CapitalPress.com Friday, July 30, 2021 Drought, heat pinch Owyhee County cattle producers Scott Jensen/UI Joyce Ranch range cattle outside Murphy, Idaho. ducer recently sold an entire crop, not notably high in quality, to a Nevada cus- tomer for about $200 a ton, up from $130-$140 a year ago. Cattle grazing on win- ter range also may find slim pickings. “With very limited spring moisture this year, and so far what’s been basi- cally non-existent (rain) through summer, there is very little feed on those winter ranges for cows going into next winter,” Jensen said. Ranchers are dealing with lower creek and spring flows in some areas. Chad Nettleton, of Joyce By DON JENKINS Capital Press tleton estimated flow at 65% of average. “We’re probably look- ing at having to cut back on some cattle,” he said. Bachman’s Bruneau- area cattle operation is irri- gated by the free-flowing Bruneau River. Valley-wide this year, “we are only going to be able to deliver half the allocated acres of water,” and “half our acres in Bruneau are going to be dry for the next two months,” he said. The river runs short of water most years. He expects it to run dry this year about a month and a half early. “The last time it was this low, this early, was 1992,” Bachman said. He also runs cattle near Mountain City, Nev. There, irrigation water from the Owyhee River was shut off July 20. Adam Duckett of the Duckett Ranches feedlot in the Murphy-Melba, Idaho, area said October-Decem- ber is the traditional busy period. Now, many custom- ers are asking to deliver a month earlier than usual. By BRAD CARLSON Capital Press Ranch outside Murphy, said he has seen creeks “drying up in July like it’s Septem- ber.” And crews have had to haul water to some range where they typically do not. “Feed density isn’t what it oftentimes is,” Nettleton said. Some cattle will move to get needed nourishment, “and others, if it’s not easy enough, will come back in worse shape.” He is also seeing many more Mormon crickets than usual. They eat grasses including seed heads. Joyce Ranch also faces drought-related challenges in lowland pastures to which Sinker Creek sup- plies irrigation water. Net- Washington outlaws add- ing hemp extracts, such as CBD, to food, but the Department of Agriculture is setting up a program to help residents in other states get the illicit ingredient. At the direction of state lawmakers, the department’s food-safety program will certify the purity of Wash- ington-made hemp extract. Hemp-derived substances will still be banned in food in Washington, but will have the state’s seal of approval as they enter interstate com- merce and the food supply. Hemp policy expert Joy Beckerman of Hemp Ace International said the rule is indicative of the industry’s unsettled nature as states act in the absence of firm fed- eral direction. “Nothing makes sense in this revolution right now,” she said. “The crazy part is they (Washington policy- makers) are not allowing hemp extract to be used in this state, especially when they’re taking the time and care to write this rule.” With almost no opposi- tion, the Legislature passed a bill this year to allow hemp processors to voluntarily pay to be inspected and certified by the agriculture depart- ment, like food processors. The bill was pushed for- ward by the Industrial Hemp Association of Washington. The association’s director, Bonny Jo Peterson, said pro- cessors were being shut out of other states because they weren’t licensed. “It was an industry need,” she said. “This will allow producers to supply proces- sors with material for mar- kets that the processors were having trouble entering.” While encouraging hemp ingestion elsewhere, the bill affirmed that CBD and other hemp cannabinoids are pro- hibited in food in Washing- ton. The ban won’t be lifted until the federal government drops its opposition to hemp extract in food, according to the bill. Although widely avail- able, CBD-infused food and drinks violate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Hemp seeds and hemp seed oil are safe to consume, the FDA states. The FDA’s enforcement appears limited to send- ing warning letters to com- Legislation addresses investment in water infrastructure By CAROL RYAN DUMAS Capital Press U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Michael Bennett, D-Colo., have introduced a bill to reform tax provi- sions they say are hindering investment in water infrastructure. The Water and Agriculture Tax Reform Act of 2021 would revise a provision in the tax code restricting the ability of mutual ditch and irrigation companies to raise capital for infra- structure investment. Current law dictates that mutual ditch and irrigation companies must receive 85% of their income from shareholder investment to maintain their nonprofit status. The bill would allow them to receive income for operations and maintenance from other sources and still keep their nonprofit status. How- ever, those proceeds must be used for maintenance and capital improvements of their systems. The cost of maintaining and oper- ating aging water infrastructure has skyrocketed in recent years, forc- ing higher price tags on farmers and ranchers, Crapo said in announcing the legislation. Those costs have made it impos- sible for many irrigation companies WASHINGTON, D.C. — USDA is providing up to $200 million in relief to tim- ber harvesting and timber hauling