April 8, 2016
CapitalPress.com
15
UI economists question buy-local movement
By JOHN O’CONNELL
Capital Press
MOSCOW, Idaho — Two
University of Idaho econo-
mists say they’ve developed
a mathematical model con-
cluding efforts to encourage
consumers to buy local food
may be counterproductive,
both economically and envi-
ronmentally.
Philip Watson and Jason
Winfree, authors of “The
Welfare Economics of Buy
Local,” explained they mod-
eled a hypothetical market
scenario to demonstrate the
most efficient production
system still entails allowing
each region to specialize in
raising a commodity it ex-
cels at producing and then
trading with other regions to
broaden diversity.
“If we’re going to try to
encourage local foods ...
you’re introducing ineffi-
ciency,” Watson said. “It
flies in the face of hundreds
of years of economic devel-
doesn’t make sense.”
The paper is now under
review for publication in the
American Journal of Agri-
cultural Economics. It’s al-
ready undergone a round of
peer reviewing, and the au-
thors are pursuing funding to
make good on a peer’s sug-
gestion that they run their
model using real commod-
ities and actual numbers.
They believe such data could
lead government officials to
question investing in farm-
to-school programs and
John O’Connell/Capital Press marketing grants for local
foods.
Karen Martin, assistant manager of the Pocatello Foods Co-op,
For the time being, Win-
holds an organic microwavable dinner made locally by Amy’s Kitch-
en. She stands near an assortment of local products and produce, free said, the model merely
provides a good framework
including organic potatoes supplied by Buhl, Idaho, grower Mike
for analyzing the local foods
Heath. Martin believes her customers are justified in their beliefs
movement.
that buying local benefits the economy and the environment, con-
Their model considered
trary to findings of University of Idaho economic research conclud-
two production regions pur-
ing that it introduces market inefficiencies.
chasing two hypothetical
opment of producing what to take on the project be- commodities, each region ca-
you’re good at and trading cause he was getting “sick pable of raising one commod-
of people telling me why ity slightly more efficiently.
with your neighbors.”
Actual numbers are in-
Winfree said he wanted I should buy local when it
significant given that the
data is hypothetical, but the
economists say the model
demonstrates the advantage
of buying from the most ef-
ficient producer, even if that
producer is far away from a
market, and the folly of buy-
ing local, which would mere-
ly serve to reward inefficiency
if it were adopted on a wide
scale and served as a trade
barrier to the producers who
get the most yield from their
inputs.
Watson said common rea-
sons expressed for buying lo-
cal include helping local pro-
ducers and the local economy,
supporting farmers’ markets
that provide community
“festivals,” avoiding the en-
vironmental impacts of food
transportation, the perception
of improved food security
that comes from buying from
well-known operations and
food quality benefits.
The economists believe
the environmental benefits of
buying from producers who
get the most yield from their
inputs outweighs any trans-
portation advantage of buying
local.
Supporters of buying local
are skeptical of the econo-
mists’ hypothetical modeling.
Karen Martin, assistant man-
ager of the Pocatello Food
Co-op, specializes in local
and organic dairy, meat and
produce, believing “support-
ing local is keeping the money
here in Pocatello.” In addition
to quality considerations, she
said reducing food transporta-
tion is a major reason why her
customers chose the co-op.
Megan French, assistant
director of Central Oregon Lo-
cavore in Bend, agrees small,
local producers aren’t as effi-
cient as their larger counter-
parts, but her customers see
value in a community capable
of being self-sufficient in the
event of a catastrophe.
“It all comes down to food
security,” she said.
Early spring pushes crops
By DAN WHEAT
Capital Press
Courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Gray wolves have a robust and sustainable population in Idaho,
Montana and Wyoming, and are rapidly increasing in Washington
and Oregon, according to an annual report released April 1 by the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Growth in gray
wolf population
shifts to Northwest
USFWS releases
annual report on
recovery
By DON JENKINS
Capital Press
Gray wolf populations in
the Rocky Mountains have
stabilized at a “robust” lev-
el, while their numbers are
rapidly increasing in the
Northwest, according to the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser-
vice’s annual report on wolf
recovery.
The report released April
1 shows that wolf numbers
in Idaho, Wyoming and
Montana have largely lev-
eled off, but are picking up
momentum in Oregon and
Washington.
Wolves were re-intro-
duced into Yellowstone Na-
tional Park and Central Ida-
ho in 1994, joining a small
number in Montana. Since
then, wolves have expanded
westward into Oregon and
Washington.
Wildlife officials count-
ed 1,904 wolves at the end
of 2015, up from 1,802
wolves the year before.
Most of the population
growth occurred in Ore-
gon and Washington, even
though those states have far
fewer wolves than the other
three.
