The Progressive Rancher - February 2021 by The Progressive Rancher

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2 AFB Honors Young Farmers

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7 Teaming Up with your Vet

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American Farm Bureau Honors Young Farmer and Rancher Competitive Event Winners New YF&R Executive Team also Elected Winners of the Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award, Discussion Meet and Excellence in Agriculture competitions were announced at the American Farm Bureau Virtual Convention. Young farmers and ranchers from around the country competed for the awards by demonstrating knowledge of and achievement in agriculture, as well as commitment to promoting the agriculture industry. Each won a new Ford Truck and paid registration to the March AFBF FUSION Conference. Caleb and Leanne Ragland of Kentucky won the Achievement Award which recognizes young farmers and ranchers who have excelled in their farming or ranching operations and exhibited superior leadership abilities.

Marquee Ricks of Idaho won the Discussion Meet which simulates a committee meeting in which active discussion and participation are expected. Participants are evaluated on their ability to exchange ideas and information on a predetermined topic.

Jackie Mundt of Kansas won the Excellence in Agriculture Award which recognizes young farmers and ranchers who do not derive the majority of their income from an agricultural operation, but actively contribute and grow through their involvement in agriculture, leadership ability and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations. Also during the convention, members of the AFBF YF&R Committee elected a new executive team. Jon Iverson of Oregon will be the committee’s chair for 2021, taking over the position in March at the end of the FUSION Conference, and will serve for one year. He will also serve a one-year term on the AFBF board of directors. Jocelyn Anderson of California was elected vice chair and April Castle of Kansas was elected secretary. They will each serve one-year terms. For the full article and photos, visit: www.fb.org/newsroom/american-farm-bureau-honorsyoung-farmer-and-rancher-competitive-event-winn

3 NCA President’s Perspective 11 CAB - Sire Selection 12 CAB - Carcass Value Shifts 13 CAB - Marbling 14 NBC Checkoff News 15 NBC Recipe 16 Mind of a Millennial 17 Ranchers Heifer Sale Results 18 Eye on the Outside 20 NFB “NBA Leadership Role”

24 Nevada CattleWomen Update 24 Let’s Talk Ag | Editorial “Weather & Agriculture”

26 SRM “Mule Deer Populations: History” (Part 1 of 3) 31 USDA - New RCPP Rule

31 Public Lands Council Update 32 Nevada Farm Bureau Updates

34 UNR|Nevada Today - Drought

36 UNR Extension | Experiment Station | College of Business “State Comparison of Payments in Leiu of Taxes for 2020”

38 UNR Extension | by M. Kaur Walia “Benefits of Cover Crops” 40 High Desert Grange Happenings

21 NFB “Establishes 2021 Policies” 41 NDA - “Meeting Restoration Needs with Native NV Seeds” 21 UNR - Michael Flores named Director of Gvmt Relations and 44 PLC - The Daily Roundup 46 Churchill County Cowbells Community Engagement

Owner/Editor/Publisher – Leana Litten Carey progressiverancher@gmail.com Graphic Design/Layout – www.AllegraReno.com

Cover Credit: Cindy Sitz • Sitz Ranch • Drewsey, Oregon “Contemplate” Published 8 times a year. View all issues at www.progressiverancher.com Readership reaches more than 30,000. The views and opinions expressed by writers of articles appearing in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor. Letters of opinion are welcome; submit via email.

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President's perspective Tom Barnes, President, Nevada Cattlemen's Association The beginning of this New Year has started off at a fast pace. I need to thank all of our committee chairs and cochairs for the work they are putting in. It seems there is something going on involving each committee. These individuals are informed and engaged working on our behalf. We continue to comment on regulation changes by the Department of Agriculture. Regulation changes relating to the brand inspection program have been workshopped and are out for comment. Anyone wishing to comment can do so by submitting written comments to the department.

We also are monitoring SB 54 and working to maintain our voice on the Board of Ag. While on this subject, I need to complement our local area brand inspectors for letting those of us shipping cattle last fall have a successful shipping season. The challenges presented by COVID did not stop them helping us continue to do commerce. The communication and cooperation between the brand inspectors and the ranchers made for smooth delivery season. Officers and Public Land committee co-chairs are meeting with local and state agencies to discuss grazing issues for the coming year. It is nice to be able

to sit down and have these discussions after last year’s complications. The Fallon Bull sale is upon us and even though there won’t be a Churchill County Cowbelles dinner/dance this year (due to issues created by Covid 19 and State Directives), there will still be a high quality set of bulls in the offering. Hope to see you there.

Tom Barns Tom Barnes President, NCA

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FEBRUARY 2021 3

FRIDAY • FEBRUARY 19, 2021 Sifting | Stock Dog Trial CANCELED: Churchill County Cowbelle’s Dinner/Dance. See you in 2022!

4 FEBRUARY 2021

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FEBRUARY 2021 5

6 FEBRUARY 2021

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Teaming up with your Veterinarian Julia Herman, DVM, MS, Beef Cattle Specialist Veterinarian, NCBA, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff During last fall’s run, several cattle operations enlisted their veterinarians for a number of duties including pregnancy diagnosis, implementing vaccination protocols, and aiding culling decisions. During all times of the year, management factors like these play a role in the success of the farm, herd, and business. As external factors continue to add stress to the cattle operation, such as drought, marketing challenges, and human health factors, it is important to realize the other services that veterinarians can provide. The value of the veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) to the cattle producer and their cattle should not be overlooked. A VCPR is legally defined by State and Federal statutes as well as by the American Veterinary Medical Association. An established VCPR allows the veterinarian to diagnose and treat animals, prescribe medications, and issue Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (CVIs) or health certificates. Because the VCPR is required to be renewed annually, a yearly consultation with your veterinarian is recommended where multiple facets of the operation are evaluated, goals for the next year are set, and potential interventions are considered. This meeting can provide in-depth understanding of the operation’s capabilities and limitations which can help shape future recommendations. Contributions from veterinarians span a breadth of topics including, but not limited to, those discussed below.

Cow/Calf Management

Record Keeping

Developing annual vaccination and parasiticide considerations at specific times throughout a bovine’s life is routine for most veterinarians. In this unforgettable year, nutrition considerations and range management options could be discussed with your veterinarian to maximize feed and cattle efficiency. Veterinarians may assist with mineral programs, toxicology inquiries, and sampling of feed or water samples to best utilize your resources. Opportunities to adjust your breeding, weaning, or preconditioning program could be discussed with the veterinary team.

The value of good record keeping goes beyond knowing if a cow successfully raised a calf every year. With herd analytics, veterinarians can help you improve your herd’s conception, pregnancy, and even stocking rates. As discussed in the BQA program, record keeping also helps recognize withdrawal times from animal health products and prevent residues from showing up in the food supply. Having an objective view of your operation could provide insight to potential improvements. Self-assessment resources for the cow/calf, stocker, and feedyard sectors can be found at bqa.org and would be valuable templates for your veterinarian to critically evaluate the operation. This could include collaborating to create treatment or training protocols to focus on continuous improvement.

Biosecurity, Disease Surveillance, and Outbreak Investigations Veterinarians are trained to evaluate individual animals within a herd system and provide integrative management plans to prevent diseases or problems from occurring in the future. For instance, in a scours outbreak, your veterinarian will be able to evaluate and treat the sick calf, take appropriate samples, and provide recommendations in real time. Next steps would be submitting samples and interpreting results to make management decisions to protect the other calves in the herd, such as completing a necropsy for a better diagnosis, changing pastures to reduce pathogen load, or evaluating newborn calf care and colostrum management. Preventing germs from entering your herd or identifying those pathogens requires some planning and preparation. The Checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program is currently developing a daily biosecurity plan template that would be valuable for the producer and veterinarian to complete together as a team. Understanding current risks and preventing future risks is essential to protecting the herd and it helps to have an outside set of eyes evaluating the operation. www.progressiverancher.com

Emergency Services Having support from your veterinarian in the event of an emergency is vital to the health and welfare of your animals. Ideally, the relationship with your veterinarian does not begin through an emergency appointment at midnight. Once that relationship is developed, you now have a resource available for those moments when professional expertise is needed. Each operation is unique and finding a veterinary practice that supports the needs of your operation is essential. Veterinarians are one branch of your operation’s resource team and can help with short-term and longterm goals towards profit and sustainability. Building a comprehensive management plan for your herd with your veterinarian will help you and your operation adapt to unforeseen obstacles.

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FEBRUARY 2021 7

OR T F S L

CENTURY

FACTS TO REFUTE THE MYTHS Special guests, Dr. Frank Mitloehner and Dr. Sara Place, present facts about the beef industry’s impact on our planet. Bringing into focus the difference between reality and extremist opinion.

Dr. Frank Mitloehner

Dr. Sara Place

Seminar & Social Sat. , March 13, 2021 8 FEBRUARY 2021

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Live music by Buck Ford

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FEBRUARY 2021 9

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HEREFORD | ANGUS | RED ANGUS

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The Certified Angus Beef ® brand (CAB®) begins with Angus genetics. The first step toward brand acceptance is using registered Angus bulls. As genetics vary across the breed, it’s important to consider traits relevant at the ranch, feedyard and packinghouse.

Using expected progeny differences (EPDs), you can select sires to complement your maternal goals without sacrificing improvement of carcass potential of your feeder cattle. With nearly 80% of cattle grading Choice or Prime, the market continues to demand cattle with the genetic ability to gain and grade at increasingly higher levels while heifer mates perform on the ranch.

For more accurate selection in all traits, let carcass data from your calves establish a baseline. Such data can identify areas of strength and weakness, pointing out needs for genetic selection. Recommendations for marbling are absolute minimums. If carcass merit has been a focus of genetic selection within your cow herd for several generations, you can continue a trend towards quality by starting with these EPD recommendations. If carcass quality has been a lower priority in the genetic selection of your cowherd up to this point, it is recommended that you choose sires from an even higher percentile than our baseline EPD requirements. Select for higher marbling in sires whenever other important traits can also be obtained. When choosing sires that are right for your herd, it is important to consider marketing goals in addition to economically relevant traits. Using EPDs, you can select bulls that complement your maternal goals without sacrificing the ability to improve carcass merit of calves that leave the ranch. In fact, improvement can be made in all of these areas at the same time. www.progressiverancher.com

When selecting a sire for use on virgin heifers, include a focus selection calving ease. Difficult births stress both dam and calf, and may reduce the amount and timeliness of nursing. Heifers experiencing calving difficulty return to estrus later, which can reduce reproductive rates in a controlled breeding season. Calving ease is largely determined by birth weight, and can be accurately managed using Birth Weight (BW) and Calving Ease Direct (CED) EPDs. MINIMUM GENETIC REQUIREMENTS The Targeting the Brand™ minimum genetic requirements are breed average or better for marbling EPD and $ Grid of non-parent Angus sires. Actual EPD minimums, below, are based on breed averages from the Fall 2019 Angus Sire Summary.

Marbling: The trait most related to achieving the CAB target is marbling, reported by the American Angus Association as “Marb” for the EPD that predicts genetic potential for marbling.

CAB requires Modest or greater degrees of marbling (“Upper 2/3 Choice” or “Premium Choice”). Research at the Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) has proven over the years that the Angus breed is superior in marbling to all other mainstream beef breeds. However, a lack of marbling is the top reason Angus-identified cattle do not meet CAB specifications. In 2016, 92.6% of the identified cattle that failed to earn the CAB premium did so because of inadequate marbling. $ Grid ($G): The American Angus Association has developed index tools called $ Values that combine various trait EPDs and economics for ease of selection. Realizing that carcass weight, ribeye area, and fat thickness also affect CAB acceptance, $ Grid ($G) combines Marb and other traits that influence

CAB acceptance rates. Its value is calculated using a three-year average of grid premiums and discounts. Since marbling is the most limiting factor in CAB acceptance, always consider both Marb and $G to ensure continual progress toward brand certification. (https://www.angus.org/index/) WHEN TO AIM HIGHER

The amount of marbling needed when selecting a herd sire depends on the cow herd he will service. If carcass merit has been a focus of genetic selection within your herd for several generations, you can continue a trend toward quality by starting with the Targeting the Brand™ requirements found at www.cabcattle. com/targeting-the-brand However, if carcass quality has been a lower priority for selection up to this point, it is recommended you choose sires from a higher percentile than the baseline required for the Targeting the Brand™ standards.

If your cow herd is of Continental or highly crossbred genetics, or if your Angus cows are not sired by bulls meeting Targeting the Brand™ genetic requirements, you should consider a higher target for Marb and $G to make more dramatic progress. If the herd is Angus-based and known to produce calves that grade well, then Targeting the Brand™ EPD minimums may be sufficient. When purchasing herd sires, consider those that have been DNA tested and have genomic-enhanced EPDs because they will have greater accuracies. CONSIDER DOCILITY

Like carcass traits, disposition is a moderate to highly heritable trait. That’s good news because nervous and aggressive cattle are a pain in the wallet. Data collected on more than 68,000 cattle from 24 Iowa feedyards, shows that cattle that were considered docile graded Premium Choice and

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Prime at more than double the rate of their nervous to very aggressive contemporaries.

Considering all costs, docile calves netted more than $57 above their aggressive counterparts. The research shows that docility in the feedyard pays off with better performance, improved carcass merit and reduced morbidity and treatment costs.

The docility (Doc) EPD (www.angus. org/Nce/Definitions.aspx) is presented as a percentage, where a higher value is considered more favorable in terms of docile temperament. Since this is a threshold trait, herds that exhibit no problems in temperament will realize no improvement in selecting for aboveaverage docility EPDs. Doc can be used as part of a complete selection program in the event that a breeder needs to make improvement in a herd’s cattle temperament. In this example, a 10-percentage-point difference exists between the EPDs for Bull A and Bull B.

On the average, assuming the two bulls were mated to comparable females, one would expect 10 more calves out of 100 sired by Bull A to have a temperament in the most docile score (score = 1) compared with calves sired by Bull B. In herds where temperament problems are not an issue, this expected difference would not be realized. • Bull A DOC EPD +13%

• Bull B DOC EPD +3% Difference 10% NOTE: Docility is an economically important trait. A study by Gordon Carstens’ team at Texas A&M University with multiple breeds of feedlot heifers found grading Choice or higher was 63.5% for calm temperaments, compared to 55.5% for their excitable pen mates. Based on weights and USDA’s three-year-average grid, the calm advantage was $56 per head. FEBRUARY 2021 11

Updates from Certified Angus Beef • www.cabcattle.com/newsroom/cab-insider A subsidiary of the American Angus Association • www.angus.org

MARKET UPDATE

CARCASS VALUE SHIFTS

January fed cattle prices are normally choppy and so far we’re seeing that pattern in 2021. A primary difference this year, compared to 2020, is that last week’s average price is $14/cwt. lower, the same discount as the 5-year average.

Breaking down the total carcass cutout value by the dollar contribution of each primal reveals some of the anomalies for 2020. The table shows each of the beef primals with the percentage of carcass weight contributed by each. The familiar “big four” primals (loin, rib, chuck and round) certainly weigh the most The brighter side is that packers continue to harvest fed cattle at a rapid pace. and easily contribute the most to carcass value. Brisket, plate and flank primals Last week’s 509,000-head total is a 5-year record for that week. This pace is combine to account for just 15.5% of the total. what we want to see in the near term, with the industry’s need to work through aggressive fall placements against 1st quarter finishing dates. 2020 CUTOUT SUMMARY Large fed-cattle supplies will, however, limit upside potential for cash cattle prices in the near term, as February is typically the lowest beef demand month of the year.

