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2 CapitalPress.com Friday, January 8, 2021 People & Places Studying manure-methane link By PADMA NAGAPPAN For the Capital Press EMPOWERING PRODUCERS OF FOOD & FIBER Established 1928 For the past 20 years, Deanne Meyer has led workshops helping farmers determine the optimal herd size for manure and nitrogen man- agement on California’s 1,300 dairy farms. The livestock waste management specialist who is with the Depart- ment of Animal Science at the Uni- versity of California-Davis focuses on environmental stewardship in line with the state’s greenhouse gas reduction target. “Every project I work on these days is about reducing methane and emissions,” Meyer said. “Our dairy farmers have incredible water reg- ulatory requirements. I work with dairy quality assurance programs.” Methane production and manure management are closely linked to how cows are housed, she said. A majority of the milk cows in the state are housed in freestall barns, so they can lounge in the shade and have fans blowing on them and sprinklers cooling them on hot days. About a third of the state’s dairies house their cows in corrals. The freestall system tends to gen- erate more methane because manure is collected as a slurry or in liquid form off concrete surfaces, com- pared to the solid form in outdoor areas with earthen surfaces. “If it’s dry it’s not making meth- Capital Press Managers Joe Beach ..................... Editor & Publisher Western Innovator Anne Long ................Advertising Manager Carl Sampson .................. Managing Editor Jessica Boone ............ Production Manager Samantha McLaren ....Circulation Manager DEANNE MEYER Occupation: Extension specialist, University of California-Davis. Education: Bachelor of science degree, University of California-Da- vis; master’s degree and Ph.D., University of Florida-Gainesville. UC-Davis Livestock waste management specialist Deanne Meyer of the Univer- sity of California-Davis at a dairy farm in Central California. She stud- ies methane production and water quality. ane, if it’s wet it is making meth- ane,” Meyer said. “So the freestall system is a wonderful system for the cows, but generates more methane than a non-freestall.” Methane is one of the greenhouse gases linked to climate change. She studied the situation in a group of dairy farms and reported on ways to reduce greenhouse gases by reducing liquid manure or cap- turing biogas. Her analysis on manure man- agement, dairy cattle housing and herd size will be used by the Cal- ifornia Department of Food and Agriculture and the California Air Resources Board to inform policy decisions in the future. Research: Analyses of production, collection, storage, transportation, and utilization of manure manage- ment waste stream(s) on dairies. The state has set a target of a 40% reduction of manure-based methane from dairy operations by 2030. Meyers has found that herd sizes and distribution vary from region to region, just as manure management does, so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. She is now looking into cus- tom solutions for dairies in differ- ent parts of the state, since farmers in the low desert region of the Impe- rial Valley may not be able to use the same strategies that suit some- one farther north. Meyer also assesses feed options such as sorghum, which some farm- ers switched to because it requires less water than corn to grow and water rates keep rising in the state. “Sorghum looks good on paper but in reality it’s not as good as corn because the energy content isn’t as effective as corn,” Meyer said. “These farmers grew sorghum for a small percentage of the milk cows. I looked at whether they should use more acreage for nitro- gen management from a water qual- ity perspective or the same amount. If they switch, they need more acres on which to apply manure to protect the groundwater.” Entire contents copyright © 2021 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 Email ........... Circulation@capitalpress.com Main line .............................503-364-4431 News Staff Idaho 51st Northwest Ag Show goes virtual Capital Press The 51st edition of the Northwest Agricultural Show will be different from any in the past half-century. Instead of an in-person experience, this year’s show will be com- pletely online at www.northwe- stagshow.com. The reason for the change is no secret. COVID-19 has changed just about everything we do in our daily lives, and the Northwest Ag Show was no different. But instead of trying to take a typical ag show format and translate it to the inter- net, the Northwest Ag Show owner, EO Media Events LLC, and its manager, Cap- ital Press, decided to create a new format that provides unlimited access to the show, its exhibitors and the