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The I-70 Scout & Eastern Colorado News

Category: Ag Notebook

  • CPW honors Eric Odell and Reid DeWalt for their work on the wolf restoration and management planning effort

    Pictured left to right: Terrestrial Section Manager Brian Dreher, DNR Executive Director Dan Gibbs, Assistant Director of Aquatic, Terrestrial and Natural Resources Reid DeWalt, Wolf Conservation Program Manager Eric Odell, CPW Director Jeff Davis, Parks and Wildlife Commission Chair Carrie Hauser, Species Conservation Unit Supervisor Dave Klute

    DENVER – Eric Odell and Reid DeWalt, the leaders of the team that spearheaded Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s two-year effort to develop a comprehensive wolf restoration and management plan, were honored recently by the CPW Commission.

    Odell, CPW’s Wolf Conservation Program manager, and DeWalt, CPW’s assistant director of Aquatics, Terrestrial & Natural Resources, were singled out for overcoming multiple challenges during the intense and controversial planning process.

    At the May 3 Commission meeting in Glenwood Springs, after more than two years of extensive statewide stakeholder meetings and outreach, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission unanimously approved the final Colorado Wolf Restoration and Management Plan.

    Odell and DeWalt were instrumental in developing a plan that incorporated the biological and social concerns of restoring wolves to a unique state with multi-use landscapes and a large human population. 

    “While I know that so many of our teammates at CPW were critical to the success of this plan’s adoption, I would like to especially highlight Eric Odell and the outstanding leadership of Reid DeWalt,” said CPW Director Jeff Davis. “As you all know, wolves elicit strong responses from the public, so developing a plan that strikes a balance between what wolves need with the spectrum of values, needs and expectations of the public and policymakers is a tough task. Our CPW Team, with exceptional leadership from Eric and Reid, accomplished this goal with grace and professionalism.”

    Jim Jones Outstanding Employee of the Year Award
    To honor his efforts, Odell was awarded the Jim Jones Outstanding Employee of the Year Award for his exemplary work as the biological and technical lead for the wolf restoration and management planning effort. 

    The Jim Jones Employee of the Year Award is named for a former Division of Wildlife employee who unexpectedly passed away in 1999. Jim Jones was an employee with a positive attitude, a good grasp on the mission, and was kind and supportive of others throughout the agency. He was good at all aspects of his job and has a state wildlife area, James Mark Jones SWA, named in his honor.

    “Eric went above and beyond as he strived to understand all aspects of the wolf restoration debate, and how this effort will impact all stakeholders,” said Dave Klute, CPW’s Species Conservation Unit supervisor. “He brought a breadth of knowledge and understanding to the plan development process and used his skills to draft a plan that is both scientifically sound and socially acceptable.”

    Odell worked tirelessly to complete the tasks required by the passage of Proposition 114 with rigor and honesty and educated himself in a scientific understanding of wolf ecology and restoration techniques.

    “In what was often a challenging and contentious environment, Eric maintained the highest standards of professionalism and was an excellent representative, arbiter, and educator for CPW,” Klute said. “He provided information, guidance and structure to a lengthy and often confusing process. Eric was often asked, with short notice, to provide policy updates and technical recommendations to the governor, Department of Natural Resources and CPW leadership.”

    Exceptional Leadership Acknowledged
    Reid DeWalt was also honored at the May Commission meeting for his exemplary leadership and contributions to the wolf restoration and management planning effort. 

    “There’s no doubt that the completion of this wolf restoration plan was challenging and took a team effort,” said Brian Dreher, CPW’s Terrestrial Section manager. “But every good team needs a solid leader to make hard decisions and encourage the team to keep going when things get difficult. Reid served this vital leadership role for the agency as we had to navigate the many challenges of the past few years.”

    From the beginning of the planning process, DeWalt committed and encouraged the CPW team to deliver the best possible plan, and be professional in the process.

    “It has been said many times in the planning process that CPW has incredible staff, and we do,” Dreher said. “But we also have incredible leadership, which was on full display by Reid DeWalt in completing this plan.”

  • Maintaining Good Credit History

    Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans require applicants to have a satisfactory credit history. A credit report is requested for all FSA direct farm loan applicants. These reports are reviewed to verify outstanding debts, see if bills are paid timely and to determine the impact on cash flow.

    Information on your credit report is strictly confidential and is used only as an aid in conducting FSA business.

