Wildfires of western North Dakota burn through Holte farm, more than 100,000 acres
Jason Walswick Agency
I was born and raised in a farming family in Finley, graduating from FinleySharon High School. I graduated from Jamestown College with a B.A. in Business Administration. After graduation, I worked for First Community Credit Union in Jamestown, Town & Country Credit Union, Microsoft and Sparak in Fargo.
In 2005, I moved back to my hometown and worked at Finley Motors as a salesman/ financial manager. Farmers Union Insurance agent Thaine Hanson was retiring, and it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I have been an agent now for 16½ years.
I’m married to Heidi who has worked at Bravera Bank in Finley for 29 years. We have a son Jack, who is 14. I have two other children: Trevor, 26, who lives is St. Augustine, Fla., and Laura, 23, who lives in Minneapolis.
I love being a Farmers Union Insurance agent as each day is different. Living in a small town means I have known most
of my insureds for years, and they feel comfortable and confident that I will ensure they have the correct insurance.
In my spare time, I enjoy camping, riding my Harley, ice fishing and taking Polaris Ranger rides in the country with our 3-yearold golden retriever, Luna.
I have been a member of the Finley Fire Department, Finley Men’s Club and part of the Finley Housing Authority. I am also a member of the Finley Lutheran Church.
PO Box 2136 Jamestown, ND 58402-2136
016-211
US
Great prizes for all ages!
• Apple MacBook laptop (ages 15-17)
• Apple iPads (6-14)
• Hikole 24-volt two-seater (5-under)
Dec. 13-14 • Bismarck Event Center grand prize
Become a convention delegate and earn an “extra” chance to win!
THE AGENDA
98th Annual State Convention • Dec. 13-14, 2024 • Bismarck Event Center
FRIDAY, DEC. 13
8 a.m. Registration opens Mix & Mingle Breakfast
9:15 a.m. Convention convenes
9:30 a.m. Dr. Frayne Olson, NDSU
11 a.m. President’s Report: Mark Watne, NDFU president
11:40 a.m. Lunch/District caucuses
1:15 p.m. SPEAKER: Peter Leyden
2:45 p.m. Nominations/Bylaws Report
3 p.m. SPEAKER: Dr. William Wilson
4:30 p.m. Breakout sessions
6:15 p.m. NDFU tailgate party (page 7)
SATURDAY, DEC. 14
7 a.m. Voting opens.
8:15 a.m. Breakfast with your insurance agent
9:15 a.m. Insurance annual meeting; Credentials/Bylaws Committee reports; FUI CEO Report from Mark Anderson; Member Q & A with Watne & Anderson
11:15 a.m. Bylaws consideration/Begin policy debate
11:45 a.m. Student Youth Advisory Council presentations
12 a.m. Lunch
1 p.m. Balloting closes
1:15 p.m. Policy consideration and debate
YOUTH CONVENTION
for grades 1-12
Friday
8 a.m. Registration
9 a.m. Gateway to Science
11:30 a.m. Midway Lanes/Lunch
12:30 p.m. Bowling/Lunch
2:30 pm Movie/popcorn
Saturday
8 a.m. Registration
9 a.m. Theo Art School
11:30 a.m. Pizza Ranch
1 p.m. Movie/ice cream
3 p.m. Camp season preview
4:45 p.m. Final report of Credentials Committee; Elections Committee report; Introduction of new board members
5 p.m. Social/live auction
6:30 p.m. Torchbearer Award ceremony/banquet
SPEAKER: Miss North Dakota Sophia Richards
8 p.m. Drawing for prizes/social continues
Early-bird registration
North Dakota Farmers Union members are invited to attend the state convention set for Dec. 13-14 at the Bismarck Event Center.
Register on the app or through the portal. Preregistration is encouraged to help determine food and staffing needs. Early-bird registration closes on Dec. 4.
EARLY AFTER DEC. 4
Convention (adult)
Convention (16-20)
Youth convention
$50
$30
$30
$70
$50
$50
Featured Speaker
Peter Leyden is a keynote speaker on the future of technology including what is going on in the world today, what’s probably coming in the decade ahead, what’s possible to achieve in the longterm, and what you could do now to adapt.
Leyden has been giving frequent keynote talks on the future and the impact of new technologies to businesses and general audiences throughout America and Europe for the last 25 years.
Register on the app and win!
Register for state convention using the NDFU App and you'll be entered into a drawing to win one of five $100 Cenex gift cards!
Download the app and see below for instructions on logging in the first time.
TAILGATE PARTY
CORNHOLE TOURNAMENT AT STATE CONVENTION
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13
Full details and complete rules will be provided to the teams.
• Create a team of 2 members.
• Choose your team name.
• Play to 21. We use the “no bust” rule so people can go over 21.
