February 2000

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Conservation Plans Are A Must For EQIP 2000 From Forever Soil & Water, a publication of the Nez Perce Soil & Water Conservation Dist. The Natural Resources Conservation Service is accepting applications for the 2000 Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Farmers and ranchers who plan to apply for the program and don't have a conservation plan should contact their local NRCS field offices immediately to request conservation planning assistance. NRCS will prioritize EQIP applications by February 18, 2000, said NRCS State Conservationist Richard Sims, Boise. "Applicants who have current conservation plans will receive a higher priority for ranking. Other applications will be ranked as conservation plans are completed." EQIP for the year 2000 will be available in 23 locally identified priority areas with significant soil, water, or related natural resource concerns and statewide for water quality and riparian treatment. EQIP is a flexible, voluntary conservation program that provides financial, technical, and educational assistance to persons engaged in livestock or agricultural production. It offers 5 to 10 year contracts that provide incentive payments and cost sharing for conservation practices called for in comprehensive, site-specific resource management plans that completely address resource problems. Under Environmental Quality Incentives Program provisions, producers must have a conservation plan for the farm or ranch unit of concern The plan then becomes the basis for preparing an offer index for EQIP. Conservation plans are site-specific for each farm or ranch and can be developed by producers with help from NRCS or other qualified service providers. The insight generated in the process of planning can help producers see fresh possibilities for living a good life on landscapes that thrive. A combination of small, determined, and inexpensive steps could lead to large improvements in the environmental impact on farms and ranches over time. Conservation plans are "mobile" and can be used to apply for other federal and state programs if they aren't funded with EQIP dollars. Lyme Disease Awareness From the Nez Perce Soil & Water Conservation Dist. Lyme disease is surpassing Rocky Mountain spotted fever as the most common tick-borne disease in the country. It has been reported in 43 states and on 6 continents. However, according to the Lyme Disease Foundation, Inc., Idaho is in the low risk category. Lyme disease is caused when a victim is bitten by an infected deer tick and the causative agent sprochetes enters into the victim's blood. Early symptoms include a small red blotch that grows into a rash, which usually begins 3-21 days following an infected tick bite. Symptoms may also include a flu-like ailment with a low-grade fever, sore joints (especially in the knees) and headaches. If left untreated, the lesion may continue to expand for 1-12 weeks and reach 70 centimeters in diameter. The symptoms also may vanish, leaving the unsuspecting victim vulnerable months or years later to new symptoms resembling those of multiple sclerosis, heart disease and arthritis. In order to prevent contracting Lyme disease follow these general rules when working outdoors in areas which are likely to be infested by deer ticks: 1. Avoid areas of known tick infestation. 2. Use protective clothing or tightly woven material with long sleeves and pants; tuck pants into boots and socks. 3. Use insect repellent (deet or permethrin) on exposed skin and around cuffs. An insect repellent with 35% deet is adequate. 4. Shower and inspect for ticks as soon as possible after leaving a tick-infested area. 5. Use protective clothing and repellents when exposed to any biting (blood feeding) insects or other arthropod. 6. Remove attached tick as soon as possible. Use tweezers to grasp the tick's head close to the mouth parts and pull straight out with steady, even pressure until the tick releases its hold. Do not twist or jerk. Wash area of bite and hands thoroughly after tick removal. If the tick's mouth parts break off and remain imbedded in the skin, seek a physician for removal. If you develop a localized rash, sore joints or flu-like pains and congestion, you should immediately consult a physician. For more information on Lyme disease, questions. or printed material, call or write to: Lyme Disease Foundation, Inc. 1 Financial Plaza, Hartford, CT 06101, 203/525-3000 or 800/886-LYME. Do You Need Scrapie Tags? By Jean Smith, WSU Cooperative Extension, Franklin & Benton Co. The implementation of the initial phase of the Washington Scrapie Eradication Program began in 1999. All Washington sheep producers who raise black faced sheep or crossbred animals of black faced breeds are required by law to obtain an official Scrapie Flock Number. These are provided by the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Producers must use the official tamper-proof tags or other approved methods of animal identification. All breeding males and females of the black faced breeds must be identified as their flock origin prior to their sale or exhibition at a fair or livestock show. Additionally, all black faced female lambs that will be exhibited as market lambs at livestock shows in the state, must also be tagged with an official Scrapie Tag or otherwise officially identified as being from a specific flock. While this rule may be very inconvenient and a bit irritating to some, it is a rule passed with the expressed purpose of achieving Scrapie Free Status for Washington State in the future. Currently only flock owners with black faced and black faced crossbred sheep are affected by this ruling. By now, most producers are aware of the Scrapie Control Program requirements. However, if you need to obtain an official WSDA Flock Number and Scrapie program tags, contact Jean Smith at the Kennewick Cooperative Extension office and we will provide you with the necessary forms and information. Farm Facts 1). Kenaf is a crop being used to make newsprint, stage sets and exhibit backdrops. 2). Less than 5 million people live on the farm today, compared to 29.8 million in 1990. 3). The U.S. has less than 7 percent of the world's farm commodities.

