Vol. 59 No. 11

WINTER 2013

Do Gray Wolves Need Protection? p. 4 Holiday Gift Guide p. 10 Every Good Lesson p. 17

High-Society Down on the Farm

p. 14

Ron Gibson, West Weber

Meagher McConkie, Altamont

FEaturEs

Give a Taste of Utah This Holiday Season

High-Society Down on the Farm

Every Good Lesson

2013 Annual Convention Wrap-Up

Gray Wolves No Longer Need Protection

God’s Gifts to Mankind

We Love our Smartphones, But What About Smart Food?

Make Your Winter Wonderland Safe

Every Good Lesson

Right to Public Prayer

Convention Award Highlights

New Advocate for Agriculture Award

College Students Compete Nationally

Baxter Black: A Shepherd’s Christmas Reunion

Money Matters: Holiday Cheers or New Year Tears?

Classifieds

Member Benefits

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CoNtENts

Vol. 59 No. 11

WINTER 2013

p.10 p.17

p.20

p.14Photo: Kelli Nakagama of www.RandomActsOfKelliness.com

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The Endangered Species Act, if you look at the numbers, is a colossal failure. Since its enactment in 1973, only about 20 out of nearly 2,000 endangered or threatened species – about 1 percent of the total – have been declared recovered, despite spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. So the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is chart-ing new territory when they recently declared the gray wolf as no longer endangered and no longer in need of federal protection.

The draft rule being proposed by the agency would remove the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List in the continental 48 states and turn over wolf management to the states. The Service is currently holding a series of hearings to present their

findings and to take public input. Three hearing have been held in the West - Albuquerque, New Mexico; Sacramento, California; and Pine Top, Arizona. As you can imagine, there has been an outcry from the wolf proponents as any suggestion of lifting federal protection. The hearings have been heavily attended and dominated by wolf advocates and those who want continued pro-tection for the gray wolf.

At the invitation of the Utah Divi-sion of Wildlife Resources Direc-tor Greg Sheehan, I traveled on December 3rd with a delegation of Utah ranchers and sportsmen to Pine Top, Arizona. As the spokes-man for 29,000 member families of Utah Farm Bureau and representing policy adopted by our delegates, my comments were straightforward – We support the Service’s proposal to delist the gray wolf; however, we do not support listing the Mexican wolf as an endangered subspecies. In addition, Utah Farm Bureau calls on the federal government to turn management of wolves to the states.

Farm Bureau is concerned that a growing population of wolves in the Rocky Mountain region – and mak-ing their into Utah – is placing stress

By Leland Hogan, President, Utah Farm Bureau Federation

GraY WoLVEs No LoNGEr NEED ProtECtIoN

and an unfair economic burden on ranching families. Besides the direct losses to wolves, there is a more sin-ister impact of having wolves nearby on the landscape. Lower livestock reproduction rates, reduced birth weights and weaning weights all take money out of ranch family pockets as well as the rural communities they support.

Some wolf advocates reject or downplay wolf attacks on people and livestock in the areas where the government or the court’s imposed wolf mandates. Cache County Farm Bureau members Fred and Laura Selman understand firsthand the economic and emotional impact marauding wolves can have.

During the summer of 2012, the Selman’s moved 2,500 head of ewes along with their lambs into western Wyoming. They divided the herd into two bands. One band became the target of a wolf pack that in-cluded 13 adults and five pups. The attacks became so aggressive, the Selman’s were forced to bring ad-ditional family members to fight off the frequent attacks. Brett Selman explained they would set up flood-lights and literally spend the night protecting their ewes and lambs.

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human beings, there is a disturbing incident out of Minnesota in Au-gust 2013. Noah Graham, a 16-year old was camping with some friends from church. A quiet evening sitting and visiting with friends at a lakeside campsite was suddenly shocked by the reality of a 75-pound gray wolf that shot out of the woods biting down on Noah’s head and neck. There was no warning! No growling or snarling - just a silent, ferocious attack. His father Scott Graham recalled, “It grabbed him by the back of the head and wouldn’t let go…I can still see its teeth in his skull.”

Until I read this story, I thought it was strange that in New Mexico at rural bus stops they are erect-ing crates for the children to stand in while awaiting the school bus. It’s time to delist the gray wolf and Mexican wolf and turn management over to the states.

At one point, with a wolf engaged in killing their lambs, the Selman’s got permission from the Wyoming Game & Fish to kill the offend-ing animal. As word of the wolf kill made its way to federal agents, agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service warned them, “Don’t do it again!”

Brett expressed his bewilderment asking me, “How have our values and laws gotten so far out of kil-ter? We have Americans fighting and dying to protect our rights and freedoms, but my livelihood can be taken from me by government indif-ference!”

In two months, the Selman sheep ranch lost 225 lambs or nearly 10 percent of their lamb crop with a value of $39,000. But that wasn’t the total impact to this five-generation family farm. The lambs marketed

from the band harassed by wolves were nine pounds lighter on average when they were sold at market. That weight difference meant the wolves stole another $11,000 from them. Ewes not breeding and providing the next year’s lamb crop, as well as lost genetics, are additional impacts not yet fully quantified; not to men-tion the family having to shift people from harvesting hay and other ranch related jobs to fend off killer wolves, as a necessary adjustment to protect their property.

The emotional and economic toll for sheep and cattle ranchers, people who care deeply about their animals, is contributing to Western ranching families selling out. Probably just what Jon Marvel and Western Water-sheds Project wants.

For those who would tell you wolves are afraid of people and won’t attack

Photo courtesy of US FWS

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As this year’s first real cold snap settles in and the Thanksgiving left-overs are now just sweet memories, we turn our attention to Christmas and our Savior. Or do we? With the hustle and bustle of the holidays and the reality of commercialization, does the historic meaning of Christ-mas still really matter? As children in Sunday School, we were taught that Christmas is a celebration of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. As adults, the purity and innocence of our youthful understanding of Jesus Christ seems to be somewhat com-promised by “Christmas” sales and Santa Claus pitching nearly anything from Coke to cars in print advertise-ments and of course all of those television commercials.

We all know the story of Bethle-hem, the manger, the angles who announced our Savior’s birth to shepherds tending their flocks, and of course, Mary and the Christ child. This is a story that has persisted for more than two millennia. It is a story that has connected and united

billions of people in America and around the world. Why does it con-tinue to be so important to us?

Mankind anticipated his coming for hundreds of years. The Prophet Isaiah told of the coming of the Messiah more than 700 years before Jesus was born. The Hebrew scholar Micah told of a coming deliverance through the “Anointed One” out of Bethlehem.

The story of Jesus Christ, born of Mary continues to be compelling to this day both from a religious and a historical standpoint. The Holy Land was under the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire. Heavy tax burdens were levied on the people by a cor-rupt system. Even the religious leaders of the time had turned away from their fundamental religious beliefs and principles, adding to the misery of the people living in the Holy Land.

Joseph and Mary, heavy with child, had journeyed a long distance to Bethlehem to pay Caesar’s taxes. With no proper lodging available, Mary gave birth to her child in a stable, using a manger for his bed. King Herod, hearing of the birth of Jesus and a potential challenge by the “King of the Jews” to his throne, ordered the execution of all young male children in Bethlehem. Joseph was compelled to flee from his homeland to Egypt to protect Mary and the child.

As Christians, we understand and embrace the truths of the Christmas story. It is a story with a multitude of enduring messages of hope, of peace, of goodwill toward man and of family. Christmas is a time of joy, of generosity and of thanksgiving. All of the love and gifts we enjoy in life are but symbols of the greater love God has for His children. Jesus came to earth to help mankind understand our relationship with our Father in Heaven. Jesus Christ, son of Mary, was born to die – for all of mankind.

John 3:16 describes God’s love and his eternal gift to mankind: “For God so loved the world, that he gave is only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

This year when we gather together as family, friends and Americans to enjoy our Christmas traditions and blessing let’s remember to celebrate our God given gifts of freedom and liberty. Freedom and liberty are gifts that have been and continue to be paid for by those in uniform who stand between us and would be aggressors who have distain for our way of life. Let’s keep these courageous men and women in our prayers.

Merry Christmas and God Bless America!

By Randy Parker, Chief Executive Officer, Utah Farm Bureau Federation

GoD’s GIFts to MaNKIND

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Smartphones, video games, tablets, apps… the list could go on and on. Our society and economy run, func-tion and communicate via technology. Technology has become so advanced that we now use the “phone” portion of the Smartphone far less than we use the device to browse the Web, tap into social media, listen to music and play games.

