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The Central Idaho 4-H Camp is nestled in the
majestic Smoky Mountains of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area
and faces breath-taking Boulder Mountain. The camp is located 17
miles north of Ketchum. Just take Highway 75 to mile marker 146,
turn left and go 1 ½ miles and you are there! The camp lodge has a
capacity for 175 people for conferences and workshops. There is
also an outside fire-pit and conversation area that can hold
approximately 250. Other great accommodations and amenities include
11 cabins that sleep up to 16 each, a VIP cabin, a restroom/shower
building, volleyball and basketball courts, two classrooms, local
fishing and easy access to all the activities the Wood River area
has to offer.
The site for the camp lodge was chosen in July
of 1965, the building started in October and it was completed on
December 7, 1965. The first 4-H camp was held in July of 1966,
although the lodge was completed for meals, temporary outhouses and
tents from Army surplus were used by the campers. Restrooms were
built in 1968 and the cabins were finished in 1972. 2006 marked the
thirtieth anniversary of Winter Camp, it was held February 24th
through 26th.
Recent records show that in 2000 a total of
671 campers visited Central Idaho 4-H Camp, including 39 at Winter
Camp, 379 4-H campers, 124 at Natural Resource Camp and 20 at the
Lion’s Blind Camp. 2005 numbers were 209 4-H campers, 54 attended
Winter Camp, 90 at Natural Resource Camp and 25 at Lion’s Blind
Camp. The camp is available for business retreats, family reunions,
weddings and of course youth camps. For more information contact
your local County Extension Office.
 Campfire
Magic
By Kathy
Kimball, 4-H Program Coordinator, Blaine County
“Once upon a time,” the
storyteller begins as a fire blazes; young faces eagerly and quietly
listen to a campfire story. Campfires were a necessity to early
pioneers as a way to scare wild animals away and to prepare food.
Today, campfires have become a high point of the camping experience
as they contribute to social and emotional development.
Every person that has ever
attended a camp can sing a song they learned around a campfire.
Stories, songs and skits are all ways youth discover their talents,
interests and values. Something magical about the open flames and
another body sitting nearby in the vast outdoors creates emotions
and memories that last a lifetime. It can’t be the quality of the
music or the content of the stories because generally they are
lacking in both quality and content, but the feeling is a positive
lasting one. Shy youth will sing or cheer at the top of their lungs
or the rowdiest child will sit silently mesmerized as a camp
counselor tells a story as the campfire flickers.
Campfires are such an
important part of the overall camping experience; campfire programs
are planned in as much depth as any workshop. Counselors have
manuals devoted to songs and skits. Websites provide planning
sheets, stories and advise for successful campfires.
Camp planners understand
the value of a campfire and day camp planners often create a
campfire experience so campers leave with a feeling of well-being.
The campfire experience seems to bring all of the day’s activities
to a conclusion and allow campers to have an emotional closure to a
busy day. Campers are unaware of the psychological meaningfulness
of the campfire and simply feel it is the best part of going to
camp.
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Page 3. District III Extension Focus - Extension Educators
and Research Specialists Providing Information for Area Families and
Agricultural Producers
 Camp
Benefits for Youth and Family
Cindy Kinder,
Extension Educator, Area 4-H Youth Development, Camas County
Summer camp, winter camp, day camp,
project camp, horse camp, lamb camp, and cousin’s camp all have
something in common. No; it is not the word camp. It has to do
with what goes on while at camp. It is the experience. Many adults
can look back on their youth and say their camping experience was
fun, some gained life long friends and some can say they did things
they wish they had not (like sneaking out late to the hot springs).
But they all learned valuable lessons.
Giving youth a camp experience is an
amazing thing. Some campers go to camp for the first time not
wanting to leave Mom and Dad, but by weeks end they can’t leave
their new found friends. Counselors (older youth 15-19) grow in
responsibility by mentoring youth through the week and helping
campers master a workshop skill or a dance move.
The American Camp Association youth development
study, (Directions Youth Development Outcomes of the Camp Experience
Burkhardt, 2005), found that camp benefits children in the following
ways.
-
Children become more confident and
experience increased self-esteem.
-
Children develop more social skills
that help them make new friends.
-
Children grow more independent and
show more leadership qualities.
-
Children become more adventurous
and willing to try new things.
-
Especially at camps that emphasize
spirituality, children realize spiritual growth.
The study also showed the experience
can give youth a measured growth in four areas; Positive Identity,
Social Skills, Physical and Thinking skills, and Positive Values and
Spirituality.
