Utah Farm Bureau News - February 2015

Utah Women: Leadership conference boasts all-star line-up 6 Issues: Farm Bureau lists policy priorities 15

Utah Farm Bureau News FEBRUARY 2015VOL. 61, NO. 1

Inside:National Perspective 3Special Resource Guide 11Member Benefits 8Baxter Black 12 Farm Safety Column 27Classifieds 35

LIVESTOCK continued on pg. 14

CONVENTION continued on pg 13

Photo courtesy of American Farm BureauUtah Farm Bureau President Leland Hogan speaks during the delegate session of the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in San Diego. �is year was the organizations’ 96th meeting, and the delegate session focused on topics such as federal water rules, immigration, data management, and common-sense reform to the Endangered Species Act.

SAN DIEGO – Farmer and rancher delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 96th Annual Convention approved resolutions that will provide the organization grassroots authority to ask Congress to finish many measures that remain unsettled at the start of 2015.

“Our delegates are the men

Farm Bureau delegates set public policy positions for 2015

and women growing the food and fiber for our nation and much of the rest of the world every day,” said AFBF Presi-dent Bob Stallman. “They have made great strides over the last decades in improving their environmental performance, in adopting cutting edge tech-nologies and taking actions to

make sure they can pass their farms and ranches on to the next generation.”

According to Stallman, how-ever, these same producers recognize that many of the challenges they face are de-rived from the federal govern-ment’s attempt to overreach in its regulation of land use.

“This is particularly true with respect to improper applica-tion of federal water rules,” Stallman said. “Our members also want us to continue our effort to secure a stable and

SAN DIEGO – An expanding supply and strong demand for meat and poultry will create a positive outlook for future livestock markets, according to Dr. Glynn Tonsor, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University. Tonsor presented to farmers and ranch-ers from across the country dur-ing a featured workshop on the livestock market outlook at the American Farm Bureau Federa-tion’s 96th Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show.

“The meat-to-feed price ratios will be very attractive, which will create a multi-year period of industry expansion,” Tonsor said. Producers can look for an expansion in pork sooner than in beef, but an overall increase in U.S. red meat and poultry will occur in the first quarter of 2015, according to projections. Ton-sor also mentioned that global demand for meat provides a long list of reasons to be confident.

Certain circumstances in the U.S. could have effects that push the market in either direction. Changes in the economy like lower gas prices and perhaps wage increases could allow for

Exciting time for meat and

livestock sector

Utah Farm Bureau News2 February 2015

Utah Farm Bureau News(ISSN 1068-5960)Matt Hargreaves, Editor9865 South StateSandy, Utah 84070-3205Phone Numbers:General Inquiries: (801) 233-3000Address Changes: (801) 233-3009Farm Bureau News: (801) 233-3003Classified Ads: ..........(801) 233-3010Fax: .............................(801) 233-3030FB News E-mail: [email protected] site: .....http://www.utahfarmbureau.orgNational Ad Rep:The Weiss Group9414 E. San Salvador Dr. #226Scottsdale, Arizona 85258(480) 860-5394 [email protected] Display Ad Information:Jennifer Dahl(775) 752-3061

Utah Farm BureauFederation OfficersChairman and PresidentLeland J. Hogan, South Rim*Vice PresidentStephen A. Osguthorpe, Park City*CEO and Secretary/TreasurerRandy N. Parker, Riverton* Denotes member of the Board of Directors

BOARD OF DIRECTORS District 1 ............................ John Ferry, CorinneDistrict 2 ...............Ron Gibson, West WeberDistrict 3 ...................Ken Patterson, SyracuseDistrict 4 ................ Rex Larsen, Spanish ForkDistrict 5 ..................Joelle Hatch, HuntingtonDistrict 6 ...........Edwin Sunderland, ChesterDistrict 7 ..................................Craig Laub, BerylFB Women’s Chairman ...Belva Parr, LindonYoung Farmer & Rancher Chairman..

Meagher McConkie, AltamontPeriodicals Postage Paid at Sandy, Utah and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to the Utah Farm Bureau Federation, 9865 South State, Sandy, Utah 84070. Published quarterly for all Farm Bureau members (April/Spring, July/Summer, Oct./Fall, Dec./Winter). Published expressly for farmer/rancher Farm Bureau members and others who specifically request copies Feb., March, May, June, Aug., Sept., and Nov. All eleven issues published by the Utah Farm Bureau Federation in Sandy, Utah. Editorial and Business Office, 9865 South State, Sandy, Utah 84070-3205.

PARKER continued on pg 17

�oughts: Judge �nds prairie dog regs unconstitutional

GRAIN ORDER continued on pg 19

By Randy ParkerChief Executive O�cerUtah Farm Bureau

For more than two genera-tions, hardworking Ameri-cans living in southwest Utah have been forced to watch the federally protected Utah prairie dog dig up their farm-land, cemeteries, airport landing strips, golf courses and ultimately steal from them property rights and value. But according to a recent decision by Federal Judge Dee Benson, the fed-eral government overstepped in applying the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Benson determined federal regula-tion of the Utah prairie dog is “unconstitutional because the prairie dog does not sub-stantially affect interstate commerce.”

Judge Benson is the first-ever federal judge to rule the ESA has constitutional limi-tations as it attempts to regu-late private property. The landmark ruling came thanks to a group of landowners calling themselves “People

for the Ethical Treatment of Property Owners” (PETPO), who sued the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Ser-vice (USFWS) in 2013. Working with the Pacif-ic Legal Foun-dation (PLF), a coalition of Iron County property own-ers argued the rodent has no c o m m e r c i a l value and the total popula-tion is located within the bor-ders of Utah; therefore fed-eral regulation of the species exceeds Congressional power, the legal limits of the ‘Com-merce Clause’, and ‘Necessary and Proper Clause’ found in the United States Constitution.

With its 1973 listing and fed-eral protection, the rodent began expanding its habitat, finding its way onto the grounds of a skilled nursing center in Par-agonah, Utah, where residents saw the infestation become a threat to their health and safety.

Clearly, the expanded range of the prairie dog and onerous federal regulations undermined constitutionally-protected pri-

vate property rights, as well as state and local government’s obligation to protect the health, safety and welfare of its citizens.

E S A p r o t e c t i o n brought with it the very real threat to property owners of huge fines and impris-onment if they vio-lated the law. But for some reason, USFWS didn’t think threat of

prison and fines offered enough protection; so in 2012, they stepped up regulation, requir-ing “take” permits and impos-ing greater restrictions on how, where and when prairie dogs could be removed from private property. This burden of greater federal regulation effectively told residents – “Deal with it!” If prairie dogs move into your town or onto your property, private property rights and de-

Statement by Utah Department of Agriculture & Food

The establishment of said marketing order requires more than 50 percent of all registered and certified producers who return a ballot to vote in favor as per Utah State Code 4-2-2. Based on an incredibly low percentage of returned bal-lots and the lack of a clear mandate by those that did

Small grains and oil seed marketing order not created at present time

vote, the Utah Commissioner of Agriculture and Food has determined that a new referen-dum ballot should be mailed to producers at a future date not yet determined. It is hoped that grain and oil seed producers will take more of an interest in determining whether or not there should be a marketing order by voting the next time ballots are mailed.

Several small grain and oil

seed producers were invited to serve on an Exploratory Committee in March 2013 to consider the challenges and benefits of establishing a Small Grains and Oil Seed Marketing Order for Utah. After carefully considering the benefits that would accrue to all producers, the Committee recommended the formation of the order. Information about the pro-

Utah Farm Bureau News 3February 2015

AgAgenda: Agriculture’s resolve in 2015By Bob StallmanAmerican Farm Bureau President

ESTIMATES continued on pg 33

The New Year is upon us, and with it comes a new Congress. The chal-lenges we face, on the other hand, are rather old. It’s time to resolve longstanding policy bat-tles so the business of agriculture can grow in 2015 and beyond.

The world’s population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050. Feeding them will not be easy. We know data-driven precision ag will help us do that, but we also need to know our business data will remain secure if we hand it to others for analysis and safekeeping. Farm Bureau has led the way in helping farmers and ranchers navigate this new territory.

Last fall, we brought together agricultural technology companies

and farm groups to ham-mer out a historic set of data privacy and security principles. The next step

means holding compa-nies accountable, so we’re developing a transpar-ency evaluation tool to help farmers sort through the jargon. Once it’s done, farmers and ranchers will be able to easily compare contracts to see whether and how companies com-ply with the agreed-upon

principles.Biotechnology is key to

feeding a growing popu-lation, too. Farmers and ranchers know firsthand how beneficial genetically modified products are for consumers and the envi-ronment, but pseudosci-ence and misinformation threaten to drown out the progress we’ve made. Recent attempts to re-quire mandatory labeling have undercut decades of research and develop-ment in food and food safety, alike. Farmers and ranchers, meanwhile, are redoubling their efforts to help consumers un-derstand how their food is grown and how new technologies keep their food safe and affordable. Confusion has too long ruled the day on this is-sue: National labeling standards should be set

by the FDA.We are pleased the ad-

ministration has staked out an ambitious trade agenda. Leaders on both sides of the Atlantic agree that a more open trade partnership makes sense, so it’s time the Euro-pean Union puts poli-tics aside and eliminates non-scientific barriers to trade. Any successful trade agreement must open restricted markets and encourage fair com-petition for all.

Taxes remain unsettled. While Congress may ex-tend important tax pro-visions through 2014, we are already headed into 2015 with no guar-antee that provisions like Section 179 small-business expensing and bonus depreciation will be available again. Con-gress needs to make these

provisions permanent so farmers and ranchers have the flexibility they need to put their money back to work on their land and in their communities.

Agriculture still needs a steady workforce. Across the country, farmers have left their crops to rot be-cause they could not find the workers they needed. Farm Bureau estimates that agriculture could lose up to $60 billion next year if this problem isn’t fixed. If Congress is seri-ous about fixing the plight of farmers it must take action. Lawmakers need to address border security and enforcement, create a new flexible agricul-tural visa program and help current experienced workers gain legal status.

The New Year is always a great time for resolu-tions. This year we’re ready for results.

W A S H I N G T O N , D.C. – The corn market could see a small pick-up as the Agriculture Department (USDA) has reduced its corn production estimates slightly in its latest re-port on agricultural supply and demand for the 2014-2015 market-ing year, the American Farm Bureau Federa-tion said recently.

With corn and soy-bean production con-tinuing to see high re-turns, even higher pro-duction estimates were

Farm Bureau responds to recent USDA production estimates

expected from USDA. N o n e t h e l e s s , c o r n production estimates dropped a bit to 14.407 billion bushels from October’s projection of 14.475 billion bushels.

“This is positive news for the market overall as we’re expecting demand to rise to meet these record yields,” AFBF Deputy Chief Economist John Anderson said. “An estimated increase in ethanol production should also help to ab-sorb this year’s bumper crop.”

The drop in the na-tional production es-timate for corn seems to be coming from tra-ditionally high-yield states that are now see-ing lower estimates this month, Anderson said. The Iowa yield estimate was shaved by two bush-els per acre, and Min-nesota’s came down by five.

“These are not dra-matic decreases but they are a bit surprising considering the overall

Jason and Carlee Chris-tensen of Moroni, San-pete County were recog-nized in the ‘Top 10’ of the ‘Achievement Award’ at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s na-tional convention held in San Diego, California earlier this month.

“We’re really happy to have made it as far as we did in the competition,” Jason Christensen said. “We feel we represented our farm, family and

Turkey farmers reach ‘Top 10’ at

AFBF conventionstate well at the national level.”

“There were some re-ally great competitors from throughout the country,” Carlee Chris-tensen said. “Making it in the top 10 is really an honor.”

