Union Farmer - April 2019

FARMER UNION

www.ndfu.org

CARLSON HONORED

Former NDFU president inducted into North Dakota Ag Hall of Fame

APRIL 2019

GROUP • CORPORATE • INDIVIDUAL TRAVEL

701.204.7474 or 888.521.3432 https://farmersuniontravel.agentstudio.com/ This is for personal/work travel. Not affiliated with NDFU excursions and bus trips.

UNION FARMER MAGAZINE Volume 66 • Number 4

The UNION FARMER is published monthly

by North Dakota Farmers Union at 1415 12th Ave SE, Jamestown, ND 58401.

EDITOR: Chris Aarhus 800-366-8331 ext. 118 caarhus@ndfu.org Annual subscription is $30 with membership.

Periodicals postage paid at Fargo, ND. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: NDFU • PO Box 2136 Jamestown, ND 58402-2136 Copies mailed this issue: 30,993 • USPS 016-211

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS: President: Mark Watne • Vice President: Bob Kuylen • Secretary: Wes Niederman Treasurer: Terry Borstad • Shane Sickler; Tyler Stafslien; Ryan Taylor; Ronda Throener; Michelle Ziesch.

2 • April 2019 • Union Farmer

‘Divide and conquer’ winning out

D

ivide and conquer is defined as to make a group of people disagree and fight with one another so that they will not join together. The term originated 1200 years before Julius Caeser claimed to have defined it in the development of the Roman Empire.

For the purpose of this message, we are not talking about divide and conquer in the light of war but in the light of politics. In politics and sociology, divide and conquer is defined as gaining and maintaining power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into pieces that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy.

This strategy is getting more evident as we see less and less competition in our marketplace. We are seeing monopolistic practices develop through oligopolies. These practices show up in pricing of our products and our supplies. They use the strategy of divide and conquer to keep us from uniting to find the necessary avenues to better price our products or reduce our expenses.

Along with the strategy, many monopolistic companies infiltrate our farmer and rancher commodity groups to further their ability to influence important decisions. They like to deceive farmers by telling them that without these companies, there would be no market at all.

Sadly, I am seeing this same divide and conquer strategy showing up in some general farm and ranch organizations. There are factions within these organizations whose goal is to be protective of their own small world or commodity, dividing up and taking away support of all family farms and ranches. This is happening while others around us are being challenged as much if not more. Our

organization, North Dakota Farmers Union, is committed to all family farms and ranches.

I hate to admit the divide and conquer strategy is effective with farmers and ranchers. We were the ones that were united, formed cooperatives and found the avenues necessary to achieve better results. Today, we internally and externally fight about farm practices, organic vs. non-organic, GMO vs. non-GMO, conventional farming vs. regenerative farming, small vs. big and the list continues all at the cost of a slow drain of family farms and ranches from the land.

Our government is not immune to this concept of divide and conquer. Politicians continuously find the most divisive single issue to take the focus away from the better picture of enhancing our citizens’ lives.

We recently received a letter at the office that was so harsh, it really reinforced for me that divide and conquer was effective. It suggested the family farm and ranch is gone. It further suggested that if farmers and ranchers go broke or choose to take their own life, it is their own fault that they chose to farm or ranch the way they did. I will not accept this. Only if we come together in the interest of all will we thrive and overcome the obstacles to keep independent family farms and ranches on the land.

I will leave you with this challenge: It is time farmers and ranchers, regardless of how we choose to farm, get beyond the internal fighting of who is correct at styles of family farming and ranching.

We need to focus on the things that keep family farmers and ranchers on the land. It is time we ignore those who are telling us how to farm and ranch only to serve their own interests.

LOOKING FOR WHEAT GROWERS Dakota Pride Cooperative is seeking out growers to contract acres for hard white spring wheat for this spring. Premium price and trucking available depending on location.

Call Executive Director Travis Bruner at 701-626-2070.

BIKE UNVEILED ‘American Chopper’ episode featuring NDFU’s Family Farms bike airs on Discovery Channel

BY CHRIS AARHUS, NDFU

On March 5, the “American Chopper” episode featuring North Dakota Farmers Union’s Family Farms chopper aired on the Discovery Channel.

The episode featured a consultation at NDFU’s Founding Farmers King of Prussia restaurant near Philadelphia, the building of the bike and then the unveiling at NDFU’s state convention Dec. 15 in Bismarck.

NDFU President Mark Watne’s discussion with Paul Teutul, Jr., of Paul Jr. Designs at Founding Farmers centered on building a theme for the bike.

“We want them to build a bike, to tell a

story about our farmers, our organization and our restaurant concept,” Watne said on camera. “We’re trying to get the consumer to connect back to buy from that local family farm in support of (those farmers) providing a good food system.”

Paul Jr. said making sure the bike represents family farms is of the utmost importance.

“We like to do full integration, so we’ll take the things distinctively and iconically farm-related,” Paul said. “I think this year we’ve been pushing the envelope of design and creativity, and also become CONTINUED

more diversified not only in our idea but in the types of things we’ve gonna be doing design work for.”

Paul Jr. Designs went to work on the build, drawing inspiration from everything around him, even a small, classic tractor implement right across the street.

“I’m feeling that I want the bike to have the feel of the day in the life of a farmer,” Teutul said on air. “Cool fabrication stuff that correlates to what farmers do, tractororiented and otherwise.

“The important thing is that it has to fit the NDFU brand. If it doesn’t, then we miss the mark.”

Paul wrestled with numerous decisions on the bike including the color of the trim and the trailer. Ultimately, he felt confident in the decisions he made. The bike included airbrushed murals by Air Oil and Lead artist Steve Gibson.

“I’m really excited about this design,”

he said. “I think we’re really representing family farms and NDFU in an outside the box way.”

The bike, which took six weeks to build, was unveiled in front of hundreds on Friday night of NDFU’s state convention.

The crowd chanted, “Fire up the bike” right before Paul started the bike up and drove onto the convention floor. Paul and Watne addressed the convention, discussing the process and congratulating each other on the bike.

