Showing posts with label Agriculture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Agriculture. Show all posts
Friday, February 28, 2025
The Agrarian's Lament: Imports and Exports Coexist in Harmony
The Agrarian's Lament: Imports and Exports Coexist in Harmony: Imports and Exports Coexist in Harmony
The Agrarian's Lament: Broken Promises: Over 30,000 Farmers Denied Funds
The Agrarian's Lament: Broken Promises: Over 30,000 Farmers Denied Funds: Broken Promises: Over 30,000 Farmers Denied Funds
Saturday, February 1, 2025
Sunday, February 1, 1925. Balto, the future King Zog, wild party in Laramie.
The final leg of the serum run began with Gunnar Kaasen setting out with lead dog Balto. The Norwegian born Kaasen is the only musher who became famous due to the event.
The story made the first page of the Tribune:
A party in Laramie had apparently gotten out of control.
Ahmed Zog became the first President of Albania. He'd later be its first king. . . sort of a cautionary tale there.
Irish President W. T. Cosgrave appealed to the United States for food aid as the country's potato crop had been severely reduced due to excess rain.
Last edition:
Saturday, January 31, 1925. Leonhard Seppala and Togo.
Labels: 1920s, 1925, 1925 Serum Run, Alaska, Animals, Art, Daily Living, Dogs, Kven people, Lapp people, tools and appliances, Transportation, Trucks
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
In Memoriam. Jimmy Carter.
I'm late to noting his passing and therefore everyone has already read tributes to him. Even Donald Trump, to my surprise, lauded him and indicated he'd attend his funeral. Carter did, it might be noted, feel that the early criticism of Trump was unfair. I don't know what he thought about Trump later.
I've listed to a lot of the audio obits and read a few, and what I'll note is that, as so often, they approach being hagiography and tend to omit somethings that should be of real interest.
I'll start with the biggest. Carter was a failure as a President. Coming into office with an American public sick of inflation (sound familiar?) and disgusted with the Republicans due to Watergate (sound unfamiliar?), and also fatigued by the Vietnam War, he really didn't accomplish much. He proved incapable of tackling inflation, which would fall to Reagan, and the US military, probably not surprisingly, lapsed into a weakened state, which Reagan also would address.
While he was not a success as a President, he was one in life, however.
Carter, it was often noted, was from a peanut farm in Georgia. What's oddly less often mentioned is that he was a Naval Academy graduate and a submariner. To enter the submarine service you must be an engineer and a genius. He was both. He may be the smartest man to occupy the office since the Second World War.
He was certainly the most moral.
He was a dedicated Baptist Christian, which nobody could rationally doubt. The degree of his devotion was such that its almost surprising that he was elected, particularly as he gave an interview to Playboy during the height of its influence, noting how deeply Christian he was. After he lost his bid for reelection, he devoted his remaining long life to public service, often to the poor.
Like the law, politics is an occupation that frequently initiates people into compromising their morals and attracts a certain percentage of people who are willing to do so. And power, as is so often noted, corrupts. Carter was unique in that he was a deeply moral man and the office did not change him.
Friday, December 27, 2024
USDA Forecasts Higher Retail Egg Prices for 2025
What the crud?
USDA Daily Radio Newsline
December 27 Stories
USDA Forecasts Higher Retail Egg Prices for 2025
Census of Aquaculture Reveals Top Selling Seafood Types
Top Ten Weather Stories of 2024 – Southern Plains Wildfires
Top Ten Weather Stories of 2024 –Western Wildfires
Actuality: Notable Western Wildfire Season
Higher egg prices? Donald promised to lower prices. That simply can't be true. Prices must go down.
Friday, December 20, 2024
The Agrarian's Lament: The irony.
The Agrarian's Lament: The irony.:
The irony.
Same day, same paper.
One ad celebrating agriculture, and one celebrating its destruction.
Saturday, December 14, 2024
Blot Mirror: This is why we can't have nice things. This National Crime.
This is why we can't have nice things.
I think, sometimes could be real. The battle for land and people owning that agricultural landscape. The pretty views that we have, the clean water that comes with it, the beautiful tall grass that’s waving in the wind. I mean, they want to buy it because they like that. And then they put a house on every 40 that we used to run cows on.
Montana rancher commenting on a big influx of people into Montana because of the claptrap soap opera, Yellowstone.