    Our farm loan staff will discuss options with you if you have an unfavorable credit report and will provide a copy of your report. If you dispute the accuracy of the information on the credit report, it is up to you to contact the issuing credit report company to resolve any errors or inaccuracies.

    There are multiple ways to remedy an unfavorable credit score:

    • Make sure to pay bills on time
      • Setting up automatic payments or automated reminders can be an effective way to remember payment due dates.
    • Pay down existing debt
    • Keep your credit card balances low
    • Avoid suddenly opening or closing existing credit accounts

    FSA’s farm loan staff will guide you through the process, which may require you to reapply for a loan after improving or correcting your credit report.

    For more information on FSA farm loan programs, contact the Adams County USDA Service Center at 303-659-0525, extension 2, or visit fsa.usda.gov

  • Is the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program Right for You?

    Farmers and ranchers rely on crop insurance to protect themselves from disasters and unforeseen events, but not all crops are insurable through the USDA’s Risk Management Agency. The Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) provides producers another option to obtain coverage against disaster for these crops. NAP provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops impacted by natural disasters that result in lower yields, crop losses, or prevents crop planting.

    Commercially produced crops and agricultural commodities for which crop insurance is not available are generally eligible for NAP. Eligible crops include those grown specifically for food, fiber, livestock consumption, biofuel or biobased products, or value loss crops such as aquaculture, Christmas trees, ornamental nursery, and others. Contact your local FSA office to see which crops are eligible in your state and county.

     Eligible causes of loss include drought, freeze, hail, excessive moisture, excessive wind or hurricanes, earthquake and flood. These events must occur during the NAP policy coverage period, before or during harvest, and the disaster must directly affect the eligible crop. For guidance on causes of loss not listed, contact your local FSA county office.

    Interested producers apply for NAP coverage using FSA form CCC-471, “Application for Coverage,” and pay the applicable service fee at the FSA office where their farm records are maintained. These must be filed by the application closing date, which varies by crop. Contact your local FSA office to verify application closing dates and ensure coverage for eligible NAP crops.

    At the time of application, each producer acknowledges they have received the NAP Basic Provisions, which describes NAP requirements for coverage. NAP participants must report crop acreage shortly after planting and provide verifiable or reliable crop production records when required by FSA.

    Producers are required to pay service fees which vary depending on the number of crops and number of counties your operation is located in. The NAP service fee is the lesser of $325 per crop or $825 per producer per administrative county, not to exceed a total of $1,950 for a producer with farming interests in multiple counties. Premiums also apply when producers elect higher levels of coverage with a maximum premium of $15,750 per person or legal entity.

    A producer’s certification on Form CCC-860 Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification may serve as an application for basic NAP coverage for all eligible crops beginning with crop year 2022.  These producers will have all NAP-related service fees for basic coverage waived, in addition to a 50 percent premium reduction if higher levels of coverage are elected.

    For more detailed information on NAP, download the NAP Fact Sheet. To get started with NAP, we recommend you contact your local USDA service center.

  • Celebrating National Agriculture Day, 2023

    Happy National Agriculture Day! I want to thank all of the farmers, ranchers, and Ag workers from across Colorado’s 4th Congressional district. These amazing producers and growers are the foundation of Colorado’s economy and work day and night to feed our families and communities. 
    Here on the Eastern Plains, we know just how important agriculture and ranching is to our communities and way of life. I am proud to say that my district, Colorado’s 4th Congressional District, is home to all of the top 10 agricultural counties in the state. Not only do our producers depend on their trade to feed their families, but we rely on them to put food on our tables, fuel our economy, foster our way of life, and feed American families. 
    Colorado boasts 69,032 agriculture producers who come from all walks of life, including nearly 8,100 veterans. The industry employs more than 195,000 people. These producers aren’t being brought out by big companies and names like Bill Gates, resembling what you may see nationwide. Instead, over 81% of farms in the state are owned by individual farmers, with only a small fraction being corporate owned. So, by supporting Colorado agriculture, you are supporting your neighbors, family, and friends.
    It’s an honor to represent and fight for so many hardworking Ag producers and growers from across Eastern Colorado in Congress. I hope you will join me in celebrating National Agriculture Day!
    God bless,
    Ken Buck
    Member of Congress (CO-04)

  • ARC-PLC Enrollment Deadline for 2023

    The deadline for farmers to make their ARC/PLC election and enrollment decisions for 2023 crop year is Wednesday March 15, 2023.

    Agricultural producers now can enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs – two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) safety net programs – for the 2023 crop year.