Top Ten Customers Generally Tracking For 99/00 From the U.S. Wheat Associates "Wheat Letter" A mid-year assessment of exports shows that, for the most part, last year's top ten customers for U.S. wheat exports were buying at the same or, in some cases, higher levels than at the same time last year. The exception is Pakistan, where sales are about half of where they were at the same time last year. Hearings Will Discuss Proposed Changes To Animal Health Rules From WSDA Public comment on proposed changes to rules governing animal disease reporting, the duties of owners during testing of their livestock, and a swine disease control program will be heard Feb. 22. All three hearings will be held by the state Department of Agriculture in the cafeteria meeting room on the first floor of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington Street, Olympia. Times for each topic follow. Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. Feb. 22. 1 p.m.&emdash;Proposal updates existing rules on animal disease reporting. Changes include new definitions and bring Washington's requirements in line with national animal disease reporting. 1:15 p.m.&emdash;Proposed changes include definitions and update the language on rules regarding owners' duties during testing of their livestock. 1:30 p.m.&emdash;Proposal modernizes language of existing rules on Pseudorabies, an infectious disease affecting swine and other animals. Washington state achieved and has maintained Pseudorabies-free status since 1993. For more information or to submit written testimony, contact Dr. Robert W. Mead, state veterinarian, Washington State Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 42577, Olympia, WA 98504, (360) 902-1878. Written comments may be sent by FAX to (360) 902-2087 or E-mail to rmead@agr.wa.gov by 5 p.m. Feb. 22. Cow-Calf Producer Workshop Series By Jean Smith, WSU Cooperative Extension, Franklin & Benton Co. A series of three workshops will be held in Washington this year under the leadership of Dr. Don Nelson, WSU Beef Specialist. (1) Low Cost Cow-Calf Production School will be taught on June 6-9 by Dick Diven from Tuscon, Arizona. The goal of this school is to learn how the land can serve as the only source of feed energy through optimizing forage utilization and minimizing dependence on supplemental feed. (2) Body Condition Scoring workshop. In order to effectively implement the principles taught in the Low Cost Cow-Calf Production School, cow-calf producers need to be able to accurately assign body condition scores to their cows. (3) Land EKG&emdash;a two day land monitoring clinic will be taught by Charley Orchard from Bozeman, Montana. The cost for these workshops will range from $300-$495. Customers of Farm Credit Service may qualify for a paid tuition to these schools. Interested producers may contact Jean Smith (509) 735-3551 or Don Nelson (509) 335-2922. No Word On 10% Of U.S. Wheat Exports From the U.S. Wheat Associates "Wheat Letter" What is taking the Office of Management and Budget so long to issue their pronouncement on the food aid package submitted to them by USDA? Is the delay an indication that they are opposing the USDA proposal? The U.S. wheat industry is, unfortunately, left in the dark. USW, waiting to hear if this year's program for up to 3 million metric tons (MMT) of U.S. wheat is approved by 0MB, is beginning to get seriously nervous about the lack of action. Three million tons equates to 10% of total U.S. wheat exports. In fiscal year 1999, the USDA bought about 5 MMT for donations under the 416(b) program, or about 17% of exports. "We don't know why the 0MB is taking so long on this," said Nelson Denlinger, USW vice president for government affairs. "The U.S. government is U.S. wheat's biggest single export customer, and a rollback of the program would have a significant impact." Commodity organizations, including USW, have been told that 0MB is reviewing FY 2000 budgets to ensure that budget ceilings are kept intact. That process does not usually extend 3 and a half months into the start of the fiscal year. Scientific Irrigation Scheduling By Jean Smith, WSU Cooperative Extension, Franklin & Benton Co. Irrigation scheduling means applying the right amount of water to your crop at the right time Following this simple rule can result in water and energy savings and higher crop quality and yields. Scientific irrigation scheduling combines soil moisture monitoring with local weather and crop growth generated water use estimates to provide irrigators with the information needed to make critical irrigation scheduling decisions. Two useful irrigation scheduling aids are available through Washington State University Cooperative Extension programs. Irrigators can access crop water requirements with PAWS, the public agricultural weather system. Humor Parent's Excuses For Their Children The following are excuse notes from parents (including original spelling) collected by Nisheeth Parekh, University of Texas. My son is under a doctor's care and should not take P.E. today. Please execute him. Please excuse Lisa for being absent. She was sick and I had her shot. Dear School: Please ekscuse John being absent on Jan.28, 29,30, 31,32, and also 33. Please excuse Gloria from Jim today. She is administrating. Please excuse Roland from P.E. for a few days. Yesterday he fell out of a tree and misplaced his hip. More Excuses Next Month!!!

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