FARMER UNION
www.ndfu.org
ND DC
from
to
NDFU food truck still delivering ND products from family farms to restaurants
NOVEMBER 2020
GET TO KNOW A FARMERS UNION INSURANCE AGENCY
Ryan Opdahl Agency My name is Ryan Opdahl. My wife, Brenna, and I live in Hillsboro. We have one daughter, Addison, who joined our family through adoption in April of 2017. I have been an agent in Hillsboro for six years and am so thankful for the opportunity to live and work in this great community. Family is most important to us. We are fortunate to live close to our families and see them on a regular basis. In our spare time we enjoy golf, traveling, cooking, activities at our church, and spending time with our family and friends. We also enjoy following Hillsboro-Central Valley athletics. Go Burros! As a Farmers Union Insurance agent, the relationships we are able to develop with the customers we serve are the favorite parts of my job. Our customers are our family, friends, and others we care deeply about. Over the past six years, I have been a part of Hillsboro Economic Development, Kiwanis Club of Hillsboro, Hillsboro Business Association, Hillsboro-Central Valley Booster Club, president of the Goose River Golf Club, and president of Our Saviors Lutheran Church.
Ryan Opdahl Agency 16 W Caledonia Ave Hillsboro ND 58045 PH: (701) 436-5777
UNION FARMER MAGAZINE Volume 67 • Number 11
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: 30,544 • USPS 016-211
SIMPLY DIFFERENT! FIND US ON THE WEB:
www.ndfu.org
http://ndfu.org/news/union-farmer
Read the Union Farmer online
CONNECT WITH US: North Dakota Farmers Union NDFU Tours @NDFarmersUnion @NDFarmersUnion
BOARD OF DIRECTORS: President: Mark Watne • Vice President: Bob Kuylen • Secretary: Wes Niederman Treasurer: Ronda Throener • Jon Iverson; Shane Sickler; Tyler Stafslien; Ryan Taylor; Michelle Ziesch. 2 • November 2020 • Union Farmer
Innovation needed in agriculture Agriculture needs a number of innovative minds to recover from the challenges we face from trade issues, lack of commodity demand, a pandemic, and continued oversupply in the markets. Income success in agriculture for years has been based on producing more, even at lower prices, to hopefully cover costs. This strategy has created an oversupply of commodities that impact pricing in the future. There are only a handful of scenarios where we’ve seen a major price response due to demand – ethanol production, weather disasters and large sales to Russia nearly 50 years ago. The need to produce more has led us down a path of larger farms to achieve efficiencies that are never really achievable long term, and slowly killing rural America due to depopulation. It is time we look at other strategies to develop profitable farms and ranches. We cannot continue our current methodology and expect to maintain our food security system, which was tested during the pandemic. Take the current cattle industry for example. Less than six months ago, we were facing meat shortages with high prices for consumers while meatpackers were making record meat processing profits. Ranchers were not rewarded for the higher value of meat in retail stores and were basically unable to sell cattle into the market. We have a number of multifaceted challenges. First, 84% of all beef slaughtered in the U.S. is controlled by only four companies, two of which are foreign owned. We allow beef to be imported without labels of origin and without similar safety requirements that are expected of U.S. cattle ranchers. We stamp imported beef with “USDA Approved” labels, leading consumers to believe the beef they are buying was born, raised and slaughtered in the U.S. Further, we allow for volunteer labeling with no standards, once again misleading the consumer. At the same time, ranchers are told to expand their herds for efficiency. Then they’re told they are too good at production, so they’ll receive less per pound for their product. One would think all of this was enough to create change in our food system, but there is more. Large processors are effectively removing themselves from the open market, artificially lowering demand by locking up much of the beef production in some form of contract or
"It is time we look at other strategies to develop profitable farms and ranches. We cannot continue our current methodology and expect to maintain our food security system, which was tested during the pandemic." Mark Watne, NDFU President with packer ownership fully integrated into the production system. During all of this, our Department of Justice, Congress and the Administration stand by and allow current laws prohibiting these monopolistic practices to be ignored. We need innovative minds to search for solutions. Remember, these challenges are not unique to just cattle and can be found in all commodity markets. The current approach of simply growing and producing more, allowing corporate agriculture, ignoring monopolistic practices, and allowing the attempt to fully integrate our food production system, will simply lead us to a lack of food security, higher prices for consumers and an unsustainable rural America. We need strategies that match production to supply, demand and security needs. We need to create new demand to allow markets to support farms and ranches. We should not encourage expansion of production without knowing where we will sell this production and at what price. We should not lower our safety standards and minimize labeling laws to allow for cheaper, less safe food products to enter our food system. We should fix the farm bill to be a true farm support program and food security system. It is time for us to have these discussions and bring together innovative minds. Our strategy of overproduction, without anywhere to sell product, only allows monopolistic processors to garner a profit. Our chase to the bottom to find the lowest price at which we will sell our production, only leads to further economic deterioration of family farm and ranch success. NDFU.org • November 2020 • 3
Cement your legacy at The North Dakota Farmers Union Foundation invites you to become a permanent part of the new Farmers Union Camp by purchasing a personalized engraved brick paver that will forever be part of the new camp location. This is an easy way to leave a lasting legacy, and at the same time, donate to the new Farmers Union Camp.
