Line Rider January

ICA

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT Kim Brackett (Kimberly) 208-308-1952

PRESIDENT-ELECT

Jerry Wroten (Wilder) 208-831-7339

VICE PRESIDENT Spencer Black (Almo) 208-647-8130

PAST PRESIDENT Mark Pratt ...........(Blackfoot) 208-681-6597

TREASURER

Cody Hendrix (Rigby) 208-360-9693

FEEDER COUNCIL CHAIR

Shawna Gill (Grandview) 208-850-9076

PUREBRED COUNCIL CHAIR

Val Carter (Pingree) 208-390-4811

COW-CALF COUNCIL CHAIR

Brayden Eliason (Holbrook) 208-705-2541

CATTLEWOMEN COUNCIL CHAIR

Maggie Malson (Parma) 208-739-2265

DISTRICT 1 REPRESENTATIVES

Eric Wittman (Lapwai) 208-790-5344

Casey Scott...............(Clarkston) 208-431-3024

DISTRICT 2 REPRESENTATIVES

Lori Ireland (Mountain Home) 208-866-0112

Royce Schwenkfelder (Cambridge) 208-550-2200

DISTRICT 3 REPRESENTATIVES

Eugene Matthews (Oakley) 208-431-3260

Jesse Human (Jerome) 208-358-1277

DISTRICT 4 REPRESENTATIVES

Ryan Steele (Idaho Falls) 208-390-5765

Chris Kirby (Salmon) 208-223-2258

DISTRICT 5 REPRESENTATIVES

Roscoe Lake (Blackfoot) 208-604-3650

Arnold Callison (Blackfoot) 208-681-8440

ALLIED INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVE

Kody Dee Williams.....(Fruitland) 509-948-6430

DIRECTORS AT LARGE

Robert Oxarango (Emmett) 208-431-0777

Adrian Meyer (Grand View) 208-509-1892

CATTLEWOMEN BOARD REPRESENTATIVE Tay Brackett (Filer) 208-866-4967

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

The key to our success

Happy new year to you and your families.

I typically like to pause at year-end to remember the previous year’s successes and challenges, thinking about lessons learned and how to do just a little better in the new year. Reflecting on Idaho Cattle Association (ICA)’s work over the past year, it’s my belief that the key to our success is a focus on connection and communication. ICA connects with legislators and agencies to communicate our members’ feedback on relevant issues. We then re-connect with members to communicate the results of working with legislators and agencies. ICA also connects with other associations to communicate on issues specific to their mission that are relevant to all of Idaho’s cattle industry. Throughout this new year, ICA is re-committing to solid two-way communication with our members and our industry partners.

According to Merriam-Webster, communication is “the successful exchange of ideas or information between individuals or entities”. For me, the keywords in this definition are ‘successful exchange’. More than once I have found myself thinking that I am communicating, only to realize that I have been in lecture mode (just ask my kids!). Taking the time to thoughtfully convey information and intentionally listen to what the other party has to say is a skill that is developed over time. ICA recognizes the importance of communication and remains dedicated to engaging with all of our partners.

BY KIM BRACKETT ICA President

In order to maintain communication with our members, ICA intends to have staff or leadership attend as many of your local cattle association meetings as possible throughout the year. Sharing your upcoming meeting dates with our staff will ensure that we get it on our calendars! During my time on the ICA board, my favorite part has been attending local and district meetings. Learning from you about what issues are impacting your operation and elaborating on how ICA can help.- it ensures that we are grounded in the grassroots issues and provides us with an opportunity to visit with you about the work we have done around the state on those issues.

Another example of how ICA connects on various levels is the ability to appoint or nominate individuals to several different organization’s board of directors throughout Idaho. Case in point, ICA appoints a representative to serve on the Rinker Rock Creek Advisory Board. ICA also recommends representatives for the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission to the Governor’s office, where he makes the final decision. As our state population expands, there is increased pressure on the resources of all beef organizations. Strengthening lines of communication amongst these groups, will help streamline the work we do and ensure that we are being strategic when making resourcing decisions. I am committed to continuing the work to increase communication between ICA and each of those boards by inviting those producer representatives to share an update with the ICA Board of Directors to discuss shared successes and challenges.

Please help us in pursuing the opportunities to connect and communicate by sharing those opportunities for ICA representatives to attend local events! Keep engaging in those conversations that support our ‘successful exchange of ideas & information’, so that we can continue to be a statewide representative for all.

Painting the picture for how ICA focuses on

A time to look forward

The Idaho Cattle Association focuses on policy both in our state and at the national level. We work as an affiliate of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands Council to affect national policy. Here in Idaho our association is the only representative of the industry, representing all aspects of our industry and we focus our time and personnel here in Boise during the session.

As we move toward the start of the legislative session, I felt it was important to give a high-level look at the 2023 legislature. Idaho’s House of Representatives is made up of 70 individuals, two from each of the 35 legislative districts in our state. Re-districting played an effect on our upcoming legislature. It will look drastically different than the 2022 legislature with 31, 1st term legislators taking their place in the state house. Two of those legislators, one of which includes Past ICA President Jerald Raymond, have served in the past but are listed as first term as they were not in this past session. Nearly 42% (29) of our representatives in the Idaho House will be experiencing their firsts in this legislature.

If we look to the Idaho Senate, we will see 19 senators with a 1st term designation. Each legislative district has but one senator to legislate on behalf of their constituency, so of our 35 Senate seats 19 are listed as first term senators. Howev-

BY CAMERON MULRONY ICA Executive Vice President

er, of the 19, nine of them do have past legislative service either serving in the house or senate in historical sessions. Still nearly 30% of Idaho’s Senate will be seeing the halls of the state house as a legislator for the first time.

The grand total, including those that have served past terms adds 50, so of the 105 seats, fifty will hold a first term legislator. How will this impact our industry and our state? Well, we are soon to find out. Idaho’s 2023 session began January 9th.

Now the statistics are basic information about this upcoming session. We do know the cast will be different than the past session and that shows through the numbers, but what we do not know for sure is how each member will cast their votes. An effective and good legislature will represent their constituency. Therefore, I challenge each of you, to reach out to your legislators this session and remind them that agriculture and the cattle industry are important to Idaho and you as one of their constituents.

Moving forward, I’ll state that agriculture is the lifeblood of America and it is the key to the success that Idaho has had throughout history, but that is a story I have told in the past. However, let’s take a quick look at the Idaho Agriculture committees in the upcoming session. These legislators will be the “clearing house” for agriculture policy in the upcoming session.

The House committee shapes up with 14 legislators, eleven Republican and three Democrat members. The house committee will be chaired by Kevin Andrus who is a 3rd term legislator from District 35 and is listed as a Rancher/Horse trainer. The vice chair will be past ICA President Jerald Raymond who will be serving District 31 and although he is listed as a 1st term legislator, he did serve in previous legislative sessions. Of the 14 legislators on this committee five list their career to be in agriculture.

As Idaho’s demographic changes, the state will evolve into something that is different than what we see today.

An overview of the upcoming legislative session in Idaho.

This group in particular is one that we need to keep informed on how potential legislation will affect you and your operation as well as the entire agricultural sector of our state.