presen- tations they have lined up. Not only can visitors “attend” the show from the comfort of their computer, lap- top or smart phone, they can do it anytime of the day or night — and it’s free of charge. Though the show officially runs Feb. 16-18, virtual visitors can get a “sneak peek” online starting Feb. 8. In addition, all of the informa- tion will remain online for an entire year, so visitors can return to any exhibits or presentations as often as they want. The new format is built around farmers and ranchers and their needs, said Anne Long, advertis- ing manager of the Capital Press and one of the show’s organizers. In addition to “attending” the show online, farmers and ranchers can explore the many NWAS The Northwest Agricultural Show homepage is the jumping off point for a virtual visit to this year’s exhibi- tors and presentations. exhibitor “booths” on the home page of www.northwe- stagshow.com, which serves as a virtual show floor. In addition to the Exhib- itor’s Showcase, there’s an Equipment Showcase, Agri-Business Showcase and Learning Center. Each is just a mouse-click away. When visitors find a prod- uct or service of particular interest they can view a video or other information about it. Then, if they would like to know more, they can set up an in-person meeting or demonstration. Returning this year are pre- senting sponsor Harvest Capi- tal Company and major spon- sors Coastal Farm and Ranch and Kubota Tractor. “We’re proud to have them aboard in this exciting new venture,” Long said. An added bonus: When visitors register for the show, they’ll automatically be entered into a drawing for a $500 gift card from Coastal Farm and Ranch. In addition to exhibitors, a full slate of informational pre- sentations will be offered at the Learning Center on top- ics related to farming and ranching. The ag show has been at the Oregon State Fair and Exposi- tion the past two years, and will return there next year. “We look forward to returning to the fairgrounds in 2022,” said Joe Beach, the editor and publisher of the Capital Press and manager of the Northwest Ag Show. “We see this enhancing a live event in the future, not replacing it.” Carol Ryan Dumas ..............208-860-3898 Boise Brad Carlson .......................208-914-8264 Western Washington Don Jenkins .........................360-722-6975 Eastern Washington Matthew Weaver ................509-688-9923 Oregon George Plaven ....................406-560-1655 Mateusz Perkowski .............800-882-6789 Sierra Dawn McClain ..........503-506-8011 Designer Randy Wrighthouse .............800-882-6789 To Place Classified Ads Telephone (toll free) ............800-882-6789 Online ...........CapitalPress.com/classifieds 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 UC-Davis barley breeder Lynn Gallagher dies at 77 Lynn W. Gallagher, who for 30 years was the barley breeder at the University of California-Davis, died Dec. 15, 2020. He was 77. He was born in San Francisco on June 2, 1943, and was raised in Marin County. After earning a bach- elor’s degree in political science at UC-Davis, he joined the Peace Corps. He taught primary school for 2 years on the slopes of Mount Kili- manjaro, Tanzania, and then joined an agricultural project on the shores of Lake Turkana in northern Kenya. This last experience caused him to refocus his goals from law to agri- culture, so he returned to UC-Davis Courtesy of Frank Endres Lynn Gallagher talks with barley producers at a 2016 field day on the Endres Ranch in Corning, Calif. to earn a doctorate in plant genet- ics. His first job after completing his Ph.D. was in Debre Zeit, Ethio- pia, before he joined the University of Minnesota’s agricultural program in Morocco, spending 8 years there breeding barley, teaching and devel- oping a faculty of agriculture. The last 30 years of his profes- sional life were spent at UC-Davis as its barley breeder. He released a great many barley varieties for feed, food, forage and malting. His most recent achievement was the devel- opment of several malting barley varieties bred specifically for Cal- ifornia conditions, the first since World War II. One of them, Butta 12, has been enthusiastically received by Cal- ifornia growers and artisan brew- ers. His efforts were additionally supported financially by a checkoff from the National Farmers Organi- zation-Northern California Barley Growers members. Lynn loved to travel. At any opportunity, he would board a plane or ship to explore new places and people. He was a skilled photogra- pher who shared his travel photos on Facebook. He is survived by his wife, Judy Smith; his brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Liz Gallagher of Santa Rosa; and two nieces and their families. He was cremated, and his ashes will be scattered at a later date. 