16x16
4x8
8x8
the new NDFU camp
•• NDFU BRICK PAVERS ••
4"x8" – $250
8"x8" – $450
16"x16" – $850
8"x16" – $550
12"x24" – $1,050
Payment can be made with cash, credit card, check or directly on our website at ndfu.org (scroll to the bottom and click on the ad!). To order by phone, contact Heidi Sagaser at 1-701-952-0102. Please consider making this donation to support the North Dakota Farmers Union Foundation!
NDFU CANDIDACY ANNOUNCEMENTS
NDFU/FUI board elections will be held for officers and even-numbered districts at the state convention Dec. 11-12 in Bismarck. Directors serve two-year terms, while the president and vice president are elected each year. Candidacy announcements should be submitted to the office of the president and be no longer than 200 words. Announcements must be submitted by Nov. 15.
OFFICE OF PRESIDENT – MARK WATNE It is the time of year when I write my announcement to be considered for election as the president of NDFU. I want to assure each member that I make this decision with great respect for the position and the organization. It is an honor to serve the members of an organization so committed to family farm and ranch agriculture. It is further an honor to lead our insurance company, Farmers Union Enterprises and many of our other projects we develop to the betterment of agriculture. Our work at NDFU will never be complete. We have built a strong brand and will continue to develop success stories that hopefully will fulfill our mission and goals. The work never ends, and I do not back away from the responsibility. I hope you will consider voting for me for president. It is an unprecedented time in agriculture and our society. NDFU will be a voice that helps us get back on track. While we have challenges, we also have great opportunities. I will work to enhance our opportunities using our assets to the best of my ability. Thanks for your consideration.
OFFICE OF VICE PRESIDENT – BOB KUYLEN Thank you for the honor of electing me to serve as your vice president of North Dakota Farmers Union. I am proud to represent you as vice president of the organization, the insurance company, the service association, and our restaurants. I would appreciate your vote to continue to serve as vice president of this great organization. Farmers continue to face many challenges. Just when we thought 2019 was the year to forget, along came 2020. We have seen 460-day corn, severe drought conditions, farmers trying to market low quality grain, and up to 40% of a farm’s income coming from the government. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased awareness that the handling of our food by large corporations has left us with food shortages and very volatile markets. We need to enforce laws that are on the books now, and establish new laws, to restrict market concentrations. The survival of family farms and rural communities depend on it. Working with our competent staff, prosperous insurance company, successful restaurants and most importantly all you members continues to be a great pleasure. Hope to see you at county conventions and the state convention in person or virtually. Your support to reelect me as vice president would be much appreciated.
DISTRICT 6 DIRECTOR – MICHELLE ZIESCH
Thank you for the opportunity to represent District 6 on the North Dakota Farmers Union board. I am truly honored by the privilege to represent you. The last two years have been challenging for agriculture to say the least, but I am proud to have been a part of positive changes at the local, state and national levels. Whether it be giving updates at county conventions, testifying before committees at the state legislature or on calls with Congress, I am so proud of our members and great farm organization. As a board, we are working to expand our insurance company, increase our membership, spread our message through our restaurants and give kids the opportunity to become leaders through our youth programs and camps. Having a convention during this COVID-19 pandemic is going to be a challenge and look a lot different, but hopefully things will go back to normal soon. I will continue to work on your behalf and would appreciate your continued support and vote at the state convention as I run for reelection.
DISTRICT 2 DIRECTOR – BOB FINKEN Hi, I’m Bob Finken and I’m running for the District 2 Director position. I am the fourth generation on the farm started by my great-grandfather in 1916. My wife DeAnne and I have four children, all of whom were Torchbearers. Our son and a son-in-law are partners in the family farm. We raise a wide variety of crops and try to sell as much of it for seed as we can. I was on the NDFU Board from 2002 to 2008 but after six years, I chose not to seek reelection in order to not miss out on so much of our kid’s activities. I’ve stayed very involved in Farmers Union since then. Besides being active in Ward County Farmers Union, I’ve been on the NDFU P & A and Bylaws committees, NFU Conventions/delegate, NFU Fly-ins, Farm Family of the Year committee and testified at the ND Legislature. I’ve also served on and was president of the Minot Area Co-op Association and the Mouse River Farmers Union Camp Association. Other community involvements have been: 4-H member, Ambassador, Council, judge, crops judging coach and club leader; Ward County Ag Improvement Association; NCREC Board of Visitors; township assessor and supervisor; Douglas Fire Department organizer and sec/treas; church council and CCD/Faith Formation instructor; Meridian Seeds/Ventures Boards; Dakota Growers Resolutions Committee; county representative for ND Wheat Commission; and Max FFA Alumni Association. I’ve come to learn and appreciate how Farmers Union is truly a grassroots organization that represents its members and works for the betterment of farm and ranch families. I’m hoping that the many varied experiences in Farmers Union and community services that I’ve had over the years would be an asset on the NDFU Board and help us to make the best decisions for NDFU and its members.