• Double elimination tournament.
• Two people per team.
JIGSAW PUZZLE COMPETITION
• Create a team of 2-4 members.
• Choose your team name.
• Each team wil be given an identical 500-piece puzzle to assemble in two hours.
• First team to finish their puzzle in the least amount of time wins!
• Competition limited to 20 teams.
PRIZES AWARDED
TO WINNING TEAMS FOR BOTH PUZZLE & CORNHOLE GAMES
1ST PLACE - $1,000 2ND PLACE - $500 3RD PLACE - $250
Bring a deck of cards or favorite board game and play for fun while visiting with friends!
Visit NDFU.org/2024convention and sign up for our Friday night competitions! Or scan our QR code and register now!
Register your team at: ndfu.org. Questions? Call 701-952-0114.
POLICY HOPPER
FROM NORTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION
A look at the senate farm bill draft
On Nov. 18, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) released text of her proposed farm bill.1 Stabenow’s move was immediately panned by Republicans, who saw the proposal as a last-ditch effort to deflect blame for Congress’s inaction on the legislation.2 While the politics of this farm bill may be interesting to some, it is the policy that farmers and ranchers care about. This article outlines how Stabenow’s proposals for the farm safety net line up with NDFU’s top priorities.
FARM SAFETY NET
Strengthening the farm safety net is the top priority for NDFU and many other farm groups. Since 2014, the national average cost of production for major commodities has increased by 25-30 percent.3 Higher input costs, combined with falling commodity prices have resulted in a $50 billion drop in U.S. net farm income since 2022.4 With no price rebound in sight, NDFU is pushing hard for:
• Higher Price Loss Coverage (PLC) reference prices;
• Advance safety net payments; and
• A “dual enrollment” option for the two farm safety net programs.
HIGHER PLC REFERENCE PRICES
Despite early resistance to the idea, Stabenow’s proposal provides PLC reference price improvements. Her bill would increase all reference prices by 5 percent. Stabenow also tweaks the formula for calculating the effective reference price, boosting the price escalator in
the near-term.5 However, Stabenow’s reference price increases fall short of the House farm bill’s increases6 and Ranking Member John Boozman’s (R-Ark.) proposed 15% increase (see Table 1, next page)7
PROVIDING ADVANCE FARM SAFETY NET PAYMENTS
Stabenow’s bill would give producers the option to receive up to 50% of their farm safety net payments before the end of the marketing year.8 This provision is a common-sense improvement that NDFU began advocating for in 2022. Currently, farmers receive farm safety net payments 18 months after making their farm program election. Providing advance payments offers relief earlier, giving farmers stronger footing as they head into the crop year.
No similar provision is included in the House Farm Bill.
ARC/PLC DUAL ENROLLMENT OPTION
Stabenow’s legislation also includes an ARC/PLC “dual enrollment” option. This idea, which stemmed directly from NDFU’s Farm Bill Working Group, addresses the challenge farmers face in making program elections amid market and weather volatility. The legislation would provide farmers with the higher of their calculated ARC or PLC payment rate for the 2023 and 2024 crop years.9 Unfortunately, budget constraints limited the provision to past years.
No similar provision is included in the House Farm Bill.
ADDRESSING FISCAL IMPACT
Stabenow’s proposal rolls $20 billion into Title I to fund farm safety net improvements.10 While that number is significant, it is modest in comparison to the over $43 billion the House adds to the safety net.11 That fiscal reality continues to plague the farm bill debate. Stabenow agreed to House Republicans’ proposal to use Commodity Credit Corporation restrictions to offset increased safety net costs. However, Stabenow refuses to concede limits on nutrition program updates, which generated nearly $30 billion of savings in the House Farm Bill.12 Her resistance comes as no surprise; cuts to nutrition spending always threaten
SOURCES
to upend the farm bill coalition. However, without new resources to support farm safety net improvements, Congress’s path forward remains murky.
CONCLUSION
If Republican responses are any indication, Stabenow’s proposal is unlikely to break the logjam on a year-end farm bill. With Stabenow headed for retirement, Boozman and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) will have to finish the job in the next Congress. In the meantime, it is up to Farmers Union members to keep the pressure on Congress to finish the Farm Bill.
— Govt. Relations Director Matt Perdue
[1] United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. (2024, Nov. 18). Chairwoman Stabenow Introduces Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act [Press Release]. Retrieved from https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/newsroom/dem/press/release/ chairwoman-stabenow-introduces-rural-prosperity-and-food-security-act.
[2] Senate Ag Committee Republicans [@SenateAgGOP]. (2024, Nov. 18). “An 11th hour partisan proposal released 415 days after the expiration of the current farm bill is insulting. America’s farmers deserve better.” RM @JohnBoozman [X post]. Retrieved from https://x.com/ SenateAgGOP/status/1858542268686233662.
