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January 1, 2016 CapitalPress.com 11 Southwestern Idaho snowpack levels well above normal By SEAN ELLIS Capital Press BOISE — A series of storms that have hammered Southwestern Idaho have re- sulted in snowpack levels far above normal for this time of year. But reservoirs in the re- gion ended the 2015 irriga- tion season with much less carryover water than normal and water managers say the trend needs to continue in order to ensure a good irri- gation supply for 2016. “This is my Christmas present,” Ron Shurtleff, watermaster for the Payette River system, said about the basin’s snowpack levels, which were 150 percent of normal on Dec. 28. But the Payette system ended 2015 with much less carryover water than normal and “we have a challenge to get those reservoirs filled,” Shurtleff added. “We’re very thankful for this precipita- tion and just hope it hangs on.” The Weiser River basin stopped water deliveries at the end of August this year, well ahead of the system’s normal Oct. 15 shutoff date. But snowpack is at 166 per- cent of normal for this date, stock ponds are starting to fill and the reservoir level has risen a little bit recently. “It’s looking way better than last year, by a bunch,” said Weiser Irrigation Dis- trict Chairman Vernon Lol- ley. “Things could change but it’s a good start.” Most irrigation districts that get their water from the Boise River basin also ended the 2015 season with signifi- cantly less carryover water than normal. But water managers are encouraged by snowpack lev- els that are at 157 percent of normal. “Every day this keeps hap- pening, I smile,” Nampa & Meridian Irrigation District Water Superintendent Greg Curtis said of the recent snow storms. But NMID ended the 2015 irrigation season with 20,000 acre-feet of carryover wa- ter, half its normal amount, and Curtis said there’s still a long way to go before there is enough snow in the mountains to ensure irrigators have a normal water supply in 2016. “I like what’s happening, but it has to keep going,” Cur- tis said. Last year’s snowpack lev- els also started out good but the situation reversed as the winter progressed, said Tim Page, manager of the Boi- se Project Board of Control, which provides water to five irrigation districts in the Boise River valley. “It’s off to a good start but my concern is, is it going to continue to bring a few storms in and keep that snowpack up there,” he said. “This is just (157) percent of normal for today. If the storms stop, that (157) percent can drop pretty fast.” Pioneer Irrigation District ended the 2015 season with about a third of its normal car- ryover amount and is depend- ing on a good snowpack to get its 5,800 patrons through 2016. “Those are good num- bers to see, as long as it stick with it,” PID Manager Mark Zirschky said about the Boi- se basin’s current snowpack level. Thresher Artisan Wheat finds new investors being pretty diverse.” Thresher was formed in 2014 after Agspring ac- quired General Mills’ East- ern Idaho grain handling infrastructure. Warner said Thresher recently complet- ed major overhauls to its grain elevators in Black- foot, American Falls, Rock- ford and Newdale, as well as to the Moreland grain elevator, which it acquired in March. The projects in- creased Thresher’s regional grain handling capacity by nearly 2.5 million bushels, and have improved the ef- By JOHN O’CONNELL Capital Press The parent company of Thresher Artisan Wheat, a major buyer of Eastern Ida- ho grain, recently completed a financial restructuring that corporate officials anticipate will lead to new acquisitions and investments in the region. Kansas-based Agspring has undergone a process known as recapitalization, which officials say should provide long-term stability for Thresher and the holding company’s three other sub- sidiaries. “I am pleased with what the Agspring recapitalization means for our growers, agri- business partners and down- stream customers,” said Thresher CEO Don Wille. “Agspring and Thresher are very committed to the long- term growth of agriculture in the Idaho region.” Bradford Warner, vice president of marketing ficiency of unloading for growers, Warner said. “In many ways, we’re powered up with the right amount of capital to invest where we need to do it,” Warner said. “We’re pre- pared to grow in this seg- ment for a long time.” Warner believes Thresh- er’s model is unique, and should be enticing to local wheat supply-chain busi- nesses that are interested in significant growth but wish to retain their local manage- ment and control after being acquired. Submitted photo Grain is stored at Thresher Artisan Wheat’s American Falls, Idaho, facility. It was among five Eastern Idaho facilities that Thresher overhauled during the 2015 growing season, and company officials anticipate a financial restructuring by Thresher’s parent company will lead to more investments and acquisitions in the region. with Agspring. explained the company was founded in 2012, backed by private equity from a fund deal- ing with natural resources. He said the investors were interested in selling their stake and earning a return after a few years. Agspring has found new investors who plan to remain in- volved over the long term, Warner said. They’re led by American Infrastructure MLP, a group that focuses on infrastructure holdings. “Agspring is their first move into agriculture. That has been an interest of theirs for a long time,” Warner said. “Their whole basis is UI Extension course helps new farmers By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press University of Idaho Ex- tension is offering a course to help beginning farmers. The five-session course called “Starting Your Sus- tainable Idaho Small Farm” begins Jan. 14 with an online webinar. It will also include in-person sessions and farm tours and runs through March 31. Local sessions will be of- fered in Caldwell, Cascade, McCall, Coeur d’Alene, Hai- ley, Moscow, Salmon, Sand- point and Weiser. Called Cultivating Suc- cess, the class is funded by a $506,000 grant from USDA National Institute of Food Agriculture. The goal is to increase the number and suc- cess of small-acreage farmers. The program emphasizes the benefits of local agricul- tural production. Demand for locally grown food has increased in the last three de- Online http://www.cultivatingsuccess. org/ cades, said Iris Mayes, small farms educator for UI Exten- sion in Latah County. Mayes hopes to have 10 to 20 people with a range of experience at each of the 10 sites. “There’s a synergy created working with the other exist- ing farmers, (who) are going to be mentors in our program, and help coach the new, up- coming farmers,” she said. UI Extension hopes to build local farmer networks and connect growers. Even those who have been farm- ing for eight to 10 years still feel they have a lot to learn, Mayes said. “In that five- to 10-year range, if someone’s been rent- ing land, they usually want to start owning their own land,” she said. The mentoring program will begin later in 2016. UI Extension is developing a website to help participants find land and capital, Mayes said. “This will help them be el- igible for financing if they’re trying to buy property,” she said. Cultivating Success orig- inally began in 2001. UI and Washington State University Extension have offered it as a for-credit and non-credit class, but the new NIFA fund- ing helps to make it more ac- cessible, Mayes said. “This is like a boiled- down, concentrated version,” she said. “Students will have to do a lot of work on their own as well. But people who are wanting to get into this small farming business are pretty motivated.” The program includes whole-farm planning and re- source assessment. UI Extension will offer the class each year. “We’ll be doing a lot of evaluation and getting feed- back from the students about what they think they will need in the future,” Mayes said. The course fee is $115. The registration deadline is Jan. 7. ROP-32-52-2/#17 NIFA funding revamps Cultivating Success program The Idaho Irrigation Equipment Association Presents: The 2016 Idaho Irrigation Equipment Show & Conference this Thursday, Jan 7 th at the Nampa Civic Center Bag needs? 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