada Cattlemen’s Association will be giving this year’s outstanding graduating senior a $1,000 scholarship to attend and junior college or four-year University. The deadline for all applications is April 15, 2014. For requirements and a scholarship application, please visit www.nevadacattlemen.org. The heritage of Nevada is ranching. The Nevada Cattlemen’s Association believes the future of our industry lies in the education of the generations to come, as we explore new and innovative methods of sustainability. “This scholarship is just one avenue for NCA to show it’s committed to protecting the future of ranching by encouraging younger generations to study in an agricultural related field,” Dan Gralian, Chairman of NCA’s Research and Education Committee.

This is a $1,000 scholarship offered by Nevada Cattlemen’s Association to all Nevada high school graduating seniors. Scholarship applications must be postmarked by April 15, 2014. Eligibility requirements for the scholarship are as follows: • Student must be a senior graduating from a high school in Nevada • Student must plan to attend a junior college or a four-year university • Student must be seeking a degree in an agricultural related field. • Student must have at least a 2.5 GPA

Please submit the following information: • Nevada Cattlemen’s Association Scholarship form (electronic application can be downloaded at www.nevadacattlemen.org) • An essay on any current issue involving the beef industry. The essay must be 1000-1500 words, typed and include references cited • Official copy of transcripts • Three letters of reference from teachers Please send all required information to: Nevada Cattlemen’s Association Attn: Research and Education Committee PO Box 310, Elko NV 89803 775-738-9214

Nevada Cattlemen’s Association Express Concerns with Nevada Department of Wildlife

(Elko, NV) March 7, 2014 – It is obvious that the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) does not recognize the benefits private land ownership and ranching plays in the overall picture of wildlife and land management. Members of the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association (NCA) were amazed and disappointed at the bold response and tone of NDOW’s official comments to the BLM Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Land Use Plan Amendment on Greater Sage-Grouse management. NDOW did not support the State of Nevada Sagebrush Ecosystem Council’s Plan (Alternative E), but rather strongly supported Alternative D (BLM’s preference) as written. Alternative D would most likely result in the financial demise of a significant percentage of family ranch operations. NCA has concerns about the exclusive selection of scientific literature used in the EIS, the top down approach to management and lack of an outline for individual allotment monitoring. Numerous other troubling aspects of Alternative D have been cited by NCA in their official DEIS/LUPA comments. Especially disturbing in NDOW’s comments is the extensive anti-grazing rhetoric, much of which is inaccurate and misleading. Very few of the “risk factors” on BLM’s list are substantially addressed. Grazing seems to be the main target without mentioning other exploding population of large herbivores, specifically elk and wild horses. NDOW’s decision to ignore the work of the State of Nevada to develop the State Plan will do irreparable damage to the State’s credibility and thus the potential for local or regional input to the management of the sagebrush steppe. Said action increases the probability that family ranching in Nevada will face a dim future. Untold unintended consequences to the open space and wildlife will result. Nevada Cattlemen’s Association’s mission continues to be to promote, preserve and protect a dynamic and profitable Nevada beef industry. In fulfilling that mission and because of these threats endorsed by NDOW, the Board of Directors of the Nevada Cattlemen’s Association has voted to recommend to our membership that cooperation with NDOW be restricted. This would include barring access to private lands to NDOW employees. Regrettably, many outdoor enthusiasts will be adversely affected due to NDOW policy. NDOW’s actions may also negatively affect Nevada’s sportsmen by restricting access to popular

4 April 2014

hunting areas. NDOW’s preference to support Alternative D will remove many acres that have historically been available to hunters and campers. The Livestock Industry has traditionally worked to find solutions with sportsmen and wildlife advocates but, given the stance of NDOW on this most serious threat to the future of our members, NCA feels compelled to respond in a manner never considered before. These actions are being taken in the best interest of wildlife habitat conservation and restoration and were made with reluctance and grave deliberation. Topping the list as the driest state in the nation, Nevada is mostly comprised of public owned and managed arid rangelands. With 87% of the state’s land mass being public, BLM or U.S. Forest Service, most Nevada ranches are comprised of a combination of private and federal land. With only 13% of the state’s land mass in private ownership, the financial viability and stability of most Nevada family ranches are totally dependent on both components of land ownership. If one is threatened or lost, the ranch is no longer feasible. Factually, the private lands are more resource dense due to the appurtenant water rights and location of land ownership along the more fertile and productive water ways of our State. Numerous species of wildlife, both game and non-game, are dependent on the pro-active management of that water and private lands resources. Nevada Cattlemen’s Association (NCA) subscribes to the multiple use concept of public lands and recognize that grazing of livestock on these lands is but one of many uses. NCA views mining, sportsman, outdoor enthusiast and recreationalist as allies and partners in the multiple use of public lands. NCA also recognizes that other ungulates and wildlife must survive and thrive on these same public lands while also utilizing, to a large extent, the resources of our private ownership land. NCA recognizes the need to manage our private as well as our public lands in a good stewardship manner. With all these factors considered, it is with reluctance that such strong action must be taken in order to promote, preserve and protect a dynamic and profitable Nevada beef industry.

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

Talking About NCBA Joe Guild, 6th Region Vice President

his month I would like to briefly talk about two very different activities NCBA is involved in which could have significant ramifications for cattle producers in the west in one case primarily and nationwide in the other case. Both of these examples prove the point that a strong, credible cattle industry organization is the only barrier between protected producers and a government that is out of touch with the needs and concerns of real people doing their best to help feed and clothe a nation that is increasingly separated from agriculture. I have said this before many times in these columns. We are such a small industry the only way we can effectively confront the misinformed who know little or nothing about agriculture or those who are just plain opposed to any form of modern production agriculture is to belong to an organization such as NCBA. Many of you have had the unfortunate experience of having to deal with a legislative body. It could have been Congress, your state legislature, the county commission or even the school board. It seems nothing ever ends up the way it started and that is true for even the easiest and common sense measures being considered by the body. A good example of this happened last week in the U.S. Congress. A bill dubbed “The Water Rights Protection Act was brought to a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives. I have written about this bill in a past column. One of the prime sponsors was Nevada’s Mark Amodei, a Republican. There was bi-partisan support for the bill originally. One of the original co-sponsors was Representative Polis, a Democrat from Colorado. There are good reasons why this bill was necessary. You will remember in recent years the BLM and US Forest Service have tried to seize private water rights by telling owners of those rights their permits to use the federal lands would not be renewed unless the owners gave the water rights to the United States. This activity not only affected ranchers with privately owned water rights but ski areas and other users. The bill as passed out of the House prohibits the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture from requiring the transfer of water rights without just compensation. It also reinforces state supremacy in water law and affirmatively says the federal government has very limited jurisdiction in the area of water law. Representative Polis tried to amend the bill saying it should only apply to ski areas. He claimed incorrectly if the bill passed in the form it did recreational use such as fishing, backpacking and kayaking would be severely limited on western water ways. I believe his reasoning was wrong and was merely an attempt to produce a bill defeating argument favored by extreme environmental interests. The NCBA staff in Washington D.C. as well as Congressmen Tipton of Colorado,

Amodei of Nevada and Bishop of Utah worked very hard to defeat the Polis amendment and pass the bill in its current form which will provide protection to all water rights owners including ranchers. The bill has a very tough uphill climb in the Senate but I hope it will pass into law to keep a rogue federal government in check when it comes to privately owned water rights. Another issue NCBA is working on of vital interest to all cattle ranchers is the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans currently undergoing an update review by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. These guidelines, lest you think I am off my rocker for bringing up such an esoteric subject, could have a huge impact on how the consumer of your product, beef, decides what to spend their grocery dollars on. So, if it has an impact on your profit margin, I believe it is important. The guidelines are designed to make sure Americans focus on eating healthy food and they supposedly provide scientific evidence on how we should maintain healthy weight, promote our overall health and prevent disease. These guidelines shape the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs. Professional nutritionists, policy makers and parents look to these guidelines to create menus, influence broad policy decisions and what to buy for the dinner table in homes all across America. NCBA has been engaged since 2011 to make sure the rules recognize the importance of a diet which contains four to five ounces of lean beef daily. NCBBA has a P.H.D. Director of Nutrition Research on staff to provide a credible voice in the argument of whether beef is part of a healthy diet and if so how much should be included in the diet and how often should people eat beef. There is scientific peer reviewed evidence that beef is one of the few foods which can supply many essential nutrients, contribute to healthful dietary patterns and improve markers for a healthy lifestyle. As one year’s guidelines are being published, the next set of guidelines is in the process of being discussed and created. Over time the nation’s cattle ranchers have responded to dietary changes by creating a leaner product both in the actual genetic changes in the animals themselves but also how they are processed in the trimming and aging stages of creating meat for the nation. Behind the scenes NCBA through its specialized staff members is helping to shape policy such as the Dietary Guidelines so that beef is always a part of the discussion. This is important because there are others in the dialogue who want to see beef taken off the plate, so to speak. Also, it is important for the beef industry to know what the consumer is thinking so the ultimate product we provide them is what they want. Without the efforts of industry organizations such as NCBA the producer out on the farm and ranch would have a much tougher time responding to all the external forces at work against them. Membership counts; belonging makes a difference. I’ll see you soon.

House passes Tipton, Amodei Water Rights Protection Act WASHINGTON, D.C. [March 13] – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives moved to protect privately held water rights from federal takings, passing H.R. 3189, the Water Rights Protection Act, 238 to 174. Introduced by Reps. Scott Tipton (CO-3) and Mark Amodei (NV-2), along with original cosponsors Reps. Rob Bishop (UT-1) and Tom McClintock (CA-4), the legislation responds to U.S. Forest Service (USFS) attempts to take private water rights in disregard of state of law and the objections of elected officials, business owners, private property advocates and a U.S. District Court. The bill would protect communities, businesses, recreation opportunities, farmers, ranchers and other individuals who rely on privately held water rights for their livelihoods. It would prohibit federal agencies from confiscating water rights through the use of permits, leases, and other land management arrangements. “Nothing in federal law grants federal land managers jurisdiction over Nevada’s ground water. That responsibility is one of the few states’ rights remaining in Nevada and I will work all day, every day to keep it,” said Amodei. “This bill delivers a muchneeded and timely reminder that the federal government must comply with state rules www.progressiverancher.com

and decisions when it comes to Nevada’s ground water. Anything less amounts to what increasingly looks like a war on the West by this administration.” Recently, the USFS attempted to implement a permit condition on National Forest System lands to require the transfer of privately held water rights to the federal government. There are also cases of federal land managers requiring water users to apply for their rights under state law in the name of the United States rather than for themselves. The Water Rights Protection Act would: • Prohibit agencies from implementing a permit condition that requires the transfer of privately held water rights to the federal government in order to receive or renew a permit for the use of land. • Prohibit the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture from imposing other conditions that require the transfer of water rights. • Uphold longstanding federal deference to state water law. • Have no cost to taxpayers.

The Progressive Rancher

April 2014 5

Sifting For Soundness by J.J. Goicoechea, DVM

he sifting of bulls at the multitude of bull sales across the west is something that often goes overlooked and unappreciated. “The sift” is the culling or thinning of bulls from a sale that a committee feels are not sound or possess other traits that make them undesirable for the sale. Some of these sifted animals will eventually be sound and perhaps will work in many operations. The sift of the bulls is done at a snap shot in time and based upon the best judgment of committee members at that time. The current retraction in the beef industry here in the west will not last forever. I know that to many of us it feels as though it already has, but there will again come the time for expansion. It is during this time of expansion, that the efforts of sifting committees will be felt. While the big issues of lameness and severe conformational defects are picked up by sifters and the animals possessing these traits are not allowed to sell through the ring, there are often smaller overlooked or allowed defects that can have a large impact on future offspring. While the majority of the animals that are raised in commercial operations are terminal cross animals, there are those that will go on to become breeding animals either as that operation’s replacement heifers or at another operation. It is these future breeding animals that will often show the conformational traits of bulls that were not sifted from sales. The last thing any of us want is to have a herd full of poor legged and curled toed cows. I will admit that the recent cattle market and period of contraction in our beef herds has led to an overall improvement in the phenotypic (outward appearance) and genotypic (genetic makeup) traits of our herds. When butcher cows are bringing a dollar a pound and a cull fat bull can bring around two thousand dollars, there are more “marginal” bulls finding Since 1959 - Manufactured in Scio, Oregon Main Ofﬁce Powell Scales NW 39120 West Scio Rd. Scio, OR 97374 Ph 503-394-3660 Fax 503-394-3502 Toll Free: 1-800-451-0787

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The sifters at the Winnemucca, Nevada Bull Sale took their job very seriously. Only 50 bulls were allowed to the ring at sale time. 12 bulls were sifted and graded out. their way to the ground beef case or making a nice steer in a finish yard. The important thing to keep in mind is that the sifting committee at a sale does not sift bulls based on EPDs. While they are often graded on EPDs, it is not the role of a sift committee to select the genetic traits to be offered in a sale. Every producer has a different idea of where they want to go with their herd and every herd is in a different place genetically. It is up to the producer to decide which bull best fit with his or her herd. It is imperative that the buyer has confidence that they are buying a sound bull on that day and that there are no major issues that may affect the performance of the bull as a breeding animal. Nevada bull sales are predominantly range bull sale regardless of their title. This means that the vast majority of bulls sold at the sales are going to be turned out in what are often large pastures encompassing thousands of acres. Evaluating a bull in a small pen or alley and making a judgment call on whether that bull can remain sound in Nevada’s large country is not often easy. There may be conformational concerns that the committee must discuss quickly and make a decision in a matter of minutes on the soundness of an animal. The sifters will make the animals move out over packed surfaces as well as soft surfaces in order to detect a lameness issue. When in a strange environment, the fight or flight instinct of a bull may come out and the adrenaline associated with this can mask injury and lameness at times. Some bulls may literally have arrived at the location of the sale hours before a sift and have stood on a trailer for several hundred miles to get there. Some of these bulls will have swelling in a joint, walk stiff and sore, or appear to move “tight”. (Like most of us anymore) It is again up to the sifting committee to make a decision on the soundness of the bull in a short period of time. I personally will not sell a bull that has swelling in a joint or that is even slightly “off”. Even if it can be attributed to a recent injury such as a kick, cut, or scrape. It is the responsibility of the committee to do the best job possible to not sell a lame bull or a bull with potential problems. Not all issues with a bull arise from conformation issues. The manner and nature in which the bull was grown must be considered. While feed bunks and concrete slabs serve the purpose for growing bulls, they often lead to problems down the road. As a buyer, please take the time to arrive at the sales early, walk through the bulls and evaluate them yourself. There will be traits you don’t like in bulls being sold. Not everyone has the same opinion or selection criteria of bulls. Do your homework and make your choice with the understanding several men and women have given their time to present you with what they consider to be sound and quality animals for your bidding pleasure.

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

NRCS Announces

Drought Help For Ranchers Apply by April 18

UPCOMING SALES

Reno, Nev.—NRCS Nevada has requested additional financial assistance to assist farmers and ranchers through a special initiative for agricultural producers impacted by the exceptional drought the state is experiencing. Applications are being taken at local USDA service centers through April 18, 2014, for those needing assistance. Through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), NRCS is addressing emergency issues associated with livestock production and recovery efforts aimed at restoring or protecting lands within extreme drought areas. “Nevada is one of the hardest hit states and our livestock herds are in dire need of water and forage. This funding will help producers keep their cattle healthy and protect rangeland,” said Bruce Petersen, NRCS State Conservationist. “With this funding, we hope to provide some immediate relief for ranchers and livestock,” said Gary Roeder, NRCS assistant state conservationist. “Through EQIP, farmers can apply for numerous practices designed to provide immediate drought relief and to help with drought recovery. Practices include: watering systems, planting annual forages, permanent reseeding, prescribed grazing and deferred grazing on rangelands. Irrigation water conservation practices to conserve water and residue management practices to protect soils are some of the eligible practices on croplands.” Landowners with a current EQIP contract can also request a contract modification to re-schedule planned conservation practices such as prescribed grazing, livestock watering facilities, water conservation and other conservation activities until drought conditions improve. “NRCS will work closely with producers to ensure successful implementation of planned conservation practices,” Roeder said. “Where conservation activities have failed because of drought, NRCS will look for opportunities to work with farmers and ranchers to re-apply those activities.” According to the March 11 U.S. Drought Monitor, 34 percent of Nevada is in an extreme drought and almost 73 percent is in severe drought. A map of the drought areas in Nevada is located at: http://bit.ly/1gzM2xJ For more information, contact your local USDA service center or visit: www.nv.nrcs. usda.gov.

THURSDAY, MAY 1ST

National Agriculture Day, Time to Celebrate Farmers

Kathryn J. Boor, food science researcher and Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, says National Agriculture Day is a time for people to salute the hard work and dedication of the farmers everywhere who provide the food that nourishes and sustains us. Boor says: “To remain successful today’s farmers must be visionary entrepreneurs, gifted financial planners and canny marketing gurus. The business of feeding the world is often unpredictable and unprofitable. When margins are slim an unexpected regulatory change, price fluctuation or a bad growing season can mean the difference between breaking even and breaking the bank. “With all these challenges to overcome, one can be forgiven for wondering why on earth anyone would choose to farm nowadays. But as the daughter of dairy farmers, I can attest that it is because farmers love the land and the lifestyle they have chosen. There is no satisfaction quite as sweet as knowing at the end of a hard day’s labor that all your sweat and toil goes to delivering the wholesome foods that feed families and help communities to thrive. After all, a safe and plentiful food supply is the very foundation upon which our society is built.” National Agriculture Day was March 25. www.progressiverancher.com

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The Progressive Rancher

April 2014 7

OF A RANCH WIFE

J. B. Wh i te l e y

Anipro & Xtraformance Feeds have created a

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Calving Season

always get nervous when the Cowboss calls me during class. It is usually because something is wrong. So when I saw his missed call as I was leaving class one night, I got a little nervous. As I called him back, I mentally prepared myself for the worst. Fortunately, I didn’t get the call I was expecting. Mom: “Hey. What’s up?” Cowboss: “TR needs to talk to you.” Mom: “Okay….” TR: “MOM! Guess what?! I just helped dad pull Rosie’s calf! Just the feet were sticking out. I helped run her in the chute and then held her yucky tail so it wouldn’t whack dad in the face. It doesn’t feel good when you get whacked in the face with a yucky tail! Guess what else?! It was backwards, and it SURVIVED!” We are always happy when they survive. He was so excited. I got such a kick out of him. I’ll take a phone call like that any day! I will always remember that phone call when we pull a calf. Calving is going full force here. We’ve left the calving day shift to QT. For a 4 year old he is pretty good at telling if we are going to have any calves during the day. I’m not sure I’m ready to turn the night shift over to him just yet. I don’t think he can steer the pickup, reach the gas pedal, and run the spot light all at once. We have some pretty good chats about checking cows though. QT: “What are we doing now?” Mom: “Running down to check our cows.” QT: “Why? Why do we have to check them EVERY day? Nothing is going to calve today.” Mom: “How do you know?” QT: “I don’t see any water bags hanging out. We aren’t going to have any calves today.” Mom: “Well then, when are we going to have some more calves?” QT: “Not today mom. Maybe tomorrow.” That was the end of the conversation. A little later that day… I have a couple of cows I have been watching, just sure they would have calved a week ago. I just don’t see how they can get any bigger or closer to calving without actually calving. I stopped next to QT’s cow “Rosie” because I’ve been watching her for what feels like forever. As I’m looking her over and wondering when she is ever going to calve, QT pipes up from the backseat (first with a big huffy breath): “MOM! There is no water bag sticking out. She is NOT CALVING!” You could say I was told. The part that gets me is that he has been pretty accurate on which days we are going to have calves and which days we are not. I’m kind of impressed. He doesn’t miss much, and I don’t know many 4 year olds who know that a water bag is a good indication of having a calf pretty soon. Now if I can just teach him heat detection I’ll have a really good argument for not sending him to kindergarten next year!

