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2 CapitalPress.com Friday, March 27, 2020 People & Places Nutrient management specialists support Idaho’s dairy farmers EMPOWERING PRODUCERS OF FOOD & FIBER Established 1928 Capital Press Managers Joe Beach ..................... Editor & Publisher By CAROL RYAN DUMAS Capital Press Kevin Blodgett ........... Advertising Director Certified nutrient management planners Megan Satterwhite and Tanya Oldham go to work each day with a mission — to help dairymen be the best environmental stewards. Dairymen are subject to a lot of environmental rules and regulations, and Satterwhite and Oldham, who work for IDA Consulting Services, help them understand those require- ments and stay in compliance, Satter- white said. “We break it down as to how it affects them and help people work through regulatory issues. It takes a lot of our time,” Oldham said. They also act as a conduit between producers and regulating agencies, facilitating conversations and good relationships. “That’s one of the things she (Old- ham) and I do really well,” Satter- white said. Their primary role is writing or updating nutrient management plans, required by the Idaho State Depart- ment of Agriculture for every dairy in the state. In addition to developing and updating those plans, the two also take soil, manure and lagoon water samples. “That’s not the most glamorous part of the job,” Satterwhite said. It can be dirty and stinky, and a false step can land them knee-deep in cow manure. “You make the best of it and just laugh and shake it off because that’s all you can do,” she said. Those samples are necessary to determine nutrient concentrations to make fertilizer recommendations to producers. That allows producers to meet crop input needs and stay in compliance with nutrient manage- ment standards. Their job often takes them to dair- ies, meeting with producers, doing environmental assessments and tak- ing samples. But Satterwhite and Oldham are also involved in educa- Carl Sampson .................. Managing Editor Jessica Boone ............ Production Manager Samantha McLaren ....Circulation Manager Western Innovator TANYA OLDHAM Position: Nutrient management technician, IDA Consulting Services Home: Twin Falls, Idaho Education: Bachelor’s degree in plant science with an emphasis in cropping systems, Utah State University, 2017 Family: Single IDA Consulting Services Tanya Oldham, left, and Megan Satterwhite while working on soil sam- pling near Rupert, Idaho, in March 2019. tion and outreach, putting on pro- ducer workshops across the state. They also attend numerous regional and local meetings on nutri- ent management and water quality with state agencies, county govern- ments, organizations and advisory groups focused on those issues. “We just try to represent the pro- ducer fairly” and relay the conversa- tions back to producers, Oldham said. “It’s all just trying to get a diverse group of people in the same room to have the conversation,” she said. It also provides IDA Consulting with good ideas and opens up the con- versation for everybody else, she said. Everyone contributes to an envi- ronmental issue and it’s about work- ing together for a solution today, Sat- terwhite said. IDA Consulting has the expertise to offer the science behind some of the discussions and help producers understand the issues, she said. With science and research back- grounds, Satterwhite and Oldham also participate in research projects with the University of Idaho and USDA Agricultural Research Service. The university and ARS address the research needs of the industry, and IDA has a really good relation- ship with both institutions, Satter- white said. “Dairy producers are very progres- sive. They are always open to looking at new technology or changes in crop- ping rotations,” she said. And there are a lot of advances in manure separation technology and the use of cover crops to increase yields and reduce erosion and runoff. Producers are always open to best management practices to reduce their environmental input, she said. Oldham said she is amazed at how well dairy producers balance every- thing on their plate. They have so much to think about, “and the envi- ronmental stuff is just one thing,” she said. But that “environment stuff” is complex and time-consuming, and Satterwhite and Oldham are there to help. Background: Grew up on a farm and cattle operation in Levan, Utah; worked for Highland Specialty Grains in Moses Lake, Wash., on a plant breeding program helping to develop new lines of barley, quinoa and buckwheat Entire contents copyright © 2020 EO Media Group dba Capital Press An independent newspaper published every Friday. Capital Press (ISSN 0740-3704) is published weekly by EO Media Group, 2870 Broadway NE, Salem OR 97303. Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Capital Press, P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048. To Reach Us Circulation ...........................800-781-3214 MEGAN SATTERWHITE Email ........... Circulation@capitalpress.com Position: Director of operations and environmental programs, Idaho Dairymen’s Association & IDA Con- sulting Services Main line .............................503-364-4431 Home: Rogerson, Idaho News Staff Idaho Carol Ryan Dumas ..............208-860-3898 Boise Education: Bachelor’s degree in ag- riculture and technology, University of Idaho, 2000; master’s degree in natural resources, University of Idaho, 2016 Brad Carlson .......................208-914-8264 Family: Husband, Kabel; sons Augus- tus (wife, Colleen), Jacob, Wylie Matthew Weaver ................509-688-9923 Other: Part of a family cow-calf operation Background: Grew up on a farm and cattle operation in Castleford, Idaho; 8 years with University of Idaho Research and Extension Service; involved in research on the long-term impacts of dairy manure applications in a rotational cropping system Western Washington Don Jenkins .........................360-722-6975 Eastern Washington Oregon George Plaven ....................406-560-1655 Mateusz Perkowski .............800-882-6789 Sierra Dawn McClain ..........503-506-8011 Graphic artist Alan Kenaga ........................800-882-6789 Designer Randy Wrighthouse .............800-882-6789 To Place Classified Ads Wagyu beef industry small but strong in Kansas By ALICE MANNETTE The Hutchinson News HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — For Drew Bryan, beef is money. In addition to buying the best pork and beef to sell in his butcher shop in Hutchinson four years ago, Bryan decided to add a premium meat — crossbred Wagyu — to the selection. That’s when Bryan, the owner of Jackson Meat, started raising crossbred Wagyu cattle, The Hutchinson News reported. Now, he sells this meat in his store. “When we bought the meat market, it gave us the opportu- nity to raise from farm to table meat,” Bryan said. “I always had a small herd (Angus). For me, it’s therapy.” Wagyu are a breed of Japa- nese cattle, valued for their mar- bled meat. Primarily black, the Wagyu are smaller than most American cattle. According to the American Wagyu Associ- ation, approximately 10% of Wagyu are a reddish color. Full-blooded animals have a pedigree, like dogs, and must be registered with AWA. Each ani- mal has a name, and their heri- tage can be traced back genera- tions. AWA has more than 700 active members in every state but Alaska. For crossbred stock, the Craig Reed/Capital Press File Nori Kanda, left, and Seiya Uezu, pictured in 2018, are the manager and assistant manager of the Masami Cat- tle Ranch west of Corning, Calif. The ranch is one of a growing number across the U.S. that produce beef from Wagyu and Angus cattle. rancher buys a Wagyu bull and lets him breed with cows. In Bryan’s case, Angus cows. Other breeds traditionally used for crossbreeding are Hol- stein and Brahman. In the case of Jim Keller of Terra Cattle of Rose Hill, he is crossing his bull with both Charolais and Angus. Keller is new to this enterprise. He bought his bull two months ago. “He’s very calm,” Keller said. “His father was a top sire in Japan.” Like Bryan, Josh Homolka of Scorched Stone Farm in Holyrood, Kansas, near Ells- worth, started his Wagyu oper- ation four years ago. He cur- rently owns two full-blooded Wagyu bulls. Like Bryan, Homolka uses Angus cows for crossbreeding. Through breeding, he is try- ing to get from 50% Wagyu to 75%. “Ours are really docile and tame,” Homolka said. “They’re a good breed to be around.” Some ranchers use artificial insemination, but