    ARC provides income support payments on historical base acres when actual crop revenue declines below a specified guaranteed level. PLC provides income support payments on historical base acres when the effective price for a covered commodity falls below its reference price. The 2018 Farm Bill reauthorized and updated both programs.

    Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium and short grain rice, safflower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat.

     For more information on ARC and PLC, visit the ARC and PLC webpage or contact the Adams County Service Center at 303-659-0525 extension 2.

  • Buck Votes To Overturn Biden Administration’s Disastrous 2023 WOTUS Rule

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Ken Buck (CO-04) released the following statement regarding his vote in favor of H.J.Res. 27, the “Congressional Disapproval of Waters of the United States rules”
    “Today, I voted to stop and overturn the Biden Administration’s ridiculous 2023 WOTUS rule. This disastrous rule is an attack on rural Americans and would give the government more power to regulate every puddle, ditch, and gully in eastern Colorado. 
    “I know that farmers, ranchers, and landowners across Colorado are stewards of the land and don’t need more burdensome regulations in our way from unelected bureaucrats in Washington D.C.”

  • USDA Celebrates Inaugural National Biobased Products Day

    Department Also Announces BioPreferred® Program “Excellence in Procurement” Award Winners for 2022

    WASHINGTON, March 8, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today kicked off the inaugural National Biobased Products Day and highlighted the accomplishments of people and organizations working to improve sustainability within the federal government.
    “By designating March 8 as National Biobased Products Day, we honor the 20 years of progress the BioPreferred Program has achieved,” USDA Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small said. “As we look to the future, rural communities are at the forefront of addressing climate change by using biobased innovations to convert feedstocks, such as commodities and agricultural waste, into a multitude of products that will create sustainability, promote job growth and revitalize our rural economies.”
    USDA’s ongoing work includes the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) Agriculture and Food Research Initiative programs, which fund research that advances climate- smart agriculture and forestry and strengthens the bioeconomy. In line with President Biden’s Executive Order on Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy, these programs develop sources of clean energy and power, biomass systems and high-value biobased products from agricultural feedstocks to foster economic development. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funded innovative new USDA programs like NIFA’s $9.5 million Bioproduct Pilot Program, which supports research into the benefits of using materials derived from agricultural commodities to manufacture construction and consumer products. The projects have special emphasis on benefits to underserved communities.
    “Scientific innovation is paramount to address agricultural issues impacting Americans from the field to the fork,” said Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics. “By driving ag innovation with a keen focus on delivering solutions to everyday people, we have the opportunity to transform our nation’s food system in real and meaningful ways while creating new revenue streams and increasing productivity for more people in the rural economy.”
    National Biobased Products Day is an annual celebration on March 8 to raise awareness of the benefits of biobased products. The day recognizes the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to use the vast array of federal resources to combat climate change and help rural communities address its impacts. The day also aligns with President Biden’s Federal Sustainability Plan and Executive Order #14057, which focuses on making the federal government carbon-neutral by 2050 and reducing planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions by 65% by 2030.
    A key component of these federal sustainability efforts is USDA’s BioPreferred® Program, which Congress created under the 2002 Farm Bill. The program is the Federal government’s official advocate and market accelerator for biobased products.
    Rural producers use innovative techniques to create biobased products derived from plants and other agricultural, marine and forestry materials. Examples include construction materials made using cashew nut, castor and canola; cleaning products made from sugarcane, agave plants and microbial cultures; and tires made from soy.
    USDA congratulates the four winners of the BioPreferred® Program’s “Excellence in Procurement Award” for 2022 for reducing their respective agencies’ environmental impact by using biobased products and championing farmers in rural America. They are:
    • The Department of Energy’s Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee;
    • Christina Graves with USDA’s Forest Service;
    • Brian McCabe with the National Park Service, and
    • Brooke Siegel with the FBI.
    To learn more about each award winner, visit www.biopreferred.gov.
    All of these efforts support President Biden’s Executive Order to advance U.S. biotechnology and biomanufacturing. USDA is supporting this effort by providing tools, resources, and scientific research to ensure American farmers and producers remain globally competitive.
    Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
    USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden- Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, promoting competition and fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
    To subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit GovDelivery subscriber page.

  • Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza linked to deaths of black bear and mountain lion in Colorado, adding to a growing list of species susceptible to HPAI in the U.S.

    DENVER – Colorado Parks and Wildlife has identified several cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in free-ranging wildlife. A black bear from Huerfano County was affected by the disease in October, a skunk from Weld County was found to be positive for the disease in November, and a mountain lion that died in Gunnison County was recently confirmed to have the disease. Testing was conducted by Colorado State University in Fort Collins and the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa.

