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Friendly cattlemen hear new USDA secretary discuss farm bill,
grain prices and more

Gene Johnston
Successful Farming magazine Managing Editor
2/08/2008, 2:39 PM CST

New USDA Secretary Ed Schafer picked a friendly spot to make his first field trip outside of the Beltway on Friday when he addressed beef producers at the National Cattle Industry Convention in Reno, Nevada.
The right-leaning cattlemen gave him a standing ovation just for showing up -- he hasn't actually done much in his few days on the job. And, even though he is just learning the key issues he'll have to address in his new job, he hit the controversial ones head-on before the 2,500 people who packed a convention hall to hear him.
"I'm from beef country, and I feel really comfortable here with you," Schafer, the former governor of North Dakota, told the audience. Here are the issues he addressed in his speech, and in a follow up press conference:

Animal handlilng/food safety:
Within days of taking office, the cattle abuse videos from the packing house in California hit the airways. "We immediately suspended that firm as a supplier of beef to federal food programs," Schafer said. "We're still investigating, but already we've found egregious mishandling issues."
He emphasized that this is a animal humane treatment issue, and not a food safety issue.
"There's no health risk here, and we haven't changed our inspection procedures, but we have had some good discussions about it." The California plant has been shut down, and a criminal investigation is underway.

Foreign trade:
As North Dakota governor, Schafer served a state whose people mostly opposed free trade because fo border issues with Canada. He admitted that he's had to broaden his view in his new role in the federal government.
"I'm learning that what happens in North Dakota impacts trade with Mexico and really every place else," he said. "This administration is fully commited to fair access to markets for American beef."
It's worth $2.6 billion this year, Schafer said, up 30%, and he expects South Korea and Japan to fully open again to U.S. beef maybe this year. "The President has asked me to weigh in on trade issues, so I will," he said.
U.S. agricultural exports will be $82 billion this year, a new record, and are projected ot hit $91 billion next year.

The farm bill:
It's still in a conference committee between the Senate and the House, at least partially held up by the threat of a Presidential veto. President Bush has said he will not sign a bill that will increase taxes (READ MORE), and that doesn't limit farm subsidies to the wealthy (above $200,000 in income).
"Money should not go to people who don't need it. Rather, it should be used to help people who need a hand up," Schafer said in explaining the President's views. "And now is not the time to increase loan rates, which would raise taxes. The President has firm convictions, and being from Texas, he understands agriculture. He's listened to what people have said in 50 farm bill listening sessions across the country, and that forms the basis of farm bill ideas the President supports."
Schafer said that 90% of the things in the farm bill are good and can be agreed upon, and he predicted the comprimises will happen and the bill will get signed this year. Among the good provisions are conservation provisions, which are appropriately expanded under both the House and Senate bills, said Schafer.

Energy bill/feed prices:
"We're commited to less foreign oil, and more things like ethanol and biodiesel," said Schafer. He predicted that for at least a while, that means corn prices will stay higher than beef producers want. However, he predicted relief at some point.
"The energy bill will lead us to cellulosic ethanol," he said, opening new opportunities for conserving crops such as switchgrass. "The bill calls for new non-grain crops for fuel, and eventually that will stop distorting grain prices to this degree."
When we get to the longer range 36-billion-gallon renewable fuel mandate, it calls for 60% of the source crop to be non-grain. And although there have been rumors of lowering the renewable fuel mandates, he discounted the likelihood of that. Schafer said that there will be no early-outs without penalty for CRP lands this year, but it is under consideration for next year.