DISTRICT 2 DIRECTOR – KYLE LARSON I am a fourth-generation farmer from Granville. My wife Kendra and I have two children: Kaitlyn, 16, and Kason, 13. We raise wheat, soybeans, canola and corn. I have served as a director on the McHenry County Crop Improvement Association board and the board of directors for the Farmers Union Oil Company of Velva, Butte and Drake. I have also served on numerous nominating committees for SunPrairie Grain in Minot, and I am a member of the Member Advisory Board of Verendrye Electric Cooperative of Velva. I also currently sit on the advisory board for the Velva FFA chapter, and I am the coach for the chapter’s agronomy CDE team. I am a current member of the Velva Fire Department and have served the Velva Ambulance as well. My NDFU experience includes numerous, almost continuous, Farmers Union participation. I was a district delegate, two-time national delegate and served on the Policy and Action committee for two years. I am running for District 2 Director because I love everything this organization stands and fights for. I am continually amazed by this organization's voice, and its ability to get the job done and make things happen, whether it be in fighting for farm policy in Washington or fighting for the corporate farming law in North Dakota. I would be honored to be part of the inner workings of this amazing organization, the greatest voice for family farm agriculture.
DISTRICT 4 DIRECTOR – SHANE SICKLER I have been active in NDFU my entire life. I attended Farmers Union camps as a youth and received my Torchbearer Award in 1978. I served as president of Emerson Local for many years. I served as an NDFU Member Relations Specialist for District 4 during the 1980s and ‘90s. I am currently the president of Dunn County Farmers Union. I have participated in four legislative fly-ins to Washington, D.C., and have also served on the state Policy and Action committee for two terms. I have served as a delegate for both the farm organization and insurance company to the state convention, and have also served as a delegate to several NFU conventions. Our family received the NDFU Farm Family of the Year award in 2006. We also received the Dunn County Soil Conservation Award in 2005. I served on the nominating committee for Farm Credit Services for eight years, as well as on the advisory board for Southwest Grain, where I am currently a board member. Jana and I continue to farm and ranch with our family on our fourth-generation homestead north of Gladstone, where the town of Hirschville was located in the 1930s. We grow spring and winter wheat, durum, peas, canola, sunflowers, corn, flax and soybeans. We also have a BWF cow-calf operation and raised buffalo from 1996-2015. NDFU and the Farmers Union “family” have always been a special and important part of our lives, and I’m honored to serve as District 4 Director.
Get your book today! North Dakota Farmers Union has released its second book in the "Our Family Farm" series from author/illustrator Dana Sullivan.
$16.95 plus tax
4 • August 2020 • Union Farmer
When a school bus goes into the ditch because of slippery roads in a snowstorm, the Rhodes family hopes to save the day with the help of the local cooperative!
DEAL!
Buy both books for only $25
Visit ndfu.org or go to https://north-dakota-farmers-union.square.site to purchase your children's books online! Call Becky at 701-952-0108 to purchase your children's books over the phone NDFU.org • June 2020 • 5
NDFU.org • August 2020 • 5
North Dakota Farmers Union President Mark Watne, right, poses with Farmers Restaurant Group co-owner Dan Simons in front of NDFU's food truck in Washington, D.C. The food truck has been taking North Dakota family farm products like sugar and honey to NDFU's Founding Farmer restaurants in Washington, D.C.
FROM FAMILY FARMS NDFU food truck continues to deliver family farm products to its restaurants in Washington, D.C.
E
ven with a pandemic slowing much of the nation’s restaurant industry, North Dakota Farmers Union continues to haul North Dakota products to the Washington, D.C., area for its seven restaurants. NDFU Cooperative and Transportation Director Jason McKenney said the organization’s food truck will technically make three trips in October, though he
said the truck has averaged one trip every one and half months over the pandemic. “We just got an order for load No. 41,” he said, adding that it will likely depart at the end of October. The truck, driven by Transportation Coordinator Kevin Widmer, has been making steady trips to the Washington, D.C., area
Story by Chris Aarhus, NDFU Editor Photos courtesy of Farmers Restaurant Group
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
12 • October 2020 • Union Farmer 12 • September 2020 • Union Farmer
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE for three years to not only deliver North Dakota products but to help educate consumers about family farms. It made its first trip in October 2017, originally hauling brown and powdered sugar from American Crystal Sugar. McKenney said the American Crystal Sugar product is a mainstay on the truck, and that NDFU has since added homegrown honey to its lineup from Beyla Honey near Carson and bacon from Cloverdale Foods in Mandan. “The goal is to get as much as is feasible from North Dakota on the truck,” McKenney said. “But if it fits the restaurants’ needs, we’ll pick it up from anywhere.” After Carson, Mandan and Fargo, the truck picks up cream cheese in Wisconsin, grits and cornmeal in Kentucky and then heads to the D.C. area to drop off at a local distribution company, which delivers it to the restaurants in the city. The pandemic has made it harder for restaurants to predict what they will need for product, and that has created small hurdles for the truck, McKenney said.