“He nailed exactly what we were after,” Watne said. “It’s a very beautiful bike, using colors from our logo, bringing a trailer behind it with a lot of the food we produce in North Dakota.”

Said Paul: “I just want to say thanks to Mark and NDFU for the opportunity. The idea that their whole thing is to promote and protect family farms across this nation — it’s just an honor to be a part of it.”

Don’t wait to purchase your copy of the new children’s book from North Dakota Farmers Union!

$16.95 Follow the Rhodes family and their dog Rocky as they work the family farm together! Visit ndfubook.2020brands.com to purchase your copy today, or call Eunice at 701-952-0108. Please add $5 for shipping for any purchase of 1-3 books. Call for pricing on larger orders.

Students use a 3D printer as part of the STEM curriculum launched by Farmers Union Enterprises. The curriculum focuses on agriculture, food and natural resources for K-12.

FUE launches STEM curriculum

REDWOOD FALLS, Minn. – Farmers Union Enterprises recently released STEM:IT AG, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) curriculum focused on agriculture, food and natural resources for kindergarten through 12th grade students.

“Talk about making science relevant – all students eat,” said Doug Sombke, president of Farmers Union Enterprises and South Dakota Farmers Union. “We are excited to share this curriculum which integrates STEM-based information into interactive units about agriculture and where food comes from with educators and students throughout the nation.”

The curriculum is a joint effort between five Farmers Union state organizations (Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin), which comprise Farmers Union Enterprises, based in Redwood Falls, Minn.

Farmers Union Enterprises partnered with the design group, STEM Fuse to produce and distribute the curriculum.

“Collaborating with the Farmers Union Enterprises team, we designed the curriculum to easily integrate ag-based STEM education in any unit teachers are focusing on,” explained Carter Tatge, founder and CEO of STEM Fuse. “You don’t need a STEM background or an agriculture background to provide STEM:IT AG to students. In fact, the curriculum requires little guidance from educators.”

Miranda Letherman, North Dakota Farmers Union youth education specialist, said the curriculum also exposes students to potential careers, everything from computer coding and three-dimensional (3D) printing to developing

agricultural commodities. In one STEM:IT AG challenge, students create a tool that could be used to harvest a crop, while another challenge asks them to design a solar oven from a shoebox, tinfoil and black paper to heat up food using the sun’s energy.

“The hands-on challenges incorporate recycled materials and things you’d typically find in a classroom, so the activities aren’t costly,” Letherman said. She noted that some of the filaments used in the 3D printing actually come from farm byproducts. “All of us use engineering and design skills in our everyday lives without consciously knowing it. It’s good old-fashioned problem solving, and the curriculum works to hone those skills.”

Letherman said STEM exercises will be incorporated into North Dakota and many other Farmers Union state youth programming.

“There aren’t a lot of educational tools available right now for teachers to use in the classroom when it comes to ag education, food and the resources it takes to produce food,” said NDFU President Mark Watne. “The curriculum we’ve developed challenges students to learn through hands-on activities and problem solving.”

Intuitively designed to integrate seamlessly into existing K-12 curriculum and compliment all topics, whether its STEM, social studies, history or language arts, the digital STEM:IT AG curriculum aligns with state and national standards and works across all platforms.

To learn more, contact Letherman at 952-0166 or mletherman@ndfu.org. To order STEM:IT AG, visit www.stemfuse.com or call STEM Fuse’s National Sales Director Stephanie Spaan at 605-521-9213.

To those who have already donated ...

THANK YOU!

FOR YOUR GENEROUS GIFT TO THE NDFU FOUNDATION Donations of more than $1,000 are recognized at the state office on the NDFU Donor Recognition wall. Giving levels include: COBALT – $1,000 to $4,999 BRONZE – $5,000 to $14,999 GOLD – $15,000 and above.

Donations can be mailed to: NDFU Foundation, P.O. Box 2136, Jamestown, ND 58402-2136 Please note if the gift is in honor of someone. For more information, contact Lucy Bardell, assistant to the president, at 701-952-0114 or lbardell@ndfu.org.

The NDFU Foundation was established in 2000 to raise funds for Farmers Union’s renowned youth education program. As a Farmers Union supporter, you are part of a larger mosaic – a piece of the spirit and light – that can help establish a permanent, sustainable fund for NDFU’s youth program. Please consider a donation.

BY CHRIS AARHUS, NDFU

During the first half of Robert Carlson’s tenure as president of North Dakota Farmers Union, farmers in North Dakota saw steady disaster payments. It wasn’t an easy time for agriculture.

“I felt it,” said Carlson, who was president from 1997-2011. “When I started farming in 1978, I borrowed money at an 18.5 percent interest rate. I could identify with people up against it.”

Carlson’s list of honors and accomplishments is impressive, and he added one more on March 5.

Carlson was inducted into the North Dakota Agriculture Hall of Fame at the Winter Show in Valley City for his many contributions to agriculture.

NDFU President Mark Watne thanked Carlson for his work, which also included being vice president from 1986-97 under previous president Alan Bergman.

“Robert was an effective leader of NDFU,” Watne said. “He achieved many of the goals of our organization’s work including enhancing the income of family farmers and ranchers. During his time as president, he took our organizational priorities to the World Farmers Organisation where he worked to enhance agriculture worldwide.”

A farmer from the Glenburn area, Carlson is

a veteran of the Vietnam War and holds degrees from Minot State University and the University of North Dakota.

DISASTER AND RALLY

Carlson said his most satisfying work was helping farmers and ranchers receive disaster payments during difficult times.

The winter of 1997-98 saw 110,000 combined cows and calves killed in North Dakota due to harsh weather and flooding. The next summer, a drought hit.

“Prices were terrible as well,” Carlson recalled.

“We got a group of farmers together and we went to Washington, D.C., and spent a week there.

We told them we needed some disaster help for farmers in North Dakota.”

Despite the overwhelming opinion that disaster payments would never happen by many in D.C., Carlson led the push and won. North Dakota’s congressional delegation of Sens. Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad, and Rep. Earl Pomeroy worked hard to make it happen, he said.

