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November 17, 2017 CapitalPress.com 15 WDFW confirms second wolf attack in a week Calf killed in fenced pasture By DON JENKINS Capital Press Washington wildlife man- agers have confirmed a second wolf attack on cattle in Novem- ber on private land in northern Ferry County, one depredation shy of possibly triggering the state’s third lethal-removal op- eration this year. The Department of Fish and Wildlife reported Tuesday that a calf found dead Nov. 8 in a large fenced pasture was killed by at least one wolf. WDFW had earlier determined Nov. 3 that a calf owned by the same rancher was injured by wolves. Department policy calls for it to consider killing one or two wolves after three depredations within 30 days, or four within 10 months. The attacks occurred out- side the territory of any of northeast Washington’s 15 packs, WDFW said. “Whether we designate a pack or not, we would consider lethal remov- al,” WDFW wolf policy coor- dinator Donny Martorello said. WDFW killed two wolves in the Smackout pack in Ste- vens County and one wolf in the Sherman pack in Fer- ry County this year to stop chronic depredations. In 2016, WDFW killed seven wolves in the Profanity Peak pack, also in Ferry County. The two depredations this month occurred fewer than 3 miles from where anoth- er rancher shot and killed a wolf that was attacking cattle. WDFW said the shooting was lawful. Cattle Producers of Wash- ington President Scott Nielsen said the incidents show that WDFW has not been success- ful in stopping repeated depre- dations. “To me, we have a chronic problem,” he said. “It frustrates me to no end. “The wolves are moving into the ranchers’ backyards.” The wolf attacks, which oc- curred near the Canadian bor- der, have come unusually late in the year. In previous years, depredations on livestock have generally ended in Septem- ber or October when cattle are moved off public grazing lands. It’s also unusual for WDFW investigators to not be able to identify the wolfpack responsible for the attacks. The rancher whose calves were attacked checked on the cattle multiple times a day, ac- cording to WDFW. “It’s a sign that anytime you have wolves and livestock, there’s a potential for conflict,” Martorello said. USDA report shows lower Northwest spud production GOP House members support DACA negotiations By JOHN O’CONNELL WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Dan Ne- whouse, R-Wash., led a press conference with 13 Republican House repre- sentatives Nov. 9 urging fellow members to sup- port ongoing negotiations by House Republican leaders for legislative solution for DACA bene- ficiaries before the end of the year. “We need a solution to get 218 House votes, 60 votes in the Senate, or there is no deal,” Newhouse said. “No bill is going to be per- fect but inaction is just not acceptable.” The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival is a two-year renewable de- ferral of deportation with work authorization granted Capital Press Potato production was down throughout the Pacif- ic Northwest during 2017, driven by acreage reductions in Idaho and lower yields in Washington and Oregon, ac- cording to a Nov. 9 USDA report. USDA’s National Agri- cultural Statistics Service estimated Idaho’s 2017 po- tato production at 131.325 million hundredweight, down nearly 8 million hun- dredweight from the 2016 harvest. Idaho’s average yield, estimated at 425 hundred- weight per acre, was down by 5 hundredweight from the previous year. But the state’s growers also planted 15,000 fewer acres this season, with total 2017 planting estimat- ed at 310,000 acres. Many in the Idaho potato industry, however, believe USDA’s statewide yield estimate was inflated. Washington growers produced 99 million hun- dredweight of potatoes, a reduction of 6.625 million hundredweight from 2016. While Washington growers planted 5,000 fewer acres, with a total potato crop of 165,000 acres, their average yields, at 600 hundredweight per acre, were down by 25 hundredweight. Oregon’s production was down 2.161 million hun- dredweight, at 20.79 million hundredweight. Oregon’s yields dropped 40 hundred- weight per acre to 550 hun- dredweight per acre, and its planted acreage, at 38,000 to children of illegal immi- grants who came to the U.S. under 15 years of age. It was granted by executive Dan order by Pres- Newhouse ident Barack Obama in 2012. Calling the order “un- constitutional,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions an- nounced Sept. 5 that the program will end March 5. Tom Roach, a Pasco, Wash., immigration attor- ney who has helped 440 people get DACA defer- rals, has estimated that 5 to 10 percent of the 800,000 people benefiting from DACA work in agriculture. — Dan Wheat John O’Connell/Capital Press Potatoes are transloaded following harvest in Eastern Idaho on Sept. 11. A new USDA report shows Idaho potato production was down nearly 8 million hundredweight this season. acres, was down by 1,000 acres. California growers in- creased potato production slightly to 3.69 million hun- dredweight, with average yields up by 5 hundredweight to 450 hundredweight per acre. They planted 8,200 po- tato acres, up by 300 acres. Total fall potato produc- tion in the U.S. was about 399 million hundredweight, down almost 8 million hun- dredweight. Idaho Potato Commission President and CEO Frank Muir described the USDA yield estimate for his state as “optimistic” and said United Potato Growers of Idaho’s estimates have come in much lower. Muir added that de- mand is strong and IPC’s pro- grams will further drive sales. “We anticipate this to be a very strong, profitable year for Idaho,” Muir said. “I think prices will continue to strengthen as we go through the year.” Oakley, Idaho, farmer Randy Hardy, chairman of the board at Sun Valley Potatoes, said fresh prices have already begun to strengthen. He said returns to growers are more than $3 per hundredweight above where they were at this time last season. Based on grower reports, Hardy also believes Idaho yields were down more than USDA estimated. “The fact that we’re down at all is positive, especially when teamed up with an acre- age reduction,” Hardy said. Given the cold weather during harvest, Idaho Falls grower Merrill Hanny be- lieves more spuds could be bruised and “we may