[3] United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. (2024, Oct. 1). Commodity Costs and Returns. Retrieved from https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/commodity-costs-and-returns/; NDFU calculations.
[4] United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. (2024, Sept. 5). Farm Sector Income & Finances: Farm Sector Income Forecast. Retrieved from https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy/farm-sector-income-finances/farm-sector-income-forecast/.
[5] Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act, S. 5335, 118th Congress. (2024, Nov. 18). Retrieved from https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/ imo/media/doc/rural_prosperity_and_food_security_act_of_2024.pdf.
[6] Farm, Food and National Securiy Act of 2024, H.R. 8467, 118th Congress.. (2024, May 21). Retrieved from https://www.congress.gov/ search?q=%7B%22source%22%3A%22legislation%22%2C%22search%22%3A%22farm+food+and+national+security+act%22%7D.
[7] United Sates Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. (2024, Jun. 11). Republican Framework, Title I – Commodities. Retrieved from https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Senate%20Republican%20Framework%20Title%20I.pdf.
[8] Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act, S. 5335, 118th Congress. (2024, Nov. 18). Retrieved from https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/ imo/media/doc/rural_prosperity_and_food_security_act_of_2024.pdf.
[9] Id.
[10] United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. (2024, Nov. 18). The Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act, Summary. Retrieved from https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/summary_of_the_rural_prosperity_and_food_security_act.pdf.
[11] Congressional Budget Office. (2024, Aug. 2). CBO Cost Estimate, H.R. 8467, Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024. Retrieved from https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2024-08/hr8467.pdf.
[12] Id.
David Lundeby of Osnabrock is hoping for a new farm bill soon, so PLC reference prices can better reflect the cost of production.
Photo by Chris Aarhus, NDFU.
Farmers waiting on new farm bill
BY CHRIS AARHUS, NDFU
Expenses up. Prices down. It’s been a year of tightening belts for farmers.
David Lundeby of Osnabrock is no different with his family’s farm, which consists of his brother Steve, and sons Luke and Christopher, who represent the fifth generation of the farm after it was homesteaded in 1884.
With prices low, North Dakota Farmers Union members are stressing the significance of getting a farm bill done now and not pushing it to the next Congress. Farmers and ranchers can send an email to North Dakota’s Congressional delegation by going to NDFU.org or by logging on to the NDFU app.
For David Lundeby, waiting another year for updated Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program reference prices — which both the House and Senate have agreed to in their latest drafts — won’t help his bottom line.
“Machinery costs creep up, fertilizer costs creep up — everything’s up and grain prices are down,” said Lundeby, who was part of NDFU’s farm bill working group. “With the farm bill, people tend to forget about it when things are going good. Last year, we really started feeling it in the farm economy. As it gets worse, there’s really a need to (get it done).”
Spring wheat, for instance, has a cash price around $6 in many places in North Dakota. The reference price is $5.50, meaning no payment would be triggered. Lundeby said the prices have not been adjusted for the rising costs farmers have had to endure.
“That target price is way behind — we really should have had this a year ago,” Lundeby said. “It should be close to $7 or $8 just to get closer to the cost of inputs and equipment. I’m not sure we’re even close to that (PLC) target price. So now we’re probably set to have a pretty poor year, income-wise, and it probably won’t kick in anything. That price needs to be more realistic.”
NDSU Crop Economist Frayne Olson said reference prices are designed to reflect the cost of production in 2018, when Congress passed the last farm bill.
“Expenses have increased substantially from then until now,” Olson said. “Farmers are saying, this is supposed to be a safety net so if markets collapse, we have a way to reduce some of our losses. But the net we’re supposed to land in is laying on the ground.”
An extension of the old farm bill would keep reference prices the
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MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
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same for another year. Olson said that could make farmers uneasy.
In addition to updating reference prices, Lundeby would like to see a dual enrollment option for PLC and Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) programs. Since PLC reflects low prices and ARC is based on low yields, farmers are often left guessing as to which program to enroll in. The latest Senate draft of the farm bill includes a dual enrollment option. The House version does not.
“We have to choose this in advance — why do we have to choose?” he said. “We should be able to just take the better one. One farmer guesses right and gets the help, the other guesses wrong and doesn’t get anything. That’s just not right in my book.”
Within the safety net, NDFU is also focused on closing farm program eligibility loopholes, particularly the “adjusted gross income” and “actively engaged in farming” loopholes.
With many disasters — wildfires, drought, etc. — NDFU is also asking that the next Farm Bill improve the affordability of crop insurance and improve livestock disaster programs.
The organization is also focused on enacting farmer-friendly climate provisions, including the creation of voluntary — not mandatory
— options for farmers and ranchers, as well as increased flexibility and funding for conservation programs, and boosting funding for research.
