14 CapitalPress.com January 20, 2017 States argue in court for more say over endangered species By DAN ELLIOTT Associated Press Eric Mortenson/Capital Press Former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, shown here during an August 2015 Portland visit. Vilsack is joining the U.S. Dairy Export Council as its president and CEO, effective Feb. 1. Vilsack to take top post at U.S. Dairy Export Council By CAROL RYAN DUMAS Capital Press Tom Vilsack, who re- signed his post as ag secretary last Friday, will join the U.S. Dairy Export Council as pres- ident and CEO, effective Feb. 1, according to an announce- ment by USDEC. Vilsack will succeed Tom Suber, who served as pres- ident of USDEC since its founding in 1995 and retired at the end of 2016. “I’ve spent my career in public service as a tireless advocate for farmers and American agriculture and can think of no better way to continue this service than by leading the U.S. Dairy Ex- port Council,” Vilsack stated in USDEC’s press release on Tuesday. “Growing the global mar- ket for U.S. dairy products is essential to the future of the dairy industry and Amer- ica’s dairy farmers,” he said. Vilsack will provide stra- tegic leadership and oversight of USDEC’s global promo- tional and research activities, regulatory affairs and trade policy initiatives. That will include working with industry leaders to de- velop a long-term vision for building sales and consumer trust in U.S. dairy, the press release stated. Together with the USDEC board, he will create strategies to achieve the shared vision. From left, coach Mr. Steve Wilder and team members Lauren Anderson, Kristin Nesbitt, Hannah Krichbaum, and Loretta Lacy of Meridian’s Veterinary Science CDE team. He will serve as the organiza- tion’s primary spokesman and ambassador. “I look forward to partner- ing with the dynamic team at USDEC as well as agriculture, food industry and key stake- holders at home and abroad to advance the council’s mission and strengthen trust in Ameri- can dairy,” Vilsack said. “Secretary Vilsack’s im- pressive record of leadership and his proven ability to man- age complex issues, combined with his breadth and depth of industry knowledge, made him the preeminent choice to take the helm of USDEC,” said Thomas Gallagher, CEO of Dairy Management Inc., the umbrella organization that founded USDEC. From left, coaches Mr. Shane Stevenson and Mrs. Lorraine Wikoff, and team members Trace Beaucannon, Alexa Phillips, Zach Phillips and Ashlyn Schiers of Meridian’s Dairy Cattle Evaluation CDE team. DENVER — A battle over how to save endangered wolves in the Southwest moved to a federal appeals court Wednes- day as judges heard arguments on whether states can block the federal government from rein- troducing wildlife within their borders. The Interior Department is asking the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a preliminary in- junction that bars the depart- ment from releasing more cap- tive-bred Mexican gray wolves into the wild in New Mexico without that state’s approval. It’s the latest skirmish in the federal government’s long and troubled effort to restore the rare wolves to part of their original range under the Endan- gered Species Act. It comes as the future of the law is in ques- tion, with Congress and the White House in the control of Republicans who generally see it as an impediment to jobs and economic development. New Mexico has multiple complaints about the Mexi- can gray wolf program, and in 2015 it refused to issue a permit to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — part of the Interior Department — to release more of the predators in the state. New Mexico also announced it might sue the agency. Fish and Wildlife decided to release more wolves anyway, citing an urgent need to expand Jim Clark/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service via AP, File A Mexican gray wolf leaves cover at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in Socorro County, N.M. The Interior Department has asked a Denver-based court to overturn a preliminary injunction that bars the department from releasing more Mexican gray wolves into the wild in New Mexico without that state’s approval. the wild population to prevent inbreeding. New Mexico offi- cials went to court, and a feder- al judge in New Mexico issued an order last year blocking fur- ther releases while the dispute is resolved. The Interior Department appealed to the 10th Circuit. Appeals court judges generally take weeks or months to issue a ruling after hearing oral argu- ments. Even if the court sides with the government, it’s not clear whether president-elect Don- ald Trump’s administration will continue to fight after he takes office. New Mexico state attorneys contend the Endan- gered Species Act and federal rules require the Fish and Wild- life Service to cooperate with the state and not release more wolves without state permis- From left, coach Mrs. Renee Peugh and team members Nicole Elletson, Kate Johnson and Mackenzie Brown of Meridian’s Ag Marketing Plan CDE team. sion. They also made a states’ rights