PremiumNutritionNetwork.com

8 April 2014

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

OFFICE: 775-423-7760 JACK PAYNE

Cell: 775-217-9273 Alt: 775-225-8889

Email: nevadalm@yahoo.com

Full-Service Cattle Sales & Marketing serving the Fallon, Nevada and Outlying Areas. Sales Results from

MARCH 5

AND 6 , 2014 Regular Butcher Cow, Bull, Bred Cow & Feeder Sale Seller

T.J. Shippy Dave Emmons

Lucas Livestock

City

Elko Fallon

# Head Desc.

BBFBRED

Type

Weight

Price CWT

Cow 6,7,8 Years Old

1166

$1,710.00/ hd

2 Blk-Bred Cow June Calving 1st Calf

Winnemucca 6 WF-Bred Cow Broken Mouth

Butcher Cows at 11:30 AM

BLK

STR

367

$258.00

Juniper Mountain Cattle LLC

Fallon

STR

363

$254.00

Juniper Mountain Cattle LLC

Fallon

38 CHAR

STR

486

$228.75

Juniper Mountain Cattle LLC

Fallon

Juniper Mountain Cattle LLC Gerardo Magana

Fallon

557

$214.25

BLK

STR

446

$204.00

Winnemucca 3

BLK

Bull Claf

265

$255.00

Francisco Cuevas

Panaca

MIX

STR

308

$244.00

Shane R Mathews

Panaca

MIX

STR

408

$242.00

Shane R Mathews

Panaca

MIX

STR

475

$237.00

Ronald & Denise Cerri

Orovada

BLK

STR

370

$240.00

Ronald & Denise Cerri

Orovada

BLK

STR

473

$232.50

C-Ranches Inc

Beowawe

MIX

STR

460

$237.50

C-Ranches Inc

Beowawe

MIX

STR

546

$217.50

Timothy James Lawson

Fallon

MIX

STR

424

$232.00

Branton Jenco

Alamo

MIX

STR

464

$227.25

Branton Jenco

Alamo

BLK

STR

545

$219.00

Steve Medlin

Alamo

MIX

STR

464

$227.25

Steve Medlin

Alamo

BLK

STR

545

$219.00

Berg Ranch

Round Mountain

RBF

STR

299

$211.00

Berg Ranch

Round Mountain

RBF

STR

298

$211.00

Round Mountain

Berg Ranch

MIX

STR

392

$201.00

John C. & Peter A. Pescio Henderson

BBF

STR

565

$210.00

Tory Pomi

MIX

STR

533

$210.00

Kevin Brady

Fallon Austin

BLK

Bull Calf

470

$204.00

Ken & Patty Julian

Fallon

BLK

STR

568

$200.00

Lazy D Livestock, Inc

Pioche

MIX

STR

680

$184.00

Karmen Quintero Monson Ranches Cliven D Bundy Albert L. Rodrigues

Schurz

BLK

STR

450

$171.00

Winnemucca 9

MIX

STR

826

$160.75

Bunkerville

BRDL

Bull Calf

580

$160.00

Dayton

RBF

Bull Calf

818

$132.00

Juniper Mountain Cattle LLC

Fallon

117

Juniper Mountain Cattle LLC

Fallon

Juniper Mountain Cattle LLC

Fallon

HFR

357

$245.50

34 CHAR

HFR

367

$236.00

110

HFR

442

$223.00

www.progressiverancher.com

BLK

Every Wednesday

1203 $1,185.00/ hd

STR

Regular Butcher Cow, Bull, Bred Cow & Feeder Sale

Small Barn at 10:30 AM

Fallon

MIX

MARCH 5TH AND 6TH, 2014

1075 $1,500.00/ hd

Juniper Mountain Cattle LLC

S A LE

Sales Results from

Feeder Cattle at 1:00 PM

Feeder Sale April 16 & 17

Butcher cows on Wednesday Feeder cattle on Thursday starting at 11 AM

CafĂŠ

Open on Sale Days Stop by and have a Homestyle Burger Look for Weekly Market Reports at www.nevadalivestock.us

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

TO ALL OF OUR

CONSIGNORS & BUYERS The Progressive Rancher

City

# Head Desc.

Type

Weight

Price CWT

Juniper Mountain Cattle LLC

Fallon

BLK

HFR

432

$219.00

Juniper Mountain Cattle LLC

Fallon

BLK

HFR

532

$203.00

C-Ranches Inc

Beowawe

MIX

HFR

427

$227.00

C-Ranches Inc

Beowawe

MIX

HFR

511

$212.00

Robert & Karla Mckay

Mcgill

BLK

HFR

400

$227.00

Robert & Karla Mckay

Mcgill

MIX

HFR

526

$204.00

T.J. Shippy

Elko

BLK

HFR

345

$222.50

Shane R Mathews

Panaca

MIX

HFR

444

$220.00

Shane R Mathews

Panaca

MIX

HFR

521

$215.00

Monson Ranches

in conjunction with our Regular Wednesday sale

Seller

MIX

HFR

517

$219.00

Ronald & Denise Cerri

Winnemucca 5 Orovada

BLK

HFR

474

$216.00

Francisco Cuevas

Panaca

MIX

HFR

446

$211.00

Timothy James Lawson

Fallon

MIX

HFR

406

$210.50

Ira R or Montira L Renner Spring Creek 29

MIX

HFR

430

$210.00

Ira R or Montira L Renner Spring Creek 31

MIX

HFR

518

$195.00

Tom Madole

Fallon

HFR

399

$210.00

Tom Madole

Fallon

MIX

HFR

462

$209.00

Lazy D Livestock, Inc

Pioche

MIX

HFR

637

$185.50

Leta & Elizabeth Ikonen

Fallon

BLK

HFR

490

$183.50

John R. & Kristen Mincer

Fallon

MIX

HFR

574

$180.00

Tory Pomi

Fallon

MIX

HFR

571

$180.00

Windy R Ranch

Washoe Valley

RBF

HFR

575

$165.00

Masini Ranches

Yerington

MIX

HFR

756

$150.50

Nuttall Livestock LLC

Fallon

HFR

695

$141.00

John R. & Kristen Mincer

Fallon

COW

1345

$103.00

Orovada

BLK

COW

1380

$96.50

COW

1410

$90.00

Flatcreek Ranch

John C. & Peter A. Pescio Henderson 31 Ranch

Fallon

BLK

COW

1130

$84.00

Sage Hill Dairy

Fallon

JER

COW

1465

$93.00

Gomes Brothers LLC

Fallon

HOL

HFRT

1250

$106.50

Lance Gomes

Fallon

HOL

COW

1450

$102.00

Thayne Gomes

Fallon

HOL

COW

1695

$99.50

J.M. Gomes Ranch

Fallon

HOL

COW

1515

$96.50

Phil Regli

Fallon

HOL

COW

1280

$96.00

Oasis Dairy LLC

Fallon

HOL

COW

1685

$94.00

Jeff Whitaker

Fallon

HOL

COW

1255

$92.00

Joe Gomes

Fallon

HOL

COW

1610

$91.00

Lacas Vaca

Fallon

HOL

COW

1400

$88.00

Scott J Regli Cliven D Bundy R R Bass and Son Flatcreek Ranch

Fallon

HOL

COW

1175

$84.00

Bunkerville

BRDL

BULL

995

$119.00

Fallon

BLK

BULL

2220

$108.50

Orovada

BLK

BULL

1835

$106.50

April 2014 9

To Tag or Not To Tag,

That is the Question by Ginette Kurtz, American Angus Association

I know that phrase will make somebody scream, but I can’t get it out of my head after helping my son with some homework and talking to producers on the phone lately. I’ll bet some of you have calves on the ground now. Did you tag them at birth? Will you tag them at weaning? Maybe you plan on branding them later? Identification is a tough decision and there is not a one-size-fits-every-operation option. Why should you identify your calves? I read an interesting article the other day that mentioned commercial producers didn’t get paid to tag their calves or didn’t make enough money to get chased by mean mamma cows. Since I’m a crazy commercial producer who tags calves at birth, let me tell you what I have seen. A first-calf heifer didn’t claim her calf and since the calf was tagged and wasn’t doing well, I pulled the pair in and did my best to get her to claim the calf. No luck, it turned into a bottle calf for the kids. Next year when she calved, it was the same story, so off she went. This year we had six sets of twins. It was easy to tell which calf each cow claimed when they have a tag. Once in a while, a female doesn’t produce enough milk for her baby. You notice the calf robbing off the other cows. It is pretty easy to spot and take care of the problem rather than have two calves that don’t gain well. You also know which cow needs to take a trailer ride. On January 1, 2014, a 527 lb. calf brought $200.80 per hundredweight (cwt.) at the St. Joseph (Mo.) Stockyards. That equates to $1,058.22 lost if the calf isn’t sold. I checked several internet sources citing the cost to keep a cow for a year. It cited feed costs in 2013 as $670, and a $900 total cost per female including labor, vaccinations and capital investment. The cost of losing a year of production from a cow that doesn’t produce a calf for market

AngusSource Genetic More than a tag. It’s a proﬁt builder.

Sure, the calves may be black hided. But does that mean they are Angus-sired? To be sure, look for the AngusSource® Genetic tag. With the tag, potential buyers can be confident that calves are bred to perform and worth the extra investment.

is anywhere from $1,728.22 to $1,958.22 as an estimate with the data I’m using. Tags make you money I do get paid to tag calves anywhere from $1,700-$1,950 for getting rid of a “slacker cow.” Why carry females that are open, calve late or don’t milk well because those girls don’t contribute their fair share and for the price you can receive? Some producers tell me they can make all those management decisions about who didn’t calve and which calves did the best without tagging. Good for you! However, our operation has several family members who look at the cattle and it is pretty hard to explain to my 79-year-old mother who has cataracts which black cow or calf needs to be checked. At 5:30 a.m. it is pretty dark when I do chores and they all look black, so an ear tag in the calf is sanity to me. Yes, I have been chased by a cow when tagging the calf. Thank goodness the few times I have been caught didn’t result in too much wear and tear, but that doesn’t mean I stopped identifying our calves. The same article mentioned, “I would not have any cattle left if I sold all the mean ones.” Wonder if they know about the Docility expected progeny difference (EPD)? Ask your seedstock producer to see all the available data and EPDs for each bull you could potentially purchase. If you would like more informationon how to interpert EPDs or bull buying tips, visit www.angus.org. Another year and another calving season will be here before you know it. The American Angus Association knows there are many black-hided calves in the marketplace today. Enroll your calf crop in AngusSource Genetic this year to set your Angus-sired calves apart. Enrollment is easy and the benefits far outweigh the cost. Each enrolled calf will be identified in two ways. The first is the neon green, tamper-evident AngusSource Genetic ear tag. The second is the data-driven Marketing Document that you complete online or over the phone once you know when and where you plan to market your enrolled calves. This leading-edge Marketing Document is designed to show potential buyers the genetic quality of your calf crop and is backed by a powerful American Angus Association database. To tag or not to tag, there is only one answer — the AngusSource Genetic tag. Editor’s Note: Ginette Kurtz is manager of AngusSource Genetic for the American Angus Association.

With the tag, commercial cattlemen can collect on the true value of their Angus-sired feeder calves and replacement females. With the tag, all cattle producers can take note of the role genetics play in increasing the profitability of the beef industry. To be eligible, cattle must be sired by registered Angus bulls, born on the ranch of origin, and have calving or breeding records to document group age. For more information, visit www.ANGUS.org or contact the American Angus Association’s AngusSource Genetic department at 816.383.5100. American Angus Association® 3201 Frederick Ave. • St. Joseph, MO 64506 816.383.5100 • www.ANGUS.org

10 April 2014

Garcia Bits & Spurs -gifted! The gift that won’t be re Bit #122 $475 NV. Sales tax 6.85% S&H $12

The Progressive Rancher

Spur #273 $475 NV. Sales tax 6.85% S&H $12

500 Commercial St. Elko, NV 89801 Phone: (775) 738-5816 Fax: (775) 738-8980

capriolas.com

www.progressiverancher.com

By Joe Guild

t this reading, candidate filings for the November, 2014 General Election in Nevada will have been closed for about four weeks. Thus, the voters will know who they have to choose in the June primary election and who they might support eventually in November. However, the choices for Governor and other elected offices all across the state won’t be the most important decision Nevada voters will make this year. Also on the ballot for the second time, as required by the State Constitution, is the so-called Education Initiative. I say so-called because this proposed “margins tax” doesn’t earmark one dollar for education. And yet, it could be the greatest jobs killing measure ever approved in the history of Nevada. In fact, for low margin businesses such as those in agriculture the danger to the enterprise is even greater than other businesses. In the following paragraphs I will explain why every Nevadan should vote against this tax proposal. As written, if approved by the voters in November, the margins tax would impose a 2% tax on all of business’s gross receipts over $1 million. The initiative was the brain child of the state teachers union (NSEA). It is estimated to raise as much as $750,000,000 per year. The NSEA claims the state has underfunded education for too long. The argument for the proposed tax is the schools and our kids need more money to provide for a higher quality education. There is an ongoing argument education needs more resources and the two sides to this issue have valid points. This is actually a subject for another column. The real issue here is what is the best way to pay for more school resources and does the margins tax do what the NSEA claims it will do? As stated above the tax does not earmark one dollar for education. The theory is that with the addition of $750,000,000 to the general fund budget, the State Legislature will have more money freed up to spend on education. I think this last point is speculation because it is impossible to predict what a given legislature will do. So, the premise of this new tax is misleading at best. Another claim by the proponents is 80% percent of Nevada businesses will not be subject to the tax anyway. Again, all of the information relevant to this point in the argument is not forthcoming by the proponents. In fact, a large majority of Nevada workers are employed by businesses which would have to pay this tax, and these businesses far and away account for the majority of the state’s economic activity. In one study, it is estimated the tax would make Nevada the fifth highest business taxing state in the nation even surpassing California. The effective business tax rate in California is 8%. The effective rate here would be 15% if the margins tax passed . Here is how it would work in the simplest terms I can relate. If an enterprise grossed $1.1 million and had a net profit of $200,000 its profit margin is 18% (obviously a high profit business). If it took one of the standard deductions allowed under this tax of 30%, the net gross would be $770,000. Multiply this number by 2% and the enterprise would have a tax of $15,400. This equates to an effective tax rate of 14%. If you deduct the tax from the bottom line, the profit would now be $184,600. What if the business gross was $1,014,000 but was still profitable. If the same calculation as above is done, it would mean $709,800 would be taxed at 2%. Result? A tax of $14,196 or $196 less than the $1,000,000 threshold to impose the tax. This brings up the opportunity to point out the obvious absurdity of the tax in the first place. Assume the business grossed $999,804, our friend the $196 would keep this business from being subjected to the imposition of the tax. It should be obvious to the reader by now because I have purposely not said it: it doesn’t matter if there is a profit; the business is subject to the tax for all proceeds over $1 million. Thus, let us assume the business that had gross receipts of $1,014,000 had costs which equaled $184,600. This business which obviously did not make profit the prior year would be taxed at a rate of 2%. Thus, $14,196 would be added to its bottom line costs for a total of $198,796.

How many years of this would it take to decide to close the doors or shut the gate on this business? What is fair about taxing a business that does not make a profit? Nothing is fair about any tax on gross income from my point of view. There are certain universal principles of taxation which should apply to every taxing situation. A tax must be fair, understandable, easy to collect and administer, be equitable and based upon an ability to pay. A basic sales tax passes this test relatively easy, although some claim it is regressive in that poorer people are more at risk in paying the tax than more affluent people. But, if you apply any one or all of the factors to the margins tax, it fails the test on every count. Let us take one of the factors for purposes of illustrating the point. There is a website which has been created to provide voters with truthful information about the tax. [stopthemargintax.com] This is what the website says about collecting and administering the new tax: “The initiative language doesn’t even match federal tax compliance definitions, so businesses would now be required to maintain two sets of books, one for federal law and one for the new Margin Tax.” There are 84 sections in the initiative which would require the State Department of Taxation to write new regulations and create new interpretations before the businesses of the state could have an understanding of what to do and when to do it. In my estimation, there would be years of lawsuits to figure out what is fair under the tax and how to interpret the difference between state and federal definitions. This will cost the state millions of dollars before any sort of understanding is reached by the state and the taxpayers. Finally, let’s look at the experience of Texas, the only other state with this kind of tax. Texas passed its so-called franchise tax in 2006. Since that initial passage the law has been amended close to 50 times to try and get it right. Here is one confusing example. A general partnership whose partners are all natural persons is a taxable entity in Texas and its gross receipts after many definitional and practical conditions are met will be taxed. If the general partnership is owned directly and entirely by natural persons but elects limited liability status it is not a taxable entity, but the persons are subject to the tax. The accounting problem is figuring out the proportion of tax liability. Do you see the difficulties? As I read the initiative, a person’s businesses would be aggregated to determine if the $1 million threshold is met to have that person be subject to the tax. Thus, let’s suppose a rancher’s primary business is his livestock and hay raising enterprise. This rancher also has custom harvesting and commodity trucking businesses. None of these enterprises makes more than a million dollars a year but together, they exceed the million dollars. The rancher would have to pay a 2% tax on the gross receipts of all the businesses even if in a given year none of them made a profit. Again, I say is this a fair way to raise money for Nevada’s schools? Oh wait, that’s right the tax is not earmarked for funding education. The answer is the tax is not fair, it is not easy to understand, it will cost millions to administer and collect, the courts will be busy for years sorting out the ambiguities, there are inherent inequities to this tax and it is not based on the ability to pay. Indeed, even if you cannot pay it you still owe it. Finally, to repeat for emphasis, not one dollar of the collected tax is earmarked for education. Therefore, for the proponents to call this an education initiative is simply an ason and attempt to mislead the voters into support2213 N. 5th St. , Elko, NV 89801 ing the Margins Tax. Don’t be fooled, vote 775-738-8811, 800-343-0077 against this tax in November. www.edwardjones.com I’ll see you soon.

See “In the Mind of a Millennial” on page 22

www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

Call or Stop By!

Happy Easter!

B. L

April 2014 11

Cooperative Extension’s ‘Grow Your Own, Nevada!’ classes return in April

Grow Your Own, Nevada! — A back-to-basics guide to great harvests in Nevada —

April 3 — May 28 • 6–8 p.m.