businesses that have experienced losses due to COVID-19. Loggers and truckers can apply for assistance through USDA’s Farm Service Agency through Oct. 15. The Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers program (PATHH) is administered by FSA in part- nership with the U.S. Forest Service. The assistance applies to timber harvesting and haul- ing businesses that experi- enced a gross revenue loss of at least 10% between Jan. 1 and Dec. 1, 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. The pandemic caused a major disruption for loggers and timber haulers includ- ing lack of access to mills, according to USDA. Individuals or legal enti- ties must be a timber har- vesting or timber hauling business in which 50% or more of its gross revenue is derived from cutting timber, transporting timber or pro- cessing of wood on-site on forest land. Payments will be based on panies that make extrava- gant health claims. The FDA has sent four warning letters this year, including three to businesses touting CBD as a cure for COVID. The agriculture depart- ment is in the early stages of writing a rule to gov- ern certification of hemp extract. The program likely will have fundamental food- safety measures, such as rodent control, and clean- ing and hygiene standards, Assistant Director Steve Fuller said. Fuller said he considers the state’s continuing ban on hemp extracts in food as positive. “I have open-ended questions about cannabi- noid extracts in our tradi- tional food products, and I’d like to see those questions answered,” Fuller said. The FDA has approved CBD as the active ingredient in a prescription drug to treat severe forms of epilepsy. The agency says it hasn’t heard anything yet to change its opposition to non-pre- scription uses. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced a bill last spring to allow hemp extracts in food and diet supplements. The legislation has not received a hearing. Beckerman said hemp extract in food is legal in some states and illegal in others, and its status is unclear in many. She cautioned farmers against seeing Washington’s hemp extract-certification program as a reason to grow hemp for CBD. The market for hemp extract remains oversupplied, she said. “I wildly discourage all farmers unless they’re expe- rienced and have a contract from growing for hemp extract,” she said. the applicant’s gross revenue received from Jan. 1 through Dec. 1, 2019, minus gross revenue received from Jan. 1 through Dec. 1, 2020, multi- plied by 80%. FSA will issue an initial payment equal to the lesser of the calculated payment amount or $2,000 as applications are approved. A second payment will be made after the signup period has ended based upon remain- ing PATHH funds. The maximum amount a person or legal entity may receive directly is $125,000. For more information, con- tact a local FAS office or visit farmers.gov/pathh . Dean GuernseyEO Media Group File A crew secures a load of logs. The federal govern- ment is offering assistance to timber operations. LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for cash to the highest bidder, on 08/02/2021.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2014 TOYOTA TACOMA CW VIN = 5TFJX4GNXEX031070 Amount due on lien $1455.00  Reputed owner(s) SUSAN GUERRA & BERNARDINA ALVARADO CAPITAL ONE AUTO FINANCE LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 08/02/2021.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2019 SUBARU WRX 4W VIN = JF1VA1C61K9831116 Amount due on lien $1455.00  Reputed owner(s) TREVOR J & HEATHER K SKINNER KAIPERM NW FEDERAL C.U LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for cash to the highest bidder, on 08/09/2021.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2015 BMW X3 UT VIN = 5UXWY3C52F0E97994 Amount due on lien $1515.00  Reputed owner(s) VENKATESWARA RAO SUSARLA FIRST COMMUNITY C.U LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 08/09/2021.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2019 TOYOTA TACOMA PU VIN = 5TFCZ5AN8KX172927 Amount due on lien $1515.00  Reputed owner(s) SHRIEF SALAMA RED CANOE CREDIT UNION LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 08/09/2021.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2015 NISSAN ROGUE UT VIN = 5N1AT2MK8FC805136 Amount due on lien $1535.00  Reputed owner(s) ARANDA ROSALBA AM MOTORS LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 08/09/2021.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2016 RAM 1500 PU VIN = 3C6RR7LT6GG364867 Amount due on lien $1555.00  Reputed owner(s) JAMIE MICHAEL WILKINSON LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 08/09/2021.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2018 KIA FOR 4D VIN = 3KPFL4A76JE199276 Amount due on lien $1555.00  Reputed owner(s) DEANN ELIZABETH KIGHT MARION/POLK SCHOOLS CREDIT UNION S254264-1 S254267-1 S253704-1 LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 08/02/2021.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2019 HONDA FIT 4D VIN = 3HGGK5H42KM731687 Amount due on lien $1575.00  Reputed owner(s) RS PRODUCE S253706-1 LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for cash to the highest bidder, on 08/02/2021.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2019 RAM 3500 PU VIN = 3C63RRLL2KG726199 Amount due on lien $2995.00  Reputed owner(s) COPART S253707-1 LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for cash to the highest bidder, on 08/02/2021.