not have as much available to the fresh market as the numbers might make you think.” “The growers are getting, say, 30 percent more (returns) than last year already,” Han- ny said. “We’ve had three tough years in a row, so it’s very welcome and very much needed.” But Aberdeen, Idaho, farmer Ritchey Toevs said the cold weather could also help growers, as potatoes that go into storage when it’s cool tend to store better. TPP movement continues, minus U.S. By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press The 11 remaining coun- tries in the Trans-Pacific Part- nership this week announced they are moving ahead with the trade agreement after the U.S. abandoned it last winter. The development isn’t a surprise, U.S. agricultural ex- porters say. The countries participat- ing in the newly renamed Comprehensive and Progres- sive Agreement for Trans-Pa- cific Partnership are Austra- lia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singa- pore and Vietnam. “It’s definitely not a sur- prise,” said Joe Schuele, vice president of communications for the U.S. Meat Export Associated Press File Federation. “Japan has been Frozen beef from the U.S. will face a 50 percent Japanese tariff without the Trans-Pacific Partnership particularly vocal about mov- trade agreement. The U.S. pulled out of the treaty last winter, but the remaining 11 nations still want to ing forward with the agree- put it into effect. ment. Several participants were fairly adamant that they wanted to move forward even porters in the Japanese mar- dialogue with Japan is con- crease from 38.5 percent to 50 after the United States with- ket, he said. tinuing, headed by Vice Pres- percent by next March. drew.” Canada, Mexico and ident Mike Pence and Japan’s U.S. wheat exporters President Donald Trump Chile are in the best position Minister of Finance. weren’t surprised by the withdrew from TPP in Janu- to supply pork to Japan, he “Certainly there are a lot 11-nation trade effort, either. ary. said. Their existing economic of calls for the U.S. to pursue “We are unable to go on The new deal has the po- agreements already give them a bilateral trade agreement record commenting about a tential to put U.S. exporters at some advantage in the market with Japan, but that doesn’t possible TPP-11 right now a disadvantage in key markets over U.S. exporters. appear to be atop Japan’s list other than to say the possi- such as Japan and Vietnam, An agreement between Ja- of priorities right now,” he bility is an inevitable result Schuele said. pan and the European Union said. “We feel we have a very of U.S. withdrawal from the Japan is the largest mar- reached over the summer is well-established and loyal agreement,” said Steve Mer- ket in value for U.S. beef and also a concern, Schuele said. customer base in Japan, but to cer, vice president of com- pork. The EU is the largest pork maintain that, you still need munications for U.S. Wheat Australian beef already competitor for the U.S., he to be priced competitively. It Associates. has a significant tariff advan- said. becomes more difficult to be In the past, U.S. Wheat tage in Japan over any other “That agreement with the priced competitively if you’re has suggested the develop- supplier. If a modified TPP EU contains provisions simi- paying higher tariffs than ev- ment of new free trade agree- agreement proceeds, it would lar to what were negotiated in eryone else.” ments rather than withdraw- benefit Canadian, New Zea- the TPP,” he said. The tariff on U.S. frozen ing from or renegotiating land and Mexican beef ex- Schuele said an economic beef exports to Japan will in- agreements. Matthew Weaver/Capital Press Washington State University small grains economist Randy Fortenbery answers a question during the Tri-State Grain Growers Convention in Spokane. Storing wheat riskier than selling it, economist says Not much room for price improvement, Fortenbery says By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press SPOKANE — Wheat prices won’t rise enough in the near future to make storing grain a safe bet, a university economist says. Cash prices are increas- ing slightly, but not enough to cover storage costs, Ran- dy Fortenbery, small grains economist at Washington State University, told the Tri-State Grain Growers Convention. Patience in pricing next year’s wheat crop is less risky than storing the last harvest, he said. He told farmers he doesn’t see much room for higher market prices over the next few months, unless led by a rally in the futures market. “What we need is a big rally, $1.10 or $1.20, to cover storage costs going forward,” he said. Options in the futures market are cheap due to low volatility, Fortenbery said, about the same as the cost of storing wheat. Fortenbery cautioned farmers that it’s a “purely speculative venture.” “You’re probably go- ing to lose,” he said. “But you’ll lose less than if you’re holding cash inven- tory. You’re probably go- ing to lose on that as well, and you’re not just going to lose the storage costs. If prices continue that down- trend we’ve seen over the last several months ... you’ll lose money in the value of the inventory as well as the cost of holding onto it.” Instead of storing in- ventory and hoping pric- es increase, Fortenbery recommends farmers buy call options, which he said he “almost never” does. Someone who buys a call option will make money if the futures price rises above the strike price of the call plus the premium and the cost of the transac- tion. Holding physical inven- tory is expensive, Forten- bery said, and maximizes the risk when speculating on future wheat prices. Fortenbery said prices have remained within a 40-cent range, of $4.40 to $4.80 per bushel, so down- side risk appears to be lim- ited. Hard red winter wheat exports have increased, which is positive, but the market anticipated that and didn’t respond, he said. Prices are driven by the global market. Con- sumption has been below production for the last five years, so inventories have been growing globally. “This is confusing peo- ple because we have de- clining wheat acres signifi- cantly ... yet we have the second-lowest price that we’ve had in a decade,” Fortenbery said. The decline is happen- ing nationwide. Washington and Oregon were unchanged from last year, while Idaho reduced by 10,000 acres, Fortenbery said.