T h e A c h i e v e m e n t Award program is de-signed to recognize those young farmers & ranch-ers who have excelled in their farming/ranching

YF&R continued on pg 24


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• Vegetable Production

Registration is $25 if you register before Feb. 10 ($35 after Feb. 10)

For more information about the workshop or conference, go to DiverseAg.org or contact Salt Lake County Extension at 385-468-4824 or [email protected].

Registration is $30 per day or $50 for both days ($35 per day if you register after Feb. 10)

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Post-conference workshopFarm & Food Tourism

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By Matt Hargreaves, Editor, Farm Bureau News

SAN DIEGO – Farm and ranch leaders from throughout the country were taught that the training individuals receive is what makes leaders during times of crisis. This central theme was conveyed via the extreme, real-world examples of U.S. Navy Commander Rorke Denver as he spoke at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 96th Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show.

At the general session Monday morning, Denver connected his experiences in the military with farming and ranching, and provided insights on teamwork

Navy SEAL preaches calm to perform best during crisis moments

and courage when faced with pressure-fi lled situations.

“When people are hungry, they go to war,” Denver said. “Thank you for what you do for this country. If it wasn’t for families and people like you giving us something to fight for in this country, there would be zero reason for me to wake up in the middle of the night and go fi ght our nation’s enemies.”

Commander Denver said the Navy’s SEAL training program, which he oversaw for 13 years, provided him with many examples of how proper training allows individuals in all situations to reach a little higher than normal when needed.

“I think we keep a little something extra in the tanks for when we really need it,” Denver

said. “If you…look for where [you] can claw, and scratch, and fi ght for an inch, you’re going to fi nd that constant [improvement].”

R e l a t i n g t o s e r v i n g i n leadership, whether it is in the military or in agriculture, the ability to stay calm and let your training take over is what Denver said is critical to performing when the stakes are highest.

“Calm is contagious. If you keep your head, you keep your

head,” Denver said, relating to staying calm when leading others on the battlefi eld. “In 14 years of

training, I’ve never seen ‘calm is contagious’ proven wrong. Calm is being focused on the job at hand when you need to do it at its most intense moment.”

A p p r o x i m a t e l y 7 , 0 0 0 agricultural leaders gathered at the convention to hear from distinguished leaders and participate in a grassroots policy-setting process that will guide the American Farm Bureau Federation through 2015.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced that more than 23,000 of the nation’s dairy farms – more than half of all dairy farms in America – have enrolled in the new safety-net program created by the 2014 Farm Bill, known as the Margin Protection Program. The voluntary program provides fi nancial assistance to participating farmers when the margin – the diff erence between the price of milk and feed costs – falls below the coverage level selected by the farmer.

Dairy producers interested in enrolling in the program for calendar year 2016 can register between July 1 and Sept. 30, 2015.

To learn more about the Margin Protection Program, visit the Farm Service Agency (FSA) online at www.fsa.usda.gov.

More than half of nation’s dairy farmers enroll in new margin protection program


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Begins Friday at 11:00 and ends Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

S A N D I E G O – A c o m b i n a t i o n o f p o p u l a t i o n g r o w t h , i n c r e a s i n g environmental demands and climate change poses long-term questions for water availability, part icu lar ly in the western U.S. Speakers at a workshop at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Convention said that creativity and leadership will be needed to resolve those questions.

Robert Johnson, ex-ecutive vice president of the Washington, D.C.-based National Water Resources Association, said current climate models suggest reduced water supplies in the West due to long-term droughts. That means people in Western states “need to fi gure out what to do” in terms of water management, he said, noting that that will vary from region to region.

“Solutions take time,” Johnson said. “Major infrastructure projects take 20 to 30 years to de-velop, so things have to move. It takes coopera-tion to solve problems. Leadership is critical.”

Experts predict

growing uncertainty

for water supplies

WATER continued on pg 26


STALLMAN continued on pg 14

SAN DIEGO – While America’s farmers and ranchers achieved no-table victories on the farm bill and waterways infrastructure legisla-tion in 2014, agriculture must push harder for important policy reforms in 2015, according to American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman.

Stallman, a cattle and rice farmer from Texas, told Farm Bureau mem-bers gathered for their annual convention in San Diego that progress in Washington will only come through real but principled compromise.

Stallman: Farmers and ranchers still optimistic despite Washington’s past dysfunction

“We cannot ignore the extremes of the left and right, but we must speak to the center: the legisla-tors in both parties who go to Washington be-cause they want to make policy and get things done,” Stallman said. “It’s time for Congress to get back to work -- to do their job so you can do yours.”

Stallman said that time to act in 2015 will likely be shortened due to pres-sure created by the 2016 elections for Congress and the presidency.

“Farm Bureau mem-bers will need to be ag-gressive, and we will need

to begin our advocacy efforts as soon as pos-sible,” Stallman said. “Farm Bureau mem-bers will also need to cut through the politi-cal noise.”

While true oppor-tunities for policy progress could grow slim by the time fall rolls around, Stallman detailed the long list of jobs that remain before Congress, in-cluding:

Immigration re-form, which must in-clude a reliable and legal workforce for America’s farms and ranches;

A national, fact-based

approach to food label-ing, rather than patch-

work regulation that only raises the price of food while doing nothing for

food safety;Tax rules that will en-

courage economic growth and multi-generational farming and;

Policies to continue growing our nation’s energy independence through the production of all forms of energy, in-cluding those that come from America’s farms and ranches.

And yes, he said, it was time for the Environmen-tal Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers to ditch the widely reviled Waters of the U.S. proposal, which would regulate land use under the guise of the Clean Water Act.

No matter what the outlook in Washington, there’s plenty of reason to remain optimistic.


Member Bene�ts

BENEFITS continued on pg 30

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IT’S YOUR BUSINESS. IT’S YOUR CHOICE.

GM Business Choice is an incentive program designed specifically for small business owners like you. It offers valuable options to help offset the cost of getting your new GM vehicles work-ready.

Available with new eligible 2013/2014/2015 Chevrolet and GMC vehicles, the Business Choice program offers four different incentive packages to choose from at no extra cost to you! All you have to do is choose the available option that best fits your daily business needs.

THE GM BUSINESS CHOICE ADVANTAGE

Here are a few reasons to consider this program:-Flexibility to choose – Not only is there a wide selection of Chevrolet and GMC vehicles to choose from, the program is designed

to give you the greatest flexibility by providing valuable upfit and card options. -Solutions designed for you – Each option available offers a solution to improve business efficiencies and aid you in the cost of

vehicle ownership. -More savings for you – You can combine the Business Choice program with other GM incentives for additional savings.* -Outstanding partners – Business Choice has a history of being one of the strongest programs of its kind in the industry and

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NOTICE continued on pg 16

Your toolbox for dealing with emergenciesBy Lucas Martin, Statewide Family Finance Extension Faculty, Utah State University

Financial emergencies can be daunting to deal with. An unexpected illness, a surprise car repair, loss of employment, or an increase in expenses can leave households scrambling to make ends meet. When your financial train gets derailed, what can you do to get back on track? The fol lowing tools can help you “fix” or manage the risk of financial emergencies. Consider how many of these you can add to your toolbox.

Insurance: Insurance can be a great way to manage large risks. Proper insurance can help lower costs associated with medical emergencies, problems with your home, cover the loss of theft or damage to your car or apartment, and other life events. Life insurance can help

families manage the financial fallout that can accompany the loss of a family member. Check with your Farm Bureau agent to see if your current needs are being met.

E m e r g e n c y S a v i n g s : Savings can do more than put a little sunshine into a rainy day. Families that don’t have emergency savings often resort to using a credit card or robbing their retirement account to deal with financial emergencies. Emergency savings can “save” you from going into debt and “save” your retirement. Experts recommend saving three to six months of expenses to protect your household. If this seems daunting, set a smaller savings goal, such as $1,000, and begin setting aside a little each month. Make room for savings in your budget, it’s worth it!

Education: Having up-to-date training in your field, advanced

education, or licenses to practice a trade can help you work through a change in employment. When employers see you can hit the ground running with little to no additional training, your value as a potential employee increases.

Food Storage: Food storage can help you ride out a financial emergency. Money that would have been spent on groceries can be used to deal with the emergency or to feed the family while you search for employment. Like financial emergency savings, food storage can be built up a little at a time.

Credit Score: A good credit score is an essential piece to a household’s financial safety net. Good credit scores can lower your insurance rates, allow you to borrow at lower interest rates, and can help you obtain housing and utilities. Many employers are now checking credit scores as part of the hiring process. Good

credit can help you deal with a variety of emergencies.

Limited Obligations/Low Debt: Paying off debt and limiting the number of obligations we have (contracts for services) means we have fewer bills to pay each month. In the event of a financial emergency, the fewer bills we have the more flexibility we have to move things around in our budget. It can be tempting to sign up for that gym membership or discounted subscription, but anything that locks us into a future payment can become an additional liability in an emergency.

Take the time to inventory your toolbox. Which of these tools do you already have? Which can you add? Make a sound plan to improve your financial emergency toolbox; having the right tools can make any job much easier!

By Erin Anthony, Editor, FBNewsWith the launch of a new oversight subcommittee focusing on the administration’s energy and environmental policies and House passage of the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 185), House lawmakers are putting the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies on notice: Business as usual is over.

In both the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, Congress set out policies that regulators are supposed to follow. Yes, EPA and other regulatory bodies do

House puts regulators on noticehave some leeway in writing and implementing the regulations for these laws and many others. Over the years, however, where Congress gave EPA an inch, the agency has taken a mile. Both the proposed Waters of the U.S. rule and the proposed regulations related to new and existing coal-fired power plants overstep the regulatory authority Congress granted the agency in the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act, respectively.

With House action to tighten the reins on the regulators

less than a month into the new Congress, lawmakers are setting a clear agenda, and close to the top of that agenda is holding regulators’ feet to the fire.

In late December, R e p . J a s o n C h a f f e t z ( R - U t a h ) , newly appointed chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, announced he would form a new panel , the Interior Subcommittee, to watch over the EPA, as

w e l l a s t h e A g r i c u l t u r e , E n e r g y a n d I n t e r i o r departments. Responsibility for those agencies previously fell to

two subcommittees, one that focused on energy and the other on regulatory affairs.

C h a f f e t z ’ s concerns aren ’ t e x c l u s i v e l y wi th regulatory p o l i c y . G e n e r a l mismanagement a n d p e r s o n n e l

problems are also very much on his radar. In addition, he

Utah Farm Bureau News12 February 2015On the edge of common sense

BAXTER BLACK

� e manly arts People ask where I got my mittens, my saddle blanket, my wild

rag, my dog’s muffl er, my colorful selection of pot holders that hang in my tackroom. I always change the subject, but the time has come to confess.

So there I was in the wilds of the high desert on a cow camp in the early fall, riding three young horses and checking’ cows, water tanks and fence. Pretty tough livin’ out here. My clothes didn’t get washed much. My razor broke. I tried to wash up at the spring ev-ery week or two and brushed my teeth with bakin’ soda and salt. I didn’t have a toothbrush, of course, so I never got that tough gristle completely out. I tried to cut my own hair. Thank goodness I didn’t have a mirror.

A man gets lonesome sometimes. I tried not to think about it. I pondered a lot. I had deep discussions with my dogs but they begin to doze off when I questioned the wisdom of Napoleon invading Italy in 1796 or the value of Latin as a second language.

While trying to fi x a hole in the baseboard to keep the pack rats out, I pulled a board loose. There behind it where it must have dropped years ago, was a book. It was still somewhat readable. The pages were yellowing around the edges and water stains faded out much of the print. It was such a surprise. Remember, you must put yourself in my position at the time. I had not seen another hu-man being for weeks, cell phones didn’t work there, and there was no mail delivery. I didn’t have a radio. Things became mundane. Your emotional graph rarely moves off neutral unless you’re getting bucked off or snakebit. Then out of nowhere, I found this book. I pondered if there was some profound meaning that I, a solitary cowboy, was the one to fi nd it. Was it just circumstance? Would it lead me to greater knowledge and peace of mind? Would I become famous or rich?