Primal Loin

21.3%

28.8%

(0.5%)

11.5%

This Week

Rib

11.4%

19%

(0.5%)

7.5%

Chuck

29.6%

23.9%

1.1%

6.1%

Round

22.3%

18.4%

1.3%

3.8%

Brisket

5.0%

3.9%

(0.6%)

5.6%

Plate

7.1%

4.5%

(0.6%)

8.0%

Flank

3.4%

1.7%

(0.2%)

4.0%

Weekly Slaughter Fed Cattle Price Steer Carcass Wt CAB cutout Choice cutout Select cutout CH/SE spread CAB/CH spread

651K $100 913 $227.90 $209.53 $199.41 $10.12 $18.37

Previous Week

Previous year

651K $112 921 $225.78 $208.95 $196.48 $12.47 $16.83

633K $124 905 $228.55 $211.61 $260.68 $4.93 $16.94

% of CAB Change to % of Carcass Carcass Value Cutout Share

CAB% Premium to Choice

The large shift to retail business, accompanied with stifled restaurant and export trade, subtly show in the shifts in dollar contributions of each primal. Where customers purchased beef influenced which beef cuts outperformed or underperformed last year. It’s no surprise then that the chuck and round primals contributed an additional 1.1% and 1.3%, respectively, to the annual CAB cutout value in 2020. Retail demand was key to those increases, but lackluster demand for middle-meat items is just as much a factor in end meats capturing a bit more of the cutout dollars.

Basis remains weak with the February Live Cattle contract $2/cwt. premium to last week’s cash price. This doesn’t inspire cattle feeders to pull finished cattle forward in the marketing schedule. However, if corn input costs aren’t hedged, then feeders are more likely to get finished cattle sold to avoid increasing cost This is evidenced as we look at the rib contribution, which slipped by a mere half of a percent on the year. Ribs didn’t cheapen, year-on-year, but the advance of gain during the least efficient final days on feed. in end-meat pricing outpaced ribs such that the chuck and round pulled slightly Carcass cutout values appear to have found a short-term low in the first full ahead in the total cutout makeup. week of January. This was a bit earlier than expected, as it’s normal to see softer prices into the middle of the month before boxed beef values begin to gain a The loin decline, however, is a bit easier to understand since the highly valuable tenderloins suffered as much as any subprimal beef cut because of lost restaurant little momentum heading into February. business. The 0.5% smaller loin contribution, along with the rib decline, shouldn’t Boxed beef prices may not advance to a high degree through February, since be exaggerated but they are telltale signs of the year’s abnormal demand pattern. weekly carcass counts will be larger than a year ago given larger front-end cattle supplies. Limited restaurant trade continues to linger with Valentine’s Downward pressure was also noted on the smaller brisket, plate and flank Day approaching. This restriction on the market may keep a lid on any holiday primals. Each of these suffered in varying degrees the demand losses at the ribeye buying that tends to provide lift for cutout values during this period. restaurant level while the latter two were also impacted in the 2nd and 3rd Ribs were the only cheaper CAB primal from the cutout last week, yet heavy quarters by lost export demand. ribeye rolls were $0.40/lb. higher than the same week last year. Finally, as we get to the meat of the story, let’s take a quick look at premiums End meat demand is seen most recently with many chuck and round items for each primal by quality level. The Choice/Select spread was narrower last gaining slight price advances. Several items remain priced below a year ago year, falling $5/cwt. from the prior year to average $10.40/cwt. in 2020. This is a significant annual decline but the latest average is much closer to the 2016-2018 from the ends of the carcass, so advances are relative. 12 FEBRUARY 2021

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annual average of $10.82/cwt. The 2019 average of $15.46/cwt. had a lot to do with the Tyson plant fire disruption. That being said, the lower Choice premium in 2020 represents a return to normalcy if that can be said of anything on the year. In that last Insider, we pointed to the higher CAB cutout over Choice to sum up the year so we don’t need to rehash all of that. Yet it bears mentioning that the CAB loin, rib and chuck primals had larger premiums by 4.4%, 2.8% and 3% compared to Choice in the prior year.

CORN COST WILL INFLUENCE WEIGHTS AND GRADE The latest USDA corn supply updates included several adjustments, but the net effect was a stocks-to-use ratio lowered from 11.5% to 10.6%. The lower U.S. corn supply estimate combines with South American drought conditions to virtually guarantee a higher corn price range for the foreseeable future. Historically, higher corn prices have not automatically driven cattle feeders to reduce days on feed and finished cattle weights. However, current breakeven calculations are generating cost-of-gain estimates ranging from $1.00/lb. to $1.15/lb. depending on location and other feed costs. With last week’s fed cattle trade averaging $1.10/lb. it’s evident that the value of an additional pound of gain at the end of the feeding period is of little advantage. For much of 2020, the industry suffered from excess carcass pounds per head due to the backlog of cattle. Late December data shows combined steer and heifer carcasses still 14 lb. heavier than a year ago. Feedyard placement data suggests a quickening pace of carcassweight decline as we work through large front end cattle supplies in the 1st quarter. Spiking feedyard cost-of-gain figures should add fuel to this faster carcass weight decline, as some feeders will be incentivized to market cattle more expeditiously. The contrary factor to these dynamics is an increasing cash cattle market and/or weak basis, both of which would push marketing bias farther out on the calendar.

by Miranda Reiman It may be easier to explain away why you don’t have marbling in the herd than it is to get it. Some say that’s the origin of the popular “urban legend” in the Angus breed: high marbling potential is for “terminal” cattle, because they don’t make good mamas. You can’t have both in the same herd. But you can, as more and more commercial Angus herds across North America are proving with data and profit. Recent research suggests any theories to the contrary were simply created by those who have not made much effort to select for carcass traits and thus describe their herds as “maternal.” “Selection for Marbling and the Impact on Maternal Traits,” a research paper by Virginia Tech Extension animal scientist Scott Greiner and graduate student Jason Smith, explores the topic.

Marbling has a slight relationship “with most of the traits that we associate with cowherd productivity,” Greiner says (see Table 1 below). Terminal and maternal traits can “coexist.”

The first step to building a productive cow is to get her bred and bred early, and scrotal circumference is an indicator of fertility The first step to building a productive cow is to get her bred and bred early, and scrotal circumference is an indicator of fertility. Decades ago, some fairly popular and high-marbling Angus bulls happened to score low in that indicator, but that was just coincidence, according to all evidence.

Both small-scale studies and actual analysis of the expected progeny differences (EPDs) for marbling and scrotal circumference found no association between the two traits. Nor should marbling ability impact the onset of puberty. “Age at first calving” is often used to determine if a female will get pregnant during a normal breeding season. One study indicated no relationship and another said an increase in a full unit of marbling would extend age at first calving by 10 days. “A breeder that makes a 0.25 unit improvement in marbling EPD would be expected to increase age at first calving by less than three days,” authors Greiner and Smith state.

There is no correlation between marbling and heifer pregnancy in the Angus database. “Angus sires are highly sought after amongst commercial producers due to their ability to excel at calving ease while they maintain or improve carcass traits,” the paper says. The limited research highlights possible positive impacts, such as increased marbling in tandem with calf survival, lower birth weight and better calving ease.

From a carcass-quality standpoint we’ve seen a plethora of over-fed cattle in recent months. The added days on feed have pushed quality grades in 2020 to record seasonal highs. Lighter carcasses, especially in April and May, will pull quality grades lower as we head to the normal, annual lightest weights in May. This is negative to high quality product supply in that important demand period, but will have a notably positive effect on the Choice/Select spread as well as CAB and Prime carcass premiums. The other side of that coin will be fewer yield grade 4s and 5s, plus fewer discount carcasses exceeding 1,050-lb. grid limits. www.progressiverancher.com

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FEBRUARY 2021 13

By Nevada Beef Council Staff

Dalton, Jackson to Lead NBC in New Year

Reminder: Board Seats Available

As we shared in January, the New Year brought some changes to the Nevada Beef Council (NBC) board, with Gary Ward of Gardnerville departing the organization after several years of service, and Keri Pommerening of Smith Valley becoming the newest board member. The NBC is also kicking off 2021 with new board leadership, with Jay Dalton of Wells taking the helm as chair, and John Jackson of Tuscarora serving as vice chair.

The NBC is currently accepting applications for three board seats. One represents the dairy sector, and the other two represent the cowcalf sector in both the Western and Eastern regions of Nevada. Beef producers representing these sectors who are interested in serving as a council member must submit an application by March 31, not the previously published deadline of April 30. Current board members whose terms are expiring are also qualified to apply.

Both Dalton and Jackson have served on the Nevada Beef Council for a number of years, and have each served in various leadership positions. In looking ahead on the new year, Dalton says he is looking forward to continuing the work done in the wake of a challenging year. “After this last year we’ve had, it’s even more vital that we keep beef top of mind for consumers. I am looking forward to serving as chairman of the NBC, and working with the outstanding staff to continue the important work we’re doing,” notes Dalton. The newest member and secretary/ treasurer of the NBC board is Keri Pommerening, a 5th generation Nevadan who grew up working cattle with her father and has long had a passion for the beef industry. She and her husband now own a family cattle operation with their two children and their families. “Watching our grandchildren grow up in the ranching business brings me great joy,” notes Pommerening. “I want people to know that the majority of cattle in the US are raised on family ranches. It isn’t just a business, it’s a lifestyle, one we hope to continue for many generations.” “The Nevada Beef Council gives me the opportunity to continue to educate others on the beef industry. I am eager to work with the rest of the council to promote beef for future generations,” she adds. 14 FEBRUARY 2021

The council meets three times annually – twice in person, and once via conference call. Council members provide feedback, guidance and input on the activities and programs of the NBC. Applications are available at www.nevadabeef.org, or call 877-554-BEEF (2333) to request one to be mailed or e-mailed to you.

Jay Dalton

Recent Report Assesses Impact of COVID-19 on Consumer Behaviors The number of consumers who say they intend to eat beef at least weekly increased from 67 percent to 72 percent compared to 2019, and consumer positive perceptions of beef reached 70 percent for the first time, according to a report released late last year that examines the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on consumer attitudes, behaviors and perceptions. The report, released by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, outlines what consumer behaviors have changed, what behaviors may be permanent and how the beef industry has and continues to respond. With support from the 44 state beef councils and the Beef Checkoff program, current market and consumer research provides insight into the past year and helps inform programming and response in order to keep beef as the top protein choice for consumers. “NCBA’s checkoff-funded market research program allows us to evaluate and understand the consumer landscape, especially as its dynamics continue to shift,” NCBA Senior Director of Market Research Shawn Darcy said. “As a result, this helps all checkoff programs be more efficient, whether through promotion, education or information distribution.”

John Jackson

Nevada Beef Council Board Jay Dalton, Wells, Chair John Jackson, Tuscarora, Vice Chair Keri Pommerening, Smith Valley, Secretary/Treasurer Ray Callahan, Reno Ted Christoph, Fallon Bernard Petersen, Ely Lucy Rechel, Yerington

The Progressive Rancher

Despite not knowing how this pandemic will continue to shape the consumer landscape, the “State of the Consumer” report provides valuable information to help the beef industry better understand the quickly changing environment. Key take-aways include: • Online ordering for both groceries and meal ordering is likely here to stay. It is expected online ordering and delivery will grow at a more rapid pace than originally projected due to COVID-19.

• Consumers are cooking more meals at home now than prior to COVID-19. This means they are searching for information to help them cook meals at home. Though expected to continue for the short term, a long-term shift is difficult to assess. • Consumers are spending more time at home and online than prior to COVID-19. Along with that comes the rise of more TV and movingstreaming platforms and the decline of movie theater viewing which could signal a long-term shift in consumers using more media “inside of the home” compared to “out-of-home.”

• Currently, consumers are focused on spending their money on essential needs, such as groceries, household supplies, personal care and cleaning products. This will likely adjust back; it is just a matter of when.

• Positive consumer perceptions of beef and beef production increased during the pandemic and will likely remain higher for the next several months. Consumers may return to expressing concerns about food production when focus evolves from current concerns. • Beef demand has remained strong to-date. Consumers increased weekly beef eatings and were willing to pay more for the product.

The full “State of the Consumer” Report, with detailed statistics and graphs can be found at www.BeefResearch.org. www.progressiverancher.com

Beef Steak & Black Bean Soft Tacos By Nevada Beef Council Staff

In honor of National American Heart Month, consider combining taco Tuesday with a heart-healthy recipe. This steak taco meal gets extra flavor from a black bean and salsa paste and fresh toppings. This Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. recipe is certified by the American Heart Association.®

Ingredients

• 1 pound beef Bottom Round Steaks, cut 1/4 inch thick • 1 cup salsa, divided • 2 teaspoons chile powder • 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided • 1 can (15 ounces) no-salt added black beans • 8 small corn tortillas (5 to 6-inch diameter), warmed • 1 cup diced tomatoes • 1/2 cup shredded lettuce • 1/2 cup diced red onion • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro • 1 medium ripe avocado, cut into 8 thin slices • 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

Preparation

Courtesy of Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.

www.nevadabeef.org www.mybeefcheckoff.org

• Combine 1/2 cup salsa, chile powder and 1 teaspoon cumin. Place beef Steaks and marinade in food-safe plastic bag; turn to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator 6 hours or as long as overnight, turning occasionally. • Combine 1 cup beans, remaining 1/2 cup salsa and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin in medium microwave-safe bowl. Mash with fork into chunky paste. Cover and microwave on HIGH 1 to 2 minutes or until hot, stirring once. Keep warm. • Meanwhile, heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot; remove from heat and coat with nonstick spray. Remove steaks from marinade; discard marinade. Cooking in batches, if necessary, place steaks in skillet (do not overcrowd) and cook 2 to 3 minutes for medium rare (145°F) doneness, turning once. (Do not overcook.) Remove steaks from skillet; keep warm. Repeat with remaining steaks.

