THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017
Business / Agriculture
Cattlemen hear about LIP
— Weekly Hay Report —
Friday, February 17, 2017 — Eastern Oregon
BY TODD ARRIOLA
Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com
The Baker County Live-
stock Association (BCLA)
held a regular meeting,
on Thursday, February
16, 2017, 7 p.m., in the
Sundridge Inn Restaurant’s
Blue Mountain Conference
Room, which included
among other topics, Live-
stock Indemnity Program
and Owyhee Canyonlands
National Monument dis-
cussions.
Attendance included
BCLA President Drew
Martin, BCLA Secretary
Leticia Henderson, Baker
County Farm Service
Agency (FSA) Executive
Director Trent Luschen,
Curt and Cheryl Martin,
Myron and Dotti Miles,
George Rollins, Ed
Trindle, Ralph and Myrna
Morgan, and Bert Siddo-
way.
Drew clinked his glass,
signaling the start of the
meeting, he thanked every-
one for their attendance,
and he said that he wants
to acquire an updated list
of BCLA members’ cur-
rent phone numbers and
addresses, as well as to
continue with the BCLA
e-mail notices. Trindle
asked Drew if he plans to
stop sending those notices
via regular mail, and Drew
said no.
Drew said that Dotti had
asked Henderson to act as
Secretary, and Henderson,
who is also Oregon State
University Extension Ser-
vice Livestock and Natural
Resources Agent for Baker
County, had accepted, and
she read the minutes from
the last BCLA meeting,
held on Thursday, January
19, 2017 (that meeting was
detailed in the Friday, Jan-
uary 27, 2017 issue of The
Baker County Press). The
minutes were approved,
with a motion from Curt,
and a second from Ralph.
Luschen discussed the
U.S. Department of Agri-
culture’s (USDA) Live-
stock Indemnity Program
(LIP), under the 2014 U.S.
Farm Bill. “The Livestock
Indemnity Program...helps
livestock owners, who
have livestock killed by a
natural disaster...”
He said that there were
a significant number of
claims due to the wildfires
last year, and this winter’s
weather, and he explained
the process involved with
filing claims for livestock
loss, which includes pro-
viding documentation, that
could include: a personal
diary (red books, calen-
dars, journals, etc.), listing
births, deaths, unaccounted
for animals, and the date
of such event; a personal
diary of a hired hand, cow-
boy, or herdsman, showing
animal care; a calendar,
listing births, deaths,
unaccounted for animals,
and the date livestock was
turned out to pasture; pic-
tures, with a date (this was
emphasized by Luschen);
brand inspection records;
ear tag documentation or
records; and other similar,
reliable documents.
Luschen explained the
different documents he
provided to the group,
including form CCC-854,
Third Party Certification,
form CCC-856, Livestock
Beginning Inventory
History For Open Range
Livestock Operations Un-
der The Livestock Indem-
nity Program, an Oregon
Normal Mortality Rate
Table, and Payment Rates
for Eligible Livestock for
Livestock Owners.
Prices trended generally steady in a limited test
compared to week ago prices. Most demand lays
with the retail/stable hay. According to some
producers, horse owners prefer lower sugar, higher
protein hay.
Tons Price Range Wtd Avg
Alfalfa — Large Square Good
285 100.00-100.00 100.00
Alfalfa / Orchard Mix — Small Square Good
25 165.00-165.00 165.00
Alfalfa / Orchard Mix — Large Square Utility
300 45.00-45.00 45.00
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
Curt Martin shows off an “Our Land, Our Voice” flyer.
Using this winter’s
harsh weather and the loss
of calves as an example
for using the program,
Luschen noted that the
normal mortality rate for
calves under 400 pounds
is 5%.
According to the mortal-
ity table, the normal mor-
tality rate for beef calves in
the 400-799 pound range,
and 800-pound or more
range is 3%, and the rate is
2%, for cows and bulls.
For dairy calves, the
normal mortality rate is
5% for 400 pounds to 799
pounds, 3% for 800 pounds
or more, and 4% for cows
and bulls.