Technology is changing the way we do just about everything, and by all accounts we can’t get enough of it. Until we start talking about food tech-nology, often referred to as biotech-nology, and then our mindsets revert to the Dark Ages.

Farmville vs. Farm technologyFor years, farmers and ranchers have used technology to produce more food, feed, fiber and fuel, while using less acreage, chemicals and water. Now, facing quite possibly the big-gest challenge of our generation—to produce 100 percent more food by 2050—we need technology to feed far more than our brains and our Face-book accounts. In fact, in doubling the amount of food grown in the next 37 years, 70 percent of that additional food will have to come from efficien-cy-enhancing technologies that will compensate for one of the few things technology can’t produce: farm and ranch land.

Through advancements in science and technology, agriculture production has made tremendous strides. Consider the improvements to corn yields since the mid-to-late 1800s. In 1870, the national corn yield was 29 bushels per acre. This year, corn yields are project-ed to be 155.3 bushels per acre. The advancements in science and technol-ogy have resulted in a roughly 436 percent increase in the nation’s corn yields since 1870.

Today, approximately 90 percent of corn, soybeans and cotton grown in the U.S. are adopted from a biotech variety. Yet, there has not been a single documented, statistically sig-nificant incident of harm to human

health or to the environment. Due to the stellar performance of biotechnol-ogy products, the U.S. government, the World Health Organization, the American Medical Association and the National Academy of Sciences have all embraced the safety and benefits of these critical advancements. Still, some people are reluctant to accept this technology, let alone embrace it, as a means of feeding an increasing population.

the Great ContradictionTo those who continue to be skeptical of biotechnology, please consider this: every choice you and I make involves risk. Waking up, eating breakfast, tak-ing a shower, driving to work or even walking on the sidewalk has its haz-ards. And what about your new smart-phone? There are risks associated with that, too. The reality is that we accept that technology can help mitigate these risks to the benefit of all society.

Why are we still in the Dark Ages in our approach to food technology, but we’re giddy over the release of the iPhone 5s? With a partner in technol-ogy, farmers and ranchers are prepared to meet the food, fuel and fiber de-mands of the 21st century, but there, too, is a risk: the minority who contra-dict their own acceptance of technol-ogy could ultimately eliminate food options for those who would take a meal over the latest iPhone any day.

By Bob Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau Federation

WE LoVE our sMartPHoNEs, But WHat aBout sMart FooD?

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Give a

this Holiday Season

What would the holidays be like without dairy? We are fortunate in Utah to have much in the realm of delicious cheeses, ice cream novelties, and more.

• Award winning cheeses from the Beehive Cheese Com-pany. Located in Weber County just off the intersection of I-84 and Highway 89, these corporate businessmen-turned cheese makers are big on flavor. Try their well known ‘Bare-ly Buzzed Cheddar’, SeaHive (made with Utah’s RealSalt), or Aggiano (a tribute to the local USU Cheese making class they took). Visit http://www.beehivecheese.com.

• Another great cheese from the other side of the Wasatch Mountains comes from Heber Valley Artisan Cheese. It can hardly get any fresher than this, with the farmers barely taking off their dairy farmer boots to step into the cheese making plant. The Kohler family makes a delicious Wasatch

Jack, Queso Fresco, and the grillable Juustoleipa. Shoppers can also buy milk, ice cream and gift boxes. Visit http://www.hebervalleycheese.com.

• The original hometown dairy favorite, Fat Boy Ice Cream! Made by a Cache County family since 1925, these delicious dairy treats come as sandwiches, ice cream bars, or new Ac-tive D’Lites. Visit http://www.fatboyicecream.com.

• Looking for something more traditional? Want to ship a dairy product? That’s right. Check out Gossner Foods for their array of milk products that are shelf-stable. Processed via UHT (Ultra High Temperature) technology, Gossner Foods products have been enjoyed by military personnel around the world. Visit http://www.gossner.com/home/gossner/index.php.

ooking for the perfect gift around the holidays, or for any special occasion for that matter, can be a challenge. Gift givers can often be faced with tough, practical questions, including: How much to spend? Can it be shipped? What does it say about me or them? Will it be appreciated? Many of these questions can be answered by looking close to home for delicious gift of Utah – or more appropriately named, a gift of Utah’s Own.

Below are a number of gift ideas that are produced right here in Utah by many of our family farmers and ranchers. While by no means exhaustive, there is something for everyone. For a more expansive list, visit http://utahsown.utah.gov.

By Matt Hargreaves, Editor, Utah Farm Bureau News – Countryside

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FEATURE STORY

Dairy

Taste of Utah

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Give a

this Holiday Season

Fruit & Beverages• In addition still being able to buy boxes of apples from many local farmers, consider making a trip to the Big Red Barn in Santaquin for fresh apple cider and other gift baskets of dried cherries from the Rowley fam-ily. Visit http://redbarncider-mill.com for more information on the farm family’s cider or Southridge Farms’ online store for more gift ideas including yogurt-covered cherries. http://www.southridgefarms.com.

• Looking for a local sweet top-ping for your pancakes? Hold the maple syrup for a change and pour on some Bear Lake raspberry syrup from Chad’s Raspberry Kitchen. Visit http://chadsraspberrykitchen.com.

• Apples with a little kick? Try the ‘Best of State’-winning Apple Beer. Despite the name, the beverage has no alcohol, and is caffeine- and gluten-free. Visit http://www.applebeer.com/Default.aspx.

• Cows & Cabernet? Moab’s Castle Creek Winery sits on a working cattle ranch called the Red Cliff ’s Adventure Lodge. The family has been growing wine grapes since the 1970s and produces wine year-round. Visit http://www.castlecreekwinery.com.

Other Tastes of Home• Visit East Farms (http://www.eastfarms.net) or Black Island Farms (http://www.blackisland-farms.com) are a few of the local Consumer Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms in Utah, where resi-dents can share the load with a local farmer in producing various produce. Gift the gift of a pro-duce share!

• Take home some locally-harvest-ed salt from Redmond, Utah. Purchase ‘Real Salt’ online at http://realsalt.com or at your lo-cal store.

• Local beekeepers have much to offer, from regular and creamed honey to honey vinegar, beeswax, and more. Visit http://www.cox-honey.com or http://slideridge.com for gift ideas.

• You can also visit the Utah’s Own website or your local butcher for prime cuts of local beef, pork, lamb and poultry.

Happy gift giving to you and yours!

By Matt Hargreaves, Editor, Utah Farm Bureau News – Countryside

The first safety concern is heating a house. When using a fireplace or wood stove, the flue or chimney should be inspected each year. If you are unsure of who to contact to inspect it, consider the yellow pages under “chimney clean-ing” or contact your local fire department for a recommen-dation. If using fireplaces, kerosene heaters or wood stoves, have smoke detectors, and battery-operated carbon monox-ide detectors near the heated area. Other items to consider:

• Replace batteries twice a year in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors • Where possible insulate waterlines near or that run along exterior walls to prevent freezing • Add weather-stripping, and insulation to needed areas • If you have outdoor pets make sure they have access to unfrozen water • Don’t use generators indoors, inside the garage or near a house’s air intake in order to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning • Avoid placing space heaters within three feet of bedding, furniture, drapes, or anything that may catch fire

The second safety concern is for you when outdoors. Not drinking alcoholic or caffeinated beverages is a good way to stay warm. These beverages cause your body to lose heat more rapidly. Eating healthy meals will also keep your body warm, and add a little broth during the day to help maintain your body temperature. Don’t forget, cold weather puts an added strain on the heart. If you have high blood pressure or heart disease, talk to your doctor about shoveling snow or performing other hard work in cold weather. Don’t underestimate wind chill; it can cause serious winter health problems including frostbite.

Other safety tips to remember when outdoors are:

• Keep dry • Wear a hat, scarf or knit mask to cover mouth and face • Use gloves and mittens (mittens are warmer than gloves) • Wear several layers of clothing • Make sure your coat and boots are water resistant • When shoveling snow, take it easy and pace yourself • Just as you warm up at the start of exercising, take the time to warm up before shoveling before shoveling • It is easier to shovel freshly fallen snow • Pushing the snow is easier on your back than lifting it • When lifting the snow on shovel, do not over load the shovel, lift with your legs bent and keep your back straight • Avoid working to the point of total fatigue

The third safety concern is for sledding and tubing. Most national numbers agree that, there are just over 20,000 children and teens admitted to the hospital due to sled or in-ner tube accidents. The most commonly injured are children between the ages of five to nine. They like adventure, but don’t always understand the potential dangers that are as-sociated with this type of fun. Consider these safety tips for sledding and tubing:

• Help children understand that good decisions can prevent major injuries • Encourage riders to go feet first helping to avoid many head injuries • Review the terrain for potential hazards prior to letting riders go down the trails. • This includes looking for rocks, trees, and other hazards such as sliding into a road or street • Snow ramps can be fun but make sure the ramp is appropriate for those in your group. Remember they can cause serious injuries or even be deadly • Have children come in for water breaks. Heavy winter clothing and physical exertion leads to sweating and dehydration

Make Your Winter Wonderland safeBy A.J. Ferguson, VP of Farm Safety, Utah Farm Bureau

As thoughts turn to winter fun and Christmas joy, remember cold weather brings along its own safety hazards.