The disaster led to the creation of the Livestock Indemnity Program, which still exists today.

“That’s what makes me most proud – we got disaster aid when it was appropriate,” Carlson said. “It’s the best thing we did during my

CARLSON INDUCTED INTO ND AG HALL OF FAME presidency.”

Though the weather improved, prices did not.

In 2000, Carlson spearheaded the Rally for Rural America to draw attention to the economic crisis in farm communities. It was the largest gathering of farmers ever reported in the nation’s capital with more than 4,000 in attendance.

“We sent seven busloads of farmers to that rally,” Carlson said. “Every time we stopped for coffee, I would switch buses and deliver my message. It was one of the toughest things we did at North Dakota Farmers Union, but it was what was most valuable to farmers.”

CARBON CREDIT

During his presidency, the concept of global warming started to catch fire and a number of carbon-cutting initiatives were proposed.

“We talked about establishing a marketplace for that carbon,” Carlson said. “Those who capture it should be paid for what they’re doing, and those emitting it should be the ones paying for it. It seemed like a good economic solution.”

Carlson’s idea – the Carbon Credit Program – put $7.4 million in the hands of farmers through a variety of practices including no-till, planting grass and rotational grazing by livestock. Carlson noted his idea was an off-shoot of a similar

proposal by the Iowa Farm Bureau.

“It looked like a win for farmers,” he said.

“It had Republican and Democratic support. I thought it would sell politically really well.”

The program didn’t catch on nationally and was eventually scrapped, but it meant muchneeded extra income for North Dakota farmers during its time.

“It was a really noble experiment that should have worked,” Carlson said. “You learn more from what you do that fails than what succeeds.”

RESTAURANTS

North Dakota Farmers Union owns seven successful restaurants, most of which are in the Washington, D.C., area. They educate 50,000 consumers each week on family farm agriculture.

The very first one, formerly called Agraria and now Farmers Fishers Bakers, started with the idea of getting farmers’ products directly to the consumer so they could reap a greater share of the profits and cut out middlemen.

NDFU helped farmers with an equity drive to raise capital, and a research firm told them the best area for a restaurant would be Washington, D.C., as the city is “recession-proof.”

CONTINUED

Former NDFU President Robert Carlson sits at NDFU’s first restaurant, then called Agraria and now Farmers Fishers Bakers, in Washington, D.C. Carlson helped get the restaurants started, as NDFU joined other farmers in making an initial investment. Today, NDFU has seven restaurants feeding and educating 50,000 consumers every week.

“Government runs in good and bad times – it’s a good place to have a business,” Carlson said.

The equity drive fell short and NDFU chose to get in on the investment to make it happen, Carlson said. The first year of Agraria was not easy, he added.

“It was close to a disaster,” he said. “We were losing money every month. Eventually, we had to change management, so we looked for a company and came across the consultants running it today (Farmers Restaurant Group). Instead of white table cloths, we’d do a family restaurant that was less expensive and a more lively-type of atmosphere, and it worked.”

WFO

Carlson stepped down from NDFU in 2011 after his election as president of the World Farmers Organisation, a post he held for four years until his retirement.

Carlson was considered a natural fit for the job, as he was part of the original discussion of making farmers’ voices relevant again on the international stage. The International Federation of Ag Producers (IFAP) had gone bankrupt,

leaving a void.

“At the time, there was a lot of attention on hunger in the world and the environment, and farmers weren’t at the table to speak for themselves,” he said. “We knew we needed to get farmers back on the international stage.”

Carlson was nominated as the newly created WFO’s first president. After he accepted the position, he embarked on a journey that included fundraising and many of the other painstaking processes that go with building an organization.

The WFO, based in Rome, is made up of farm organizations from nearly 50 countries and has a voice at the United Nations.

Among his victories were drafting a unified statement on trade – which he was told would be impossible because of the many countries involved – and the emphasis he placed on scientific production methods for farmers in Africa and Southeast Asia.

“I’m glad we have the WFO to this day,” Carlson said. “It’s removed from most farmers’ thinking. The big seed and chemical companies are represented globally at ag meetings around the world, and the environmental groups also

Former NDFU President Robert Carlson announces the success of the Carbon Credit Program, which meant over $2 million for farmers in North Dakota and more than $7 million nationwide. Farmers received payments for sequestering carbon in the soil.

have a strong presence. We needed a voice for the farmer.”

Carlson said his time at WFO also made him thankful for the system of production agriculture in the U.S. “A lot of times we’re discontented, but we have a tremendous system for supporting agriculture in this country,” he said. “We have a system for credit and loans, we have farm organizations, cooperatives, good roads and docks and bridges – most of the world doesn’t have that. Rain comes in other countries and the road washes out and their crop spoils. It’s worlds away from what we experience and take for granted every day.”

FOR OTHERS

One of the avenues Carlson felt would mean greater profits for farmers was specialized crops.

Carlson tried to work with Canada on a wheat pool that would allow farmers to set their own prices for specialized crops, and it even had the support of Governor Ed Schafer, who flew to Winnipeg with Carlson to meet about it.

However, the idea fell through.

From that, however, Carlson helped start the

Dakota Pride Cooperative, which helps farmers find specialized grain contracts that bring in more income than they would otherwise.

Previous president Alan Bergman also played a big role, serving as the first chairman of the board.

“There was still a demand for specialized ag products,” he said. “We did a project with the state mill and elevator to provide whole white wheat flour using white spring wheat, and that was somewhat successful. I still think there is an opportunity to do more in specialty markets.”

Though the calm, well-spoken Carlson may not speak of it, his tireless efforts involved on-theground rebuilding in Mississippi for producers impacted by Hurricane Katrina and delivery of North Dakota wheat to starving widows and children in Afghanistan.

Carlson has left his imprint on North Dakota agriculture and beyond, and he points to the risks he took as a major factor in his success.

“Farmers always have to take risks,” he said.

“If we (NDFU) have resources and don’t take risks to help farmers, then we’re not doing our job.”