    HPAI has already killed thousands of wild birds in the U.S., including in Colorado. This strain of HPAI was first confirmed in wild geese in Northeast Colorado in March of 2022.

    All three of the confirmed cases showed signs of HPAI before or after death including neurologic symptoms such as seizures or circling, general signs of illness such as weakness or lack of responsiveness to human presence, and organ damage including encephalitis, hepatitis, and pneumonia. Other similar suspected mammalian cases have been detected in the state, with confirmatory testing pending.

    The Huerfano County black bear was euthanized Oct. 8, 2022, by a CPW wildlife officer after he saw it having seizures. Its remains were frozen until it could be transported to the health lab for testing. A necropsy revealed the bear had signs of HPAI, prompting CPW to test for HPAI. Later in October, a black bear in Alaska tested positive for HPAI.

    “The decision to humanely euthanize the animal by our wildlife officer was made following the abnormal behavior and knowledge that numerous infectious diseases cause neurological symptoms,” said CPW Area Wildlife Manager Mike Brown. “Extremely ill animals have difficulty moving and often act abnormally. While clinical signs of numerous diseases may be observed, diagnostic laboratory testing and necropsy services help determine the actual cause of death.”

    The Gunnison County mountain lion was found dead just outside of Gunnison city limits on Jan. 15, 2023, in an area where mountain lion activity is commonplace. The mountain lion had necrosis in the liver and bronchointerstitial pneumonia, which have been seen in domestic cats with HPAI, so this also warranted HPAI testing. 

    “Similar to many local species, mountain lions move through our communities on a regular basis as they travel between seasonal ranges throughout the year,” said CPW Area Wildlife Manager Brandon Diamond. “It was only a matter of time before the first HPAI case was confirmed in Gunnison County based on known cases in adjacent counties. While this is an interesting case study with the lion, it’s important to point out that HPAI has been documented previously in a variety of mammals from across the country. In Gunnison County, CPW routinely investigates reports of sick and injured wildlife and is always interested in hearing from the public if they encounter something that doesn’t look quite right.”

    A number of mammalian wildlife species have been affected with the current strain of HPAI in the U.S. including skunks, foxes, black bears, bobcats, coyotes and raccoons among several others. It has even been detected in marine mammals. These mammals likely become infected by feeding on wild birds that are sick or have died of HPAI; however, not every mammal that consumes a sick bird will develop HPAI. These recent Colorado cases add to a growing list of affected wildlife species. 

    Despite the variety of mammalian species susceptible to HPAI, the numbers of mammal cases are currently low. The majority of cases confirmed during this HPAI outbreak are in wild and domestic birds. The most commonly affected wild birds in Colorado have been geese, as well as the raptors and other scavenging birds that eat goose carcasses. 

    CPW continues to stress the importance of keeping your distance from wildlife, and specifically not handling sick or dead birds. Although rare, some HPAI strains can infect people. Links to recommendations for hunters and risks to pets are included below. The main protection for the general public is to avoid handling sick or dead birds and keep your distance from wildlife. See the CDC website for more information on protective actions for people.

    This map lists confirmed wildlife mammalian cases that have tested positive for HPAI to date.

    Resources
    For more information on HPAI in Colorado
    •    https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/Avian-Influenza.aspx
    •    https://ag.colorado.gov/animals/reportable-diseases/avian-influenza

    For information on HPAI in pets
    •    https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/avian-in-other-animals.htm

    For information on hunting and HPAI
    •    https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/fsc_hpai_hunters.pdf

    For information on HPAI in wild birds in the United States
    •    https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-2022/2022-hpai-wild-birds
    •    https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nwhc/science/distribution-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-north-america-20212022

    For information on HPAI and human health
    •    https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/avian-in-humans.htm
    •    https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/avian-flu-summary.htm
    •    https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nwhc/science/distribution-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-north-america-20212022

  • NRCS in CO Announces NEW Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Agricultural Land Easement (ACEP-ALE) Application Signup Cut-off Date

    Fiscal Year 2023 ACEP-ALE Applications are due February 17, 2023

    DENVER, CO – Colorado Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist, Clint Evans, announced the 2023 application cut-off dates for eligible entities to participate in the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Agricultural Land Easement (ACEP-ALE) in Colorado. There is one signup offered for complete and eligible applications to compete for available funding.  Application packages are due on Friday, February 17, 2023, by 4:00 PM Mountain Standard Time (MST) for funding.  Ranking pools offered for parcel applications are General, Grasslands of Special Significance (GSS), GSS Gunnison Sage Grouse, GSS Greater Sage Grouse, and General Urban Agriculture

    The purpose of the ACEP-ALE program is to (1) protect the agricultural viability and related conservation values of eligible land by limiting nonagricultural uses of that land that negatively affect the agricultural uses and conservation values and (2) protect grazing uses and related conservation values by restoring or conserving eligible land.