House Agriculture Affairs Committee

Chair Kevin Andrus (Dist. 35)

Vice Chair Jerald Raymond (Dist. 31)

Judy Boyle (Dist. 9)

David M. Cannon (Dist. 30)

Lori McCann (Dist. 6)

Jeff Ehlers (Dist. 21)

Jacyn Gallagher (Dist. 9)

Dan Garner (Dist. 28)

Jack Nelsen (Dist.26)

Douglas T. Pickett (Dist. 27)

Mark Sauter (Dist. 1)

Chris Mathias (Dist. 19)

Colin Nash (Dist. 16)

Nate Roberts (Dist. 29)

In the west wing of the state house, the agriculture committee will consist of

9 members, however, none of these legislators are listed as working in agriculture on the legislative web pages. Linda Wright-Hartgen, a first term senator who served in the house of representatives in the past session, will chair the committee. Wright-Hartgen, although listed officially as a retired trial court administrator, has owned and operated farm and ranch operations and has been a positive representative for our industry in my experiences. She will serve the committee along with Vice Chairman Tammy Nichols who serves her first term in the senate as well. Senator Nichols previously served in Idaho’s house of representatives. Nichols has been a small business owner and serves District 10 in her position.

As Idaho’s demographic changes, the state will evolve into something that is different than what we see today. What that future looks like is up to us and our influence and our votes. The upcoming session is an opportunity for

Senate Agriculture Affairs Committee

Chair Linda Wright Hartgen (Dist. 25)

Vice Chair Tammy Nichols (Dist. 10)

Daniel D. Foreman (Dist. 6)

Phil Hart (Dist. 2)

Geoff Schroeder (Dist. 8)

Cindy J. Carlson (Dist. 7)

Glenneda Zuiderveld (Dist. 24)

Carrie Semmelroth (Dist. 17)

Ron C. Taylor (Dist. 26)

all of us, whether we have a familiar face to call in the state house, a future friend of our industry, or an unknown sitting in the seats of our districts, we need to be involved, and although that is our role here at the Idaho Cattle Association, it builds momentum for our industry and our influence if our leaders hear from a volume of us as we work to maintain our strength of agriculture and specifically the cattle industry here in Idaho.

Happy New Year!!!!

An inside look at ICA’s

2023 priorities

In life, we face varied and constant demands on our time. Typically, these demands add up to more than what a 24-hour day can accommodate. Because of this, we all, whether consciously or not, prioritize our actions so that our time and efforts are spent on those things that are both most pressing and most doable. Likewise, in representing Idaho’s cattle industry, the Idaho Cattle Association (ICA) faces an overabundance of issues that affect, or have the potential to affect, our members and their way of life. Not only does it make good sense, but it is also out of necessity, that we annually undertake a process to establish our priority issues. Having a priority list provides staff and leadership with the necessary guidance to focus ICA’s resources on the areas that have the greatest potential to affect Idaho’s cattlemen and on those issues that we can have the greatest effect upon.

The priority issues process starts with our members who have the opportunity to submit, review, discuss, and set our policy, in the form of resolutions, at our annual meetings. From there, ICA Committee Chairmen identify the key issues, and associated resolutions, from their respective committees. Rankings are then assigned to each issue after thorough review by the ICA Executive Committee. In turn, the recommended priority rankings are submitted to the ICA Board of Directors for their approval. These top issues are ranked in priority order of 1, 2, and 3. A ranking of number one is considered a top priority for ICA staff and leadership, and we will do all that we can to accomplish the needs of that issue. These issues are those that are the most urgent and most timely. The number two and three rankings follow sequentially in order of the amount of staff time and emphasis ICA will place on those issues.

The finalized priority list is listed below with a brief explanation of our key issues. Please feel free to contact

BY KAREN WILLIAMS ICA Natural Resources Policy Director

any ICA staff, board member, or committee leader at any time if you have questions about our efforts on any of these, or other issues.

TOP PRIORITIES (RANKING #1)

(Presented alphabetically according to ICA Committee/Council)

• Idaho Brand Department (Cattle Health)

ICA will continue to support Idaho’s brand laws and the Idaho Brand Department. We will remain engaged in discussions with the Department as they review their management and consider efficiencies to allow them to continue operating on a tightening budget.

• BLM Grazing Regulations (Federal & State Lands)

For years, ICA has been involved in developing industry recommendations to the BLM grazing regulations. The effort to revise the regulations stalled for a couple years, but the BLM has taken it up again and is expected to release a proposed rule in 2023. ICA will need to take a lead in continuing to advocate for the needed changes to streamline grazing permit administration. There will be strong opposition to these changes, and we will need to be strong and persistent in our support and encourage ICA members to engage during the public process.

• Recreation (Federal & State Lands)

As Idaho’s population expands, demand for outdoor recreational opportunities exponentially increases. The increase in recreation has disrupted land management on public and private lands, has adversely affected ranching operations, and has created many challenges which are further compounded by a lack of enforcement and education. In 2023, ICA will need to continue working on this to develop

Reviewing where ICA will be focusing efforts in the new year.

collaborative solutions with other land users and recreational groups. We’ll also seek for the establishment of a task force to enact more meaningful, focused management of recreation.

• Rangeland Improvement Program (Federal & State Lands Committee)

ICA staff and leadership have explored the possibility of creating a Rangeland Improvement Fund, modeled after Utah’s successful Grazing Improvement Program. To establish the program, state legislation would need to be passed to establish a Rangeland Improvement Fund to be used to coordinate across land ownership types, to facilitate range improvement projects, and provide for continued grazing use of Idaho’s lands. The program would create state and regional grazing advisory boards which would be overseen by the state to provide advice and recommendations for fund disbursements. The fund would enable the state and permittees to better leverage available government dollars and private grants to achieve its purposes. In order for this to happen, ICA would have to spearhead the legislation and work to get it approved.

• Climate Change Regulations (Private Lands & Environment Committee)

Due to pressure from politicians and environmentalist organizations, climate change has become one of the most discussed environmental issues of our day. The Biden administration will continue to seek to use this issue as the catalyst for enforcing various regulatory requirements that have the potential to greatly impact Idaho’s cattle industry. It appears as a consideration in various NEPA documents related to grazing, species, and agricultural practices documents. ICA must stay on top of the issue to both explain the benefits of a stable cattle industry in promoting land conservation and to protect against unjustifiable laws, policies, and regulations that place unnecessary burdens on cattle producers, particularly as the “America the Beautiful” and

30x30 plans from the Biden Administration continue to develop.

• Sage Grouse (Wildlife Committee)

The sage grouse issue is heating back up again, and ICA will need to remain heavily involved in this issue. The sage grouse resource management plan (RMP) for Idaho, instituted under the Trump admistration, which brought the plan into alignment with the previously developed state plan, has been litigated and we will continue to support the efforts of the state in this case and defend the state plan which ICA has played a heavy role in developing. In November 2021, the BLM announced its intent to revise the sage grouse land use plans. This process appeared to have stalled in 2022, but the administration is now moving to have a draft rule for review by summer 2023. ICA will need to be heavily involved in providing comments and in engaging with the state and our partners. We will also need to be proactive in explaining the benefits of grazing to sage grouse, which includes our involvement in supporting the University of Idaho spring grazing and sage grouse study.