2019 National Farmers Union Convention at Bellevue, Wash.

North Dakota Farmers Union took nearly 40 delegates to the National Farmers Union convention March 3-7 in Bellevue, Wash.

NFU convention concludes

BELLEVUE, Wash. — The National Farmers Union (NFU) 117th convention concluded today following the adoption of the organization’s policy book and special orders of business. More than 460 family farmers and ranchers convened in Bellevue, Wash., to set organizational policy positions that seek to better the lives of American farm and ranch families and the vibrancy of rural communities.

Delegates to the convention adopted the NFU policy book and eight special orders of business that will guide the organization’s government affairs priorities over the course of the next year, especially as they relate to the tough economic circumstances and sustainability issues facing family farmers.

“Our organization derives its strength from its grassroots structure,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “Farmers Union members put their heart and soul into making our country and the world a better place for farm families. So our convention is our most important event—it’s the time every year where delegates set organizational directives and priorities of focus for federal-level policies. We look forward to a successful 2019 in advocating in Washington, D.C., on behalf of the hard-working family farmers and ranchers who feed, fuel and clothe our nation.”

Convention attendees were treated to keynote remarks from Andrew Winston, a globally recognized expert on helping businesses thrive and create a more sustainable world, and remarks from Bill Northey, USDA’s Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. NFU President Roger Johnson delivered his annual

State of the Farmers Union address, offering NFU members a vision of hope for the future of family farm agriculture. Johnson also moderated a panel discussion on trade issues with Michael Stumo of Coalition for a Prosperous America, and Kathy Baylis of the University of Illinois Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics.

In order to provide the national organization a set of priorities for the coming year, 177 Farmers Union delegates approved eight special orders of business. Special orders can be found online at nfu.org.

NDFU Member Relations Specialist Amanda Olson helped sell NDFU’s children’s book “Our Family Farm.”

HEITKAMP HONORED WITH AWARD

BELLEVUE, Wash. – For well over a decade, broadcaster Joel Heitkamp of North Dakota has given agriculture and rural issues a significant platform on his live, three-hour radio program, “News and Views.” For his work in elevating the issues facing family farmers, ranchers, and their communities, National Farmers Union (NFU) awarded Heitkamp with the 2019 Milt Hakel Agriculture Communications Award.

“Joel is a leading advocate for family farm and ranch agriculture in the Upper Midwest, and he is well deserving of this honor,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “Given his significant following in both rural and urban centers, his impact is significant.

That’s why it carries so much weight that he provides farm families a voice in increasingly polarized political and social climates.”

The Milt Hakel Agriculture Communications Award is presented to reporters or

Joel Heitkamp, host of KFGO’s “News and Views” on AM 970 receives National Farmers Union’s Milt Hakel Award, which is given for excellence in journalism and media.

news outlets that demonstrate exceptional reporting of agricultural issues. The award was named in honor of Milton D. Hakel, a well respected Farmers Union communicator. A list of past recipients of the award can be viewed at nfu.org.

“Each year we celebrate the influencers in journalism who provide fair and consistent

coverage of the issues facing our members,” said Johnson. “These communicators are awarded because of their commitment to objective and insightful media stories that promote positive public discourse. I’m proud to recognize Joel Heitkamp this year with our Milt Hakel Agriculture Communications Award.”

Lebahn of NDFU gives NYAC speech

EDITOR’S NOTE: Each year, the campers selected at All-States to be on NYAC earn a trip to the national convention. Lebahn is NDFU’s participant this year. Below is his speech to the convention.

What does Farmers Union mean to me? Now that is a tough question. You see to me, and I assume to all of us, it means many things. It takes a certain type to be a Farmers Union member.

It takes someone who is strong and dependable, always ready to do their part for their nation, state, county, city or community, but most importantly, their family.

And when it comes down to it, family is what we all are. Maybe not by blood but by the driving force that is Farmers Union spirit.

In just my time in Farmers Union, I have learned that nothing is accomplished alone. Farmers Union knows that. That’s why we adore co-ops. Farmers Union moves mountains together. In

Riley Lebahn of West Fargo gives his NYAC speech at national convention.

Farmers Union, I have learned about agriculture community development, environmental justice and the list goes on and on. Each new year of camp, I have learned something entirely new that has broadened my horizons and helped me see the bigger picture. And then I get an opportunity to come here, and the chance to speak to you all? It’s a dream come true. The policies, the clashing of ideas — what will

change? How will it change? Who will be affected? But it’s important to reflect on the question, will this help or hurt people?

Farmers Union is there for its members, its youth and its nation.

But I’m still left with the same question, “What does Farmers Union mean to me?” My answer may be boring and is probably said by many others, but Farmers Union is family. We might not always agree and we might get mad at one another, but at the end of the day, we are there to help each other.

The youth program is honestly one of the greatest opportunities for kids, and it is the reason I am up here today. It is the reason I have drive and ambition, and I hope to help kids who were just like me find their path, and hopefully, it is with Farmers Union. Thank you for your time, and I hope we all keep the Farmers Union spirit deep in our hearts.

MEMORIES IN AT NORTH DAKOTA

GRADES 3-6 (4 DAYS, 3 NIGHTS)* – $100** GRADES 7-12 (5 DAYS, 4 NIGHTS)* – $150** *Grade youth will have completed by the end of the school year **Early bird price. Price will increase $25 after May 15.

Register now at ndfu.org!