Eight back-to-basics courses offered statewide for a great harvest

Eight Back-To-Basics Courses April 3:

Bring beneficial insects into your garden with native plants

April 10: Soil basics and the best amendments April 17: Tomato basics (and not so basics) April 24: The ABCs of fruit trees May 1:

Gardening with raised beds

May 8:

Growing organically

May 15: Beekeeping May 22: Get a head start on pest control

Offered Live in Reno & via Video Conference Statewide — Class Locations — Battle Mountain: 815 N. Second St. • Phone: 775-635-5565 Carson City: 2621 Northgate Ln., Ste. 15 • Phone: 775-887-2252 Elko: 701 Walnut St. • Phone: 775-738-7291 Eureka: 701 S. Main St. • Phone: 775-237-5326 Fallon: 111 Scheckler Rd. • Phone: 775-423-5121 Gardnerville: 1325 Waterloo Ln. • Phone: 775-782-9960 Hawthorne: 314 5th St. • Phone: 775-945-3444 Lovelock: 810 6th St. • Phone: 775-273-2923

Class fees vary by site location; contact each site directly for further information. In Reno, K-12 teachers and UNCE Master Gardeners receive reduced registration. Reno registration fees subsidize the www.growyourownnevada. com website; class supplies, materials and refreshments; and International Society of Arboriculture Continuing Education Units for all participants. A USB flash drive of gardening resources will be provided for full-course participants.

Pahrump: 1651 E. Calvada Blvd. • Phone: 775-727-5532

Tonopah: #1 Frankie St. Old Courthouse • Phone: 775-482-6794

Yerington: 504 S. Main Street • Phone: 775-463-6541

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension

coverage offered through:

For a complete review of your insurance needs and details on coverage and credits available, contact our Farm & Ranch specialist:

CMY

Oregon Mutual Insurance Company

Protecting families and businesses in the West since 1894.

775.777.9771

The University of Nevada, Reno is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, creed, national origin, veteran status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, or generic information in any program or activity it operates. The University of Nevada employs only United States citizens and aliens lawfully authorized to work in the United States.

12 April 2014

3 0 1 S I LV E R S T R E E T E L K O , N V 8 9 8 0 1

Reno: 4955 Energy Way • Phone: 775-784-4848

Winnemucca: 1085 Fairgrounds Rd. • Phone: 775-623-6304

The average carrot travels over 1,800 miles to get to our dinner plate. Processing and shipment of food accounts for 93 percent of our food cost. University of Nevada Cooperative Extension is offering eight new “Grow Your Own, Nevada!” classes in 12 locations statewide to help Nevadans who want to get on a path to more sustainable, local, healthy University of Nevada Cooperative living by growing more of their own food. “Anyone can become a better gardener Extension will host a class, “Bring by attending these classes,” Cooperative beneficial insects into your garden with Extension Horticulture Specialist Heidi native plants,” 6 to 8 p.m., April 3. Kratsch said. “From the beginner to the advanced gardener, everyone can benefit from a Grow Your Own class.” The series of workshops will run April 3 through May 22, and be held Thursdays, 6 to 8 p.m. The workshops will provide gardeners and those interested in growing healthy foods with a “back-to-the-basics” guide to great harvests in Nevada. The workshop topics will include: • April 3: Bring beneficial insects into your garden with native plants • April 10: Soil basics and the best amendments • April 17: Tomato basics (and not so basics) • April 24: The ABCs of fruit trees • May 1: Gardening with raised beds • May 8: Growing organically • May 15: Beekeeping • May 22: Get a head start on pest control The workshops will be held at the Washoe County Cooperative Extension office, 4955 Energy Way in Reno, and will also be available via videoconference at Cooperative Extension offices in Battle Mountain, Carson City, Elko, Eureka, Fallon, Gardnerville, Hawthorne, Lovelock, Pahrump, Tonopah, Winnemucca and Yerington. “Gardening in Nevada is a challenge,” Kratsch said. “But you can learn to deal with our harsh climate and poor soils by building on the success of others. Grow Your Own educators are experienced gardeners and are excited to share what they know with the community.” To register for any or all of the upcoming “Grow Your Own, Nevada!” classes, visit www.growyourownnevada.com or contact Ashley Andrews at 775-784-4848. The class fee for those attending at the Washoe County office is $15 per class or $60 for all eight classes. Class fees in other locations vary. Residents should contact their local Cooperative Extension office for information on attending the series in those locations. Persons in need of special accommodations or assistance should call at least three days prior to the scheduledHometown event. Solutions_EighthPageAd_sans.pdf 1 7/21/11 2:21 PM

Farm ■ Ranch ■ Agribusiness

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

MARKET REPORT

Ship ’Em To

LLON A F

March 4, 2014

Head Sold this week: 1171 Weight

TOP OFFERINGS Steer

300-400 232.00-256.00 400-500 217.25-238.00 500-600 214.00-237.00 600-700 167.50-209.00 700-800 146.50-164.00 800-900 137.00-159.00 Lite Holstein (under 600#) Heavy Holstein (over 600#)

Heifer

225.00-252.00 205.00-224.00 200.00-227.00 148.00-189.00 135.00-161.00 142.00-150.00 80.00-85.00 70.00-80.00

*Single, Small Framed or Plainer Cattle 15.00 to 30.00 less than top offerings

BUTCHER COWS & BULLS

Livestock Exchange, Inc. www.fallonlivestock.com

ANNOUNCING THE 10TH ANNUAL

Back to Grass

Special Calf & Yearling Sale Tuesday, April 8th, 2014 at 1:00 PM Ranchers, The market is strong, buyers are calling and looking for cattle. If you’re planning on selling, call us today and consign your good cattle to this nationally advertised sale. Remember, you can bring in your cattle in early at no extra charge (only feed) on Sunday or Monday. Please have your cattle here by 10:00 am Tuesday. CALL TODAY, DON’T WAIT…We work for you—The Rancher!!!

Fallon Livestock Exchange, Inc. Sale Every Tuesday at 11:00 AM Selling All Classes of Livestock: • Cattle • Horses • Sheep • Goats • Pigs

2055 Trento Lane • Fallon, Nevada 89406 • 775-867-2020 For more marketing information, or to arrange trucking needs: Call Monte Bruck, Manager, at 775-426-8279

www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

Breakers (Fat Cows) Boners (Med Flesh) Cutters (Lean) Holstein Cows Butcher Bulls Shelly (Thin) Bulls Shelly Cutters (Thin) Young Feeder Cows Heiferettes Holstein Heiferettes Holstein Bulls Feeder Bulls Cutting Bulls Used Roping Steers Preg Tested Cows (3, 4, 5 yr. old solid mouth) Bred Helfers -(6 to 7 months bred) Pairs (solid mouth) 3-6 yrs Pairs (older)

90.00-110.00 95.00-126.00 70.00-85.00 79.00-97.00 95.00-118.00 75.00-85.00 20.00-40.00 90.00·108.00 95.00·119.00 77.00-96.00 90.00-118.00 75.00-85.00 95.00-120.00 72.00-80.00

1275.00-1400.00 NT 1400.00-1600.00 NT

TODAY’S COWS Top Cow Top 10 Cows Top 50 Cows Top 100 Cows Top Butcher Bull Top Holstein Cows Top 10 Holstein Cows

Avg. Wt 1088 1285 1225 1174 2235 1135 1309

Avg. Cost 126.00 114.16 101.75 95.27 118.00 97.00 86.75

CALVES-SHEEP-GOATS-PIGS-HORSES

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

60.00-420.00 2.00-50.00 140.00-150.00 120.00-140.00 40.00-65.00 40.00-60.00 30.00-95.00 95.00-185.00 45.00-95.00 60.00-130.00 60.00-75.00 20.00-45.00 10.00-20.00 25.00-31.00

MARKET TREND: Feeder cattle were steady on same kind and quality depending on ﬁll. The butcher cow and bull market is on all time highs also. Top cow 126.00, Top bull 118.00. Fallon Livestock is a key market for the livestock industry, where buyers and sellers meet each week with a professional staff with over 50 years of experience in marketing livestock. PLEASE call us ahead with your consignments. It helps us market your cattle. We talk to buyers all the time - they want to know what’s coming in. We are seeing good demand on weigh up cows & bulls. It sure makes a big difference on how they are sorted. Let our crew sort and class your cows. This will help you receive full market value for your cows.

We have trucks available for your hauling needs, pasture to pasture or from your Ranch to the sale yard.

April 2014 13

Fumes FROM THE Farm by Hank Vogler

ell, its official. I have finally made geezer Dom. Now my emails are full of old guy jokes. People stop you on the street and ask you what it was like in the olden days. Fortunately you can’t remember and they weren’t there so you can embellish with abandonment. You hear whispers like don’t ask him he is old fashioned and what would he know. The guy who called this the golden years must have dropped dead at forty. The real fact is, just yesterday, had you have known you were going to be around this long; you would have taken better care of yourself. The only thing golden is your urine. Geezer Dom is not for the weak. It is a privilege denied to many. You pick up the paper and go straight to the obituaries. You know more people on that page than any other part of the paper and you check twice to make sure your name isn’t listed. I was born and raised after the Second World War. I got to see the greatest generation turn the greatest nation into a super power. There was nothing we couldn’t do. This country became a super power not by apologizing to every two-bit dictator or going around trying to get in touch with our sensitive side. We didn’t tell people what we could do we showed them. Bowed down to no one. Now we are suffering from an age-old mistake of thinking that we needed to apologize to our children for being frugal parents with work ethic and thrift. So we gave our kids all the stuff that we wished we had when we were kids. As is always the case, wherever you start in the child chain you expect to go straight up from there and the next generation expects all the stuff they started with and then more. Our parents went through the great depression and understood misery. After World War Two we thought we could solve all problems with money and big government. We have come full circle. The government is out of control and our kids think that this nation owes them a living. My insurance company said I should sign up for Medicare A, B, and D. I went to the Social Security office in Elko. That place is depressing. It is full of old people. The lady asked me if I wanted to sign up for Social Security. I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I told her I would get back to her. She said according to her records as a self-employed rancher I might get as much as ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS a month based on what I had contributed. Maybe some other time I might sign up. I just was being a good lemming and doing the bidding of my insurance company. Some how I felt like the insurance company

SAVE

THE

DATE

The Nevada Agricultural Foundation invites your participation at our

Annual Meeting and Banquet to be held on

Friday, May 9, 2014 We will be recognizing scholarship and grant recipients in addition to addressing issues pertaining to Nevada Agriculture.

For details contact the NAF office at (775) 673-2468 or email: sue@nvagfoundation.org P.O. Box 8089 Reno, NV 89507 2165 Green Vista Dr., Suite 204, Sparks, NV 89431

www.nvagfoundation.org

14 April 2014

was going to get the best of the deal but if I didn’t they said heavy penalties would ensue and maybe higher premiums and other issues to scare me back inline. I sure would like to see the insurance companies have to compete in an open market and the hospitals and doctors too. It would be great to see a commercial of the same doctor that in the old days was promoting cigarettes, “For my patients who smoke, and then lighting up, I recommend Lucky Strike’s, “to say that for a dollar two ninety-eight I could get a knee replacement and Lasik eye surgery in the same drive through window. Or some cute little animal tell me in fourteen minutes I could get coverage for all my aches and ills at half price as the doctors have had the yoke of government rules and regulations removed. I could buy health insurance in an open competitive market nation wide and, and, oh boy, dreaming like that, I surely have gone around the corner. I thought following the instructions would be easy and surely it couldn’t take much effort to sign up. I wasn’t the first to sign up nor would I be the last. The lady handed me a pamphlet larger than Webster’s unabridged dictionary. No, I wasn’t in a union associated with the railroad but I had ridden a freight train in the caboose to Ontario, Oregon once. That didn’t impress her much. I didn’t have a “CO-PAY,” somehow that marked me as a troublemaker or a leper, not sure which. I didn’t have a primary physician, however I did mention we had a health nurse in primary school? The nice lady behind the counter now has steam coming from her ears and her lips are real tight and her eyes are narrowing. Some thing I said? For those of you that have never been to the Social Security offices, they have armed guards now. It’s a federal office and maybe terrorist wants to get Social Security too, which might work out better than seventy-two virgins? The nice lady with the apoplectic look on her face looks toward the guard and he unsnaps his pistol holster. I am not one to be intimidated easily so I said I could come back later if she was busy. So here I am trying to grow a beard and change my hair color to blonde so when I go back she surely won’t recognize me. I have to do it before the penalties kick in and just since the first of the year my meds have gone up twelve times. Obama care might not be so bad as long as I get a free cell phone with seventy free minutes a month? I can’t imagine it being any more complicated than getting A, B, and D supplemental insurance for an old geezer. Beings I am in Elko I might stop by the PC and A and see if they can help. I am sure Ray is ready to have a rousing conversation with. It has been a couple of years since he said not to darken his door again. This is special; I could turn my Social Security check over to pay on my account. Hey! Another hundred a month on the old note couldn’t hurt. Hang and Rattle!!!! Hank

Elko County Sage-grouse Experience A lot of talk centers on sage-grouse, as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decides whether to list this bird as an endangered species. The ongoing listing process is already affecting Elko County. The Northeastern Nevada Stewardship Group is offering a chance to learn more about this iconic western bird. On Saturday, April 19, a group will travel by van to Ruby Valley to watch male sage-grouse dance on a lek, or strutting ground. The birds only dance early in the morning so the group will leave Elko at 4:30am. Nevada Department of Wildlife and Bureau of Land Management biologists will be on hand to answer questions and a porta-potty will be available. Spotting scopes will be available and participants are encouraged to bring binoculars. Following the lek viewing, the group will continue down the valley to the Ruby Valley LDS Church, where the Ruby Valley 4-H group will offer a brunch. The biologists will talk to the group about sage-grouse biology and conservation. The group will return to Elko by about 10am. Participants will receive an event T-shirt. This event is completely free and space is limited, so participants must register by April 11. To reserve a spot, ask questions and receive more information: email collordhome@gmail.com or call 738-7291. Everyone is welcome, including children 12+ with an accompanying adult. This event is sponsored by the Northeastern Nevada Stewardship Group, Newmont Mining, Barrick Gold, Noble Energy, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.

The Progressive Rancher

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Nevada Farm Bureau

McCauley Hired as Nevada Farm Bureau Executive Vice President SPARKS, Nev, March 11, 2014 – Nevada Farm Bureau Federation would like to announce that Clay McCauley has been hired to serve as the organization’s Executive Vice President. McCauley is a native of New Mexico and most recently served as the Executive Director of New Mexico Ag Leadership, Inc. in Las Cruces. Previously, McCauley served as Regional Director for the New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau and as an Insurance Professional for Farm Bureau Financial Services. “I am very honored and excited to serve the agricultural community in Nevada. I look forward to working with our members to build on past achievements while growing our organization,” McCauley said. “The board and I are excited about what Clay will bring to Nevada as he helps us move Nevada Farm Bureau forward,” said Nevada Farm Bureau President Hank Combs. “You will soon see Clay at a meeting near you! Please welcome him as he makes his way around Nevada learning about our great state,” Combs added. McCauley will begin April 1. As Executive Vice President, McCauley will uphold and implement the organization’s grassroots policy, assist county Farm Bureaus and work with Farm Bureau members throughout the state.

(L to R): Nevada Farm Bureau President Hank Combs, Misti and Clay McCauley

Nevada Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Chair Participates in “Our Food Link” Project

(L to R) Sue Billiot, Southern Region rep, AFB Women’s Leadership Committee; Val Wagner, chair, North Dakota Farm Bureau Promotion & Education Committee; Cindy Hardy, Nevada Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership; Tammy Wier, New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau Women’s Leadership; Nicole Adrian, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership; Betty Farris, Kentucky Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership; Chris Hoffman, chair, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Promotion & Education Committee; Jane May, Tennessee Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership; Brenda Frederickson, Rhode Island Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership; Lyn Spinella, Rhode Island Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership; Joan Myers, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership; Carol Guthrie, Idaho Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership; and Vicki Malloy, Western Region rep, AFB Women’s Leadership Committee. (Photo courtesy of AFBF) www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

SPARKS, NEV, March 7, 2014 - Nevada Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Chair Cindy Hardy joined committee chairs from across the country to officially kick off Farm Bureau’s new “Our Food Link” program. “Our Food Link is a year-round program that county and state Farm Bureaus use to provide consumers of all ages and backgrounds with information about today’s agriculture,” explained Cindy Hardy, chair of the Nevada Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee. “Our Food Link is a great opportunity for Farm Bureau volunteers to reach consumers and share the story of agriculture,” Hardy said. “In Nevada, we will incorporate Our Food Link into county fairs, donate much needed funds and food to Ronald McDonald House Charities, and provide outreach through education materials to consumers explaining where their food and fiber comes from.” Hardy traveled to Washington D.C. to attend a conference of Women’s Leadership and Promotion & Education programs. During her time in D.C., Hardy along with 14 other Farm Bureau members shopped for and donated food to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Washington D.C. For more information of the Nevada Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee please visit www.nvfb.org. April 2014 15

Bulls for the 21st Century – Sale Report

Hone ranch consigned the high point bull, a spring born Angus which sold to Leo McDonnell for $7500. This Granger Pioneer 052 son had an RFI of -8.19, the most outstanding RFI ever seen at Snyder’s bull test. Westwind Angus consigned the champion calving ease Angus, a Basin Unlimited 009X son, which sold to Gary Silva for $4500. The champion Balancer consigned by Cardey Ranch went to Moura Ranch for $4500. McPhee ranch consigned the champion Red Angus, a Brown Commitment X7787 son, was sold to Steele Ranch in South Dakota. The champion Charolais was sold to Jack Cline of Missouri who also bought one of Amador Ranch’s top Angus bulls for $6000. Jeannie Stillfield of Yerington bought Bell Ranch’s champion calving ease Hereford, a CRR 719 Tulo 928 son, for $4700. Chris Gudel also sold a Sitz Upward 307R son to Jon Questo for $6000.