With the election concluding, trade will likely dominate headlines again, Olson said. If current U.S. trade partnerships are affected by tariffs, additional agreements could be needed with other countries to fill the gaps. And to find those buyers, the dollars need to be set aside in the farm bill for research, he said.
“These market promotion programs become so important,” Olson said. “If you need to find a substitute for China buying soybeans, there is no one country that can do that. You probably need six or seven other countries to pick up the slack, and they’ll need to have the processing ability.”
Olson said the return for the money spent for the market promotion and market enhancement programs needs to be viewed with a long-term lens.
“These are long-term payoffs,” he said. “You’re building relationships. It can take several years of work and effort to try and get those first few purchases right. Once (our trade partners) figure out our system, they like it. It works pretty smooth. These programs are working, but they are underfunded, in my opinion. We need to put more into that and try to build a broader base.”
Billings, Stark, Cass, Foster, McKenzie, Mercer, Rolette and Ward counties.
Remains of Daryle Holte's 15-year-old house after the Ray-Tioga wildfire burned through his farm on Oct. 5.
Daryle Holte's mailbox still stands despite the house and other buildings on the property being burned to the ground in the Ray-Tioga fire that came through on Oct. 5.
COVER PHOTO
Fire hits family farm
Within a year of losing wife and son, 87-year-old Holte loses farm to Oct. 5 Tioga-Ray wildfire
From his daughter’s kitchen table in Williston, Daryle Holte’s voice cracks as he laments over the events of the past year. At 87 years old, he’s never felt loss quite like this.
Eleven months after losing his son Jeff to cancer and nine months after Opal — his wife of 49 years — passed away, Daryle lost nearly everything he owned when the wildfires of
northwest North Dakota burned through his farmstead, including his house and everything in it. Daryle was at home when the fire approached, eventually grabbing his cash and checkbook and getting out shortly before it reached his trees.
“There wasn’t much time to think
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is recovering from injuries sustained in an auto accident he was in while escaping the fire.
Daryle Holte stands on the porch of his daughter's condo in Williston. The 87-year-old
Story and photoS by ChriS aarhuS, ndFu Editor
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— (the fire) was moving at 76 miles an hour,” Daryle said.
The two fires — known separately as the Tioga-Ray and Highway 85 fires by local firefighters — killed two men and burned nearly 89,000 acres of rangeland, cropland and hay land. The fires covered an area of approximately 20 miles, according to Williams County officials.
To add injury to insult for Daryle — literally — he was hurt in an accident while leaving his farm, which is just a half mile north of Highway 2. As the blaze approached the trees, Daryle found himself waiting in the median on Highway 2, still somewhat in shock of the events.
“A friend came and told me I was in the median and that I shouldn’t stay there,” he said.
Amid the heavy smoke, he turned the wrong direction onto Highway 2 and went head on with a water truck. Neither vehicle was moving very fast — Daryle estimated about 10 mph because of the smoke. He credits a good Samaritan for getting him out of his truck and to an emergency room. He luckily suffered only a broken thumb, with a lot of bruising from the airbag.
“I’m still lucky,” he said. “It wasn’t until a couple of days later that I really started to ache.”
By the time Daryle was getting a CT scan in Minot on Saturday evening, his farmstead had already been consumed by the fire.
A mailbox with “Holte” on it still stands near
the driveway. Gone is the relatively new house — only 15 years old — that he and his wife put on the farm so they could stay there. Gone is his family’s 110-year-old barn that he had recently renovated including a fresh coat of red paint. Gone are the family pictures, treasures and personal items he cared about, including a small gun collection.
The only building that remains, strangely enough, is a hunting shack, which somehow suffered minimal damage despite everything around it burning up.
“That’s the hunting shack that my son and I put down in the pasture maybe 10 years ago,” Daryle said. “This summer, a friend helped me pull it up to the front yard. I thought maybe I could use it. I set it between my house and the barn, and it never got touched. I should have had all of my guns and valuables inside that.”
With most of his material possessions gone, Daryl will lean on family including a daughter fighting her own cancer battle, as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
And he has his memories, which still bring a smile to his face amid the heartbreak of the past year. Memories of his wife and his son. Memories of growing up on the farm as a boy, taking care of the cows, pigs and chickens. Memories of the 1983 Lincoln he was fond of that was lost in the fire.
For now, Daryle hopes to find ways to keep his mind busy. In the true spirit of a farmer, he’s waiting for the spring.
“We’re gonna clean it all up,” he said. “Once we do, maybe I’ll put something back out there.”
This is all that remains of the 110-year-old barn that had been in the Holte family for generations. The only building that stands is the hunting cabin that Daryle and his son Jeff used in one of their pastures. Daryle had it brought back up to the house this summer.
