Farm & Ranch

May 8, 2008

Safe Tractor, Machinery Program Offered

ALLIANCE — The most common cause of death in agriculture accidents in Nebraska is tractor overturn. But lately ATVs (all-terrain vehicles) have replaced tractors as the type of vehicle most often involved in overturn fatalities, according to statistics quoted by UNL Extension Educator Bill Booker. In an effort to reduce the number of agricultural deaths and injuries, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension will offer National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program (NSTMOP) safety trainings in May and June at Alliance and four other Panhandle locations. The Alliance sessions will be 8 a.m.-5 p.m. both days June 10-11 at 21st Century Equipment. For information and pre-registration call 762-5616. There is a fee for materials, registration and the first day meal. Pre-registration is preferred to help in planning. The safety training is for 14- to 15-year-olds who want to work on farms other than their parents’, or who just wish to have the safety training. Booker said fatalities have been tracked since 1969. There have been 1,229 fatalities through March of this year — an average of almost 32 per year, many of them children. Last year 19 fatalities were recorded. Overturns are still the major cause of death, with all-terrain vehicles replacing tractors as the main cause. Five of the 19 fatalities in 2007 occurred while on an ATV. ATV overturn safety will be covered in the training. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 was amended in 1968 to include the Hazardous Occupation Order in Agriculture (HOOA). The order identified many agricultural tasks as hazardous for youth. Employment of youth under 16 to perform these tasks is illegal except for those working on their parents’ or guardians’ farm and/or 14- to 15-year-olds who have completed exemption training. Producers who violate this law can be fined up to $10,000 the first time. A second offense can have the fine plus imprisonment up to six months. The National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program (NSTMOP) was developed to offer this exemption training. The training completion permits 14- and 15-year-olds to drive a tractor after 10 hours of training, and to do field work with mechanized equipment after 20 hours. Course completion also fulfills the driving and testing requirement to operate machinery on public roads. This also means that youth younger than age 14 cannot be hired to operate tractors or machinery. The first day will include intensive classroom instruction with hands-on demonstrations, concluding with a written test that must be completed satisfactorily before the student may attempt the driving tests the next day. The training sessions will include volunteers and equipment from local machinery dealers. Homework will be assigned to turn in the next day. The second day will be for testing, driving and operating machinery, so participants should bring a sack lunch and dress for safety. Students will have to demonstrate competence in hooking up and then driving the tractor and trailer through a standardized course. Competence will also have to be exhibited in hooking up PTO and hydraulic systems.

For a more detailed story see the print edition.

Drought: Ranchers Have Several Options

By David Ostdiek

Communications Specialist

Panhandle Research and Extension Center

It’s decision time for ranchers whose pastures are suffering from drought. Rangeland in some parts of western Nebraska has been short of moisture since last summer and fall. In many areas there is little carry-over forage available for cattle to graze this year, according to Dr. Ivan Rush, beef specialist at the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center. As of April 22, most of the Panhandle remained in a drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor web site, operated by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Most of Sioux County was in the extreme category. Severe drought prevailed in an area surrounding this, including parts or all of Dawes, Box Butte, Scotts Bluff and northern Morrill counties. Moderate drought conditions existed in parts or all of Sheridan, northern Garden, and the remainder of Scotts Bluff and Morrill counties. The remainder of the Panhandle, to the south and east, was rated as abnormally dry, including Kimball, Cheyenne, Deuel and southern Garden counties. Before turning cattle out to graze, Rush recommends that ranchers assess their range condition, and project how much forage will be available to their herd in three different scenarios: if drought continues, if rainfall is normal, and if rainfall is above-average. Then they can think of alternatives in making decisions. Rain can change the situation, but at the present time many people are concerned whether adequate grass will be available. The lack of moisture already is beginning to affect cool-season grasses such as crested wheatgrass and cool-season native species such as needle and thread, according to Rush. By mid-May to early June warm season species such as blue grama and buffalo grass normally start adding new vegetation. Rain or snow within the next couple weeks will help the cool-season grasses some, but are needed and will definitely help warm-season grasses, Rush noted. But in areas affected by drought last summer and fall, producers should be cautious even if there is some regrowth this spring, Rush said. Last year’s drought may have affected the root reserves. If plants are to rebuild good root structure, they need to time to rejuvenate their leaf structure without the added pressure of grazing.

What options do producers have?

Rush suggests delaying summer turnout as long as possible, preferably until good grass growth is well started in pastures. It is acknowledged that the alternative, feeding harvested forages, is very expensive. But the cost might be worth it to protect the long-term productivity of summer range. “You could do drastic harm, both in the short and long term, otherwise,” he noted. Those who run yearlings have more options than those who are strictly cow-calf operators as to when to market cattle. They have options whether to put them on grass at all, or take them off early. Cow-calf operators should consider making plans now to wean calves early in a few months — either by taking them to a feedlot or designing feeding rations and providing a feeding area. Rush said calves as young as four or five months can be weaned easily with minimal health problems, given quality rations.