    Applicants (eligible entities) must be a federally recognized Indian Tribe, state or local units of government, or a non-governmental organization. Applicants must have an established farmland protection program that purchases agricultural conservation easements for the purpose of protecting agriculture use and related conservation values by limiting conversion to nonagricultural uses of the land.

    USDA provides up to 50 percent of the appraised fair market value of the conservation easement in this voluntary program and up to 75 percent for qualifying Grasslands of Special Significance (GSS), including projects in Sage Grouse territory. The qualified landowner retains ownership and continues to use the land for agricultural purposes.

    To be eligible to receive ALE funding, eligible entity applicants must demonstrate a commitment to long-term conservation of agricultural lands; a capability to acquire, manage, and enforce easements; adequate staff capacity for monitoring and easement stewardship; and the availability of funds. All landowners of record and the land being offered for enrollment must also meet specific eligibility criteria as outlined in the application materials posted to the State ACEP website.

    Fully completed application packets must be received by no later than 4:00 PM MST on an advertised signup date to be considered. Application packets may be sent to the attention of Easements Program Manager, by email (preferred) to ; by FedEx or UPS to USDA-NRCS, Denver Federal Center, Building 56, Room 2604, Denver, CO 80225; or by USPS to USDA-NRCS, Denver Federal Center, PO Box 25426, Denver, CO 80225.

    Applications postmarked or time stamped after the deadline WILL NOT be accepted. Only fully completed and properly executed applications that are submitted by the signup date on the appropriate forms and accompanied by all required supporting documentation will be considered for funding in FY 2023. All qualified applications will be reviewed, ranked, and considered for funding according to the Final ACEP rule, policy, and guidance. Complete applications received after the cutoff date may be considered if another sign-up date is announced

    Incomplete applications WILL NOT be considered.

    For more information about ACEP-ALE, please contact Laura Trimboli at 970-403-6379 or .  You can also visit your local NRCS at your nearest USDA Service Center or visit the Colorado NRCS ACEP website.

  • Make Plans to Attend CLA’s Marshall Frasier Beef Symposium

    Cattle Market Outlook, Bureau of Animal Protection Update, Long-Range Weather, Beef Quality Assurance Certification and more!

    Aurora, CO – Register to attend the Marshall Frasier Beef Symposium next Wednesday, February 15, 2023, in Hugo, CO! This annual event, hosted by the Colorado Livestock Association, includes trade show exhibitors and a full day of informative presentations from experts across the industry.

    For the first time, Dr. Matthew May, Feedlot Health Management Services, will share how all sectors of the beef industry can harness the power of their data to drive decision-making. May will lead a discussion on how to think outside the box about data collection and how the beef industry can collaborate to move the industry forward.

    Dr. Rebecca Niemec, Manager of the Bureau of Animal Protection program, will provide producers with an update on program activities since she was appointed to the position last February.

    CattleFax Market Specialist, Troy Applehans, will be on hand to share a market outlook. CattleFax is an industry leader in research, analysis and information for beef, grains, energy and protein sectors, including pork and poultry, as well as trade.

    Back by popular demand, KKTV’s chief meteorologist and Weather5280‘s climate and long-range forecast specialist, Brian Bledsoe, will provide a forecast for Colorado farmers and ranchers to assist them in strategizing for the future.

    Need to renew your Beef Quality Assurance certification or earn a CLA Safety Group credit? Producers can receive both in the afternoon, led by Colorado BQA State Coordinator Libby Bigler.

    Attendance is free, but please register for lunch by February 10, 2023. Register online at www.coloradolivestock.org or call the CLA office at (970) 378-0500.

    CLA is able to provide high-caliber meetings and events because of the support of our agribusiness partners. We would like to recognize and thank our meeting sponsors!

    AGPROfessionals

    AgRisk Advisors

    Alltech

    American National Insurance

    Colorado Beef Council

    Flagler Cooperative Association

    Pinnacol Assurance