The owner must have been a learned man. He may have studied it daily, maybe memorized certain chapters; it could have changed his life. Words and phrases could be discerned; “purl, binding, blocking, slipover, ribbed cap, moss…” instructions like “cast on, yarn over, K 2 tog, rest the needle in your lap, p.s.s.o, crochet, garter and if you do slip a stitch, you can work backwards…” The illustrations were illegible. They could have been drawings of someone doing surgery, or sword fi ghting, or preparing spaghetti, or counting to eleven on one hand. I held them to the window, I looked at them upside down, I tried to iron one page with a hot pocket knife, all to no avail.

I conjured the possibilities; a manual for deckhands on a schoo-ner? A wiring diagram for home appliances? Parasitology Vol. 1: Strongyles? Then a card fell out. It said “The Manly Art of Knitting, © 1972”. I fell upon it like a hyena on a carcass! And even today, though I can’t remember anybody’s name, where I left the car keys, or who is the Secretary of State, I can still knit and purl with the best of them!

So there, I feel better getting it out in the open.

Photo by Dustin CoxDuring a winter visit to check cattle, one of the daughters of Dustin & Harmony Cox had the task of breaking ice in the live-stock watering troughs. More winter weather is hoped for in or-der to continue replenishing reservoirs a� er years of drought.


BNSF continued on pg 16

CONVENTIONContinued from pg. 1reliable supply of agricultural labor.”

Regarding other policy matters, delegates:• Reaffirmed that farmers’ proprietary data remain strictly the

property of the farmer or rancher when submitted to third parties for analysis and processing;

• Agreed that farmers and ranchers must have the right to remove their data permanently from the systems of agricultural technology providers. Members feel especially strongly about this point given the exponential growth of agricultural data systems and the double-digit productivity gains they have generated in just a few short growing seasons;

• Opposed state efforts to dictate out-of-state, farm-level production practices;

• Reaffirmed support for producer-led and -ap-proved check-off programs;

• Reaffirmed support for country-of-origin labeling provisions consistent with World Trade Organi-zation rules;

• Called for a state-led, voluntary pollinator stew-ardship program to address concerns over recent declines in the populations of honey bees and butterflies;

• Supported the production, processing, commercialization and use of industrial hemp;

• Called for an end to the Environmental Protection Agency’s attempts to require permits for farmers to repair erosion damage on their property;

• Opposed the current cap on agricultural labor visas under the H2-B program; and

• Called for common-sense reform in endangered species pro-tection legislation.

A total of 355 voting delegates representing every crop and

livestock sector in the United States deliberated on policies affecting farmers’ and ranchers’ productivity and profitabil-ity. The policies approved at the convention will guide the nation’s largest general farm organization throughout 2015.

SAN DIEGO – BNSF, Berk-shire Hathaway’s privately held railroad company, will continue to invest billions of dollars in added capacity and new rail cars to resolve service problems that plagued the grain industry in 2014, according to Greg Guthrie, director of ag products.

During a workshop at the American Farm Bureau Federa-tion’s 96th Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show, Guth-rie updated attendees on a $5 billion capital investment plan the company announced at the beginning of 2014, which ended up being closer to $5.5 billion by the end of the year.

While the grain shipping in-dustry isn’t one of BNSF’s larg-est customers, representing only

BNSF invests billions to better service grain shippers

9 to 10 percent of total business, Guthrie called it one of BNSF’s oldest and most valued.

“From a railroad perspective, grain has been an inherent and significant part of our DNA,” said Guthrie. “Do you really think we don’t want to haul grain? We keep hearing ‘you want to haul oil, not grain.’ We want to haul everything and we’re going do whatever we can to handle that growth because in business if you’re not growing, you’re dying.”

In the last 14 years, BNSF added more than 150 origin locations nationwide. There were 77 BNSF origin destinations in 2000, and in 2014 that number rose to 233. Each station costs $25 million to $30 million to build.

SAN DIEGO – A tax special-ist presented strategies to help farm business owners lower their income and estate taxes at a workshop at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 96th Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show.

Kevin Bearley, principal of Kennedy and Coe LLC, offered guidance to farmers and ranch-ers looking to retain their legacy, even if they do not expect to pass their farm business on to the next generation. With 70 per-cent of U.S. farmland expected to change hands in the next 20 years, he said, it’s important for

Smart strategies for farmers to manage taxes through downturn

farm businesses to build into the next generation and create a greater sense of ownership of the land and business.

Estate planning is not about getting out of taxes, but it is about getting assets to the next generation, Bearley noted.

“The main reason people lose the family farm at the next gen-eration is because they don’t have a plan in place or they haven’t communicated their plan prop-erly,” he said. Since estate tax law is not permanent and can’t be predicted, Bearley emphasized that it’s key to take advantage of

TAXES continued on pg 29

Utah Farm Bureau News14 February 2015STALLMANContinued from pg. 7

LIVESTOCKContinued from pg. 1

Overcoming adversity is nothing new to those who have succeeded in farming and ranching, Stallman said. During the historic farm cri-sis of the 1980s, thousands of families lost their farms to foreclosure due to high debt and high interest rates, sink-ing demand around the world. But today, while commodity prices have dipped compared to recent years, in general, America’s farmers and ranch-ers are better off than they were 35 years ago.

“That’s why anyone who’s been farming or ranching -- or whose family has been farming or ranching -- for more than 30 years is a liv-ing, breathing testament to the power of perseverance,” Stallman told Farm Bureau members in attendance.

additional expendable income for consumers to spend on protein, yet the impact of pork diseases such as porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome as well as pasture and range conditions have not yet been fully deter-mined, Tonsor said.

Key political issues to keep an eye on that could have major effects on livestock markets in-clude country of origin labeling, international poultry trade bans, a second beef checkoff and public acceptance of scientific advance-ments, he pointed out.

Tonsor ended his presentation by challenging producers to un-derstand that the livestock indus-try is constantly changing.

“This is not your father’s world anymore,” Tonsor said. “Recog-nize what it is going to be like to be a producer in the coming years because it is going to be different.”

Central Utah Irrigation Systems of Centerfield, Utah, was recognized by Reinke as one of the top five highest selling dealers in its Southwest Territory. The dealership was honored during Reinke’s recent annual convention in Palm Springs, Calif.

The Reinke Pride awards are determined as part of an incentive program that distinguishes superior achievement levels.

Central Utah Irrigation Systems recognized by Reinke


Practical PolicyVice President- Public PolicySterling Brown

Utah Farm Bureau Lists ‘Issues to Watch For in 2015’The Utah Farm Bureau has

released its list of ‘Issues to Watch For in 2015’ upon returning from the national agricultural convention for the American Farm Bureau Federation and at the start of the 2015 Utah general legislative session.

Though not exhaustive in scope, the list is based off the Farm Bureaus policy book, adopted at its recent convention in November. The policy book will guide the general farm and ranch organizations public policy actions throughout the upcoming year – including the legislative session.

“It is important to note the policies advocated and defended by the Utah Farm Bureau come from the grassroots level, from actual farmers and ranchers on the ground and in the trenches – not simply from the ideas of one leader or board,” said Leland Hogan, a cattle rancher from Tooele and President of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation. “These policies are in response to issues felt on the farm of the smallest town in Utah and through debate and deliberation, have the opportunity to make it to the American Farm Bureau and debated in the halls of Congress in Washington, D.C.”

State Concerns Regulatory Burdens

Ensuring that Utah’s farmers and ranchers do not face undue or over-burdensome regulations on the state and national level (regarding labor, air quality, water, etc.) is an issue to watch in 2015. Current or proposed regulations that could impact the sustainability of farmers and ranchers is of great concern because it threatens the ability to make the long-term

planning decisions necessary in agriculture.

Water IssuesTwo Utah Supreme Court

decisions have disrupted long-standing change application policies employed by the Utah State Water Engineer. Lacking legislative clarification, the state engineer and the public will remain in confusion, a d d i t i o n a l litigation is a certainty, and efficiency in g o v e r n a n c e will suffer as d i s t r a c t i o n from the issues c o n s u m e s resources of Utah’s Division of Water Rights. Farm Bureau supports granting the State Water Engineer sufficient authority to enforce Utah water law, including consideration of historic water use and/or approving or rejecting change applications.

An additional water issues involves further legislative discussions and action regarding water development and funding. With population booms continuing and water a scarce resource, discussions and actions must happen properly plan for future water infrastructure and the funding required.

With Utah ’s populat ion doubling in the next several decades, the pressure to transfer

and convert agriculture water to municipal and industry

use will intensify. As these pressures mount, sustaining a vibrant production agriculture industry and a growing rural Utah economy is essential. In addition, today’s local, county and state government and industry leadership must act

now to position the coming generations of food and fiber producers a re l iab le and adequate water development and distribution system. Utah Farm Bureau supports increasing the dedicated portion of sales tax towards water development.

TransportationMaintaining an adequate

transportation infrastructure is essential for Utah farmers and ranchers. Getting food – both perishable and non-perishable – from field to market in all seasons is important to rural Utah economies and the overall health of Utah’s economy. Securing funds to meet the growing rural and urban transportation needs is critical.

Property RightsConservation easements and

eminent domain have and will continue to be tools to preserve and take away agriculture lands.

Maintaining property rights in a growing economy is paramount. Transitioning ownership of land and water must occur under a willing-seller/willing-buyer agreement.

State FairSupporting the expansion and

upgrading of the Utah State Fairpark through the state’s commitment and on-going investment to present the highest-level attractions for all Utahns is a priority. The State Fair should be the annual showcase for all of Utah, with agriculture and ag education being a highlight.

Utah Farm Bureau b e l i e v e s k e e p i n g the State Fair Park where it is provides a central gathering p o i n t f o r r u r a l Utahns to congregate and showcase their products to urban c e n t e r s . U t a h ’ s annual State Fair has historically been, and will continue to be, a venue to educate the public on the essentials of food and

fiber production. This venue and purpose is worthy of continued adequate funding from the State Legislature.

National Concerns Agriculture Labor

Farm Bureau supports immigration reform that addresses American agriculture’s needs today and in the future. This means dealing responsibly with our existing workforce. It also means providing reliably for the future by assuring that farmers and ranchers have access to a usable worker program that responds to agriculture’s unique needs.

POLICY continued on pg 18


NOTICEContinued from pg. 11

Utah Farm Bureau YF&R Legislative Day

All young farmers and ranchers (ages 18-‐35) are invited to join the Utah Farm Bureau’s ‘Young Farmers & Ranchers Program (YF&R) for a day on Capitol Hill.

Friday, February 20, 2015

9:00 AM – 12 Noon

Meet on the East entrance of the Capitol Building at 8:45AM

Meet your legislator, learn about bills the Utah Farm Bureau is tracking, network with other young farmers & ranchers, see the policy making process firsthand, & let your voice be heard.

RSPV to David Bailey or your County YF&R Chair. For questions or more information please contact David Bailey 801-‐233-‐3020 or [email protected]

“Our growth [last year] was double the GDP and we woke up one day and realized that we took on 50 percent of all the railroad growth in the United States in one year,” Guthrie said.

An unintended result of this

growth was a dramatic spike in the cost to reserve rail cars. Guthrie said BNSF is adding more grain hopper cars to the pipeline, which will allow the market to decide a fair price for cars.

“I’ve spent a lot of time over the last six months explaining why [these prices] are not the new

normal and we won’t allow this to continue. Our commitment is to adding capacity and giving you the service you deserve.”

In closing, Guthrie asked grain shippers to work closely with railroad companies to resolve operating issues.

has been vocal about what he sees as unlawful limits on the ability of Utahans to access federal lands, which comprise two-thirds of his state. Chaff etz has appointed Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) to lead the subcommittee.