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The lifeblood of America.

FB02-ML (7-13)

They’re the humble heroes who rise before dawn and battle

the elements. They put clothes on our backs and food on

our tables. Their genuine values and tireless work ethic are

an inspiration to us all. We appreciate all that America’s

farmers do and invite you to join us in saying thanks at

www.fbfs.com/SayThanksToAFarmer.

/SayThanksToAFarmer

UT-Tribute(7-13).indd 1 6/5/13 12:22 PM

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SPRING LAKE, Utah – There are few foods that carry with it such an iconic image of high society as caviar. Maybe throw in champagne, truffles, and foie gras, and there you have it, a meal reserved for the Hamptons. Even some upscale restaurants in Utah serve it as a garnish or spread, but most would be surprised to learn that Utah has its very own supplier of fresh caviar – in Utah County.

“We got into the fish business by ac-cident, or rather by getting lost when visiting a relative,” said Robert Judd, owner of Spring Lake Trout Farm in Spring Lake, Utah. “We stopped to ask for directions at this home and found they had a trout farm. My dad was intrigued, and a few days later, we were the owners.”

Nestled in between Payson and Santa-quin, the Spring Lake Trout Farm has been raising quality trout since 1912, but it was Judd and his family that have raised the stakes by renovating its ponds

and raceways in order to grow quality farmed trout and other fish.

The farm currently grows fish for pond stocking, fishing for the public, and live egg sales. While the live fish business has been the bread and butter for Judd, who also manages the fish tanks for Cabela’s in Lehi, it is the supply of eggs that intrigues him for the future.

The trout farming industry, along with much of the rest of private aquaculture in Utah, has faced difficult times in dealing with threats from whirling dis-ease and the regulations that come with it. So it was welcomed, if not surprised, news for Judd when he was approached by the chef of a local high-end res-taurant about supplying trout eggs for fresh caviar in its dishes.

“Chef Bowman from Forage Restaurant in Salt Lake City came in and we experi-mented with what we could supply in terms of trout eggs,” Judd said. “Our first attempt wasn’t too good, as the

eggs were further along on the devel-opment process, so they didn’t taste as good. But we’ve improved things so that they can use them as fresh caviar within the first week, and then cure them after that to use throughout the year.”

While it is technically correct in some circles that only the eggs from wild stur-geon in the Caspian Sea are considered “caviar”, there are indeed many forms of the delicacy. Staring with several va-rieties and grades of the black sturgeon eggs, caviar has expanded to include salmon, lumpfish, whitefish and yes, even the amber-colored eggs of local rainbow trout.

Caviar can be served fresh or pasteur-ized, in which the caviar is preserved by curing it in brine for a longer shelf life. The eggs are very perishable and go bad within a week if not preserved.

Foreign to most palates, caviar has been described as having a briny, floral

High-SocietyDown on the FarmBy Matt Hargreaves, Editor, Utah Farm Bureau Countryside Magazine

FEATURE STORY

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taste. Judd admits that its taste does get “fishier” the older it is. It is often used as a spread or garnish on anything from crackers and sushi; to prepared fish dishes and toppings for baked potatoes.

Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan are the larg-est exporters of wild caviar, while Italy is the leader in exporting farmed caviar. Supplies were limited in the early 2000s, as countries limited harvests in order to bulk up populations of threatened sturgeon.

As the topic of food becomes more common in traditional media and social media, and more people associ-

ate themselves as “foodies”, restaurants have been searching to provide new food experiences for their clientele. As such, local demand for caviar has been growing as well.

“I’ve had buyers from around the world contacting me about selling my trout eggs, from countries like Iran and Great Britain,” Judd said. “But it’s about having enough steady supply of high quality. These buyers can take up to 2 million eggs per purchase, which would wipe me out right now.”

Currently, Judd is selling approximately 500,000 eggs per year to restaurants,

with hopes of ramping up production to be in the 15 t0 20 million egg range. He finds his farm at the crossroads of getting bigger to meet demand, while other portions of his business take on more risk. Only time will tell if the cav-iar sector pays off, but Judd is excited about the potential for this tiny crop.

To experience local caviar for yourself, visit Forage restaurant (http://www.foragerestaurant.com) or visit the farm itself, with information at http://spring-laketrout.net.

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FEATURE STORY

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s we travel down the road of life, we pick up lessons — like pebbles along the way. Some we use the minute we find them, while others are put in our pockets to be used at some future time. Life lessons can be simple and taught in an instant, or can take a lifetime to learn. Some are taught with words, and some by mere observation. They can be taught by the experience of the wise, or through the innocence of youth.

I’ve observed that some lessons are so profound we almost intuitively know to pay attention because we are going to need it one day. Some lessons hurt. Some lessons shine a light on what we need to change. Some lessons are outlined with a tinge of regret. And some life lessons learned are seared indelibly upon our minds and hearts never to be forgotten. They become the foundation of who we are.

The first life lesson I can remember learn-ing as a child was a trespassing lesson. As a little girl I remember begging my father to buy a horse. I wanted to ride a horse in the worst way. I remember the answer always including the cost of feed, boarding, vets, etc., which I could never understand then, though it became clearer to me when I was a parent.

My family lived in a rural setting in Mon-tana—wheat fields in front of our house and a wheat field in back of our house. Just across the wheat field at the rise of a little hill there was a pond that I loved. It overlooked a stockyard that had horses in one of the corrals. One day I had the courage. I jumped the fence and managed to get on the horse that I had determined was the most gentle. (In retrospect, I think

it was the oldest horse, destined for the glue factory.) When I was on that horse, I felt like I was on top of the world. My excite-ment was short lived as the horse moseyed over to a set of railroad tracks and stood there eating the grass that grew between the railroad ties. I heard something and looked up and saw a small railcar coming. I tried to get that old horse to move, I clicked my tongue, dug in my heels and slapped his hindquarters, but that horse wasn’t moving. I knew in a matter of seconds I was either going to die on top of that horse or at least get caught being where I wasn’t supposed to be. My heart was pounding, the adrenaline rushing. I jumped off that old horse and ran all the way home, never looking back. I don’t remember asking my father for a horse ever again.

One of the most profound lessons I’ve ever learned was as a young wife. My hus-band and I purchased a home in an older neighborhood in South Salt Lake. We were surrounded by wonderful, wise neighbors – salt of the earth kind of people — who were members of the greatest generation. Amber and Sylvia Davidson lived in our neighborhood. Amber was 6’2” and his wife, Sylvia was 5’. Amber was battling cancer and I remember watching him lean on Sylvia for support as they left church one Sunday. I was taught, “That is true love — not the Hollywood version — that is the real deal.” I didn’t know how important that lesson would be to me 30 years later as my husband, Dan, and I meet the challenges of living with Multiple Sclerosis. My heart understood back then that “Charity beareth all things and endureth all things.” It was one of those life lessons I gratefully put in my pocket to save for another day.

Other lessons I’ve learned over the years include: 1) Never scare your older sis-ter—she’ll always give it back, bigger and better than you gave it; 2) Don’t miss out on things that only come around once; 3) When you feel prompted to do something do it—sometimes you don’t get a second chance; 4) When you’re overwhelmed, start in a corner and work your way out; 5) If you tear it down it will never grow; 6) People are more important than things; 7) Kindness matters; and 8) Never suppress a charitable thought.

This year I’ve learned: “Never miss a chance to build others.” I learned the lesson from my good friend, Jane Ashby. Jane had a wonderful gift of knowing how to love. She always recognized a job well done, or personal qualities and characteristics she admired in people. She took a personal interest in people and asked questions and took the time to really listen. She didn’t hold back sincere compliments. Her compli-ments built confidence and relationships. I’ve often wondered if she knew how much I appreciated her and how much I admired her many talents and gifts. I know I didn’t say it as often as I should have. Lesson learned. I will be a better listener, and better at expressing love and appreciation. The Christmas season offers many opportunities to practice—Christmas cards, gifts, family gatherings, and holiday parties.