many who raise Wagyu and crossbred in Kansas prefer to have a bull do the work. When the calves are born, they are half Wagyu and half the other breed. Consumers pay higher prices for both crossbred and full- blooded Wagyu beef. This is said to be because of its rich fla- vor and tenderness. Full-blooded Wagyu meat is touted by the industry to have less high oleic acid and lower saturated fat. The calmer the animals remain, the better the meat. “You’re going to get a bet- ter product with less stress on all animals,” Homolka said. The marbling transforms the flavor, making the meat juicy. “It’s a very high-quality prod- uct that no other breed offers,” said Robert Williams, executive director of AWA, which is head- quartered in Post Falls, Idaho. Other ranches in Kansas raise full-blooded cattle. Rachael and Bradon Wiens of Meade obtained their first cattle in 2015. One decade ago, brothers Jack and Jerry Cossette of Cossette Farms Gypsum Valley Wagyu near Salina brought their first cows into Kansas. For Wiens, of Wiens Wagyu, who sells the Wagyu meat directly to the consumer, rais- ing Wagyu is about purity. On his ranch just south of Dodge City, he has several herds of full- blooded Wagyu. Wien also has separate Angus herds. The Cossettes, on the other hand, have a variety of both half and full-blooded Wagyu. Vince Verland of Bar V Wagyu in Abilene fell in love with Wagyu five years ago. Since then he has expanded his business of selling animals and specimens. “Our goal at Bar V Wagyu is to furnish the Wagyu world with the top full-blooded embryos genetically available,” Verland said. “Our business is selling embryos and semen.” Wagyu, including crossbred Wagyu, head to the butcher after 30 months. This is just about double any other breed. “They are not bred for effi- ciency,” Wiens said. “Just for good-tasting meat.” Because of their slow growth, the input costs are double. Full-blooded Wagyu cat- tle normally sell for $3,000 to $30,000, depending on their pedigree and musculature. Some of his bulls have brought in more than $50,000, with one hitting a high of $80,000. And because both Wagyu and crossbred Wagyu must be pasture raised in a low-stress environment and stay in one location from birth to slaugh- ter, the price per pound — up to $200 — is substantially more than other beef. “Wagyu can’t handle stress like other breeds. From birth to butcher, we put low stress on every aspect,” said Wiens. “They take more pampering. I can keep all of the variables from birth to slaughter the same.” By raising crossbred cat- tle, the price of the meat comes down, but it is still higher than commercial meat, as the meat retains stronger marbling than other beef. Bryan’s custom- er-base for the meat continues to grow, as does Wiens’ and Homolka’s. “We’re trying to give a high quality product at an affordable price,” Homolka said. SATURDAY, MARCH 28 Goat and Lamb Clinic and Sale: 9 a.m.-noon. Red Pavilion, Scio, Ore. Learn about animal selection, nutrition and training techniques from guest speaker Jordan Baumgartner. At 1:30- 4:30 p.m. a project goat and lamb sale will follow. Clinic registration $50 or $100 for family of three or more. Con- tact: Teri Mckenzie, 503-302-9901, teri@4Mlivestock.com FRIDAY, APRIL 3 Biodiversity Conservation Prac- tices Conference: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Cor- vallis, Ore. A conference on practices that conserve agricultural biodiver- sity and their benefits in western farm- ing systems for conservationists, farm- ers and other agricultural professionals. Website: https://bit.ly/2OIDtYW SATURDAY, APRIL 4 Farm Fest and Plowing Competi- tion: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Yamhill Valley Her- itage Center, 11275 SW Durham Lane, McMinnville, Ore. Yamhill County His- torical Society and the Oregon Draft Horse Breeders Association present Farm Fest and Plowing Competition, the largest plowing competition with draft animals on the West Coast. Con- tact: Raylinda Price, 503-472-2842, events@yamhillcountyhistory.org FRIDAY, APRIL 10 AgForestry Class 41 Gradua- tion Postponed: The celebration the AgForestry Leadership Program’s 41st Class will be rescheduled. Contact: Melissa Skomer-Kafton, 509-926-9113, melissa@agforestry.org Website: http:// agforestry.org/graduation-class-41/ THURSDAY-SUNDAY, APRIL 16-19 Shepherd’s Extravaganza: All day, Spring Fair, Washington State Fairgrounds, 110 9th Ave. SW, Puy- allup, Wash. There will be top qual- ity fleeces and sheep for sale, demon- strations, classes, fiber vendors, and sale of used equipment. Contact: Lin Schwider, 425-432-3455. Email: lin@ shepherds-extravaganza THURSDAY-SUNDAY, APRIL 23-26 California FFA State Convention: Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W Katella Ave., Anaheim, Calif. California’s FFA members will meet and compete and demonstrate their knowledge of agriculture. Website: http://www.cal- aged.org/stateconvention FRIDAY, APRIL 24 Women in Ranching WIRED Pro- gram: Yolo Land and Cattle Co., Wood- land, Calif. The Northern California Women in Ranching WIRED sympo- sium will be held on April 24 at Yolo Land and Cattle Co. in Woodland, Calif. Speakers who are experts in their field have agreed to share their knowledge Subscriptions Mail rates paid in advance Easy Pay U.S. $4 /month (direct withdrawal from bank or credit card account) 1 year U.S. ...........................................$55 2 years U.S. ........................................$100 1 year Canada .....................................$275 1 year other countries ...........call for quote 1 year Internet only .........................$49.99 1 year 4-H, FFA students/teachers .......$30 9 months 4-H, FFA students/teachers ..$25 Visa and Mastercard accepted To get information published Mailing address: Capital Press P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048 News: Contact the main office or news staff member closest to you, send the information to newsroom@capitalpress.com or mail it to “Newsroom,” c/o Capital Press. Include a contact telephone number. Letters to the Editor: Send your comments on agriculture-related public issues to opinions@capitalpress.com, or mail your letter to “Opinion,” c/o Capital Press. Letters should be limited to 300 words. Deadline: Noon Monday. Capital Press ag media CapitalPress.com FarmSeller.com CALENDAR Submit upcoming ag-related events on www.capitalpress.com or by email to newsroom@capitalpress.com. Telephone (toll free) ............800-882-6789 Online ...........CapitalPress.com/classifieds MarketPlace.capitalpress.com with participants. Contact: Leanne Brown, 530-598-4444, sisqbrown@ gmail.com SATURDAY-SUNDAY, APRIL 25-26 Oregon Ag Fest Canceled: A fam- ily-oriented weekend full of fun-filled activities that will help children — and their parents — learn about Oregon agriculture. See you next year — April 24-25, 2021. Online: http://oragfest. com/ THURSDAY-SATURDAY MAY 14-16 Washington FFA State Conven- tion: Washington State University, Pull- man. Washington FFA members will meet and compete, displaying their knowledge of agriculture. Website: http://www.washingtonffa.org SUNDAY-TUESDAY MAY 17-19 The Alltech Ideas Conference: Central Bank Center, 430 W. Vine St., Lexington, Ky. The 36th Alltech Ideas Conference will explore innovative solutions within the global food-supply chain. More than 40 topics are slated for discussion. Website: http://one.all- tech.com WEDNESDAY- THURSDAY JUNE 3-4 Stockmanship Clinic: 8 a.m. Pendleton Convention Center, 1601 Westgate, Pendleton, Ore. This hands-on clinic will focus on practical applications of various livestock handling techniques, why low stress handling is important and helping to design a livestock handling facility for a local ranch. Sponsored by Roots of Resilience and Oregon State University Exten- sion. Contact: Andrea Mann at 509- 670-7743 or mannandrea@aol. com, or Beth Robinette at beth@ lazyrbeef.com facebook.com/CapitalPress facebook.com/FarmSeller twitter.com/CapitalPress youtube.com/CapitalPressvideo Index COVID-19 ............................................. 4-5 Dairy .......................................................9 Opinion ...................................................6 Correction policy Accuracy is important to Capital Press staff and to our readers. If you see a misstatement, omission or factual error in a headline, story or photo caption, please call the Capital Press news department at 503-364-4431, or send email to newsroom@capitalpress.com. We want to publish corrections to set the record straight.