• Idaho Fish & Game Department (Wildlife Committee)

It is important for ICA to foster goodwill between our industry, IDFG, and sportsmen. ICA will need to continue to focus on maintaining a good working relationship with IDFG in order to effectively address our concerns. With the recent announcement of the pending retirement of IDFG director, Ed Schriever, ICA will engage in the replacement process to ensure that the incoming director has a clear understanding of our industry’s concerns and the benefits of Idaho’s ranching industry to wildlife. Pervasive issues such as respect for private land, elk depredation, wolf management, and landowner appreciation & assistance underscore this need. We will also continue discussions with IDFG to encourage them to recognize and utilize the importance of continued grazing to manage land the department owns.

• Grass Futurity (All Committees)

ICA’s Grass Futurity contest has become ICA’s primary fundraising source. Funds raised this year through the contest were used to fund our political action committee, legal fund, the Beef Counts humanitarian program, and are earmarked to fund ICA’s development of an Idaho cattle industry economic impact study. 2023 will mark the 11th annual Grass Futurity contest. This year’s contest will continue at the UI Nancy M. Cummings Research Ranch in Salmon. This fun and competitive event has grown into the primary fundraising source for ICA.

• Membership (All Committees)

Membership is the life blood of ICA and will always be a top priority for our association. Without sustaining and increasing our membership, it will be difficult to give adequate attention to these top issues facing our industry.

SECOND PRIORITY RANKINGS

• University of Idaho Agriculture and Natural Resources Programs (Several committees contain related resolutions)

Several ongoing activities keep our relationship with the University of Idaho College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) and College of Natural Resources (CNR) a priority. We will need to continue to pursue equitable return from CALS for our industry. Particularly in light of the recent $40 million grant awarded to CALS to incentivize “climate smart agriculture”, ICA will need to provide direction on the use of these funds as they relate to the cattle industry. Additionally, the Rangeland Center has the potential to provide great assistance to Idaho ranchers who graze on rangelands but needs direction to make it a useful tool for our industry. As a foundational supporter of Rock Creek Ranch, ICA will need to continue to support and encourage the University of

Idaho’s involvement in the development and management of the ranch to operate a premier, one-of-a-kind rangeland, wildlife, and livestock research facility that pursues priority research important to the cattle industry. Further, the new Meat Science and Innovation Center is under construction and merits the support of ICA in the meat science program.

• Renewable Energy Development (Federal & State Lands)

Renewable energy project development has been prioritized by the Biden administration which is creating an influx of development proposals on Idaho’s state and federal lands. These projects, and the association infrastructure development, have the potential to displace livestock grazing in the short term and have the potential for long term consequences limiting grazing on the land on which the development occurs. ICA will need to actively participates in the public processes regarding energy development to assert our priorities regarding multiple use, the economic and conservation value of continued livestock grazing, and no net loss of grazing AUMs.

• Wildfires & Fuels Management (Federal & State Lands Committee)

ICA needs to continue being a leader on this issue in encouraging use of prescriptive grazing, fuel breaks, and other methods to better control and prevent wildfires, particularly in light of the sage grouse issue. It is also important the rehabilitation efforts and funds are dedicated to restoring grazing allotments and providing the necessary infrastructure and seed mixes to do so. We also must continue to lend support to existing RFPAs, and for creating new RFPAs. RFPAs have created a tremendous amount of goodwill towards our industry, and we need to capitalize on this.

• Land Conversion to Non-Agricultural Uses (Private Lands & Environment Committee)

Idaho is growing in population at the fastest rate in the nation. This is not wel-

come news, but is something that we must plan and prepare for as a state and an industry. We must work toward the implementation of laws and policies in Idaho that better promote and protect continued agricultural use and open spaces. At the same time, we must guard against government land acquisition that takes land out of production, along with private enterprise purchasing of land with the intent of removing agriculture.

• Water Rights (Private Lands & Environment Committee)

The general protection of water rights is also an increasing concern with a growing population, and an ongoing specific issue that relates to the protection of stockwater rights. In 2017, the Idaho legislature approved legislation that codified the Joyce Livestock Supreme Court decision to make it available to permittees across the state of Idaho to file for stock water rights on federal lands. During the 2020 legislative session, the law was amended to authorize IDWR to engage in forfeiture proceedings. The amendment further allowed permittees to claim to be an agent of the federal government to avoid forfeiture process. Consequently, the BLM and Forest Service issued agent agreements for permittees to sign. There continues to be many questions on this issue and there is need for greater clarity on the impacts of both the law and the associated agreement. To further complicate the issue, in November 2021, the federal government filed a motion asking the SRBA court to begin adjudicating all deferred domestic and stockwater claims throughout the SRBA, which could be a signal that the feds are planning to contest private stockwater claims on federal lands. Then, in June 2022, the federal government filed an additional suit that contends that the state’s forfeiture procedure violates the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause and seeks to nullify Idaho’s stockwater laws. The Idaho legislature has intervened in this case. ICA must continue to facilitate discussion be-

tween state leadership and the federal agencies to ensure that the right to water livestock on federal land and to develop water improvements is protected.

THIRD PRIORITY RANKINGS

• Nutrient Management Planning (Feeder Council)

Following the 2019 Legislative Session the state of Idaho went through a rules review process. The rules governing beef cattle feeding operations were renewed during the 2020 legislative session, however in the process, it was determined that the need to make changes may be necessary to keep the rule up to date with the current science on the matter. This issue, and other updates to the nutrient management plan standards were considered through a negotiated rulemaking process in 2022 in which ICA played an active role. The rules will be finalized during the 2023 legislative session and ICA will need to follow this issue to ensure it is passed by the legislature.

• Transportation of Feed & Livestock (Feeder Council)

A crisis for livestock producers across the country was narrowly averted in December when the potential rail strike was averted with the help of congressional intervention and the Biden administration to approve a deal between the railroads and the unions. The impact of a rail strike would have impacted all sectors of the U.S. economy (to the tune of $2 billion per day) but would have been particularly harsh on Idaho cattle producers who rely on the transportation of corn into the state. This near disaster brought further to light our industry’s reliance on seamless transportation of goods and services across the country, how tenuous our stability is, and the need for constant vigilance by ICA and NCBA on transporation issues. Additionally, on the transportation front, the U.S. Department

of Transportation recently denied an exemption, which has been in place for the past few years, to allow additional time on the road for truckers transporting livestock, insects and aquatic animals and make them exempt from some Hours-of-Service rules. ICA will continue to work in partnership with NCBA to continue to look at any possible legal or Congressional recourse.

• Federal Grazing Permit Litigation (Federal & State Lands Committee)

The protection of grazing rights on federal lands remains an ever-present issue for ICA. At times, when the land management agencies propose decisions that could have repercussions across the west for permittees, we engage in litigation, in cooperation with the affected permittees. We remain involved in litigation seeking protection of continued grazing on federal lands including the Owyhee 68 permits and the BECO permits.