A picture from before the fire, showing the Holte's newer home as well as their freshly painted 110-year-old barn.
The house that Daryle grew up in was also destroyed in the fire.
Daryle with his son Jeff while fishing. Jeff died of cancer last November. Pictured at bottom right is Opal, Daryle's wife of 49 years, who passed away last March.
'Fire tornadoes
50 feet high'
Ray-Tioga, Highway 85 fires burn through nearly 90,000 acres in Western North Dakota
BY CHRIS AARHUS, NDFU
Kasey Knox won’t soon forget what he witnessed Oct. 5, when two fires burned through nearly 90,000 acres in northwest North Dakota, claiming two lives and injuring eight more.
A wall of fire. Fire tornadoes 50 feet high. Fireballs shooting out the flames. It’s like something out of a movie.
“It was a surreal feeling,” said Knox, a farmer and volunteer firefighter from Ray. “Just felt helpless.”
With the fire moving so fast early on and creating blankets of smoke everywhere, Knox and his many colleagues couldn’t even see it, much less try to fight it. That left them with only one option on that late Saturday afternoon — get people out of its path.
“Drive around and make sure everybody is as safe as they possibly can be,” Knox said. “You don’t really have much time to think. You’re worried about your family and friends, and your farmstead. It’s a pretty scary situation to be in.”
According to Williams County officials, the Highway 85 fire started 12 miles north of the intersection of Highway 85 and Highway 2, known as the 13-mile corner and reached the
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Kasey Knox, a farmer and volunteer firefighter from Ray, spent three days fighting fires and keeping people out of harm's way.
A NASA Terra MODIS map of the burn perimeter from the Ray area fires.
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outer western edge of Ray before winds pushed it south across Highway 2.
“That was the main fire we were worried about (right away) because it had a direct path to Ray,” Knox said. “Then the wind switched.”
The Ray-Tioga fire started northwest of Ray and burned east, before turning south and ending just south of Tioga. The Ray-Tioga fire burned through Knox’s land including 100 acres of chickpeas that were ready to be harvested. Knox’s father and a firefighter were able to move equipment onto an oil well disposal site to protect it from the flames. However, one combine couldn’t be saved.
“My dad was getting smoked out so bad, he had to leave,” Knox said. “The smoke was 2-3 miles ahead of the actual fire, so you couldn’t see a lot. You couldn’t see the head of the fire. Just pure smoke. Picture the densest fog and take it times 10.”
A cocktail of perfect conditions lit the fuse. Dry weather. Low humidity. High winds.
“We were touching 72 mile-per-hour wind gusts,” Knox said. “And we hadn’t really had any measurable rain for quite some time. And yeah, the humidity was virtually zero.”
The fires led to two deaths — Johannes Nicolaas Van Eden, 26, of South Africa and
Edgar Coppersmith, 47, of Tioga. Additionally, Daryle Holte and Joe Moe, Jr., lost their homes.
At the same time, Knox knows how lucky the region was, in that it could have been considerably worse. One house — relatively new — appeared as though it was the first home in a new development, as it stood untouched by fire but surrounded by black, charred fields. Knox also said farmsteads that were kept up with green grass and nice yards also added a layer of protection against homes catching on fire.
“My understanding is that it found an easier source around the house (with the stubble),” Knox said. “It was burning (stubble) so fast that it didn’t take the time to (burn) some of these houses. There are six or eight farmsteads where it went right up to the (home) and stopped. We are lucky. There are quite a few homes that were spared.”
Knox was born and raised in Ray — wheat and durum country — and that means most of the fields had been harvested by August and September, though some fires did spread to grain bins on some properties.
“Had this hit in August, it would have taken standing crops,” he said. “To be completely honest, we dodged a major bullet.”
The fires starting in the middle of the day also meant community members could
contact each other and get people to safety, limiting the loss of life.
“There are a lot of older folks that live in the countryside,” Knox said. “They had family members or neighbors looking out for them. If this thing would have hit at 10 p.m. or midnight, it might have been a different story. So, everybody’s kind of amazed that the loss of life was not more.”
The fires started to slow around midnight — approximately 9 hours after Knox reported for duty as a firefighter. Crews were able to start fighting fires at that point, containing them by 3 a.m., according to Williams County officials. Smaller fires burned throughout Sunday and were dealt with as they popped up. Knox said the Highway 85 fire ran out of steam when it hit canola stubble on the southside of Highway 2. However, the RayTioga fire had plenty of juice after it crossed Highway 2 and burned bright until it hit a sunflower field.
“That sunflower field was just green enough,” he said. “We had guys waiting for it there, and it just couldn’t catch it (on fire).”
Knox said the damage was tough to look at on Sunday, with dead animals and burned up equipment in many fields.