I’ve observed that as we travel down the road of life together, the lessons we learn can be shared and can be a gift to others along the way. At all times and especially during the Christmas season, I recognize every good lesson as a gift from the greatest gift giver, the source of all love, Jesus the Christ, whose birth we celebrate.

EVERY GOOD LESSONBy Susan Furner, Executive Assistant, Utah Farm Bureau

A

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Right to PuBlic PrayerBy Sterling C. Brown, Vice President –Public Policy, Utah Farm Bureau

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everal years ago, while commuting to work, I intently listened to the frequent and timely traffic up-dates on the radio. Following one par-ticular update, the radio reporter closed the report by stating “In the name of Jesus Christ …” To my knowledge, there was never a public admission of mistake, error or embarrassment. How-ever, I’m sure the reporter became lax or distracted, only for a moment, during the live reporting and made a mistake. I smiled that morning, as I’m sure many others did, as we alternated between the brake and throttle maneuvering our way to work.

Since that “prayerful” traffic update, I’ve given more thought to the role and purpose of public prayer, particularly public prayer in government meetings. I am frequently in public meetings, held in government buildings, conducted by elected, appointed or hired government leaders. On occasion, these meetings will include a prayer. Often times, they will not. Regardless, public prayer has had a place and purpose in both the United States and Utah governments.

Prayer is often thought of as a private, personal and spiritual exercise. In the New Testament, Jesus invites us to pray in our “closet” (Matthew 6: 5-6). After all, prayer is communication with deity.

Public prayer, specifically, public prayer in government meetings, often invokes correctness and formality. Public prayer, at times, creates uneasiness and criti-cism. Some feel that when even non-denominational prayers are offered in government meetings, they inevitably exclude, divide and embarrass various taxpayers’ and constituents. They feel it is not necessary to pray on taxpayers’ time. Some feel these public prayers turn away minorities, including Atheists, Muslims and Hindus. Prayers at govern-ment meetings continue to be litigated because some believe they cross the line and are politically divisive. As a result, many government entities replace public prayer with moments of silence, a verbal thought or story.

Whether private or public, prayer is a selfless, humble act that puts into prop-

er order and perspective the relationship between mortality and immortality.

Both the United States and Utah Con-stitutions state the exercise of religion and the freedom of speech is a fun-damental, guaranteed right. The Utah Constitution further states that no law shall be passed to restrain the freedom of speech.

Thirty years ago, the United States Supreme Court (Marsh v. Chambers), upheld the right to start a legislative gathering with a prayer because of the “unambiguous and unbroken history” dating back to the first Congress. Twen-ty years ago, the Utah Supreme Court upheld the right of governments to start meetings with a prayer by stating it was legal as long as the opportunity was offered to people of all faiths and those without one.

In time, courts have ruled the kinds of prayer that can be said in public. In public schools, for example, volun-tary student participation in prayer is permitted if the policy ensures there is no direct or indirect coercion and no identification with a particular religion. These public school prayers should be nonsectarian, nondenominational and nonproselytizing in nature. In govern-ment settings, the courts have estab-lished a three-part test for determining if a government action violates the establishment of religion clause of the First Amendment (Freedom of Speech). First, the government action must have a secular purpose; second, the govern-ment action’s primary purpose must not be to inhibit or to advance religion; and third, there must be no excessive entanglement between government and religion. Earlier this year, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said in a statement re-garding a United States Supreme Court case dealing with public government prayers, “Legislative prayers are as old as America and courts have no business regulating them.”

Utah’s Legislature begins each day of its annual 45-day session with a prayer from a different member, religious lead-er or community member. Utah Guber-natorial Inaugurations have started and

ended with prayer. Both bodies of the United States Congress start each ses-sion with a prayer.

Just weeks ago, Utah Farm Bureau vot-ing delegates reaffirmed policies that serve as a guide and platform for the coming year’s program of work. On the final pages of this adopted policy book is a relatively short, yet fundamental policy. It states, “We support the right to public prayer and discussion of reli-gious themes in public forums, includ-ing schools, and support a modification of the Utah Constitution, if necessary, to guarantee this right (#371 Public Prayer).”

Unlike many Utah Farm Bureau polices that regularly get reviewed and occa-sionally amended, policy #371 endures the test of time, decades of time, without change or even discussion. Each year, hundreds of Farm Bureau members and elected voting delegates are reminded of this stable, enduring policy. Each year, its title is read aloud “Policy #371… Public Prayer.” Each year, from my vantage point, there is a pause of reverence following the read-ing. To me, this pause shouts unspoken boldness. To me, members of the Utah Farm Bureau place prayer, public prayer, as a cornerstone to our fundamental and guaranteed rights as American citizens. America’s unparalleled progress is based on freedom and dignity of the individual, sustained by basic, moral and religious concepts (Utah Farm Bureau policy #302).

Recognizing and calling on deity in public, government meetings is increas-ingly important. In a time when trading commerce is increasingly international, communication is instant and tested, and moral values are neglected, we must recognize and call on immortal powers to direct mortal thoughts and actions.

Farm Bureau members believe in the words “In God We Trust” and “One Nation Under God.” Prayer acknowl-edges these beliefs. Furthermore, prayer, even public prayer, can unite broad interests and bring into clear focus a common purpose for a greater good.

S

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Celebrating its 97th annual convention, farmers and ranchers throughout the state gathered at the Davis Confer-ence Center in Layton to talk about issues confronting agriculture in Utah, including Utah’s agricultural economy, water development, wildlife-livestock conflicts, public lands issues, healthcare challenges, and more.

The Farm Bureau delegate body delib-erated and came up with policy recom-mendations to address these and other issues, and also held elections to decide on leaders to guide the organization.

Utah Farm Bureau President Leland Hogan greeted convention goers with an optimistic attitude about the chal-lenges faced today. He also encour-aged Farm Bureau members to come together with a unified voice in support of agriculture, and to reach out to share the story of modern agriculture with those not involved in the industry. Chief Executive Officer Randy Parker also congratulated Farm Bureau members on their many achievements throughout the year. Parker also showed a video presentation commending volunteer members and staff on the many awards and recognitions earned throughout the year and the Farm Bu-reau’s success at the state legislature.

The convention got off to a roaring start with the familiar and self-depre-cating humor of cowboy poet Baxter Black. Black entertained a packed convention hall with stories that all can relate to – whether farmer or urban dweller – because it pokes fun at man-kind’s ability to overcomplicate simple situations, and make them funny given the proper perspective.

After the laughs, members were brought back to earth with a somber discussion on the impacts of recently implemented portions of the Affordable Care Act. Steve Kammeyer, Director of Health Insurance Services for Farm Bureau Financial, came and tried to clarify what was fact or fiction in relation to the healthcare law, and what decisions families need to make to be in compli-ance with the law.

The evening concluded with the awards show presentation, where many young farmers were awarded with trips to compete nationally at the American Farm Bureau Convention. Nan Bunker was also awarded the Utah Farm Bu-reau’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award.

Breakouts sessions were held Friday on topics such as teaching children the val-ue of money, the impact of the national

economy on individuals, various county fencing ordinances, and more.

Following the breakouts, attendees heard presentations on energy develop-ment and conservation from the Office of Energy Development, as well as remarks from outgoing Commissioner of Agriculture, Leonard Blackham.

The general session ended with an ad-dress from Utah Congressman Chris Stewart, who spoke about the chal-lenges of dealing with overregulation in Washington, D.C., particularly from the Environmental Protection Agency, and his efforts to bring common sense into the application of laws and rules.

Concluding the convention, Farm Bu-reau members and invited guests were treated to a delicious banquet dinner and the presentation of the 2013 Leop-old Conservation Award to H.A. Farms and the family of the late State Senator Dennis Stowell of Iron County, and the 2013 Friend of Agriculture Award to outgoing Utah Lieutenant Governor Greg Bell.

Thank you to all Farm Bureau members that made the sacrifice to attend the convention, and we look forward to see-ing many more at the convention next year in Davis County.