THE MAKING

FARMERS UNION SUMMER CAMP! JUNIOR CAMP - COMPLETED GRADES 3-6

Heart Butte ~ near Elgin

June 16-19......Bottineau, Burke, Divide, McHenry, Mountrail, Renville, Ward, Williams June 19-22......Adams, Bowman-Slope, Grant, Hettinger, Morton, Sioux June 24-28......Statewide camp July 14-17.......Burleigh, Sheridan July 17-20.......Billings-Golden Valley, Dunn, McLean, Mercer, McKenzie, Oliver, Stark

Wesley Acres ~ near Valley City

June 23-26......Benson, Cavalier, Eddy, Foster, Grand Forks, Griggs, Nelson, Pembina,

Pierce, Ramsey, Rolette, Steele, Towner, Walsh, Wells June 26-29......Dickey, McIntosh, Ransom, Sargent 7-8 GRADE LOCK-IN July 6-9...........Cass, Traill, Richland April 27-28 at Wesley Acres July 9-12.........Barnes, Stutsman July 16-19.......Emmons, Logan, LaMoure, Kidder

SENIOR CAMP - COMPLETED GRADES 7-12

June 10-14 (Heart Butte), June 17-21 (Wesley Acres), July 8-12 (Heart Butte, grades 7-9), July 22-26 (Heart Butte, grades 7-9), July 29-Aug. 2 (Heart Butte, grades 10-12)

Doug Goehring, North Dakota Ag Commissioner, speaks about the legislative session at the North Dakota Livestock Alliance’s inaugural Livestock Summit on Jan. 16 in Fort Ransom.

NDLA holds first Livestock Summit

BY CHRIS AARHUS, NDFU

Bitterly cold temperatures didn’t stop the North Dakota Livestock Alliance from hosting its inaugural Livestock Summit on Jan. 16 at the Stiklestad Learning Center in Fort Ransom.

Nearly 100 in attendance took in panels and presentations as well as guided tours of livestock operations.

“I was thrilled with how it went,” said Amber Boeshans, executive director of the NDLA. “I think it was 15-below that day, and we were worried nobody would show up. A hundred people showed up. We were thrilled with how excited North Dakota is about opportunities in the livestock industry.”

NDLA is an organization made up of other agriculture organizations — one of which is North Dakota Farmers Union — that are dedicated to supporting and promoting all kinds of animal agriculture.

“We actually reach out to North Dakota communities and farmers and ranchers who are interested in it with real down-to-earth facts about the value of animal agriculture to North Dakota’s economy,” Boeshans said. “The diversification of on-farm income is important.”

The conference featured a video welcome from Governor Doug Burgum. Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring made the trip from Bismarck to speak to attendees on the legislative session. Mick Kjar of Ag News AM 890 was the emcee for the event.

The panels focused on turning livestock

development concepts into reality, and financial incentives and programs available to the state’s livestock industries. John S. Breker, a soil scientist with AGVISE Laboratories, discussed manure nutrient management and how it can improve soil and benefit an operation.

After lunch, attendees loaded a bus and headed for Qual Dairy in Lisbon, where they received a tour of a robotic, rotary dairy parlor.

“It was cool to see folks who remember milking cows by hand see such a dramatic advancement in animal agriculture,” she said. “And the cows just love it.”

From there, the bus made a short stop outside the new Ransom County Multiplier pig barn near Englevale. Boeshans said some participants braved the cold so they could stop and smell the barns only a few feet away from 2,500 pigs. However, the participants could not smell any odor from the barns, which has historically plagued the development of hog operations.

“If they have experience with pigs, it was ages ago,” Boeshans said. “Manure-handling, not the open lagoons anymore — everything is buried underground and concrete-lined now. Things have changed so much in the pig industry, you couldn’t even compare it to the 70s and 80s.”

Boeshans hopes the event is the start of a tradition. She encourages producers or communities interested in livestock development to contact her at 701-712-1488 or at amberboeshans@ndlivestock.org. They can also learn more at ndlivestock.org.

AROUND THE STATE

From left, Jon Iverson, Randy Richards, Tyrel Schlecht, Cassidy Ziesch and Justin Sherlock practice an exercise on how to talk to a legislator about an issue at a county officer training Feb. 22 at the Ramada Inn in Bismarck. NDFU held the training in conjunction with its semi-annual board of governors meeting.

North Dakota Farmers Union surprised Seamus Kuklok of Bismarck with a full scholarship to camp for being the first camper to sign up for the 2019 camping season.

Dr. Frayne Olson, director of the Quentick Burdick Center for Cooperatives, leads a training and education on co-ops in Minot. NDFU helped put the training together, which featured over 100 participants. There was also a training in West Fargo.

Morton, Grant, Sioux and Sheridan counties hosted a Casino Night on Feb. 16 at the Baymont Inn in Mandan. There were about 70 people who came to join the fun! Morton County EPIC coach Lisa Rebenitsch took about 20 kids swimming during the event.

Grant County Farmers Union had a booth at Grant County Ag Day in New Leipzig on March 5. They sold NDFU’s children’s book and recruited for camp.

The Art of Feeding Cattle F eeding cattle is an art, especially in the face of brutal blizzards and extended subzero cold, according to a North Dakota State University livestock expert.

“You have to know your cattle and what they’re eating, and then know what you can and can’t do,” says Karl Hoppe, NDSU Extension livestock systems specialist at the Carrington Research Extension Center. “We have a lot of producers who are forced to change their feeding strategies by the weather and it’s easy to cause problems.”

A cow’s first stomach, the rumen, contains a complex mix of microbes to digest forages and grains efficiently.

“That’s an advantage for the cow most of the time,” Hoppe says. “But when you make sudden changes in feeding, it’s easy to upset the balance.”

In North Dakota, where producers are backgrounding calves or caring for beef cows, the easiest strategy during a blizzard is to provide the cattle with plenty of hay. This often is lowquality hay. The cattle eat their fill and it stays in the digestive tract for a longer period of time than grain or high-quality forage. Hay also can be used as bedding to protect the cattle against the weather.

Hoppe says those long-stemmed forages blow around less during winter storms and take longer to digest, keeping cattle satisfied longer.

Also, whole grains are easier to handle in high wind than ground grain. Cattle waste less and take longer to digest the whole grains. Plus, whole grains are less likely to cause acidosis, the ruminant’s version of heartburn.

“It’s when we feed cattle diets with a higher caloric density that we cause digestive disturbances,” Hoppe says. “Higher caloric density means more grain, as compared with hay or silage.”

He also recommends mixing the ration so that cattle can’t pick only the grain and high-quality forage.