T h e R e g u l a t o r y Accountability Act, which passed wi th b ipart i san s u p p o r t i n t h e H o u s e last week, would give all stakeholders a greater voice in a federal regulatory process that is too often one-sided.

The legislation provides a much-needed update to the nearly seven-decades-old Administrative Procedures Act, which needs to be amended to ensure that the public and the regulated community, in particular, are aff orded a transparent, fair and open regulatory process.

The bill would require agencies to be more open and transparent on data justifying a rule. The most costly rules would be subject to on-the-record hearings. Agencies would be required to consider such rules’ impact on jobs and the economy. Moreover, agencies ’ abi l i ty to use guidance and interim final rules would be constrained.

Farmers and ranchers are optimistic lawmakers’ efforts will bring EPA and other regulatory agencies’ real mission back into focus: to execute the laws passed by Congress in the least costly way and, with strong public input, to fi nd the most effi cient regulatory solutions that benefi t all Americans.

Erin Anthony is editor of FBNews, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s offi cial e-newsletter

BNSFContinued from pg. 13


cisions to build a home or even plant a garden will be indefinitely postponed.

Friends of Animals, sid-ing with USFWS, sub-mitted a legal brief to the court blasting the PETPO’s argument that the “prairie dogs are of no commercial value,” and therefore “no more than a mere pest to be eradicated to make way for human development.” Some would argue that is absolutely correct. But Friends of Animals of-fered the argument that the prairie dog has “im-measurable value” and is a “textbook illustration of this irrefutable proposi-tion” – which may be just a little “over the top!”

PETPO counsel and PLF staff attorney Jona-than Wood successfully argued the case before the U.S. Court for the District of Utah – Cen-tral Division Judge Dee Benson. Fundamentally, Wood pointed out “The federal government may

PARKERContinued from pg. 2

take whatever measures it likes on its own prop-erty in order to protect the prairie dog. But they can’t violate the U.S. Con-stitution by taking away property rights of private citizens or local gov-ernments.”

The Utah prairie dog i s o n e o f five prairie dog species i n N o r t h A m e r i c a and is only f o u n d i n Utah. The USFWS es-timates its population at more than 40,000 – seemingly a healthy, sus-tainable number. Never-theless, the rodent was listed as “threatened” on the Endangered Species Act list.

Historically, the federal government uses ESA au-thority to regulate non-federal lands citing the “Necessary and Proper Clause,” the “Commerce

Clause” or both. This dis-torted and expansive view of constitutional author-ity is why the feds have never lost in court, until the Benson ruling.

The federal government in PETCO vs. USFWS

made two flawed argu-ments. First, they claimed the Utah prairie dog has “commercial value” based on tourism. But even more disturbing, USFWS argued regulations im-posed by the federal gov-ernment have an econom-ic impact on interstate commerce. No kidding! That logic suggests the costs of federal regulation

provides the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service consti-tutional cover under the Commerce Clause. Only a federal bureaucrat could think like that!

Use and abuse of the ESA by federal bureau-

crats has stomped on more private property rights and undermined more economic opportu-nity than any other law passed by Con-gress. USFWS notes 68 percent of all listed species exist within the borders of a single state – many of them having “no current commercial or economic value.”

They further argue losing the power to regulate on non-federal land would “substantially frustrate the ESA’s comprehensive scheme…”

The Pacific Legal Foun-dation argued that if the government could do this, there is “no logical stop-ping point” to the fed-eral government’s power.

Judge Benson concurred:“Although the Com-

merce Clause authorizes Congress to do many things, it does not autho-rize Congress to regulate takes of purely intra-state species that has no substantial effect in interstate commerce. Congress similarly lacks authority through the Necessary and Proper Clause because the regu-lation of takes of Utah prairie dogs is not essen-tial or necessary to the ESA’s economic scheme.”

A spokesperson for Friends of Animals called Benson’s decision a “rath-er embarrassing judicial work” promising to take it to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Farm Bureau applauds Judge Benson’s decision that recognizes there are constitutional limits and property owners have the right to due process and just compensation, both generally ignored when USFWS imposes ESA regulation on private property.

Photo courtesy of Utah DWR

Utah Farm Bureau News18 February 2015POLICYContinued from pg. 15

34th ANNUAL UTAH BEEF CATTLE FIELD DAY

“MANAGINGINPROSPEROUSTIMES”

FEBRUARY10,20158:00a.m.–4:00p.m.

GrandBuilding‐UTAHSTATEFAIRPARK (SEcorneroftheFairPark)

MorningSessions

ManagingHerdExpansion–Dr.DerrellPeel,OklahomaStateUniversity

HeiferDevelopmentIndex–Dr.MattStockton,UniversityofNebraska

ManagingInputCosts–Dr.DillonFeuz,UtahStateUniversityExtension

LunchSpeaker:RepresentativeJasonChaffetz(Invited)AfternoonRotationSessions

UnrealizedProfitsthroughaHerdHealthProgram–Dr.KevinHill,DVM,MerckAnimalHealth

DoesCowSizeReallyMatter?–JessieRussell,ColoradoDepartmentofAgriculture

CattleMarkets–Dr.DillonFeuz,UtahStateUniversityExtension

TradeShowFor Further Information Contact:

Dr. Dale ZoBell, USU Extension Beef Specialist – 435-797-2144 – [email protected]. Kerry Rood, USU Extension Veterinarian – 435-797-1882 – [email protected]

C. Kim Chapman, USU Extension Animal Scientist – 435-893-0474 – [email protected]

For Trade Show Info Contact: Brian Boden – 801-798-0684 – [email protected]

ThankYouZionsBankAgGroupforsponsoringournewlocation!Co-Sponsored by:

NEWLOCATION!!

UtahCattlemen’sAssociation,UtahStateUniversityandBrighamYoungUniversityareequalopportunity/affirmativeactioninstitutions.

Clearly, border security and employer enforcement are important parts of the debate, but such provisions alone cannot solve the problem.

Waters of the United States (WOTUS)

The Clean Water Act (CWA), enacted in 1972, limits federal jurisdiction to “navigable” waters of the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court, in 2001 and 2006, reaffirmed those l imits. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), through regulations, guidance and other means, are seeking to expand their authority to the maximum extent, potentially even beyond the limits approved by Congress

and reaffirmed by the Court. Farm Bureau opposes proposals to fundamentally change the CWA by expanding jurisdiction of the federal government to intrastate waters, including groundwater, ditches, culverts, pipes, desert washes, sheet flow, erosional features, farm and stock ponds, and prior converted cropland.

The success of the Clean Water Act (CWA) over its 37-year history is based on federalism and shared responsibility. This approach allows states to protect truly ecologically important and environmentally sensitive areas within their borders while, at the same time, preserving the authorities of states and local communities over their own land and water use planning.

Additionally, the U.S.

Forest Service’s Groundwater Resources Management Directive (GROTUS) seeks to establish federal regulatory authority over the state’s groundwater. For the first time ever, a federal agency is seeking to regulate groundwater by imposing approvals, monitoring, reporting, and evaluation of the state’s groundwater withdrawals. This federal regulatory overreach will create uncertainty for Utah water rights and cause delays and increased costs.

Budget & TaxesFarm Bureau supports the

more than 2 million farms – individuals, family partnerships and family cooperatives that own 98 percent of American farms. A simple, fair and less burdensome tax system that protects farms from generation-to-generation, keeps farms in production, and reduces the taxes on farms and ranches is a Farm Bureau priority. Farm Bureau supports tax policy that encourages private initiative and economic growth.

As Utah Farm Bureau begins this new calendar year with the state legislative session and then follows-up with the many planting, nurturing and harvesting decisions of the growing season, its public policy process will lead the way in helping government and community leaders understand the needs of a successful agriculture industry. For more information on policy issues during the legislature, or to be included in the Utah PolicyWatch e-newsletter, contact Susan Furner at [email protected].

SAN DIEGO – State Farm Bureaus were presented awards at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2015 Annual Convention recogniz-ing their stellar performance in membership achievement and implementation of out-standing programs serving Farm Bureau members in 2014.

The Awards for Excellence were awarded to state Farm Bureaus that demonstrated outstanding achievements in six program areas: Education and Outreach; Leadership Development; Member Ser-vices; Membership Initia-tives; Policy Development and Implementation; and Public Relations and Com-munications.

Utah was recognized for awards in Leadership De-velopment; Member Servic-es; Membership Initiatives; Policy Development and Implementation; and Public Relations and Communica-tions.

President’s Awards were presented to states from each membership-size group that achieved quota and dem-onstrated superiority in the Awards for Excellence cat-egories. Additionally, New Horizon Awards, presented to states with the most inno-vative new programs.

State Farm Bureaus

recognized for excellence

Utah Farm Bureau News 19February 2015GRAIN ORDERContinued from pg. 2

Program Agenda10:00 – 11:30 AM - Economic Ranching Tools11:30 – 12:30 PM – Cull Cow Management12:30 – 1:00 PM – Lunch 1:00 – 2:00 PM - Range Management2:00 – 3:00 PM – Tools for Bull Selection3:00 – 3:30 PM – Record Keeping

Date & LocationFebruary 10th

Heritage Theater Room 7105 N 100 E Cedar City, Utah

Lunch provided by Western Ag CreditDoor prizes provided by IFA

RSVP by calling 435-586-8132 or go online tohttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/master-stockman-consulting-

tickets-15471029265Questions? Contact Iron County Extension – 435-586-8132

Data would suggest that highly profitable ranches spend more money on range & pasture improvement and genetics than low profit ranches. However, investing is not without risk.

This program seeks to provide ranchers with tools for making good range & pasture and genetic investment decisions.

posed Marketing Order and a ballot were mailed to all small grain and oil seed growers that produce on average 40 acres or more of wheat, barley, safflower, and/or canola per year, which is the minimum eligibility requirement to vote. The ballots were mailed the end of October with the re-quirement to be returned by the end of November.

A marketing order is a form of a self-imposed tax that gen-erates funds to be used for the betterment of the industry.

Please watch for more infor-mation and/or a new ballot to be mailed in the future.

By Bob Stallman, President, AFBFConsumers are tiring of

anti-GMO rhetoric: They want facts. You don’t have to put those claims under the microscope to see how shaky the anti-GMO platform is. That’s no surprise to those of us who know the benefits of GM products firsthand, of course. Now, more than ever, is a prime time for us to be sharing our stories about the environmental benefits of biotechnology and the safety of GM foods we feed to our own families without hesitation.

Research and common sense back up what farm-ers and ranchers have long known about GMOs, and others are taking notice. Last

Is the tide turning on GMOs?October, the Journal of Animal Science released the findings of a new trillion-meal study, the most comprehensive GMO study yet. Animal geneticist Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam analyzed about three decades of livestock data to compare the health of nearly 1 billion ani-mals. Her goal: to see what ef-fect feeding livestock GMOs for over a decade now has had. The answer? None. No difference in the health of the animals, and no effect on the humans who eat those animals. Although this isn’t news to agriculture, the size of the study makes it a game-changer.

GMO opponents have used misinformation for too long to muddle the conversation. And the push for mandatory label-

ing has only confused things more. The call for GMO labels sure isn’t coming from the Food and Drug Administration, the nation’s top authority on food safety. FDA officials have declared GMOs safe and are standing their ground. In fact, GM crops have long withstood intense scrutiny, with not one documented food-safety case.

Fortunately, this charged rhetoric isn’t enough to con-vince most voters. Ballot ini-tiatives to require labeling in Colorado and Oregon both failed last fall. Policymakers on Capitol Hill are taking notice and starting to question the “need” for labels also. Former Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.)

GMO continued on pg 23


�e 7-day tart cherry juice challengeArticle courtesy of the Cherry Marketing Institute

Research suggests tart cherry juice or concen-trate may help ease mus-cle pain associated with intense exercise, leading to a growing number of elite athletes and week-end warriors including tart cherry juice in their training routine.