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 Idahoans tapped for American Farm Bureau committees Three Idaho farmers have been chosen to serve on American Farm Bureau Federation committees. AFBF represents farm- ers and ranchers across the U.S. It works with state Farm Bureau organiza- tions to protect produc- ers’ rights, educate people about agriculture and pro- mote the industry. The Idaho Farm Bureau said in a release that Alan Clark of the Rigby area and Kyle and Jessica Wade of Downey will serve two- year terms on AFBF com- mittees starting in March. Clark is a fifth-gener- ation farmer and rancher. He has 500 beef cows and farms 1,500 acres of hay, barley and wheat. He was selected to serve on AFBF’s 10-member Pro- motion and Education Committee. “It’s super important to promote agriculture and educate people about the industry and where their food comes from,” he said. “If we as farm- ers and ranchers don’t tell our story and promote our industry, people who don’t know anything about agri- culture will tell the story and they will get it wrong.” Clark also chairs IFBF’s Promotion and Educa- tion Committee, which is entering its second year. “I hope to take what I learn Submit upcoming ag-related events on www.capitalpress.com or by email to newsroom@capitalpress.com. tion. Classes are geared toward small farms and rural properties, but any- one is welcome. We will provide tech- nical assistance to complete conserva- tion plans and potentially find funding for conservation projects on your land. Plan to attend all four free sessions, which will be from 5 to 8 p.m.: Jan. 14: Conservation planning — Soil. Jan. 21: Water and vegetation. Jan. 28: Streamsides and woodlands. Feb. 4: Working lands — Putting it all together. Contact: Marion Soil and Water Conservation District, 503-391- 9927. Registration: http://virtualpfyl. eventbrite.com from the AFBF P&E Com- mittee and use that to help our program succeed,” he said. The Wades have a cus- tom cattle grazing, feed- ing and calving opera- tion. They were selected to serve on AFBF’s 16-mem- ber Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee. IFBF said national and state YF&R programs aim to help develop the next generation of leaders in the ag industry by offering them opportunities to net- work as well as to sharpen public-speaking and prob- lem-solving skills during competitions and other events. Jessica Wade said she and Kyle aim to help bridge the gap between FFA membership and the Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Program, open to produc- ers ages 18-35. upon its farmer-to-farmer education model, EcoFarm is an essential net- working and educational hub for eco- logically minded farmers, ranchers and all who work to support their suc- cess in growing a healthy food system and world. Mark your calendars for Jan. 20-23 and get ready for an Eco- Farm Conference unlike any before as we will convene online for our 41st event. Phone: 831-763-2111 Email: info@eco-farm.org Website: https:// eco-farm.org/conference shop is designed to strengthen the skills of consulting foresters, state-em- ployed service foresters and other nat- ural resource professionals who work with family forest owners. It serves as a forum to provide updates on emerg- ing technology and knowledge appli- cable to family forestry. This year’s pro- gram will be held online via Zoom. There is no registration fee this year, but those wishing to participate should register at https://bit.ly/3llJsB0 by Jan. 15. For questions, contact Chris Schnepf at cschnepf@uidaho.edu, (208) 446-1680; Sean Alexander at sean. alexander@wsu.edu, (509) 680-0358, or Andy Perleberg at andyp@wsu.edu, (509) 667-6540. CALENDAR SUNDAY-WEDNESDAY JAN. 10-13 American Farm Bureau Annual Convention (virtual): The convention will focus on top issues including the impact of COVID-19, sustainability and the future of the supply chain. Website: https://www.fb.org THURSDAY, JAN. 14 Create a Plan for Your Land Work- shop (virtual): Learn from experts about soil, water and wildlife conserva- TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY JAN. 19-20 Dairy Strong Annual Confer- ence (virtual): The annual conference is organized by the Dairy Business Association. More details to come. Website: https://www.dairystrong.org WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY JAN. 20-23 41st EcoFarm Conference (vir- tual): Save the date for the 41st Eco- Farm Conference Jan. 20-23. Building 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 MarketPlace.capitalpress.com facebook.com/CapitalPress facebook.com/FarmSeller twitter.com/CapitalPress youtube.com/CapitalPressvideo Index FRIDAY JAN. 22 Family Foresters Workshop (virtual): The Family Foresters Work- 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.