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Capital Press A g The West’s FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018 Weekly VOLUME 91, NUMBER 12 WWW.CAPITALPRESS.COM $2.00 Documentary will tell stories of female farmers By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press Filmmakers from Washington state want to tell the stories of America’s women farmers. They are working on a new docu- mentary film called “Women’s Work: The Untold Story of America’s Female Farmer.” “We’ve been putting women back into the narrative of the modern-day Audra Mulkern/The Female Farmer Project Michaele Blakeley of Growing Things Farm gets a tractor hitched up in the Snoqualmie Valley. Washington filmmakers are raising funds to make a documentary about past and present female American farmers. story,” said co-executive producer Au- dra Mulkern, founder of the Female Farmer Project. Traveling across the U.S., Mulkern wanted to learn more about the “sisters of our past,” trying to find women who stepped up during wars and times of crisis to work the land. “Where were those women in the history books?” she said. “They just didn’t exist, and I really had to dig deep to find any images at all. That’s what really inspired this, to shine a light on those generations of farm women who are missing from history.” The documentary will explore past and contemporary women from various regions, said David Tanner, co-executive producer. Turn to FILM, Page 10 SPEAKING WITH ONE VOICE Food Producers of Idaho membership There are more than 40 voting organizational members, as well as 20 affiliated groups (not listed). • Ada County Farm Bureau • Far West Agribusiness Assn. • Food Northwest • Idaho Agriculture Teachers Assn. • Idaho Alfalfa & Clover Seed Food Producers of Idaho gives the state’s agriculture industry a combined voice that’s greater than the sum of its members. Growers Assn. • IACI — Potato Committee • Idaho Assn. of Highway Districts • Idaho Assn. of Soil Conservation By SEAN ELLIS Capital Press Districts B OISE — When Food Producers of Idaho talks, legislators listen. The organization — which is unlike any other in Idaho and possibly in the rest of the U.S. — represents more than 40 farm industry groups and provides them with an amplified voice in the state Capitol. “Food Producers provides an opportunity for industry to come together around one table,” said Gayle Batt, a former legislator and a former FPI president while representing the Idaho Water Users Association. “There’s power in numbers when we can all stand together for Idaho agriculture.” In addition to representing most of the state’s major crop and livestock groups, and many of its smaller ones, FPI counts among its membership agribusinesses, agricul- tural lenders, irrigation groups, soil conservation districts and weed control associations. Unique group 169 million: Up 20.7% from 2017 140 121 70 Source: USDA NASS Alan Kenaga/Capital Press 50 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 For the first time in more than 100 years, the Annen family’s farm near Mt. An- gel, Ore., is taking a break from cultivating hops — perhaps indefinitely. Contract prices quoted by hop buyers are below the cost of production, prompt- ing the farm to idle most Attention Exhibitors 12-4/HOU Committee, Inc. • Milk Producers of Idaho • Monsanto • Nezperce Prairie Grass Growers Assn. • Northwest Dairy Assn./Darigold • Northwest Farm Credit Services • Nyssa-Nampa Beet Growers Assn. • Potato Growers of Idaho • The Amalgamated Sugar Co., LLC • Western Pea & Lentil Growers Assn. Capital Press graphic Record inventory unsettles hop industry Capital Press (Millions of pounds) • Idaho Nursery & Landscape Assn. • Idaho Oilseed Commission • Idaho Onion Growers Assn. • Idaho-Ore. Fruit & Vegetable Assn. • Idaho Potato Commission • Idaho State Grange • Idaho Sugarbeet Growers Assn., Inc. • Idaho Water Users Assn. • Idaho Weed Control Assn. • Idaho Wool Growers Assn. • J.R. Simplot Co. • Marsing Ag Labor Sponsoring Source: Food Producers of Idaho By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI 150 ’08 • Idaho Ground Water Appropriators • Idaho Hay & Forage Assn. • Idaho Honey Industry Assn. • Idaho Mint Growers Assn. Turn to VOICE, Page 10 Inventory of hops held by growers, dealers and brewers on March 1. ’07 Producers Commission Add that together and you get a unique organization whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts. “Other states flat out don’t have that kind of an organi- zation,” said Sen. Jim Rice, R-Caldwell, chairman of the Senate Agricultural Affairs Committee. U.S. hop stocks 100 • Idaho Bankers Assn. • Idaho Cattle Assn. • Idaho Cooperative Council • Idaho Dairymen’s Assn. • Idaho Eastern Oregon Seed Assn. • Idaho Farm Bureau Federation • Idaho Grain Producers Assn. • Idaho Grape Growers & Wine FPI membership also includes the food processing indus- try and several dozen individual farmers and people repre- senting state and federal agencies. When they are in Boise, members of Idaho’s congressional delegation often attend the group’s meetings. State lawmakers also regularly appear on the group’s meeting agenda and communicate with FPI almost constantly during the annual legislative session. 200 Sean Ellis/Capital Press Food Producers of Idaho Executive Director Rick Waitley stands in front of Idaho’s Capitol in Boise on March 13. of its hopyards, aside from a portion rented to another grower. “We decided not go broke growing hops for nothing,” said John Annen, the farm’s owner. Annen plans to lease his property for a while, but may decide to get out of the hop industry altogether. Judging from the 169 mil- lion-pound mountain of hops held by U.S. growers, mer- chants and brewers, the crop’s oversupply will probably take time to recede, experts say. The nation’s hop stocks this spring are at the highest level seen in more than four decades, having jumped about 20 percent from last year’s record amount, according to USDA. Sion Up Now Turn to HOPS, Page 10 FOR THE 2019 Northwest Ag Show 50,000 impressions ON CapitalPress.com — a $150 value.* & RECEIVE Call 800-882-6789 or email events@eomediagroup.com for details *Restrictions Apply