“Cars burnt out on the side of the road, powerlines hanging, the smell of smoke in the air — it looked like a war scene from a movie,”
he said.
The teamwork was immense with first responders including firefighters and ambulance from Ray, Epping, Alamo, Tioga, Trenton, Wildrose and Williston. Assistance also came from departments in Bowbells, Burlington, Columbus, Crosby, Kenmare, Lignite, Noonan, Stanley, Portal, Powers Lake and Watford City. More than 30 agencies were involved between North Dakota and Montana, also putting out the Elkhorn fire near Watford City and the Bear Den fire near Mandaree. Those two accounted for 42,000 aces.
For Knox, it was a 40-hour shift with an hour nap.
“A lot of the other guys were the same way — I don’t think our fire chief slept for three days,” he said.
The experience was frightening enough that Knox believes the community may change its behaviors when these conditions line up in the future.
“Everybody is cautious,” he said. “I think if we’re in harvest and we have these conditions of it being dry, with no humidity and high winds, you’ll probably see guys shut their combines down. Just simply due to the magnitude of what happened and that it could happen again. It’s definitely opened a lot of eyes.”
Wildfire disaster assistance available
The Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds farmers and ranchers affected by the recent wildfires in Western North Dakota that disaster assistance programs are available to support their recovery efforts. Please reach out to your local FSA office to start a Notice of Loss. You can find your closest office at USDA Service Center Locator. For more information, visit fsa. usda.gov/disaster.
FSA administers a suite of safety-net programs to assist producers after natural disasters such as wildfire. Below is a description of some of those programs, followed by a listing of important documentation to maintain while preparing for your conversation with your local USDA Service Center:
For more resources, go to: https://ndresponse.gov/wildfire-recovery
Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP)
LIP offers payments to eligible producers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather such as wildfires. To participate in LIP, producers will be required to provide verifiable documentation of death losses resulting from an eligible adverse weather event such as wildfire, and you must submit a notice of loss to your local FSA by the application deadline, March 1, 2025.
Livestock Forage Program (LFP)
LFP offers payments to grazing producers for reduced forage from eligible drought in the county, and wildfire on federally managed acreage. To participate in LFP, producers must file an application with actual livestock quantities by Jan. 30, 2025, and attach records of land control such as leases, and for federal lands the notification to remove cattle.
Forage production impacts in 2025
Fire impacts different types of plants differently. Warm-season grasses usually respond by producing greater biomass after a fire. Cool-season grasses lose vigor after a burn, creating less biomass after a fire. Flowering plants are tricky, with some increasing biomass and some reducing biomass, says Sedivec.
Woody species are even more variable with suckering types, such as buckbrush, willows, sumac, and Siberian elm, having this year’s growth removed but more suckers (basal shoots and creeping roots) next year. Trees or shrubs that die from fire include most conifers (including cedars and pines), lilac, big sage and Chinese elm.
“Because North Dakota is a cool-season, grass-dominated state, ranchers should expect about a 30% to 40% decline in forage production in 2025 due to the fire if normal spring precipitation occurs,” says Miranda Meehan, NDSU Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist.
In a study conducted by North Dakota State University following the 1999 Halloween fire, forage production was reduced 39% the following year, which had slightly below average precipitation.
“Because these areas are also in a severe drought, cool-season grasses did not develop tillers this fall,” says Meehan. “The fall drought could create another loss of 10% to 20%, even with average spring precipitation. Given these confounding impacts, ranchers should plan for 40% to 60% less forage in 2025 on areas impacted by the fire. If dry conditions persist in 2025, forage production could be further reduced.” — NDSU Extension
Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP)
ELAP offers payments to grazing producers for lost grazing, lost feed and water hauling, due to drought and adverse weather conditions such as wildfires. To participate in ELAP, producers must submit a notice of loss to your local FSA office by the application deadline, Jan. 30, 2025, and should maintain inventory and loss documentation and receipts of grazing and feed losses to include value of stored feed that was damaged by weather.
Emergency Conservation Program
ECP provides emergency funding for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate land severely damaged by natural disasters; including fence losses from wildfires. To participate in ECP an application for cost-share assistance must be
filed, the local FSA County Committee (COC) or its representative will conduct an onsite inspection of the damaged area, and the agency responsible for technical assistance, such as the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has recommended the technical requirements for the project such as replacing/repairing livestock fencing.
Emergency Loan Program
Emergency loans are available to producers with agriculture operations located in a county under a primary or contiguous presidential or secretarial disaster designation such as drought or wildfire. These low interest loans help producers recover from production and physical losses. Be sure to contact your local USDA Service Center early.
— Information courtesy ND FSA
The Ray water tower is visible in the background of a field that was burnt by the wildfires, which reached the outer edges of Ray.
Take the next step in ag leadership!