“It’s really hard to do forecasting,” he said. “We had the timing down really well (before the pandemic). What the vendors can supply versus what the restaurants need — that number is always moving around.” NDFU has also used the truck for charitable purposes. In May, Farmers Union Enterprises — which is made up of the Farmers Union state divisions in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana and Wisconsin — donated and delivered 150,000 pounds of pork ribs to food banks in five states. The Great Plains Food Bank in Fargo received 30,000 pounds. McKenney said the truck has driven over 150,000 miles and delivered more than a million pounds of product. While the idea of the truck was to get product from family farms in North Dakota to the East Coast, backhauling opportunities have helped with costs. The truck has hauled back everything from dollar store candy to HVAC components, McKenney said. “Any income we gain from backhauls offsets expenses and helps grow this out so we can get more product and in turn, continue to tell the story of American family farms.” NDFU.org • September 2020 • 13
POLICY HOPPER FROM NORTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION
USDA launches CFAP2 On Sept. 21, USDA launched the second iteration of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP2) providing up to $14 billion in support for farmers and ranchers. The program was specifically tailored to fill the gaps left by the original CFAP (CFAP1). Borrowing concepts from CFAP1 and the 2018 and 2019 Market Facilitation Programs (MFP), CFAP2 is really three programs in one. Its distinct components include payments for price trigger commodities, flat-rate crops and sales commodities. PRICE-TRIGGER COMMODITIES
Price trigger commodities experienced at least a five percent price decline from mid-January to late-July. The price trigger is modeled after CFAP1, but is based on expected production, rather than past inventory. Payments are calculated by multiplying 2020 reported acres, Actual Production History (APH), a crop marketing percentage and a payment rate. Where the APH is not available, 85% of the weighted 2019 Agricultural Risk CoverageCounty Option (ARC-CO) benchmark will be used. Commodity Unit CMP* PR** Effective PR*** ($/Unit) Barley Bu 63% $0.54 $0.3402 Corn Bu 40% $0.58 $0.232 Cotton, Upland Lb 46% $0.08 $0.0368 Sorghum Bu 55% $0.56 $0.308 Soybeans Bu 54% $0.58 $0.3132 Sunflowers Lb 44% $0.02 $0.0088 Wheat (All) Bu 73% $0.54 $0.3942 *CMP is Crop Marketing Percentage ** PR is Payment Rate ($/Unit) ***Effective Payment Rate = Crop Marketing Percentage x Payment Rate
14 • November 2020 • Union Farmer
PRICE-TRIGGER LIVESTOCK
Beef cattle, hogs and pigs, and lamb and sheep also met the price-trigger threshold. Borrowing a concept from the MFPs, CFAP2 provides a single payment rate for each category of livestock. Payments are calculated by multiplying the payment rate by a producer’s highest inventory held between April 16 and Aug. 31. Unlike CFAP1, breeding livestock, which includes cows and bulls, are not eligible under the program. Commodity Beef Cattle Hogs and Pigs Lambs and Sheep
Unit Head Head Head
Payment Rate $55 $23 $27
FLAT-RATE COMMODITIES
When a program covers only a portion of agriculture, it creates winners and losers. To solve this problem, CFAP2 adapted a concept from the 2019 MFP, creating a payment floor of $15 per-acre for price-trigger commodities and a separate category for flat-rate crops. The calculation for flat-rate crops is 2020 planted acres multiplied by $15. Flat-rate crops include alfalfa, canola, flax, mustard, oats, safflower, sugar beets and more.
SALES COMMODITIES
Specialty crop producers have been underserved by recent ad hoc programs. Put simply, no single payment rate can account for regional and farm-level price differences for many specialty crops. CFAP2 addresses this by basing payments on a percentage of 2019 sales. Interestingly, lentils, dry peas and chickpeas fall into the sales commodities category, despite being farm program commodities. Sales commodity payments are calculated by multiplying the 2019 sales that fall within specified ranges and set payment factors. 2019 Sales Range $0 to $49,999 $50,000 to $99,999 $100,000 to $499,999 $500,000 to $999,999 Sales over $1 million
Payment Factor 10.6% 9.9% 9.7% 9.0% 8.8%
PREVENTED PLANT ACRES
CFAP2’s most notable shortcoming is that prevented plant acres are not covered under the program. Row crop payments are based on 2020 production, meaning that unplanted acres fall outside the program’s scope. It is possible that some of the nearly six billion dollars left over from CFAP 1 will be repurposed to provide top-up payments on prevented plant acres.
CONCLUSION
Trade disputes, chronic oversupply, adverse weather and coronavirus-related market disruptions have caused significant financial strain in the last three years. As a result, farmers and ranchers have been forced to rely on ad hoc support to make ends meet. Emergency programs have totaled roughly $60 billion in the last three years, dwarfing Farm Bill programs. While that number seems staggering, there’s little doubt that the support was badly needed in farm country. In the long-term, farmers and ranchers need sustainable solutions. As always, NDFU will continue to fight for strong, competitive markets. We will also begin to turn our attention to strengthening the underlying farm safety net. While it seems far away, the next Congress will lay the groundwork for the 2023 Farm Bill. NDFU will be there every step of the way, advocating for North Dakota’s family farmers and ranchers.
Kidder County Farmers Union President Shelly Ziesch runs the annual meeting from her dining room table. With the pandemic, more counties are moving to virtual meetings. Photos by Robin Ziesch.