One ranch manager's outlook: Central Nevada - 2008

I'll try to answer your question -- at least how I approach the issue of season long grazing. This ranch is a little better than 250,000 acres -- 98% of that is BLM allotment. We have one of the few remaining 12 month permits. There is a fence around the place and a drift fence across the summer country. I run one mountain range and basically two valleys. I tend to worry most about use on green plants -- when they are growing -- so, upland grasses from April 1 -- July 1 riparian plants April 1 -- October 1 desert shrubs march 15 -- June 15, give or take. On these plants I like to have use limited to 30 - 45 days max -- now this isn't intensive Allan Savory type use -- I don't have the water resources for that even if I wanted to. So what I’ll do is kick the cows off the browse (white sage, shadscale, bitterbrush ect.) starting in the middle of march -- I really don't want to use them at all while they are growing. move into the foothill country, the sandberg blue grass greens up early in the pinyon's and is only palatable for a month or so. this gives me time to get everything shaped up to go to the mountain. I'll try to put these cows on the mountain 200 or so at a time -- that makes it more manageable to brand ect. It generally takes me about 4-5 weeks to get the desert cleaned and the cows all on the mountain. Then basically we go across the summer country like a big snake. The lead cows tend to go to the top of the mountain and want to be left alone so when you show up they move on. We try to keep the tail end moving and keep the country clean behind us. That makes sure the plants get a break and also keeps the sneaking, hiding cows from getting a little too independent. We kind of catch every thing up with the drift fence -- slows the lead cows -- mid summer we'll brand remnants, start down the other side of the mountain. Late summer I tend to spend less time in a piece of country because there is more pressure on the riparian areas. so by the middle to the end of August I am starting off back into some foothill country until after we wean. When I first came here we were trying to wait to go to the mountain until mid may or so and stay until late Sept. -- I have actually changed and pretty much follow the snow up and come off earlier. We run a two year cycle -- so I go on the east side of the mountain early two years then change directions and go the west side early two years. That gives plants with different growth characteristics a chance to get ahead. Some of the cows don't like to change directions but I have never thought a cow should dictate my day. As for the winter country I am grazing dormant plants so we shoot for a light to moderate use. The weather patterns dictate how I use the winter country more than any thing. The country that gets snowed in I'll use early winter, country with no water we'll push cattle out on when there is snow, I try to save the lowest, warmest country until January so we have some place to go when we get snowed off everything else. The fascinating thing about ranching or cowboying is that every place is so different. I grew up on the Colorado plateau and those were big desert outfits -- when I came to nv I thought I had the tiger by the tail. This big sagebrush valley and a bunch of half spoiled cows knocked the air out of me in a hurry -- just because you can see that sow 5 miles away doesn't mean you necessarily have enough horse to get around her, and once you get her caught there ain't a dam'd tree in the country to neck her up to. Point being this is just how I do it here. I know in your neck of the woods I would be a humble, cull, pup for a while. Are you guys feeding a lot up there? I read about some folks trying to get back to wintering on standing feed to get away from the costs of haying?? I hope this makes sense -- I've turned into a pumpkin -- I am with you -- I have really struggled -- and will continue I am sure -- as to how to make this ranch progressive and really showcase the value of grazing not only for profit but to preserve and enhance water quality, rangeland diversity, wildlife habitat, etc. --- while keeping the character of a true "cowboy" outfit. there has been talk of cross fencing allot of these places -- allot of them really need it. what the blm folks run into is a snarl of bureaucratic red tape. wild horses for example --- if they split an HMA (herd management area) causing some disarray, all heck breaks loose with the advocacy groups. Another big one in Nevada is the archeological clearances needed to do any thing are completely out of control. often the arc. surveys cost more than entire projects. So we have tried to use the same principals you all are using minus the fences and make it work. seems like we want to cuss the blm for all our problems, but often they are hog tied with conflicting mandates and everyone has a lawyer and a favorite judge just in case things don't go their way (and that comes from all sides -- its the American way). I have had the best luck getting things through the mire by never saying the C word. We want to do things for sage grouse habitat, fuels management, aspen regeneration -- and we do, but in the long run by creating healthy, diverse rangelands my conception rates also improve as do the weaning weights, the owners get an attaboy and some good PR and my cowboys and I continue to saddle horses in that really cool blue-grey light that is unique to the great basin before the sun comes up. Duane We don't get so hot here that English bred cattle do pretty good. I've got to watch the Milk EPD's on the angus -- we just don't have the feed to support the growth and the cows struggle to breed back. We are shooting for a black or red brockle cow that weighs in around 1000#. I am running about 80% black bulls ( angus and some composite bulls) and 20% hereford bulls.You do see some beefmaster type cattle in this country as well as some brangus cows. I start calving my heifers around the end of February and my outside cows start towards the end of March. I wean the heifers calves in July and the others the end of Sept. We do have some fall calving cows also. Not necessarily a 45 calving interval around this outfit.




Don't fence me in


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