2013 Annual Convention Wrap-Up

2013 ANNUAL CONVENTIONMaNY VoICEs, oNE VIsIoN

2013 Annual Convention Wrap-Up

FRIENDS and SUPPORTERSof UTAH FARM BUREAU

PLATINUM

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

CONTRIBUTORS

Utah Polaris DealersWestern AgCreditDavis Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Utah Labor CommisionPriefert

Zions Bank Ag GroupFarm Bureau Financial ServicesUtah Office of Energy Development

IFARedmond MineralsSalina Marketing

General MotorsUtah Rural Electric AssociationUtah Dairy Council

Moroni Feed CompanyMonsantoAltria

Circle 4 FarmsGossner FoodsUtah’s OwnRed Tart Cherry Marketing BoardSchool Institutional Trust Lands Admin. (SITLA)

Stotz EquipmentLes Schwab TiresBurns SaddleryWalco

LegolandProducer’s LivestockUtah Apple Marketing BoardHilton Garden InnAg Equipment Inc.Harward IrrigationLagoonUtah Cattlemen’s AssociationUtah Woolgrowers AssociationUtah Pork Producers Association

GraingerUtah SeedBeehive Cheese CompanySeaWorldChoice HotelsSteve ReganSutherland InstituteUtah Jazz BasketballBrigham ImplementLewiston State Bank

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Sand County Foundation in partnership with the Utah Farm Bureau Federation, Western AgCredit and the Utah Cattlemen’s Association named H.A. Farms as the recipient of the prestigious 2013 Leopold Con-servation Award. The award honors Utah landowner achievement in voluntary stewardship and management of natural resources. The award was presented by Utah Lieutenant Governor Spencer Cox at the Utah Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Convention.

For their award, the Stowell family was presented with a crystal depicting Aldo Leopold and a check for $10,000. Finalists for the award included W.F. Goring & Son, Inc. of Deweyville, Box Elder County and Johnson Moun-tain Ranch in Aurora, Sevier County.

H.A. Farms, Inc. is a sheep and cattle ranch in Parowan, Iron County operated by Dennis Stowell until his death in 2011. The family has continued his tradition of land stewardship, culminating with this award.

A longtime public servant dedicated to environmental improvement, Stowell served in the Utah State Senate and chaired the Senate Natural Resources Committees. In his agricultural business, he utilized conservation management ideas and innovations to improve the con-dition of the land, increase productivity and enhance wildlife habitat.

Today, H.A. Farms in managed by Dennis Stowell’s widow, Marilee Stowell, and their sons Coy and Kelly.

In addition to this Leopold Award, the Utah Section of the Society for Range Management honored Coy Stowell in early November with its ‘Excellence in Range Management’ award for the state of Utah.

“We are very excited to present this award on behalf of the farmers and ranchers of Utah,” Leland Hogan said. “This award, however, is great for all of Utah be-cause the recognition and funding helps to preserve and enhance our open space. Utah’s farmers and ranchers have a long history of land preservation and a deep commitment to preserving Utah’s natural resources. As stewards of the land we want to ensure that history con-tinues well into the future.”

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the Leopold Conservation Award recognizes extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. It inspires other landowners through these examples and provides a visible forum where farmers, ranchers and other private landowners are recognized as conservation leaders. In his influential 1949 book, A Sand County Almanac, Leopold called for an ethical relationship be-tween people and the land they own and manage, which he called “an evolutionary possibility and an ecological necessity.”

The Leopold Conservation Award in Utah is made pos-sible through the support of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation, Western AgCredit, Utah Wool Growers Association, The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. Visit www.leopoldconservationaward.org.

2013 LEOPOLD CONSERVATION AWARD FRIEND of

AGRICULTURE

UTAH FARM BUREAU MEMBERS ELECT FARM and RANCH LEADERS

Members from Utah’s 28 County Farm Bureaus met recently in Layton to select leaders for the state’s largest farming and ranching organization. Delegates re-elected Tooele County rancher and hay farmer Leland Hogan to his 7th two-year term as president of the Utah Farm Bureau Fed-eration.

“I feel a great responsibility to this organization and to carry out its wishes in keeping agriculture and Farm Bureau strong in advocating the inter-ests of agriculture everywhere we go,” Hogan said. “This is a position of service, and to the best of my ability I’ll continue to serve the mem-bers of this organization throughout the state. Thank you so much.”

Ron Gibson, a dairy farmer from West Weber, Weber County was elected to the State Board of Directors, replacing hay farmer Rulon Fow-ers. Rex Larsen, a cattle rancher and grain farmer from Spanish Fork and and Edwin Sunderland, a turkey farmer from Chester (Sanpete County) were also re-elected to two-year terms on the Utah Farm Bureau Board of Directors.

Belva Parr of Utah County was re-elected as the chair of the State Farm Bureau Women’s Com-mittee. Parr also sits on the Farm Bureau State Board of Directors in her capacity of State Women’s Committee Chair. Parr owns sheep currently, but has been involved with agriculture all her life.

Re-elected to the State Farm Bureau Women’s Committee were Dot Jensen of Tremonton for District 1 and JaNae Titmus of Grantsville for District 3. Newly elected members of the State Women’s Committee included Andrea Schoen-feld of Tridell (Uintah County) for District 5; Vicky Bastian of Sigurd (Sevier County) for Dis-trict 6; and Linda Noyes of Beaver for District 7.

Meagher McConkie, a cattle rancher from Al-tamont (Duchesne County), was selected as the new chairman of the Young Farmer and Rancher Committee (YF&R). Four new couples were also elected to serve on the state committee, including Brady and Christy Thornock of Randolph (Rich County); Derek and Jordan Black from Grants-ville (Tooele County); Jeff & Jennie Christensen of Cleveland (Emery County), and Matt & Paige Gray from Pine Valley (Washington County). Voting delegates also addressed a wide range of policy issues including positions on taxes, envi-ronmental regulations, water development, water quality, animal welfare, wildlife, healthcare and more.

The Utah Farm Bureau Federation paid tribute to outgoing Lieutenant Governor Greg Bell at the recent Utah Farm Bureau convention in Layton. Bell has been a sup-porter for agriculture and rural Utah during his time in the legislature and continued his efforts while in the Governor’s office.

Bell did not grow up on a farm or ranch but has had the greatest admiration and appre-ciation for those who work hard to till the land and raise livestock. Bell was success-ful in private business, and he distinguished himself in public service beginning with 12 years in local government, first on the Farmington City Council then as Farming-ton Mayor. In 2002, he ran for Utah’s 22nd Senate District winning the general election with 87% of the vote. In 2009 he was ap-pointed Utah’s seventh Lieutenant Gover-nor joining Governor Gary Herbert on the state’s executive team. In 2010, the Herbert-Bell ticket was elected to a half term, and then in November 2012 they won election to the current four-year term. This execu-tive team has positioned Utah as the best state in the nation for business as well as to live in.

As Lieutenant Governor, Bell quickly estab-lished a close bond with rural Utah, farmers and ranchers and the Utah Farm Bureau. Throughout his career he has been recog-nized as a man of honesty and integrity who possesses the ability to bring people together to find solutions.

The Utah Farm Bureau proudly recognized Lieutenant Governor Greg Bell with the 2013 “Friend of Agriculture Award” for his dedicated service to the citizens of Utah. In September, 2013 Lieutenant Governor Greg Bell announced he would be step-ping down from the state’s second highest elected position to pursue opportunities in private business.

2013 Annual Convention Wrap-Up

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YF&R ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

YF&R DISCUSSION MEET WINNER

YF&R EXCELLENCE IN AGRICULTURE

John & Dusty Reese of Kanab, Utah were rec-ognized as the winners of the Utah Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher ‘Excellence in Agri-culture’ award. The award was presented at the recent Utah Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Layton, Utah.

The Excellence in Agriculture award is a competi-tion that was initiated a number of years ago to recognize young farmers and ranchers involved in agriculture, but who do not necessarily derive a majority of their income from an owned produc-tion agriculture operation.

The Reese family, representing the Kane County Farm Bureau, competed with 12 other contestants for the award. The Reeses received a plaque, a $500 check from the General Motors, a 2013 Polaris Trailboss ATV courtesy of Zions Bank Ag Group, an insurance policy for the ATV from Farm Bu-reau Financial Services, and an expense-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

The Reeses will compete at the American Farm Bureau annual convention in January with the win-ners of this same award from other State Farm Bureaus across the country. National winners of the Excellence in Agriculture award are presented their choice of either a Chevy Silverado or GMC Sierra Truck, courtesy of General Motors.

John and Dusty own their own family farm, which includes farming hay and sweet corn, as well as registered Angus cattle. The family also works with John’s father’s produce farm and that of a neigh-boring farmer as well.

In addition to the ranch work, John works full-time as a Rangeland Management Specialist with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). John’s duties involve working with ranchers to maximize rangeland health and productivity, working on wa-ter development projects, and in general maintain-ing the sustainability of grazing on federal lands. Dusty is a stay at home mom who also works on the farm and does payroll for several other busi-nesses.

John & Dusty are the proud parents of three kids. Together as a family they manage their cattle ranch, shoe horses and help promote agriculture any way they can.

Joel and Becca Ferry of Box Elder County were the winners of the Utah Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher ‘Achievement Award’. The award was present-ed at the recent Utah Farm Bureau Annual Convention and is considered the top honor for young farmers and ranchers in Utah.