Oregon’s wolf popula-
tion increased to 110 from
77, a 43 percent increase. In
Washington, the population
grew to 90 from 68, a 32
percent increase.
The Rocky Mountain
population grew by 2 per-
cent. Idaho had the most
wolves, 786, followed by
Montana with 536 and Wy-
oming with 382. Minimum
population targets are 150
wolves in each state, ac-
cording to USFWS.
Here’s a closer look by
state:
• Oregon: The state Fish
and Wildlife Commission in
November took wolves off
the state’s protected spe-
cies list. Wolves remain a
federally protected species
in Western Oregon. The
state Department of Fish
and Wildlife reported that
wolves killed three cattle,
10 sheep and one dog. Sev-
en wolves were known to
have died, including three
that were illegally shot.
• Washington: Breed-
ing pairs increased to eight
from five. Under current
policy, wolves will remain a
state-protected species un-
til the state has at least 15
breeding pairs, including
four in each of three recov-
ery zones.
So far, wolves are mostly
in the northeastern corner
of the state and have yet
to move in sufficient num-
bers toward the Cascades to
come close to state recovery
goals. The Washington De-
partment of Fish and Wild-
life confirmed seven cattle
were killed and one sheep
dog injured by wolves in
2015. Seven wolves were
known to have died, includ-
ing three that were legally
harvested on the Spokane
Indian Reservation by tribal
members.
• Idaho: Wildlife offi-
cials recorded 358 wolf
mortalities, including 256
that were legally shot by
hunters. Wolves claimed 35
cattle, 125 sheep, three dogs
and one horse. Wolves were
taken off the federally pro-
tected species list in 2011 in
Idaho, as well as Montana.
Montana: Wildlife of-
ficials recorded 276 wolf
deaths, including 205 legal-
ly killed by hunters. Another
eight wolves were killed il-
legally. Officials confirmed
that wolves killed 41 cattle,
21 sheep and two horses.
• Wyoming: By a federal
court order, wolves remain
a federally protected spe-
cies in Wyoming. The pop-
ulation grew by less than 2
percent. No hunting was al-
lowed, but 54 wolves were
lethally removed. Wolves
killed 72 cattle and 62
sheep.
WENATCHEE, Wash. —
Another early, warm spring is
unfolding throughout Central
Washington, hastening cherry
bloom to the point that there’s
concern about bees having
enough time to pollinate blos-
soms.
Spring isn’t quite as ear-
ly as last year but it’s still
ahead of normal, said Nich-
olas Loyd, meteorologist at
Washington State University
AgWeatherNet in Prosser.
February was 6.1 degrees
warmer than normal state-
wide, the fifth warmest on
record, while February 2015
was 7.7 degrees above nor-
mal, the warmest in 120 years
of records, Loyd said.
March of 2015 also was
the warmest on record, as was
last June, which produced ex-
cessive heat.
This year’s warmup was
interrupted by two days of
cooling, April 4 and 5, but
forecasts called for 80 degrees
by April 7.
“Models and indicators
continue to show warm temps
for the next several months,”
Loyd said. “Coming off a
strong El Nino makes a hot
summer more likely.”
The warmth brings crops
on earlier and lessens frost
danger but severe frost, exces-
Dan Wheat/Capital Press
Apricot trees are in full bloom at the Nash Orchard in East Wenatchee, Wash., on March 29. Mission
Ridge snowpack, background, is better than it was last year.
sive heat and too rapid moun-
tain snow melt could all still
happen, he said.
Tianna DuPont, WSU Ex-
tension tree fruit specialist
in Wenatchee, said Red De-
licious apples probably will
reach full bloom in Wenatchee
on April 14, the fourth or
fifth earliest since 1922. Last
year’s bloom on April 9 was
a record.
Earliness is more pro-
nounced in the southern part
of the state and cherry bloom
has greater spread, 10 days,
than the last two years, which
will be good for harvest tim-
ing, DuPont said.
But Andy Gale, who man-
ages more than 8,000 acres
of Central Washington or-
chards for Stemilt AgSer-
vices, Wenatchee, said he’s
concerned bees won’t be able
to pollinate enough cherry
blossoms because bloom is
occurring so fast throughout
the region.
“Sometimes bloom is just
too fast and bees can’t get
around to them all and it’s
hard to get good fruit set,”
Gale said.
Cherry bloom is one to two
days later than last year, but
still early, he said. Bing cher-
ry trees were in full bloom
April 3 in Mattawa and would
be April 6 in Rock Island just
south of Wenatchee, he said.
Pears and apples, which
bloom later than cherries,
probably will have more
spread in bloom time. Com-
pression is a greater concern
in cherries because they are
more perishable, Gale said.
