A4
Opinion
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
Contributed photo/Oregon State University
A cow and calf drink from Catherine Creek in Northeast Oregon.
Using GPS tracking collars over five grazing seasons on federal
land, researchers determined cows spend 1 percent to 2.5 percent of
their time in streams.
Research helps
better understand
grazing near streams
E
nvironmental groups say
cattle grazing on public
rangeland trample and
erode streambanks and pollute
water.
But a fi ve-year study of cattle
grazing conducted by Oregon
State University shows cattle
spend only 1 to 2.5 percent of
their time in streams or buffer
areas. And rather than ranging
up and down the length of
streams in allotments, cattle
used only 10 to 25 percent of the
available stream area.
The cows typically did not
rest or graze near streams.
Instead, they spent most of their
time grazing on higher ground
or resting in dry areas away
from streams.
John Williams, an OSU
Extension rangeland expert in
Wallowa County, said cows
enter riparian areas for two
reasons: “One is to drink, the
other is to cross.”
The study was done on a
tight budget. Researchers built
their own GPS collars, which
generated location data every
fi ve minutes. They attached
the collars to 10 cows in three
different herds. Over the course
of fi ve years they collected 3.75
million data points.
That data show that animals
behave differently at different
points in the grazing season.
And that, Williams says,
suggests that producers could
use such data to increase the
effi ciency of their operations.
The fi ndings are potentially
signifi cant.
Now we know that cattle
probably don’t cause as much
damage to streams and riparian
areas as popularly thought, and
it’s possible to use real data to
reduce damage further by better
management.
The study shows the value of
testing assumptions, and using
what’s learned to make things
better. We encourage OSU to
continue this line of inquiry, and
for all parties to take note.
F ARMER ’ S F ATE
Without farmers
By Brianna Walker
To the Blue Mountain Eagle
Farming is sometimes roman-
ticized.
Advertisements often show
gorgeous girls in sun dresses
and boots in rolling wheat fields.
Mothers babywearing children
in expensive wraps walking
through idyllic fields of frolicking
lambs.
Farming is sometimes demon-
ized.
I once saw a shirt that read:
“Farming: the art of losing money
while working 400 hours a month
to feed people who think you are
trying to kill them.” To which
I would respond, “Don’t gripe
about a farmer with your mouth
full.”
But farming, to me, is just
a set of catastrophes that have
resulted in a lifestyle. A life-
style I wouldn’t trade for any-
thing — although 8-hour days
and paid vacations seem pretty
tempting!
Everyone has probably seen the
bumper sticker that says, “Once in
your lifetime you’ll need a doc-
tor, a lawyer, a policeman and a
preacher. But you
need a farmer three
times a day.” Agri-
culture is important
and it goes beyond
mere starvation.
Without farm-
Brianna
ers... there would
Walker
be no farmer’s tans.
Without farm-
ers... who would be outstanding in
their field?
Without farmers... there would
be no corn (whiskey), rice (sake),
sugarcane (rum), wheat (beer),
grapes (wine), agave (tequila). No
farmers — no shot glasses.
Without farmers... there would
be no tractors. And a feud as big
as the Hatfields and McCoys
would never have taken place: red
tractors vs green tractors. Farmer
born and farmer bred... this girl’s
tractor will never be red.
There are so many things that
are impossible with farming.
Without farmers...
... there are no country roads to
take you home.
... what happens in the barn ...
wouldn’t.
... no one could be sheepish ...
or the black sheep.
... no one could have a cow
anymore.
... life would be hard to live
high on the hog.
... partying wouldn’t be the
same if the cows have no place to
come home to.
... no one would chew the fat.
... you couldn’t farm out your
kids to their grandparents any-
more.
... agriculture wouldn’t be
worth a hill of beans.
... there would be no first straw,
so there could never be a last
straw.
... you can’t bet the farm.
... there would be no spring
chickens ... or old biddies ... or
need to worry about putting all
your eggs in one basket.
... there would be no reason to
make hay while the sun shines.
... no one would understand
reaping or sowing ... let alone
reaping what you sow.
But the biggest travesty of all?
Without farmers ... there would
be no farmer’s daughters!
Brianna Walker occasion-
ally writes about the Farm-
er’s Fate for the Blue Mountain
Eagle.
L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR
W HERE TO W RITE
GRANT COUNTY
• Grant County Courthouse — 201
S. Humbolt St., Suite 280, Canyon City
97820. Phone: 541-575-0059. Fax: 541-
575-2248.