• Cattle Market (Marketing Committee)

Disruptions to the cattle market by outside economic forces have highlighted the need for clear policy on market influences and price discovery. Additionally, it has become increasingly clear that our industry must find ways to increase competition amongst the concentrated packing industry, without government intervention, to ensure that livestock producers are receiving their fair share of the beef dollar. As these discussions continue to heat up across our industry nationwide, ICA will need to remain engaged in the conversation to ensure that our current policy opposing artificial intervention measures in the marketplace is upheld.

• Clean Water Act/WOTUS (Private Lands & Environment Committee)

In 2011, EPA issued new regulations for “waters of the United States”. The regulations, known as WOTUS, had the potential to increase federal jurisdiction of water and greatly impact private property rights. Following years of litigation, in 2019 the WOTUS rule was repealed. In 2020, WOTUS was replaced with

the Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR) which, overall is beneficial to the cattle industry compared to the 2011 rule. In November 2021, the Biden administration announced a proposal to repeal and redefine WOTUS. The final rule is expected in early 2023. Concurrently, the Supreme Court has heard a case challenging EPA’s jurisdiction over water on private land. The Court decision is expected in early 2023. ICA will continue to work with NCBA to urge the EPA to halt their rulemaking to allow for a single rule that represents the will of the stakeholders and the will of the Court.

• Wolf Management (Wildlife Committee)

Wolf populations in Idaho continue to expand. As they do so, predation on livestock and wildlife also increases on a similar trajectory. The effects of this wolf predation are not adequately mitigated in the state. Only a fraction of livestock losses can be confirmed, other negative

impacts on livestock production are not adequately accounted for, and opportunities for big game hunting are reduced. For these reasons, ICA worked to pass state legislation in 2021 to make wolf management more effective. Since then, lawsuits have been filed against the new law and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has initiated a 12-month status review of the species. ICA will need to continue to defend against unwarranted erroneous attacks on the state law and find ways to help ranchers protect their livestock from depredation.

As always, please feel free to contact ICA staff or leadership if you have any questions about our efforts on any of these issues. Rest assured that we are doing our best to work on your behalf every day in protecting your ability to raise livestock and pursue your livelihood. These priorities help keep us focused in doing so. Here’s to a prosperous new year for Idaho cattle producers!

What’s Idaho got to do with it?

This time of the year, most people are spending their time worrying about how long they’re going to stick to their new years’ resolutions or working off the sweets from the Christmas holiday – usually by chopping as much ice as Mother Nature allows. In the nation’s capital, however, January is the time when new Representatives and Senators come to town, fresh off their recent victory and brimming with enthusiasm for all the things they’ll do with their newfound roles. The first few weeks of the year are filled with negotiations over committee assignments, jockeying for attention from leadership, and staffing their offices with the best and brightest to go to work for the district.

Because of this schedule, January is often a great time for organizations like the Public Lands Council to do a bit of a Congressional reset. This is especially true in years immediately following elections; since Congress runs on a two-year cycle, Januarys after elections mark the beginning of a new Congress. Any bills that didn’t pass the prior year are reintroduced, and the legislative clock starts from zero. As the House and Senate gavel into the 118th Congress, PLC has gone to work, meeting with each of the more than 80 members

BY KAITLYNN GLOVER Puiblic Lands Council

of the freshman class to share the policy priorities that affect how you make decisions every day as federal lands grazing permittees.

In Congress, our priorities are consistent: legislative direction of use of grazing as a conservation and land management tool and Congressional acknowledgement of the value of grazing; prohibitions on general government overreach, from environmental regulations to species’ habitat management; clear direction on fire mitigation and post fire remediation, and more. 2023 will be filled with discussions about the Farm Bill, where PLC will prioritize robust forest management to stem the cycle of federal mismanagement-catastrophic burn-federal inaction, while protecting the unquestionable access to Forest Service and BLM lands for grazing activities.

While the House and Senate find their footing this month, agency action continues full force. The administration is now in crunch time; in order for them to publish final rules before the general election’s campaign season gets underway, federal agencies need to publish draft rules in spring 2023. This means that draft BLM grazing regulations and the accompanying draft NEPA will be out this spring. In 2022, PLC led livestock industry engagement with BLM to make clear that any grazing reg rewrite must contain a few key things: increased flexibility to use grazing for the benefit of the landscape; a move of land health standards out of the grazing regulation and into larger BLM land management strategy to ensure grazing does not continue to bear the brunt of rangeland damage from recreation, fire, and other surface disturbance; and more meaningful pathways to allow permittees to demonstrate expertise and lead management strategies on the ground.

Since 1968, the Public Lands Council has been the only national organization whose sole mission is to represent cattle and sheep ranchers who hold federal grazing permits. Public lands ranchers face unique political, environmental, and economic challenges, and we work with government leaders and private-sector partners

Public lands ranchers form the backbone of many rural communities and local economies, while leading the way in responsible and innovative stewardship of landscapes across the West. Public lands ranchers also have a positive story to tell, and we shout it from the rooftops.

These conversations are critical, which is why PLC maintains a Grazing Regulations Working Group to develop specific language and strategies to hold the BLM accountable to FLPMA, TGA, and resource needs.

The regulatory urgency extends to other areas, as well. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has 3 Endangered Species Act rulemakings ahead and countless petitions to list species – many of them frivolous, while the Interior Department will be consumed with the innumerable requests that areas be designated as National Monuments before the end of the administration. Perhaps most pressing for Idaho, however, will be the BLM’s efforts to update their 2012 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) and Resource Management Plans (RMP) across the west for utility-scale solar projects. The Biden Administration set a goal to permit 25 gigawatts of renewable pow-

er on public lands by 2025, and in the last three months, the Department of the Interior has outlined plans for 31 gigawatts of solar alone – all of which would occur on public lands.

For context, Interior Secretary Haaland’s recent announcement of plans for solar development in Arizona required the segregation of more than 4,400 acres – and the projected output would be just 600 megawatt hours. Most estimates range between 4,900 and 5,700 acres required to produce 1 GW for solar projects. This kind of massive conversion of hundreds of thousands of acres means that every permittee on every allotment – as well as ranchers who only utilize private land – have concerns about the conversion of valuable, multiple use grazing land to the single use solar farms. PLC’s policy on renewable energy is clear: PLC supports renewable energy projects – as long as there is no loss of Animal Unit Months

(AUMs) and multiple use is maintained. As BLM works through the updates to the PEIS, PLC will be leading industry comments to ensure the agency protects grazing, mitigates environmental damage from any solar facility, and listens to local communities as these projects are proposed. It is not, and will not, be acceptable for these renewable project applications to jump to the head of the NEPA queue, simply because the BLM has a new initiative in mind. Your input is critical. Comments on the solar PEIS are due February 23, so collect your comments and submit them soon.

As we turn the calendar to February and the 118th Congress gets underway, your engagement with Idaho PLC will continue to be the most effective advocacy tool we have. Your stories make all the difference – from Salmon to the Senate, we value your engagement.

Happy New Year from all of us at PLC.