The Achievement Award is a competition that recogniz-es those young farmers and ranchers that have excelled in their farming or ranching operations and honed their leadership abilities to superiority.

The contestants are evaluated on a combination of their farming operation growth and financial progress of op-eration, Farm Bureau leadership and leadership outside of Farm Bureau. More specifically, the judges look for excellence in management, growth and scope of the en-terprise and self-initiative that are displayed throughout the operation.

Joel and Becca make their home in Brigham City, but farm in partnership with Joel’s family in Corinne. Joel is involved in the various segments of the farm, includ-ing overall management decisions for the family’s crops, feedlot, hunting and other livestock sectors. After grow-ing up on the family’s farm, Joel took a few years away to study and work in finance for Zions Bank, before leaving a few years ago to work full-time on the farm.

Upon returning to his country roots, Joel has also imple-mented several measures to improve water quality and wetland habitat on the family’s ranch property, using livestock as a tool to ward off invasive species while at the same time reclaiming previously unusable land.

Joel and Becca have four children, and the couple is very involved in their kids’ schools. Becca has been a vol-unteer for many years, participating in Utah State Uni-versity’s ‘Ag in the Classroom’ program, where farmers and ranchers provide agricultural resources to teachers and students.

The Ferry family, representing the Box Elder County Farm Bureau, competed with five other contestants from around the state for the award. Joel & Becca re-ceived a plaque, a $500 check from the General Motors, a 2013 Polaris Ranger ATV from Polaris Industries, an insurance policy for the ATV from Farm Bureau Finan-cial Services, and an expense-paid trip in January to the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

The Ferrys will compete at the American Farm Bureau annual convention against Achievement Award win-ners from across the nation. National winners of the Achievement Award their choice of either a Chevy Sil-verado or GMC Sierra Truck, courtesy of General Mo-tors.

Mike Gibbons of Lewiston, Utah won the Utah Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Discussion Meet. The competition was con-cluded at the recent Utah Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Layton and is considered a top honor for young farmers and ranchers in Utah.

The Discussion Meet contest is designed to simulate a committee meeting where discus-sion and active participation are expected from each participant. This competition is evaluated on an exchange of ideas and information on a pre-determined topic. The judges are looking for the contestant that offers constructive criti-cism, cooperation, and communication while analyzing agricultural problems and developing solutions.

The competitors talked on topics such as how to develop a fair and reasonable regulation re-form; the challenges youth face working on farms safely; how agriculture can drive eco-nomic growth; how farmers and ranchers can become better leaders in their industry and so-ciety; and other issues.

Mike and his wife Kallie live, farm, and work in Lewiston with their four children. Together, they work on Mike’s family’s 500-cow dairy, and raise forage crops, growing primarily alfalfa hay and corn. Their children now make up the 5th generation of their family to work the farm. Gibbons, representing the Cache County Farm Bureau, competed with more than 24 other contestants from around the state in the com-petition. For winning the competition, Mike re-ceived a plaque, a $500 check from the General Motors, a 2013 Polaris Trailboss ATV courtesy of IFA, and an expense-paid trip to the Ameri-can Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

Gibbons will compete at the American Farm Bureau Discussion Meet against Discussion Meet winners from across the nation during its annual convention in January. National winners of the Discussion Meet have their choice of either a Chevy Silverado or GMC Sierra Truck, courtesy of General Motors.

2013 Annual Convention Wrap-Up

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“If you want something done ask a woman,” – Margaret Thatcher. Yes, Utah Farm Bureau’s women volunteers are extraordinary in the support they give to agriculture and Farm Bureau in their counties. It is time to officially recog-nize them for their contributions!

Beginning in 2014 each county Farm Bureau is invited to nominate one or more of their women volunteers for the “Advocate for Agriculture Volunteer Award”. Judges will determine a single state winner.

This award encompasses the following criteria:

• Applications will be scored by an independent judging panel comprised of individuals familiar with agriculture, agriculture education and the Farm Bureau Women’s program. • Applications may include as few as one activity or as many activities as deemed appropriate. Applicant is not required to participate in, nor will they be measured by, participation in all the activities listed. They are simply examples. • Applications will be measured by the judges’ assessment of the volunteer exceeding expectations. (Going above and beyond the mark)

Judging Criteria-Measureable impact of volunteer activities on county Farm Bureau & agriculture (50%)-Increase in number of county FB volunteers due to applicant’s invitation / encouragement (20%)-Evidence of effective “Program of Opportunities” activities (20%)-Number of years of exceptional Farm Bureau volunteer work (10%)

Applications are due at the State Farm Bureau Office on Friday, October 24, 2014. The winner will be announced at the Farm Bureau Annual Convention in November, and receive a $500 check. Good luck!

Agriculture educationFarm field days, county fair activities, school visits, Share a Book program, Ag Family night, October Pizza Month activities. Encouraging participation in the Creative Story and Video contests.

Women’s Committee Program of OpportunitiesQuilt of the County Promotion, encouraging silent and live auction participation at convention, attendance at Annual & Midyear Conventions, Women’s Leadership Conference, county board meetings and events sponsored by the County Farm Bureau.

Recruiting new members

Serving on a county board

Networking with legislators or county elected officials

Running for public office

Testifying at a public meeting

Regular participation in any social media

Featured in local media interview/report

ADVOCATE for ARGRICULTURE VOLUNTEER AWARDBy Aurline Boyack, VP of Member Services & Women’s Committee Coordinator, Utah Farm Bureau

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he Utah Farm Bureau is sending three members from the three Collegiate chapters to the National Young Farmer & Rancher Leadership Conference in Virginia Beach this coming February. While all three winners from each chapter’s Discussion Meet will be attending the conference, by rule, only two are eligible to compete at the National Collegiate Discussion Meet Finals. The two finalists will be de-termined by a panel of judges who will decide the top two based on written submissions from each contes-tant.

The Snow College Chapter officially joined the Farm Bureau family last year and had five discussion meet competitors. Utah Farm Bureau started its first Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter just a few years ago with the USU Chapter. The SUU chapter was added a year later and all three programs have seen an increase of activity since they were established. This year the USU chapter had 12 discussion meet competitors and the SUU Chapter had more than 30 students compete.

The Farm Bureau collegiate chapters are designed to give students an opportunity to further develop their leadership skills and transition them into the Young Farmer and Rancher program after graduation. Each chapter operates in its own unique way but serves to strengthen their students’ communication and leader-ship abilities. One of the primary functions of the chapters is to facilitate a Collegiate Discussion Meet. The Collegiate Discussion Meet is a 25-minute, round table discussion involving 4-6 participants per group. Contestants are ranked on their cooperative attitude, analysis and problem solving skills, and ability to ar-ticulate the issues with others. Except for an opening and closing statement addressed to the audience, the conversations are focused on those in the group. There are typically three independent judges who score the contestants based on the before-mentioned criteria.

COLLEGE STUDENTS COMPETE NATIONALLY IN IDEA SHARING CONTEST

TBy David Bailey VP – Organization, Utah Farm Bureau

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majoring in Rangeland Management. Having been raised in the farming and ranching environment, he has always had a love for agriculture. He loves the outdoors and enjoys seeing land that is being utilized properly and being improved. Ryan looks forward to every op-portunity to educate himself further in the industry and is excited to become more involved in the Farm Bureau. It’s interesting to note that both Ryan and Katharine competed against each other in the FFA Discussion Meet finals while they were attending high school just a few years ago.

Casey Bown was the winner from the Snow Col-lege Chapter and grew up on the family dairy farm in Fayette. His great-grandpa Elton Bown started the farm, and it has played a big role in his life, molding Casey into who he is today. Casey loves sitting in the tractor seat from sun up to sun down, contemplating life while raking or baling hay, or working the ground to prepare for a crop. Casey grew up in a town of about 150 people and loves the small town atmosphere. He loves being outdoors and hunting. He is also an adrena-line junky; attempting anything from wakeboarding and snowboarding to racing his motorbike. He plans on keeping the family tradition alive by returning to the family dairy farm, where there are plans to expand to a 3,000-cow dairy for future generations to keep the dream alive and well.

Katharine, Ryan and Casey will receive an expense-paid trip to the National Young Farmer & Rancher Leader-ship Conference in Virginia Beach where two of the three will compete against college students from around the country for a $2,500 scholarship. The competition is scheduled for February 8th & 9th at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.

If you or your college student would like more informa-tion about getting involved with any of the Collegiate Chapters please contact me at 801-233-3020 or david.bailey@fbfs.com.