• Spread bean mixture evenly on tortillas. Cut steaks into 4 pieces each and divide evenly among tortillas. Top beef with remaining 1/2 cup beans, tomatoes, lettuce, red onion, cilantro, avocado and lime wedge, as desired. Fold tortillas in half to serve. Cook’s Tip: Steaks may be cut into bite-sized pieces in Step 4. www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

FEBRUARY 2021 15

In the Mind of a Millennial Keeping Health Top-of-Mind By Jill Scofield, Director of Producer Relations California & Nevada Beef Council As I was thinking about this month’s column, I went back to last February to see what I had written. Looking back to that time, it reminded me that it was one of the last pieces I wrote before this pandemic consumed everything. So I reminisced for a moment on those carefree days, when meeting a deadline was one of the more stressful parts of my week. To think of all that has happened in the last year! Last February, I shared information about heart health and the vast amount of resources and research available that support lean beef ’s role in a hearthealthy diet. There have been over 20 studies of lean beef in healthy dietary patterns, which supports the important role lean beef plays in a heart-healthy diet and lifestyle – all of which you can learn more about at BeefItsWhatsForDinner. com/nutrition. With National Heart Month being celebrated in February, it’s also prudent to remind you that the American Heart Association® certifies a number of lean beef cuts and recipes on BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com with its Heart-Check program, helping those looking specifically for heart-healthy meals to find cuts and dishes that fit into their menus. As you’ll probably notice, the beef recipe shared this month is one of those with the AHA Heart-Check mark. The lean beef cuts featuring the AHA Heart-Check include: • Extra Lean Ground Beef (96% lean, 4% fat) • Bottom Round Steak (USDA Select grade) • Extra Lean Ground Beef 96% Lean 4% Fat (with Natural Flavors) 16 FEBRUARY 2021

• Sirloin Tip Steak (USDA Select grade) • Top Sirloin Petite Roast, Boneless (USDA Select grade) • Top Sirloin Strips (USDA Select grade) • Top Sirloin Filet (USDA Select grade) • Top Sirloin Kabob (USDA Select grade) • Top Sirloin Steak, Boneless, Center Cut (USDA Select grade) But beyond heart health, beef can play a role in a healthy diet for a number of reasons, at any age. And more and more, the importance of proteins like beef in the early years of life are being discovered. In fact, health authorities like the World Health Organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Women Infants and Children’s program recommend animal source foods, like beef, to ensure nutrient needs such as iron and zinc are met in the early years. Proper nutrition is critical during this time, particularly since by 6 months of age, iron stores are depleted, and breastmilk alone can no longer meet all of the infant’s nutrient requirements.

the “Early Years” campaign, with the message that every bite counts. The campaign showcases that beef can be a complementary first food for babies starting at around six months of age and continuing through childhood, and that introducing beef can ensure infants get the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development. According to some of the campaign messaging, “Introducing meats, like beef, has a purpose beyond simply meeting essential nutrient needs. Beef offers new and different flavors and textures which not only supports oral and motor development, but also enhances discovery and learning, helping them to be more accepting of new and healthy foods as they grow and develop healthy eating habits.” Since just one 3 oz. cooked serving of beef provides protein, iron and zinc, which are often lacking in diets of kids and teens, incorporating beef into our children’s diets can help ensure they get the nutrients they need, which then in turn helps provide energy for their active bodies, aid in brain development and support a healthy immune system.

And for the first time ever, the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) provides nutrition recommendations for children birth-24 months of age, including introducing solid foods, like beef, to infants and toddlers in order to pack in every bite with protein, iron, zinc and choline. To help provide education and increase awareness on this important topic, the Beef Checkoff recently launched The Progressive Rancher

As a mom to two growing boys, this is of great importance to me and my family. And since beef is a favorite of both kids, it’s not hard for me to incorporate this delicious staple into their diets on a regular basis. There are a ton of resources available to help parents of kids of any age ensure they are providing nutritionally packed meals to their families, including fact sheets, kid-friendly recipes, tips for introducing solid foods to infants, and more – all available at BeefItsWhatsForDinner. com/nutrition/beef-for-all-ages. I’m willing to bet many of the readers of The Progressive Rancher don’t need a whole lot of encouragement to incorporate beef into their families’ menus. But as a producer, you might find it reassuring to know this kind of information is available for other parents who might need the additional reassurance.

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The Progressive Rancher

FEBRUARY 2021 17

THE P/J SITUATION “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” - George Santayana. This quote or variations of it is sometimes attributed to Winston Churchill. The quote presupposes those condemned have a good grasp on the facts revealed in the past. In other words, to remember something you have to have known it at one time. Relative to this thought, I have two criticisms of the extreme environmental movement. First, they make pronouncements without telling the truth to further an agenda. Second, knowing the truth, they conveniently forget again for the purposes of furthering that agenda. What is the agenda? Here in the intermountain west their agenda is to eliminate all livestock grazing on the public ranges. This effort began to heat up just after WWII. Coincidently, this was about the time when range science began to really evaluate the western ranges. The conclusion of most range scientists is there was a great deal of overgrazing in the early settlement of the west and on into the 20th century. The scientific analysis also resulted in ideas and techniques to decrease overgrazing and the use of livestock in a responsible, managed way to improve the ranges. Without question, most ranchers now acknowledge there were some grazing abuses. They also embrace the science and use their livestock to improve the public ranges they have permits to graze. They don’t hide the truth or fail to address the mistakes of the past. Instead, they improve those ranges by using modern scientifically based managed grazing to protect the resource while keeping it productive and useful for many different interests. 18 FEBRUARY 2021

Below is the reason I thought about expressing my views on this issue of who is telling the truth about what is really happening on the ranges of the west, and who is actually doing something to make sure those ranges are productive and sustainable on into the next century of the wise use of those ranges. The BLM recently ruled the use of categorical exclusions is a valid NEPA process to permit the removal of up to 10,000 acres of pinion- juniper conifers (P/J) in sage brush steppe communities to reestablish the preferred vegetation in areas where the conifers have overrun the brush and grass areas historically dominant at certain elevations above the valley floors in the mountainous west. This encroachment of trees began after fire suppression efforts took hold as the twentieth century advanced. This decision has created a firestorm among various environmental groups whose spokes persons have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. They criticize the BLM for a decision they claim will mean less biodiversity and increased cheat grass invasion. This is wrong in so many ways. I read in another well-respected publication a spokesman for a big game foundation said there is proof such tree removals in sage brush steppes improves habitat for all kinds of wildlife including mule deer. There are places in eastern Nevada, for instance, where the historic tree population was around one hundred trees per acre where now one thousand trees per acre grow. These monocultures create an environment in which no other plants are able to germinate and grow underneath the canopy. A short walk through one of these monocultured areas proves my point. First, in some P/J infested areas it is almost impossible to

walk without being blocked by branches from hundreds and hundreds of trees. Second, the notion that any big game or livestock including a ridden saddle horse could easily make their way through such areas is laughable. The ground is so bare of any other vegetation it is a virtual desert under these canopies of P/J. Diseased and stunted trees are everywhere just waiting for a strategic lightning strike to burn thousands of acres. The University of Nevada, Reno has done research which shows the canopy is so thick in places that snow and rain never reach the ground. I have also read each one of these trees transpires at least 15 gallons of water a day. This amounts to billions of gallons a day west wide from the increasingly large P/J forest that is changing the ecological balance all over the west. I have heard the historic P/J forest in eastern Nevada was about two million acres. This infestation by the current forest exceeds 7 million acres. Imagine what this has done to the water table if 7 million acres of trees transpire what 2 million acres of trees used to. The math is easy. 1000 trees times 15 gallons is 15,000 gallons per acre per day. You can do the rest. Old timers in the area can point to canyons where water from springs used to flow freely which are now dry because too many trees are consuming too much water. I have personal experience in seeing the benefits of the scientific management of a small piece of private property in an isolated canyon in Central Nevada. The owner accomplished a restoration of historic water and grass by clear cutting trees on the private ground while leaving thousands of acres covered with trees on

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the public land except for a permitted removal of relatively few trees from the surrounding public land. This limited clear cut on just under 200 aces resulted in a meadow and springs coming back to life to the point that water flowed across the meadow for all but a few of the driest weeks every year. By cutting all the brush off of the meadow and judiciously spreading just a bit of the newly established spring water, the rancher created a vibrant and thriving forage resource that had been lost for many decades. The result is an important forage resource for his livestock and the return of sage grouse to the important sage/ meadow interface area so critical to the survival of new broods of birds in the spring every year. Any livestock producer in the Great Basin can tell you about the dozens of birds they see at this critical time as they ride horseback along these meadow fringes in the spring because the birds and their chicks need the insect food source established in this zone for their survival and that of their broods. And, so we have the radical environmental community ignoring the science or deciding not to do even a bit of research to admit they are wrong which in turn does nothing to help the resource they claim to care so much about. Their attitude is if the BLM says it is ok there must be something wrong with it because livestock grazing is just one of the uses benefitting from a common sense scientifically justified decision. Thanks for caring so much NGOs. I’ll see you soon.

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FEBRUARY 2021 19

Nevada Farm Bureau

Returning The Nevada Board of Agriculture To Their Leadership Role By Doug Busselman | Nevada Farm Bureau | Executive Vice President When the Nevada Board of Agriculture held their December Board meeting we raised the issue, during the opening public comment period, that Nevada Farm Bureau had some issues with the pre-filed legislation that was submitted by the Nevada Department of Agriculture. The legislative proposal at question is SB 54, which seeks to change Nevada law (NRS 561.055) spelling out the areas of representation for members on the Nevada Board of Agriculture. Part of the concern centered on the lack of advanced discussions (or warning) that the Department was bringing forward this type of a proposal. While bringing forward the comment of concern during the public comment period at the start of the meeting, it became obvious that the majority of the members of the Board of Agriculture weren’t aware of the bill being introduced. As the meeting continued, the legislation was included in a report provided to the Board, but because of the construction of the meeting agenda and not having an opportunity for the Board to take action the matter provided limited conversation, but no definite course for the Board to do anything about. Nevada Farm Bureau greatly appreciates the actions of the Board of Agriculture chair in calling for a special board meeting (scheduled for January 19) to provide the Board to discuss the legislation as well as to serve as a platform, in advance of the start of the legislative session, for public input regarding the proposal. The details included within SB 54 calls for re-classification of the present criteria in NRS 561.055. Current law provides for three seats for producers “actively engaged” in range/ semi-range cattle production. SB 54 as written reduces the number to two members and changes the “cattle” to “livestock.” 20 FEBRUARY 2021

In the next line the current seat designated for a sheep producer who is actively engaged in range or semirange operations is totally deleted. It is assumed that the sheep and cattle producers fit into the “livestock” category and having two of someone from either of these sectors is good enough. Taking the four seats (3 cattle and 1 sheep) and turning the combined total into a two slot proposal, then creates two new positions for nonagricultural producer slots. For these “new” designations – it is proposed that one member would be someone who is working in the field of supplemental nutrition distribution and one member would be someone who is actively engaged in food manufacturing or animal processing.

Finally, letter “e” of the five bullet set of duties states that the Board – “Shall adopt such regulations as it deems necessary for the operation of the Department and for carrying out the provisions of laws and programs administered by the Department.” Sitting through quarterly reports and being told what the Department has decided they are going to do is something that will need to change, at least in the view of what Nevada Farm Bureau policy says. That Farm Bureau policy position includes this perspective: “Nevada Farm Bureau supports that the Nevada Board of Agriculture be maintained as a policy-setting entity.

Beyond the surprise factor for learning about SB 54 through the Legislature’s website and the listing of introduced bills that included such a major change; there’s a very basic question of who’s in charge of what?

The Board of Agriculture should also maintain strong connection with Nevada agricultural organizations, providing Nevada agricultural producers with the opportunity to give input and influence into services or programs which are needed to benefit farmers and ranchers.”

State law (NRS 561.105) identifies the duties; rules and regulations of the Board of Agriculture and states that the Board “must” be informed on of “the entire” field of legislation and administration charged to the Department of Agriculture. The Board is supposed to report to the Governor and the Legislature on the matters that are deemed to be relevant to the Department.

“Policy-setting” in Farm Bureau’s interpretation goes beyond deciding what color shirts that Department of Agriculture persons wear as part of the uniform and actually takes the form of setting the course for programs, regulations and operations. In the not so distant past, the Board of Agriculture would direct whether regulation processes should be started and authorized workshops and hearings to be held.

The Board is directed (with a “Shall”) to advise and make recommendations to the Governor or the Legislature relating to the policies of the State concerning livestock and agriculture. The matter of SB 54 was not included in any of the discussions by the Board of Agriculture prior to being introduced. In addition they are to establish (again using the “Shall” command) the policy of the Department.

With only a few exceptions, the Board of Agriculture is now briefed through reports that they receive on a quarterly basis what regulation proposals are being worked on by the Department and possibly the decisions that have already been made. Without having an agenda that provides for a “Possible Action Item” notation there’s no toehold for anything to take place beyond asking some questions.

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Where there are possible questions of authority for who is responsible for deciding in regard to regulations, based on language covered in separate sections of statute, clarification might be necessary to re-establish the understanding that the Board of Agriculture are the deciders for “such regulations as it deems necessary for the operation of the Department and for carrying out the provisions of laws and programs administered by the Department.” Further, the Board of Agriculture needs to step forward in the process of initiating regulations and interaction with the agricultural producers who are most of the time paying for the services and programs that they need. One example along this line of reasoning is the brand program. Nevada Farm Bureau policy supports a livestock producers’ advisory committee to be formed to develop recommendations regarding brand policy to the Board of Agriculture. Other areas and matters of importance should also be covered with similar approaches for engagement of those who are impacted. Taking the necessary steps to reestablish the authority of the Board of Agriculture is not going to be a single action. It will require the Board of Agriculture standing up for their appropriate authority, corrections to some laws to clarify that authority and the Nevada agricultural sector interacting with the Board to bring about necessary improvements. Based on our understanding of the clear meaning of what the statute NRS 561.105 says, the Board of Agriculture should have been in the very front of determining whether the Department of Agriculture should be submitting changes to who would be on the Board of Agriculture…not finding out about it after the bill had been introduced and it appeared on the pre-filed legislative list.

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Farm Bureau Establishes 2021 Policies Brittney Money | NFB Director of Communications

Farmer and rancher delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 102nd Annual Convention today adopted policies to guide the organization’s work in 2021. Key topics ranged from farm diversity to farm labor and dairy policy to livestock marketing. For the first time in AFBF history, delegates met and voted virtually due to COVID-19. “Our Farm Bureau delegates showed that no challenge, not even a pandemic, will keep them from working to improve the lives of America’s farmers and ranchers,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Their work not only sets policy for 2021, it will also serve as a guide for AFBF as we prepare to work with a new president and a new Congress to ensure we continue to lead the world in producing healthy and safe food, fiber and fuel.” Recognizing the importance of broadening access to agriculture, delegates voted to encourage increased racial diversity in farming. This new policy calls for increased funding for USDA programs that make inheriting farms easier and increases funding to promote diverse farmland ownership. Delegates updated labor policy, emphasizing the importance of reforming the H-2A program by expanding the program to provide visa workers for both seasonal and yearround employment. An expanded www.progressiverancher.com

program would address workforce shortages and extend the program to operations that do not currently qualify to employ guest workers, like dairy farms.

The Holcomb plant fire and the COVID-19 pandemic caused meat prices to skyrocket while the price paid to farmers dropped. AFBF delegates voted to provide stability in markets by supporting efforts to increase negotiated sales in fed cattle markets. Delegates also called for increased transparency in livestock pricing.

Milk price volatility was exasperated by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in financial damages to dairy farmers in excess of $2.5 billion. Delegates updated dairy policy to call for re-examining the 2018 farm bill’s modification to the milk price formula, improving equity in USDA’s Federal Milk Marketing Order revenue sharing pools, and reaffirmed their support for allowing dairy farmers the opportunity to cast an individual and confidential ballot during milk order referendums. There are new policies on crop insurance. Delegates called on the Risk Management Agency to improve hurricane protection coverage, including but not limited to, providing protection against both hurricane-force winds and excessive precipitation. Delegates also supported modifying specialty crop insurance to minimize food waste.