BY MORGAN LUTGEN Director of Membership & Industry Engagement

Chances are, if you’ve ever Google-d ‘Kim Brackett Idaho’, you were not disappointed with the list of articles and press releases linked to her. Chances are also that, if you’ve met Kim, you know she doesn’t default to detailing her impressive dossier of achievements. There’s pretty much nothing in the beef world that this lady hasn’t done, but I’d be lying if I said she gave me the green light to list them all here.

Photos provided by Kim Brackett

For 2023, the Idaho Cattle Association is welcoming Kim Brackett into yet another prestigious and pivotal role in her career: Board President. In this role, Kim’s depth of leadership experience will be utilized through steering the ICA’s 23 person Board of Directors and representing the association in its interactions on behalf of the state of Idaho’s beef industry.

It’s a bit of an ongoing joke amongst our staff – “Where is Kim today?” Homedale? Three Creek? Denver? Wherever she is, the odds are that she is doing something beef related. Whether it’s getting ready to brand calves on her family’s Three Creek ranch (a cow-calf operation located near Idaho-Nevada border where they also hold federal grazing permits), or traveling to Denver for her duties on the Beef Industry’s Long Range Planning task force (among others), Kim is always on the move. One may think, ‘she must spend so much time driving- how does she find time to keep up on communication?’ Well, it’s simple – Kim is an efficiency master. She unashamedly enlists one of her 4 children as secretary during her commutes!

On a more serious note, however, when I asked Kim “why DO you do all of this?”, her answer to this was simple as well – at the end of the day, it’s actually FOR her kids. When she and her husband, Ira, moved back to his family ranch 25+ years ago, they both agreed that being seriously involved in the beef industry was a core value of theirs and something that they wanted modeled for their kids as the next generation. And while the Brackett family is somewhat of a legacy in Idaho, Ira just didn’t want the front and center role that this sort of deep commitment to the industry can sometimes require. Kim’s willingness to connect in this way has launched her into a multitude of audiences and experiences. Out of all of the boards, committees and programs she’s been part of, the one she holds dearest and is most proud of, is her experience as part the 2018 class for the Eisenhower U.S. Fellowship. Taking very seriously the challenge that the beef industry faces in regard to sustainability and narratives around climate change, as part of the Eisenhower Fellowship program Kim was able to visit the countries of Australia and Argentina during 6 weeks of

KIM AND HER HUSBAND, IRA, ENJOYING FAMILY TIME WITH THEIR KIDS CADE, ZANE, CHANTRY AND RHETT.

KIM’S DRIVE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE BEEF INDUSTRY IS ROOTED IN HER DESIRE TO MODEL THIS BEHAVIOR FOR HER KIDS.

international travel. There she learned from producers about strides made in improving environmental sustainability (in a similar drought fraught environment), as well as response to consumer demands for sustainability.

You might be wondering, where does all of this bridge building come in? When you get an opportunity to converse with Kim, chances are you’ll find her to be a thoughtful listener, but also a vocal advocate. These qualities lend so well to the bridge building that is part of her laser focus and also what positions her so well for the role of ICA’s Board President. Kim’s recent addition to the management board for the Intermountain West Joint Venture is just one such example that perfectly aligns with her ability to bridge build. Being part of this group (whose purpose is to bring together federal & state agency directors, corporate partners, western landowners and non-government association leaders in an effort to

share perspectives openly and find common ground in conservation efforts) is just one of the bridge building efforts that help ICA stand out as an agricultural leader in its own right. Kim is no stranger to the conversation around conservation, sustainability & climate change affecting the beef industry, which makes her ability to further forge bridges with agency contacts invaluable in the Board President’s seat.

We are beyond thrilled to welcome Kim into the aforementioned President’s seat for 2023. The work of a beef industry advocate is never done, but knowing that someone is at the helm with the vision, expertise and drive of Ms. Kim Brackett, you should be able to rest easy knowing that the direction of ICA is under her watchful and skilled eye. Be sure to take time to connect with her as you see her out and about, and let’s all keep building those bridges for the Idaho beef industry!

When you get an opportunity to converse with Kim, chances are you’ll find her to be a thoughtful listener, but also a vocal advocate.

New Year Provides New Opportunities for Promoting Beef’s Positive Nutrition Message

The beginning of the new year is a great time to reinforce beef’s role in a healthy lifestyle. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor of the Beef Checkoff, is reaching new audiences, such as teenagers and health professionals, with beef’s positive nutrition message.

BUILDING STRONG MINDS AND BODIES

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans identified that children and adolescents aren’t getting enough high-quality protein, iron, zinc, choline and vita-

mins B6 and B12. During these critical years of growth and development, it is extremely important for adolescents to focus on proper nutrition and including high-quality sources of protein and iron, like beef, in their diet.1

When students went back to school in August 2022, the NCBA Nutrition

Team utilized World Iron Awareness Week, as an opportunity to emphasize beef’s role in building strong minds and strong bodies. The NCBA Nutrition Team partnered with five nutrition influencers to post content on the benefits of iron in school-aged children and teens. The posts featured quick and nutritious school lunches and ways to increase protein and iron in the adolescent years.

Through a partnership with the Retail Dietitian Business Alliance, the NCBA Nutrition Team provided two educational e-blasts and a sponsorship page with research and educational resources to emphasize the value of beef for children and teenagers. The NCBA Nutrition Team also worked with EatRight Pro and Nutrition and Dietetics SmartBrief to deliver an advertisement and e-blast to more than 406,000 health professionals, which highlighted how beef delivers key nutrients needed to optimize health in children and teenagers.

BEEFING UP RELATIONSHIPS WITH HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

Today, more than ever, consumers are bombarded with information about the abundance of choices for what to wear, what to buy and what to eat. Whether through social media, television, radio or streaming services, grocery shoppers are constantly looking for information to help them make the best decisions for their families. And when it comes to nutrition information, there is one group that consumers continue to turn to the most.

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists

IN AUGUST 2022, THE NCBA NUTRITION TEAM PARTNERED WITH NUTRITION INFLUENCERS TO FEATURE POSTS ON QUICK & NUTRITIOUS SCHOOL LUNCHES TO INCREASE PROTEIN & IRON IN THE ADOLESCCENT YEARS.

(RDNs) are the most frequently consulted health professionals for nutrition and healthy eating information, and 77% of global consumers declare that their advice impacts which foods they buy. 2,3 Healthcare professionals, like RDNs, are a critical audience that the Beef Checkoff reaches with beef’s positive nutrition message, arming them with science-based information they can share with their patients and clients.

As NCBA kicks off fiscal year 2023 nutrition programming, they continue to find value in health professional education and outreach as this critical audience plays a key role in consumer health and nutrition. The NCBA Nutrition Team builds relationships with healthcare professionals through engagement at conferences and events, and these relationships, and the information learned, help direct future content development.

In October 2022, the NCBA Nutrition Team partnered with Produce for Better Health to host a #BetterTogether reception during the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) in Orlando, Florida. The networking event attracted more than 80 health professional attendees who gathered to collaborate on ways to pair beef and produce to optimize health and nutrition. As a result, new connections with nutrition influencers and thought leaders developed.