Going virtual With the pandemic, more counties are choosing to hold their annual meeting via Zoom, an easy-to-use video conferencing app BY CHRIS AARHUS, NDFU
Kidder County Farmers Union decided to go virtual for its annual meeting this year because of the pandemic, knowing it would have to sacrifice some of the bells and whistles that often draw bigger crowds. Still, KCFU President Shelly Ziesch was pleased. The convention was held Oct. 15 over Zoom, a widely used video conferencing app. “It went really well,” she said. “Some expressed 16 • November 2020 • Union Farmer
concern that we might not have a very good turnout without food and door prizes, but we pretty much had our regular turnout.” The county stuck to official business, electing officers and delegates to the North Dakota Farmers Union state convention in December in Bismarck. “That was our plan, even if we did it in person,” Ziesch said. NDFU Membership Director Jessica Haak said
County conventions scheduled Burleigh • Monday, Nov. 9 • Time TBD • Tumbleweed Bar and Grill, Lincoln Cass • Tuesday, Nov. 17 • 7 p.m. • virtual via Zoom Dickey • Thursday, Nov. 12 • 5:30 p.m. • 4H Archery Building, Ellendale Fairgrounds Dunn • Wednesday, Nov. 4 • 6 p.m. • High Plains Culture Center, Killdeer Foster • Monday, Nov. 23 • 6 p.m. • Carrington Research Center Griggs • Wednesday, Nov. 11 • Time TBD • Old Bank of the West Building, Cooperstown Grant • Tuesday, Nov. 17 • 7 p.m. (Mountain Time) • virtual via Zoom LaMoure • Sunday, Nov. 15 • 7 p.m. • virtual via Zoom McHenry • Sunday, Nov. 22 • 6 p.m. • Anamoose VFW McLean • Monday, Nov. 2 • 6:30 p.m. • Bev's Cafe, Turtle Lake Mercer • Thursday, Nov. 5 • Time TBD • Beulah Civic Center Sheridan • Tuesday, Nov. 3 • 6:30 p.m. • Random Roadhouse, McClusky Steele • Sunday, Nov. 18 • 2 p.m. • Senior Citizens Center, Hope Towner • Sunday, Nov. 1 • Time TBD • Rock Lake (virtual option available) Walsh • Tuesday, Nov. 10 • 7:05 p.m. • virtual via Zoom Ward • Sunday, Nov. 1 • 2 p.m. • virtual via Zoom county organizations should assess whether an inperson or virtual meeting is right for them. “It is up to each county and their leadership how they want to handle their convention,” Haak said. “The county needs to follow ND Smart Restart guidelines when holding an in-person event and, if they are unable to do so, would then consider moving to a virtual convention.” Ziesch said the virtual meeting wasn’t difficult. “We asked our (designated NDFU Member Relations Specialist) to help us out, and she messaged everybody the Zoom link,” Ziesch said. “Just had to click on that link and it took you right to the meeting. It was simple and easy. I don’t
think anybody had any problem getting on.” Haak said interested county officers should contact her or their MRS and let them know they want to do a virtual convention. County members can still get a postcard and/or a letter informing them of how to RSVP for the Zoom meeting. Once on the list, the member would receive the Zoom link just prior to the convention. Ziesch said members shouldn’t let technology scare them away if they’d rather do the meeting virtually. “Give it a try,” she said. “It’s really not too hard. Rely on your resources like your MRS. They’ll help you through it if you’re concerned.” NDFU.org • November 2020 • 17
BE VIGILANT ABOUT PALMER
Palmer Amaranth continues to be found in North Dakota counties North Dakota producers need to be vigilant about keeping Palmer amaranth, a particular noxious weed, off their land, according to North Dakota State University Extension specialists. This weed has been found in new North Dakota counties every year since 2018, and 2020 was no exception. One source of introduction in 2020 was through contaminated grain screenings. Samples pulled from a pile of sunflower screenings detected up to 1,000 Palmer amaranth seeds per pound of screenings from one source. In one case, screenings had been fed to cattle and Palmer amaranth was detected in fields where cattle grazed and also fields where manure was spread as fertilizer. “This serves as a reminder that grain screenings can be a major pathway of Palmer amaranth introduction into the state, especially if the screenings originated from areas of the country where Palmer amaranth is the most abundant weed,” says Joe Ikley, Extension weed specialist. “Grain screenings are usually a pricecompetitive source of cattle feed, but they might contain things that you don’t want at any price, such as Palmer amaranth,” warns Karl Hoppe, Extension livestock systems specialist at the Carrington Research Extension Center (CREC). Grain screenings consist of cracked or small pieces of grain plus foreign matter. The foreign matter can be other kinds of grain, sticks, leaves, insects, rodent feces, fungal bodies such as ergot and sclerotia, and weed seeds. Palmer amaranth has been added to the North Dakota noxious weed list. “Grain screenings usually have some feed value for livestock and are routinely purchased without any idea of weed seed content,” Hoppe notes. “However, grain screenings can carry viable weed seeds that geminate in unusual locations,” he says. “Where the screenings are unloaded can lead to the start of a weed infestation. These areas proliferate in feed yards that do not have