Michael Flores named University Director of Government Relations & Community Engagement Longtime Nevada government affairs and community outreach professional to join University of Nevada, Reno Michael Flores has been named the UNR director of Government Relations and Community Engagement, President Brian Sandoval announced today. Flores, a longtime Nevada government affairs and community outreach professional, has previously held positions within the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE), including chief of staff for the chancellor of NSHE and director of government affairs and communication for the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas. He was also press secretary and senior community liaison for Nevada U.S. Congressman Steven Horsford and was a program assistant for Clark County. He is also founder of the non-profit Nevada Youth Network, which works with the youth of Nevada to prepare them to become tomorrow’s leaders. “Michael’s substantial experience in government affairs as well as in strategic community outreach has given him expertise and insight on a broad and diverse range of issues that are central to the future of our University,” Sandoval said. “He has a wealth of experience that will help our institution continue to build the bridges of collaboration, both in northern Nevada and throughout the state, that are essential to our success. I’d like to offer Michael a warm welcome to our Wolf Pack Family.” NSHE Chancellor Melody Rose praised Flores for his ability to understand the needs of Nevada’s higher education stakeholders and to build a forward-reaching consensus that has helped realize many of NSHE’s strategic goals. “Michael has played a prominent role and provided a guiding voice in many of the initiatives that are critical to NSHE’s mission,” Rose said. “His familiarity with Nevada’s organizational and political landscape and understanding of constituent needs have helped NSHE better serve the state. I’m happy about this new and exciting chapter in Michael’s professional life. He will be missed, but thankfully won’t be going too far, so he may continue working alongside other NSHE institutions to further the importance of higher education within the state of Nevada.” Flores, a graduate of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas who holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy and a master’s degree in urban leadership from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, will be responsible for a variety of duties, including representing the University of Nevada, Reno in working with elected leaders at the federal, state, regional and city level, as well as state agencies such as NSHE. In addition, he will collaborate with private-sector interests, non-profit organizations and leaders in the community to help further the University’s mission. “I am extremely honored to have been chosen for this position,” Flores said. “The University of Nevada, Reno has established a tradition of excellence and achievement that has been recognized nationally as well as throughout our entire state. I’ve seen and experienced the transformational benefits of higher education first-hand, including the nights I’d accompany my mother, who was a single parent, to her night classes at CSN and UNLV. I couldn’t be happier and more personally humbled to begin working for the oldest institution of higher learning in Nevada.” Media Contact | Kerri Garcia Hendricks | Executive Director Office of Marketing and Communications | University of Nevada, Reno C: 775-240-0283 | O: 775-784-1880 | kerrig@unr.edu | unr.edu/nevada-today FEBRUARY 2021 21

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FEBRUARY 2021 23

By Melinda Sarman, President Hello all Nevada CattleWomen! February brings new beginnings as many of us are starting calving season. This time of year, it warms your heart to see the new life on the ranch. It all so brings long hours, increased work load and sometimes disappointment, but most of all, joy during this season. This new life is our foundation for many Nevada ranches. Also, 2021 brings a new legislative session, and we never know how the agriculture community will be impacted with new legislation. Your membership to Nevada CattleWomen Inc. makes it possible to contact you about agriculture issues. Then members can collaborate with other agriculture groups such as Nevada Farm Bureau, Nevada Cattlemen Association and your local affiliates.

The American National Cattlewomen’s association has scheduled the annual meeting to be held virtually for the first part of February. The American National Cattlewomen’s Association provides a solid platform for the promotion of our product and the betterment of our industry. Our president, Evelyn Greene and her team have been working hard on programming that ensures beef for generations to

Let’s Talk Ag Weather and Agriculture Staci Emm | Editorial

Dust, pests, heat, wildfire are all risks that will be impacting us in Nevada if we do not get some moisture to build snowpack and get that grass growing.

There is a lot of scientific information that goes into whether climate change exists and what is behind it. In fact, there is so much science that it gives me a headache. What I do know is that we are seeing warmer temperatures across the West. This may mean too much moisture or not enough moisture leading to catastrophic events. These events range from floods to wildfire and are nothing to joke about. The weather has a direct impact on agriculture in Nevada. Last year, the 24 FEBRUARY 2021

come (#beef4generations). Evelyn’s platform has lit a fire for increasing education for young and old on the benefits of beef. Her educational programs need to be praised for empowering generations to come. If you’re not a member of ANCW, I truly encourage you to join. The web site for American National Cattlewomen’s is https://ancw.org/join-today/joinonline/ . I look forward to giving an update in the next issue about the meetings.

Plans are underway to have a Stockmanship, Stewardship and WIRED (Women in Ranch Education and Development) in Elko, NV this summer. This joint event is brought to you by NCBA, Nevada and California Beef Councils, Beef Checkoff and Nevada CattleWomen Inc., and is a unique three-day educational experience with hands-on cattle care. It is set to be held at the Elko County Fairgrounds. Registration is expected to open later this spring/summer. The Stockmanship & Stewardship is an educational experience featuring low-stress cattle handling demonstrations, Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) and industry updates. Discussion of current industry challenges, consumer driven trends, and crops in western Nevada were hit by frost, pests, and then the smoke blocking the sun. This led to a reduction in tonnage of most first crop alfalfa. This was compounded by COVID-19 and cattle prices sliding.

The craziest thing is that we can not predict the weather for months at a time. I can give you predictions for the next three months that say Nevada has an equal chance for average moisture. The TV weatherman can give you decent predictions for a week at a time. But, there is no way to efficiently guarantee anything.

For example, we are in a La Nina weather pattern this year with the north west getting pounded by storms and the southwest in a severe drought. Nevada is in the EC or better known as Equal Chance zone. This fall my home was hit by what the weather man called a “slider.” It hit Lyon and Mineral County with more snow that I can even remember, but left our neighbor Churchill County

realistic strategies to enhance producer’s commitment to stockmanship & stewardship. Producers will also receive training on how to make the most of your cattle handling facility.

This three-day event will be led by stockmanship experts, Curt Pate, Dr. Ron Gill, and Dean Fish. By attending a Stockmanship & Stewardship event, producers may also become BQA certified. This program will involve producers on hands-on demonstrations from the stockmanship experts and learn cutting-edge operational techniques. The Stockmanship & Stewardship program is a result of collaboration by a number of producer organizations and our friends at Merck Animal Health. The Nevada Beef Council is leading this program. For more information you can contact Jill Scofield, Director Producer Relations for the Nevada and California Beef Councils at jill@calbeef.org. or myself at (775) 385-3619. I have exciting news… the 2021 Cattle Industry Summer business meeting and Annual Convention will be August 8-12 in Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, Nashville, TN. This event is for anyone in cattle or agriculture business. The 2021 event will be one of the largest on record. This convention bone dry. The older I get the more this seems to be the new norm.

We also know that we are seeing warmer temperatures which increases concerns of aphids, crickets, and grasshoppers. The warmer the winter, the more likely they will surface. This will be combined with reduce reservoir storage and reductions in water availability, and an increase in noxious weeds. This all will result in reduced agricultural productivity.

So, why is this all important and why did I pick this month to discuss this issue? I am discussing it because I want each and every one of you to be ready. Have that plan B in place before plan A goes south. I know that most farmers and ranchers are already paying attention to weather patterns, how their rangelands look or new seedings in the field look, and waiting for the surface water allocations that are going to be available. Groundwater resources will most likely have to be used this year, which also

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will have Cattlewomen and Cattlemen from across the country. Event organizers expect to have over 9,000 people attend this convention. The trade show will be truly unbelievable with over seven acres of agriculture booths for livestock production and business management. The businesses at this convention will help make every animal and acre on a ranch more profitable. These meetings are educational and the hands-on workshop are from industry leaders. More information can be found at ANCW.ORG or NCBA.ORG. If you have any questions, please give me a call at (775) 385-3619.

Nevada CattleWomen Fundraiser for 2021 Thanks to our friends at Smith Valley Garage, NCW will raffle off a Kubota Four Wheel Drive Gasoline Utility Vehicle! A maximum of 200 tickets will be sold for the Kubota Four Wheel Drive Gasoline Utility Vehicle RTV-XG850 Sidekick at $100/ ticket. The drawing will be held August 1, 2021. Need not be present to win. Must be 21 years of age to purchase a ticket. Get your tickets now before they are sold out – only 200 tickets sold. Contact your NVCW Executive Board for tickets; Melinda Sarman (775) 385-3619 Maddie Bowers (775) 388-3259 Ana Dagenhart (775) 790-5892 Staci Emm (775) 312-0424 Keri Pommerening (775) 721-4888 Erin Costa (775) 720-3760. stresses aquafers. I am hoping we get a couple of really powerful storms that will offset what is predicted. This can still happen; however, it is not looking too great.

I encourage everyone to also pay attention to our friends at USDA. The Farm Service Agency programs are directly tied to the drought monitor. Some of these programs like the Livestock Feed Program (LFP) are still available. I also believe the Whole Farm risk management insurance program is still available to sign up until the first of March if you want to protect your farm income. These are just a few options and other options will directly relate to how you will need to change management practices whether it be for hay, other crops, or livestock. Most producers are already thinking about this as they start the production year. We will all be watching the weather this spring.

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FEBRUARY 2021 25 February 2021 |

The Need to Improve Mule Deer Populations: HISTORY PART 1 OF 3

By Charlie D. Clements This is the first part of a three-part series focusing on improving mule deer populations on Nevada rangelands. In more recent times, it has been quite obvious that game species such as sage grouse have received enormous attention and financial obligation in an effort to restore and protect this sensitive species. Yet, the only declining big game species in North America, mule deer, are largely absent from the concern of most researchers. The vocal sentiment of many sportsmen and women in northern Nevada, concerning mule deer, is one of frustration. As other big game species such as pronghorn, elk and bighorn sheep continue to experience growth and expansion, mule deer on the other hand continue to struggle overtime. Historically, most authorities agree that at the time of European contact in northern Nevada, mule deer were in fact quite scarce. Early explorers like Jedidiah Smith, Peter Skene Ogden, and John Work journeyed throughout the Great Basin during the second and third decades of the 19th century. Their journals indicate that few mule deer were encountered. Despite these mountain men being the epitome of professional hunters, they often found themselves hungry and sometimes killed their own horses to survive. Early explorers were known to have to survive by drawing blood from their stock and making a blood pudding as well as sticking their hands down ant mounds and licking the ants for much needed protein. John Work described in November 1832 in northwestern Nevada, “few tracks, but no site of deer”. “Crossing the road was a singular barrier, built by Indians, to pen in, probably, large hares when they hunt them, for there is no other game here” reported Bruff on 25 September 1849 while traveling near Soldiers Meadows in northwestern Nevada. These early explorers and trappers noted the abundance of pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep and waterfowl in certain 26 FEBRUARY 2021

areas, but quite often noted the scarcity of mule deer throughout their travels. The areas where these early explorers and trappers traveled and recorded the scarcity of mule deer supported mule deer by the thousands by the mid-1950s and through the 1980s. Now, a half a century later, mule deer are experiencing declining herds. Mule deer are browsers and therefore benefit when shrub species such as big sagebrush, curl leaf mountain mahogany, antelope bitterbrush and other woody species are productive components on their ranges. These woody species are beneficial as they provide desired nutrition and cover. This does not exclude the nutritional importance of forbs and early growth grasses to the well-being of mule deer as these are preferred forages during spring and early summer months. But, as fall and winter months arrive, much needed digestible protein and cover provided by shrub species can be the difference between survival and death (Figure 1).

Among the hypothesis for the mule deer population irruptions of the 1950s, U.S. Forest Service Researcher, George Greull reported in his publication “Post-1900 mule deer irruptions in the Intermountain West; Principle causes and influences” that the environmental changes brought about by domestic livestock grazing resulted in the decrease of herbaceous species, decrease in wildfire frequencies due to decreases in herbaceous fuel loads and the significant increase in shrub species that benefitted mule deer throughout the Great Basin. Pioneer range scientist, James A. Young pointed out that virtually all western Great Basin plant communities that had sagebrush species during this mule deer irruption had sagebrush species under pre-contact conditions. Young also pointed out that even though these shrub species were present during pre-contact time, a very subtle increase in shrub communities could have significant beneficial impacts on browsing ungulates such as mule deer.

Mule deer population estimates reported less than 50,000 animals in the early 1900s, followed by irruptions of an estimated 250,000 animals by 1950 and 240,000 in 1988. Since 1988 there has been a gradual decline in mule deer populations with an estimated population of 92,000 by 2020. With this prolonged and continual decline in mule deer populations has come the numerous justifications for these experienced declines, from multiple habitat issues such as wildfires (Figure 2) and drought to lack of predator management. There is no shortage of finger pointing and emotions are running high, nonetheless, mule deer populations continue to experience declining conditions. The majority of wildlife biologists focus their concern on habitat, as they should, yet concerned sportsmen and women also have voiced their concern on the lack of predator control and the negative impact that predators can have on limiting mule deer populations and recovery.

Figure 1. Mule deer browsing on shrub species during winter months. Healthy shrub communities are critically important to the recovery and growth of mule deer herds throughout Nevada. The Progressive Rancher

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Figure 2. Former mule deer winter range converted to cheatgrass dominance following wildfires. The loss of critical transitional and winter range mule deer habitats are one of the largest challenges facing mule deer population recovery. As an anecdotal, I remember the winter of 1992-1993 that was so devastating to mule deer herds throughout Nevada. Although this is just a snap shot in time review and site selective, two important things were occurring in northwestern Nevada that are of interest. First, in 1991, livestock were removed from the Charles Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge managed by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Refuge, located in the far northwestern portion of Nevada, is over 570,000 acres of a variety of habitats ranging from salt desert shrub and xeric Wyoming big sagebrush to mountain brush communities. This is important to mention because at the time of removing domestic livestock, representatives from state, federal and private organizations were in fact blaming livestock grazing for habitat destruction that negatively impacted wildlife species, such as mule deer. The late University Nevada Reno Biology Professor, Peter Brussard, was instrumental in the Charles Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge scientific working group in the 1990s following the removal of domestic livestock. Of the indicator species that Peter selected to track rangeland health, from the perspective of removing domestic livestock, was mule deer. Following the 1992-1993 winter that resulted in heavy mortality of mule deer herds, there was an initial rebound in the state mule deer population from 115,000 in 1994 to 134,000 in 1999. On the Charles Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, the 1999 post-season composition survey www.progressiverancher.com

resulted in the classification of 330 mule deer with a composition of 49 bucks/100 does/85 fawns and a tag allocation of 133 mule deer tags. Twenty years later in 2019 the post-season survey resulted in 112 mule deer with a 33 bucks/100 does/44 fawns with a tag allocation of 46. Why is this important? Experts assured all involved parties including sportsmen and women that the removal of domestic livestock would result in healthier range conditions which would result in an increase in wildlife indicator species such as mule deer (Figure 3). The fact is that this intense management decision did not result in a population increase of mule deer on the Refuge. Secondly, another event that occurred, was in 1990 when mountain lions became a “specially protected species” in California. Again, this is only a snap shot in time and is focused on western Nevada mule deer populations rather than the whole state. Brent Espil of the John Espil Sheep Company has mentioned on numerous occasions through

personal discussions that mountain lions were not much of a problem in the habitats where he runs cattle and sheep, but by 1993 and 1994 mountain lion predation on his sheep herd had become very evident as well as the numerous sightings of mountain lions throughout his range which just a few years earlier was nearly absent. This increase in mountain lion presence was soon to be witnessed throughout western Nevada hunting zones. Rick Sweitzer, University Nevada Reno PhD student in the 1990s was conducting research in Granite Basin just north of Gerlach, NV on porcupines. At the time it was believed that this part of the Granite Range in northern Nevada held the largest known population of porcupines in North America. Rick reported that by 1997 the porcupine population had been decimated by mountain lion predation. Given that my background and training are in wildlife management, it is not uncommon to have wildlife managers believe that predator populations follow the cycles of their prey, therefor when a mule deer population or porcupine population decline the predator population will decline as well and not rebound until after the prey base has rebounded. Perhaps one of the problems with this line of thinking is the overall prey base. Predators can seek out their preference, such as bighorn sheep or mule deer, but also count on other prey such as porcupines or domestic livestock, therefor become a potential limiting factor to population recovery following favorable habitat scenarios. There is no doubt that when looking at issues that challenge the restoration of mule deer populations numerous opinions and concerns arise, yet to open this dialog and perhaps open the minds to the opinion of others even though it may not be your own is indeed a dialog worth having.