Bell’s awardwinning Hereford calving ease Bull

Charlie Hone’’s Over All High Point Bull

Breed

Average Sale Price

Head Count

Angus

3680

Balancer

3180

Charolais

3492

Hereford

3005

LimFlex

2950

Red Angus

2789

Shorthorn

2000

Overall totals

3434

111

381150

16 April 2014

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

Nevada Grows Winners L

By Rachel Dahl

illa Bell said the Snyder Livestock Com- the ranchers as easy scapegoats because, “there aren’t very many of us.” Charlie and his wife Vicki have two daughters, Emily who is 14, and Amanda is 12. pany’s “Bulls for the 21st Century” sale They are both involved in 4-H where Emily shows lambs and Amanda shows pigs. is supposed to be the toughest test in the United Lilla Bell has also been successful raising registered Herford cattle. She runs 130 regStates. Held on March 9th in Yerington, Nevada, the event is, in fact, billed in public istered Herford cows in Paradise Valley, along with a herd of black baldy cross commercial relations material as the “Toughest Damn Bull Test Sale.” For the non-bull-raising cattle in the Santa Rosa Mountains and on a BLM allotment at Rye Patch in the winter. masses, that test includes measuring fertility, weight gain, carcass, ultrasound, conBecause of the drought, BLM wouldn’t allow the use of the allotment this winter. “We’re firmation, and residual feed intake. Two of the newest Buy Nevada members to join the Department of Agriculture in the feeding a lot of cows this year,” said Bell. She explained that producers don’t usually like to say how many cows they run, and new promotional program are Charlie Hone and the Hone Ranch in Gardnerville, along with Lilla Bell and the Bell Ranch in Paradise Valley. Both garnered top honors at the Snyder sale gave the most straight-forward explanation for what is considered in the livestock and agin March; with Hone taking the Overall Champion Bull as well as the top overall consign- riculture industry to be an impolite question. “Woody says when someone asks how many cows you run, it’s like asking how much money you have in the bank,” Bell said with a good ment, and Bell being honored for the past five years with the Champion Herford Bull. The Hone Ranch has been raising prize Angus bulls for thirty-four years, and Charlie natured laugh. Other producers haven’t always explained the privacy of their production took over operations in 1997. “I focus on raising the best Angus bulls I can for commercial numbers in such a well-mannered way. Lilla will be 76 years old this spring and she says she is still trying to improve all the cattlemen in the western United States,” said Hone. “Our main focus is to raise bulls for the guys who are running outside in Nevada.” That is what he keeps in mind when making time. “There’s just so much technology now,” she said. She started raising bulls 47 years ago breeding decisions. “I try to keep the resources in mind as much as performance,” he said. in Fallon before moving up to Paradise Valley, and her bulls continually bring in honors. In Hone is evidence in practice that resource producers and users in the livestock industry 2004, she had the National Champion pulled Herford bull in the Denver test, and two years ago was inducted into the American are always thinking about the environHerford Hall of Fame. ment. “We always think about their Not a stranger to hard work and in country,” he said in reference to ranchaddition to raising prize cattle, Lilla has ers and the land on which they run also served her industry on the Board cattle. “I raise bulls that will produce of Directors for the American Herford daughters who can make a living on a Association. She said she served when Nevada range outfit.” the Horned Association and the Polled That means problem-free cattle Association were two different entities with good feet and good udders, that and during her time on the Board was don’t over-do it on the milk. “I don’t able to help combine those two groups care what she looks like, if she’s bringinto one organization. “But I have to do ing a calf and she’s got one in her, all that myself,” she laughs, “Woody that’s a good cow,” said Hone, “It’s not doesn’t like that part of it.” Both a beauty contest all the time.” He calls Woody and her son Dan help when it them the kind of cows that can travel comes to the tags and when they tattoo and that cover the country to get water, the calves and they both help to feed, forage and raise a calf. “Basically, the but the committee work is left to Lilla. kind of cows that a guy doesn’t have Although she enjoys that part of to babysit, if we focus on good cattle, the industry, it is the hands-on cattle good momma cows, the bulls will take raising where Lilla really spends her care of themselves.” time, and like Hone is focused on proHis formula must be working, this ducing cattle that thrive in the rugged year alone Hone earned top honors, Nevada desert. “We try to raise cattle taking Best of Breed Angus Bull at the that will work on the high desert in Fallon Bull Sale, and the number twoCharlie Hone, Lilla Bell, and Dan Bell at the 2014 Winnemucca Bull Sale. Nevada, cattle that adapt well to all overall bull at the Midland Bull Test in areas and hold up better than other Montana. According to Hone, the livestock industry as a whole would be better off with “a lot breeds,” she said. Her preference is the cross between the Herford and Angus and she says less government interference.” He said between the sage grouse issue and the wild horses, the advantage of the hybrid is they will give you 50 more pounds at birth along with more and the environmental groups like the Western Water Sheds, making a living off the land is longevity and more fertile cattle. “The Herfords are just tougher,” said Bell, “they have a thicker hide and they’ll get bred getting more difficult all the time. Because of the drought so much of the rural producers are suffering. The cattle market is good right now, Hone said, but everyone else is doing all they when other cattle won’t.” She works to breed cattle that can handle the outside country, and will be a problem-free herd. “The heifers have to calve on their own because we just can’t can to make a living because of rising costs in other industries. “There needs to be a common sense approach to management,” he said, “there’s room be out there all the time.” According to Bell the livestock industry needs to educate people on the real value of the for everything to live out there.” Take wild horses, for instance. Hone sees that every animal on the range, from wildlife to cattle is subject to some type of management to make sure the cattlemen, and promote their experience and ability to manage the resources. She sees the numbers fit what the resource will provide. “But for some reason wild horse advocates don’t environmentalists as so far away from the reality of what goes into the management, and says all the different groups have so many different facts that are wrong that the industry is truly think that way. They think any type of management of the horses is bad.” Hone doesn’t think putting wild horses in a feedlot for forty years and feeding them impacted. “We need to educate on how we take care of our animals and the land,” said Bell, with tax payer money is the answer either. “The only thing that suffers in the end is the “the cows are turned out all the time, that’s the real “free range” and they are handled well.” “We really need to get the word out,” she said. environment and the horse,” he said, “they are loving them to death.” He sees the cattle and

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The Progressive Rancher

April 2014 17

Idaho Cattle Association Background

Owyhee Grazing Litigation Overview limits grazing during the active growing season.

• In 1997, 68 grazing permits in Owyhee County, Idaho were scheduled for renewal. • In 1999, the U.S. District Court agreed with Western Watersheds Project (WWP) that the BLM violated NEPA in their permit renewal process. • In 2008, WWP and BLM reached a settlement agreement which required the completion of the permit renewals by December 2013. • The allotments were divided into five groups for the purposes of preparing EAs/EISs. • The two decisions in Group 1were released in March and April 2013. The remaining decisions for Groups 2-5 were finalized in December 2013. • Impact of the Decisions • By the numbers, there are 154 allotments within the Owyhee Resource Area. 120 of these are included in this permit renewal and litigation. • For many of the allotments, the AUM reductions are drastic, ranging in cuts from 35% to 47 % in active use AUMs (in reality, the cuts will be far greater when factors such as water availability are considered). The BLM estimates that all the decisions equate to an average 41% cut.

What Do the Decisions Contain? • Throughout this process, BLM has capitulated to the extremist anti-grazing group, Western Watersheds Project. These decisions are driven by BLM’s desire to stay out of court, not by sound land management principles. Further, the agency has repeatedly used the court as their excuse for not being able to adequately do their job. • The decisions are made from a narrow sage grouse perspective. For example, the chosen alternative for Group 1 was based wholly on limiting season of use in priority sage grouse habitat (which comprises 70-100% of land in the allotments). It greatly

Where Did the BLM Go Wrong? • BLM refused to consider permittee proposed range improvements that would improve rangeland management. • While BLM slightly acknowledged the socio-economic impacts in their final decision, they failed to adequately consider economic impact to permittees and the cumulative economic impacts on Owyhee County and on Idaho’s cattle industry. BLM says they have no other choice because of the court-mandated process. • The BLM’s focus on reducing AUMs in the name of sage grouse is completely misguided. The decision relies on grazing and sage grouse studies that do not apply to the land or grazing systems contained within the allotments. They also didn’t take into account, or even consider, the Governor’s sage grouse management plan because, again, they didn’t have time. • The BLM completely disregards the impact of reduced AUMs on the potential for increased wildfire. • The entire premise of these decisions is faulty. The BLM did not comply with its own monitoring guidelines in performing its FRH analysis and determinations. The FRH determinations appear to overstate impacts – which are a result of failing to follow the agency’s guidelines for the collection of monitoring data. • The BLM is attempting to control use of private and state lands by requiring certain management actions on federal lands that are intermingled with those private/stateowned lands.

Current Industry Litigation Efforts • As soon as the first EA was released, ICA began work to develop a coalition of orga-

The Fight to Preserve the West

The Heritage and Ecosystems of the West are Seriously Threatened by Radical Activists’ Efforts to Control Land Management through Litigation

Currently, several ranchers in Owyhee County, Idaho are facing severe reductions to their Bureau of Land Management (BLM) grazing permits due to a series of permit renewal decisions made under the pressure of a court-ordered timeline. The cuts are so great that they will not only render the businesses of the family ranches unviable, but they will also alter the landscape and its dependent species by encouraging catastrophic wildfires. These decisions, if allowed to stand as they are, are likely to serve as the pattern for future grazing permits across the West, and consequently, the negative alteration of the ecosystem. This situation stands out as a foreboding example of the future of our public lands. The Stymied System of Public Lands Management The bureaucratic tangle of laws, regulations, and court orders has been developing over the last several years. Activist organizations, acting under the false pretense of environmental concern but exhibiting no real care for the ecosystem, have learned to manipulate and thereby control federal land management agencies by filing litigation on procedural-type errors. Because the agency must adequately respond to the litigation and the requests for information, they are unable to adequately conduct their on-the-ground work which, in turn, sets the stage for further litigation. This has become an endemic, cyclical problem—keeping up with litigation prevents the agencies from sufficiently doing their job thereby giving the activists more litigation fodder. The Negative Consequences of Existing Management The type of management that is best for the land is usually prevented by a pre-existing rule of law. The federal government, in its rigidity, created in large part by extremist orga-

18 April 2014

nizations and their litigation, is unable to manage its lands with common sense and sound science. Errantly, the agencies’ answer to this problem has recently been to mitigate their litigation risk by reducing or limiting use on public lands. Rather than managing for what is best for the land and the ecosystem, they are managing to avoid litigation. This has especially been typified with regards to fire. The government’s misplaced conservation efforts have resulted in both grazing reductions and thus, less proactive management of the rangelands. Fuel loads build up on lands so that when fires start, they often become catastrophic. The species of concern and the ecology of the land are harmed exponentially greater than could ever happen from sustainable grazing use. However, the knee jerk reaction to the consequences of the fires by the agencies, and driven by the anti-use activists, has been to limit use even further. Invasive weeds pervade, fuel loads build up, and then…more fire at greater frequency. Species of concern, and in particular sage grouse, have also been successfully used as a tool to control the agencies. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has determined that fire is the number one threat to the species in Idaho. Grazing reduces fuel loads which help reduce the threat and expansion of catastrophic fires. Unfortunately, ranchers’ ability to graze their livestock on federal lands has been dramatically reduced in recent years due to misguided laws and regulations and the courts’ interpretation of them resulting from extremists’ litigation. The Current Situation in Owyhee County Because of this type of litigious juggernaut, the livelihoods of several ranchers in Owyhee County, Idaho are greatly threatened, along with the health of the rangelands. The

The Progressive Rancher

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•

• •

•

nizations to join in the fight against the BLM. This coalition-building process is ongoing and is key to allow us both the resources to carry out the necessary litigation and the strong united voice of various organizations. ICA, along with the Public Lands Council (PLC), National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), and the Owyhee Cattlemen’s Association (OCA), have appealed the two Group 1 decisions. The court dates are set for July 2014. Because these were the first decisions released, they will set the course for all of the following decisions and we must be engaged from the onset. ICA, PLC, NCBA, and OCA were joined by Idaho Farm Bureau Federation to file appeals on most of the remaining decisions in Groups 2-5. Our attorney is coordinating with the permittees’ attorneys to ensure that we collectively address all of the issues. It is our chief intent that our coalition’s litigation efforts compliment, but not overlap those of the permittees’ allotment-specific complaints. We will address those issues that have the greatest potential to negatively impact the public lands grazing industry. ICA has worked closely with the affected permittees throughout this process to encourage their active participation in the process and to assist them in preparing comments.

Litigation Milestones • Our first victory in this case came in February 2014 when the Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA) judge ruled in our favor on a summary judgment motion for one of the Group 1 allotments. The BLM’s decision was reversed by the court due to the agency’s refusal to consider the permittee’s application for range improvements on their allotments. That permit renewal decision is now remanded back to the BLM who must now issue a new decision. Although this ruling only applies to the Garat allotment, ICA and the permittees’ will advance this same argument in all of the other pending permit decisions appeals. BLM used the same rationale in those decisions so we are optimistic in our ability to halt the implementation of these faulty decisions.

BLM is currently conducting environmental assessments and permit renewal work on 68 grazing permits in Owyhee County. Pursuant to Federal District Court judge’s order, this work must be completed by the end of 2013. The first of these permit renewal decisions was issued this month. It calls for over 45% reductions to the amount of livestock that can be grazed within the permitted allotments. No business, not the least of which is ranching, can sustain such massive cuts and remain viable. Furthermore, the decision contains some very troubling language solidifying our fears that the BLM intends to drastically reduce grazing use in the name of sage grouse. If the decision remains unchallenged, this could set the standard for grazing allotments across the west, and in turn, create a tinderbox situation with no active managers out on the range. The BLM’s proposed decision demonstrates that public lands are no longer being managed based on the range’s resources and conditions. Instead, the federal agency is proposing to issue grazing permits with the main objective to circumvent litigation from the anti-use extremist groups. What Can Be Done We have record low numbers of livestock grazing on public lands across the West coinciding with record high numbers of catastrophic wildfires, the number one threat to sage grouse. In the long term, management changes, and the flexibility to achieve them, must be made. This can best be achieved by the combined efforts of industry, multiple-use organizations, and conservation groups who share an understanding and desire for sustainable use of rangelands balanced with optimal environmental considerations. In the short term, and specific to the Owyhee case, the Idaho Cattle Association is exploring all options in preventing implementation of these harmful decisions. Though we have typically shied away from initiating litigation, we now realize that something must be done to prevent further destruction of the western landscape and of the livelihoods of those people who hold that landscape together. www.progressiverancher.com

2014 Sale Report, Spring Cove Ranch & JBB/AL Herefords • • • • • • •

129 Angus bulls averaged $4811 35 Registered Angus yearling heifers averaged $1639 5 Registered Angus bred heifers averaged $2780 12 Commercial Angus heifers averaged $1408 38 Hereford bulls averaged $2689 11 Hereford heifers averaged $1755 3 Red Angus bulls averaged $2500

High selling Angus bulls: Lot 45, Spring Cove Windy 3122 at $16,000 to the Idaho Wind syndicate. Lot 1, Spring Cove Whiskey SB 3901 at $15,000 to Double R Ranch, Loomis, Washington. Lot 9, Spring Cove Emblazon 3336, at $11,500 to Rabbit Creek Ranch, Elko, Nevada Lot 8, Spring Cove Emblazon 3629, at $10,000 to Rabbit Creek Ranch, Elko, Nevada Lot 62, Spring Cove Consensus 3338, at $10,000 to Morgan Ranches, Jordan Valley, Oregon Lot 63, Spring Cove Consensus 3338A at $10,000 to Morgan Ranches, Jordan Valley, Oregon The high selling bred Angus heifer was Lot 185 , TL Blackbird 2141 at $3200 selling to Scaivty Grease Ranch, Oakley, Idaho and the high selling yearling Angus heifer went to Makenzie Adams, Oakley , Idaho for $2700. High selling Hereford Lots: Lot 207, JBB/AL Remedy 251 ET, at $6000 to Allan Oppio, Gooding , Idaho Lot 244, JBB/AL Trust 3079ET at $4500 to MG Farms, Woodville, Mississippi Lot 204, JBB/AL Remedy 251 ET, $4100 to Kelly Stigle, Hazelton, Idaho High selling Hereford females were : Lot 254, JBB/AL MS 0152 Domino 3065 at $2900 to Barry Hereford Ranch, Madras, Oregon Lot 259, AL MS 153T Prince 3094 at $2400 to Steve Olsen, Pinedale , Wyoming.

Sale Report

March 11, 2014 — Vale, Oregon 51 Fall Bulls $4,224 32 Spring Yearling Bulls $3,828 83 Total Bulls $4,071 RR ZEN 2110, 9/12/12, by BHD ZEN X270 P; to Mike Clausen, Rosalia, WA, $7000. RR LONG DISTANCE 301, 2/1/13,by LT LONG DISTANCE 9001 PLD; to Simplot Precision Genetics, Grand View, ID, $5500. RR ROYAL GRID 2143, 10/15/12, by BHD ROYAL GRID T556; to GI Ranch, Paulina, OR, $5250. RR LONG DISTANCE 308, 2/12/13, by LT LONG DISTANCE 9001 PLD; to Jeff Phillips, Baker City, OR, $5250. RR BIG BANG 322, 3/9/13, by LHJR BIG BANG; to Simplot Precision Genetics, Grand View, ID, $5250. RR THREE TREES WIND 295, 9/1/12, by THREE TREES WIND 0383 ET; to Salmon Falls Land & Livestock, Hagerman, ID, $5000. RR ROYAL GRID 2131, 9/26/12, by BHD ROYAL GRID T556; to 007 Charolais, Mitchell, OR, $5000.