fastidious weed control.” Extension weed scientist Brian Jenks says, “While this weed looks like a pigweed, it is resistant to many of our commonly used herbicide modes of action, it is extremely prolific in its seed production and it can spread like wildfire.” The best way to control Palmer amaranth is not having it enter your farm, the specialists say. NDSU Extension specialists have several tips on how to manage feed and manure that may be contaminated with Palmer amaranth seed: Buy cleaned grain to help keep Palmer amaranth off the farm. However, purchased feed isn’t routinely tested for weed seeds. Have screenings tested to determine the presence of Palmer amaranth prior to feeding the screenings to livestock. Feeding whole seeds may perpetuate the problem. Some seeds, especially tiny, hard-shelled seeds from Palmer amaranth, can escape digestion by cattle. Grind the screenings so fine that the seeds are destroyed. For a small-seeded plant such as Palmer amaranth, aggressive grain processing is needed, and hammer milling is usually the best. The small black seeds are about 1 millimeter in diameter. Compost manure to reduce seed viability. “Composting manure should destroy weed seed viability; however, management practices will determine success,” says Mary Keena, livestock environmental management specialist at the CREC. Making sure the moisture of the compost pile is maintained at 50% and the pile reaches temperatures of 140 to 160 F throughout the composting process is critical, she says. A guide to the process and management of animal manure compost is available at https://tinyurl. com/AnimalManureComposting. Hoppe recommends not purchasing screenings from locations that have Palmer amaranth. While few locations in North Dakota have Palmer amaranth, many other states have the weed. Article courtesy of NDSU Ag Communications.
• For more information on identifying and controlling Palmer amaranth, contact your local Extension agent or visit NDSU Extension’s website at https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/palmeramaranth. • For additional information on liability issues, go to https://www.nd.gov/ndda/news/use-screenings-feed-requiresmonitoring or https://www.nd.gov/ndda/plant-industries/noxious-weeds. NDFU.org • November 2020 • 19
More pandemic aid available During a campaign rally in Wisconsin, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would provide a second tranche of pandemic aid through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). The following day, USDA indicated that an additional $14 billion would be available to affected farmers and ranchers and that some new commodities will be covered, including wine grapes, goats, bison, mohair, tobacco, hemp, mink and some varieties of wheat. Additionally, the agency has changed how payment rates will be calculated, which will allow more producers to qualify for assistance. In a statement, National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew conveyed appreciation for the financial support and urged the USDA to address disparities in the initial distribution of assistance. "The first round of funding, though greatly appreciated, was not without its flaws; not only did it favor large farms over smaller ones, it also sent millions of dollars to foreign-owned operations and excluded some farmers entirely," said Larew. "With Congressional oversight, we ask that USDA rectify these issues and ensure that payments are commensurate with demonstrated need." Citing economy-wide impacts and high unemployment rates, he also called on Congress to "provide the support that all Americans need to withstand the crisis."
HOUSE PASSES STIMULUS PACKAGE
Four and half months after the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act stalled in the Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an amended version of the pandemic relief bill. The updated legislation is $1.2 trillion less expensive than its predecessor, largely due to scaled back spending on state and local governments, hospitals, rental and homeowner assistance, and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), as well as the elimination of hazard pay for front line workers. It does maintain some key provisions, however, including stimulus payments up to $1,200, the extension of $600-per-week boost NDFU.org • November 2020 • 20
to unemployment benefits, the continuation of employer-sponsored health care coverage, funding for coronavirus testing and tracing, and stronger protections for workers at risk of occupational exposure to COVID-19. It also incorporates many provisions National Farmers Union (NFU) members requested during the organization’s recent legislative fly-in, including support for local and regional meat processing, farm stress programs, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). In a statement, NFU President Rob Larew voiced support for the legislation and urged the Senate and the White House to quickly move forward with its final passage. However, it seems unlikely that will happen anytime soon; Senate Republicans balked at the bill’s price tag and are expected to introduce a pared-down, $500 billion package with "targeted relief for American workers, including new funding for the Paycheck Protection Program.” It’s unclear where exactly President Donald Trump is on the issue. Initially, he tweeted that he would not consider a stimulus package until after the election, but he appears to have changed his mind since then. He offered a $1.8 trillion compromise to House Democrats, later tweeting “Go big or go home!” Because many Americans are still enduring the difficulties caused by the pandemic, the stalemate has been met with dismay. Currently, 12 million are unemployed and many more are underemployed. With many major sectors that support millions of jobs – including the airline industry, the entertainment industry and the restaurant industry – facing down widespread closures and massive layoffs, substantial economic recovery in the short term seems unlikely. The effects of this have been extensive; perhaps the most concerning consequence is that nearly a quarter of households have experienced food insecurity this year. Given the immense need for relief, NFU has urged the White House and Congress to work together to find a solution. “This is not a partisan issue – it’s not about blue states or red states, or the upcoming election,” said Larew. “Americans need help, and they need it now.”