Katharine Nye was the winner from the USU chap-ter. Katharine Nye grew up on a 3,000-cow dairy farm in Delta. Alongside her parents, she and her siblings learned the importance of hard work and passion early on. Active in both 4-H and FFA, Katharine has served in many leadership roles, including as the 2010-2011 Utah FFA State Secretary. She has also built a herd of 57 registered Holstein dairy cattle from the ground up, and shows and markets her cattle around the Inter-mountain West. Nye is currently a junior at Utah State University, majoring in Dairy Science and Agricultural Leadership. In addition to her studies, she also serves as a National FFA Collegiate Agriculture Ambassador, and is active in the Utah State chapters of Collegiate FFA and Young Farmers and Ranchers. She plans to pursue a career in dairy consulting, and hopes to join her family back on the dairy farm to grow their herd and expand their business opportunities by building a family-owned creamery to market local dairy products.

Ryan Reese competed with more than 30 SUU stu-dents to take first place in its discussion meet. Ryan is from the small town of Mt Carmel, in southern Utah. He is currently a junior at Southern Utah University

KATHERINE

RYAN

CASEY

28

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ON THE EDGE of COMMON SENSE

sHEPHErD’s CHrIstMas rEuNIoNBy Baxter Black, DVM

The light of the campfire flickered across the faces of the herders. They’d polished off the last of the cabrito. “Muy Bien,” said Tío, “I’m glad we got together. It’s been a long time. We lost José last year.”

Pedro said, “Yeah, if it wasn’t for him we’d never had the nerve to go to Bethlehem that night. It was scary when those angels lit up the camp..bright as day!

“What I remember is the singin’,” said Juan. “It was like we were in a canyon full of sound, you could almost see it! I figured it would spook the sheep, but it didn’t. “Little Jake stood behind ol’ José, peekin’ around his leg.” Said Pedro. “When them angels finished and rose up and flew outta there, José said, ‘C’mon boys we’re goin’ to town!”

Tío stirred the fire with a stick. “Truth is I felt kinda foolish pokin’ our heads in every stable we came to, ‘course Bethlehem ain’t

that big, and, we was all surprised when we walked around the back of that inn and there they were, just like the angel said! They had an ol’ burro tied to a post… I’ll never forget it. The man was layin’ out on a pallet snorin’ away…shoot, he’d walked all the way from Galilee. And the lady, she was propped up against a feed manger holding a baby.

“They were country people, didn’t look like they had much. What struck me was it was so…simple, so unfancy. I was expectin’ more of a fiesta. This was the baby that the angels had said was going to be a Savior to all the people in the world, but it didn’t seem right that they’d just invite a bunch of sheepherders? Seems like they’d tell the priest or at least the mayor, have some fanfare…but they didn’t.”

That old feeling that had come over him standing ten feet away from those angels all those years ago came back. A shiver ran up his arm. Tío had kept track of the baby.

They’d named him Jesus. Tío had watched as Jesus grew up and turned into…a hero. People followed him wherever He went. He performed miracles. He preached. He said He was the Son of God.

Well, Tío believed it. You can’t just make up angels. He touched the campfire with his stick. José’s son Jake, now a grown man, spoke into the silence, “I held Him.” He said quietly.

“The señora got up and needed to go outside. I took Him very carefully. He was warm, the baby, but it felt like He was holding me and not the other way around. I stayed very still and then, to my surprise…He looked at me…like He knew what I was thinking.

“Then he reached up and put his hand in mine, and I filled up inside like I knew everything that mattered in the world,” Jake paused, “and through all that has happened since then, to Him, and to me…He has never let go of my hand.”

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Don’t Let Holiday Cheerturn Into New Year tearsBy Lucas Martin, Statewide Family Finance Faculty, USU Extension

We love the holidays! It’s a time for food, family and gener-osity. The holiday season can also be a time of overspending. Here are some things to watch out for this holiday season.

Putting it all on your credit card. It can be tempting to spend freely during the holidays and plan to repay the debt the first few months of the year. If we can’t pay off our credit card in full after our holiday shopping we might pay more than just extra interest. Having unpaid balances on our credit cards can also hurt our credit score. If you need to open a new line of credit or your insurance is being reassessed in the New Year, a lowered score can lead to higher interest rates and insurance payments.

Know how you spend. Research shows that on average shoppers will spend more with a credit card than if they use cash. This isn’t the case for everyone. If cash burns a hole in your pocket using a debit or credit card might be a better choice.

use spending limits. A survey by the National Endowment for Financial Education found that six of ten shoppers don’t have a holiday budget. That spells bad news for their wallet. Deciding how much we will spend in ad-vance can help us avoid being surprised when we the shop-ping totals come in.

Control spending. Withdrawing only the cash we set aside for holiday shopping and leaving your cards at home (debit and credit) means we can’t overspend. If cash is

your weakness consider doing the same with a prepaid card. We can’t spend money we don’t have access to.

avoid opening new store promotion credit cards. When a store offers a 10% discount for making purchases with their card opening a new account can seem like a good idea. Not only does the store card increase what we will spend on average while shopping there, opening a new account can also negatively impact your credit score.

Don’t wait until the last minute to shop. When we have to make decisions in a hurry it encourages impulsive spending. Even if we know what we want to purchase, waiting till the last minute means we have fewer choices on price. We either pay what it costs now, or we purchase something else, rather than being able to watch for sales over time.

It’s not just the shopping. Sometimes we plan for purchasing gifts just fine, it’s everything else that can catch us off guard. Making goodies for neighbors, running indoor and outdoor lights, traveling to see family, and special foods for a holiday meal can all add up fast. Not to mention some of those December heat bills! When you budget for holiday spending be sure to consider other seasonal expenses beyond gift giving.

For more ideas on how to have a cheery, instead of teary, holiday season visit us at http://extension.usu.edu/ and do a quick search for “holiday”. Find ways to cut expenses, stretch your holiday dollars, great recipes, and tips for food safety.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE1. Non commercial ads for Utah Farm Bureau members selling items they grow or make themselves, or used machinery, household items, etc., they themselves have used in the past. Each member family is entitled to one such ad free in each three- month period. Ads can be up to 40 words or numbers such as phone number or Zip. Words such as “For Sale” are included, initials and numbers count as a word. All words over 40 cost 25 cents each. Ads over 40 words not accompanied by the extra payment, or not meeting the above requirements, will be returned to the sender. Family memberships cannot be combined to create larger ads, nor can a membership be used for free classified ad purposes by anyone other than immediate family members. Ads run for three months.2. Commercial ads for Utah Farm Bureau members where the member is acting as an agent or dealer (real estate, machinery, handicraft items made by people outside the member family, etc.) cost 25 cents per word. Payment MUST accompany such ads or they will be returned to the sender. Members are entitled to one such ad. Ads run for one month.3. Ads for non Utah Farm Bureau members cost 50 cents per word. Payment MUST accompany such ads or they will be returned to the sender. Ads run for one month. In all ads, short lines requested by the advertiser, extra lines of white space, and lines with words in all caps count as 6 words per line. Ads with borders and bold head lines may be submitted and placed within the classified section, but will be charged the display advertising rate. Please contact the classified advertising department for further information. No insurance ads will be accepted.***DEADLINE: ALL ADS MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE 15TH OF THE MONTH IN ORDER TO APPEAR IN THE NEXT ISSUE. EXCEPT FOR THE JANUARY ISSUE, WHICH HAS A CLASSIFIED DEADLINE OF DEC. 5.Only free ads (Category 1 ads of 40 words or less) will be accepted by telephone at 801-233-3010, by fax at 801-233-3030 or e-mail at aboyack@fbfs.com. Please include your membership number. Ads must be received no later than the 15th of the monthMail ads, typed or neatly printed, with any payment due, to Utah Farm Bureau News, Classified Ad Department, 9865 South State Street, Sandy, UT 84070-2305. Free ads must be resubmitted by mail, telephone or fax after running for three months. Ads for which there is a payment due will be run as long as payment is received in advance.

ALL CLASSIFIED ADS will be listed on the Utah Farm Bureau web page un-less the Utah Farm Bureau member specifies otherwise when placing the ad. The ads on the web site will run concurrently with the classified ads in the Utah Farm Bureau News.

NOTE: The appearance of any ad in the Utah Farm Bureau News does not constitute an endorsement or approval of the service or merchandise offered. While every effort is made to ensure the legitimacy of services or merchandise advertised, the Utah Farm Bureau News or the Utah Farm Bureau Federation accepts no responsibility or liability for services or products advertised.

AUTOMOTIVE

FOR SALE: 1987 Volvo box truck 22’, f613, 170 diesel engine, LWB 28,000, 79,500 miles. 1979 Ford F700 truck. 16’ combination container and grain rack & dump bed. 42,500 miles. Clinton, 801-825-1701.