The Progressive Rancher

April 2014 19

C I : N T A N G E R M THE O MOVE Part I I I. of I I I. “Consumers” Can Make a Choice! by Stephanie Licht

Again, the following is not intended to malign genuine “certified organic farmers” (See Part II Introduction). The purpose is to stimulate consumers’ awareness to make informed purchase decisions. (See THE ORGANIC MOVEMENT: Part I – “Everyone Has One” February and Part II – “Fractured Fables” March)

iven the billion$ to be made many Big Food players have taken over a huge share of the “organic” market. Want to know who is behind any Organic “Label”? “Follow the Money”. Phillip H. Howard, Associate Professor at Michigan State University has February 2014 tell-all charts for an eye-popping look at just whom owns what at https://www.msu.edu/~howardp/organicindustry.html. See their “Organic Processing Industry Structure: Acquisitions & Alliances, Top 100 Food Processors in North America”. ORGANIC MOVERS & SHAKERS: Filmmaker Kip Pastor, (“In Organics We Trust”) in a February 2012 “Huff Post Green” section wrote, “…Today, Whole Foods sells “organic” produce grown in China… shipped thousands of miles…Camel cigarettes also offers “organic” American Spirit tobacco…Wal-Mart… is now a major player in the organics market…all kinds of heavily processed foods and sugar-laden treats, like Heinz ketchup and gummy bears, [are] bearing the ‘USDA Organic’ label…” July 2012, NY Times, Business Day, US Edition on-line, Stephanie Strom asked, “Has ‘Organic’ Been Oversized?” She writes, “The fact is, organic food has become a wildly lucrative business for Big Food and a premium-price-means-premium-profit section of the grocery store. The industry’s image — contented cows grazing on the green hills of family-owned farms — is mostly pure fantasy. Or rather, pure marketing. Big Food, it turns out, has spawned what might be called Big Organic,” Strom says. Strom continues, “Bear Naked, Wholesome & Hearty, Kashi: all three [product lines] and more actually belong to the cereals giant Kellogg [who also owns Morning Star Farms and Gardenburger]. Naked Juice? That would be PepsiCo of Pepsi and Fritos fame. And behind the pastoral-sounding Walnut Acres, Health Valley and Spectrum Organics is none other than Hain Celestial, once affiliated with Heinz, the grand old name in ketchup.” “Over the last decade, since federal organic standards have come to the fore, giant agri-food corporations like these and others — Coca-Cola [owns Odwalla], Cargill [owns Meyer Natural Foods and Dakota Beef], ConAgra [owns Lovin Oven], General Mills [owns Cascadian Farms and Food Should Taste Good], Kraft [owns Back to Nature] and M&M Mars [owns Seeds of Change] among them — have gobbled up most of the nation’s organic food industry. Pure, locally produced ingredients from small family farms? Not so much anymore,” Strom concludes. OP-ED, “The Organic Fable” Revealed: A refreshingly witty two article editorial bluntly lays bare populist denial, flatly stating what the deified “Organic Movement” has in truth become. While excerpts appear here, both pieces are well worth the read and found at: http://www.nytimes. com/2012/09/07/opinion/roger-cohen-the-organic-fable.html?_r=0 and http://www. nytimes.com/2012/09/28/opinion/roger-cohen-Return-of-the-Organic-Fable.html. September 7, 2013, NY Times London: Columnist Roger Cohen opens stating, “At some point – perhaps it was gazing at a… menu offering an, ‘organic baker’s basket served with organic butter, organic jam and organic spread’ as well as, ‘seasonally organic orange juice’ I found I just could not stomach the ‘O’ word or what it stood for any longer…” “Organic has long since become an ideology, the romantic back-to-nature obsession of an upper middle class able to afford it and oblivious, in their affluent narcissism, to the challenge of feeding a planet whose population will surge to 9 billion before the middle of the century and whose poor will get a lot more nutrients from the two regular carrots they can buy for the price of one organic carrot… ‘organic’ has oozed over the menus, markets and malls of the world’s upscale neighborhood at a remarkable pace… The British…menus like to mention that bacon comes from pampered pigs at the Happy

20 April 2014

Hog farm down the road,” Cohen says. While the fad metastasizes (my word, not Cohen’s) questions being raised are about whether the overall impact of “organic” on society is really beneficial. Stanford University studies over four decades concluded “organics” were, on average, no more nutritious; organic meats offered no obvious health advantages; and, organic food was not less likely to be contaminated by bacteria like E. coli. “The … study could be summed up in two words: Organic, schmorganic,” according to Cohen. Cohen states pointblank, “…the organic ideology is an elitist, pseudoscientific indulgence shot through with hype. There is a niche for it, if you can afford to shop at Whole Foods, but the future is nonorganic…To feed 9 billion people we... need high yields, not low…genetically modified crops…pesticides and fertilizers and other elements…that have led mankind to be better fed and live longer than at any time in history,” concluding, “Organic is a fable of the pampered parts of the planet – romantic and comforting. Now, thanks to Stanford researchers, we know just how replete with myth the ‘O’ fable is.” And then came the Backlash – “235 readers shared their thoughts,” and some of those comments were pips! FREE SPEECH – AS LONG AS IT AGREES WITH US: September 27, 2013, (three weeks later) Cohen, responding to those readers, fought back with, “Return of the Organic Fable” opening the sequel stating, “Life is a journey full of discoveries and I have added at least one important fact to my store of knowledge this year: Hell hath no fury like an organic eater spurned.” Lambasted in comments, Cohen’s sequel proclaims, “Reasonable debate may not be an organic commodity, but it is unquestionably in short supply in this shrieking, solipsistic age.” (Wikipedia defines: “Solipsism is the philosophical idea that only one’s own mind is sure to exist.”) Cohen readdresses readers’ issues recognizing feeding the 9 billion is more complex than “organic” vs. conventional agriculture; that Stanford’s study did acknowledge, “detectable pesticide residue” was 30% lower “among organic than conventional produce”; that some readers avowed organics more flavorful; that “…I did not allude specifically to a concern of many organiacs: The damaging effects of big agriculture’s fossil-fuel driven mono-cropping culture and the positive effects on biodiversity and sustainability of smallholders with organic farms.”; and, “… not quite everyone who eats organic is rich. And, O.K., some people want animals to be treated nicely.” Then Cohen’s gloves come off! “All this said, the organic bourgeoisie, with their babies in reusable cotton diapers, gazing at menus of ‘organic, local, farm-raised’ stuff and inveighing against genetically modified (G.M.) food, inhabits a world of illusion.” “The loudest cheering for ‘The Organic Fable’ [among 235 commenters] came from agronomists working in the developing world.” One agronomist asked not to be named, “…knowing the righteous rage of the organic movement…” and said, “To reject science and technology is a completely Luddite response.” (Wikipedia defines: “…Luddites …English textile artisans who protested against newly developed laborsaving machinery from 1811 to 1817.”) The agronomist’s view of organic ideology was, “A substitute for organized religion.” Cohen points out, “…the World Health Organization says, ‘chemical control (use of pesticides) is still the most important element in the integrated approach’ to control of vector-borne diseases like malaria and dengue– not, I know, a big problem in Notting Hill Gate or the West Village.” (Wikipedia defines: “Dengue fever, also known as breakbone fever, is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus.”) Finishing up, Cohen says, “A few other points the organiacs ignore: First…organic farming requires more land for a given unit of crop… [impinging] on wilderness. Second…when an organiac gets sick, [he/she] will likely not reject the latest brilliant

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chemical solution for the disease: Why then reject such solutions for crops? Third, “organic” is a slick marketing tool that may be very misleading…. Fourth, the World Health Organization view on G.M.: ‘No effects on human health…as a result of [their] consumption…” Cohen concludes: “Elitist freakouts spurred by the organic ideology are no answer to the world’s food problems. In fact they are a distraction.” “ORGANIC” FOODS: CERTIFICATION DOES NOT PROTECT CONSUMERS: The Quackwatch website, self-described as, “Your guide to Quackery, Health Fraud and Intelligent Decisions” carries Stephen Barrett, M.D.’s conclusion: “…organic “certification,” no matter what the rules will not protect consumers. Foods certified as “organic” will neither be safer nor more nutritious than “regular” foods. Nor is there any logical reason to conclude that they may have any special disease-curing properties. They will just cost more and may lessen public confidence in the safety of “ordinary” foods…” So, as an unnamed cynic said, “Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business and eventually degenerates into a racket.” But, despite what we have learned in this three part study, absolutely everything at last comes down to just exactly what any given person chooses to believe, or how their mind spins any circumstances to fit into their individualized perception of what for them

is reality – whether or not that view has anything to do with truth. Some movements can fool all of the people some of the time, and some movements can fool some of the people all the time… the latter mind-set begging to be next month’s Epilogue to this Organic Movement trilogy.

For additional information, visit these web addresses: (For easier access, click on these links in our online version): eCFR - Code of Federal Regulations for Allowable substance for Organic Farming: http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=9874504b6f1025eb0e6b67cadf9d3b40 &rgn=div6&view=text&node=7:3.1.1.9.32.7&idno=7 Spring 2014 National Organic Standards Board Meeting Announced – NSAC: http:// sustainableagriculture.net/blog/spring-2014-nosb-meeting/ 2014 Farm Bill Drilldown: Sustainable and Organic Research – NSAC: http://sustainableagriculture.net/blog/2014-farm-bill-drilldown-ree/

2014 Projected Prices for Common Crop Policy Commodities and Additional Price Elections for Other Select Commodities SPOKANE, Wash., March 7, 2014 – The USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced 2014 crop year projected prices and volatility factors, malting barley additional value prices, and additional price elections for select commodities in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Commodity Exchange Price Provisions Projected Prices and Volatility Factors for Alaska and Pacific Northwest States unless specified otherwise. Crop / Type Barley / Winter Barley / Spring (AK Only) Barley / Spring (ID, OR, WA) Canola / Spring Rapeseed / Spring Corn / Grain Corn / Grain (Organic Practice) Corn / Silage Soybeans Soybeans (Organic Practice) Wheat / Spring (AK Only) Wheat / Spring (ID, OR, WA)

Projected Price $4.42/bu. $4.21/bu. $4.03/bu. $0.184/lb. $0.223/lb. $4.62/bu. $8.97/bu. $41.00/ton $11.36/bu. $19.12/bu. $6.51/bu. $7.54/bu.

Volatility Factor 0.21 0.17 0.17 0.12 0.00 0.20 0.20 0.00 0.13 0.13 0.14 0.23

Malting Barley Additional Value Prices (Option A) State Alaska, Oregon, Washington Idaho (Spring Malting) Idaho (Winter Malting)

Price $0.85/bu. $1.25/bu. $0.85/bu.

Market conditions for crops or types not listed did not support a change. These crop prices can be found on the prices tab in the RMA Actuarial Information Browser online at webapp.rma.usda.gov/apps/actuarialinformationbrowser/ . For producers who buy a 2014 policy, the projected price or price election is used to determine the value of insurance protection. This price is multiplied by the producer’s actual production history and is then multiplied by the coverage level (50-75 percent; up to 85 percent for some commodities) that the producer chooses. Price (and other) election choices must be made by the sales closing date for the crop in a county. Producers throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska are reminded of the March 17 sales closing date that applies to most spring seeded crops and new applications under the www.progressiverancher.com

Dry Pea Revenue Endorsement Projected Prices and Volatility Factors for Idaho and Washington Dry Pea Type Spring Large Kabuli Chickpea Spring Small Kabuli Chickpea Spring Smooth Green/Yellow Pea Spring Lentils

Projected Price $0.30/lb. $0.20/lb. $0.16/lb. $0.22/lb.

Volatility Factor 0.16 0.16 0.16 0.16

Additional Price Elections for the Pacific Northwest States, including Alaska Dry Beans type Black Dark Red Kidney Great Northern Light Red Kidney Navy (Pea) Pink Pinto Small Red Beans Small White Beans Baby Lima Beans Dry Peas type (Oregon only) Smooth Green and Yellow

Established Price $0.33/lb. $0.41 $0.34 $0.43 $0.33 $0.34 $0.31 $0.38 $0.33 $0.50 Established Price $0.15/lb.

Additional Price $0.35/lb. $0.53 $0.36 $0.50 $0.36 $0.36 $0.33 $0.40 $0.36 $0.53 Additional Price $0.16/lb.

Oats (Alaska only) Conventional/Transitional Organic Oats (Idaho, Oregon, Washington) Conventional/Transitional Organic

Established Price $2.95/bu. $3.90 Established Price $2.70/bu. $3.55

Additional Price $3.10/bu. $4.05 Additional Price $2.80/bu. $3.70

Adjusted Gross Revenue-Lite insurance program (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington). RMA encourages producers to contact their crop insurance agent by the sales closing date to learn how crop insurance protection might enhance their current year’s risk management decisions. Insurance coverage for crops outside the approved counties may be available if a request for a written agreement is submitted through a crop insurance agent by the sales closing date and certain qualification requirements are met. Federal crop insurance policies are sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance companies and agents. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers throughout the United States or on the RMA web site at: www3.rma.usda. gov/tools/agents.

The Progressive Rancher

April 2014 21

In the Mind of a Millennial, Part II L

By Jill Scofield, Nevada Beef Council

ast month, I shared some background and data offering a glimpse of the preferences of the millennial generation (people born from about 1980 – 2000) and how those preferences impact beef purchases. While it is difficult to generalize an entire generation comprised of 80 million people, through solid research and studies, we’ve learned some helpful information that provides valuable insight about millennial purchasing preferences and how those in the beef business should react to them. For example, we know that the millennial generation largely prefers chicken over beef due to perceived health benefits and convenience factors. We know that millennials have had disappointing outcomes with beef and are unsure of how to correctly prepare it, which contributes to a hesitancy to purchase beef at the meat case. But we also know a variety of other factors that are positive things for the beef industry to focus on. When it comes to eating beef, it comes as no surprise that the number one reason people choose it is great taste. But when one looks at the top three reasons people avoid beef (health reasons, a desire to limit cholesterol or fat, and “other meats seem healthier), they are primarily based on perceptions about beef’s health and nutrition. (Source: Consumer Beef Index, July 2012.) Luckily, beef has a great story to tell when it comes to health and nutrition, and this story is one the Nevada Beef Council is constantly sharing with consumers, in large part through efforts of our own in-house registered dietitian. Sharing that ten essential nutrients can be found in a serving of beef tends to be enlightening. (And in case you need a refresher on what those nutrients beef consists of, they are protein, vitamins B12 and B6, selenium, niacin, phosphorus, choline, iron, and riboflavin.) Putting the power of beef into perspective is also helpful. For example, you’d have to consume 18 ounces of chicken breast to get the same amount of zinc, and at least 7 ½ ounces of chicken breast to get the same amount of iron as in just 3 ounces of beef. And when it comes to concerns about fat intake, beef has a great message there, too. With the 29 cuts of lean beef that are easily accessible in grocery stores, some of the more healthconscious consumers who might have otherwise avoided beef altogether have a variety of options when it comes to lean protein. What’s more, the 29 lean cuts represent some of the most popular beef cuts today: cuts like top sirloin, flank steak, tri tip, T-bone, and others. All of this information and much, much more is available at www.beefnutrition.org – a Web site created to educate consumers, particularly the Web-savvy milliennials, on all things about beef nutrition. And since 70 percent of milliennials say they go first to the Internet when they need information about anything, including beef, having an online clearing house on beef nutrients and health-related information is all the more important.

groceries. Getting back to the millennial generation in particular, a 2011 study by the market research team at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) found that the millennial generation enjoys beef, but have some issues mostly related to consumer education. Some of this has already been shared, but bears repeating: • When it comes to choosing a cut, 54 percent of millennials say it’s hard to know what to choose. • 56 percent of millennials had a disappointing result in a beef meal they prepared • 50 would buy more beef if they knew more about the different cuts • On a more positive note, 75 percent want information about steaks and how to prepare and cook them, and 55 percent want information on How can we prompt preparing and serving beef to their children. Given this data, it would appear that sharing more informanew thinking tion with this group – particularly online, where millennials about beef among spend a significant amount of time – would help close the gap on some of these misperceptions. millennials? “Engaging consumers—not just the millennials, but Genera✔✔ Enhance awareness of beef’s tion X and the younger of the Baby Boomers as well—is critical nutritional value and health because these groups have shown a strong desire to not just seek benefits. information, but to respond to it as well,” said Annette Kassis, Manager of Consumer Communication for the Nevada Beef ✔✔ Share simple, delicious Council. “Many of their decisions as consumers are tied in to recipes that are easy to larger social concerns. By engaging consumers through social prepare and kid-friendly. media and reaching out to them online with targeted content, we can continue the ‘conversation’ with them. This gives them an op✔✔ Provide helpful information portunity to ask questions and gives us an opportunity to prompt and tools to educate new thinking about beef. This engagement also works to increase consumers on the best the reach and effectiveness of our marketing campaigns.” preparation and cooking The first place millennial consumers look when searching methods. for information about beef is Google. And considering that there are 5.5 million food-related online searches on a daily basis, the ✔✔ Provide information on audience is significant. On a national level, the beef checkoff simple cooking techniques has plans in place to enhance the presence of beef on this search and shine a light on beef’s engine. Starting this spring, when consumers type in questions or versatility, variety and value. keywords such as “how to grill,” “beef recipes” and more, links to appropriate beef ✔✔ Share information about Web sites will appear today’s cattle raising in their results. practices, and how Nevada On a more loranchers are ensuring a cal level, the Nevada Beef Council also safe, sustainable product for amplifies the beef consumers. message through a Highlighting Beef Through Multiple Platforms variety of platforms, For the Nevada Beef Council, sharing beef’s powerful story with all consumers is including at www.nevadabeef.org, through soimportant, but particular focus is placed on older millennials, born between the early 1980s cial media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, to 1990. And although these categories don’t just fit within the millennial generation, the and through digital promotions and advertising NBC also focuses on women aged 30 to 55 and adults aged 25 to 54 in its marketing and with retail and media partners throughout the communication strategies. year. Targeting segments of the population that are establishing homes and families, and Through targeted online advertising, we thus the eating habits of those families, is of vital importance to growing long-term beef are able to not just attract consumers’ attendemand. When you consider that millennial parents in particular (which make up 11 million tion, but engage them in our own online and households in the United States) largely prefer chicken (74 percent) over beef (18 percent) social media properties, where they can get for their children, it becomes increasingly evident why we need this audience to understand more information about the additional factors and embrace beef more. like social and sustainability qualities that are In addition, the groups the Nevada Beef Council targets in its efforts (including, but nearly as important as factors like price, qualnot limited to the millennials) are reaching or are at their peak earning and purchasing ity and taste when it comes to millennial beef years, and tend to make a majority of purchasing decisions when it comes to food and purchasing decisions.

22 April 2014

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April 2014 23

CHECKOFF NEWS: AHA Go Red for Women We’ve been sharing with you how important communicating beef’s powerful nutrition message to consumers and influential members of the health and dietetic community is to the Nevada Beef Council (NBC). In fact, it’s one of the primary objectives of the NBC’s registered dietitian, James Winstead. Winstead recently joined forces with the American Heart Association (AHA) on a “Go Red for Women” luncheon in the Reno. Several hundred attendees – many of whom were women in their mid-twenties to early thirties – were at the event in early March, which was held to raise awareness of heart disease among women. Winstead was on hand to share helpful information and resources on lean beef and heart health, BOLD (or “Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet”) information, and of course, his favorite beef recipes. What’s more, the NBC partnered with stations KLCA and KRNO in Reno to air radio ads leading up to the event. Both stations have a strong female audience, and both are involved annually with the “Go Red for Women” event. The commercials, voiced by NBC consumer communications manager Annette Kassis, reminded listeners of the sobering statistics surrounding women and heart disease, and encouraged people attending the

luncheon to visit the NBC booth and talk with Winstead about the role of lean beef in a heart-healthy diet. The radio campaign, targeted at women between the ages of 25 and 54, reached an estimated 33,000 listeners in the Reno area. “While the NBC communicates positive information about all types of beef cuts, sharing the benefits of lean beef in particular is so important when we’re talking with healthconscious consumers,” notes Winstead. “Most consumers and health professionals I talk with are impressed with how accessible lean beef cuts are, with two-thirds of the cuts in grocery stores meeting the criteria for lean.” Winstead adds that ensuring consumers who are concerned with fat content and might not otherwise reach for beef at the meat case understand the nutritional powerhouse that beef is, and that many cuts of lean beef meet the dietary guidelines accepted by organizations such as the AHA, is just one way to continue growing demand for beef across all segments of the population. For more on beef nutrition, visit www.beefnutrition.org.

Interactive Butcher Counter Helps Cut Confusion It’s Friday afternoon, and you’re looking ahead to a weekend with beef front-andcenter on your menu. But what to choose? The options are limitless – a steak perfect for

Lemon-Herb Beef Roast

eef. It’s what’s for … Easter dinner! As your family gathers this Easter, wow them with a delicious, perfectly prepared beef roast that’s sure to impress. Visit www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com for beef recipes that every meal and occasion. Total Recipe Time: 2 ¼ to 3 hours

Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS 1. 1 beef Sirloin Tip Roast (3 to 4 pounds) 2. Seasoning: • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced • 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel • 1/4 teaspoon pepper 3. Vegetables: • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1 pound small red-skinned potatoes, halved • 1/2 pound baby carrots • 4 small onions, halved • 2 medium zucchini, sliced (3/4-inch)

utes. (Temperature will continue to rise about 5°-10°F to reach 145°F for medium rare; 160°F for medium.)