For a more detailed story see the print edition.

May 8, 2008

Grazing And Haying Allotments Available At Crescent Lake NWR

LAKESIDE — Portions of the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) will be available for livestock grazing and haying this fall. One aspect of the refuge’s management strategy consists of grazing to enhance warm season native grasses, which provide better nesting cover for ground nesting wild birds. A total of six grazing and one haying allotment will be available this fall. The grazing periods vary from September through November with all of this years units including grazing next spring as well.

For a more detailed story see the print edition.

Horse Show At Alliance To Open PQHA Season

ALLIANCE — The Plains Quarter Horse Association will open its 2008 season at Alliance next month. Box Butte County is also the home to an open show at the fairgrounds in Hemingford, the traditional start of the fair. Other events are: Open — June 22 Chadron, Aug. 3 Gordon and Aug. 24 Gordon; AQHA — June 27, 28, 29, Rapid City, S.D., Bray Arena; and Ranch Horse Competition — June 8 Gordon, Sept. 28 Edgemont, S.D. The open shows, ranch horse cutting and ranch horse competition is open to any breed of horse, not just for quarter horses and you do not have to be a member of Plains Quarter Horse Association to compete. This year for open shows the PQHA is asking but not requiring people to pre-register if possible to have entries on the computer and not be so rush the morning of the show. Entries will have to be paid for before entering the first class.

For a more detailed story see the print edition.

REFRESH PAGE FOR UPDATES! --- UPDATED 05/08/2008 3:45 PM ... Alliance Public Schools to get extra $906,801 from state aid --- BF Food Pride is looking at closing in the next couple weeks --- Sgt. First Class Steve Holloway, will be returning home this week for the first time since he was wounded in Mosul, Iraq on January 15, 2007 --- FIND OUT MORE IN THE PRINT EDITION OR SUBSCRIBE TO OUR ONLINE EDITION