Figure 3. Vigorous shrub and herbaceous recovery following 1994 Badger Fire. Even with productive habitat recovery, mule deer populations continue to struggle on the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge. The Progressive Rancher

FEBRUARY 2021 27

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RANCH MANAGER (Sheep Herd Manager) Needed in Eureka, Nevada

JOB DESCRIPTION: The Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station (NAES) at the University of Nevada, Reno is recruiting for a Ranch Manager (Sheep Herd Manager) in Eureka, Nevada. The mission of the Eureka Experiment Station is to demonstrate sustainable, Integrated Management of Crops, Sheep, and Rangeland in Dryland Environments and provide education and outreach to the agricultural community and area producers. For more information, visit www.unr.edu For detailed job description & to apply, visit https://nshe.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/UNR-external/job/ Extension-Eureka---University-of-Nevada-Reno/ Ranch-Manager---Eureka_R0120588-1

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United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service

Contact | Heather Emmons | State Public Affairs Officer (775) 834-0875 | heather.emmons@usda.gov

New Rule Improves Partner Flexibility in Regional Conservation Partnership Program The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the final rule for its Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The rule updates USDA’s partner-driven program as directed by the 2018 Farm Bill and integrates feedback from agricultural producers and others. “The Regional Conservation Partnership Program is a powerful program that enables us to co-invest with partners on win-win solutions that benefit agriculture and natural resources,” said Ray Dotson, State Conservationist of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Nevada. “The final rule contains some minor adjustments made in response to public comments, and we now look forward to continuing our work with Nevada partners to use this unique and innovative program to extend the reach of conservation.” RCPP promotes coordination of NRCS and partner conservation activities that aid farmers, ranchers, and private landowners in Nevada with addressing on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns. NRCS received comments from over 65 organizations and individuals on the RCPP interim rule published 2.13.2020. To integrate that feedback, the final rule adopts the interim rule with minor changes that: • Make explicit special considerations for historically underserved (HU) producer and landowner enrollment, including requiring partnership agreements to denote any authorizations for higher payment rates, advance payment options, or other methods for encouraging HU participation.

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• Identify ranking criteria for proposals that include developing an innovative conservation approach or technology that specifically targets the unique needs and limitations of historically underserved (HU) producers. • Adjust the rule language to incorporate source water protection as a priority resource concern. • Remove the list of infrastructure types that would be considered for Alternative Funding Arrangements to avoid confusion. • Increase the emphasis on conservation benefits and objectives partners seek to achieve for the ranking of proposals. The 2018 Farm Bill made RCPP a stand-alone program with its own dedicated funding and simplified rules for partners and producers. Additionally, the 2018 Farm Bill reduced the number of funding pools and emphasized partner reporting of conservation outcomes. The updated program also expands flexibility for alternative funding arrangements with partners and the availability of watershed program authorities to projects outside Critical Conservation Areas.

territories. When funding is available, NRCS releases an announcement for program funding that includes proposal requirements. NRCS reviews partnership proposals according to the priorities and evaluation criteria included in the announcement and ultimately makes project selections. Upon selection of a partnership proposal, NRCS and the partner enter into a partnership agreement through which assistance to producers in the project area is provided. Partnership agreements may be for a period of up to five years. RCPP helps producers protect working agricultural lands to ensure resilience to climate change by increasing the sustainable use of soil, water, wildlife, and related natural resources, contributing to USDA’s Agriculture Innovation Agenda of reducing the environmental footprint of U.S. agriculture in half by 2050. Last year, Secretary Perdue announced the department-wide initiative to align resources, programs, and research to position American agriculture to better meet future global demands. View the final rule on the Federal Register here: https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/202100300.pdf For more information on how to sign up for RCPP in your state, visit your state website from nrcs.usda.gov or contact your local NRCS field office here: https://www.farmers.gov/service-center-locator All USDA Service Centers are open for business; call ahead and schedule an appointment. Visitors are required to wear a face covering during their appointment. For more information, visit farmers.gov/coronavirus.

• Modernizing Regulatory Review Protecting Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing • Requires employees, contractors, and other individuals to wear masks in Federal buildings and on Federal lands and ensure physical distancing is maintained. Masks are encouraged across the country, and a Safer Federal Workforce Task Force is established to assist in planning for testing, treatment, and vaccinations. In this order, “Federal lands” means lands under executive branch control. • After talking to Federal agencies, their guidance effectively remains the same - Permittees should conduct as much business as possible over the phone, video call, or over email. Payments should be made electronically wherever possible. If you need to go into a BLM or Forest Service office, you will be required to wear a mask. • Revoking Executive Orders on Federal Regulations • Revokes several executive orders related to streamlined guidance documents, regulatory reform

based on economic or job figures and other regulatory reform direction.

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The Progressive Rancher

• Public Health and Environment – Tackling the Climate Crisis

• Directs a review of all Trump regulations, orders, guidance documents and others that conflict with the pursuit of environmental justice, clean air, clean water, etc. Reestablishes methane emissions in oil/ gas, reviews vehicle emission standards. • Directs a review of Bears Ears, Grand StaircaseEscalante, and Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument boundary changes made under Trump. This review will conclude in 60 days.

• Establishes a working group to discuss and renew and set a Social Cost of Carbon.

• Revokes Keystone XL pipeline permit and places a temporary moratorium on production in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. FEBRUARY 2021 31

Nevada Farm Bureau

Nevada Board Of Ag Approves Amendment Proposals For SB 54 In their January 19th meeting the Nevada Board of Agriculture heard input from participants who expressed opposition to the changes being sought by the Nevada Department of Agriculture to eliminate positions on the Board of Directors for representatives who are cattle producers and sheep producers as they spelled out in their pre-filed legislation, SB 54.

NFB stated, “We are opposed to the way in which this legislation was brought forward and we are opposed to the proposal to remove representatives of the cattle sector and the sheep industry, lumping the two remaining seats into the category of ‘livestock.’” The question over the process, raised by Farm Bureau, ties back to the authority and responsibility of the Board of Agriculture. Without the Board having an opportunity to evaluate the legislation that the Department of Agriculture pre-filed, contrary to state law until after the legislation was already introduced.

“In our view,” Nevada Fam Bureau said, referring to the first three subsections of the state law (NRS 561.105), …“we maintain that no bills, introduced by the Department of Agriculture should have advanced into the legislative process without a full public vetting, by this Board, to determine what was intended and whether they were appropriate.” After hearing from those who participated in the allotted public comment period, Board members each shared their views on the proposed actions in the Department’s remake of the membership criteria for the Board. A consensus view emerging from these discussions was that removing the cattle and sheep producers from the Board was not something that would have any support. Further, a number of members expressed their belief that their role should include review of regulations related to programs operating within the Department of Agriculture and other decisions that they have been excluded from over the past couple of years. In the final outcome the Board approved a proposal for several amendments to come from the Board, keeping the current positions and adding two additional seats for the qualifications that the Department has proposed, clarifying some other language in the pre-filed bill for row crops and proposing to change the present limitation of two members coming from a single county to allow for three.

FEBRUARY 2021 N E W S U P D AT E Media Contact | Doug Busselman | doug@nvfb.org

Participate In February 4 Virtual Workshop For Humboldt River Modeling The Division of Water Resources will be holding their annual update for the Humboldt River corridor modeling in a virtual workshop on Thursday, February 4. Here is the url with all the information: https://files.constantcontact.com/ ce74815a701/4cfd6ca8-a3cb-4aa3-b9e0-139d97704a92.pdf The session that begins at 8:30 a.m. will cover the modeling work has been carried out in the three segments of the river system by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Desert Research Institute. The significances of the information of the modeling has taken on a new dynamic since a proposed Interim Order that just was released: http://water.nv.gov/documents/Notice%20and%20Proposed%20 Order%20Humboldt%20River%20Region.pdf The Notice for the Hearing on the Proposed Interim Order within the Humboldt River Region includes the alert that a public hearing will be held on Friday, April 2, 2021. It also provides the Draft Interim Order that we would strongly encourage a careful review. Starting on Page 7 of the Draft Interim Order the ramifications of how the capture model will be used for Applications for New Groundwater Appropriations, Applications to Change Existing Groundwater Appropriations and Addressing Future Conflicts Between Existing Valid Groundwater Rights and Decreed Humboldt River Surface Water Rights.

New Hemp Rules Announced By USDA The January 19, 2021 Federal Register carried the final rule from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for hemp production. This new rule takes effect on March 22 and has been based on an update put together from public input. This link offers a condensed, but very comprehensive over-view of the hemp regulations and program operations that are being brought forward: https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/hemp The Nevada Department of Agriculture’s regulations tier to the USDA regulations and the plan that Nevada’s Department of Agriculture submits for consideration by USDA need to fit within the provisions of the national requirements. Of the changes in the operations that we’ve noticed and are highlighted in the link to the hemp regulations also point it out – the past/current 15-day window for collecting samples to test, ahead of harvest, and make certain that the crop is below 0.3 percent THC (tetrahydrocannabinol ) content has been extended to 30 days. 32 FEBRUARY 2021

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Nevada Department of Agriculture to offer pooled testing for trichomoniasis beginning Dec. 1, 2020 By Dr. Amy Mitchell, State Veterinarian

Forest Service Working On Process For Update of Rangeland Management Directives A public evaluation process is underway, with an opportunity for submitting responses/input, for the Proposed Rangeland Management Directive Update by the U.S. Forest Service. The public comment period is open until February 16. We encourage those who are interested to dig into the proposal by visiting this link: https://www.fs.fed.us/rangelandmanagement/directives.shtml This link provides an outstanding set of additional links for further research into what is being considered and also identifies the upcoming webinar (February 3 at 11 a.m. Pacific Time) that will give more background information. According to the details on the Forest Service webpage the primary purpose for this project is to update a set of manuals which haven’t been modernized for 30 years. We’re hoping that those who have livestock grazing permits on the U.S. Forest will offer their feedback to assist us in developing Nevada Farm Bureau’s best set of public comments. We are also interacting with other Western State Farm Bureaus who have higher levels of grazing on Forest Service-managed lands. Please stay in touch to share your thoughts and points, email doug@nvfb.org or call/text 775-870-3349.

Communications and Connections For Legislative Operations In spite of the Nevada Legislature not providing any information on what the plans might be for the start of the 2021 Session on February 1st. We are anticipating that much of the beginning phase will be carried out in a virtual world and eagerly hoping that the regular session will be carried out in a more responsible fashion than the process used during the two special sessions of the 2020. We are anticipating using the same Action Request platform that we used in the 2019 Session. Because of limited contact and ability to interact with legislators Farm Bureau’s grassroots engagement will be essential to promote implementation of Farm Bureau policy. This newsletter will be a major communications platform in providing updates and details. We’re also interested in learning how many (and who) might be interested in connections through text messages that we might provide as another option. Some prefer text connections over emails and some might not be interested in text messages at all. Please visit this link to respond to a survey of your preferences: http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07ehj6xke3kk7elknn/ a009kkbw1u9h/questions www.progressiverancher.com

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) Animal Industry Division is pleased to announce exciting changes to or laboratory and Trichomoniasis Program. Beginning Dec. 1, 2020, the Animal Disease Laboratory (ADL), located at Sparks NDA headquarters, will be offering pooled PCR testing for trichomoniasis, for healthy herds. The samples will still need to be submitted individually, but upon request, up to 5 individual samples will be pooled for testing at the laboratory. NDA staff have been working diligently on this change to help facilitate the need for a cost-effective option that still offers improved accuracy over T. foetus culture. The Animal Disease Laboratory has been streamlining plans for the submission process, in preparation for the December launch. We hope this long-awaited development will facilitate compliance with state regulations and offers producers another tool in preventing trichomoniasis within their herds. We also hope it will allow easier interstate travel for those herds traveling to and from states that accept pooled samples. With the recent impacts of the last few months on the livestock industry, it is even more important to be able to offer producers a more cost-effective option of managing their herds and preventing unnecessary losses due to T. foetus. Trichomoniasis remains a reportable disease in the state, and offering a more accurate, yet still affordable option, can only improve Nevada’s cattle industry. Additionally, NDA will also be accepting pool results on healthy herds, from approved laboratories. In conjunction with this program update, NDA will also be offering an improved communication link between accredited veterinarians performing T. foetus testing, and the NDA. This will allow us to keep practicing, accredited veterinarians updated on the latest changes to the program, as well as the status of trichomoniasis in Nevada. Updated information, including pricing and submission forms, will be posted at agri.nv.gov/animal so be sure to bookmark that link.

Join NFB or Renew Membership Become a member of Nevada Farm Bureau to support Nevada’s farmers and ranchers and the agriculture industry. If you have any questions please contact us at 1-800-992-1106 or nvfarmbureau@nvfb.org. An Associate member is a non-farmer/rancher member who is eligible for Nevada Farm Bureau Discount. With the purchase of an associate membership you receive member only discounts offered not only throughout the state of Nevada, but nationwide as well. A Farmer/ Rancher Member is an active agriculture producer. With the purchase of a Farmer/Rancher membership you receive member only discounts offered not only throughout the state of Nevada, but nationwide as well. You will also receive a quarterly subscription of the Nevada Farm Bureau Agriculture & Livestock Journal .

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by Mike Wolterbeek, Communications Officer 775-784-4547 mwolterbeek@unr.edu With much of the State of Nevada listed as in extreme drought, Nevadans are facing forecasts for a mild winter, with little precipitation since the rainy season started. With these designations, southern Nevadans are facing a mild and dry winter and northern Nevadans are looking at an uncertain forecast. All could face water restrictions, crop or pasture loss and, with exceptional drought, water shortage emergencies. The University of Nevada, Reno’s Nevada State Climate Office and Living with Drought Program with University of Nevada, Reno Extension are helping meteorologists better predict Nevada’s confusing weather and helping communities contend with drought.

“We are in a significant drought in much of the state, and not starting the wet season with robust supplies of water, the D-3 (Extreme) and D-4 (Exceptional) conditions are a big concern,” Steph McAfee, director of the Nevada State Climate Office said. “Especially in southern Nevada with La Nina, it will probably be dry, but La Nina could go either way for northern Nevada. We’re already in drought, and we depend on winter to build snowpack – we had a dry fall, with a deficit too.” La Nina is a weather pattern that is influenced by ocean temperatures off the west coast of South America, and steers

Scientists keep watch on climate and weather as drought grips Nevada Interdisciplinary approach from UNR Extension keeps people informed & involved most storms to the Pacific Northwest, away from southern Nevada, and leaves northern Nevada in limbo between the two zones. “In the Las Vegas area, 90% of the water is from the Colorado River,” McAfee, who works in both Extension and the College of Science said. “Colorado has a somewhat similar La Nina response, it’s a little mixed like Nevada. Colorado is having a decent drought right now. It’s generally a little warmer here, but we are dependent on the snowpack and water from the Rockies.” According to the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor released Jan. 7, 23.7% of Nevada is in Exceptional Drought (the highest designation), 48.8% is in Extreme Drought, 18.7% is in Severe Drought, and 8.5% is in Moderate Drought. One of the most intense periods of drought in the past 20 years, since the Drought Monitor was created, began the week of Dec. 1, 2020 where exceptional drought – the most extreme classification – is affecting Nevada. That region of drought in the southern Great Basin is still expanding. While reporting has improved over time, the last weekly drought monitor update reported the driest six-month period on record, with only a trace of precipitation at the McCarran International Airport.