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Heat oven to 325°F. Combine seasoning ingredients; press 1/2 onto beef roast. Combine remaining seasoning with vegetable ingredients in large bowl; toss. 2. Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is centered in thickest part of beef, not resting in fat. Do not add water or cover. Roast in 325°F oven 1-3/4 to 2 hours for medium rare; 2 to 2-1/4 hours for medium doneness. After 1/2 to 1 hour, place vegetables, except zucchini, on rack around roast. 3. Remove roast when meat thermometer registers 140°F for medium rare; 150°F for medium. Transfer to board; tent with foil. Let stand 15 to 20 min-

24 April 2014

4. Increase oven temperature to 425°F. Add zucchini to vegetables on rack; roast 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Carve roast; serve with vegetables. Season with salt. Nutritional Information Per Serving 370 calories; 13 g fat (4 g saturated fat; 6 g monounsaturated fat); 131 mg cholesterol; 80 mg sodium; 18 g carbohydrate; 2.9 g fiber; 44 g protein; 8.3 mg niacin; 0.8 mg vitamin B6; 2.3 mcg vitamin B12; 4.4 mg iron; 47.1 mcg selenium; 7.5 mg zinc. This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc; and a good source of fiber.

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

News From the Nevada Beef Council of what to choose among the selection of beef cuts in their grocer’s meat case. Users can find a beef cut for any occasion by clicking ‘explore the cuts,’ ‘guide me to the right cut,’ or by searching the cut name. The tool then offers recommended cooking methods, as well as nutrition information and recipes for the selected cut – and it works with smart phones, tablets and laptop or desktop computers. Next time you get questions from a friend or neighbor about how to choose and prepare the right beef cut, be sure to share this Web site with them. You might even find some helpful information there, too!

Reminder: NBC Council Applications Available

grilling, a cut that’s great for roasting, or perhaps some barbecue beef ribs. And where can you go to find easily accessible, centralized information on the available choices and how to best prepare them? Consumers with these very questions have a helpful new tool in the checkoff-funded Interactive Butcher Counter (available at www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/butchercounter. aspx). This tool provides answers and ideas for consumers who are confused by or just unsure

www.progressiverancher.com

As we recently shared with you, the NBC will have a vacant board position in the near future, and is accepting applications from beef producers interested in becoming a council member. If you represent the cow-calf, dairy or feeder sectors and would like to help guide the NBC team in its efforts to promote the beef industry throughout the state, please consider applying. The Council meets in person twice each year and provides feedback, guidance and input on the activities and programs of the NBC. For an application, call us at 877-554-BEEF (2333) or email askus@nevadabeef.org.

Stay Connected with the NBC Visit us at www.nevadabeef.org, find us on Twitter and Facebook, or call us at 877.554. BEEF.

The Progressive Rancher

April 2014 25

LookUP

Good Folks

by Pastor Diana Gonzalez

ebster’s defines good as honorable, enjoyable, pleasant, reliable, excellent, virtuous, devout, kind, dutiful, proper, and effective. There’s a lot of good folks in cow country, isn’t there? As I visited some of the bull sales around Nevada, I got to see some of those beloved, solid citizens of Nevada’s cow country. Some of those honest, trustworthy faces are getting some deep wrinkles and their grey hair has turned white (those that have hair!). Time marches on, doesn’t it? To me, ranchers are the salt of the earth. Oh, there’s always some rats in every society (on the ark, there were at least two!), but most ranchers are as honest as they come. A handshake and their word is still a bond that they would never break no matter what. One of my most treasured friends was like that, so it took me back, one time, when I was bragging about my friend to someone at church back in the 80’s, when they said, “Just because people are good doesn’t mean they are going to heaven.” While that struck me down deep in my heart, that’s true, isn’t it? We all need to be redeemed (bought back); no matter how good or bad we are, we all need Jesus. If we could get to heaven by just being good, there would have been no need for Jesus to die on that cruel Roman cross. And let’s face it, none of us are perfect and without sin. In fact, if we go back and look at the ten commandments (Exodus 20:1-17, Deuteronomy 5:6-21), we will probably find we’ve broken most if not all of them. No matter how much we’ve progressed in life, we’ve all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). So no matter how good we are, if we’ve broken even one commandment one time, we deserve God’s wrath, spiritual death, and eternal separation from God in a very hot place. But, praise God, I’ve got good news for all of us, Romans 5:8-11 – But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him (Jesus). For if while we were enemies (sinners), we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. NAS Reno Highway across from

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Stop by and see us, we look forward to seeing you!

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26 April 2014

Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift (IT’S FREE!) of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. NAS That’s why, that’s why we celebrate Resurrection Sunday, commonly known as Easter, that’s why. Because of what Christ did for us! Stop and think where this world would be if He had never come to earth in human form. You think things are bad now; we’ve got no idea how awful things would be. Well, Jesus doesn’t automatically save us because He bled and died for our sins, or because we are honest and upright, or because when we were kids we saw a Christmas play and believed it. No, Jesus makes salvation available to us, but it’s up to us to make the choice to ask (action) Him into our hearts and to ask Him to be the Lord of our lives and forgive us of our sins. Romans 10:13 – Whoever will call (action) upon the Name of the Lord will be saved. NAS I John 1:9 – If we confess (action) our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. NAS

I John 1:7 – …the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from sin. NAS The blood of Jesus, folks, a very high price that was paid by faithful Jesus for our redemption; a price that we couldn’t pay. That’s something we need to remember and be thankful for. So let’s not mock the cross, let’s choose Jesus, and let’s receive salvation and everything else He died to give us. (Isaiah 53:3-12, I Peter 2:24) Let’s be good people, yes, but let’s be good people headed for heaven through the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Romans 12: 9-21 -- Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints (your local church), practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. NAS So what about my good friend? My You are invited to You are invited to cowboy hero, my second dad? I was standing beside him when he stood up for Christ COWBOY CHURCH! COWBOY CHURCH! in response to the Gospel preached by a 1st Saturday of every month 3rd Saturday of every month former rodeo clown back in the 90’s. My good friend became a good, saved friend Standish, CA @ 6:00 p.m. Lovelock, NV @ 7:00 p.m. and is waiting for me in heaven, praise God! Hwy. 395 /A3 — Standish 4-H Hall 1035 Cornell Ave. — Old Variety Store Remember Good Friday and celebrate Resurrection Sunday. God bless you and Are you having a Rodeo or Livestock event? GIVE US A CALL. keep you. We would love to come to your event or ranch and host Cowboy Church for you. Read Luke chapters 22, 23 and 24. Happy trails. May God richly bless you. We love you and would love to hear Tom J. Gonzalez | Diana J. Gonzalez, Pastor from you. If you would like someone to pray 3767 Keyes Way (775) 867-3100 with, or just have a question, please give us Fallon, NV 89406 threecrossls@cccomm.net Cell (775) 426-1107 a call at (775) 867-3100. ‘Til next time….

Harmony Ranch Ministry The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

Financial Focus P re sente d by Ja s o n L a n d , F in a n c ia l A d v is o r, E d wa rd J o n e s i n E l k o , N e v a d a 2 2 1 3 No rt h 5 t h S t re e t , S u it e A | 7 7 5 -7 3 8 -8 8 11

Prepare for Health Care Costs During Retirement

s you save and invest for retirement, what are your ultimate goals? Do you plan on traveling the world? Purchasing a vacation home? Pursuing your hobbies? People often think and plan for these costs. Yet, too often, many of us overlook what potentially could be a major expense during our retirement years: health care. By preparing for these costs, you can help yourself enjoy the retirement lifestyle you’ve envisioned. Many of us may ignore the impact of health care costs because we just assume Medicare will pay for everything. But that’s not the case. In estimating health care costs during retirement, you may find that $4,000 to $6,000 per year per person for traditional medical expenses is a good starting point, although the amount varies by individual. Furthermore, this figure does not include the costs of long-term care, which can be considerable. To illustrate: The national average for home health aide services is nearly $45,000 per year, and a private room in a nursing home is nearly $84,000 per year, according to a recent survey by Genworth, a financial security company. So what can you do to help cope with these costs? Here are a few suggestions: • Estimate your costs. Try to estimate what your out-of-pocket health care costs might be, based on your health, your age at retirement, whatever supplemental insurance you may carry and other factors. • Know the key dates. Things can change in your life, but try to identify, as closely as possible, the age at which you plan to retire. This will help you spot any coverage gaps before you become eligible for Medicare at age 65. Also, be aware of the seven-month window for enrolling in Medicare, beginning three months before your 65th birthday.

• Review your insurance options. Medicare-approved insurance companies offer some other parts to Medicare, including Part D, which covers prescription drugs; Medigap, which covers gaps in Parts A and B (in-hospital expenses, doctor services, outpatient care and some preventive services); and Part C (also known as Medicare Advantage, which is designed to replace Parts A, B, Medigap and, potentially, part D). You have several options for Part D, Medigap and Medicare Advantage, each with varying coverage and costs, so choose the plans that best fit your needs. (To learn more about Medicare and supplemental insurance, go to www.medicare.gov.) • Develop a long-term care strategy. To meet long-term care costs, you could selfinsure or purchase insurance coverage. To learn about long-term care insurance solutions, contact your financial advisor. • Invest for growth and rising income. Health care costs typically rise as you move further into retirement, so make sure that a reasonable portion of your assets is allocated to investments with the potential for both growth and rising income. • Think about health care directives. If you were to become incapacitated, you might be unable to make health care decisions — and these decisions may affect not only your quality of life but also your financial situation, and that of your family. Talk to your legal advisor about establishing a health care directive, which allows you to name someone to make choices on your behalf. Health care costs during your retirement may be unavoidable. But by anticipating these costs, you can put yourself in a position to deal with them — and that’s a healthy place to be. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

BLM News

For the Ranchers Information File

BLM Seeks Public Interest for Solar Energy Development in the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone

Reno, Nev. - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today announced that it is accepting preliminary right-of-way (ROW) applications and expressions of interest from interested parties for conducting a solar competitive auction on the 5,717–acre Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone in Clark County, Nevada. The BLM’s current action builds on the Western Solar Energy Plan, a two-year planning effort conducted on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Energy to expand domestic energy production and spur development of solar energy on public lands in six western states. The Western Solar Energy Plan provides a blueprint for utilityscale solar energy permitting in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah by establishing Solar Energy Zones with access to existing or planned transmission, incentives for development within those Solar Energy Zones, and a process through which to consider additional Solar Energy Zones and solar projects. This public notification is the first step toward possible competitive solar energy development on public lands in the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone. Once the 30 day notice period closes, the BLM will review all submissions from interested parties to see if other companies are interested in developing solar energy in these areas. If the BLM determines that sufficient competition exists, it may use a competitive bidding process, consistent with its regulations, to select a preferred applicant in the Solar Energy Zone. “By locating projects in areas of high development potential and low resource conflict, www.progressiverancher.com

the BLM is providing a more predictable process for industry while ensuring better outcomes for communities and the environment,” said Principal Deputy Director Neil Kornze. “In addition, competitive bidding for solar energy development ensures that we are securing a fair return for the American taxpayer.” Today’s announcement also includes the release of the “Regional Mitigation Strategy for the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone,” a pilot effort by the BLM that identifies mitigation priorities and options in advance of development. The strategy takes into account the resource conditions of the land and regional trends informed by BLM’s recent Rapid Ecoregional Assessments. Regional mitigation plans are intended to provide a more predictable and effective landscape-scale approach to mitigation, while providing both greater certainty for project developers and more benefit to the natural resources affected by energy development. The Regional Mitigation Strategy for the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone is the first of several pilot plans to be developed by the BLM. The strategy was developed in collaboration with dozens of stakeholders to address key issues such as where and how mitigation may be achieved and the costs associated with doing so. The BLM will conduct additional stakeholder outreach on the development of future regional mitigation strategies for solar energy zones. The Regional Mitigation Strategy for the Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone is available online at: http://on.doi.gov/1iJOtNb.

The Progressive Rancher

April 2014 27

4th Annual Jake Eary Memorial Rodeo–Results Outstanding Character Buckle In Memory of Walter Murphy: Hannah Fullmer High Point Saddle Winners: Youth Cowgirl: Sydney Fullmer Youth Cowboy: Zachary Oros Junior Cowgirl: Bailey Fullmer Junior Cowboy: Daniel Eary Adult Cowgirl: Desi Dotson Adult Cowboy: RC Crutcher Stick Horse Barrels: 1st - Zachary Oros; 2nd - Brock Barkman; 3rd - CJ Christian; 4th -Teagan Black; 5th - Audrey Wright; 6th - Chase Stouard Dummy Roping: 1st - Kenzie Smith; 2nd - Chase Stouard; 3rd - Zachary Oros; 4th -Sydney Fullmer; 5th - Marinna Mori; 6th - CJ Christian Sheep Riding: 1st - Zachary Oros; 2nd - CJ Christian; 3rd - Caden Openhein; 4th - Quin Whiteley; 5th - Jorja Mashburn; 6th - Malikai Malotte Steer Riding: 1st - Daniel Eary; 2nd - Eduardo Solis; 3rd - Braxton Oros; 4th - Terran Jonas; 5th - Rylan Espian; 6th - Kjerstin Hooper Jr. Team Roping: 1st - Jace McEwen/Jake McEwen; 2nd - Cade Bell/John Bell; 3rd Lacey Steele/Tony Steele; 4th - Bailey Fullmer/Pat Fullmer; 5th - Quint Bell/Frank Bengoa; 6th - Megan Sam/Skip Sam Jr. Barrels: 1st - Bailey Fullmer; 2nd - Riata Goemmer; 3rd - Hay lie Mitchell; 4th Whitney Slack; 5th - Hannah Fullmer Open Barrels: 1st - Marca Tavemiti; 2nd - Amanda Fittje; 3rd - Bailey Fullmer; 4th Crystal Kelly; 5th - Shaynee Monchamp; 6th - Tess Turk Steer Stopping: 1st - Desi Dotson; 2nd - Dally Goemmer; 3rd - Jaci Garijo; 4th - Lacey Thompson Bareback Riding: 1st - Paul Jones; 2nd - Grant Denny Stock Saddle Broncs: 1st - Tim Maher; 2nd - Jordan Jones; 3rd - Steven Jim

I belIeve thIs

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Bailey Fullmer & Daniel Eary — Junior Cowgirl & Cowboy Saddle winners Saddle Broncs: 1st - Christian Stremler; 2nd - Sam Harper; 3rd/4th - Max Filippini & Clay Stremler Bull Riding: 1st - Fred Kinney; 2nd - Stephen James; 3rd - Sterling Ward Muley Roping: 1st - RC Crutcher/Casey Brunson; 2nd - Dirk Jirn/Daxton Jim; 3rd - Dirk Jim/Steven Jim; 4th - Michael Mori/RC Crutcher; 5th - Tyler Wolf/Wyatt Thomas; 6th - Ronnie Williams/Wyatt Williams Mix Branding: 1st - Lazy JN Ranch (Will Knight, RC Crutcher, Jessica Kelly, TimmyLyn DeLong); 2nd - Walker Ranch (Ira Walker, Mark Eldridge, Shantell Walker, Katie Groves); 3rd - Jakey’s Team (Jess Eary, Josh Mansanares, Daniel Eary, Abby Estes); 4th - Half & Half (Monell Shelley, Desi Dotson, Tim Maher, Kendal Thomas) Open Branding: 1st - B Bar B (Mark Eldridge, Quin Mori, Ramon Cordova, Gene Curtis); 2nd - C Lazy L Ranch (Robert Crutcher, RC Crutcher, Ira Walker, Casey Brunson); 3rd - Wolf & Sons (Jr Hamey, Tyler Wolf, Justin deBraga, Mason Garrett); 4th - OE Bar (Asher Freeman, Barak Freeman, Pete Mori, Michael Mori) Open Branding Shoot-out: C Lazy L Ranch

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AAC_ProgressiveRancher_5x5.5_CMYK.indd 1

28 April 2014

1/23/14 4:39 PM

The Progressive Rancher

RC Crutcher — Adult Cowboy Saddle winner www.progressiverancher.com

Special Report

ELK IN NEVADA by Jennifer Bieroth Whiteley, Special Assignment Writer

n a chilly late September morning during the peak of elk rut, you can enjoy your morning coffee and the sounds of elk bugling across much of our western public lands as the sun rises. Elk are amongst the loudest of all ungulates. They vocalize to each other to express danger, locate a missing calf, or to even find a mate. Research shows that females are more likely to breed with males that are more vocal. An elk’s bugling call can be heard for miles, and is most prevalent during the rut. It can serve as a warning to other bulls to stay away, or a pickup line to cows. Elk cows have a very short estrus cycle that only last 1-2 days. They breed in the fall during the rut. Bulls gather cows and yearlings into small groups known as harems, and defend them from other bulls and predators, occasionally fighting till the death. Only mature bulls have large harems. Breeding success peaks at about 8 years of age. Younger bulls and older bulls rarely have harems, but hang around on the fringe of a harem trying to steal cows away from the dominant bull. A bull with a harem rarely eats, and can lose up to 20% of their body weight during the rut. Bulls that enter the rut in poor body condition are less likely to make it through the peak conception period or have the strength to survive the oncoming winter. After mating, elk migrate to lower elevations, wooded areas, and sheltered valleys for protection from the weather and available feed. Elk are social animals and live in herds most of the year. During the winter, spring and summer, elk split into cow-calf and bull herds. Normally, the only time cows and bulls mix in a herd is in the fall, during rut. Cow-calf herds are generally lead by older, more experienced cows, and may have a few adolescent bulls. Bulls form “bachelor” herds with other single bulls. In the early summer, elk migrate to high mountain grazing grounds where cows give birth. Cows give birth to their calves during the months of late May and early June. Each cow typically has a single calf, but twins are not uncommon. The calves are born scentless and spotted to help them stay camouflaged from many predators. They spend the first couple weeks after birth hiding and holding very still while the cows graze nearby. On a normal year, biologist think 40 calves to every 100 cows is a good birth ratio, but with area fires like the Red Cow Fire (burning 16,100 acres) and the Water Pipe Fire (burning 3,100 acres) near the town of Tuscarora in August 2013, we can expect higher cow to calf ratios again this year. Fires remove vast amounts of brush, opening up the range to ideal grass growth conditions. Young grass stands are packed full of nutrients that improve conception rates and higher birth numbers for elk, adding to population explosion. Elk calves are fully weaned at 2 months of age, but stay with their mothers until about 1 year old. Leaving just before the cow gives birth again. Wolves, coyotes, and the occasional mountain lion are the primary predators of elk. They prey primarily on calves, but will take down a weakened adult if the opportunity arises. Herds employ one or more scouts while the remaining members eat and rest. When approached by a predator, the largest most robust animals may take a stand, using antlers or front legs to kick their attackers. Adult elk in good health are fairly successful at keeping predators at bay. Elk prefer forested areas

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that are near meadows that provide grasses and forbs for grazing, and shrubs, tree seedlings, and saplings for browsing. They like to spend their summers at higher cooler elevations, and in the fall they migrate anywhere from 2 to 80 miles to lower elevations to escape weather extremes. Elk dietary preferences often overlap those of domestic cattle, making Tuscarora prime elk habitat. Local rancher Sam Mori conservatively estimates Tuscarora elk numbers to be double those recommended by the Western Elko County Elk Management Plan, resulting in increased damage to public lands and private property both. Elk numbers in Nevada are managed by our states Department of Wildlife through hunts. Ranchers working together with Nevada Department of Wildlife, and hunters can have a huge impact on managing our states elk population. Just as it has taken a few years for elk numbers to reach their current highs, “It’s very difficult to get 800 elk down to 500 elk. It just can’t happen in a year. We have to get creative,” stated Mori. NDOW is releasing more elk tags for 2014. This year there will be 4 different cow rifle seasons to hunt elk. Hunts will range from August 1st to January 31st, depending on where the tag is drawn. There will also be “Antlerless Management Tags” available in area 6, which means if you draw a deer tag in this area, you may have the option to purchase a cow elk tag as well. NDOW is organizing more depredation hunts and land owner hunts also. Current feedback from airplanes flying counting elk show that the Tuscarora elk herd is not decreasing as of yet. Area ranchers, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation members, BLM, US Forest Service, Nevada Department of Wildlife, and anyone directly affected by western Elko county’s elk population are gearing up for their annual scoping meeting for the Western Elko County Elk Management Plan. They will be discussing where elk numbers are at right now, what they were last year at this time, and what they are projecting them to be next year at this time. This is an information sharing and planning meeting hosted by NDOW to determine where to go next. It will be held late April, early May. It is most beneficial if held before quota setting to implement a strategic plan for elk management to help bring elk populations brought back to a manageable number. We don’t want to see elk removed from northeastern Nevada. We want the population to be lowered to a manageable number, which can be supported by Nevada public land ecosystems.