argument, saying states have the primary responsibility to manage wildlife. Eighteen other states filed a friend-of-the-court brief siding with New Mexico. Interior Department lawyers argue the law allows the depart- ment to go around the state, if necessary, to save a species. The preliminary injunction against more releases “threat- ens the survival in the wild of a protected species,” they said in written arguments. A coalition of environmen- tal groups, led by Defenders of Wildlife, intervened on the In- terior Department’s side. They argue that the state’s legal inter- pretation would wrongly give them veto power over measures to save a federally protected species. From left, coach Mrs. Trish Stokes and team members Will Stokes, Karlyn Roberts, Maddie Bennett and Connor Burgin of Meridian’s Environmental & Natural Resources CDE team. MERIDIAN FFA CHAPTER GOES TO NATIONALS By Loretta Lacy 2016-2017 Meridian FFA Reporter In March and April of last school year, the Meridian FFA Chapter attended the Idaho State Career Development Events (CDEs). Four of Meridian’s teams placed first in the state, qualifying them for national competition. Along with the members of the four qualifying teams, three chapter delegates and two American Degree recipients attended this year’s National Convention. The 2016 National FFA Convention was held from Tuesday, Oct. 19, until Saturday, Oct. 22, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Not only was this convention a place for top state teams to showcase their talents, but it also held the largest FFA store, a college and career show, multiple sessions run by national officers, and several great keynote speakers. Meridian’s Environmental and Natural Resources team placed 3rd in the nation with a gold ranking. This year 42 other teams competed for a total of 168 members. The following members competed for Meridian FFA: • Maddie Bennett (2nd high individual, gold ranking). • Karlyn Roberts (gold ranking). • Connor Burgin (gold ranking). • William Stokes (silver ranking). The Meridian FFA Veterinary Science team placed 4th in the nation with a gold ranking. There were 44 other teams that competed this year. The Meridian members were: • Kristin Nesbitt (2nd high individual, gold ranking). • Loretta Lacy (gold ranking). • Hannah Krichbaum (gold ranking). • Lauren Anderson (gold ranking). The Meridian Agriculture Marketing Plan team was a semi- finalist with a silver ranking. The team consisted of: • Kate Johnson (silver ranking). • Mackenzie Brown (silver ranking). • Nikki Elletson (silver ranking). Meridian’s Dairy Cattle Evaluation and Management team placed 18th in the nation with a silver ranking. This year 48 other teams also competed in this CDE at nationals. The following members of our team were: • Ashlyn Schiers (silver ranking). • Trace Beaucannon (silver ranking). • Zach Phillips (silver ranking). • Alexa Phillips (silver ranking). Meridian FFA also had two American Degree recipients: Kaedy Peck is a sophomore at the University of Idaho majoring in agribusiness and Hayden Turnbough is studying biology in her second year at the College of Western Idaho. The American Degree is the highest degree that can be awarded in FFA. A member must be a year out of high school and has to have been a member all four years of high school to apply for this prestigious award. Only 3 percent of all members nationwide achieve this award; it is an honor to be a recipient. Meridian FFA also had three delegates attend the National Convention. Mallie Miller and Kobe Manzer represented our chapter for the National Chapter Award and Bailey Josoff attended as a senior member. Our members had an amazing time at the National Convention this year and they highly recommend that all FFA members make it a goal to attend during their high school career. This year our chapter toured Chicago and the Indianapolis Speedway. Mallie Miller’s favorite part of the National Convention was being able to meet members from all over the country. “My favorite part of nationals this year was competing in Dairy Cattle Evaluation and Management and touring the Indianapolis Speedway.” says Alexa Phillips. Kate Johnson felt that nationals was an incredible learning and competitive experience. She is very grateful that she had the opportunity to attend. Meridian FFA would like to thank the Meridian FFA Alumni, Ada County Farm Bureau, the Meridian Dairy Board, and the United Dairymen of Idaho for their generous donations to help our members get to Nationals this year. We would also like to thank all of the advisors that attended this trip with the members and coached our CDE teams: Mr. Shane Stevenson, Mrs. Lorraine Wikoff, Mrs. Renee Peugh, Mrs. Trish Stokes, and Mr. Steve Wilder. The 20 members that attended this October are very grateful for the tremendous help and support from all these individuals and groups. Kaedy Peck, Agribusiness student at the University of Idaho and Meridian FFA member, receives her American Degree. Hayden Turnbough, Biology student at the College of Western Idaho and Meridian FFA member, receives her American Degree. 3-4/#13