“It looks like the Southwest is heading into drought, which is never good news, with drought likely continuing into spring and summer,” McAfee said. “We’ll keep our eyes on it, and we’ll know more as the drought monitoring continues.”

In the large urban centers of the state, TMWA – the Truckee Meadows Water Authority – and SNWA, the Southern Nevada Water Authority – are in good shape with backups with groundwater and decent surface storage. Farmers and ranchers in rural Nevada may not be as fortunate. How rural Nevada is affected depends on various concerns, whether people rely on groundwater – or springs – which could run low depending on use. People worry about operations, buying feed and selling livestock. “We live in an arid climate, so we know how to operate with relatively smaller amounts of water, but with drought, those methods of dealing with low precipitation are strained. SNWA has their usual winter water guidelines in place with once a week yard watering,” she said.

Nevada ranchers, water providers and public land managers rely on the U.S. Drought Monitor to keep track of climate and weather. The U.S. Drought Monitor started in 2000. Since then, the longest duration of drought (D1-D4) in Nevada lasted 269 weeks beginning on Dec. 27, 2011 and ending on Feb. 14, 2017.

Average annual average precipitation statewide is 10.3 inches. It is lower in southern Nevada – only 7.1 inches – and higher in northeastern Nevada, averaging 12.85 inches. Beyond the difference in the amount of rain and snow, there are differences in when, during the year, precipitation arrives. In southern Nevada, the summer is relatively wet, and in northern Nevada, the summer is dry. The U.S. Drought Monitor is not a forecast; it looks backward. It’s a weekly assessment of drought conditions, based on how much precipitation did or didn’t fall, up to the Tuesday morning before the map comes out. So, for example, if a lot of rain falls in a drought area on a Wednesday, the soonest change in drought status on the map is the following week.

The Lahontan Reservoir is fed by the Carson River and by the Truckee River with water diversions from the Derby Dam, supplying water for irrigation. Pictured here in 2014, in the third year of a four-year drought, much of the lake was completely dry. 34 FEBRUARY 2021

Drought is a slow-moving hazard, so you can be certain that an area will still be in drought if it doesn’t get rain. But it also may take more than one good rainfall to end a drought, especially if an area has been in drought for a long time.

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Living with Drought “Drought can be difficult to define because the definition varies depending on the context in which it is used,” Kerri Jean Ormerod, who leads Extension’s Living with Drought program, said. “There might be a weather drought, or an abnormally dry period, but not a vegetative drought – if a little well-timed rain provides enough soil moisture to green up the pasture. The different types of drought highlight that drought is relative.” The drought monitor also triggers relief programs that can help agriculturerelated businesses in Nevada. Ormerod said a robust data network of on-theground reports shared with a larger audience would help scientists, decisionmakers and communities assess and track the severity of drought. Information exchange can help scientists, communities and federal partners understand shades of drought, which is useful for response and recovery, as well as evaluation and preparedness.

The website LivingWithDrought.com provides a one-stop-shop for homeowners, gardeners, farmers, ranchers, natural resource managers and others to find information they need, including current drought status information; data and tools that can be used to track and report drought impacts; and information about the basic types and causes of drought. Ormerod conducts research and education on water, climate and drought hazards for Extension and is an assistant professor of geography with the University’s College of Science. Besides helping meteorologists and others better prepare for and respond to Nevada’s confusing weather, she hopes to help various groups, such as farmers, ranchers, emergency management personnel and research scientists, to make better-informed decisions.

Facing a dearth of equipment and data, University of Nevada, Reno climatologists and weather experts work to build a conduit of information that will improve the accuracy of climate and weather impacts from around the state. “We are always looking to increase climate monitoring and research,” Ormerod said. “There aren’t a lot of weather stations. There’s a paucity of data – so not a lot of information to work from to say it’s a drought, and not a lot of data to inform decisions. Nevada has a problematic landscape. It’s hard to do remote

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sensing and gather data, so we facilitate partnerships at the federal, state and local level, and down to the ground for reports, to characterize the climate outlooks.” The Living with Drought Program works closely with the Climate Office, Desert Research Institute, National Weather Service and the Nevada Resource Conservation District, as well as other organizations, to gather information.

“If we can collect more data on our precipitation and weather, and analyze and explain it, it can serve several purposes,” Ormerod said. “As the driest state in the nation, it is especially important to report zeros, or the lack of precipitation. This is critical information necessary to track and respond to drought.”

She said they are recruiting volunteer observers from “anywhere and everywhere” across the state through either the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network or a related citizen science platform designed for drought monitoring. “We can provide rain gauges for rural observers,” she said. “Even getting a month of zeros from observers is okay; zeros are data too. We also ask for photos and data from ranchers and others who know the landscape of our state. There lots of variability with the climate here. There is no normal, even as to time of year, so we like to get reports from people who know the landscape, like skiers, ranchers, dog walkers, hikers and hunters. We want to know how drought is affecting local conditions. Having a photo of a dry riverbed, greened-up grazing lands, a snowless landscape or a raging river helps us quantify what’s happening with our weather and climate.”

The Community Collaborative Network is active in all 50 states, several Canadian Provinces and parts of the Caribbean. Nevada began participating in 2007, with the University’s Extension, Desert Research Institute and National Weather Service working together to coordinate the state program. The volunteers measure and map precipitation – rain, hail and snow – using low-cost measurement tools, mainly a 4-inch rain gauge. It takes these weather observers just a couple minutes each day to measure precipitation in their backyards. Training is provided online. “My message to potential weather observers: you can help, get involved – we need you,” Ormerod said.

The Living with Drought Program, in addition to facilitating drought impact reporting, facilitates landscape condition monitoring, such as low reservoir levels, poor rangeland conditions and increased www.progressiverancher.com

groundwater use. This locally sourced data are used by scientists to better understand drought conditions across the state, which helps to characterize local, regional and national depictions of drought. Collectively, these reports serve to improve drought assessment and reduce vulnerability to drought faced by individuals, communities, species and environments. The drought monitor informs and becomes policy, such as a trigger for federal recovery funds for agriculture and land management decisions.

“The Drought Monitor isn’t a simply a map; it’s the best assessment of where there is drought, and the severity of drought,” Ormerod said. “Volunteer-submitted information helps to complement more traditional metrics and can bridge some of the data gaps across the state.” This statewide outreach to Nevadans for climate and drought is helpful day-today and season-to-season, and Extension also looks to the future, working with the water agencies, land managers and other stakeholders to find solutions to the longterm effects that changing climate has on Nevada and its reliance on a changing snowpack, reservoirs and groundwater. Water research addresses water managers’ information needs Of the many forward-looking climate initiatives of which Extension is a part, perhaps the most comprehensive effort has been the recent Water for the Seasons five-year collaborative research and outreach program, funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation Water Sustainability and Climate Program. Based in the Truckee-Carson River System, Extension designed and coordinated an interdisciplinary research approach that included hydrologists, engineers and resource economists working with stakeholders representing diverse and competing municipal, industrial, agricultural, environmental and regulatory water management organizations from the system’s headwaters to its terminus. “Demand is diverse for water – and includes sustaining wildlife and wildlife habitat, irrigated agriculture, growing municipal populations and economic development initiatives,” Loretta Singletary, an interdisciplinary outreach liaison and economist with Extension, said. “Water for the Seasons sought to find solutions to variable water supply in a changing climate. Drought is just one symptom of climate change, and we worked on climate and water supply projections for snowfed lands in northern

Nevada’s high-desert environment, looking at temperature variability, less snowpack and earlier snowmelt.” Singletary’s research and outreach programs focus on the role of water markets as a climate adaptation strategy as well as collaborative research processes, engaging community stakeholders as part of an integrated water management approach to address water supply variability, water scarcity and water quality issues.

Water for the Seasons aimed to identify new strategies for enhancing the resiliency of communities in northern Nevada to adapt to these challenges and changes. The research team, working closely with local water managers, integrated climate, hydrologic and economics research with extensive outreach to identify the expected impacts of climate change and solutions for protecting valuable water resources throughout northern Nevada. What they found with the Water for the Seasons project might have been based in northern Nevada, but the reliance on snowpack for water and related challenges to water supply is also key to southern Nevada water availability, which relies on the Rocky Mountains and Colorado River.

“With 12 primary water management organizations with critical roles in the Truckee-Carson watershed and a total of 66 organizations that participated in an initial assessment, the project identified climate change impacts as an important challenge to sustaining water supply. The project succeeded in identifying and investigating specific climate adaptation recommendations,” Singletary said. “It’s a case study for snowfed arid lands, which can inform decisions in similar snowfed river systems in the semi-arid West and around the world.” Using the input from water management stakeholders, the research team modeled their information needs under plausible projected climate scenarios, such as warmer temperatures and pervasive drought, and how these conditions affect the river system and water supply across the system. The hydrologists, climatologists, resource economists and political scientists worked alongside local water managers to identify climate change impacts to water resources, to develop and simulate climate scenarios that test river system resiliency, and to examine the effectiveness of potential adaptation strategies to mitigate identified impacts.

“We purposefully and strategically work with decision makers to benefit the public,” Singletary said. “If key stakeholders participate in the research process from the beginning, collaboration is harnessed.

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It legitimizes both stakeholders’ interests as well as research and research findings. We involved water managers in the research to intentionally represent the diverse water uses that typify these snowfed systems. We wanted to know what are the system’s tipping points, what aspects of river system management might adapt to become more climate resilient – whether it’s water for cities and towns, crops, livestock, rangeland, environmental instream flows or industry.” “All stakeholders who participated agreed that more outreach education is needed, to stress that we live in the desert, and there’s not an endless supply of water, even though when you turn on the tap you get water,” Singletary added. “We need education in water conservation – land use, building and other uses – based on knowing that we live in a desert, and drought stresses this further.” The research team developed 10 key takeaways from the Water for the Seasons collaborative research program, which they published in Extension Special Publication 20-02, Water Sustainability and Climate in the Truckee-Carson River System (https://extension.unr.edu/ publication.aspx?PubID=3508):

Some of those takeaways include: · climate projections across the river system generally show warmer temperatures and increased water supply variability; · measurable snowpack changes affect timing & availability of water supply; · cycles of wet and dry years are important for evaluating future basin water supply and reservoir operation; · allowing for storing water earlier in the year could enhance water supply; · aquifer recharge can mitigate longterm impacts; · and there is a need for additional collaborative research. “One challenge that surfaced from this project is that we learned that we needed more time,” Singletary said. “At the end of the five-year study, the project collaborators asked if we could keep meeting to continue the research. We really need 10-15 years to firmly establish a comprehensive integrated and collaborative research and outreach program, with more resources for education outreach to disseminate research findings. While it is clear that our climate is changing and that we need to adapt accordingly, it’s promising that water managers and water users are already pursuing climate adaptation to enhance our water and climate resiliency.” FEBRUARY 2021 35

State Comparison of Payments in Lieu of Taxes for 2020* Randall Chicola | Graduate Student Research Assistant | Department of Economics | University of Nevada, Reno

Almost one-third of total U.S. acreage is federal lands, with the largest percentage in the 13 Western states (see Figure 1).

Of the total federally administered acreage in 2020, approximately 93.29% was located in the 13 Western states. Because of the vast quantities of public lands in the West, the management of these public lands greatly impacts county economies and local government fiscal balances.

cents in PILT payments per entitled acre. Only Alaska had a smaller PILT payment per entitlement acre at 49 cents.

The Western states of California, New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, Utah, Colorado, Alaska, Idaho and Wyoming received larger PILT payments than Nevada. Only the state of Alaska has a greater entitlement acreage Since public lands are administered by the federal and/or state government, these than Nevada. Only the states of Washington, Oregon and Hawaii had lands are not subject to local government taxation. However, the U.S. Congress lower PILT payments than Nevada. passed Public law 94-565 in 1976, which enacted the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program. The act has gone through several revisions since 1976. In 1982, it was amended and recorded as Chapter 69, 31 U.S.C. In 1983, it was amended to clarify the definition of “unit of general local government” and authorized state governments to redistribute payments to smaller units of government through legislation. The most recent change occurred following the passage of an Act in 1994 that increased payments to each county. Due to its distinction as the largest federal land management agency, the Bureau of Land Management was chosen by the Secretary of the Interior to administer the PILT program.

The state of California realized the largest PILT payments in 2020 at $ 54,562,480 or $1.25 in PILT payments per entitlement acreage. Even though California had approximately 13 million entitlement acres less than the state of Nevada, California received approximately $26.7 million more that the state of Nevada in PILT payments. The disparity between overall payments to these states is a result of the PILT formula, which is discussed in Zimmerman and Harris (2000). While providing more Although all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Guam, the Virgin Islands overall revenue, the new PILT formula apparently has caused little change and Puerto Rico are eligible to receive federal land-based payments, Western in payments among states. states receive the majority due to substantially greater percentages of Federal land

Table 2 shows a time trend of PILT payment to the 13 Western states from 2016 to 2020. PILT payments to the states of California and Colorado increased by 15.42% and 17.38% respectively, for the past 5 Table 1 shows that the state of Nevada had the second largest amount of years. However, the state of Nevada realized only an 8.72% Increase, entitlement acreage with 56,706,160 acres. However, the state of Nevada while PILT payments to Washington increased by 17.47%. Table 2 shows received only $27,868,890 in PILT, which ranks Nevada 10th highest in that as PILT payments have changed, allocation among states has not the nation in PILT payments. Nevada PILT payments translated to 13 been equitable. ownership. Table 1 shows the 13 Western states received $423,482,052 of the $514,684,460 in PILT awarded, which accounts for 82.3% of total PILT payments made in 2020.

Figure 1

Colorado,

For further information concerning comparison of PILT payments by Western States, please see the webinar “State Comparison of Payments in Lieu of Taxes for 2020.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yLpE-uPLmQ 36 FEBRUARY 2021

* For Informational Purposes Only - Under Review. The COVID-19 Information Series from the University Center for Economic Development seeks to explain how eventsbrought forth by the pandemic impact Nevadans. This series is partially funded by U.S. Economic Development GrantED203SEA 3070058. For questions, please email the University Center for Economic Development at harris@unr.edu.

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References: Zimmerman, John and Thomas R. Harris. “An Update of Federal and State Land-Based Payments in Nevada.” University Center for Economic Development Technical Report UCED 2000/01-06. September 2000. www.progressiverancher.com

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Benefits of Cover Crops by Maninder Kaur Walia, Assistant Professor Field Crop Specialist | University of Nevada, Reno Extension A cover crop is a crop of grasses, small grains, legumes or their mixtures grown between cropping seasons, primarily for the purpose of covering the ground. Cover crops are usually planted after the harvest of an early and main crop to improve soil health by reducing erosion and runoff losses, preventing weed incursion, and improving soil fertility. They are also used for livestock grazing or forage. Cover crops are known to add organic matter to the soils through their incorporation back into soils or decomposition of their root mass. Thus, their inclusion can help producers to maintain long-term productivity of their land. Native Nevada soils have less than 1 percent organic matter, which results in poor soil structure and lower water- and nutrient-holding capacities. Thus, to improve the quality of soils, farmers should focus on increasing the organic matter content of the soils.