The Progressive Rancher

Additional Information: Western Elko County Elk Management Plan http://www.ndow.org/uploadedFiles/ ndoworg/Content/Wildlife_Education/Publications/NSBWC-ElkSpecies-Management-PlanningProcess-2-11-06-FINAL.pdf

April 2014 29

Nevada’s Priority Agricultural Weeds:

Cocklebur

Brad Schultz, Extension Educator, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, Winnemucca, Nevada.

ommon cocklebur, Xanthium strumarium L., is a native forb that grows throughout Nevada, and is present every other state. Spiny cocklebur, Xanthium spinosum L., is a closely related species that grows in most western states, except Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Spiny cocklebur has three pronged spines located at the stem nodes and leaf axils: a feature absent in common cocklebur. Both species have similar growth patterns and responses to treatment; therefore, for this article they are collectively referred to as Cocklebur. Cocklebur may inhabit a wide variety of habitats. These include woodlands; pastures; native grass-hay meadows; vacant fields; disturbed corridors such as roadsides, railways and utility lines; and riparian areas. Cocklebur also readily inhabits areas along streams, canals, and irrigation ditches, and just about any location where water may pond for several weeks or more in the spring to early summer. Prolific establishment is common on wet sites that lack a dense population of desired perennial herbaceous species. Cocklebur can tolerate of flooding at all stages of growth.

Plant Biology Cocklebur is a warm season annual forb. Each plant originates from seed produced the previous growing season, but which germinated and grew in the current growing season. Plants can emerge from seed buried up to six inches deep. Most of the seed germinates in the spring, typically from April through early June, but additional germination can occur throughout the summer if soil moisture is adequate. Summer germination is most likely to occur in areas that receive irrigation, irrigation runoff, or locations that accumulate water (runoff) after intense thunderstorms. Young cocklebur plants develop short glandular hairs and these hairs cause cocklebur to have poor palatability. The seed pods are covered with many hooked burs that facilitate easy attachment to animals and subsequent transport across long distances. Cocklebur can assimilate both nitrate and ammonia nitrogen from the soil, storing this nutrient as nitrates in its tissues. These nitrate reserves are mobilized and used in fruit production with seeds having concentrations as high as 6.6 percent. Reducing nitrogen availability to the plant has been shown to decrease the production of flowers, which results in fewer seeds and potential new plants. Seedlings generally emerge about ten days after germination and produce their first true leaf about four days later. Cocklebur typically flowers in mid-summer and the fruits (seed pods) will continue to mature until the first killing frost. The flowering process is driven by day length (shorter days) not plant size or age; thus, both younger and older plants can become reproductive. Each pod usually contains two seeds but on occasion three or four. The number of seed pods per plant generally falls between 70 and 600. Small plants produce few pods, but large plants growing in open sunlight, and on fertile and moist soil, may produce several thousand or more pods. Seed pods are very buoyant and can float for up to 30 days. When cocklebur drops its seed onto flowing water, or onto sites where water will flow before the next growing season, seed dispersal can occur across very

30 April 2014

long distances. The two seeds in each seed pod typically differ in size and germination requirements. The larger seed typically has little dormancy and germinates the spring after dispersal. The smaller seed often possesses innate dormancy and germinates either later in the growing season (mid-summer) or more often than not, the following year. When a new population of cocklebur has dispersed seed at least once the seed’s differential germination strategy results in a shortlived seedbank. Seed viability generally is high, being 80 percent or greater at the time of dispersal. Germination occurs best when the seed is buried between 0.4 and 3 inches deep. Seeds rarely germinate when buried deeper than six inches, or when they are located on the soil surface and exposed to direct sunlight and the elements. Germination also is higher for wet soils: especially those at or above 75 percent of their water holding capacity. Only about 18 percent of a given year’s seed crop remains viable after being buried for 30 months; therefore, seed longevity appears limited to about three years. Controlling or eliminating cocklebur from an infested area requires eliminating or dramatically reducing the seedbank for at least three years and rapidly eliminating any new plants that establish.

Control Approaches Non-chemical Mechanical or physical approaches, such as pulling, mowing, cutting, or disking can be effective treatments. The size and location of the infestation will largely dictate which methods are most applicable. Hand pulling obviously is limited to small populations and should occur before the burs develop and seed is dispersed. For some people, contact between cocklebur and their skin can result in dermatitis; therefore, appropriate protective clothing should be worn. Mowing or cutting treatments can be very effective when applied at the flowering growth stage. Stems should be severed as close to the ground as possible to limit the potential for regrowth from any buds located near the base of the stem. Regrowth is more likely to occur when soil moisture remains high; therefore, stopping or at least decreasing irrigation (if possible) several weeks before treatment probably improves the effectiveness of mowing and cutting treatments. Cutting cocklebur after the burs (seed pods) have appeared does not preclude them from reaching maturity and developing viable seed. Plowing the soil may have mixed results. Seed that lies on the soil surface, where germination rates are very low, is likely to be buried. When plowing buries cocklebur less than three inches deep, burial actually promotes seed germination. For plowing to decrease seed germination the seed must reside over six inches deep, and remain there for at least three years. Grazing is not considered a viable treatment option. The seed and foliage of cocklebur contain a glycoside that can be fatal to livestock in small amounts. Mortality may occur when an animal ingests as little as 0.1 to 0.3 percent of its bodyweight. For a 100 pound lamb, that equates to 1.6 to 4.8 ounces of plant material. The Progressive Rancher

Biological control is not attempted in the western United States. Cocklebur is a native species and has evolved with potential biological enemies. The likelihood of importing any foreign biological agents is low because of their potential to attack other desired native species. There has been no research conducted to address the effect of fire on cocklebur. Fire’s probable effect, however, can be inferred from several traits exhibited by cocklebur and the plant communities it inhabits. First, cocklebur is an annual plant (completes lifecycle in one growing season and reproduces on from seed) and fire typically kills annual plants, provided there is enough dry vegetation to fuel a fire. However, cocklebur produces a thick protective pod that protects the seed from the heat of a fire, particularly low intensity fires common on the sparsely vegetated sites inhabited by cocklebur. Fuel loads are too low to generate significant heat release for long periods. Seed, whether located on live plants, the soil’s surface, or buried in the optimum germination zone of 0.4 to 3 inches deep, is likely to survive a low intensity fire. Burned sites, however, may promote seedling survival because there is no vegetation to intercept any sunlight: an ideal growing condition for cocklebur. This can be turned into a management opportunity if the creation of optimal germination conditions are incorporated into a multi-step (i.e., integrated) weed control strategy. Increased germination depletes the seedbank and if the new seedlings are controlled before they mature and produce seed there will be fewer potential plants the next growing season. The best approach to reducing the risk of having a large infestation of cocklebur is to manage the use of the vegetation to promote a plant community composed of a dense stand of tall vigorous perennial herbaceous species. Obviously this would not apply to cropland where the crop is an annual plant; however, maintaining a dense stand of the crop does reduce establishment and eventual seed production of cocklebur. Cocklebur grows poorly on shaded sites and the relatively few plants that grow will typically produce few if any seeds. Chemical Control There are many herbicides known to effectively control cocklebur (Table 1). These include chemicals that are labeled for many different environmental settings or crops, are selective or non-selective, may or may not have a soil residual, and can applied pre- and post-emergent. As with most other weeds, treatment of young or small actively growing plants will provide the most effective treatment. Most post-emergent herbicides for cocklebur have their greatest effect on plants less than four inches tall, but a few herbicides may be applied to taller (more mature) plants. These chemicals, however, may or may not be compatible with the vegetation you want to increase after the treatment of cocklebur. Many of the active ingredients shown in Table 1 also occur in pre-packaged formulations with one or more other active ingredients, expanding the total spectrum of weeds the product may effectively treat. The caption for Table 1 provides directions on how to find these additional products. www.progressiverancher.com

Fallow

Bareground

Smll Grains

Corn

Aminopyralid

Milestone

Bentazon

Basagran BashAzon

Bromoxynil-Octanoic acid ester

Buctril, Broclean

Carfentrazone-ethyl

AimEW

Clopyralid

Transline

Dicamba

Banvel Clarity

x x

Fluroxypyr

Vista XRT Starane Ultra

Glyphosate

Roundup and many others

Imazapic

Plateau

Imazamox

Raptor Arsenal, Habitat

Metsulfuron- methyl

Ally XP, Patriot, Escort

Tordon 22K

Pyraflufen-ethyl

Sulfosulfuron

Outrider Maverick

Topramezone

Armezon Impact

Triasulfturon

Amber

x x

Pre-emergent, or Post-emergent to actively growing small plants Post-emergent to small actively growing plants. Greater rates can effectively treat plants to 24 inches tall Post-emergent: actively growing plants to 10 inches tall and 8 leaves

Yes, for labeled crops

Post-emergent to actively growing plants up to 4 inches tall

Yes

For sensitive crops

Early post-emergent during rapid growth

Highly variable

Rate dependent

Yes

Pre-emergent, or Post-emergent to actively growing plants less than 4 inches tall

Yes

Short

Post-emergent: seedlings to early growth

Yes

Post-emergent to plants less than 6 inches tall

Yes

Post-emergent: actively growing plant up to 3 inches tall

Yes

Pre- or post-emergent

Yes

Post-emergent to actively growing young plants

Yes

Post-emergent to actively growing weeds less than 3 inches tall

Yes

Generally less than 1 year

Yes

Short

Post-emergent, actively growing plants to 4 inches tall, or rosettes less than 2 inches diameter

Yes

Pre-emergent to early post-emergent on actively growing plants

Yes

Yes, to 1.5 years

Yes

x x

Yes

x x

Yes

Post-emergent: young plants

Yes

Beacon

Edict 2SC Vida

Yes

Little to None

Peak

Growth Stage

Pre-emergent, or Post-emergent to rapidly growing young plants in 2-3 leaf stage or rosettes less than 2 inches wide

Soil Residual

Yes

Imazapyr

Prosulfuron

Selective

Chateau

Primisulfuron-methyl

Flumioxazin

Picloram

Potatoes

NonCrop

0[x

Mint

Range & Pasture

Many

2,4-D

Alfalfa

Representative Products

Active Ingredient

Post-emergent during active growth before bud stage

Post-emergent to actively growing plants 1-4 inches tall Post-emergent to actively growing plants 1-12 inches tall. Higher rates for taller plants

Post-emergent: actively growing to 8 inches tall Post-emergent to weeds 4 inches tall or shorter. Soil residual will provide pre-emergent control

Table 1. Active ingredients and representative products known to control cocklebur, and the general sites or crops the active ingredient is labeled for. Not all representative products, crops, or sites are listed. The information in this table should be used to determine potential products for use based upon a land owners specific circumstances. Product selection should occur only after the applicator has read all current product labels and identified the appropriate products for their situation. For some crops the application may be limited to pre-planting of the crop or spot treatments only. Many of the active ingredients listed also come in pre-mixed formulations with other products and these pre-mixed packages (products) are not listed in the table. A complete list of all active ingredients and products labeled to control cocklebur can be searched for at the CDMS (http://www. cdms.net/LabelsMsds/LMDefault.aspx?pd=7607&t=) and Greenbook (http://www.greenbook.net/) websites. The order of chemicals below does not reflect any preference or efficacy Listing a commercial herbicide does not imply an endorsement by the authors, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension or its personnel. Product names were used only for ease of reading, not endorsement. Herbicides should be selected for use based upon the active ingredient and the specific bio-environmental situation to which it will be applied. Product labels change often; therefore, applicators should always consult the current label prior to applying any herbicide. www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

April 2014 31

Cooperative Extension Researches Ways to Restore Sagebrush Nevada’s Mcadoo Encourages the Use of Shrub Transplants to Restore Sagebrush-Dependent Ecosystems

RENO, Nev. – Natural Resource Specialist Kent McAdoo recently shared results from research testing the restoration of sagebrush in areas where grasses became the dominant vegetation after fire or other causes. In his published results, McAdoo, of University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, explained that sagebrush is vital for sage-grouse and other wildlife on much of Nevada’s rangelands. “It serves as critical habitat for a number of sagebrush-associated wildlife species, including the sage-grouse, which is being considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act,” he said. “Usually direct-seeding is currently used for sagebrush restoration methods. It’s cheaper, but often unreliable.” McAdoo, with Chad Boyd and Roger Sheley from the USDA-ARS Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, spent three years testing transplants and herbicides. They hoped to learn whether transplants could work more effectively than seeding. The experiment focused on three sites around Elko, Nev., each with different kinds of grass vegetation. The first was the site of a 2003 fire. This site had several species of native grasses and wildflowers, but virtually no sagebrush. According to McAdoo, where native perennial grasses were present along with sagebrush before a fire, the grasses naturally re-establish more quickly after a fire than sagebrush and other shrubs. Most sagebrush species do not resprout after fire; rather, they come in very slowly as seed is dispersed from surrounding sites. The second site was dominated by cheatgrass, a non-native species that is extremely

Kent McAdoo, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension natural resource specialist, tested sagebrush transplants as a method to restore native vegetation. The transplants could be a viable way to restore habitats for sagebrush-dependent species such as the sage grouse.

32 April 2014

competitive with native vegetation and highly flammable. It is of very limited value to most wildlife species. The third site was predominantly crested wheatgrass. Crested wheatgrass is also a non-native species, but it is more livestock-friendly and less flammable than cheatgrass. It is typically planted to increase forage for livestock or to reduce the chance of cheatgrass invasion. During April of each year, the researchers planted 200 sagebrush plants at each of the three sites. At each site, half of the planted sagebrush was nursery-grown, and half was sagebrush transplanted from the area around the site. Half of all the plots with planted sagebrush received herbicide application to reduce competition from the grasses. Sagebrush transplants were more readily established at the site where the native perennial grasses grew back after the fire. Using herbicide to reduce the competition from grass resulted in better establishment and larger sagebrush transplants. All the sites showed an increase in diversity of habitat structure important to a variety of wildlife species. “Transplanting sagebrush can be very effective and doable,” McAdoo said. “Transplants are ideal for small areas. For larger treatments like post-fire application, you can establish islands of transplanted sagebrush in key areas so the plants can provide a seed source over time and recolonize the site.” McAdoo said directly planting sagebrush over large areas would be cost-prohibitive. However, because sagebrush transplants are often more reliable than seeding, especially on lower-elevation sites with limited precipitation, he said transplants should be considered as a viable option for increasing vegetation diversity. McAdoo’s study, “Site, Competition, and Plant Stock Influence Transplant Success of Wyoming Big Sagebrush,” was published in Rangeland Ecology & Management and can be found at http://www.srmjournals.org/doi/full/10.2111/REM-D-12-00136.1.

The Progressive Rancher

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Spotted Knapweed

Spotted Knapweed Flower

Spotted Knapweed Plant

ello from the Humboldt Watershed CWMA! The HWCWMA was developed to address the invasive weed problem and subsequent decline in water quality within the entire 16,843 square mile watershed, which covers most of Northern Nevada. The primary function of HWCWMA has been to provide land managers, owners and weed control groups assistance in the areas of funding, agency and weed group coordination and cooperation. This month we would like to introduce you to one of Nevada’s state listed noxious weeds, spotted knapweed (Centaurea biebersteinii). Spotted knapweed is native to Europe and was first introduced to the U.S. in the late 1800’s as a stow-away in alfalfa or hay seed. Spotted knapweed is now a serious problem in the range and croplands of the western States. Spotted knapweed is a short-lived perennial plant that grows 2-4 feet tall. It forms a rosette the first year and then sends up a flower stalk the second year. The leaves, which are rather sparse on a hard and woody stem, have a pale green color. The weed blooms in midsummer, and the flowering bud is about 3/4-inch long. The blooms are pink to purple in color and rather attractive. The roots of this weed produce a toxin that kills other plants within its root zone. The weed reproduces solely by seeds, and the weed is a prolific seed producer, with 1000 or more seeds per plant. Once established, seeds accumulate in the soil, often exceeding 5000 per square foot. The seeds remain viable for at least eight years. Spotted knapweed is a highly adaptable plant. It can be found at various elevations, in moist or dry conditions, is shade tolerant but can be commonly found in sunny areas and prefers well drained or gravel/sandy soils. If it has a preference, it will thrive in sunny, arid conditions in course soil and especially in disturbed areas. Landowners are advised to be watchful for spotted knapweed, and keep it in check while it is only along roads and not out in pastures. If not controlled, it can rapidly invade pastures and fields and cause a serious decline in forage and crop production. Prevention of Spread of Spotted Knapweed Preventing spotted knapweed from spreading is extremely important. Mowing during or after flowering can cause the seeds to spread. The plant can also spread in hay and under vehicles. People need to be careful of using hay from road ditches of main roadways, or hay purchased from known infested areas. If a small population of this plant is found, you can easily pull it by hand when the ground is damp and be sure to pull the entire root. Flowering plants should be bagged and removed from the site if possible. Individual plants or small populations of knapweed must be treated before they become large populations which are harder to control in the long-run.