It's not just Yellowstone, the moronic dipshit Western melodrama that has caused this, by the way. A River Runs Through It, which is one of my favorite movies, had the same effect, as well as making fly fishing something that locals just did, along with using spinning rods, into some sort of elite yuppie thing in some quarters.
Here's the thing. A lot of it has a lot to do with the lack of proper land use laws in the US. Large blocks of land really shouldn't be owned as huge yards for hobbyist or the wealthy, but for agricultural production. Agricultural land shouldn't be owned by anyone other than those who work it. People who admire the wilderness, of any type, ought not to be building houses on it.
Friday, December 13, 2024
The Agrarian's Lament: The Real Threat to Food Security
The Agrarian's Lament: The Real Threat to Food Security:
The Real Threat to Food Security
The Real Threat to Food Security: Our lawmakers need to take farmland access seriously. The next farm bill should work more for the health of our farm system, and less for Wall Street.
Friday, December 6, 2024
Friday, November 29, 2024
Get real.
I see goofball crap like this all the time:
LAND OPPORTUNITY: 5 acres for livestock or veggies with housing – Summerland, BC
Posted by Haley Schonhofer on November 26, 2024
We always have new land opportunities coming into our inventory, some of which aren’t on our blog yet! Get in touch with a Land Matcher at bclmp@youngagrarians.org to learn about the latest opportunities and to access free B.C. Land Matching Program services in your region.
Five acres?
Your crop would have to be a really premium grade of marijuana or opium poppies to make it on so little ground.
And livestock?
What, maybe a pygmy cow?
Sunday, November 24, 2024
Tuesday, November 24, 1874. Barbed Wire Patented.
Joseph Glidden received a patent for barbed wire, which would revolutionize livestock production and methods in North America.
Last edition:
Tuesday, November 3, 1874. The Election Massacre of 1874.
Friday, November 1, 2024
Wyoming Catholic Cowboys - raw and real: Top Saving
Wyoming Catholic Cowboys - raw and real: Top Saving: Over the years, sugar beet harvesting has gone through different stages. In the early days, the foliage on top of the beets was saved and fe...
Friday, October 25, 2024
Wyoming Catholic Cowboys - raw and real: Back in the Saddle
Wyoming Catholic Cowboys - raw and real: Back in the Saddle: The day finally came for me to get literally back in the saddle. I have hardly ridden a horse this summer. New responsibilities have played...
Friday, October 11, 2024
Inflation. A needed primer.
Seeing as I see so many posts, some from people running for office on this, a reminder.
Inflation going down just means the rate of inflation, goes down. Prices still rise, just more slowly.
The U.S. Government targets inflation to be at about 2%. It's 2.4% right now, which is basically a return to the pre Covid rate of inflation. It goes up a little and down a little.
Personally, I don't like it that the government targets inflation for a perpetual slight rate. I think the ideal rate is 0%. Economist dispute that, but I'm not an economist, except in the amature, and distributist, sense.
Some people, such as Jimmy Akin, blame the government for inflation itself, and to some extent that's warranted. But the recent inflationary cycle reflects world events, a war in Europe's grain belt between to oil producing entities being a big part of that. Ironically, recent drops in the rate of inflation have been partially caused by Iran being a menace.
Anyhow, politicians who keep suggesting that "prices will go down" if they are elected are either lying or economically ignorant.
Prices can go down, of course, and for a variety of reasons. Technological advances cause the price of some things to go down, although they cause the price of some durables to go up. Political actions can impact the price of things, but it tends to only occur very moderately over a prolonged period of time, or due to something dramatic, like deregulation of a very heavily regulated industry, or like busting up a big monopoly.
When prices really go down, that's deflation. Not a decrease in inflation. Once again, a decrease of inflation means that prices still rise, just not as much over a given period of time. Deflation means they actually drop.
Deflation is pretty rare in a healthy economy and when it occurs in a healthy economy, it tends to only be for a month or so. A general prolonged deflation only occurs in a depression.
Depressions cause deflations. People are out of work, so they don't have money, so they don't buy things, so prices drop.
And there you have it.
Monday, October 7, 2024
Mondays
There is nothing so dispiriting as coming into your "good" office job after a weekend of working cattle.
Friday, September 27, 2024
Wyoming Catholic Cowboys - raw and real: Shipping Calves
Wyoming Catholic Cowboys - raw and real: Shipping Calves: Fall is calf shipping season in the Rocky Mountain ranch world. I got my first call to lend a hand at the Borgialli Ranch about 25 miles eas...