One way to improve organic matter in soils is to include cover crops in crop rotations. The selection of a cover crop species depends upon the time of planting and their use. There are many cover crop species that can be included in crop rotation. Cover crops can be divided broadly into two major categories, depending upon their ability to fix nitrogen (legumes) or not (non-legumes) (Table 1). However, planting a combination of two or more species of cover crops is always beneficial for early establishment and better growth. Thus, cover crops play an important role in sustainable farming systems. This publication summarizes the primary benefits of growing cover crops. Benefits of cover crops Soil protection. Cover crops can provide an excellent ground cover while soil is not being used by the main crop. This ground cover will protect the soil from wind and water erosion losses. Erosion of soil through these

TABLE 1: List of some legume and non-legume cover crops

forces (wind and water), leads to loss of particles, such as clay and organic matter from the soil, that are very important to maintain soil fertility. Soils in Nevada are susceptible to erosion losses by wind, and this leads to significant loss of soil particles blown away from the field. Thus, keeping the soil covered by planting cover crops when no main crop is growing will help to protect loss of soil through wind erosion, and thus will improve soil fertility. Soil organic matter and nutrients addition. Carbon (C) in soil plays an important role in maintaining the overall health of agricultural soils. Incorporation of cover crops back into the soils helps to increase soil organic matter (OM), thus improving water- and nutrientholding capacities in soils. Commonly, organic matter is calculated from organic carbon by using a conversion factor of 1.72 as: OM (%) = Total organic C (%) x 1.72

Both soil carbon and nitrogen (N) are needed to form organic matter in soils. Grasses (Figure 1) add more carbon to soils than legumes, due to a higher carbon-tonitrogen (C:N) ratio. However, cover crops with a higher C:N ratio (>35:1) decompose and release nutrients more slowly than crops with a lower C:N ratio, such as legumes (pea, lentil, cowpea, soybean, clovers, etc.). In addition to the C:N ratio, the process of decomposition and release of nutrients also depends upon the growth stage of the crop and the crop species. (Table 1) The younger and immature crop residue will decompose and release nutrients faster than matured crop residues.

Legume cover crops also add nutrients to the soil through the process of nitrogen fixation. Legume crops form symbiotic associations (relationships between two interacting organisms) with bacteria called rhizobia, which help to produce nitrates from atmospheric nitrogen. These nitrates (one of the available forms of nitrogen) are then taken up by the legume crop. This nitrogen becomes available to the following crop after the legume dies and is incorporated into the soil. Legume cover crops can help to increase soil N by adding about 50-200 pounds of N per acre (depending upon the species), thus reducing the cost of production of the following crop by saving money on synthetic fertilizer costs, fuel costs for their transportation, and application labor costs.

d) Cereal rye has been shown to have smother and allelopathic effects (inhibition of one plant or organism by another) on weeds for up to six weeks.

In addition to weed suppression, cover crop inclusion can also increase economic benefits by reducing the need to apply pesticides.

Soil health. Cover crops can significantly improve soil properties. Cover crop incorporation improves water infiltration and soil aeration, and reduces surface crusting and soil compaction (soil bulk density). Use of cover crops improves the formation and stability of soil aggregates, and increases soil microbial biomass and enzymatic activity in soils. Soil microbial diversity is also improved through addition of cover crops in crop rotations. Livestock grazing or forage. Cover crops are usually planted in the fall, after the harvest of the main crop. They are killed or incorporated back into the soil in the spring, before planting of the next main crop. However, cover crops (winter rye, triticale, wheat, etc.) can be grazed or harvested before planting of the subsequent crop. This will help to increase pasture acreage in between the main crop growing seasons. In addition, rotational or strip grazing of cover crops will help to increase utilization while decreasing soil compaction.

Conclusions. Integration of cover crops into crop rotations can provide many benefits. However, there are many considerations, such as species or variety selection, seed cost, and time of termination, that need to be addressed before their large- scale adoption. In addition, drought or availability of water can also be a challenge when implementing any cover cropping system in drier regions such as Nevada. FIGURE 1: Pearl millet as a cover crop Photo by Maninder K. Walia

Pest pressure. The infestation of pests may increase or decrease with use of cover crops. Cover crops are shown to reduce the populations of some weeds and soil-borne pathogens. For instance, a) Annual ryegrass and cereal rye cover crops reduce the populations of soybean cyst nematodes significantly. b) Brassica crops reduce nematode pressure in soil through the soil fumigation (a practice to control soilborne pests) process.

c) Using winter camelina as a cover crop following harvest of sugar beet provides excellent control of water hemp and pigweed (Figure 2). â&#x20AC;&#x192;38â&#x20AC;&#x192;FEBRUARY 2021

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FIGURE 2: Weeds (L) & mature Winter Camelina (R) Photo adapted from University of Minnesota Extension Crop News

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High Desert Grange HAPPENINGS By Suzann Gilliland Peterson

National Grange Award goes to Ruth Miller Few of have the ability to draw a straight line much less design a flyer, a poster, or a social media post. Ruth Miller, graphic designer for the High Desert Grange, enthusiastically does all of this with very little effort. Born in California but raised in the Chicago suburbs, Ruth grew tired of the city life and moved to Elko where she lived for ten years. Fernley was her next stop, albeit it brief. In 2012, she and her family relocated to Fallon where they discovered the High Desert Grange.

The High Desert Grange is a familyoriented organization that focuses on community service and offers many opportunities for learning. Their Lego Robotics program was the steppingstone for the Miller family’s entry into the organization. She, her ten-year old daughter and nineteenyear old son love Legos, so three years ago they became Grange members and immediately signed up for the program. Ruth quickly filled a need to “tune up” the Grange Legos laptops used by the students. One thing led to another and she found herself designing flyers, handouts, and Facebook posts for the organization. She even improved their website and is now its administrator. 40 FEBRUARY 2021

Because of her unique creative abilities, Ruth was recently awarded second place in the 2020 National Grange Publicity Item Contest. The contest is open to all Grange organizations and it requires entrants to submit a publicity item that promotes the Grange. This item can be a flyer, poster, advertisement, short video, radio commercial or announcement, a social media post, a press kit or media release, a shirt, a button or other wearable item, or anything else that promotes the Grange. She found out about the contest from The Patrons Chain, the official newsletter of the National Grange and, with encouragement from fellow Granger Gloria Montero, decided to enter her work. She submitted all she had designed for the High Desert Grange in the twelve months prior to the deadline, including a very detailed brochure that features Grange members doing what they love. In addition to her second place ribbon, her efforts secured a cash prize of $100.00 for the High Desert Grange. Ruth’s talents are a testimony to the fact that a person doesn’t need a degree to be a designer. Mrs. Miller has no formal education in graphic design. In fact, she says, her abilities were earned with the guidance and encouragement of her grandfather and her uncle. Her grandfather, a magazine editor, gave her tips, tricks and suggestions for posterboard layouts for school projects. Her uncle taught her about photography and how to frame a good picture. In high school, she became involved with her local public access cable TV station where she discovered she was an excellent camera person. Over the years, her talents have blossomed.

When asked what inspires her designs, she said, “I keep in mind the audience and how the product will be used. From Facebook posts to printed brochures, I follow the same idea – keep it simple, easy to read, and eye-catching.”

Earning second place and representing the Grange and Fallon was an honor for Ruth. She was proud to show her creations but was surprised to place. Competition came from the many Grange clubs throughout the country. This contest was not her only experience with the National Grange. She is an amateur webmaster and has reached out to the National Grange for help on web design as well as for help with resources for graphics. She says that everyone she has ever been in contact with from the National Grange has been amazing.

Working with the High Desert Grange has brought many personal rewards for Ruth and her children. They have made many friends. She finds Grange members amazing and very supportive. She has also found resources and knowledgeable people from whom she can learn as she plans a long-desired garden. The High Desert Grange has made a positive impact on Ruth’s life. “I’m proud to be a part of a group that contributes to this community and offers opportunities to learn new skills,” she said. She feels more a part of our community through her Grange membership.

To see Ruth’s contest submissions, visit www.nationalgrange.org/wp-content/ uploads/2020/12/2020-In-House-2ndHigh-Desert-Grange-22-NV-TrifoldBrochure.pdf

Plants donated to Logos Christian Academy Cool, aromatic, gnarly, aggressive, opposing pairs, hint of menthol. Do you know what this is? It’s a plant. Does that help? OK. It’s mint!

Mint has many uses, including culinary and medicinal. But did you know that it can help boost a child’s test scores, reduce childhood symptoms of ADD, and promote good health in children by purifying the air? Studies have shown that plants improve a child’s mental and physical well-being. Inspired by National Grange President Betsy E. Huber’s September 11, 2020 article titled “Digging into the School Year” in The Patrons Chain, the High Desert Grange recently donated a dozen young mint plants to Logos Christian Academy in their hometown of Fallon, NV for use in their pre-K through eighth grade classrooms. According to the National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture, classrooms with plants have many positive effects for both students and educators and are an important component of creating a healthy classroom environment.

High Desert Grange is a familyoriented organization focused on community service. What better way to serve the community than to assist in the healthy development of its children? Kristi Olivo, Grange member and second grade teacher at Logos, delivered the plants with the help of Granger and Logos fifth grader Ally Mackay, her pre-K brother Jade, and

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their second grade sibling Ash. Kristi’s delight in delivering the plants was evident as she recounted the event. “It was great to know that with our plants we were going to help classrooms purify the air during this time of COVID-19. Schools need a way to keep their air pure and we were able to help with a low cost solution by providing mint.” She went on to say that the mint plants were happily received by the teachers and the students were excited to have the plants in their classrooms.

If plants inside the classroom are beneficial for the health and wellbeing of students, imagine what health benefits an entire outdoor garden would have! In her article in the Sept. 14, 2019 edition of Psychology Today, Susan McQuillan MS, RDN, talks about the “11 Ways Plants Enhance Your Mental and Emotional Health.” She pulls from data analyzed by researchers Charles Hall and Melinda Knuth at Texas A&M University and published in the Journal of Environmental Horticulture. Their research “supports the notion that living in or near green spaces, and spending as much time as possible in both natural settings and cultivated gardens, can improve mood, reduce the negative effects of stress, encourage physical activity and other positive behaviors, improve cognition, reduce aggression, and enhance overall well-being in people of all ages under many different circumstances.” Ms. McQuillan went into greater detail: “Specifically, the researchers found that people who surround themselves with plant life and other forms of natural beauty, indoors and out, experience emotional and mental health benefits that have a positive impact on their social, psychological, physical, cognitive, environmental, and spiritual well being.” Some benefits include reduction of stress and depression, stronger memory retention, and higher levels of creativity, intellect, productivity and concentration in schools and workplaces. With the level of stress many students are under, especially with COVID restrictions, adding plants to not only the classroom but also to the home sounds like a prescription for greater well-being for all who enter.

Last year, Mrs. Olivo and her class had the opportunity to germinate and grow some peas. Reflecting on the experience, she said, “Having plants in the classroom was very exciting for my students. More that that, though, it really brought www.progressiverancher.com

some calmness and focus to our class. My second graders took great pride in watering and observing their plants every day.”

Kristi personally knows the health benefits of growing a garden. She knows it is good for emotional, mental and physical health. She and her eleven-year old son grow a garden every year at home. Peas, tomatoes, squash, and zucchini are their favorites. Leveling ground, carrying bags of soil, setting up planting rows and planting seeds all require physical activity. All of that leads to the joy and wonder her son experiences as he watches the seeds start to grow and turn into vegetables. In spring and summer, her son’s favorite thing to do each day is to check on the plants. “Being out in the garden in the morning is calming and can be very relaxing. To see the ‘fruits of your labor’ is such a rewarding experience. Growing a garden seems like a small accomplishment, but it gives great rewards emotionally and mentally,” she said. The High Desert Grange mint donation has shown Kristi and her students that they can use natural resources to solve some of their health-related issues. She makes an additional observation: the excitement of growing plants in the classroom fosters the desire to learn more about other subjects.

Kristi is glad to have been asked to bring this special donation to Logos. She and her son have been Grange members for four years, helping them support their community in ways never available to them before. They have taken advantage of Grange programs and activities that focused on family and community, many of which are open to members and non-members alike. Kristi believes that Grange community involvement has made Fallon and the neighboring towns better because the organization consistently looks for areas where it can serve and meet community needs, especially in the areas of agriculture and education. The High Desert Grange is looking forward to touching base with Kristi during the school year to see how well the mint is growing and how the donation continues to influence the students’ behavior and their excitement in learning. Logos Christian Academy 2nd grade teacher and High Desert Grange member Kristi Olivo, Logos 5th grader Ally Mackay, pre-K brother Jade Mackay & 2nd grade sibling Ash Mackay

Meeting restoration needs with native seeds grown by Nevada farmers by Sara Cobble, The Nature Conservancy in Nevada and Rebecca Allured, the Nevada Department of Agriculture

A surprising fact: most native seeds planted in Nevada are not actually grown here. Most seeds come from sources outside the state, in other parts of the West and North America, often from places that differ from Nevada’s unique, dry climate. The Nevada Native Seed Partnership (NNSP) is trying to change that. The coalition of 11 agencies and organizations in Nevada, including The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA), has a mission to keep Nevada lands diverse and functioning by using the right seed in the right place and time, and a goal of creating an adequate supply of locally adapted native seeds that can meet Nevada’s restoration and rehabilitation needs.

“Our goals for participating in the partnership are to help growers ensure Nevada will have the right seeds available at the right time to address the needs of restoration, reclamation, and rehabilitation,” Meghan Brown, Plant Industry Deputy Division Administrator for NDA, said. “The NNSP supports the NDA’s mission to protect, preserve and promote Nevada agriculture by providing farmers with opportunities for diversification of production, providing the possibility of successful restoration and rehabilitation after wildfire for livestock operators, and creating important partnerships across the state.” Kevin Badik, rangeland ecologist for TNC in Nevada, says there are many ecological benefits of native seeds. By increasing native seed use, more materials are available for restoration, leading to using less water, preventing wildfires and providing a new source of income for local growers. “Every native seed that successfully establishes is one less opportunity for cheatgrass to come in. It’s one more step in reducing extreme fire behavior,” Badik added. “Using seed that’s locally adapted increases the likelihood that the seed will successfully establish.” How It Started

Inspired by the National Seed Strategy, which was developed in 2015 by the Plant Conservation Alliance to address widespread shortages of native seed, three federal agencies in northern Nevada (Bureau of Land Management [BLM], U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS] and U.S. Forest Service [USFS]) began having conversations in early 2016, laying the foundation for what is now the NNSP.