Soreness after a work-out is caused by a com-bination of inflamma-tion, muscle damage and oxidative stress – and researchers suggest the natural compounds in Montmorency tart cher-ries, including anthocya-nins, may aid in faster re-covery, decreased muscle pain, and less muscle damage when consumed prior to working out, as well as after.1,2,3

What to do:Drink either eight ounc-

es of tart cherry juice or two tablespoons of tart cherry concentrate (taken

as a shot or diluted in your water or your favorite beverage) twice a day for at least seven days before a big race or event to help you ease the pain and re-covery more quickly. Be sure to enjoy after you’ve completed your event, too.

Here are some tips to incorporate tart cherries into your training routine:• Drink a glass of tart

cherry juice before workouts

• Most of the exercise recovery studies have provided part ic i -pants with two 8- or 12-ounce bottles of tart cherry juice per day, the equivalent of close to 100 Montmo-rency cherries a day

• Drink an additional glass of tart cherry juice within 30 min-utes after you exercise

• Try a post-workout tart cherry smooth-i e ( h t t p : / / g o o .gl/7OQ3og)

• Carry some dried tart cherries in your bag for a post-workout snack

How to learn more:Follow along with our

7-day Tart Cherry Juice Challenge bloggers for more information and testimonials. Bloggers can be found at www.choosecherries.com.

1Howatson G, McHugh MP, Hill JA, Brouner J, Jewell AP, van Someren KA, Shave RE, Howatson SA. Influence of tart cherry juice on indices of recovery following marathon

running. Scand. J. Med. Sci. Sports. 2010 Dec;20(6):843-52.Link to full study at http://goo.gl/yzJnV.

2 Kuehl KS, Perrier ET, Elliot DL, Chestnutt J. Efficacy of tart cherry juice in reducing muscle pain during running: a random-ized controlled trial. J. Int. Soc. Sports. Nutr. 2010;7:17-22. Link to full study at http://goo.gl/pHG4Td.

3 Connolly DA, McHugh MP, Padilla-Zakour OI, Carlson L, Sayers SP: Efficacy of a tart cherry juice blend in preventing the symptoms of muscle dam-age. Br. J. Sports. Med. 2006, 40:679-83. discussion 683. Link to full study at http://goo.gl/VPBKeA.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Farm Bureau Federation has appointed farmer and rancher members to the organization’s new na-tional Promotion & Edu-cation Committee. The committee was launched to develop and central-ize resources that inspire and equip Farm Bureau members to convey the significance of agriculture.

“People today are more interested than ever in where their food comes from,” Stallman said. “The members of the national Promotion & Education Committee will fill an im-portant role in bridging the gap between farmers and consumers by provid-ing tools and resources to other Farm Bureau mem-bers who are eager to help share agriculture’s story.”

National committee members are nominated by their respective state Farm Bureaus. They will support and encourage state Farm Bureau vol-unteers to participate in projects and activities by providing resources for programs, communicat-ing with state leaders and contributing collaborative ideas.

AFBF appoints

Promotion & Education Committee members


By Garrick Hall , UFBF Central Regional Manager

Anyone who has ever been to Green River in the late summer or early fall knows that the area can grow some great melons: watermelons, cantaloupe, honeydew, Crenshaw, and more. Melon stands are placed at every stop along Green River’s main street, and they are busy throughout the season. Green River melons can also be found at grocery stores and fresh food outlets across the state. They even celebrate Melon Days in September, complete with a Melon Queen and parade.

When I received a call from Green River farmer Greg Vetere a couple of

Melon thieves strike Green Riveryears ago, telling me of the damage that bears were causing in the melon fields, I was naturally alarmed, but admittedly a little skeptical. Greg told me that bears were eating more than $20,000 worth of melons per year on his farm, and had been for at least 20 years. In my mind I had a hard time seeing how a bear could be eating that many watermelons. The first chance I had, I drove out to see the problem for myself.

I talked to both Greg and his cousin Cory, who happens to be the state trapper. They explained that multiple bears were l iving year round in Green River, most likely having been pushed off the Book Cliffs due to bear

overpopulation there. Once a bear has tasted the melons, they’re not about to leave.

I was taken out to a small field where the melons were ripe and ready to be picked. What I saw was both amazing and a little startling. I could see where a bear (tracks were everywhere) had literally started at the end of a row of watermelons, slashed off the top of a melon, ate the heart out, and then moved to the next one. I could see the individual claw marks in each melon. No one likes the person who steals the heart out of the watermelon, and

this bear had stolen the heart out of hundreds of watermelons in just one night. I knew that we had to do something to

prevent those thieving bears from stealing the melons, but the local farmers had been fighting

this problem for years, what more could be done?

My first though was to just have the bears shot on-sight; it seemed like a fitting punishment given the crime. Besides, I knew that bears found attacking livestock were allowed to be shot in order to protect the livestock. However, I found that under state law, melons are not afforded the same protection as livestock. In fact, there was little if anything directly that a farmer could do to protect their melons. Fences were not a good option; after all, how would you economically build a fence that would keep a bear out surrounding hundreds of acres? Some people had tried to protect beehives with an electric fence, but

BEARS continued on pg 32

Photo courtesy of Utah DWR


County ConnectionVice President- OrganizationDavid Bailey

Concerns over quagga mussels is everyone’s problemMembers of the State Quagga

Mussel Task Force met recently to hear and discuss a new report from the Utah Division Of Wildlife Resources (UDWR). The report centered on the recent discovery of five veligers by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) in Deer Creek Reservoir. Pelagic microscopic larvae – more commonly called veligers – are often the precursor to a Quagga Mussel outbreak. Two independent labs confirmed the findings, thus putting Deer Creek into a “sus-pect” category.

The UDWR, along with the BOR, monitors all waterbod-ies in the state and each body is given a Quagga Mussel rank or category based on a number of fac-tors. There are four classification levels a waterbody can be listed in, including: Inconclusive - indicates one hit on microscopy or DNA but not both, Suspect - mussel found and DNA tests posi-tive for pelagic microscopic larvae, Detected - multiple samples taken with DNA and tests positive, Infested - Multiple sample events with multiple adults.

Quagga was first detected in the U.S. in 1989 in Lake Erie. Back then, little was known about the species. It wasn’t until 1991 that Quagga Mussels were listed as distinct species and water manag-ers from across the country began to worry. Quagga was contained to the upper great lakes until 2007 when it was discovered in Lake Mead, Nevada. It wasn’t long after that Quagga made its way to Lake Powell. In 2008, the Utah Legis-lature made it illegal to transport or possess quagga muscles. If your boat touches any infested waters, it must be decontaminated before traveling or entering into another waterbody.

Mussels have now been detected

as far as 24 miles upstream from the Glen Canyon Dam. Officials found two Quagga Mussels at the Bullfrog marina last year and expect to find more this year. The more dense colonies live near the lower end of the lake and infesta-tion tends to increase more rapidly downstream.

The potential for a full Quagga Mussel infestation in Deer Creek is a very serious problem for all of Utah. More than half of Utah’s population gets their drinking wa-

ter from the water system that ul-timately goes through Deer Creek. There are also three hydro-plants in the system. Quagga Mussels can potentially have an enormous, de-structive impact on the majority of water users in Utah in a relatively short period of time.

Currently the UDWR is focusing most of their resources to contain the invasive species on the boating population. It’s commonly known that boats have the greatest poten-tial to transfer the species from one waterbody to another. Most boaters have become familiar to the decontamination procedure when entering or exiting a lake in Utah. Last year the UDWR along with the National Park Service interdicted more than 106,000 boats and made roughly 266,000 contacts with people to educate them on Quagga mussels. As a result of their efforts, nearly 1,200 professional decontamina-tions occurred. To put this into perspective, Lake Powell alone has about 400,000 unique boat launches per year. Many of these boats stay in the area and return to the lake without entering other waters but a many of them will be

in another lake, or two or three, before summer’s end.

Plans are in place to ramp up the educa-tion and decon-tamination ef-forts from both the UDWR and National Park Service. These efforts are care-fully planned t o m i n i m i z e any negat ive impacts to the boaters who utilize Utah’s water bodies, while maximizing the ar-eas that have been hardest hit by the invader species.

Of course all of these efforts take resources. More and more resources are being dedicated to this issue each year and there

seems to be no end in sight if this invader gets a foothold. This year the UDWR has $650,000 in their budget to combat the Quagga spread. This money represents only a fraction of the money that will ultimately be spent through matching funds, grants and the

Photo courtesy of Utah DWRVeligers – the microscopic precursor to a Quagga Mussel, clog up intake valves and more, as shown on the prop of this boat in Lake Mead.

QUAGGA continued on pg 34

Utah Farm Bureau News 23February 2015GMOContinued from pg. 19

QUAGGA continued on pg 34

noted at a House hearing this fall that labeling would mislead the public and send the message that GMOs are dangerous. Mr. Waxman made a good point. We should allow the FDA to continue doing its job setting standards for food safety and labeling.

Consumers are more and more interested in the story of their food. This is good news for farmers and ranchers. We’re proud of the work we do and are eager to share how food gets from the farm to the table. Feeding a growing population is a popular topic now, and “sustainability” is the buzz-word. GM crops will play a big role here. Farmers and ranch-ers have their work cut out for them, but they are ready for the challenge and to lead this conversation.

The U.S. Farmers and Ranch-

ers Alliance brought farmers and ranchers to the table for this discussion recently at the New York Times’ “Food for Tomorrow” event. While most of the conference pushed for administrative action, a few farmers and ranchers broad-ened the conversation to help attendees see what sustain-ability in action looks like. Ju-lie Maschhoff, Bruce Rominger and Joan Ruskamp closed the event by explaining the hard work and careful planning that go into providing healthy food for our families, and for the generations to come.

Panels like this are just a slice of the conversation that thousands of farmers and ranchers around the country are ready for. Consumers want to know the truth about what’s in their food—and who better to inform them than the very people who grow it?

News release courtesy of Utah Divi-sion of Wildlife Resources

BEAVER, Utah – A coyote hunter accidentally shot and killed a radio-collared north-ern gray wolf near Beaver on Dec. 28.

As soon as the hunter realized the animal he killed wasn’t a coyote, he contacted the Divi-sion of Wildlife Resources. The DWR then contacted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

Gray wolf accidentally killed near Beaver

who confirmed the animal was a three-year-old female northern gray wolf that was collared in January 2014 near Cody, Wyo-ming.

The wolf was shot near the south end of t h e T u s h a r Mountains, a few miles outside of Beaver.

DWR conservation officers are still reviewing the case and will provide additional information as it becomes available.

The state of Utah has activated a multi-agency response plan fol-lowing the confirmation of High-ly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a wild bird in Davis County. The avian influenza virus strain H5N8 was confirmed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa in an American widgeon duck, on Jan. 9, 2015. Several other wild birds taken by hunters near the Great Salt Lake in Davis County are also undergoing tests.

There is no immediate public health concern due to the recent detection of the avian influenza virus.

“This discovery of avian influ-enza in a wild bird is not unex-pected, considering that Utah sits in a major migratory bird flight path,” said Dr. Warren Hess, Acting State Veterinarian with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF). “The possibility of the disease being transmitted to domestic backyard bird flocks remains high, and we advise bird own-ers to take extra biosecurity measures to protect their flocks.”

High Pathogenic Avian Influ-enza was recently found in wild

UDAF detects avian in�uenza in waterfowl

or domestic birds in California, Oregon and Washington. The avi-an influenza strains involved have not been implicated in any human infection to date. The USDA states that all poultry, poultry products and wild birds are safe to eat as long as they are properly handled and cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

The virus has not been found in commercial poultry anywhere in the US. Surveillance for avian influenza is ongoing in commer-cial poultry operations, live bird markets, and in migratory wild bird populations.