Thursday, September 26, 2024
Monday, September 26, 1774. Johnny Appleseed.
Johnathan Chapman, known to history as Johnny Appleseed, was born in Massachusetts.
During his life he introduced seed planted trees to large parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Ontario, as well as the northern counties of West Virginia, becoming a legend in his own time.
He was additionally a missionary for The New Church, a Swedenborgianism denomination.
Last edition:
Sunday, September 25, 1774. Clementina Rind.
Friday, September 13, 2024
Saturday, September 7, 2024
Subsidiarity Economics 2024. The times more or less locally, Part 3. The Decarbonizing the West and Electronic eartags Edition.
From CattleTags.com
June 18, 2024
Governor Gordon, who has spoken on his decarbonization initiative, has released his report.
Governor Gordon Releases WGA Decarbonization Initiative Findings
June 12, 2024
Governor Mark Gordon, Chair of the Western Governors’ Association (WGA), today released the report containing findings of his Decarbonizing the West initiative during the association’s 40th Anniversary meeting in Olympic Valley, CA. Governor Gordon launched the initiative a year ago to examine how decarbonization strategies can position western states at the forefront of innovation, reduce CO2 in the atmosphere, and strengthen their economies. The initiative explored a wide range of engineered decarbonization approaches as well as natural sequestration through enhanced land and agriculture management practices.
“Western Governors have a longstanding tradition of addressing complicated issues in thoughtful and bipartisan ways that often lead to national policy reform,” Governor Gordon said, “This topic is not simple. I chose it because it’s important to gain a comprehensive understanding of strategies and technologies that can be utilized in managing carbon.”
Governor Gordon’s hope is to advance environmentally sound and economically reasonable, practical paths to address decarbonization. He is an all-of-the-above energy policy leader, focused on the necessity of ensuring hungry power grids continue to be fed — for the good of his home state and the nation. Yesterday, the Governor joined community leaders and power industry executives, including Bill Gates, in Kemmerer, Wyo. at a groundbreaking for Terra Power’s Natrium reactor demonstration project.
While introducing the initiative at the conference, Governor Gordon thanked Governors Brad Little (R-ID), Jared Polis (D-CO), and Tina Kotek (D-OR) for hosting workshops in their respective states this year. The decarbonization report is a culmination of information gathered at the four workshops and existing WGA policy.
“The diversity of our states represents opportunities for each of us to pursue as we collectively work toward decarbonizing the west,” Governor Gordon wrote in a letter to WGA members, Governor Gordon noted the range of pathways on display at each of the workshops including:
- Gillette, WY: Tour of Integrated Test Center, where cutting edge carbon capture technologies are being tested.
- Boise, ID: Focus discussions of Forestry, agriculture, and soil management can play a role in sequestration.
- Denver, CO: Focus discussions on innovative direct air capture technologies currently being tested in western states.
- Portland, OR: Focus discussions regarding carbon sequestration potential of coastal ecosystems and how biomass can be utilized to remove carbon dioxide.
“These conversations formed the basis for the policy recommendations outlined in the report,” Governor Gordon said, “It’s my hope they spur common-sense policy reform. We can rally around those and work with our partners in the federal government to accelerate developing these carbon management methods without compromising livelihoods.”
Governor Gordon has been critical of federal agency regulations failing to give states and utility companies time and adequate incentives to develop cost-effective CO2 capture technologies.
Recommendations in the WGA report of particular interest to Wyoming citizens include:
- Federal policies to limit CO2 emissions should be tailored to state needs, and promote, not impede, the development and deployment of CO2 capture technologies. Federal regulations should seek to expand cost-effective deployment of CO2 capture at power plants and other industrial sources.
- Congress should amend Section 45Q of the U.S. Tax Code to provide credit based on the amount of CO2 removed, regardless of whether it is stored or utilized.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture should develop innovative carbon finance mechanisms to provide upfront capital to landowners seeking to implement [natural sequestration] projects.
- The EPA should establish clear and consistent guidelines to states for obtaining primacy and should increase agency capacity to review state primacy applications in a more timely manner. EPA should include aquifer exemptions for Class VI wells.
Governor Gordon has also promoted the important role private landowners have in providing natural CO2 sequestration through management of grazing and forest lands.