Washington governor signs bee bill
By DAN WHEAT
Capital Press
OLYMPIA — A bill aimed
at helping Washington state
beekeepers has been signed
into law by Gov. Jay Inslee.
EHB 2478 directs the state
Noxious Weed Board to con-
duct a four-year pilot project
to investigate best methods of
recovering honeybee forage
when noxious weeds are elim-
inated.
“Many plants listed as
noxious weeds are also great
pollen and honey plants,” said
Tim Hiatt, co-owner of Hi-
att Honey Co. in Ephrata and
chairman of the Washington
State Beekeepers Associa-
tion’s legislative committee.
The project anticipates
participants from all areas of
the state will compile a list
of recommendations based
on geographical area and us-
ing a variety of techniques
and materials. The goal is to
give guidance to interested
landowners and managers on
providing honeybee and other
pollinator forage when con-
trolling noxious weeds.
“We’re excited to make this
information generally avail-
able and increase the forage in
Washington for honeybees and
other pollinators,” Hiatt said.
The bill passed the House
96-1 and the Senate unani-
mously this session after a
similar measured failed last
year.
There were concerns then
that plants used to replace nox-
ious weeds might themselves
be noxious like kochia was in
cattle feed, Hiatt said. The bill
was reworked to avoid that, he
said.
The state’s supplemental
budget includes funding for a
new bee research position at
Washington State University,
Hiatt said.
The position is funded for
one year and a top association
priority in 2017 will be to get
it permanently funded, he said.
Washington is the No. 2
state in the nation in agricul-
tural acres pollinated but has
only one bee researcher at
WSU. More research on hon-
eybee health issues such as
parasitic mites is needed for
stronger hives, he said.
Affidavit details how fake organic seed was discovered
By CAROL RYAN DUMAS
Capital Press
Jason Laney noticed it first.
On March 26, 2015, the
Idaho State Department of Ag-
riculture organic inspector was
making a routine stop at organic
handler Summit Seed Coatings
in Caldwell, Idaho, and saw sev-
eral loads of alfalfa seed.
Summit manager Martin Lu-
trell said the seed was from Ber-
nard Saul, an organic farmer in
Bliss, Idaho. Laney determined
Saul Farms had delivered more
than 300,000 pounds of alfal-
fa seed to Summit for organic
coating between June 2014 and
February 2015.
But it didn’t add up. By
Laney’s reckoning, Saul’s 48
acres devoted to organic alfalfa
seed was capable of growing
38,400 to 43,200 pounds of al-
falfa seed a year.
“Saul Farms had nothing in
their organic system plan that
indicated they were buying
organic seed from any other
producers,” FBI Special Agent
Drew McCandless said in his
court affidavit, which laid out
how Saul and his wife, Roza,
bought hundreds of thousands
of pounds of conventional alfal-
fa seed for an average of $2.50
a pound and sold it to custom-
ers for an average of $3.75 over
six years, netting the Sauls more
than $1.9 million in fraudulent
gain. All details in this story are
from the affidavit.
The ISDA’s Laney had in-
spected the Sauls’ farm in 2014.
At that time, they told him the
ledgers represented the entire-
ty of their organic alfalfa seed
sales.
The ledgers, which Laney
photographed, showed no re-
cord of sales to four companies
specializing in organic seed —
whose checks were deposited in
business and personal accounts
at Columbia Bank in November
and December of 2013.
“Therefore the sales … are
considered to be fraudulent sales
of conventional alfalfa seed rep-
resented as organic seed with
Saul Farms’ USDA organic cer-
tificate,” McCandless stated in
the affidavit.
On April 15, July 7 and Aug.
20, ISDA collected samples of
Saul Farms’ alfalfa seed from
Summit and shipped it to Pacific
Agricultural Laboratory in Port-
land, where it tested positive for
pesticides and fungicides.
In September, David Pol-
lemus, majority owner of An-
drews Seed Co. in Ontario, Ore.,
and Terry Perryman, owner
of United Seed Service, Inc.
in Caldwell, Idaho, confirmed
they had sold 70,000 to 100,000
pounds of conventional alfalfa
seed annually to Saul for ap-
proximately five years. Neither
company handles organic seed
and both told investigators Saul
had never requested organic
seed, according to the affidavit.
McCandless’ next stop
was at the Sauls’ bank, where
he found numerous deposits
of checks from organic seed
wholesalers.
A search warrant of the
Sauls’ residence on Sept. 30,
2015, turned up deposit slips
from three other banks, where
more checks had been deposited
from organic seed buyers.
As part of a plea agreement,
Bernard Saul pleaded guilty last
week and faces up to 20 years
in prison, a maximum fine of
$250,000 and three years of
supervised release for wire
fraud and up to 10 years in
prison, a maximum fine of
$250,000 and three years of
supervised release for money
laundering. His sentencing is
set for June 7.