UDAF is advising poultry farm-ers and backyard flock owners to be vigilant with biosecurity mea-sures and surveillance.

“We have not diagnosed avian influenza in Utah’s domestic poultry population, but the pres-ence of the virus in migratory waterfowl poses a potential risk to our backyard poultry,” Dr. Hess says. “This event underscores the importance of biosecurity for backyard bird owners. We strongly encourage owners to eliminate any contact between their birds and wild birds. We also

INFLUENZA continued on pg 26

Utah Farm Bureau News24 February 2015YF&RContinued from pg. 3

businesses and honed their leadership abili-ties to superiority. The contestants are evalu-ated on a combina-tion of their farming business growth and fi-nancial progress, Farm Bureau leadership, as well as leadership out-side of Farm Bureau. More specifically, the judges look for excel-lence in management, growth and scope of the enterprise and self-ini-tiative that have been displayed throughout the farm.

Contes tants f i r s t compete in their home state to produce a state award winner. State winners then compete against one another at

the national convention.Despite not winning

the truck from General Motors – which comes

with winning the na-tional award – the Chris-

tensens still have their 2015 Polaris Ranger ATV and a year’s insurance policy from Farm Bu-

reau Financial Services, which they received for

winning the state compe-tition back in November.

As a family, the Chris-tensens own and operate

a turkey farm in Sanpete County, raising close to 73,000 turkeys as par t o f the Norbest turkey cooperative. The family also grows wheat and forage crops. Jason is the 4th genera-tion of his family on the farm, but the whole family is involved in all the various as-pects of the farm, including feed-ing and water-ing of the birds, maintenance of the growing barns

and facilities, manure management and crop

harvesting.“It’s fantastic to have

a young farming couple from Utah recognized among our country’s finest. Placing in the top 10 certainly speaks to the quality of up-and-coming leaders in ag-riculture we have here in Utah,” said Leland Hogan, president of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation. “We don’t have the same numbers involved in agriculture as they traditionally do in states like California, Iowa and Tennessee, so it’s great to see Utah’s young people recog-nized.”

Utah Farm Bureau News26 February 2015WATERContinued from pg. 6

Maurice Hall, senior hydrolo-gist for the Nature Conservancy, described himself as “a water resources engineer for fish and wildlife.” Hall, who is based in Sacramento and works on California water issues, stressed the need for what he called inte-grated water management.

“We want to provide a water

supply for fish and wildlife, and if water supplies for nature are going to be dependable, then the supplies for our communities and farms are going to need to be stable and dependable as well,” Hall said.

California Farm Bureau Fed-eration President Paul Wenger told the workshop that water supplies have become increas-ingly less dependable for cities

and particularly for farms. He said water has been devoted to flows for fishery needs without an understanding of whether those flows will actually benefit the species.

“Yes, we’ve had a drought,” Wenger said, “but with the water infrastructure we have today, we should not have reservoirs as empty as they are because of mismanagement.”

Wenger said the potential for

climate change underlines the need for additional water storage in California.

“Seventy percent of our water storage has been in snowpack in high mountain reservoirs,” he said, “so as climate change comes, we have to adapt, and that means we’d better have lower-level capturing systems to be able to capture that water, because it’s going to come as rainfall, not snowpack.”

want them to monitor their flock closely and report sick birds.”

Backyard flock owners and do-mestic poultry owners can report sick birds to the State Veterinar-ian’s office at 1-801-538-4910. Also, if anyone finds wild bird carcasses that are not near power poles or roads, and that involve five or more carcasses of the fol-lowing species, please contact the DWR: Waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, scavengers such as crows and ravens, as well as quail and turkeys. Sick and dead wild birds should be reported to a local DWR office or by calling 801 538-4700.

The DWR is advising hunters to take routine precautions when handling game, including wearing latex or rubber gloves when clean-ing birds, washing their hands with soapy water after cleaning, cleaning and disinfecting equip-ment and surfaces that come in contact with wild birds, and cook-ing wild birds thoroughly before eating the meat.

Utah’s commercial poultry industry has a robust avian in-fluenza-testing program. In ad-dition, DWR routinely conducts mortality surveillance of wild bird populations. The HPAI virus has not currently been found in com-mercial poultry anywhere in the United States.

Detailed information for back-yard bird owners is available at: www.ag.utah.gov, or http://1.usa.gov/1u2nWFo.

INFLUENZAContinued from pg. 23


Farm SafetyVice President- Farm SafetyA.J. Ferguson

What to know with youth workers on the farm

LABOR continued on pg 32

T h e r e h a v e b e e n m o r e questions asked about youth workers in agriculture this year than ever before. Therefore, this is a perfect time to review the important issues regarding working with or hiring youth on the farm or ranch.

Youth, especially teens, “ c a n b e a g r e a t a s s e t ” (Agricultural Safety and Health News, 2010). However, a d d i t i o n a l watchcare will be needed to educate t h e m a b o u t possible dangers and hazards that exist on farms and ranches. Even more important is the education of those hazards specif ic to the chores or tasks assigned to them. It is critical to remember there

are restrictive labor laws that employers and parents need to consider prior to hiring or allowing any youth to work on a farm or ranch.

F i r s t , w h a t a r e t h e minimum age standards for agricultural employment?

A youth, 14 or 15 years old can work in agriculture on any farm, but only during hours

when school is not in session and only in non-hazardous jobs.

A youth, 12 or 13 years of age can work in agriculture on a farm only if a parent

has given written permission or is working on the same farm. Again, the work can be performed only during hours when school is not in session and in non-hazardous jobs.

Youth, younger than 12, may work outside of school hours in non-hazardous jobs with parental consent, but only on a farm where none

o f t h e e m p l o y e e s a r e subject to the minimum wage requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

A youth, 16 years old or older, can work on any farm, including during hours when school is in session,

on any day, for any number of hours, and in any job.

S e c o n d , a r e t h e r e exemptions that apply to agriculture?

Youth of any age may work at any time in any job on a farm

owned or operated by their parents, or someone standing in place of their parent.

Youth ages 14 and 15 years old may be employed in certain hazardous occupations when they have completed a certified tractor course.

Youth ages 14 and 15 years old, may be employed in other certain hazardous occupations if they are student learners in a bona fide vocational agriculture program and under a written agreement that provides:

Work is incidental to the training

Work shall be intermittent, for short periods of time, and under direct and close supervision of a qualified, experienced person

School shal l g ive safety instruction coordinated by the employer with on the job training

Your chance is here to join a council that helps decide how wildlife is managed in Utah.

Several positions will soon be open on Utah’s five wildlife Regional Advisory Councils (RACs).

What the RACs doEach RAC holds about six

meetings a year. At the meet-ings, RAC members listen to proposals from the Division of Wildlife Resources about hunt-ing, fishing and wildlife manage-ment in Utah. They also take input from the public about the proposals.

After voting on which propos-als each RAC prefers, the chair-person for that RAC presents its recommendations to the Utah Wildlife Board. Members of the board consider the input. Then,

Several positions open on Utah’s wildlife Regional Advisory Councils

the board makes the final deci-sion regarding wildlife manage-ment in Utah.

The RAC meetings usually last from three to five hours. The meetings are held in the evenings, usually on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday night.

Applying to serveRAC members represent one

of six interests: hunters, an-glers and trappers; those who don’t hunt or fish; ranchers and farmers; locally-elected public officials; federal land managing agencies; and the public-at-large.

To fill one of the upcoming vacancies, you must live in the region of the state you wish to represent. Also, no later than March 16, you must do the fol-lowing:

• If you want to represent the public-at-large, you must contact a group in your com-munity and ask them to nom-inate you. Political groups, town councils, animal sanc-tuary committees and recre-ational groups are examples of groups that have nomi-nated people in the past.

• If you want to fill one of the other positions on the RAC — except for the federal land managing agency position — you must contact a conserva-tion group or organization in your region and ask that they nominate you to serve in the vacancy you’d like to fill. For example, if you want to fill a farmer or rancher vacancy, you must contact

a Utah ag group (like the Utah Farm Bureau) and ask them to nominate you for the vacancy.

Nominating groups and or-ganizations must submit their nominations by 5 p.m. on March 16.

Federal land managing agen-cies appoint their own represen-tatives to the RACs.

You can download a RAC nom-ination form now, at http://goo.gl/eD7pm3. Nomination forms are also available at any DWR office.

For more information, call the nearest DWR office, or send an email to Staci Coons — the DWR’s Wildlife Board and RAC coordinator — at [email protected].


Polaris® is pleased to an-nounce that between February 1, 2015 and March 31, 2015 UTAH Farm Bureau members wil l be eligible for a $300 manufacturer’s in-centive, in addition to current event sale pricing and finance offers, for their full-size snowmobiles.

Polaris offers four different lines of snowmobiles made to fit the needs of each rider. Whether you prefer to ride on trails, in deep snow or are just looking for a casual ride, Polaris has what you need to dominate any terrain. The $300 rebate can be applied to any full-size model

Polaris® o�ers new snowmobile incentive for Utah Farm Bureau members

from any of these sled lines. Youth vehicles are excluded.

To take advantage of incen-

tives available for the purchase of qualifying Polaris vehicles, members should visit fbverify.com/polaris. To qualify, a mini-

mum of 30 days membership in a participating state is required. Members can confirm eligibility

and print a re-quired certificate by entering their m e m b e r s h i p number and zip code. There is no limit to the num-ber of incentive discounts that a Farm Bureau m e m b e r m a y use, so long as it’s no more than one per unit ac-q u i r e d . S n o w checks, youth sleds and other

youth vehicles are not eligible for this offer.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS SEASONAL OPPORTUNITY!

planning tools that give own-ers flexibility for the future. Investment vehicles, such as IDITs and LLCs, let small business owners retain control of their assets during their lifetime.

Bearley also discussed in-come tax deferral strategies that give small business own-ers the freedom to invest more of their income. Although important tax incentives have not been made permanent by Congress yet, he said a solid knowledge of the tax code can help small business owners make smart decisions for building and investing in their businesses.

TAXESContinued from pg. 13


with a second day FREE. Legoland and waterpark must be visited on the same day. All visits must occur before December 3 1 , 2 0 1 5 . P u r c h a s e your tickets at www.utahfarmbureau.org.

L e g o l a n d (California) $71 Adult (2nd day Free within 90 days)(Regular Price $85) (Ages 13+) $66 Child (Ages 3-12) Under 3 free. (2nd Day Free within 90 days)(Regular Price $79) Purchase your tickets at www.utahfarmbureau.org.

Universal Studios $ 7 9 . 0 0 f o r 3 d a y s ! Valid for 12 months after 1st visit. Purchase your tickets at www.utahfarmbureau.org.

S e a W o r l d ( S a n

BENEFITSContinued from pg. 8

Diego): $60.00 per g u e s t . S i n g l e d a y admission. Chi ldren u n d e r 3 a r e F R E E . Call 801-233-3010 to purchase these tickets. Advance purchase only.

A l l t i c k e t s a r e n o n -refundable. Ticket prices subject to change without a d v a n c e n o t i c e . F o r additional information about these or other Farm Bureau member benefits, visit www.utahfarmbureau.org or call 801-233-3010. Visa or MasterCard accepted.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Farm Bureau Women’s Leader-ship Program has launched “Women in Ag,” an online survey that aims to gauge the goals, aspirations, achievements and needs of women in American agriculture.

All women who are farm-ers, ranchers, farm/ranch employees, employed in agricultural businesses, pursuing ag-related higher education or supportive of agriculture in other ways are invited to participate in the survey at womeninag.fb.org. Respondents must reside in the United States.

Women in Ag survey: Gauging the aspirations and

needs of women in agricultureFarm Bureau membership is not required to partici-pate.