A complete copy of the report can be found on WGA’s website.
Decarbonizing is coming, and soon, and probably not in an "all options" manner that Governor Gordon urges. The only question is whether there will be a bit of a hiatus due to a second Trump presidency or not. But it is coming.
In spite of that, there will be howls of derision from Wyoming's far right on this, which will refuse to be proactive and insist the past can be returned.
Related to this, and acknowledging that electric vehicles are coming, a draft bill for the 2025 legislature proposes to tax electric vehicle charging. While that sounds punitive, the thought it that it will make up for lost gasoline taxes used for roads. The introductory part of that bill:
In other news which will impact a Wyoming industry that isn't going a way, new electronic ear tags are coming to the cattle industry:
Press Release
Contact:
APHISpress@usda.gov
Requires electronic ID for Certain Cattle and Bison Moving Interstate
WASHINGTON, April 26, 2024 – Today, by amending and strengthening its animal disease traceability regulations for certain cattle and bison, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is putting in place the technology, tools, and processes to help quickly pinpoint and respond to costly foreign animal diseases.
“Rapid traceability in a disease outbreak will not only limit how long farms are quarantined, keep more animals from getting sick, and help ranchers and farmers get back to selling their products more quickly – but will help keep our markets open,” said Dr. Michael Watson, APHIS Administrator.
One of the most significant benefits of the rule for farmers and ranchers will be the enhanced ability of the United States to limit impacts of animal disease outbreaks to certain regions, which is the key to maintaining our foreign markets. By being able to readily prove disease-free status in non-affected regions of the United States, we will be able to request foreign trading partners recognize disease-free regions or zones instead of cutting off trade for the entire country. Traceability of animals is necessary to establish these disease-free zones and facilitate reestablishment of foreign and domestic market access with minimum delay in the wake of an animal disease event.
This rule is the culmination of goals established by USDA to increase traceability, one of the best protections against disease outbreaks, and enhances a rule finalized in 2013 for the official identification of livestock and documentation for certain interstate movements of livestock.
USDA is committed to implementing a modern animal disease traceability system that tracks animals from birth to slaughter using affordable technology that allows for quick tracing of sick and exposed animals to stop disease spread. USDA will continue to provide tags to producers free of charge to jumpstart efforts to enable the fastest possible response to a foreign animal disease. For information on how to obtain these free tags, please see APHIS’ Animal Disease Traceability webpage.
The final rule applies to all sexually intact cattle and bison 18 months of age or older, all dairy cattle, cattle and bison of any age used for rodeo or recreation events, and cattle or bison of any age used for shows or exhibitions.
The rule requires official eartags to be visually and electronically readable for official use for interstate movement of certain cattle and bison, and revises and clarifies certain record requirements related to cattle.
A copy of this rule may be viewed today, and the rule will be published in the Federal Register in the coming weeks. This rule will be effective 180 days after publication in the Federal Register.
To learn more about animal disease traceability and how APHIS responds to animal disease outbreaks, visit www.aphis.usda.gov.
#
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions: Animal Disease Traceability Rule
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
June 20, 2024
June 26, 2024
Wyoming is setting aside $800,000 from the coal litigation funds to use to fight pollution rules.
The Governor announced the state had hired Virginia firm Consovoy McCarthy for this effort, which is an insult to the state's legal community.
June 29, 2024
The Delta Blues*
In local and semi local news:
1. Last Saturday evening, a Delta Airlines 757 bound from Atlanta to Salt Lake City lost cabin pressure and had to land at the Natrona County International Airport.
2. On June 17the Casper/Natrona County International Airport Board of Directors notified the Fly Casper Alliance (FCA) that it voted to withdraw support for the minimum revenue guarantee which has kept SkyWest flying as the Delta Connection to Salt Lake. This will almost surely end commercial air service from Casper to SLC.
Footnotes
* The reference is to the type of blues associated with the Missippii Delta.
And then there's this:
Governor
Gordon Applauds U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Chevron
CHEYENNE,
Wyo. – Governor Mark Gordon responded to the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of the
Chevron doctrine today, calling the decision a victory for common-sense
regulatory reform. The Governor’s statement follows:
“For years, unelected bureaucrats running
federal agencies in Washington D.C. have used “deference” as an excuse to
target certain industries based on politics. Wyoming has experienced that
firsthand,” Governor Gordon said. “Limiting their power to overreach is cause
for celebration, and this ruling begins that process.