To continue the momentum gained at FNCE, the NCBA Nutrition Team hosted a three-day Nutrition Influencer “MeatUp” in Denver to build relationships with 15 leading Registered Dietitian Influencers and provide beef nutrition education sessions. Through a Beef Nutrition 101 presentation, a hands-on Culinary Edu-

cation workshop, Social Media Masterclass and Beef Sustainably and Industry panel, attendees experienced multiple aspects of beef industry and nutrition.

Attendees’ specialties ranged from pediatric nutrition and diabetes management to sports performance, and together they had a collective social media reach of more than 1.2 million. This well-connected, well-established, and influential group reaches consumers through media outlets such as Eat This, Not That!, CNBC, Yahoo! News, and MSN.

The start of a new year is the perfect time to elevate the nutritional value of beef. February recognizes National Heart Health Month, and March highlights National Nutrition Month and National RD Day (March 15), providing perfect opportunities for nutrition influencer collaborations, health professional partnerships, and Beef. It’s What’sFor Dinner., which produced content, recipe promotions and the launch of a new beef nutrition experts and advocates virtual community. For Heart Health Month, the NCBA Nutrition Team is exploring partnerships with four nutrition influencers, all of which attended

the FNCE #BetterTogether reception or the “Meat-Up.”

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN IDAHO

State beef councils play a critical role in extending the nutrition message at the local level. State beef councils participated in an educational presentation by Dayle Hayes, MS, RD, who provided updates in school lunch nutrition and opportunities to support beef as part of the school lunch. In addition, in-office educational toolkits highlighting the value of beef in children and adolescents were delivered to doctors’ offices across the nation, including those in Idaho. Approximately 1,500 toolkits have been sent to healthcare offices to date, with more expected to be delivered in early 2023.

The Checkoff-funded Nutrition Seminar Program provides another opportunity to collaborate with state beef councils by placing credentialed, expert speakers at statewide meetings for healthcare professionals. Currently, 22 credentialed experts are scheduled to speak at health professional education conferences across the country in 2023. In Idaho, speaker Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RDN, FAND, who attended the FNCE reception, will present at the Idaho Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Meeting in April. Miller is also assisting with heart health messaging for national programming.

As the new year begins, NCBA is well positioned to continue providing science-based information and resources sharing beef’s positive health message with families and health professionals in Idaho and across the country. For more information about nutrition research, visit www.beefresearch.org/ programs/human-nutrition.

1U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 2020.

2International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation’s 2022 Food and Health Survey

3Eat Well Global, The Consumer Voice Report: Global Insights on Food, Trust, Nutrition and Influencer, November 2020

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Optimism

BY COLIN WOODALL NCBA CEO

One of the best parts of my job is the opportunity to participate in meetings and conventions put on by our state partners. NCBA is most effective when we have our ear to the ground listening to members, volunteer leaders and Checkoff investors. As I participate in these meetings, I have been amazed at the amount of optimism expressed by the attendees. Simply getting back to having meetings with pre-COVID attendance numbers, or higher, speaks volumes about this optimism. I believe there is plenty to support continued optimism as we start the new year.

The plague of drought remains over many portions of the United States, and its effect on the size of our domestic herd harkens back to our experience in the last big drought. Wait! Was I not just talking about optimism? Well, meteorologists are getting bolder in their forecasts that we will see a shift from a La Niña weather pattern to an El Niño one around the middle of the year. I realize it will not come soon enough for some of you, but to know that hope, and rain, is on the horizon helps with our optimism. We are already seeing snowpacks in many of the western mountain ranges that are at, or above, their normal percentages.

Many of the challenges we face are accompanied by a silver lining. Drought-induced herd liquidation means that the supply of cattle is dramatically different from a few years ago. Demand for beef, however, remains high. The consumer is with us and wants to eat beef as illustrated by our experience in restaurants and retail grocery stores this past year. Beef prices went up, but the consumer kept buying. They kept buying because the high quality of our beef delivered an eating experience they wanted to enjoy time and again. Much of that demand is thanks to the work of the Beef Checkoff. Back in October, we utilized

our role as a contractor to the Checkoff by working with Uber Eats and Sonic on a six-day cheeseburger promotion. Our work increased cheeseburger sales by 218%! When it comes to pure eating pleasure, we know we are the protein of choice, and our Checkoff-funded work keeps moving beef.

That demand is key because it is resulting in higher prices being paid for cattle. Economists and market analysts are telling us that the outlook is good for cattle prices in 2023. We need it, but the prices we are paying for fuel and production supplies are taking the shine off these increased prices. Once again, here is a place for optimism as there are signals that inflation could start to wane this year. That will help us get more out of improved cattle prices while giving the consumer even more money in their pocket for beef.

There is also reason to be optimistic in Washington, D.C. A Congress that has split control is one we can take advantage of. We expect that a Republican House of Representatives and a Democrat Senate results in a log jam on Capitol Hill. A log jam means that only legislation with support from both parties has a chance to get through. That protects us against bad legislative ideas. NCBA has friends in both parties, so we will press forward with our policy priorities, especially in the upcoming Farm Bill. Programs such as funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine bank and USDA risk management tools have bi-partisan support. While it might be a big lift to get the Farm Bill done before it expires in September, our priorities will see a lot of support.

Optimism for the year will be on full display in just a few short weeks as we gather for the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in New Orleans. It is not too late to register. In fact, unlike the price of everything else these days, the registration

The reasons for optimism abound, we just need to look in the right places.

cost to attend convention did not go up. It has been the same price for five years. This is the premiere event for cattle producers where we get the chance to have some fun, learn a little, set the policy for the association and enjoy the cattle industry’s largest indoor trade show.

Each new year brings a time for optimism and fresh starts.

The outlook for 2023 will only help bolster our optimism. We are fortunate to be a part of such a great and noble profession. To care for our families, our cattle and the natural resources we steward is something we all take pride in. What we do matters. Thank you for your fortitude, persistence and commitment to producing the best tasting beef in the world.

Top sirloin profiling

BY PHIL BASS AND SIERRA JEPSEN

Most beef producers are weaning calves and making selection decisions on replacement heifers this time of year. Sometimes it can be difficult to find the time to make the best selection decisions with everything else that is going on, and when there are not enough hours in the day, it is easy to select heifers on shipping day based on how they look and what you can remember about their mother. We have all been guilty of doing just that on occasion, but that selection method by itself does not always work when you are trying to make genetic improvements in your cow herd. Sure, you do not want to keep the bag-of-bones with the potbelly regardless of their genetics, but the key to making the best decision is having and referring to good records and supplementing those selection decisions with conformation and demeanor. Sitting down with your records spread out in front of you can help speed up the decision-making process and ensure that you are choosing the correct heifers to retain in your herd.

Sometimes there’s more value in the sum of the parts than in the whole. The top sirloin subprimal of the beef carcass has long been one of the lowest value cuts in what we call the “middle meats” of the beef carcass. Middle meats are just what the name describes, the middle of the beef carcass (meatheads are not always very creative with terminology), and more specifically, the back. This would include high-dollar and sought-after items such as the ribeye, striploin, and tenderloin. However, because of how the top sirloin is the transition from the back to the rump of the animal there has been a history of prejudice by the meat community to this cut. Recent research at the University of Idaho has brought to light a more desirable look at the beef top sirloin and some of the treasures that can be found if one takes the time to discover.