FARM EQUIPMENT

I BUY, SELL, TRADE AND LOCATE all kinds of farm machinery. Bale wagons, tractors, tillage, planting, harvesting equipment, etc. I have a large inventory at this time. Palmer Equipment is located one mile south of Manti on Highway 89. 435-835-5111 or Cell: 435-340-1111. www.balewagons.com.FOR SALE: 24” & 30” Armco headgates, 24” Fresno headgate, 18” Waterman C-10 headgate, 10’ steel harrow, 18” pullgates, 3 row cultivator, misc metal covers, 5’ high chainlink fencing. 801-825-7311, Syracuse. FOR SALE: 8 N Ford Tractor. Very good condition. New paint. Like new tires. Implements incl plow, disk scrapper. 435-637-3736.

FEEDFOR SALE: Straw 3x3x8 bales. Clean straw baled behind combine. $20.00 per bale. Layton 801-940-2260.WANTED: wheat, oat, triticale, or grass hay or rained on alfalfa . Call Steve 801-514-9961.

LIVESTOCK

FOR SALE – Registered Gelbvieh and Balancer Bulls and females. Open Heifers and Bred Cows. Many Homozygous Black and Polled. We feed yearling bulls through the winter. Erik Johnson 435 279 7669 , 435 257 7084BRED HEIFERS for sale. 50 head registered polled Hereford heifers. Bred to calv-ing ease bulls to start calving early. Top quality heifers from a proven program. Take all or part – with or without papers. Contact Phil Allen & Son, Antimony, 435-624-3236.FOR SALE: Columbia Breeding Stock. Selling replacement ewe lambs and yearling rams. Breeding to the best for 28 yrs. 8 yr.ave.wool clip, 24.8 microns 54.71% yield. Call

Utah Farm Bureau NewsCLassIFIEDs

435-436-8792, Reed Christensen. REGISTERED GELBVIEH AND BALANCER FEMALES FOR SALE. This year’s open heifers and bred cows of various ages. Erik Johnson 435 279 7669 Tremon-ton, UT

REAL ESTATE

40-ACRE HORSE PROPERTY on year-round creek. 13 acres fenced, cross-fenced, irrigated. 3,000 sf (2003): 4 bedroom/3 bath, large kitchen, pantry, propane F/A, woodstove. Guesthouse, barn, greenhouse, tack shed. 10395 S. Lower Red Creek Road, Fruitland, UT., 435-548-2630. Listed Freedom Realty.@HOME REALTY, BRENT PARKER, (435)881-1000 Paradise home on 3.61 Acres. Large two story shop with apartment, horse facilities, pasture, gardens, mother-in-law apartment. 6.41 Acres in Cache Valley. Also 10.01 acre parcel. Views. Horse Property. Well permit.Home on 1.49 acres. Located in Cache Valley. Shop and 2 pole barns.Home on 1.52 acres. Located in Franklin. Fish pond and well landscaped. 2,414 Acres in Cove. Beautiful recreational property with cabin and campsites. Located up High Creek Canyon. 10.23 acre feet of water. 4.37 Acres in Mendon. $50,000 Excellent horse property. Views of valley and mountains. Additional land available. 18.9 Acres in Mendon. Views of Cache Valley and the Wellsvilles. Acreage for home in Riverdale Ida-ho. Overlooks scenic Bear River. Two Wellsville Parcels. Stream runs through. Horse property. 10 Acres Overlooking Hyrum Reservoir. Horse property. Beautiful views. 34 Irrigated Acres in Cache Valley. Good farm land with level ground and easy access. 60.96 acre ranch in Morgan Valley. Could be divided. 65 shares of water and a 6 bedroom home. Great views. Two parcels in Nibley in Cache Valley. 3.76 acre and 3.61 acre adjoining lots Horse property. Can be subdivided. Irrigation shares. 18.75 Acres in Cache Valley. Artesian well already dug. Secondary gravity pressure irrigation. 2.56 Acres in Cache Valley. Country lot with plenty of irrigation water. Cabin in Logan Canyon. Beautiful setting close ro river. View lots near Wellsville between 1 and 5 acres. Horse property. 2.03 Acres in Preston, Idaho. Excellent shop and older home. City water. $82,500. Dairy Farm in Cache Valley 41 acres. Irrigated. Updated home, excellent crops. Double 5 Herringbone parlor. 185.38 Acres in Cache Valley with views. Can be divided. Located in popular Maple Rise area. Borders national for-est. 37.91 Acres located on the foothills of the Wellsvilles. Can be divided in up to five lots. Water shares. Canal runs through. 40 Acres Outside Soda Springs. Beautiful forest land with year around stream. 400 Acres Bordering Oneida Narrows Reservoir. Beautiful and secluded. Adjacent to campground and boat dock. Could be subdivided into camp sites. Seller financing bparker@homerealty.com; website: www.brentparker-realty.com. End/Brent Parker

MISCELLANEOUS

14.1 ACRE FEET OF PROVO RIVER WATER asking $11,500.00 / acre foot. Used in the Heber/Midway area. First class right as well as other high water classes. Can show beneficial use. For more information call Grant (801)358-5602 Cell.FOR SALE: 2 rolls metal roofing, 730 sq feet ea. 13’ wide x 60’ long. Good for siding as well as roofing. 435-637-3736.

AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

CIRCLE FOUR FARMS OF MURPHY BROWN LLC: If you are looking for a career in a fun, rewarding team environment, Circle Four Farms is the opportunity you’ve been searching for. We’re offering quality, full time Herd Technician animal production positions with training provided.Challenge yourself with a stable company that offers a starting entry-level wage of $10 to $11, plus a full benefit package including: medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance plan, short and long term disability, company paid pension plan, 401(k) savings plan with company match, bonus/incentive programs, paid holidays and vacation and education reimbursement.C4 Job Application required. For more information please call our office: Circle Four Farms, PO Box 100, 341 South Main, Milford UT 84751, Phone (435) 387-2107, Fax (435) 387-2170. EOE / PWDNET - If you require accommodation or assistance to complete the application process, please call Lacy Davis at (435) 387-6047. When you contact Lacy, please identify the type of accommodation or assistance you are requesting. We will assist you promptly.

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PEASWITH

435.283.4400Dealers in UT, ID, NV, CO, AZ, NM

and a

New Year!

THANK YOU! For making2013 a successful year!

Coming Spring 2014:

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801-233-3010Complete details for all benefits can be found at utfb.fb.orgVisa and Mastercard Accepted

Are you using

MEMBER BENEFITSfor all they are worth?

$39.00 per adult &$30.50 per child.

$71.00 Adult life ticket,non-refundable, no blackout dates

$74.00 Adult life voucher, non-refundableBlackout dates: December 26, 2013-

January 4, 2014; February 15-17, 2014

NEW! Life Line Screenings: Are you in danger of having a stroke? A simple ultrasound screening can actually show you if you are at risk for a stroke! As a valued member, we care about the health of you and your family. That is why we have partnered with Life Line Screening. Life Line can identify your risks for stroke, vascular disease and aortic aneurysms which are the leading causes of death and disability for both men and women. For just $135 receive tests for the following conditions: 1) Carotid Artery/Stroke 2) Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) 3) Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) 4) Atrial Fibrillation 5) Osteoporosis

Call 801-233-3010 for additional information or visit utfb.fb.org/Life Line Screening

NEW! Legoland Florida. Utah Farm Bureau members visiting Legoland in Winter Haven Florida – can enjoy a special ticket discount offer! Buy 1 adult ticket and get 1 general admission ticket FREE! The free general admission ticket is valid for a child, adult or senior admission. Options: $81 for single day with 1 free single day admission ticket $96 for 2 day admission with 1 free 2 day admission ticket (2nd day must be used within 9 days of first use or by ticket expiration whichever comes first)

Available for LEGOLAND FLORIDA AND LEGOLAND water park ticket types. Call 801-233-3010 to arrange for your ticket purchase. Visa or MasterCard accepted.

$76.00 Adult life ticket,non-refundable, no blackout dates

$39.00 per adult &$30.50 per child.

$75.00 for 3 daysValid for 12 months

after 1st use. Blackout dates apply

$59.00 per guest for single day.2 & under free

$63 per guest with second day FREEor $73 per guest for Legoland Park Hopper, which includes water park and aquarium with a second day FREE. Legoland and water park must be visited on the same day. All visits must occur

before December 31, 2014

Save up to 20% off the Best Available Rate

For reservations call 877-670-7088

and mention ID# 1000000512