“It’s important to get cattle eating a high-quality

diet as fast as possible after a storm to maintain their condition, but remember that it takes some time for the rumen to repopulate the microbes necessary to digest those higher-quality forages and grains,” Hoppe says. “You need to give cattle some time to adjust.”

Coccidiosis, a condition that can cause diarrhea and intestinal damage, also can be a problem.

Coccidia are microbes that normally live in the rumen. But when cattle are under stress, those microbes can multiply excessively and become pathogens that attack digestive tissue.

Coccidiosis can be prevented with a number of coccidiostats, which are substances administered to animals to retard the growth and reproduction of coccidian parasites. Coccidiosis also can be treated in its early stages.

Hoppe also advises producers to beware of “personality” problems among cattle that become magnified by hunger.

“Every herd has aggressive animals that will be first in line and eat the most,” he says. “You may find those cattle suffering from bloat or acidosis while more docile cattle aren’t getting enough to eat. Avoid that problem by providing enough bunk space for all cattle to get at the feed.”

He suggests producers clean the snow out of feed bunks before feeding time to eliminate snow and ice buildup. He also advises removing ice buildup around cattle waterers. Cattle that don’t have access to unfrozen water will reduce their feed intake even if feed is readily available.

To avoid problems when cattle no longer need a higher caloric ration, he recommends changing the diet back to normal gradually, in increments of 5 or 10 percent daily.

For more information on livestock feeding during severe winter weather, contact the NDSU Extension office in your county or the NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center at 701-652-2951.

Article courtesy of NDSU Ag Communications.

Founding Farmers

New York Egg Cream Direct from Brooklyn, N.Y., circa 1904, our Founding Farmers New York Egg Cream is a nod to the deliciously creamy, chocolaty goodness of the original soda fountain recipe.

A true New York classic, a traditional egg cream does not contain eggs or cream. Instead, it got its name from the frothy white cap created when stirred to perfection (hint: the distinctive, creamy white foam resembles a beaten white egg).

Our bar team loves this rich, frothy delight so much that it has been a staple on our Farmers Restaurant Group menus from the start. Our team loves it. Our guests love it. And we know you and your family will love it. Enjoy!

New York Egg Cream *makes one egg cream

Ingredients ¼ cup whole milk ¼ cup Fox’s U-Bet chocolate syrup* 6 oz (¾ cup) club soda Instructions Add the milk and chocolate syrup to a pre-chilled glass.

Add the club soda and stir vigorously until a nice foam head/froth is achieved. Serve immediately. *We recommend Fox’s U-Bet chocolate syrup for its authentic, rich cocoa flavor. This syrup can be found on Amazon.com or at local markets.

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FARM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE BUCKETS, 8 ft MDS heavy duty rock/ brush/scrap buckets; 7 ft & 8 ft MDS Euro-global buckets; 8 ft MDS-JD Classic Tach bucket w/5-tine grapple; 8 ft MDS 148-158 bucket w/JD grapple; 7 ft bucket w/Koyker quick tach; 9 ft MDS bucket w/5-tine MDS grapple w/Koyker quick tach; MDS attachment adapter from skid steer quick-tach to Euro-Global; MDS rock badger; 10 ft MDS heavy snow pusher w/ skidsteer attach. 3-skidsteer 5000 pound pallet forks (1 hyd. adjust). 709-0103, Allen Wald, Edgeley.

LOADER, Farmhand F-11, snowbucket/ grapple. 701-260-7140, Bob Kuylen, South Heart.

JD 7200 16/30 planter, Martin trash whippers in row liquid fertilizer, rear mtd hitch, shedded in the offseason. Fab tech 30 ft hopper bottom, tandem axle side chutes, new tarp good, 11/24.5 tires.

Flexicoil model 65 xl sprayer, 1000 gal tank, 136 ft tee jet controller. 701-7826888, Craig Schiermeister, Hazelton.

CAT 55 CHALLENGER 3pt pto 6000 hr, new engine, $34,000; 2004 IH semi C12 auto shift $12,500; 48 ft aluminum flatbed spread axle trailer grain side kit $9200; 2013 Longhorn gooseneck trailer 32 ft tan dam duals $6200; 2019 longhorn gooseneck trailer 32 ft tan dam duals $9200; 1850 single disk JD air drill $25,000. 701-361-4403, Gary Christianson, Mapleton.

JOHN DEERE 1025 R with only 43.4 hours, 25 HP, MFWD, H 120 Loader, 60 D 7 Iron Mower Deck (Drive Over Auto Connect), 3 PT hitch with JD I-Match Quick Hitch, JD 647 tiller-48 inch, 42 inch Pallet Forks, and 3 pt. 5 ft road blade with stand.

Always shedded. 701-693-2371, Rick Frueh, Martin FLEX COIL 5000 TBT 2320 tank, 57 1/2 ft, 10 inch spacing, good packer wheels. New tires on tank and new Hyd. Blower; 18 ft Pup Trailer with 9 ft tongue, roll tarp, stored inside. Good shape, best offer. 701-2286571, Greg Sletto, Willow City.

JOHN DEERE 50, 5000 hours, new tires on the back, excellent condition. 701-2637244, Jerry Becker, Mohall.

1987 GMC GENERAL tandem grain truck with 20 ft ITB aluminum box, hoist and rolltarp and remote endgate opener. Has silver 6v-92 Detroit engine with 668,000 miles. Like new tires and box is 7 years old. Has 2-100 gallon fuel tanks with heat circulation. This truck has been and is in use so miles are approximate according to use. Truck is in good condition and has lots of life left. $15,000. 701-290-0390, Kevin Kirsch, Belfield.

GATES 40 FT COULTER DISC with harrow like new $45000; 20.8x38 firestone tires with dual rims and hardware $400 for pair; 3 truck tires 295/75R22.5 like new; Summers 90 ft wheel boom sprayer $1000; Elgin wheat $7. 701-870-0956, Weston Berg, Hazen.

1999 J & M 875 GRAIN CART with scale and tarp, good shape, $18500, 30.5L32 Goodyear combine tires and 10 hole rims off JD 9750. Also have short ladder extension and rails. Make offer. 701-3215711, John Kempf, Ashley.