Founding Farmers
Cranberry Relish Ingredients (serves 8-10) 1½ pounds fresh cranberries 1½ cups packed light brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/3 cup fresh orange juice 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/4 cup water
Instructions
Rinse cranberries under running water. Place cranberries with all remaining ingredients, except the cornstarch and water, in a large pot and mix well. Bring mixture to a boil, then decrease heat to low and simmer for about two hours, stirring often so the mixture does not burn. Once cranberries have broken down, combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Whisk into the cranberry relish and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Keeps fresh in refrigerator for approximately a week.
Around the state
Oliver County Farmers Union board members provided lunch and served at the 4-H and FFA State Range Judging Contest In Center.
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 EQUIPMENT FOR SALE HEAVY PLANK, 4x10x16; Crossarms, 4x4x10; Treated plank, 4x10x20; Stainless steel tank, 250 gallon; 5-bottom John Deere plow and packer. 701-269-5530, Duane Klostreich, Cleveland. TANKS, five 10,600 - 11,250 gallon tanks, former LPG semi-tanker trailers, cannot be registered for on-road use, must be used for stationary liquid storage. Heavy duty 3/8" T-1 steel tanks, excellent for all types of liquid storage. $10,000 each OBO. 701521-0052, Leeroy Carpenter, Walhalla. JOHN DEERE 4010 DIESEL, repair or salvage, good tires, located in Stanley. $2500. 701-852-1150, Art Oen, Minot. WAGON BOX, McCormick steel flare sided, stored inside, good condition, $225 without running gear or $350 with. 701283-5178, Marc Greening, Wales. 1966 JOHN DEERE 4020 DIESEL, tractor with Dual 205 quick attach loader. Power shift transmission, 3 pt with quick hitch, front weights and bale spear. Loader has dirt bucket with grapple. 701-320-2329, Richard Anderson, Litchville. CANOLA ROLLER; Macdon 25 ft pull-type swather; 701-263-1206, Lathan Romsos, Bottineau. 1959 DODGE D-500, 361 engine, runs good, 300 bushel all metal box. 701-3916865, Ronald Gessele, Bismarck. 125 MAXXUM CASE IH, MFWD, 850 hrs. with CASE IH L755 loader; MK Martin 8 ft snowblower, used very little; JD 16ft chisel plow; 5 section wooden harrow; IH Farmall M tractor; Horse-drawn 2 row corn planter and a one row corn cultivator. 701-4834825, Richard Jablonsky, Dickinson. HONEYBEE MODEL ST-30 swather header with contained transport. 30 foot double swath head that has been used on JD A400 and 4995 units. Have used for 7 years as single 30 for cutting mostly canola. Has been stored inside during offseason, in great shape, asking $25,000. 701-290-0390, Kevin Kirsch, Belfield. SECTION of a spring tooth for parts. Tractor, implement umbrella. 701-9834498, Dale Bauer, Golden Valley. LORRICH HOPPER BIN w/air, 3,000 bushel; 61' Westfield 8" PTO grain auger w/swing hopper; 5/16" IH 770 reset plow w/ 7' packer; 18' IH 475 701 tandem disc; Wilrich 20' field cultivator. 701-320-8390, Larry Exner, LaMoure.
NDFU.org • November 2020 • 22
CASE IH 75A FARMALL FWD tractor w/540 loader ,3pt blade, no cab, 208 hrs, always shedded, looks like new; 40 used Lange anhydrous knives; anhydrous nitrolator w/hyd shut off & hoses; steel fence posts; Kawasaki generator KG 1500B; Antique pump jack w/wooden lift arms; farm scale w/steel wheels; Several hopper bins; Four 100 pound wheel weights from a 4430 John Deere tractor. 701-629-9003, Doug Halden, Stanley.
PORTA POTTY, $325; 3300 Knight mixer wagon, $5,000. 701-391-1852, Marc Sundquist, Baldwin.
TRAILER, 4 wheel steel trailer to park in corral; 15-30 McCormick tractor; 2 cream separators; Late-model super M, w/live PTO; 1 new tire LT245-75R-17 Load Range E, Saddle & 2 Bridles, 1905 JD metal corn sheller. Covered wagon running gear, 1950 2-wheel bicycle. Email: larryn@ westriv.com. 701-597-3730, Larry Nagel, Shields.
COOLER UNIT, for walk-in cooler (6x8 ft). 701-678-2908, Doug Martin, Lisbon.
1460 IH COMBINE, 3600 hours 24 ft. cut; Header with finger reels, new transport, new sickle, very good condition (both always in building storage); No. 55 Flexicoil 70' sprayer: new tires, new pump, very good condition. 701-225-3516, Robert Lefor, Lefor. PRESS DRILLS, three 12 ft. 6200IH press drills, steel press wheels, fert., transport, markers, recondition, field ready, will split $5800, can deliver; 680C Case tractor, backhoe & loader with cab $9000; Gehl grinder mixer $1300; Lehman chain hay mover ready for field $1800; John Deere 220- 20ft disk reconditioned $5800. 701400-5742, Gerald Miller, Mandan.
WANTED
WANTED USED SIDE BY SIDE, or ATV with box; 1998-2002 Dodge 1500 or 2500 extended cab pickup body; 1972 Chevrolet pickup body. 701-252-4858, Cindy Burkle, Jamestown.