This comprehensive sur-vey is the first of its kind to ask women in-depth questions about how they are connected to agricul-ture and what leadership skills they think are most important today, as well as the top business challenges they’re facing. All women involved in agriculture – not just Farm Bureau members – are invited to participate in the survey.

Data collected from re-spondents will be used to gauge trends related to the achievements of women in

agriculture, including lead-ership positions, business successes and election to public office.

The AFB Women’s Leadership Committee is sponsoring the survey and is working with other farm and agriculture organiza-tions to encourage partici-pation. Participants will be eligible for an opportunity to win one of five $100 gift cards after the survey closes. Preliminary find-ings from the survey will be released in February 2015 at AFBF’s FUSION Confer-ence in Nashville, Tennes-see; the full report will be released in late spring.


A

Farming is a business of uncertainty, but here’s something you can count on.Chevrolet presents this exclusive $500 private offer1 toward the purchase or lease of an all-new Chevy Silverado — the 2014 North American Truck of the Year. From the family of the most dependable, longest-lasting full-size pickups2 in America, rest assured your Silverado will keep you working without skipping a beat.

1 Offer available through 4/1/17. Available on qualified 2014 and 2015 Chevrolet vehicles. This offer is not available with some other offers. Only customers who have been active members of an eligible Farm Bureau for a minimum of 30 days will be eligible to receive a certificate. Customers can obtain certificates at www.fbverify.com/gm. Farm Bureau and the FB logo are registered service marks of the American Farm Bureau Federation and are used herein under license by General Motors. 2 Dependability based on longevity: 1987–April 2013 full-size pickup registrations.

Utah Farm Bureau News32 February 2015LABORContinued from pg. 27

And a schedule of organized and progressive work processes to be performed on the job has been prepared

Please note that a list of t h e “ c e r t a i n h a z a r d o u s occupations” is not included due to the l imited space here. For a complete list of the hazardous occupations in agriculture please go to: www.dol.gov/elaws/esa/flsa/docs/hazag.asp.

Last, do youth need to be paid minimum wage on the farm?

Only youth under 20 years old may be paid the youth minimum wage and only for the first 90 consecutive calendar days after initial employment by their employer. Youth minimum wage is defined in the FLSA as $4.25.

The 90 consecutive calendar day eligibility period starts beginning with the first day of work for an employee. The 90-day period is counted as consecutive days on the calendar, not days of work.

After the 90-day period the employer MUST pay local minimum wage, which is $7.25 as of July 24, 2009.

This is an important issue that both employers and parents need to understand. It is difficult to simplify this complex issue . For more information or questions, contact A.J. Ferguson, the Vice President of Farm Safety, at 801-233-3006 or [email protected].

BEARSContinued from pg. 21

all that seemed to do was make the bears mad, it didn’t protect the hives. DWR had in the past recruited hunters to the area to go after the bears, but this proved to be ineffective because of all the private property and homes in area.

I spoke with a DWR biologist who had been working on the issue for several years and was very familiar with the problems the bears had been causing. He claimed to be using all the tools available to him to resolve the problem, but removing the 4-8 bears per year had little long-term impact. DWR was responsible for removing all problem bears, but the problem was actually finding the bears. The way the process was set up, if farm workers noticed a bear, they called Vetere, who then had to call the DWR office in Price (an hour away). The office would then have to locate the nearest wildlife officer and have them respond to the sighting. It was usually an hour or more before wildlife officials would arrive, by which time as you might expect the bear was long gone.

F a r m B u r e a u s t a f f h a d discussed what could be done to provide some relief to Vetere and the other melon farmers. Farm Bureau engaged with DWR officials in Salt Lake City, and the issue was brought up at a meeting in Emery County, where it gained the support of Commissioner JR Nelson, who in-turn encouraged DWR to find a solution.

Shortly thereafter, DWR organized a meeting in Green River to discuss possible options to solve the problem. After much discussion with all the involved parties at that meeting, a plan was organized with the intention of providing a long-term solution. In the short-term, the DWR’s Price office committed to spend significantly more time and

resources in Green River through the summer of 2014 removing bears and protecting the melons. State DWR officials committed to begin the process of changing the rules to allow melon farmers the ability to shoot depredating bears. The rule change would have to be very specific so as not to create an open season for anyone wishing to shoot a bear. Everyone left that meeting feeling like we were making real progress to help solve this ongoing problem.

True to their commitment, DWR spent a significant amount of time and effort removing bears throughout the summer, ultimately removing 13 bears in about three months. While this did not completely eliminate bear damages, it did lead to a significant reduction in losses compared to previous years. This proved that losses can be reduced if we quickly remove all problem bears; but it was a major effort requiring many late nights and early mornings by DWR employees.

In December, a change to the bear rule was presented at local RAC Meetings and successfully passed by the wildlife board in their January board meeting. Next summer, qualifying melon farmers will be able to receive permission from DWR to protect their own melons by shooting bears that enter their fields. A close working relationship will need to be maintained between the division and the farmers, but by allowing the farmer to immediately remove the problem bears, we hope to be able to keep the problem in check without tying up state resources all summer long.

After a 20+ year crime spree, it would appear that those watermelon-thieving bears may finally meet their match. Next summer, make sure to get your share of those great tasting melons, with any luck we wont have to share with any bears.

Utah Farm Bureau News 33February 2015ESTIMATESContinued from pg. 3boom we’ve been seeing,” An-derson said.

The soybean crop continues to come in as expected at a record high as the yield esti-mated was raised four-tenths of a bushel this month.

Utah Crop ProductionUtah’s barley seeded area, at

32,000 acres, is down 8,000 acres from last year, accord-ing to the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Harvested area, at 20,000 acres, is down 10,000 acres from 2013. Barley yield, at 83.0 bushels per acre is up 5.0 bushels per acre from last year. Barley production in 2014 is estimated at 1.66 mil-lion bushels, down 29 percent from the previous year.

Oat seedings in Utah totaled

20,000 acres, down 20,000 acres from last year. Producers harvested 3,000 acres for grain or seed, down 2,000 acres from 2013. Oat production totaled 207,000 bushels in 2014, down 33 percent from last year. Oat yield is 69.0 bushels per acre in 2014, up 7.0 bushels per acre from the previous year.

Spring wheat seedings, at 10,000 acres, are down 8,000 acres from last year. Acre-age harvested totaled 8,000 acres, down from 14,000 acres harvested last year. Spring wheat production is estimated at 432,000 bushels, down 33 percent from last year. Spring wheat yield, at 54.0 bushels per acre, is up 8.0 bushels per acre from last year.

Photo by Matt HargreavesChris Wall (left), a fruit farmer from Payson, gives a pruning demonstration on new fruit trees as part of the Utah Horticul-ture Association’s winter meetings in January. In addition to the tour, fruit growers from around the state gathered in Spanish Fork to hear from fruit experts on food safety challenges related to irrigation water and fruit bins, agriculture & workplace safety, pest and disease challenges, succession planning and more.

Utah Farm Bureau News34 February 2015QUAGGAContinued from pg. 22

like. Most water managers believe

that any efforts to keep the mus-sel infestation from spreading is only delaying the inevitable. The reality of stopping every single boat and decontaminating every ballast tank is certainly unrealistic at best. The thought is that if we can delay the inevitable it may give science a chance to catch up, so to speak, and to find a cost effective cure. UNLV has been studying ways to fight off the invaders since it was discovered in Lake Mead. Although progress has been made, most of the solutions have yet to be very cost effective.

Quagga mussels can have a neg-ative effect on just about all water users at all levels. It was reported that Quagga feed on the “good” algae and leave the “bad” blue-green algae to flourish. The result can cause even treated drinking water to give off a foul smell and

undesirable taste. Although safe to physically drink, the stench is enough to keep most people from consuming it. The remedies to fix the taste and smell problem has cost some water treatment facilities more than $100,000 each month.

The solutions aren’t simple, but efforts must be made to solve the issue. The invasive Quagga mussel is everyone’s problem. The in-vader, if left unchecked, will make life miserable for water providers and users alike. The cost to deliver water to industry, municipalities as well as agriculture will surely rise if Quagga gets out of hand. This year the Utah Legislature will be considering additional fund-ing bills that will help defend our waters from this invasive beast. It would be wise for all water users to get on the boat to defend our waters – after all Quagga Mussel is everyone’s problem.

N e w r u l e s a n d r e g u l a -tions that affect animal feed-ing operations (AFOs) and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) have been fi-nalized. The new regulations are in effect and remove the protec-tion against fines and penalties for discharges occurring during large storm events unless one has a permit.

Utah currently has two permit options for producers: the CAFO Permit, and an AFO Permit-by-Rule. The Agricultural Certificate of Environmental Stewardship (ACES) program is now being offered by the Utah Depart-ment of Agriculture and Food. Operations obtaining the ACES certificate are eligible for some coverage. A key component of any of the permits and the ACES program is the implementation and maintenance of a Nutrient Management Plan (NMP).

Utah State University Exten-sion and the Utah AFO/CAFO team* will be conducting work-shops on the new regulations. The workshops will help produc-ers assess their risk and need for a permit, permit options, and explain the permit require-ments. There is no fee for the workshop.

Topics to be covered include:• Changes in Federal CAFO

New rules for Animal Feed-ing Operations are in e�ect

Regulations• Permits & Compliance Op-

tions for AFOs• Agricultural Certificate of

Environmental Steward-ship (ACES)

• Risk Assessment – Should I Get a Permit?

• Nutrient Management Plans

• Record Keeping for AFOs, Unpermitted CAFOs

• Other Rules to be Aware Of• Gotcha – Common viola-

tions and how to avoid them

• CAFO Compliance Options and CAFO Requirements

The following workshops are scheduled:• Ogden -- Feb. 3, 2015• Logan -- Feb. 5, 2015• Roosevelt -- Feb. 24, 2015• Tremonton -- Feb. 26,

2015

For more information please contact your local County Ex-tension Office, or Rhonda Mill-er, Ph.D. at [email protected] or 435-797-3772.

*AFO/CAFO Team - includes members from Utah Farm Bureau, UACD, NRCS, USU Extension, UDAF, Div. Water Quality, and numerous pro-ducer groups


CLASSIFIED ADVERTISINGIMPORTANT NOTICE1. Non-commercial ads for Utah Farm Bureau members selling items they grow or make themselves, or used machinery, household items, etc., they themselves have used in the past. Each member family is entitled to one such ad free in each three-month period. Ads can be up to 40 words or numbers such as phone number or Zip. Words such as “For Sale” are included, initials and numbers count as a word. All words over 40 cost 25 cents each. Ads over 40 words not accompanied by the extra payment, or not meeting the above requirements, will be returned to the sender. Family memberships cannot be combined to create larger ads, nor can a membership be used for free classified ad purposes by anyone other than immediate family members. Ads run for three months.2. Commercial ads for Utah Farm Bureau members where the member is acting as an agent or dealer (real estate, machinery, handicraft items made by people outside the member family, etc.) cost 25 cents per word. Payment MUST accompany such ads or they will be returned to the sender. Members are entitled to one such ad. Ads run for one month.3. Ads for non-Utah Farm Bureau members cost 50 cents per word. Payment MUST accompany such ads or they will be returned to the sender. Ads run for one month.In all ads, short lines requested by the advertiser, extra lines of white space, and lines with words in all caps count as 6 words per line. Ads with borders and bold headlines may be submitted and placed within the classified section, but will be charged the display advertising rate. Please contact the classified advertising department for further information. No insurance ads will be accepted.***DEADLINE: ALL ADS MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE 15TH OF THE MONTH IN ORDER TO APPEAR IN THE NEXT ISSUE. EXCEPT FOR THE JANUARY ISSUE, WHICH HAS A CLASSIFIED DEADLINE OF DEC. 5.Only free ads (Category 1 ads of 40 words or less) will be accepted by telephone at 801-233-3010, by fax at 801-233-3030 or e-mail at [email protected]. Please include your membership number. Ads must be received no later than the 15th of the monthMail ads, typed or neatly printed, with any payment due, to Utah Farm Bureau News, Classified Ad Department, 9865 South State Street, Sandy, UT 84070-2305. Free ads must be resubmitted by mail, telephone or fax after running for three months. Ads for which there is a payment due will be run as long as payment is received in advance.ALL CLASSIFIED ADS will be listed on the Utah Farm Bureau web page unless the Utah Farm Bureau member specifies otherwise when placing the ad. The ads on the web site will run concurrently with the classified ads in the Utah Farm Bureau News. NOTE: The appearance of any ad in the Utah Farm Bureau News does not constitute an endorsement or approval of the service or merchandise offered. While every effort is made to ensure the legitimacy of services or merchandise advertised, the Utah Farm Bureau News or the Utah Farm Bureau Federation accepts no responsibility or liability for services or products advertised.