VERMEER 605N ROUND BALER, only 2433 bales made with it. Has twine and net wrap. Like new condition. Can test or email pictures. 701-206-0082, Marcus Fischer, Bowman.

JD MODEL 1610 CHISEL 41 FT PLOW, new 4 in shovels, new 3 bar model 106 Summers harrow, $6,000; Hydraulic cylinders (3) 4x16 in. for log splitters $50 each; Anderson crank out windows, many in exc. shape, $600 for all. Belt pully assembly for H or M $100; 42 in. mower deck, sanded and repadded for JD LT166 $200. 701-797-2844, Allen Gruman, Cooperstown.

JD 16 FT CHISEL PLOW, $500: 22ft Noble V blade plow, $300; 16 ft flatbed trailer, made from a truck chassis, has steel floor and tilt bed, $450; Old JD grain elevator, paddle type; Horse drawn one row corn cultivator. 701-483-4825, Richard Jablonsky, Dickinson.

VERSATILE SWATHER 4750 with 22ft double swath bat real head. New canvases were used one season. Has Ford diesel engine which does not use oil. The knife is all one. Have a new knife in the box that goes with. Also have an older wooden finger real that could go along. I have some parts also. Was not used in 2018 but was shedded. Call or text for pictures. 701-3219671, Andrew Vetter, Linton.

FLEXICOIL/CNH OPENER PARTS, new, Qty 67 87506291 3 inch paired row attachments for stealth boot . Non carbide.

No hardware, please make offer, call or text. 701-570-2900, Jay Heller, Williston.

15-30 MCCORMICK TRACTOR, 4 wheel steel trailer, 2 Cream Separators, Leon #3100 HD 10 ft 3-point blade, Late-model Super M, w/live PTO, 12 ft Kirschmann drill, 1 New Tire LT245-75R-17 Ld Range E. Email larryn@westriv.com. 701-5973730, Larry Nagel, Shields.

CANOLA ROLLER; blue grey colored pickup topper, fits 8 foot box; 67 xl sprayer, good condition, new 5 and 10 gal. nozzles; 4600 prairie star Macdon pull-type swather, needs some repairs (great price many parts go with belts); WDX 1203 Case swather 195 hours, mint condition; 60 ft Farmking auger. 701-263-1206, Lathan Romsos, Bottineau.

JD 3200 5 BOTTOM PLOW; Mayrath 6 x28 ft grain auger w/Briggs engine; Hiudon stock tank heater; 1000 gal fuel tank; 40 used Lange anhydrous knives; Anhydrous nitrolator w/hyd. shut off & hoses; steel & wooden fence posts; used cultivator shovels; transition & aeration screens; Gustafson seed treater; 25 ft heavy duty 5/8 alloy log chain; closing wheels plus hardware for 50 ft 3320 Bourgault air seeder. 701-629-9003, Doug Halden, Stanley.

KELLY 3-POINT BACK HOE, has its own pump and hydraulic tank. $2600 or offer; 7 ft King Kutter Rototiller $1000. 701-6535230, Wes Miller, Carrington.

2014 JOHN DEERE 1830 50-ft air drill, 10 inch spacing, single shoot, 340 bushel 1910 3 tank cart with conveyor. 10,000 total acres. 701-774-3409, Mark Evenson, Williston.

990 JD 9600 COMBINE w/ 4464 hrs.

Combine in good shape w/ very good 30.5x32 tires; 930 flex head, 930 ridged head, 212 pickup head. Everything listed 30K OBO. Will consider selling separate.

Reason selling, purchased larger combine; 1975 7020 JD tractor. Has 8000 hrs, straight metal. Runs/works great.

Don’t use enough to keep. PayPal not accepted. 701-797-7748, Claire Eberhardt, Aneta.

WANTED CONCORD 4010 AIR SEEDER with ‘c’ shanks and cultivator shovels, single or double shoot, with or without cart or NH3.

Also want a 7 or 8 ft bucket from a #146, 148 or 158 John Deere loader with or without grapple. Leave message. 701-8754280, Floyd Miller, Williston.

IH TRACTORS, 806,1206, 856,1256, 1456,1066,1466, and others: John Deere 5010, 5020, 6030, etc. Minneapolis Moline 1050, 1355, 1000, 950, etc.; Allis d21,210 220, all of these running or not. 701-6291721, Jerry Lumley, Stanley.

CASE DC-4 TRACTOR, running or not, leave voicemail or text. 701-331-0116, Dennis Brodina, Lankin.

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE TIRES, 1-30.5x32x12ply Titan @ 80%; 1-20.8R42 Goodyear DT-710@95%; 2-new 18.4x34x8ply; 2-new Titan 18.4x38x8ply; 2- 28Lx26x12ply @90%; 2- 16.9x26x10ply FWD’s @70%; 1 new 13.6R20 Belarus FWD; 2-new Goodyear 520/85 R42; 4 Goodyear- 620/70R42@75%; 4 Firestone 620/70R42@50%; 2- new 14.9x24x8ply & 2-new16.9x24x8 ply (combine rears); new 285/75R24.5x16ply steer or trailer tires; many others. 709-0103, Allen Wald, Edgeley PARLOR STOVES, phonograph, two real nice school desks, make an offer. 701-7718653, Kenny Heilman, Rugby.

GLASS BASKETBALL BACKBOARD, 6 foot by 42 inches with breakaway hoop, padded lower edge, nice shape. $600from total building re-model. Have 2 of them; Old upright piano made into a wine bar, all the heavy stuff has been removed, beautiful. Old re-claimed bleacher wood from Moorhead High 20 years ago, good condition. Titan stock trailer, 20 foot fifth wheel, steel trailer, gray in color, real nice shape.

701-799-4839, Curtis Bunn, Sheldon.

COMMERCIAL COFFEE MAKER. Has two 50 cup erns. $200. Nice condition. 701-2301091, Dale Giedd, Devils Lake.