The court has essentially removed the fox from
the hen house. This decision ensures that
agencies can no longer unilaterally expand their authority beyond the letter of
the law. It rejects the strategy of attacking a state’s industries through
rules and regulations like those advanced by the Biden Administration.”
Attorney
General Bridget Hill filed an amicus brief on the Loper Bright
Enterprises v. Raimondo case on behalf of the State of Wyoming in July of 2023.
In that filing, it was noted that the number of Federal regulations are at an
all-time high and the rules published by Federal agencies have outpaced the
laws Congress enacted at a rate of 26-to-1.
-END-
This will have enormous implications, but nobody really knows what they will be.
July 6, 2024
Wyoming Outdoor Council Plays Shenanigans With State-Run Oil And Gas Auction
July 16, 2024
The price of oil fell due to predictions that Chinese demand has fallen.
The stock market has been dramatically climbing in expectation that Donald Trump will win the 2024 election.
July 19, 2024
The IMF warns the US should raise taxes.
This is patently obvious from an economic standpoint.
July 20, 2024
A computer bug caused massive computer failures globally.
Modelo Especial has overtaken Bud Light as the number one beer in the United States.
July 21, 2024
Nuclear technology company BWX is evaluating locations in Wyoming for commercial nuclear fuel production.
July 27, 2024
The world's largest soda ash company is planning a major expansion of operations in southwest Wyoming.
August 3, 2024
Kum & Go's in Wyoming are becoming Maverik's.
Maverik already has a presence here. The convenience store in their Mill's location sells Cinnabon's. . .
Related to this Big D's seem to be springing up in Natrona County.
August 4, 2024
Rocky Mountain Power filed a request to increase rates in order to underwrite new infrastructure and cover the rising costs insurance premiums relating to wildfire risk.
Another reminder of something we discussed yesterday:
Intellectual disconnect. With everything on fire, will people wake up?
August 6, 2024
US stocks crashed yesterday, something that would matter to me if I was every going to retire, which seems unlikely.
The price of oil also dropped.
All this due to recession fears.
All this was due to massive overreaction to job reports.
August 12, 2024
A Federal grant will be used to provide high speed internet to the parts of Wyoming lacking it.
August 14, 2024
Natrona County Passenger Increase
Nearly 30% more passengers flew out of Casper/Natrona County International Airport in July than did a year ago, airport officials reported Monday.
Casper Star Tribune, August 14, 2024.
August 15, 2024
Inflation has hit a three year low.
From the Casper Star Tribune:
Total employment in Wyoming grew by a scant 1.3% from first quarter 2023 to first quarter 2024, but total payroll grew by 4.1% over the year, the Research and Planning section of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported Friday. Average weekly wage in the state grew by 2.8%.
August 16, 2024
California will ban the sale of new gasoline powered vehicles by 2035.
Starting in 2026, 35% of new vehicles sold in California will be required to be hybrids or fully electric.
August 18, 2024
A development we'll see more and more of.
Colorado-Based Tri-State Ditching Coal Power Alienates Its 8 Wyoming Co-ops
Americans are moving away for coal generation, and no amount of Wyomingites denying its occuring, or trying to prevent it, is going to stop that.
August 23, 2024
The Canadian government has forced the Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Canadian National railroads into arbitration with their unions, so rail traffic in Canada will resume shortly.
September 5, 2024
Crude oil hit a nine month low.
The Japanese government is encouraging employers to adopt a four day work week to deal with labor shortages.
September 6, 2024
Crude oil are now at a fourteen month low.
September 7, 2024
The Natrona County International Airport had its busiest month in a decade.
Related threads:
Blog Mirror: Tom Lubnau: Wyoming's Future -- Diversification Or Destitution?
Coal: Understanding the time line of an industry
Labels: boats and ships, British Navy, Coal, Daily Living, Industry, Lodging, Mid-Week at Work, Petroleum, Railroads, Transportation, U.S. Navy, United States Fuel Administration
Last prior edition:
Subsidiarity Economics 2024. The times more or less locally, Part 2. The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 Edition.
Labels: 1960s, 1966, 1980s, 1988, 2020s, 2024, 2026, Coal, Electrical Power, Government, law, Methane, Nuclear power, Petroleum, Wyoming, Wyoming's boom and bust economy, You heard it here first
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