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NURS August ERY 18, 2017 Gray’s a comeb makes ack PAGE 4 THE ANNUAL NURSERY SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE THIS ISSUE Bambo interest o a lifelong for alley AGE 8 FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 2017 VOLUME 90, NUMBER 33 WWW.CAPITALPRESS.COM $2.00 Settlement reached in Duarte lawsuit By TIM HEARDEN Capital Press SACRAMENTO — Agriculture advocates say they are mildly disap- pointed by the $1.1 million legal set- tlement farmer John Duarte reached with the federal government over his alleged violation of the Clean Water Act. Under the agreement, which is pending a judge’s approval, Duarte would admit no liability but pay the government $330,000 in civil pen- alties, purchase $770,000 worth of vernal pool mitigation credits, and do additional work on his property in Tehama County, his attorneys said. The U.S. Army Corps of Engi- B Courtesy of Pacifi c Legal Foundation Pacifi c Legal Foundation attorney Tony Francois, right, and farmer John Duarte have reached a settlement with the federal government. Duarte was accused of plowing wetlands in violation of the federal Clean Water Act. neers had sought $2.8 millions in fi nes as well as mitigation credits after accusing Duarte of plowing through wetlands while planting a wheat fi eld on his property in Teha- ma County, Calif., in 2013. Paul Wenger, president of the Cal- ifornia Farm Bureau Federation, said he understands Duarte’s desire not to risk losing millions more by continu- ing to fi ght. But he said the agreement illustrates that the government has too much leverage when it’s backed by sympathetic courts. “It’s unfortunate that we see this time and time again with a number of cases,” Wenger told the Capital Press. “The government will ask for, and the court will say, they’re going to put these huge penalties out there and you could be tied up in court for 10 or 12 years. ... It’s unfortunate. “It’s no longer a government of the people, by the people,” he said. “It’s almost that the government agencies are above reproach.” Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., a rice farmer and House Agriculture Committee member, said he’s “bit- terly disappointed” by the settle- ment, arguing it means land that is left fallow for too long essentially belongs to the government. LaMalfa, whose district includes Duarte’s land, had urged Attorney General Jeff Sessions to “call off the dogs.” Duarte, who also owns Duarte Nursery in Modesto, Calif., said in a statement that agreeing to the terms “was a diffi cult decision” that he reached reluctantly. Turn to DUARTE, Page 12 IODYNAMIC A different kind of agriculture involves unusual practices, but producers stand by their results By JOHN O’CONNELL Capital Press V Wyo. Ida Area in detail ho YELLOW- STONE NAT’L PARK rk CARIBOU- TARGHEE NAT’L FOR. Mike Reid and Tibby Plasse tend to their cattle at Paradise Springs Farm, a biodynamic dairy in Victor, Idaho. Their production method uses only inputs generated on the farm, treating it as a living organism, and also includes several esoteric farming practices to improve soil health. H John O’Connell/Capital Press 33 rys en Fo 32 33 Rexburg Driggs ak 15 e River 26 22 Victor, Idaho N Wyo. Idaho Falls Where the livestock have names and are celebrated for their unique personalities GRAND TETON N.P. Idaho Turn to BIODYNAMIC, Page 12 20 Sn ICTOR, Idaho — “Auntie Em!” A small, Brown Swiss cow grazing in sight of the Teton Range raised her head upon hear- ing Mike Reid’s call. She trotted to her master’s side and licked his face. “My cows are pets,” ex- plained Reid, owner of Paradise Springs Farm, a 30-cow dairy where the livestock have names and are celebrated for their unique personalities. “Some people have cats and dogs; I have cows.” Paradise Springs is part of a cluster of small farms employ- ing biodynamic agricultural practices in this small, East- ern Idaho town. The quirky, management-intensive sys- tem arrived in the U.S. in the early 1990s. In recent years, domestic biodynam- ic production, though still tiny compared to conven- tional farming, has grown by 10 to 15 percent a year. But it’s long been popular in Europe and traces back to the 1920s, when German philosopher-scientist Ru- dolf Steiner gave lectures on an approach to food production that regarded a farm as a self-suf- fi cient “organism,” shunning chem- ical fertilizers and farm inputs and promoting a variety of esoteric pro- duction practices designed to help crops and livestock better capture “cosmic” energy. CARIBOU- TARGHEE NAT’L FOR. 89 34 Capital Press graphic Loans stable despite falling farm incomes Farmers built up fi nancial buff er during boom years, experts say By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press Despite dropping farm incomes, the volume of past- due loans has remained rela- tively stable within the Farm Credit System nationwide network of agricultural lend- ers. As of mid-2017, the sys- tem reported roughly $2 bil- lion in non-performing loans, such as those past due or that aren’t being paid back. While that amount has ris- en since the most recent low of $1.6 billion in 2015, it’s at roughly the same level as in 2013, when U.S. farm in- comes were nearly twice as high as they are now. Similarly, Farm Credit lenders have charged off $16 million as bad debt during the fi rst half of 2017, up from $12 million at this point last year. To compare, charge-offs reached $61 million by mid- 2013. Though it may seem sur- prising the system’s credit quality hasn’t deteriorated as steeply as farm incomes, ex- perts say many growers built up enough of a fi nancial buf- fer to keep up with debt obli- gations. “They’ve had some very positive years, so they’re better prepared,” said Regina Gill, vice president of inves- tor relations for the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corp., which raises funds for the network and tracks its fi - nances. Turn to LOANS, Page 12 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! WWW.STCTRAILERS.COM 494 W. Hwy 39 Blackfoot, ID 83321 208-785-1364 33-3/#17 EVER WONDERED WHAT TO DO WITH THAT OLD, WORN OUT COMMODITY TRAILER?