• Canyon City — P.O. Box 276, Canyon
City 97820. Phone: 541-575-0509. Fax:
541-575-0515. Email: tocc1862@centu-
rylink.net.
• Dayville — P.O. Box 321, Dayville
97825. Phone: 541-987-2188. Fax: 541-
987-2187. Email:dville@ortelco.net
• John Day — 450 E. Main St, John Day,
97845. Phone: 541-575-0028. Fax: 541-
575-1721. Email: cityjd@centurytel.net.
• Long Creek — P.O. Box 489, Long
Creek 97856. Phone: 541-421-3601. Fax:
541-421-3075. Email: info@cityofl ong-
creek.com.
• Monument — P.O. Box 426, Monument
97864. Phone and fax: 541-934-2025.
Email: cityofmonument@centurytel.net.
• Mt. Vernon — P.O. Box 647, Mt.
Vernon 97865. Phone: 541-932-4688. Fax:
541-932-4222. Email: cmtv@ortelco.net.
• Prairie City — P.O. Box 370, Prairie
City 97869. Phone: 541-820-3605. Fax:
820-3566. Email: pchall@ortelco.net.
• Seneca — P.O. Box 208, Seneca
97873. Phone and fax: 541-542-2161.
Email: senecaoregon@gmail.com.
SALEM
• Gov. Kate Brown, D — 254 State
Capitol, Salem 97310. Phone: 503-378-
3111. Fax: 503-378-6827. Website: www.
governor.state.or.us/governor.html.
• Oregon Legislature — State Capitol,
Salem, 97310. Phone: (503) 986-1180.
Website: www. leg.state.or.us (includes
Oregon Constitution and Oregon Revised
Statutes).
Blue Mountain
EAGLE
P UBLISHED EVERY
W EDNESDAY BY
• State Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario (Dis-
trict: 60), Room H-475, State Capitol, 900
Court St. N.E., Salem OR 97301. Phone:
503-986-1460. Email: rep.cliffbentz@state.
or.us. Website: www.leg.state.or.us/bentz/
home.htm.
• State Sen. Ted Ferrioli, R — (District
30) Room S-223, State Capitol, Salem
97310. Phone: 503-986-1950. Email: sen.
tedferrioli@state.or.us. Email: TFER2@aol.
com. Phone: 541-490-6528. Website: www.
leg.state.or.us/ferrioli.
• Oregon Legislative Information —
(For updates on bills, services, capitol or
messages for legislators) — 800-332-2313.
Impressed by John Day
To the Editor:
This is just a general note to let the residents of John
Day know how much we liked John Day when passing
through and seeing it for the fi rst time. We were very
impressed with your downtown area and the friendli-
ness of the locals!
Karen K Shrum
Redmond
L
etters policy: Letters to the Editor is a forum for Blue Mountain Eagle readers to express themselves on local, state, national or world issues. Brevity is
good, but longer letters will be asked to be contained to 350 words. No personal attacks; challenge the opinion, not the person. No thank-you letters.
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must limit all contributors to one letter per person per month. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Send letters to editor@bmeagle.com, or Blue Mountain Eagle,
195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845; or fax to 541-575-1244.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
• The White House, 1600 Pennsylva-
nia Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20500;
Phone-comments: 202-456-1111; Switch-
board: 202-456-1414.
• U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D — 516 Hart
Senate Offi ce Building, Washington D.C.
20510. Phone: 202-224-5244. Email:
wayne_kinney@wyden.senate.gov Website:
http://wyden.senate.gov Fax: 202-228-2717.
• U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D — 313 Hart
Senate Offi ce Building, Washington D.C.
20510?. Phone: 202-224-3753. Email:
senator@merkley.senate.gov. Fax: 202-
228-3997. Oregon offi ces include One
World Trade Center, 121 S.W. Salmon St.,
Suite 1250, Portland, OR 97204; and 310
S.E. Second St., Suite 105, Pendleton, OR
97801. Phone: 503-326-3386; 541-278-
1129. Fax: 503-326-2990.
• U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R — (Second
District) 1404 Longworth Building, Wash-
ington D.C. 20515. Phone: 202-225-6730.
No direct email because of spam. Website:
www.walden.house.gov Fax: 202-225-5774.
Medford offi ce: 14 North Central, Suite 112,
Medford, OR 97501. Phone: 541-776-4646.
Fax: 541-779-0204.
Grant County’s Weekly Newspaper
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