The top sirloin, more correctly termed as the top sirloin butt or top butt, is comprised of four muscles that sit right over the hip bone and attach to the sacral vertebrae of the back (just prior to where the tail bones begin). Because of the unique structure to the top sirloin, and where it attaches, it has previously been con-

sidered less tender and highly variable. Several of the muscles in the top sirloin do indeed help to move the hind leg of the animal. Yet, with advances in cattle production and tremendous focus on tenderness by the industry the top sirloin is quite a bit more desirable than what has been experienced in the past – especially if meat cutters take a different approach to how this cut has been fabricated into steaks.

Sierra Jepsen, a recent Master of Science graduate from the meat science program at the University of Idaho conducted her thesis research on profiling the muscles of the beef top sirloin and has in fact discovered empirical evidence that the top sirloin should maybe receive more attention than what it has traditionally obtained. Classically, the top sirloin is simply cut with a very large knife into very large steaks resembling something that may have been seen on the Flintstones. By slabbing the top sirloin, a butcher can achieve a very high yield of steaks, but efficiency is not the same as efficacy. The very large steaks that are cut in this manner end up leaving connective tissue (chewy stuff) in the middle of the steaks as well as not providing the best opportunity for all of the muscles in the top sirloin to shine. By separating the muscles individually prior to cutting steaks, the top sirloin muscles can then be better managed and merchandised in a much more consistent manner. As mentioned, there are four muscles in the top sirloin subprimal: biceps femoris, gluteus medius, gluteus accessorius, and gluteus profundus. That’s a mouthful!

We in the meat science community love calling muscles by their scientific names, however, a gluteus medius steak just doesn’t have a good ring to it like a ribeye or t-bone. Thankfully, we already have some more consumer-friendly names for several of these cuts. The biceps femoris is also known as the top sirloin cap. The top sirloin cap is also known as the coulotte, picanha, and crown roast. This triangular cut is great as a grilling roast on its own, or it can be cut into steaks that resemble New York strip steaks. The gluteus medius, is more commonly known as the top sirloin center-cut. Although the term center-cut sounds like a premium roast, it’s actually less popular than the top sirloin cap due to the cap actually being more tender and highly sought-after in Central and South American cuisine. Yet, the center-cut should not be overlooked. If a keen butcher can identify the seam of connective tissue that runs through the center-cut top sirloin they can then cut down that seam and effectively remove the chewy stuff from the equation. This also turns the gluteus medius muscle into two very consistent roasts that can be prepared in that manner or cut into steaks that resemble tenderloin filets known as “baseball top sirloin steaks”. Although the top sirloin center-cut steaks are not quite as tender as tenderloin, they are still considered “very tender” by USDA standards based on the recent research at the University of Idaho.

The remaining muscles in the top sirloin (gluteus accesso-

rius and gluteus profundus) are much smaller than the previous cuts and when combined make up what meat cutters call the “mouse” of the top sirloin. It’s a mystery as to why it’s call the mouse, but when separated one of these two muscles actually turns out to be a ready-to-grill steak that is also the most tender in the whole top sirloin. The gluteus accessorius, which the research team at the University of Idaho has termed the “Top Sirloin Tender”, is about 8 to 10 ounces naturally which means it’s practically already portioned coming right off of the carcass. And being so tender, it greatly lends itself to the user-friendliness of the grill. Previously, the top sirloin tender has been merchandised as ground beef, however, because of the research at the University of Idaho the only thing remaining on the top sirloin for ground beef now is the last muscle, the gluteus profundus.

The research described, funded by the Idaho Beef Council and The Beef Checkoff, will help those merchandising beef to add value to the carcass which will continue to maintain the high consumer expectations with regard to beef. If we continue to create pull-through demand for the product then those raising cattle should enjoy high demand for their beef. Let’s keep searching for great ways to add value to the celebratory protein, beef.

Go Beef!

The Idaho Governor’s Office of Species Conservation (OSC) was created in 2000 with passage of Senate Bill 1490, which established the agency within the Executive Office of the Governor. OSC is dedicated to planning, coordinating and implementing the State’s actions to preserve, protect and restore species listed as candidate, threatened and endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). This work is done in coordination with the State’s natural resource agencies and with input from the citizens of Idaho, while taking into consideration the economic vitality of the State. OSC is located on the first floor of the Borah building across the street from the Idaho State Capitol. The office also has two satellite offices in Salmon, ID and Moscow, ID as well as a position based in Sandpoint.

CORE FUNCTIONS OF OSC

1) Coordinate federal ESA programs with State agencies

2) Solicit, provide, and delegate funding for ESA programs

3) Create de-listing advisory teams

4) Serve as the State’s “one voice” on ESA policy

5) Provide a mechanism for Idaho citizens to voice ESA concerns

6) Facilitate collaboration between State, federal and private stakeholders

The Office of Species Conservation maintains three goals that guide the performance of its core functions:

1) Coordinate implementation of State policy among State agencies with regards to ESA programs.

2) Negotiate agreements with federal resource agencies that rely upon science and common sense, involve all parties affected by recovery decisions, and incorporate Idaho’s economic vitality and values into planning and decision-making processes.

3) Coordinate the solicitation of funding resources and provide reasonable oversight and insure cost effective allocation of funding for ESA programs.

FUNDING AND PROGRAMS

• Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Funds

• Idaho Fish Accord

• Sage-grouse Actions Team

• Sage-grouse Habitat Mitigation

• Wolf Depredation Compensation and Prevention

• Idaho Roadless Rule Commission

• Columbia Basin Collaborative

• Slickspot Peppergrass Private and Municipal Conservation Voluntary Agreements

WAYS THAT YOU MAY INTERACT WITH OSC

• Acquire funding or technical assistance on habitat restoration for species such as salmon/steelhead or sage-grouse

• Receive Compensation for livestock that have been confirmed as killed or injured by wolves

• Acquire funding or technical assistance on prevention methods to reduce wolf livestock conflict

• Technical assistance with situations that involve a species that is designated as a candidate, threatened or endangered species under ESA and your operation.

