THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2017 Business / Agriculture Lane Parry Forestry Consulting receives recognition — Weekly Hay Report — Friday, December 8, 2017 — Eastern Oregon Prices trended generally steady in a limited test. Retail/Stable type hay remains the largest demanded hay. Many hay producers have sold out for the year. Recent and upcoming holidays have and will continue to slow movement. Tons Price Range Wtd Avg Alfalfa Large Square Good 200 125.00-125.00 125.00 Alfalfa/Orchard Mix Small Square Premium 45 175.00-185.00 180.56 USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov — Cattle Market Report — Wednesday, December 6, 2017 Vale, Oregon Cattle sold through the auction: 2,725 Photo courtesy of ODF. The Eastern Oregon Forest Practices Committee has made their decision! Lane Parry Forestry Consulting was announced as the Eastern Oregon Regional Operator of the Year for their hard work and contributions to the salvage and reforestation efforts for the Cornet Windy Ridge fire from 2015. Left: Planting crews working on the Cornet Windy Fire. Right: ODF staff from NE Oregon District and Salem headquarters met with the Eastern Oregon Forest Practices Committee members to recommend Lane Parry Forestry Con- sulting from Baker City for the Eastern Oregon Operator of the Year award. They were nominated based on their hard work for private landowners in the district. Following the tough fire season of 2015, Parry and his crew helped several affected landowners with salvage logging and reforestation. Grant to 5J will help fund soccer field lighting project Steer Calves 300-400# Bulk 173.00-209.00 Top 217.00 400-500# Bulk 153.00-195.00 Top 199.00 500-600# Bulk 144.00-167.00 Top 170.00 Heifer Calves 300-400# Bulk 162.00-181.00 Top 200.00 400-500# Bulk 133.00-156.00 Top 159.00 500-600# Bulk 127.00-143.00 Top 143.75 Yearling Steers 600-700# Bulk 133.00-154.00 Top 155.00 700-800# Bulk 129.00-148.00 Top 151.25 800-900# Bulk 123.00-137.00 Top 140.00 900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A Yearling Heifers 600-700# Bulk 125.00-141.00 Top 142.25 700-800# Bulk 124.00-136.00 Top 137.00 800-900# Bulk 117.00-127.00 Top 128.00 900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A Thin Shelly Cows 39.00-54.00 Butcher Cows 57.00- 65.00 Butcher Bulls 55.00-69.00 Stock Cows N/A Younger Hfrts. 69.00-83.00 Stock Cows Young - N/A ProducersLivestock.com 541-473-3136 — Log Price Report — Photo courtesy of Baker 5J School District. Last Thursday afternoon, Mark Coomer, Branch Manager of Baker City Farm Credit Services awarded Baker School District Superintendent, Mark Witty with a $1,000 check to help fund the Soccer Field Light- ing project. This award was made possible through the Northwest Farm Credit Services Rural Community Grant Program. Witty responded by saying, “This project wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated coor- dination effort of Pat Flanagan, and community partners like Farm Credit Services. These grant funds will support our youth soccer programs by lighting the soccer fields and provide safety and flexibility for games and practices. On behalf of Baker School District, I’d like to thank Northwest Farm Credit Services for sup- porting our students and community through this donation.” The lighting project goal for completion is fall of 2018. Ash Grove earns incentive Submitted Photo. Idaho Power Major Customer Representative Greg Evans (in brown blazer) presents Ash Grove Dur- kee Plant Manager Terry Kerby and other plant employees with a check for the company’s energy efficiency incentive. Randy Thorn, Idaho Power Principal Engineer for the Commercial and Industrial Efficiency Program, is at far left. Idaho Power recently recognized local business Ash Grove Cement in Durkee for its commit- ment to energy efficiency. Upgrades to the plant’s lighting earned the com- pany $199,223.09 in incen- tives from Idaho Power’s Commercial and Industrial Efficiency program. Ash Grove replaced approximately 1,300 light fixtures with more energy- efficient LEDs. The improved lighting creates a better lit and safer work environment that reduces energy use and mainte- nance costs. “These upgrades pro- vided major benefits for our facility and the people who work here,” said Ash Grove Plant Manager Terry Kerby. “The new lighting has improved em- ployees’ ability to see their work area, reduced trip and fall hazards, and even improved the company’s housekeeping efforts.” The lighting project will save Ash Grove approxi- mately $67,000 annually in energy costs. It also will provide 1,250,522 kilowatt-hours (kWh) in energy savings each year — that’s enough energy to provide power for 100 homes annually. “Ash Grove’s long-term and ongoing commitment to energy efficiency is admirable,” said Randy Thorn, Idaho Power Principal Engineer for the Commercial and Indus- trial Efficiency Program. “Since 2008, Ash Grove has saved 5,522,798 kWh through energy efficiency measures, or enough energy to provide power to 438 average homes annually. It is an amazing achievement.” Idaho Power recently released a video highlight- ing Ash Grove’s energy- efficiency successes. Watch it at youtube.com/ idahopower. For more information on Idaho Power’s Commercial and Industrial Efficiency program, go to idahopow- er.com/business. PASTURE! for the 2018 grazing season Pasture in Bridgeport area, 2400 +/- excellent grass and water all summer long. Will accommodate 75 animal units. Must secure by February 1, 2018. Call 541-519-5035 for more information. 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: $1,246.60 Silver: $15.76 Platinum: $880.34 Palladium: $1014.27 Bloomberg.com — Ag Commodities — Corn: $347.75/bu/USD Wheat: $410.75/bu/USD Soybeans: $975.75/bu/USD Oats: $253.50 bu/USD Rough Rice: $12.26/cwt/USD Canola: $500.10 CAD/mwt Live Cattle: $119.15//lb./USD Feeder Cattle: $147.10/lb./USD Lean Hogs: $66.53/lb./USD Bloomberg.com