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livGsttocEi grazing oca public lands isvitfal
By NED CLARK
In 1972 there was 118 million
head of cattle in the United
States. In the 17 western
Range states we had 61 million
head of cattle. During the
same period there were 15
million sheep in the western
states out of a total count of
18' million. These animals
produced an annual income of
$9.5 billion to the livestock
industry. And boosted the
United States economy as
whole by $27 billion.
There is a lack of knowledge
among the citizenry as to the
importance to every person
that grazing of public lands
play in the United States. Over
5 million head of cattle and
over 8 million head of sheep
and goats graze public lands
in the 11 western states along.
Without these lands the live-
High lifi irrigation
in Morrow County
By KEN TURNER
A concerted effort to bring
Columbia River water over 20
miles to at least the 1200-foot
elevation is showing good
potential.
The recent preliminary
study by the state engineer
shows feasibility at present
costs with today's market
prices.
Good long-term financing is
critical. A feasible project
requires at least 40 years at 5
per cent or less.
Annual water delivery costs
of $80 per acre would be a
maximum. With this cost
range in mind, the Morrow
Irrigation Steering Committee
has sought the long-term, low
interest financing along with a
unique engineering concept. A
combination of two or more
districts working together
along with two or more
financial sources may pro
duce feasible water up to 1300
feet.
A certainty is that the high
elevation land must be tied to
either the Ordinance-West
Umatilla project or the Navy
Bombing Range project when
these materialize.
Action going on now centers
around Hadley Akins, a well
known area man who is
working full time to put
together the Ordinance-West
Umatilla project. This con
sists of 30 to 40 thousand acres
below 650 feet elevation. A
group of farmers above 650
feet with at least another 30 to
50 thousand acres are forming
a separate district. The upper
area consisting of middle
Buttercreek and into Morrow
County could purchase water
from the Ordinance district.
Carefully analyzing feasi
bility to farmers plus comput
ing economic impact in the
two-county area is a farm
management team from OSU.
They will also document
negative effects of deep well
pumping curtailment in the
critical water table area.
For The Ranchers
I
I - j curator
' 5
dUock
feet
If you work hard on your feet all day, you'll really
appreciate the comfort of Red Wing work shoe.
And besides their famous fit and lasting comfort
they're built to stand up to the toughest work
you do. Try a pair soon.
stock industry could not pro
duce the red meat that the
housewife is buying In ever
increasing amounts. Accord
ing to recent projections per
capita consumption of red
meat in the U. S. will increase
by 24 pounds by 1985. Most of
this will be beef.
Using the above projections
for red meat consumption,
and assuming a projected 10
per cent increase in popula
tion, the cattle numbers will
need to be increased by 13 to 14
million head in the United
States by 1985, if demand is
met. The forage requirement
for this number of cattle would
be approximately 70 million
additional acres, but little if
any new forage land is
expected to come into produc
tion. With the great emphasis on
world hunger, more grain that
has been fed to livestock will
be needed for human con
sumption. This will increase
the need for range lands to
provide the world with animal
protein.
In lands that are unsuited
for farming, like our western
rangelands that are too rocky,
steep, and have less than
adequate soil, cattle and sheep
are the only means of produc
ing a food product from these
acres.
As the., everincreasing
demand for our agriculture
lands, both farm and range, to
produce more, we must keep a
continued awareness of good
management and conserva
tion for the years ahead.
Multiple use of our private
and public lands are desirable
and ecologically sound. The
game benefit from water
developments for livestock,
salt and minerals put out for
cattle and sheep are used by
the deer and elk. Dual use
grazing provides efficient
croping of the forage re
sources. Deer and elk often
use plants not Important to
livestock. In recent study of
big game grazing habits, the
game animals moved off
range left solely for their use,
and went to areas where cattle
had grazed.
It should be remembered
that continued use of public
range will also benefit the
consumer by adequate red
meat supplies In years to
come.
lumtiiiiiiiuiiiu
B and C Repair
EQUIPMENT DEALERS
Cleo Chllders
lone, Ore.
UrY" U
Xi
Good soil conservation techniques work
like a watchdog In the fields, guarding
against erosion-the natural enemy of farm
and forest. Stop soil depletion in the
beginning before it robs the land of farm
production . . . threatens your personal
prosperity and your community's growth.
Conserve, maintain, improve land today
with soil conservation for a prosperous to
morrow. GUARD THE FUTURE OF
YOUR FARM, FOREST AND COMMUNITY.
J