LEAD THE WAY
Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2025 • NDFU state office, Jamestown.
Lead the Way is a training event open to anyone looking to sharpen leadership skills. County officers receive a free hotel stay for the night of Jan. 31, 2025, in Jamestown to attend the event. The event includes a keynote speaker and will have a grand prize giveaway and free NDFU gear for all who attend! All are welcome! Register on the NDFU app or through the portal. Deadline to register is Jan. 24, 2025. Contact Jessica with any questions at jhaak@ndfu.org.
TRI-STATE YOUNG PRODUCERS
Jan. 10-11, 2025 • Fargo
Each year, NDFU partners with South Dakota Farmers Union and Oklahoma Farmers Union in hosting an event for young producers. The event is limited to those farmers/ranchers who are preferably age 50 or younger.
MEET THIS
BRIDGER CVANCARA, WILDROSE
Ray High School, Grade 11
What is your greatest Farmers Union camp experience? Meeting new friends.
What are you looking forward to as a SYAC member? Creating a fun environment for campers.
What leadership skills do you hope to build this year? I would like to become a positive leader.
MAGGIE JENNINGS, WASHBURN
Washburn High School, Grade 11
What is your greatest Farmers Union camp experience?
Getting to go every summer since the third grade with my cousin and getting to meet new people. I don't have a specific experience because they're all memorable.
What are you looking forward to as a SYAC member?
I am really excited to help make camp a fun place for many other kids who want the same memorable experience I had.
What leadership skills do you hope to build this year?
Social, communication and many more. My goal is to push myself out of my comfort zone and improve all of my skills.
TY JERREL, SHEYENNE
New Rockford-Sheyenne High School, Grade 12
What is your greatest Farmers Union camp experience?
I don't have a specific experience. I love camp every year, no matter who's there or what happens.
What are you looking forward to as a SYAC member?
I'm looking forward to being able to plan some camp activities to make camp more fun that it is already or just make it that much more memorable.
What leadership skills do you hope to build this year?
I hope to be able to improve how I can talk to people because my talking skills aren't the greatest.
YEAR’S SYAC
MYIA KNOX, RAY
Ray High School, Grade 11
What is your greatest Farmers Union camp experience? Getting to meet new people and making friends.
What are you looking forward to as a SYAC member? Getting to help plan camp.
What leadership skills do you hope to build this year? My public speaking skills.
SYDNEY TERNES, WASHBURN
Washburn High School, Grade 12
What is your greatest Farmers Union camp experience? Meeting one of my best friends that I still talk to daily.
What are you looking forward to as a SYAC member? Being able to come up with ideas for the co-op store. Also going to another camp.
What leadership skills do you hope to build this year? I would like to improve on giving my input more.
Congrats to our State Youth Advisory Council!
Bring the essence of Founding Farmers home for the holidays!
Discover the secrets behind the delicious, scratchmade flavors of Founding Farmers with The Founding Farmers Cookbook. This mouthwatering collection features over 100 classic American and farmhouseinspired recipes plus chef tips & hints that showcase the restaurant group's commitment to sustainable, thoughtfully sourced ingredients. Don’t miss the chance to cook their guestfavorites at home, with easy-tofollow recipes including hearty breakfast dishes, delicious starters, sides, and salads, comforting main courses, holiday favorites and, of course, decadent desserts.
If you're a cook looking to recreate Founding Farmers menu items or you want a great gift for that friend or family member that loves to cook, The Founding Farmers Cookbook can be ordered by visiting farmersrestaurantgroup.com and clicking on "Order."
THE FOUNDING FARMERS COOKBOOK IS A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT!
North Dakota Farmers Union is excited to announce the return of the Evolution Ag Summit! This one-day event will explore new developments in renewable fuels markets and the opportunities they create for North Dakota farmers. We will bring farmers together with industry experts to promote better understanding and collaboration.
Feb. 18, 2025 9am-3pm
North
CLASSIFIEDS
Ads must be submitted through the online form at www.ndfu.org. Click “Classifieds” at the very bottom of ndfu.org and fill out the online form. Ads must be re-submitted each month. No exceptions! Deadline is the 15th of every month. Limit 75 words.
MEMBERSHIP DUES MUST BE CURRENT!
FARM
FOR SALE
1953 FORD TRACTOR, golden jubilee tractor in excellent condition. Runs great, with new battery and coil. Tractor has always been stored inside. Includes plow, back blade and cultivator attachments. Pictures available on request. $4000 for tractor and attachments. Email dmontgom@wil.midco.net. 701-570-6882, William Barkie, Williston.
1956 CHEVY 2-TON TRUCK. Box hoist 265 V-8. Kept inside. Nice. Details call 1-701-269-2881 or home 701-424-3634 leave message. Also For Sale: Helix augur wagon. Nice cond. Kept inside. Call and leave message. 701-424-3634/701269-2881, Clydell Dockter, Streeter.