GRASS BAGGING SYSTEM, with blower to fit Ariens Zoom 1540 zero turn mower. Model 915065. 701-261-4069, Rodney Keller, Fargo. 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 1996 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD BROUGHAM. White w/ white vinyl top. New tires, rotors, brakes and air shocks. V8 350 motor. Very good condition. Ph: 597-3730. Email: larryn@westriv.com. 701597-3730, Larry Nagel, Shields. 2008 FORD F-350, XL pickup, 4 door, 8-inch box, 5.4 engine, gas, 130K miles, $8,500. 701-391-1852, Marc Sundquist, Baldwin.
TRACTORS, IH 806, 1206, 856, 1256, 1456, 1066, 1466, others; JD 5010, 5020, 6030, others. MM 950, 1000, 1050, 1355 others; Oliver 1960 and newer. AC, 210, 220, D-21, running or not. Will consider all. 701-628-2130 Jerry Lumley, Stanley.
2015 CHEVY TRAVERSE, 77,500 miles, excellent condition, heated-leather seats, rear camera, 7 passenger, sun roof, AWD, loaded. 701-629-9937, Lori Lefor, Stanley.
JARI SICKLE MOWER that runs/works good. 701-391-6865, Ronald Gessele, Bismarck.
PICKUP, ¾ ton, 2-wheel drive, club cab, 8-box. 701-320-2466, Craig Neys, Jamestown.
MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE THURMAN TRUCK SCALE. 10' X 30', 30 ton rating/35t max. Manual balance beam, easily updated to digital. Excellent condition. $9500; 1980 235 Caterpillar Excavator, Serial #32K1453. Running machine, low hours on pump rebuild, stick cylinder reseal. Good track rails, many new hoses. $12,500 OBO. 701-549-3727, Lyle Carpenter, Walhalla. FURNACE, Original King Coal model 350 with auger. 701-822-3242, Jim Davenport, Deering. PICKUP TOPPER, blue-gray color, rack inside for guns or fishing equipment, 8 ft long, great condition; Antique parlor furniture; Golden Brand electric chair, mint condition, only used few hours, old classic TV, have pictures for everything. 701-2631206, Lathan Romsos, Bottineau. PUMP ORGAN, Western Cottage, dates back 130 years, never been restored, still plays music. $200. 701-302-0037, Roger Westby, New Rockford. GUNS, Winchester model 24 double barrel shotgun, 16 gauge full and modified $825. Walther by Smith and Wesson model PPK/ S1 caliber 380ACP, 2 clips/holster $425. 701-351-3305, Arne Berg, Devils Lake.
WANTED
See the Great American
SOUTHWEST
Jan. 11-28, 2021
Eighteen days of adventure in eight different states! See Carlsbad Caverns Nat’l Park, Tombstone, the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Disneyland and more!
$2,500 a person (double occupancy) $3,300 a person (single occupancy) Price includes transportation, lodging, attractions & some group meals.
Call 800-366-8331 Ask for Becky (ext. 108) or Jeff (ext. 111)
Former NDFU board member Farbo passes
Dale E. Farbo, 86, of Cando passed away Oct. 10 at Towner County Medical Center in Cando. Dale E. Farbo was born to Leif and Grace (Close) Farbo on Aug. 15, 1934, near Donnybrook. He grew up on one of the Harris farmsteads within a mile and a half of the place where he would spend most of his adult life. He attended the rural Metcalf School, and graduated from Cando High School in 1952. After high school, he enlisted in the United States Army. He spent the majority of his time in service as a radio repairman in Germany and was able to enjoy travel within Germany and the rest of Europe, with Rome being a major highlight. One of his favorite stories of the time he spent in service occurred during a trip home on leave, when his seat on a flight from Chicago to Fargo was next to then-U.S. Senator Bill Langer of North Dakota. Following his honorable discharge, he returned home to farm with his parents. He married Betty Freund, also of Cando, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on June 4, 1957, and they had five children.
He became involved with cooperatives as one of the organizers of the Farmers Union Oil Cooperative of Cando and served on the board for several years. He also served several terms on the North Dakota Farmers Union Board of Directors, advocating for family farms. He was also twice endorsed by District 10 Dem-NPL party to run unsuccessfully for the state legislature. In his leisure time, he enjoyed bowling with his buddies, fishing adventures in Canada, deer hunting and playing cards even though he rarely won. Most recently, he appreciated sharing meals and fellowship with his friends at Prairie View Estates. He was the consummate jokester, even if he was the only one to see the humor in the joke. He never completely "retired" from farming but continued the drives to check the crops after he moved to Cando from the farm. He will be dearly missed. Dale is survived by his children, Michael (Nancy), Jeffry (Cyndi) and Scott, all of Cando, eight grandchildren, and sixteen greatgrandchildren, plus numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Betty, infant daughter Nancy Kay Farbo, son Mark Farbo, sisters Joyce Berg and Carol Haugen.
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.
Farmers Educational and Cooperative Union of America, ND Division
PERIODICALS – POSTAGE PAID
1415 12th Ave SE PO Box 2136 Jamestown, ND 58402