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2017 JEEP WRANGLER 2DR VIN = 1C4BJWCGXHL708512 Amount due on lien $1875.00  Reputed owner(s) GREGORY A & ANITA A ADAMS S254268-1 LEGAL The Soil and Water Conservation Commission (SWCC) will hold a meeting from 3-5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021 (no public input at this portion of the meeting) and the regular quarterly meeting from 8:45 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021. Both meetings will be held virtually. Information on how to attend can be found at https://oda.direct/meetings. The regular quarterly meeting agenda covers SWCC reports, advisor re- ports, Soil and Water Conservation District programs and funding, Ag- riculture Water Quality Manage- ment Program updates, and other agenda items. The Oregon Department of Agri- culture complies with the Ameri- cans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you need special accommodations to participate in this meeting, please contact Sandi Hiatt at (503) 986-4704, at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. S254561-1 By CAROL RYAN DUMAS Capital Press S253708-1 S254263-1 LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 08/09/2021.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2013 TOYT HGH UT VIN = 5TDBK3EH4DS279099 Amount due on lien $1555.00  Reputed owner(s) DENNIS MICHAEL PADILLA CLACKAMAS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION gation companies. And there’s a lot of money to be made through such things as hydropower projects and wheeling water to recharge the aqui- fer, he said. That money could be used to lower assessments to water users. Increases in assessments can be pretty substan- tial if a water company, for example, needs to buy new equipment, he said. Losing the tax-exempt status is a problem for private, nonprofit canal companies. It’s not a problem for irri- gation districts, which are quasi-mu- nicipal entities with tax-exempt status, he said. The legislation also addresses another threat to irrigation companies’ tax-exempt status. Those companies frequently oper- ate on a one-share, one-vote basis, but the Internal Revenue Service has indicated they must now operate on a one-shareholder, one-vote basis to maintain their tax-exempt status. The legislation specifies compa- nies will not jeopardize their tax-ex- empt status by continuing to oper- ate on a one-share, one-vote basis in accordance with state law. Companion legislation was intro- duced in the House by Reps. Ken Buck, R-Colo., and Joe Neguse, D-Colo. Don Jenkins/Capital Press Hemp grows in southwest Washington. The director of the Industrial Hemp As- sociation of Washington, Bonny Jo Peterson, back- ground, says state certi- fication of hemp extract will help interstate sales. USDA announces assistance for timber harvesters, haulers S254269-1 S253703-1 LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87  Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be  sold, for  cash to the highest bidder, on 08/02/2021.  The sale will be held at 10:00am by  COPART OF WASHINGTON INC  2885 NATIONAL WAY WOODBURN, OR  2013 HONDA CR V UT VIN = 5J6RM4H37DL069834 Amount due on lien $1455.00  Reputed owner(s) JOHN S & JUDY C RANSOM to operate solely on member income. Many have been forced to put off criti- cal infrastructure improvements, while others have lost their tax-exempt status. “Existing tax laws punish mutual ditch and irrigation companies’ invest- ment in much-needed water infrastruc- ture projects necessary for maintaining a thriving agriculture sector,” he said. In addition, water has become increasingly scarce in western states. Many local and state efforts have responded by promoting reuse and water leasing to improve efficiency. Those efforts are impeded because generating non-member income can jeopardize an irrigation company’s tax status. “Facing intense drought, farmers and ranchers in the West are relying on water infrastructure now more than ever to keep their land productive,” Bennett said. The bill helps ensure ditch and irri- gation companies are able to keep crit- ical water infrastructure in good work- ing condition, he said. Paul Arrington, executive director and general counsel for Idaho Water Users Association — which supports the bill — said the issue is critical for a lot of IWUA members. Over time, opportunities have expanded for private ditch and irri- S253705-1 Ranchers in Owyhee County, Idaho, are feeling the heat — and the drought. “She’s pretty tough right now as far as that goes,” said Lynn Bachman, who man- ages Bachman Land and Livestock near Bruneau. The July 22 U.S. Drought Monitor pegged condi- tions in the large, high-des- ert county in the southwest corner of Idaho as moderate in the north and severe in the south and east. Extreme drought persists on the east- ern edge. “At least in several areas of Owyhee County, we are starting to run out of grass,” said Scott Jensen, a Uni- versity of Idaho Extension livestock educator. “So that feed supply is definitely on the low side now.” The hay market is tightening. “Other drought-affected areas of the West are buying up hay to try to meet their needs,” the Marsing-based Jensen said. “What’s going on across quite a bit of the West is impacting us here.” He said a local hay pro- WSDA to bless hemp use banned in Washington S254265-1 4