AUTOMOTIVE:FOR SALE: 1996 Chevy pick-up, 120,000 miles in very good condition. 801-698-7014

FARM EQUIPMENT:FOR SALE: Generator, 140 amps on a small trailor, PTO tractor drive. 4 metal feed bunks, 20’ long. 2 saddles size 15”, like new. 1 set 18 x 36 duals, 9 lug hole. 801-698-7014.970, 960 and 920 tandem axel gehl wagons. $2500 each obo. 4-wheel gehl pats wagon $500. Contact Russ at 435-671-0896.AG-BAG JR BAGGER REBUILT and in great shape, 8 foot

tunnel, side conveyor fed, 150 foot cable. New teeth on auger and new floor. $8500 obo. Contact Russ at 435-671-0896.FOR SALE: 1965 Peterbuilt cabover. Cumins 335 engine, low miles, very good condition. 22’ livestock grain bed, rusty. Very good Harsh hoist. Could be used for a farm truck or parts. Best Offer. Jasperson Cattle Co., Goshen 801-667-3289. FOR SALE: 4200 JD 3-way 2 bottom plow. 10’ 335 International Disk, rebuilt. 3 – 3pt cultivator bars. Syphon tubes: 1/1/2”, 1”, ¾”. 3 – 2 row cultivators. 2- 500 gal. fuel tanks. 1987 Volvo 22’ box truck. Ray Child, 801-825-1701.FOR SALE: Limb chipper, Vermeer 9 inch capacity, 50 horsepower diesel engine. Mower, 5 foot Bush Hog. Aluminum truck flatbed 18’ 3” or 23’ 7”. For more information call Larry,

801-254-3904.

FEED: ALFALFA 1st, 2nd, & 3rd crop in 3x3 bales. No rain. 801-391-2333. HAY FOR SALE: 1st, 2nd, & 3rd crop alfalfa hay – dairy quality. 160 – 180 % relative feed value. TDN – 63. 435-851-6786.

LIVESTOCK:RV BAR ANGUS ANNUAL PRODUCTION sale February 28th 1 pm at the ranch. Selling 50 bulls and 10 Females bred/pairs, for more info call 435-828-1116, 435-

828-8391.POLLED HEREFORD BULLS for sale. Good selection of high quality bulls. Top blood lines and EPDs from Utah’s most proven polled Hereford breeding program. Contact Phil Allen & Sons, Antimony. Phil at 435-624-3236 or Shannon at 435-624-3285. FOR SALE: 5 Gelh cows, 2-4 months pregnant. Born 2007-2011. 1 Gelh/Angus cross heifer, open, born 2013. $2,400 a piece for the cows; $2,000 for the heifer. Contact Larry Olsen 435-757-5970, Petersborough, UT. PACE RANCHES: Registered Gelbvieh and Balancer Bulls. All Black Bulls. Trich, Semen, and Pap Tested at 7000 Feet. We will feed bulls through winter and provide free delivery in state. Call Richard (Dick) Pace: 435-425-3805 or 435-

691-4703. GELBVIEH AND BALANCER BULLS and Open Heifers for sale. Select your bull now and we will feed him through

the winter and deliver him @ nc. Erik Johnson 425 279-7669

REAL ESTATE: 14 ACRE FEET PROVO RIVER decreed water. Currently put to beneficial use in the Midway area in the Heber Valley. Could be moved up or down the Provo River. $11,500 per acre foot. Contact Grant at 801-358-5602“40-ACRE HORSE PROPERTY on year-round creek. 13 acres irrigated, fenced/cross-fenced. 3,000 sf: 4 BD/3 BTH, large kitchen, pantry, propane F/A, woodstove. Guesthouse, barn, greenhouse, tack shed. 10395 S. Lower Red Creek Road, Fruitland, UT, 435-548-2630. Freedom Realty, MLS 1182960.”3.2 ACRE LOT IN HUNTSVILLE, UTAH. Stunning wooded lot with view of Pineview Reservoir. Close to Snow Basin Ski Resort, site of the 2002 Downhill Ski Venue. Power available. Price to sell. Will send photos. [email protected]. 801-583-4509.DWELL REALTY GROUP, BRENT PARKER, (435) 881-1000, [email protected]. 60 Acres in Cache Valley. Majestic setting with incredible views of the valley. Beautiful home site with recreational land. 642.94 Acres of Farm Property in Cache Valley. Price Reduced. Unique. Part in CRP. Year around spring. 7.51 Acres in Cache Valley. Building lot with irrigation water. Lots at Bear Lake. Views. Two at The Reserve. Cache Valley home

on almost 11 acres. Beautifully landscaped, water rights, fruit trees and berries, two ponds, horse pasture, solarium and koi pond.10.01 Acres in Cache Valley. Views. Horse Property. Well permit. Home on 1.52 acres in Franklin. Fish pond and well landscaped. Beautiful setting. 2,414 Acres in Cove. Beautiful recreational property with cabin and campsites. Located up High Creek Canyon. 10.23 acre feet of water. 60.96 acre ranch in Morgan Valley. Could be divided. 65 shares of water and a 6 bedroom home. Great views. Two parcels in Nibley in Cache Valley. 3.76 acre and 3.61 acre adjoining lots Horse property. Can be subdivided. Irrigation shares. 18.75 Acres in Cache Valley. Artesian well already dug. Secondary gravity pressure irrigation. Cabin in Logan Canyon. Beautiful setting close to river. View Lots in Mt. Sterling in Cache Valley. 1 to 5.5 acres Horse property. Dairy Farm in Cache Valley 41 acres. Irrigated. Updated home, excellent crops. Double 5 Herringbone parlor. 185.38 Acres in Cache Valley with views. Can be divided. Located in popular Maple Rise area. Borders national forest.37.91 Acres located on the foothills of the

Wellsvilles. Can be divided in up to five lots. Water shares. Canal runs through. 400 Acres Bordering Oneida Narrows Reservoir. Beautiful and secluded. Adjacent to campground and boat dock. Could be subdivided into camp sites. Seller financing.

MISCELLANEOUS:I’VE FLIPPED 22 HOMES in the past 9 years. Average profit $15K/deal. To create a business, or for extra spending money, call/email: 801-647-4444, [email protected].

Serious inquiries only please. Thanks Jim.AKC registered Welsh Corgi puppies. Very cute! Ready to go the middle of Oct. Contact Dot Jensen, 435-279-0370.

AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES:CIRCLE FOUR FARMS OF MURPHY BROWN LLC: If you are looking for a career in a fun, rewarding team environment, Circle Four Farms is the opportunity you’ve been searching for. We’re offering quality, full time Herd Technician animal production positions with training provided.

Challenge yourself with a stable company that offers a starting entry-level wage of $10 to $11, plus a full benefit package including: medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance plan, short and long term disability, company paid pension plan, 401(k) savings plan with company match, bonus/incentive programs, paid holidays and vacation and education reimbursement.

C4 Job Application required. For more information please call our office: Circle Four Farms, PO Box 100, 341 South Main, Milford UT 84751, Phone (435) 387-2107, Fax (435) 387-2170. EOE / PWDNET - If you require accommodation or assistance to complete the application process, please call Lacy Davis at (435) 387-6047. When you contact Lacy, please identify the type of accommodation or assistance you are requesting. We will assist you promptly.


County Scenes

Salt Lake County▶ Board meetings are the first Tuesday of each month. Next meeting March 3, 7 p.m. at UFBF State Office BoardroomSevier County▶ Board meetings on 4th Wednesday of each month. Next meeting is Feb. 25, 7 p.m. at the insurance office.▶ Monroe Mountain Working Group, Feb. 25, RichfieldWashington County▶ Board meetings are the first Wednesday of each month. Next meeting is March 4, 7 p.m. at Insurance office.Carbon County▶ Board meetings on 2nd Tuesday of each month. Next meeting planned for Feb. 10.Sanpete County▶ Farm Bureau Benefits Committee meeting, Feb. 6, 12 noon at▶ Farm Bureau Benefits Committee meeting, Feb. 20Utah County▶ Board meetings are the fourth Thursday of each month. Next meeting is Feb. 26, 7 p.m. at Extension Office in Provo.Emery County▶ Board meetings are the third Wednesday of each month. Next meeting is Feb. 18, 7 p.m. at County Admin building▶ Range Management School, Feb. 26, 9 a.m. at County Admin BuildingKane County▶ Board Meeting, Feb. 5, North County Events Center, 7 p.m.Juab County▶ Ag-tivity Day, February 18 at the county fairgrounds.Cache County▶ Board meeting, Feb. 6, 11:30 a.m. at Herm’s Inn in LoganMorgan County▶ Board meeting, Feb. 10, 7 p.m. at Morgan Courthouse in MorganNorth Box Elder County▶ Board Meeting, Feb. 19, 7 p.m. at Insurance office in TremontonTooele County▶ Board meeting, Feb. 19, 7 p.m. at Extension office in TooeleWeber County▶ Board meeting, Feb. 24, 7 p.m. at Extension office in SlatervilleDavis County▶ Board meeting date TBA for February. Contact Spencer Gibbons for details.

State and Regional Activities ▶ UFBF District 7 Women’s Committee Meeting, Feb. 9, 12:30 p.m. at the Sizzler in Cedar City▶ Utah Beef Cattle Field Day, Feb. 10, State Fairgrounds in SLC▶ Utah Onion Growers Meeting, Feb. 10, BATC in Brigham City▶ Urban & Small Farms Conf., Feb. 18-20, Thanksgiving Point in Lehi▶ UFBF Council of County Presidents & Vice Presidents, Feb. 23-24 in Sandy & State Capitol▶ UFBF YF&R Day at State Capitol, Feb. 20▶ UFBF YF&R Congressional Relations Trip, Feb. 27 - March 4, Washington, D.C.▶ UFBF Women’s Leadership Conference, March 20-21, Sandy

▶ DWR Board & RAC MeetingsNo DWR Board meeting or RACs scheduled for February. Next Board meeting is March 5 to talk about prairie dogs. Meeting takes place at DNR Salt Lake Office Auditorium, 1594 West North Temple, Salt Lake City. They are typically held at 9 a.m, on the first Thursday of each month. Any changes are posted at wildlife.utah.gov.

For March, all RACs are scheduled for March 3 at 6:30 p.m. Visit wildlife.utah.gov for locations.

FB County Corner

[Top] Brett & Jenna Madsen and their kids pose with the Polaris ATV they won from Zions Bank Ag Group for the Utah Excellence in Agriculture award. [Middle] Becca Ferry (middle), winner of the Utah YF&R Discussion Meet, and her husband Joel catch up with Davis County Farm Bureau President Neal Briggs in San Diego. [Bottom] Evonne and Bill Howard of Weber County (le� and middle) visit one of the booths of the IDEAg trade show at the American Farm Bureau convention in San Diego.

Utah Farm Bureau News - February 2015

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Transcript of Utah Farm Bureau News - February 2015