• Providing input on a species-specific recovery plan or public comment period

• Discussions on agreements/projects with federal natural resources agencies

CONTACT

Website: https://species.idaho.gov

OSC Boise Office 304 N. 8th St., Rm. 149 Boise, ID 83702

Phone: (208) 334-2189 Fax: (208) 334-2172 Email: species@osc.idaho.gov

OSC Moscow Office/Clearwater Focus Program

220 East 5th Street, Suite 213 Moscow, ID 83843 Phone: (208) 883-9922

OSC Salmon Office/Upper Salmon Basin Watershed Program

955 Riverfront Drive, Suite B Salmon, ID 83467

Phone: (208) 756-6322 or (208) 756-6325 Fax: (208) 756-6376 Website: modelwatershed.idaho.gov

For more information call:

Art Butler: 208-280-1026

Stacy Butler: 208-320-8803

Josh Mavencamp: 208-358-0057

Sarah Helmick: 208-490-0741

Randy Lancaster, Triple L: 208-731-1947

CASEY SCOTT

DISTRICT I Lewiston

ERIC WITTMAN DISTRICT I Lapwai

LORI IRELAND

DISTRICT II Mountain Home

ROYCE SCHWENKFELDER

DISTRICT II Cambridge

EUGENE MATTHEWS DISTRICT III Oakley

JESSE HUMAN DISTRICT III Jerome

RYAN STEELE DISTRICT IV Idaho Falls

CHRIS KIRBY DISTRICT IV Salmon

ROSCOE LAKE DISTRICT V Blackfoot

FAQ’s on Trichomoniasis in Idaho

The Idaho State Department of Agriculture presented for review (and negotiation, as part of the Governor’s Executive Order on Zero-Based Regulation requirements) negotiated rule making around Idaho’s Trichomoniasis rule this past spring. The Idaho Cattle Association, along with veterinarians from across the state, participated in the process which has lead to the publishing of the final rule. The rule can be found at https://agri.idaho.gov/main/i-need-to/see-lawsrules/rulemaking/2022-2023-rulemaking/. The final rule will go before the legislature for approval in this 2023 session and go in to effect July 1, 2023 upon approval.

We accessed the ISDA website to provide a little Q&A around Idaho’s Mandatory Trich Program as a refresher for our long term producers, as well as a FYI for our new producers here in Idaho.

What is trichomoniasis?

Trichomoniasis (trich) is a venereal disease of cattle caused by the organism Tritrichomonas foetus.

How is trich transmitted?

Trich is transmitted through sexual contact. Although they are not routinely tested, females can be carriers of the disease and pass it on to bulls through sexual contact.

What are the signs of infection?

There are no outward signs of infection, but abortions and markedly decreased calf-crops, especially in 1st calf heifers, could indicate that a herd has been infected with trich.

What can I do to prevent trich in my cattle?

Ensure that your bulls are tested annually for trich, and purchase only virgin bulls.

What are the trich testing requirements?

Per IDAPA 02.04.29 “Rules Governing Trichomoniasis,” annual testing is required for all resident non-virgin bull and all bulls 24 months of age or older. This testing season runs from September 1 to August 31, however, testing must be completed by April 15th unless an extension is requested in writing and approved by the administrator. Per IDAPA 02.04.21 “Rules Governing the Importation of Animals,” current (within the past 60 days) testing is required for all non-virgin bulls and all bulls 18 months or older being imported to Idaho from any other state. The only exception to this timeframe is herds moving on approved grazing permits. These herds must have and submit a current season trich test with their grazing permit application.

How do I get my bulls tested?

Contact your veterinarian to schedule your annual testing.

What will testing cost me?

Costs could vary depending on the veterinarian and test method you choose. Idaho considers both culture and PCR tests to be valid. Tests can be run with pooled samples, but the pooling must be completed at an approved laboratory.

How do I avoid testing?

At this time, the only producers who do not have to test their bulls for trich are those feeding cattle in an approved feedlot with no breeding contact and those who have an approved rodeo bull lot. Unless you have been approved as one of these facility types, you must test all of your test-eligible bulls.

Can I vaccinate my animals?

There is a vaccination available for females. Check with your veterinarian if you are interested.

2023 IDAHO STATE TRICHOMONIASIS TAGS WILL BE ORANGE AND ARE AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE THROUGH ISDA.

What do I do if I see a bull without a current trich tag?

Because untested bulls can put the health of your herd at risk, if you are concerned that bulls near or in your herd have not been tested appropriately please, contact Animal Industries at (208) 3328540 or via our complaint form. For your reference, the 2023 trich season has Orange tags, 2022 had White and 2021 had Green.

What do I do with stray bulls?

If you find a bull that does not belong to your herd, you can contact the Idaho Brand Inspector for help determining ownership and returning it to the proper herd. If the animal has no brand, you can call Animal Industries at (208) 332-8540.

Trichomoniasis is a reportable disease in Idaho.

If you have a question that is not covered here, please contact Animal Industries by email, animal_info@isda.idaho.gov or at (208) 332-8540.

Proudly Supports • Proudly Supports •

“Your local farm experts for over 50 years.” “Your local farm experts for over 50 years.”

OUTDATED TAGS FOR 2022 ARE WHITE, WHILE 2021 TAGS WERE GREEN.

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Ruthless culling for feet and legs, plus structure gives you the Advantage when it comes to bull selection. Our bulls are extremely athletic. They run in big pastures over the summer after weaning. They are developed in extremely large lots that require them to travel up and down hills over rocky, hard ground every day between a high-roughage feed source & water to ensure soundness & longevity. Our intense A.I. program utilizes the most current and sought-after genetics in the Angus breed, with herdsires infused and utilized that rival the most popular A.I. sires in the breed for genetic value and potency. Volume and repeat buyer discounts are available and delivery is free. Bulls are backed by a Zoetis HD50K DNA evaluation, ultrasounded with complete performance and fertility evaluation and industry best guarantee.

Featured A.I. Sires

101 Bar D Bar

Advantage Cattle LLC

Allen & Kim Thompson

Allflex

Barker Cattle Company

Boggan Ranches

Brown’s Meadow Creek Ranch

Burgess Angus Ranch

Burtenshaw and Sons Ranch, LLC

Carmida Livestock

Carter Cattle Co.

CJ Mosman & Son

Colter Carter

CS Beef Packers

Dale Silflow

Dangerous Edge Ranch

David Cooper

Dille Red Angus

Dobson Ranch

EZ Ranch

Fay Ranches

Frisbie Cattle

Graning Ranch & Co.

Greg Garatea

Hans Carstensen

HD Dunn & Son Angus Ranch

Idaho AgCredit

Idaho Angus Association

J. Chad DelCurto

James Boggan

Jim Minor

Justin & Jessie Jarvis

Knipe Land Company Inc.

Lazy TY Livestock

Levi Estes

Loosli Red Angus

Louis Skaar & Sons Inc.

LP Associates & Agriculture, LLC.

MaCade Bingham MacRae Custom Farming

Meranda Small Michael Miller MT Cattle Neely Livestock

Phillips Brothers Cattle Company

Pine Tree Ranch

Pitchfork Ranch River Ranch Angus

Robert & Rhea Lanting

Sabala Farms Inc.

Salmon Tract Angus

Steve Ireland

Thalheim Acres

Tom & Ann Moedl

Tom Hennessey

Valene & John Cauhorn

Van Engen Simmentals

Vernon Kershner

Wayne Clark

Wyatt & Whitney Jolley Wyatt Smith

are beyond excited to be having our 51st Annual Sale and want to extend an invitation to

Please join us in Caldwell, ID and see for yourself what the /S “bull business brand” is all about. We are a family built on consistent and reliable values that have lasted for over three generations on this operation. When you do business with us, you join our family. Since 1946, we’ve been striving to build a cowherd that produces with consistency and reliability. We know that in these demanding times it is going to be those key points that continue to drive demand for our customers’ cattle. The pressures on the national cowherd have been overwhelming and with economic pressure, we need these cattle to perform, reproduce, and grade consistently. That’s what we are all about. You can trust that when you do business with us, you will receive that consistency and reliability. Not just from our cattle, but from us as well. You can rest assure that we will deliver