The payment rates for
livestock owners are based
on 75% of a fair market
value, as determined by
CCC (Commodity Credit
Corporation). Luschen
noted the drastic change
in the payment rate for
calves under 400 pounds,
from $757.59 in 2016, to
$471.22 in 2017.
Luschen also mentioned
another program, the
Emergency Livestock As-
sistance Program (ELAP),
basically a “catch-all”
program, which includes,
among other benefits, as-
sistance to purchase addi-
tional hay due to a natural
disaster.
He said, “We really don’t
have all of the answers to
it...” explaining that he
had intended to elaborate
further, but he didn’t have
extensive information
regarding the program.
He encourages anyone
who’s had to purchase
additional hay to contact
his office, as he is work-
ing on obtaining additional
information.
Cheryl asked Luschen
whether there is assistance
to address fencing issues
due to snow, and, though
he said that there hasn’t
been historically (there has
been for fire), he would
look into the possibility.
Drew said that repre-
sentatives from the U.S.
Forest Service (USFS) had
been scheduled to speak
to the group during this
meeting, regarding grazing
permits and the effects of
the Blue Mountains Forest
Plan Revision (BMFPR),
but, for reasons unclear
to him, they were not in
attendance. He said that
representatives from the
USFS plan to attend the
next regular BCLA meet-
ing, on Thursday, March
16, which may possibly
be held in the Richland/
Halfway area, as that may
present an opportunity for
permit holders there to also
attend.
Drew provided some
handouts, which were
copies of a Bill Summary
Report, part of a legislative
update process, compiled
by Portland-based Tonkin
Torp LLP attorney Rocky
Dallum, Oregon Cattle-
— Cattle Market Report —
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 1762
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk 149.00 - 176.00 Top 178.00
400-500# Bulk 134.00-164.00 Top 169.00
500-600# Bulk 126.00-149.00 Top 151.50
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk 122.00-131.00 Top 135.00
400-500# Bulk 116.00-140.00 Top 145.00
500-600# Bulk 113.00-130.00 Top 130.25
Yearling Steers
600-700# Bulk 114.00-130.00 Top 130.75
700-800# Bulk 115.00-123.00 Top 125.50
800-900# Bulk 112.00-121.00 Top 121.50
900-1,000# Bulk 102.00-111.00 Top 113.75
Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press
Trent Luschen speaks about the Livestock Indem-
nity Program.
men’s Association’s (OCA)
new Political Advocate.
The report includes a list
of, and summary for bills
introduced during the State
Legislate Session, which
are ranked according to
OCA and BCLA interest
and concern priority.
Drew introduced this
update also during the
last BCLA meeting, and
he expressed praise for
this service, which will
continue.
Curt displayed an “Our
Land, Our Voice” fact
sheet, which showcased
the efforts of the Owyhee
Basin Stewardship Coali-
tion (OSBC), Gallatin
Public Affairs, OCA,
BCLA, and others, over
the course of the last year,
in reaching a singular goal:
“No Monument Without
A Vote Of Congress,” an
effort primarily prompted
by the real possibility that
then President Barack
Obama would designate
2.5 million acres, mostly
in Malheur County, the
Owyhee Canyonlands Na-
tional Monument, before
he left office.
Curt said, “That’s a
huge victory...” in speak-
ing about derailing the
monument designation.
“It was really impressive,
how a mobilized crew
can get a lot of things
accomplished...I think
they (the OSBC) raised
$484,000 in the state...”
He mentioned the BCLA
meeting, on Wednesday,
March 9, 2016, during
which Ysabel Bilbao
of Gallatin, and Elias
Eiguren, Steve Russell,
and Mark Joyce of OSBC
gave a presentation, detail-
ing the efforts.
During that meeting,
BCLA pledged $10,000
toward the effort (the
meeting was covered in
the Friday, March 18, 2016
issue of The Baker County
Press).
