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FARM & RANCH SAFETY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016 VOLUME 89, NUMBER 36 PAGES 14-15 WWW.CAPITALPRESS.COM $2.00 THE ‘UGLY’ ALTERNATIVE Farmers and grocers create a market for blemished produce By JOHN O’CONNELL Capital Press W ENATCHEE, Wash. — Sometimes, farming can get ugly. When hail damages tree fruit and fi eld crops, or when pro- duce just doesn’t meet the high visual standards of grocers, it often goes into secondary channels or is rejected. For example, weather-damaged apples are normally made into juice, and the unlucky growers receive only a fraction of their usual value. But as this season’s harvest continues, Columbia Marketing International has come up with a more lucrative option for the hail-nicked fruit from two of its orchards. CMI aims to capitalize on a growing food trend, marketing discounted, superfi cially blem- ished fruit through fresh channels as “ugly” produce, providing environmentally con- scious consumers a means of taking action against food waste. Turn to UGLY, Page 12 Courtesy of Raley’s Raley’s Supermarkets displays ugly produce under the Real Good brand at a Northern California store during a pilot program that ended last fall. Ugly produce, which is food that has cosmetic blemishes but is otherwise OK, has gained popu- larity lately as a means of reducing food waste. “It’s a nice way for us to potentially help growers who for whatever reason — hailstorm, windstorm or whatever — are facing a catastrophic loss. It’s a fabulous alternative.” Steve Lutz, CMI vice president of marketing Low commodity prices taking toll on U.S. farm income By SEAN ELLIS Capital Press Low commodity prices, offset to an extent by low- er expenses, are expected to signifi cantly push down farm income this year, according to forecasts released Wednesday by the USDA’s Economic Re- search Service. Net cash farm income — gross cash farm receipts less cash farm expenses — for 2016 is forecast at $94.1 bil- lion, a 13.3 percent decline from the 2015 estimate. Total net farm income — gross farm income less all cash and noncash expenses — is forecast at $71.5 billion this year, a decline of 11.5 percent. Noncash expenses include in- ventory changes, capital con- sumption and depreciation. Median farm household income is forecast at $76,282 in 2016, slightly below the $76,538 total in 2015. If realized, total U.S. net farm income would be at its lowest level since 2009, ac- cording to USDA economist Jim Williamson, who dis- Wolf shootings test pact between ranchers, conservationists By DON JENKINS Capital Press mary driver of the ... fore- cast,” Williamson said. Total cash receipts — rev- enues from sales and govern- ment programs and insurance The Washington Cattlemen’s Association this week thanked conservation groups that are standing behind the state’s wolf-removal policy that they helped write, even as other environmental organizations ramped up their criti- cism of plans to shoot as many as 11 wolves in Ferry County. The association’s executive vice president, Jack Field, said that a joint statement by the four conservation groups showed an unprecedent- ed level of collaboration between ranchers and environmentalists on wolf management in Washington. “A lot of people noted it and were very appreciative of it,” Field said. “I think we’ve got a process, a protocol, that’s absolutely outstanding. We have to give it a chance to work.” Turn to INCOME, Page 12 Turn to WOLF, Page 12 Dan Wheat/Capital Press Wheat is harvested north of Waterville, Wash., Aug. 18. The USDA says lower commodity prices will push net cash farm income for 2016 to $94.1 billion, a 13.3 percent decline from the 2015. cussed the forecasts during a webinar Aug. 30. It would also be the third straight year that the value of total U.S. agricultural sector production has declined. Lower “prices are the pri- EVER WONDERED WHAT TO DO WITH THAT OLD, WORN OUT COMMODITY TRAILER? Our Rebin Program can turn your old trailer into a new trailer! We will remove all working mechanical parts, and replace the bin with a new Stainless Steel STC Bin on your existing running gear. All parts deemed reusable are reinstalled on the new bin. All of this at the fraction of the cost of a new trailer! 36-1/#16 WWW.STCTRAILERS.COM 494 W. Hwy 39 Blackfoot, ID 83321 208-785-1364