COMMUNITY LINKS Moving to Box Butte County Visiting Box Butte County City of Alliance City Data for Alliance City of Hemingford Box Butte County Churches Alliance Public Schools St. Agnes Academy Hemingford Schools BNSF Crew Caller White Pages Yellow Pages Local Map and Directions LIFESTYLE LINKS WebMD Sudoko Online Parenting AG LINKS Complete Hourly Local Weather Daily WESTCO Weather Camera Livestock & Grain Market News Fruits & Vegetable Market News Crop Watch UNL Extension in Box Butte County Panhandle Research & Extension Center UNL Agricultural Reserach & Development Center UNL High Plains Ag Lab ONE STOP Wheat Information Extension Crop Management Workshops Institute of Agriculture & Natural Resources Pesticide Education Resources National Drought Mitigation Center Crop Protection Clinics Market Journal UNL Department of Agranony Variety Testing The High Plains Regional Climate Center The Nebraska Agriculatural Statistics Service	The Alliance FFA hosted their annual banquet in the AHS Multi-Purpose Room, this past Monday night. The parents and guests of these future agriculturalists took part in a potluck dinner, while the 2007-08 FFA officers, above, presided over the banquet program. The event included the reception of awards and many moments of recognition. This year’s officers are: Blake Becker as President, Levi Gorsuch as Vice President, Sage Henderson as Secretary, Cody Intermill as Treasurer, Bryce Vaughn as Reporter/Historian, Scott Langemeier as Sentinel, and Spencer Rowley as Parliamentarian. May 8, 2008 Safe Tractor, Machinery Program Offered ALLIANCE — The most common cause of death in agriculture accidents in Nebraska is tractor overturn. But lately ATVs (all-terrain vehicles) have replaced tractors as the type of vehicle most often involved in overturn fatalities, according to statistics quoted by UNL Extension Educator Bill Booker. In an effort to reduce the number of agricultural deaths and injuries, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension will offer National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program (NSTMOP) safety trainings in May and June at Alliance and four other Panhandle locations. The Alliance sessions will be 8 a.m.-5 p.m. both days June 10-11 at 21st Century Equipment. For information and pre-registration call 762-5616. There is a fee for materials, registration and the first day meal. Pre-registration is preferred to help in planning. The safety training is for 14- to 15-year-olds who want to work on farms other than their parents’, or who just wish to have the safety training. Booker said fatalities have been tracked since 1969. There have been 1,229 fatalities through March of this year — an average of almost 32 per year, many of them children. Last year 19 fatalities were recorded. Overturns are still the major cause of death, with all-terrain vehicles replacing tractors as the main cause. Five of the 19 fatalities in 2007 occurred while on an ATV. ATV overturn safety will be covered in the training. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 was amended in 1968 to include the Hazardous Occupation Order in Agriculture (HOOA). The order identified many agricultural tasks as hazardous for youth. Employment of youth under 16 to perform these tasks is illegal except for those working on their parents’ or guardians’ farm and/or 14- to 15-year-olds who have completed exemption training. Producers who violate this law can be fined up to $10,000 the first time. A second offense can have the fine plus imprisonment up to six months. The National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program (NSTMOP) was developed to offer this exemption training. The training completion permits 14- and 15-year-olds to drive a tractor after 10 hours of training, and to do field work with mechanized equipment after 20 hours. Course completion also fulfills the driving and testing requirement to operate machinery on public roads. This also means that youth younger than age 14 cannot be hired to operate tractors or machinery. The first day will include intensive classroom instruction with hands-on demonstrations, concluding with a written test that must be completed satisfactorily before the student may attempt the driving tests the next day. The training sessions will include volunteers and equipment from local machinery dealers. Homework will be assigned to turn in the next day. The second day will be for testing, driving and operating machinery, so participants should bring a sack lunch and dress for safety. Students will have to demonstrate competence in hooking up and then driving the tractor and trailer through a standardized course. Competence will also have to be exhibited in hooking up PTO and hydraulic systems. For a more detailed story see the print edition. Drought: Ranchers Have Several Options By David Ostdiek Communications Specialist Panhandle Research and Extension Center It’s decision time for ranchers whose pastures are suffering from drought. Rangeland in some parts of western Nebraska has been short of moisture since last summer and fall. In many areas there is little carry-over forage available for cattle to graze this year, according to Dr. Ivan Rush, beef specialist at the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center. As of April 22, most of the Panhandle remained in a drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor web site, operated by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Most of Sioux County was in the extreme category. Severe drought prevailed in an area surrounding this, including parts or all of Dawes, Box Butte, Scotts Bluff and northern Morrill counties. Moderate drought conditions existed in parts or all of Sheridan, northern Garden, and the remainder of Scotts Bluff and Morrill counties. The remainder of the Panhandle, to the south and east, was rated as abnormally dry, including Kimball, Cheyenne, Deuel and southern Garden counties. Before turning cattle out to graze, Rush recommends that ranchers assess their range condition, and project how much forage will be available to their herd in three different scenarios: if drought continues, if rainfall is normal, and if rainfall is above-average. Then they can think of alternatives in making decisions. Rain can change the situation, but at the present time many people are concerned whether adequate grass will be available. The lack of moisture already is beginning to affect cool-season grasses such as crested wheatgrass and cool-season native species such as needle and thread, according to Rush. By mid-May to early June warm season species such as blue grama and buffalo grass normally start adding new vegetation. Rain or snow within the next couple weeks will help the cool-season grasses some, but are needed and will definitely help warm-season grasses, Rush noted. But in areas affected by drought last summer and fall, producers should be cautious even if there is some regrowth this spring, Rush said. Last year’s drought may have affected the root reserves. If plants are to rebuild good root structure, they need to time to rejuvenate their leaf structure without the added pressure of grazing. What options do producers have? Rush suggests delaying summer turnout as long as possible, preferably until good grass growth is well started in pastures. It is acknowledged that the alternative, feeding harvested forages, is very expensive. But the cost might be worth it to protect the long-term productivity of summer range. “You could do drastic harm, both in the short and long term, otherwise,” he noted. Those who run yearlings have more options than those who are strictly cow-calf operators as to when to market cattle. They have options whether to put them on grass at all, or take them off early. Cow-calf operators should consider making plans now to wean calves early in a few months — either by taking them to a feedlot or designing feeding rations and providing a feeding area. Rush said calves as young as four or five months can be weaned easily with minimal health problems, given quality rations. For a more detailed story see the print edition. May 8, 2008 Grazing And Haying Allotments Available At Crescent Lake NWR LAKESIDE — Portions of the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) will be available for livestock grazing and haying this fall. One aspect of the refuge’s management strategy consists of grazing to enhance warm season native grasses, which provide better nesting cover for ground nesting wild birds. A total of six grazing and one haying allotment will be available this fall. The grazing periods vary from September through November with all of this years units including grazing next spring as well. For a more detailed story see the print edition. Horse Show At Alliance To Open PQHA Season ALLIANCE — The Plains Quarter Horse Association will open its 2008 season at Alliance next month. Box Butte County is also the home to an open show at the fairgrounds in Hemingford, the traditional start of the fair. Other events are: Open — June 22 Chadron, Aug. 3 Gordon and Aug. 24 Gordon; AQHA — June 27, 28, 29, Rapid City, S.D., Bray Arena; and Ranch Horse Competition — June 8 Gordon, Sept. 28 Edgemont, S.D. The open shows, ranch horse cutting and ranch horse competition is open to any breed of horse, not just for quarter horses and you do not have to be a member of Plains Quarter Horse Association to compete. This year for open shows the PQHA is asking but not requiring people to pre-register if possible to have entries on the computer and not be so rush the morning of the show. Entries will have to be paid for before entering the first class. For a more detailed story see the print edition.


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