Spotted Knapweed Rosette www.progressiverancher.com

Herbicides Approved for Controlling Spotted Knapweed The following herbicides may be used by landowners. Other products labeled and registered for use on this noxious weed in Nevada may be used in accordance with label directions. Be sure to follow all label directions and The Progressive Rancher

precautions. • Dicamba (Banvel, Clarity, Vanquish): Application shall be at the early bud stage in the spring and fall on pastures, rangeland and non-cropland. • Picloram (Tordon 22k): Spring at rosette to mid-bolt growth stages; or fall. Restricted use pesticide. • Transline: Spring after all shoots have emerged, rosette to early bud growth stages; or fall. Use higher rate for older or dense stands. • Milestone: Spring at rosette to bolting growth stages; or fall. Use higher rate for older or dense stands; Milestone may be used to edge ponds or streams. Biological Control for Spotted Knapweed Many insects are being evaluated for biological control of diffuse and spotted knapweeds. Several insects are available in Nevada from the Nevada Department of Agriculture. These insects consume knapweed seeds and up to 100 percent of seeds may be destroyed in an infested seedhead. When larval development is complete, larvae pupate then emerge from the seedhead as adults and consume foliage of spotted knapweed until they enter the litter and soil to overwinter. As always, please notify the HWCWMA if you see spotted knapweed growing within the Humboldt River Watershed. We have an opportunity to stop invasive species from spreading if we act quickly and our staff can provide the property owner or appropriate public agency with site-specific treatment options for these plants. The HWCWMA also maps and monitors heavily infested sites in the watershed which allows the HWCWMA the ability to provide educational and financial assistance to land owners and groups in their management efforts, ultimately improving all of the qualities of the land and water in our watershed. The HWCWMA has also developed a website to serve as a clearinghouse for information on invasive weeds in the Humboldt Watershed. Our website (http:// www.humboldtweedfree.org) contains fact sheets for state listed noxious weeds in Nevada, Board of Director’s information, funding partner’s links, and many more features including a detailed project proposal packet that you can print, fill out and mail back to us at your convenience. We are looking to expand our project area outside of the Humboldt River and always welcome new funding opportunities. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Andi Porreca, HWCWMA Coordinator at (775) 762-2636 or email her at aporreca@humboldtweedfree. org. You may also speak with Rhonda Heguy, HWCWMA Administrator at (775) 738-3085, email: hwcwma@gmail.com. April 2014 33

The Progressive Rancher Coloring Page

34 April 2014

The Progressive Rancher

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SOCIETY FOR RANGE MANAGEMENT Look Closer:

Time Sequence Photography of Roosters Comb in the Sheep Creek Range, Nevada Dr. Robert R. Blank, Tye Morgan, and Charlie Clements USDA/Agriculture Research Service/ Great Basin Rangelands Research Unit — 920 Valley Road, Reno, Nevada bob.blank@ars.usda.gov, tye.morgan@ars.usda.gov, charlie.clements@ars.usda.gov

Roosters Comb: Background Roosters Comb is located in the northwestern part of Lander County, Nevada, ten miles north of Battle Mountain. Lander County was founded on mining and ranching/agriculture in which these industries still maintain a strong role in today’s public land use. In August of 1999, a wildfire swept through Lander County/Roosters Comb consuming roughly100,000 acres. That following fall, the BLM Elko District, implemented green strip seeding with a rangeland drill. The seeding mixture consisted of 3 species, crested wheat grass, forage kochia, and ladok alfalfa.

visually striking from season to season, year to year, and decade to decade. Without photographic evidence, our memories or perceptions of what we have seen could become distorted. Reviewing time sequence photography before making ecological or management decisions may contribute to different insights.

Precipitation (inches)

INTRODUCTION The importance of understanding natural landscape changes is key in properly determining rangeland ecology. Time sequence photography allows a landscape snapshot to be documented and enables the ability to compare natural changes overtime. Photographs of Roosters Comb were taken from the same vantage point seasonally from 2003 to 2014. Annual climate variation allows the landscape to fluctuate, with vegetation differences

Mean ppt. = 8.1 inches

10 8 6 4 2 0

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

Year

December, 2003 Wildfire consumes the Roosters Comb site in 1999. The foreground shows a cheatgrass dominated landscape. The larger dark brown-colored plants, in the background, are barbwire Russian thistle. Notice how relatively few barbwire Russian thistle plants are in the foreground.

May, 2005 What a dramatic change in the landscape! In this relatively average precipitation year, there are very few plants of barbwire Russian thistle. The dominant visible vegetation is cheatgrass with an invisible understory of burr buttercup; invisible until you kneel to count plants! ————————— Continued on page 36

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The Progressive Rancher

April 2014 35

Look Closer: Time Sequence Photography of Roosters Comb in the Sheep Creek Range, Nevada

October, 2005 Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or the photographer. Who said a cheatgrass dominated landscape isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t beautiful in its own way? Also evident are plants of tansy mustard and perennial grasses. Unfortunately, this landscape is just a spark away from another wild fire.

May, 2006 The winter and spring of 2006 was above average in precipitation. Over much of north central Nevada, there was an explosion of vegetation that is a rare occurrence. Cheatgrass growth was phenomenal and average plant height in some areas exceeded 3 feet. Across the landscape was an outburst of wildflowers, some rarely seen in this area, including larkspur.

October, 2006 So much cheatgrass, so much fuel! Again, just a spark away from a catastrophe. This vegetation landscape can be found tens of miles in either direction. The potential size of wildfires could be astounding.

December, 2007 We have now entered a drought period, and cheatgrass densities and plant stature are far less than the previous year. Note the far greater recruitment of barbwire Russian thistle. Notice in the background how barbwire Russian thistle is more dominant on the higher alluvial fans.

January, 2009 The drought continues. With fewer cheatgrass plants and greater expression of barbwire Russian thistle and tansy mustard.

June, 2009 Cheatgrass got a late start. The small green plants are Sandbergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bluegrass, which for whatever reason were expressed this year over a large area of northern Nevada. Visible in this photo are the BLM drill rows. The bluegrass did not establish from the seeding treatment, but recruitment from the post-fire seed bank. The yellow-flowered plants are tansy mustard.

May, 2010 The drill rows are occupied by cheatgrass perhaps finding a more favorable environment for germination. Notice the piles of soil from burrowing rodents. We have found that some sites dominated by cheatgrass have a great increase in burrowing activity. This mixing of soil can have profound and lasting effects on surface soil chemistry and physical properties.

May, 2012 In 2012, this site received 5.9 inches of precipitation. The spring green hue of the landscape is still present, but dry fuel loads from the previous year are threatening another wildfire.

May, 2013 With only 5 inches annual precipitation, plants had minimal growth, which means lesser fuel loads and lower risks of catastrophic fires. Unfortunately, that also means minimal forage growth and availability.

36 April 2014

The Progressive Rancher

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NEVADA STALLION STAKES & Elko County NRCHA

August 23-24 ★ Elko, Nevada

Elko County NRCHA

SPECTACULAR “All classes have herd work”

Judge: Darren Miller, AQHA • NRCHA AAA January, 2014 After years of drought and the landscape is becoming barren. Less than 2 inches of precipitation has been recorded from October 2013 to January 2014. With such minimal precipitation there is little hope for this site to be productive this year.

Stallion Nomination Deadline: July 1st Nomination fee: $200.00 Late Nominations will be accepted until August 1st with an additional $100 late fee.

NEVADA STALLION STAKES

AGED EVENTS Futurity ★ Derby ★ Hackamore Two Reined / Green Bridle and Bridle Divisions NRCHA Rules Nevada Stallion Stakes Show Entry deadline: August 1 with late entries accepted to Aug 15th. ECNRCHA Show Entry Deadline Aug 22nd, Noon Late entries accepted up to show start time with penalties.

Entries forms available at www.elkocountyfair.com March, 2014 From January 2014 to March 2014, 2 inches of precipitation were recorded. Due to this increase in soil moisture, all the green plants in the picture are native Sandberg’s bluegrass. This grass begins growing with early spring moisture and typically is senesced by late spring, just when cheatgrass begins its growing season and will consume the remaining soil resources.

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

The Society for Range Management (SRM) is “the professional society dedicated to supporting persons who work with rangelands and have a commitment to their sustainable use.” SRM’s members are ranchers, land managers, scientists, educators, students, conservationists – a diverse membership guided by a professional code of ethics and unified by a strong land ethic. This series of articles is dedicated to connecting the science of range management with the art, by applied science on the ground in Nevada. Articles are the opinion of the author and may not be an official position of SRM. Further information and a link to submit suggestions or questions are available at the Nevada Section website at http://www.ag.unr.edu/nsrm/. SRM’s main webpage is www.rangelands.org. We welcome your comments. www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

August 23 through September 1

www.elkocountyfair.com April 2014 37

February RAC Meeting Demands the BLM Manage Wild Horses by Becky Prunty Lisle With its Wild Horse & Burro program teetering on the brink of financial collapse, on-range horse populations estimated to be nearly 14,000 over appropriate management levels, and long-term holding facilities full to overflowing, the BLM faces some difficult and debatably long overdue management decisions. It’s widely known that the original Wild Horse and Burro Act states: The Secretary shall cause additional excess wild free roaming horses and burros for which an adoption demand by qualified individuals does not exist to be destroyed in the most humane and cost efficient manner possible. However, for years, the BLM has been stonewalled by wild horse “advocates,” and as a result, the program is not only at its financial and ecological breaking point, but the horses also face the very real possibility of immense, prolonged suffering when they remain on drought-stricken range. Most Nevada counties have been declared disaster areas by the USDA due to the ongoing drought, and because of this, the BLM may be forced to follow the law’s original intent. In fact, in an August 2013 statement from the BLM’s Wild Horse & Burro Division Chief, Joan Guilfoyle, one of the recommendations is to “euthanize on-range animals as an act of mercy if the animal decline to near-death condition as a result of declining water and forage resources.” Nevada’s BLM resource advisory councils met in Elko in early February, and approved an emergency resolution which recommends: Due to the drought and the increasing number of wild horses, lack of long term holding, and for the preservation of the range and humanitarian treatment of the horses, the BLM explore all options, including supporting gathers and the unconditional sale of wild horses to promote the goal of the sustainable wild horse population. Wild horse advocates predictably ignore the need for immediacy and continue to instead promote impractical and ineffective measures which would do very little toward actually relieving the dire situation at hand. Laura Leigh of the group Wild Horse Education submitted to the RAC: One, we urge the RAC to support cooperative efforts between the advocate organizations and BLM to facilitate water hauls in drought situations. Our organization stands ready to assist with manpower, supplies and funding if needed. Two, we encourage the RAC to recommend that this year a focus be made to utilize available PZP 22 in a concerted effort to slow population growth. Three, we recommended using 2014 as a baseline year to determine population size, migratory patterns and create a template of wild horse use during extreme drought.

Data maps must begin to exist that demonstrate wild horse use and needs and fluctuations due to environmental factors. Four, we urge that diversionary feeding be used and permitted to move horses to suitable grazing areas. Five, we urge that areas designated as HA be evaluated for possible relocation and repatriation of wild horses. Six, we urge that areas where HMAs exist that fracking permits not be allowed. Seven, we urge that removals be limited to selected individuals where an adoption demand is demonstrated. We urge cooperative efforts with advocate groups be encouraged to facilitate this process. Eight, during times of drought, restricted use and the overburdened holding system that any removals of wild horses occur only where other uses face restrictions and where all other options to ensure herd health, water hauling, diversionary feeding has been exhausted. On the Wild Horse Education (WHE) website, Leigh decries the Nevada Rangeland Resources Commission’s video documentary titled “Rangelands Under Fire.” The video is part of a series titled “Stewards of the Rangeland,” which, according to a press release, “documents the latest challenges faced by our open range food producers and land managers, due to wildfire, battle for resources from wild horse herds, drought, litigation, water and competition from foreign imports an increasing subject of conflict.” Leigh stated: “so basically we have an hour long “commercial” funded by those that have made every effort to remove wild horses off the landscape, deny them water and are now actively engaged in federal litigation to remove wild horses from Nevada and actually destroy them.” Interestingly, despite her statement to the RAC that her organization “stands ready to assist with manpower, supplies, and funding,” in her online editorial she refers to a contradictory video previously made by WHE, stating: “excuse our “low budget” in the edit. We do NOT have the funding that the ranchers have.” So which is it—funding, or no funding? Reno Gazette-Journal columnist Charles Lawson recently wrote: “the ‘wild horse people’ are a bunch of wild-eyed, uncompromising radicals. They are worse than any group receiving handouts from the government. They are not willing to pay for their demands, fully expecting you and I as taxpayers to pay for their unrealistic dreams, and dreams they are.” Read Leigh’s editorial at: http://wildhorseeducation.org/2014/02/14/rangeland-under-fire-under-fire-editorial/

Nevada Water Solutions LLC

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Water Rights / Resource Permitting Expertise

Join the United Horsemen, today, to help fight the extremist anti-agriculture groups. Dave Duquette, President United Horsemen

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Over 31 years of experience with the Nevada State Engineer’s Office

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775•825•1653 / FAX 775•825•1683 675 Sierra Rose Dr., #109 / Reno, NV 89511 tomg@nevadawatersolutions.com www.progressiverancher.com

BLM Seeks Research Proposals to Develop New, Innovative Techniques to Suppress Population Growth of Wild Horse and Burro Herds Request for Applications calls for effective contraception and sterilization research to ensure healthy herds, healthy rangelands

As part of its continuing efforts to improve the national Wild Horse and Burro Program, and in response to a recent study of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the Bureau of Land Management is seeking research proposals to develop new or improve existing ways of controlling the population growth of wild horses and burros that roam public lands in the West. “We remain committed to making substantial improvements to the national Wild Horse and Burro Program and we know that some of the best ideas for effective contraception techniques will come from veterinarians, scientists, universities, pharmaceutical companies, and other researchers outside of the BLM,” said Joan Guilfoyle, Division Chief of the program. “The development and use of more effective methods to reduce population growth rates will lessen the need to remove animals from the range and improve the health of public rangelands, conserve wildlife habitat, and save taxpayers money.” The BLM has issued a Request for Applications (RFA) to alert veterinarians, scientists, universities, pharmaceutical companies, and other researchers of the BLM’s need to develop new, innovative techniques and protocols for implementing population growthsuppression methods. Specifically, the BLM is interested in finding

experts to develop new or refine current techniques and protocols for either contraception or the spaying/neutering of on-range male and female wild horses and burros. The methods may be surgical, chemical, pharmaceutical, or mechanical (such as intrauterine devices). The submission deadline for applications is May 7, 2014. The President’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2015 includes $80.2 million for the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program, a $2.8 million increase over the FY 2014 level. The additional funds will focus on research of population-control methods. The BLM estimates that 40,605 wild horses and burros (about 33,780 horses and 6,825 burros) are roaming BLM-managed rangelands in 10 Western states, based on the latest data available, compiled as of February 28, 2013. Wild horses and burros have virtually no natural predators and their herd sizes can double about every four years, as confirmed by the recent NAS study that urged the BLM to make wider use of fertility control and found that, on average, the BLM undercounts the Westwide population of wild horses and burros by 20 to 30 percent. The link to the solicitation can be found at: http://www.grants. gov/web/grants/search-grants.html?keywords=wild horse (The funding opportunity number is L14AS00048 .)

Allie Bear

Real Estate

Spec ializing in hunting, ranching, and horse properties Starr Valley Pasture Unique fenced 1,104 acres on Boulder Creek bordering U.S. Forest Service in Starr Valley, Nevada. Water-righted with nice meadows. $1,400,000

Recanzone Ranch Neat ranch in Paradise Valley. 900+ acres, 300 AUMs, right by town. Original Sandstone House. Easy access to Hinkey Summit & surrounding mountains. Includes Barn, Outbuildings and Corrals. $1,500,000

Davis Ranch Great little ranch north of Elko about 14 miles out. 157.19 acres. Fenced, cross fenced, large barn, stalls, tack room, corrals, round pen, arena. 3 Bedroom / 2 bath home with covered deck, 4-car garage.

Flying M Ranch

COWBOY LOGIC The quickest way to do many things is to do one thing at a time. Courtesy PCC Update www.progressiverancher.com

Clover Valley Ranch: 2,489 Deeded Acres with over 500 acres water righted and irrigated with a gravity ﬂow system from Stream ﬂow and from several underground irrigation wells. Access on paved road and just 7 miles South of Wells, Nevada. One 3 bedroom 2 bath home. Price: $1,800,000. Ruby Valley: 1136 deeded acres of which approx. 129 acres have water rights. On paved State Rt.229. Only 45 minutes from Elko. Good summer range. Price: $700,000. Elko Co. 10,706 deeded with BLM grazing permit: These private sections are in the checkerboard area and are intermingled with public lands. The ranch has historically been a Spring Sheep range. The BLM permit is only 29% public lands. Price includes 50% of the mineral rights on all but 320 acres. Oil & Gas Lease might pay a big portion of the purchase! Price:$130/acre. Or $1,392,000. Considering adding the property below to it to make a year around unit.

Elko Co. Humboldt River Property: 650 acres located between the Ryndon and Osino Exits on I-80. This property has over 300 acres of surface water rights out of the Humboldt River. The BLM permit for the 10,706 acres above is a short distance from this property with a stock driveway on this property. Price:$1.2 million. Tent Mountain Ranch: Approx. 3500 deed acres in Starr Valley. Nice larger home on paved road plus mountain cabin. Great summer range with water from numerous creeks and seeps. This ranch is made of up of over 20 separate parcels if a buyer were more interested in Investment property vs. Agricultural property. Over 135 acres with surface water rights. Price $3.5 million. PENDING CLOVER VALLEY FARM; SOLD INDIAN CREEK RANCH: SOLD KRENKA RANCH: PENDING

WE NEED MORE FARMS AND RANCHES TO SELL! For additional information on these properties go to: BOTTARIREALTY.COM

Paul D. Bottari, Broker

Work: 775-752-3040

paul@bottarirealty.com

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

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

•

www.bottarirealty.com

The Progressive Rancher

Great ranch! Just minutes from I-80 (Imlay, NV) & not far from Winnemucca. Approx. 23,000 acres of deeded ground with more than 23 miles on the river. Winter outside-no feeding. One of the oldest water rights along the river. $15,000,000

J and M Farm Very nice farm just minutes from Battle Mountain, Nevada. 169 acres of which 130 are in production. Feedlot, corrals, new shop & equipment shed. New 3 bed, 2 bath mobile with mature landscape.

J M Farm

(Winnemucca)

58 acre well maintained farm just 3 miles from downtown Winnemucca. Approx. 43 acres planted in alfalfa/ grass mix. Water rights included in sale. Includes two homes, mature landscaping, several outbuildings, barn and horse corrals. Farm equipment will be negotiated with sale. $780,000

View comple liﬆings at:

www.ARanchBroker.com

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

April 2014 39

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

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nsbank.com I 54 years in apply. Nevada *Loans subject to credit approval, restrictions 50 branches statewideBanking Specialist John Hays, Agricultural 775.525.6744 *Loans subject to credit approval, restrictions apply.

nsbank.com I 54 years in Nevada 50 branches statewide *Loans subject to credit approval, restrictions apply.

40 April 2014

The Progressive Rancher