The partners came together to understand each agency’s role and ability and opportunities that could be created by working together to increase the availability of native seed in Nevada. Monthly meetings began in Fall 2017, and the partnership has now grown to include TNC, NDA, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Nevada Division of Forestry, Nevada Division of Conservation and Natural Resources Conservation District Program, Nevada Department of Wildlife, University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), and Walker Basin Conservancy. Why native seeds are important for ecology and economy

Healthy native plant communities (sustained by native seeds) not only support humans and wildlife; they are “resilient and resistant to disturbances and are instrumental www.progressiverancher.com

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in combating some of our biggest ecosystem challenges such as drought, wildland fire, and invasive species,” Sarah Kulpa, restoration ecologist and botanist for USFWS, said. “We are trying to change how restoration is currently being done in Nevada,” Kulpa said. “This is quite ambitious, but the loss of the sagebrush ecosystem to wildfire and invasive or non-native species is what keeps me up at night. The loss of the sagebrush ecosystem would be devastating to Nevada’s wildlife, people, communities, and economies.” The process of increasing native seed availability starts with identifying a source population, such as seeds from wildland collections. Once enough seeds are collected, they are turned over to a farmer or grown in a small greenhouse to increase a bank of starter seeds, then given to another farmer to grow pounds of it in fields for use in restoration projects. Attend the virtual Nevada Native Seed Forum in March 2021 Now that the NNSP has a strategy and vision in place, the next steps will be doing more outreach, connecting with communities on the importance of native seeds, and raising awareness of the importance of investing in them in Nevada. This includes participating in the Nevada Native Seed Forum, an annual meeting first hosted by NDA in 2017, that connects growers with other native seed stakeholders. After surveying attendees and other stakeholders, the NNSP will host the Nevada Native Seed Forum virtually in short sessions spread out over the course of two days, March 16-17. The forum will focus on sharing the stories of growers, how they go into the native seed business, and began selling. The benefit of a virtual form means Nevada growers will get to hear from producers who have been successfully selling native seed in their states. To register to attend, please email your RSVP to Melissa Russell at NDA: m.russell@agri.nv.gov

“We could have all the seed technology we want, but if the seed is not available, it’s doesn’t matter. It’s not just about having seed, it’s about increasing the likelihood that each one will be successful,” Badik said. “We are looking for smarter, more efficient and innovative solutions to our restoration problems. We are exploring different ways we haven’t been thinking about before.”

There is a market for native grown seed in Nevada, and the long-term success of the Nevada Native Seed Strategy depends on continued collaboration between all the partners of the NNSP and Nevada’s growers. “In the long term, if we are successful, we will end up with a flourishing native seed market, including Nevada growers increasing plants sourced from Nevada, and managers putting them out on the landscape where they are most likely to establish and persist,” Beth Leger, a biologist with UNR, said. “Establishing plants in the desert is a major challenge, but we have to try.” FEBRUARY 2021 41

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THE DAILY ROUNDUP Daily western ranching and political headlines brought to you by the Public Lands Council Sign up at publiclandscouncil.org for daily articles like the ones on these pages.

More prescribed burning, logging sought after nightmare wildfires of 2020 by The Modesto Bee https://www.modbee.com/news/ local/article248387570.html

Prescribed burning, done for decades in national parks, would expand in national forests and on private rangeland. Logging would increase about 20 percent on national forests, aligning with the thinning already done on private A task force has called for more timberland. The largest single prescribed burning, logging and owner is Sierra Pacific Industries, other actions to deal with the whose operations include two wildfire fuel choking California sawmills in Tuolumne County. forests and rangeland. The plan also calls for increased The Governor’s Forest Manageefforts to reduce flammable trees ment Task Force released a plan and brush around rural homes, earlier this month that affirms an and to bolster firefighting crews emerging consensus on what to do and equipment. about the crisis. The recommendations drew The 46-page plan recognizes that qualified support from state Sen. the fuel has grown so dense in part Andreas Borgeas, R-Fresno, whose because of exclusion of gentle fires district includes the central Sierra that used to clear the undergrowth. Nevada and eastern Stanislaus They were sparked by lightning County. He would like to see and Native Americans. Read about more logging, which has been the full plan here: https://fmtf.fire. curtailed since the 1990s due to ca.gov/media/cjwfpckz/ environmental rules. The plan follows a 2020 that was ”Responsible timber harvesting the worst fire season on record — is essential in order to reduce the more than 4 million acres of timber, density of dead or dying trees that brush and grass statewide. About increase the amount of fuel for a a tenth of this was in an expanse fire,” Borgeas said in an email to from western Stanislaus County to The Modesto Bee. the fringes of the Bay Area. The task force endorsed an August 2020 agreement between the state and federal governments to roughly double fuel treatment to about 1 million acres per year. The new plan calls for achieving this by 2025, about half on federal land and the other half on private land protected by Cal Fire and other agencies. 44 FEBRUARY 2021

The Union County Commission voted Thursday, Jan. 21, to award $9,584.04 to Krebs Livestock and $7,745.96 to Eric Harlow, according to a county staff report.

an important signal that rural America is an appropriate place for such a prestigious institution.” The Biden administration has reportedly discussed relocating the headquarters from Grand Junction, yet Colorado’s senators are hoping for an even greater commitment from President Biden than the previous administration. In the letter, they specifically asked for more BLM jobs to be assigned to the national headquarters.

Krebs Livestock, a company in Morrow County that uses Union County to raise some of its sheep, will use the money to pay for secure night pens, four fox lights, Bluetooth speakers, spotlights, additional herders and the removal of dead livestock. Harlow, a Union County rancher, will use the There are currently 41 Bureau of funding to pay for two additional Land Management staff members herders. working out of Western Colorado. The Oregon Department of Agriculture provides the funding From ashes of Creek Fire for the grants, and commissioners comes a citizens group awarded the grants at the appealing for sensible recommendation of the Union forest management County Wolf Depredation By Robert Longatti Compensation Committee. www.fresnobee.com Colorado senators ask President Despite the terrible forest fires the Biden to to keep BLM National West, particularly California and Headquarters in Grand Junction Oregon, suffered this past year, by KJCT News 8 | www.kjct8.com

The Bureau of Land Management’s national headquarters could move out of Grand Junction under President Joe Biden’s new administration. Both Colorado senators, John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, sent a letter to the President this weekend, asking for his administration’s support in keeping the national BLM headquarters on the Western Slope. Former President Donald Trump relocated the national headquarters to Grand Junction in July 2019.

several environmentalists’ groups have filed a notice of intent to sue the U.S government to block approximately 11,000 miles of fuel breaks. They contend this would violate the Endangered Species Act in what they call a misguided effort to slow the advance of wildfires in six Western states.

They say the fuel breaks, in conjunction with proposed widespread clear-cutting, herbicide spraying, grazing and prescribed fire could threaten the survival of Ranchers get grants for more than 100 rare wildlife species non-lethal methods to across potentially more than protect livestock from 340,000 square miles of federal wolves The letter reads, in part: “We land. The groups involved in the by The Bulletin| bendbulletin.com continue to support a full BLM suit are the Center for Biological Two ranching operations in Union headquarters in Grand Junction. Diversity in Nevada, Sierra Club, County received more than $17,000 A full headquarters in Colorado Western Watersheds Project, total for nonlethal means to protect would not only grow the Western and Southern Utah Wilderness their livestock from wolves. Colorado economy, but also send Alliance. The Progressive Rancher

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These groups fail to accept well recognized and scientifically documented evidence that the Western forests are unhealthy, overly dense and carry a huge fuel load. Continuous fire suppression has allowed the fuel load to grow. Allowing dead stands to remain increases the lower story fuel load over time. Negative reaction to thinning and prescribed burns have prevented the Forest Service from treating nearly enough acreage. Given the situation, it is imperative that fuel breaks be made now and not delayed with legal action. The Forest Service must contend with masses of paperwork often under the threat of legal action. Much of this can be traced back to National Environmental Protection Act and Endangered Species Act, which environmental groups continue to use to suppress sensible forest management. The Forest Service estimates that for every 1,000 acres of land they plan to treat, they have to create 500 pages of supporting material, with successful projects taking years. Vicki Christiansen, the head of the Forest Service, estimates there are a billion acres of forest land at risk in the US, with 80 million acres belonging to the Forest Service. If these groups genuinely wanted to protect species, their actions over the years have failed miserably. The destruction of animals just in the Creek Fire alone was tragic. According to a January article in Bloomberg Law, California’s 2020 wildfire season thwarted the state’s fight against climate change, spewing enough carbon dioxide into the air equal the emissions of 24 million passenger vehicles driving over the course of a year. I fail to understand how anyone who suffered from the poor air www.progressiverancher.com

quality, was saddened by the number of animals killed and their habitat destroyed can continue to support these lawsuits. The reality, though, is the Sierra Club and their counterparts are so powerful that change will only come from within their memberships.

to reports of another reported occurrence of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Namibia:

“The unfortunate and continued presence of FMD outbreaks in Namibia is a serious concern for US cattle producers. While the latest outbreak occurred in the During the Creek Fire, a buffer zone and north of the cordon nonpartisan, grass-roots fence, this is the second occurrence organization was formed to build of FMD in a matter of months.” a vast community of citizens “As stated October 2020, FMD is a to encourage common ground grave and persistent threat to the US between environmentalists, the cattle industry and warrants every Forest Service, Bureau of Land available caution and protection to Management as well the state ensure that the problems plaguing and individual landowners. The cattle production in other parts nonpartisan group, Citizens for of the world do not reach our Sensible Forest Management, has shores. While NCBA supports a website, (http://csfm.net), and a regionalisation as a tool to protect change.org petition, (https://www. against the spread of disease change.org/ForestManagement) while facilitating science-based that I encourage people, trade, NCBA encourages USDA especially members of the above to remain vigilant in ensuring all preventative measures are in place organizations, to visit. to protect the US cattle industry Wildlife, our children’s health and from exposure.” future, as well as the economic “In regard to FMD, Namibia survival of mountain communities, is divided into two zones. The are dependent on each of us taking northern zone, where FMD a stand. How will we explain to our continues to occur and is not children and grandchildren our approved for export to the United inaction today was the reason they States, and the southern zone— could not enjoy the beauty and an area that is free of FMD and restoring power of healthy forests is designated as safe for export. that were once ours? Namibia has extensive measures NCBA warns cattle producers to take more FMD precautions thecattlesite.com

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is calling for vigilance after an additional outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease was reported in Namibia. The NCBA’s Senior Director of International Trade and Market Access, Kent Bacus issued the following statement in response

in place, including a cordon fence and a buffer zone to prevent the spread of FMD from the northern zone to the southern zone.

“NCBA supports research to develop protocols and determine the economic impact of regionalisation of states or an area to establish risk avoidance for animal diseases. With that said, FMD is a highly contagious disease that would devastate the US cattle industry and NCBA will continue to support USDA’s efforts to prevent our herd from exposure.”

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Benefits of grazing livestock District 4 Supervisor Lori Parlin’s Office gtgazette.com

Local ranchers are collaborating with the El Dorado County Agriculture Department, Natural Resources Conservation Service and University of California Cooperative Extension to provide education about the benefits of grazing livestock to reduce vegetation that can become fuel for wildfires. Livestock grazing has a long history in El Dorado County and it is desirable to bring grazing back to the forefront as a tool to reduce fuel loads in rural areas. Recent studies show that properly managed livestock grazing is an environmentally sound way to manage lands and maintain defensible space from wildfires. Federal, state and local organizations are recognizing these benefits and promoting livestock grazing in rural areas. Things to consider when deciding to graze livestock include available water sources and grasses on a portion of the land. Areas considered should be fenced or there should be a plan to fence the area and there should be several acres to maintain as well. Sometimes coordinating with neighbors works out for a rancher to rotate the livestock. For those who think livestock grazing might work for their property and to be connected with a local rancher, call the El Dorado County Agriculture Department’s information phone line (530) 6217498. For more information visit edcgov.us/Government/ag/Pages/ Livestock-Grazing.aspx FEBRUARY 2021 45

Churchill County Cowbelles Update As we move from 2020 to 2021, the chaos continues. For many of us, the world has been turned upside down and the division in the United States deepens. The tone of discourse has forced many, me included, to seek the truth and use that to define reality, because finding it in the news media is not an option. During our January meeting, the members voted to cancel the Bull Sale Dinner scheduled for February due to health concerns and governmental restrictions regarding public gatherings. Individual members are researching possible alternatives to support the Nevada Cattlemens Association during the Fallon All Breed Bull Sale. We hope to see you in February 2022 at the Cowbelles Bull Sale. As the year progresses, the club’s focus turns to new activities. Before we know it, spring will be here and along with that comes graduation. For Cowbelles it is a time to support a few of this year’s graduates. We present three $500.00 scholarships to graduating seniors from the Oasis Academy and Churchill County High School. These scholarships are available from

By Susan Van Patten, President

the Guidance Office in each school. The scholarships are due on April first. The application itself is straight forward and primarily gathers identifying data. When applying for the scholarship keep in mind that our mission is to “Promote the beef and agricultural industries in the community, schools, and youth organizations in Churchill County.” Making a strong link between the agriculture industry and the applicant’s field of study is a determining factor. Another activity that is resuming is recruiting sponsors for the Carcass Contest associated with the Churchill County Junior Livestock Show held in April. At the last Livestock Leadership Meeting they authorized the inclusion of including an ultrasound component as part of the contest. It is shaping up to be a busy spring. The organization is moving forward with the revision of its by-laws and will be reviewing the work of that committee at the next meeting, along with discussing the results of fact finding by members regarding the guidelines for 501(c)(3). Those discussions will guide how we operate over the next few years. I always enjoy announcing good news, so I save it for last. Last fall a few members reached out to various teachers in the community and recruited applicants

for our Cowbelle Teacher of the Year. The winning applicant was nominated by Tami Olsen and will receive a check of $200.00 and was nominated for the Nevada Cattleman’s Teacher of the Year. This year’s winner is Heather Wiessmar who teaches second grade at Oasis Academy. Great teachers are constantly seeking good material, so Heather’s statement of “I never knew about it (referring to Ag in the classroom activities) but am saving curriculum in my binder now” got my attention. Heather highlighted three activities in her application. For her Plant Cycle Unit she used locally grown plants, for Data Collection and Mapping Activity in math she used information from the local farmers and highlighted the agriculture industry in her Community Helper’s unit. Congratulations Heather for doing a great job and connecting learning to the world outside of the classroom!

Our Favorite Beef Recipes Super Speedy Steak Skillet Supper INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons cornstarch

1-1/2 lbs beef top sirloin steak, cut into 1/4” strips

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

2 large green peppers, cut into 1/2” strips

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1-1/2 cups sliced celery

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth

3 green onions, chopped

3 tablespoons soy sauce

4 teaspoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon molasses

Hot cooked noodles or rice, optional

DIRECTIONS In a bowl, combine the cornstarch, brown sugar, ginger and garlic powder. Stir in broth until smooth. Add soy sauce and molasses; set aside. In a non-stick skillet or wok, stir-fry steak in oil for 4-5 minutes; remove and keep warm. Stir-fry peppers, celery and onions until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir broth mixture and add to the vegetables. Return meat to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Serve over noodles or rice, if desired. 46 FEBRUARY 2021

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FEBRUARY 2021 47

The same Angus cowherd, raised on the same ranch by the same family for 102 yrs.

Bull & Female Sale: March 8, 2021 160 Bulls & 50 Females Sons and daughters of these proven sires sell.

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For more information call:

Art Butler: 208-280-1026 Stacy Butler: 208-320-8803 Josh Mavencamp: 208-358-0057 Sarah Helmick: 208-490-0741 Randy Lancaster, Triple L: 208-731-1947

The Progressive Rancher - February 2021

Articles inside

Churchill County Cowbells

Nevada Farm Bureau Updates

High Desert Grange Happenings

Eye on the Outside

Teaming Up with your Vet

Mind of a Millennial

NBC Recipe

Public Lands Council Update

NBC Checkoff News

AFB Honors Young Farmers

NCA President’s Perspective