Curt attended a meet-
ing recently regarding the
process over the last year,
and he said, “I just wanted
to compliment the BCLA,
because it was a huge,
sacrificial gift, and they
recognized BCLA there, by
saying that our donation,
which was very hard-
earned dollars, through all
those years...was, at that
point in time, their biggest,
single donation that they
got, and they were very
appreciative of it..”
Curt detailed Gallatin’s
campaign, which included
a massive social media
following, and he said
that they were always one
step ahead of the Oregon
Natural Desert Association
(ONDA), and other groups
supporting the monument
designation. “It is truly an
encouraging and inspiring
win, for our side of the
coin...Everybody needs
to feel very good about
that...They mentioned the
fact that every state of the
Union contributed money
to their cause--every
state...”
Curt said that the fight
became so politically con-
troversial, so “radioactive,”
that Oregon Senators Jeff
Merkley and Ron Wyden,
and Governor Kate Brown
especially, tended to avoid
the subject. “That’s really
huge,” Curt said.
Drew said earlier, partly
in honor of Beef Month,
he had discussed recogniz-
ing community restaurants
and others for their sales
of locally-produced beef,
and one idea is to place a
significantly-sized ad in lo-
cal media, in order to show
cattlemen’s and cattle-
women’s appreciation.
Henderson mentioned a
Baker County sage-grouse
population meeting, which
will be held on Thursday,
March 9, 2017, 6 p.m., at
the Oregon State Uni-
versity (OSU) Extension
Service building, 2600
East Street.
She said that representa-
tives from the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM)
will be there, among oth-
ers, and there will be an
opportunity for the public
to provide comments.
Yearling Heifers
600-700# Bulk 106.00-123.50 Top 124.00
700-800# Bulk 102.00-116.00 Top 117.00
800-900# Bulk 96.00-112.00 Top 114.00
900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A
Thin Shelly Cows 32.00 TO 47.00
Butcher Cows 48.00 TO 58.00
Butcher Bulls 52.00 TO 71.00
Pairs Young 1300.00 TO 1500.00
Hfretts 63.00-86.50
Stock Cows Young - 900.00 TO 1300.00
ProducersLivestock.com
541-473-3136
— Log Price Report —
Prices are based on the majority of saw mills in
Northeastern Oregon and Central Idaho. The prices
listed below are a composite prices of various saw-
mills willing to visit with me about this topic.
Ponderosa Pine—small diameter class 8-11 inches
diameter class $250 per mbf. Only one sawmill was
willing to buy small diameter pine at this time.
Ponderosa Pine—medium diameter class 12-17
inches diameter class $300 to $350 per mbf
Ponderosa Pine-large diameter class 18 plus inches
diameter class $380 to $410 per mbf
The Pine prices are still approximately $40 per mbf
below average lumber/log market due to 2017 fire
salvage
Doug Fir & Western Larch—$380 to $420 per
mbf. Normal prices typically ranged between $425
to $475 per mbf.
White Fir-$300 per mbf. Normal prices typically
ranged between $340 to $360 per mbf.
Engelmann Spruce—$350 at one Idaho sawmill,
other sawmills including with White fir prices.
In general, the log prices still impacted from 2015
fire season and fire salvage that resulted. Sawmills
are starting to get log yard inventory in line with
sawmill production needs. With a new Administra-
tion as of 1/20/2017, a more normal economic envi-
ronment should result and hopefully a more healthy
housing situation will result in a better climate for
Northeast Oregon Sawmill and private forest land-
owners.
Courtesy of Arvid Andersen,
Andersen Forestry Consulting
— Precious Metals Report —
Price per ounce, USD
Gold: $1,239.10
Silver: $18.03
Platinum: $1004.93
Palladium: $769.50
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Corn: $378.25/bu/USD
Wheat: $465.00/bu/USD
Soybeans: $1,033.50/bu/USD
Oats: $252.75 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $9.46/cwt/USD
Canola: $523.50 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $116.08//lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $125.10/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $67.75/lb./USD
Bloomberg.com