CRAFTMAN SNOW BLOWER, 30 inch, 357 cc, electric start, six speed, two-reverse, electric chute, used one year. 701-696-2572, Jim Enlow, Manvel.

CANOE, 17 FT, aluminum with aluminum outriggers (pontoons), square back. 701567-4135, Charles Mertz, Hettinger.

GENERATOR, 4,000 watt, 8 HP B&S, cast iron sleeve, new carb. Comes with 30 AMP circuit breaker panel, asking $325; 2013 5x8 ft carry on trailer, mesh deck &ramp, 13 inch tires new $800, asking $600. 701-331-0116, Dennis Brodina, Lankin.

TABLESAW, sears 10 inch, cast iron bed $100; Golblatt texturing machine, $250; slot machines two left, $250; each little chief electric smoker $10; two 100 pound propane cylinders, $40 each. 701-7750031, Gary Nelson, Grand Forks.

WESTERN HAT, new, 7 3/8, brown; Sears router like new, only used twice; Singer sewing machine inn cabinet, foot-pumped machine. 701-263-1206, Lathan Romsos, Bottineau.

SINGER SEWING MACHINE, 1924, Model 78-3 heavy duty, serial number G0883565.

Good condition. $125; Button machine $25.

Can send pictures. 701-570-7563, Mike Hell, Williston.

WANTED OLD CARS, pickups, cabovers, projects sitting in trees or barns 1920s to 1970s, also gas pumps and advertising signs.

701-680-0651, Steve Jorgenson, Lisbon.

OLD STUFF, Old Gas station advertising signs, oil cans, and Globes like Standard, Texaco, Westland, Mobil or any other brand; Old License plates, Animal traps, Anvils, Arrowheads, Carnival glass, S/P shakers, or anything else that’s old and interesting. 701-220-5746, Val Ganje, Bismarck.

PRAIRIE DOG HUNTERS to come & hunt on my land. Make reservations now. Email larryn@westriv.com. 701-597-3730, Larry Nagel, Shields.

VEHICLES FOR SALE 1949 F3 FORD PICKUP. All original. One owner. New motor and tires. Reconditioned brakes. Asking $7000. 701-822-2560, Don Carlson, Glenburn.

MOTORHOME. 2007 Class C Forest River Sunseeker. Model 3100 with low miles (28K). 31 ft. 1 slide, tow package, and generator. Full kitchen, furnace, air conditioning, TV, DVD, antenna and awning. Sleeps 6. Back bedroom queen bed. Separate shower from bathroom.

Ford Chasey, E 450 super. Michelin tires with duals. Clean, dependable, and in good condition. Asking $32,000. Located in Fessenden. 218-639-3583, Diane Nelson, New Rockford.

MATTRACKS 150-M1A2, set of 4 Mattracks with new tracks, low miles, like new condition. Have brackets to mount on 2008 Chevy 2500 HD pickup. $22,000 OBO. 701-321-5711, John Kempf, Ashley.

TRUCK-MOUNTED BOOm on 2-ton Ford truck, 55 feet. Everything worked when it was parked 10 years ago. $750 or offer; Large cooler. 4x8 or bigger. Something close to that. Walk-in cooler is fine. 701653-5230, Wes Miller, Carrington.

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE BIG SKY RESORT CONDO, one week in June, 2 bedrooms, loft, sleeps 8, $800.

701-260-7140, Bob Kuylen, South Heart.

MOBILE HOME, 2013 16x80 3 bed 2 bath, like new. North of Jamestown, BO over $30000. 701-361-4403, Gary Christianson, Mapleton.

CONDO, 55 and over, two bedroom in a large complex. Large laundry room, indoor swimming pool, kitchenette for parties, and garage for one vehicle. Plants and trees around the swimming pool. New furnace and air conditioner in 2018. Located in southern part of town close to clinics and shopping mall. Ideal for a retired person or a couple. 218-688-3210, Phyllis Rocksvold, Grand Forks.

1975 DODGE, 2-ton, power steering, new battery, new starter, roll tarp, 16 ft box; 1962 Ford 2 ton, new tires, roll tarp, 14 ft box. Both low mileage, good condition.

701-873-5227, Robert Schutt, Beulah.

SEED

TAIL LIGHT, Right rear for 1966 Plymouth Fury. Also carb. for a 1966 or 67 Ford 240 six cylinder engine. 701-799-4839, Curtis Bunn, Sheldon.

MANUAL TYPEWRITER, Olympia or other which prints in cursive; deer rifle, 22 pump, 410 pump. 701-628-2130, Jerry Lumley, Stanley.

SPRING WHEAT SEED (NDSU) “Barlow” and “Elgin,” registered or certified, 96 to 98 percent germination, bulk or totes, delivery available. 701739-0191, Brian Ludwig, Minot & New Rockford.

FOR SALE VARIETIES, Soybeans: ND17009GT, RR1 from NDSU, can keep your own seed.

HRSW: MS Barracuda, new balanced variety, MS Camaro, LCS Breakaway, LCS Rebel. Peas: Agassiz, Carver, Amarillo, Saffron. Chickpeas: Orion. Flax: Prairie Thunder. Durum: ND Grano. Legacy corn and soybeans. Custom treating and inoculating. finkenfarmsandseeds.com.

701-529-4421, Bob Finken, Douglas.

CO-OP HOUSE!

Attend the NDSU Co-op House reunion June 28-29 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Bismarck.

For more information, contact F.C. (Chuck) Humphrey at humpflow@isu.edu or 208-241-7499.

DON’T WAIT UNTIL IT’S TOO LATE! TALK TO SOMEONE! — IF IT’S AN EMERGENCY, PLEASE DIAL 9-1-1 — CALL 2-1-1, THE HELP LINE FOR FIRSTLINK — ABOUND COUNSELING AT LUTHERN SOCIAL SERVICES OF NORTH DAKOTA, CALL 701-223-1510 — NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE AT 1-800-273-8255 — NDSU EXTENSION HAS A STRESS PAGE AT AG.NDSU.EDU/FARMRANCHSTRESS

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