JD COMBINE, 2001 JD 9750 Combine, PRWD, Cont. Master - Eng -4968/Sep- 3331. Above avg condition; 2016 635F Flex Head w/ Crary Air Bar; Starfire 3000 Globe, New Shroud, good shape; JD 2014 DB60 PARTS: 36 JD Pro-Series XP Meters with Mini Hoppers/Trimble True Count Air Clutches/Seed Tub Sensor Wire Harnesses 3 control boxes/Air tanks to run clutches for 3 row shutoff, Trimble Wiring/Hoses. 36+ Steel Closing Wheels & Dry Rate Controller. 701-321-5711, John Kempf, Ashley.
TRACTOR, 15-30 McCormick tractor; new tire LT245-75R-Load Range E. Two cream separators; One David Bradley metal grain box like new, 4- wheel steel running gear, 1 covered wagon running gear; Horse potato cultivator, saddle and 2 bridles. Email: larryn@westriv.com. 701548-8020, Larry Nagel, Shields.
GRAIN CART, 450 bu. J-Kraft, 540 PTO drive but will run on 1000 PTO half speed, 12" folding unloading auger will reach over a 9'4" box, adjustable hydralic bottom gates and bin auger, roll tarp, 28LX26 good single tires, rear tow hitch, used seasonally, good condition, pictures available. $2,500 OBO. 701-952-8973, Glen Nagel, Jamestown.
TRAILER, 8’x36’ Ground loads stock trailer. LED lights 17.5 dual tires. $17,000. Ruff chopped hay trailer $800. 701-391-1852, Marc Sundquist, Baldwin.
AUGER HOPPERS, 3 triangular grain auger hoppers w/straps/chains to fasten onto grain auger; transition for adding aeration to an existing grain bin/screens/fans; old front tine rototiller; Simer water pump; used nitrolator w/hyd shut off hoses; combine pickup guards/ lifters. 701-629-9003, Doug Halden, Stanley.
LOADER, Farmhand F-11 loader with grapple fork and a Ezze-On loader with grapple. Both are good useable loaders with no welds. Pictures available. Make me an offer. 701-290-5200, Loren Myran, Taylor.
WANTED
GARDEN TRACTORS, JD garden tractors model 60, 70, 110, 112, 120, 140, 208, 210, 212, 214, 216, 300, 322, 330, 332, 400, 420, 430. Also, operators manuals/parts books for any of those models; Pocket ledgers, sales literature, etc. 701-897-0099, Jerry Zimmerman, Roseglen.
TRACTORS, IH 706, 806, 1206, 856, 1256, 1456, 966, 1066, 1466, 1566, others; JD 5010, 5020, 4520, 4620, 6030, others; MM 950s on up; Olivers 1963-on; ACs 200, 210, 220, D-21. Will buy all running or not. 701-628-2130, Jerry Lumley, Stanley.
FORD 4000, 1962-64 Select-O-Speed Ford 4000 tractor with 4 cylinder gas or diesel engine, running or not. 701-226-4055, Lloyd Giese, Steele.
MISCELLANEOUS
FOR SALE
GENERATOR, New, never used Generac 7.5 kw generator. 60 Hz Air-cooled generator. 8 circuit transfer switch. Runs on LP. Handles 50 amps. Automatically kicks in when electricity goes off. $1500. Call for more information. 701-6291785, Clarence Kvammme, Palermo.
METAL SIGNS/ANVILS, too many to list individually, call for detailed information and prices. 701-220-5746, Val Ganje, Bismarck.
WANTED
OLD STUFF, take a look in your garage, attic, and cellar for items that have collector value and that you no longer need. I'm always buying good quality collectibles and antiques items. 701-220-5746, Val Ganje, Bismarck.
PRAIRIE DOG HUNTERS to hunt on my land. Make reservations now. Used dependable, slower, water cooled snowmobile with electric start and reverse. Email: larryn@westriv.com. 701-548-8020, Larry Nagel, Shields.
VINTAGE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS; Various lengths big bulbs; Antique metal bed; Surrey cover for John Deere tractor; Glass insulators from telephone and telegraph poles; Pictures for everything. 701-263-1206, Lathan Romsos, Bottineau.
MOTOR HOME, 2002 Trail Lite 21’ motor home, vortex 8.1 gas engine with overdrive, auto transmission. Bed in rear plus couch makes into bed. 51,500 miles, 4000 Owen generator. $8,400. 701-391-1852, Marc Sundquist, Baldwin.
FOR SALE
HAY, about 80 round bales of upland hay, baled with JD baler, net wrap. 701-822-0878 Randy Hochstetler, Rolette.