Positive
Identity; Whether at a day or week camp, the experience of achievement and
social connection away from home can nurture children’s
independence. When children meet challenges in a supportive
environment, they can become more independent.
Social
Skills; Camps can play a
critical role in fostering leadership by giving young people
responsibilities unavailable in other settings. Few memories of the
camp experience are more vivid and enduring than making friends.
Physical
and Thinking Skills; Camps
should carry on a tradition of challenging young people to try new
activities, learn new skills, and get caught up in the excitement of
living outdoors.
Positive
Values and Spirituality; A
social environment coupled with consistent adult attention and
guidance can help campers test their decision-making skills, see the
consequences of their choices, and hone a set of core values.
Moreover, all camps provide the unique experience of group living
away from home in a non-academic setting.
Families, neighborhoods,
organizations and individuals in a community can play a role in
building successful youth. Contact your local 4-H program and find
out where you can help.
 Many
Teens Carry Credit Cards
Lyle Hansen,
Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Science, Jerome County
A recent poll of teenagers
participating in the Junior Achievement program found that more than
11 percent carry credit cards. Some are as young as 13 or 14 years
old. The incidence of credit card ownership rises with age, from
6.2 percent for ages 13-14 to 21 percent for ages 18 and up.
Employment affects the rate at which teens get their own credit
card. Sixteen percent of employed teens possess their own credit
cards, compared to only 7 percent of teens without jobs having
charge cards.
Teens are bombarded with
credit card offers once they turn 18. Credit card companies know
that the sooner they get a teen using a credit card, the sooner they
will make money from interest. On college campuses across America,
new students are enticed to apply for credit cards with free
t-shirts, sunglasses, hats, and other items. Unfortunately, many of
the students who are approved for and issued credit cards are
unaware of how credit works. Some end up maxing out the credit card
and finding themselves in a credit mess. These credit cards are
usually associated with very high interest rates.
While 82 percent of the teen
credit card users said they paid their bills in full every month, 18
percent said they carried over balances; a practice that has gotten
a lot of their parents in trouble. According to Jan Epstein,
executive director of the Allstate Foundation, a survey sponsor.
“Understanding credit is important for all individuals and essential
for one’s financial stability. Bad credit can prevent an individual
from getting a job or renting an apartment. Good credit, on the
other hand, can do the opposite, opening doors when one’s ready to
buy a house or car, borrow money, and more.”
Financial Experts are
concerned about the growing use of credit cards by teens, even
though the cards generally must be co-signed by parents until a
child is 18 or older. “I personally think that 13 to 14 (years old)
is too young,” said Laura Levine, executive director of the
JumpStart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, a nonprofit
educational group based in Washington, DC. “But it really depends
on the individual kids. …Kids mature at different rates, so I don’t
think there’s a single, magic age.” The key, Levine said, is the
involvement of parents in teaching children how to use both credit
and debit cards—and in monitoring their children’s use of plastic.
“You don’t give a child a musical instrument and say, ‘Plunk around
on this for a while and see if you can learn to play,’” she said.
“The act of giving kids a credit card or a debit card isn’t going to
give them good money management habits. There has to be teaching
and practicing.”
Levine
suggests parents who do get cards for their children sit down and go
over the monthly statements, talking about things like interest
rates, the importance of paying on time and spending habits. Teens
then learn from their mistakes while they’re still at home, not
“when they’re 18 and off to college or work and they’re eligible for
their own cards anyway.”
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Page 4.
District III Extension Focus - Extension Educators and Research
Specialists Providing Information for Area Families and Agricultural
Producers
 The
Two Income Trap
Grace Wittman, Extension
Educator, Family and Consumer Science, Cassia County
We have all heard the phrase
“keeping up with the Jones” but how many of us look at our lives and
apply this phrase. In America it has been found that families going
broke are not the poverty stricken. They are actually middle class
families that you find in every town across America. So why are our
middle class families going broke? There are many theories about
why people go into bankruptcy and two of the major assumptions are
over consumption and people cheating they system. In “The Two
Income Trap,” by Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi they
discuss why these assumptions are myths and some ways that middle
class families can protect themselves.
The over consumption myth
is probably the one thing we think of the most when we see people
going into bankruptcy. Even though “The Two Income Trap” indicates
that this is a myth there are still the people out there who just
like to spend. The reason this is considered a myth is because even
though Americans do consume so much it is the big ticket items that
we are spending too much of our income on such as a house and a
car. Americans are willing to spend way beyond their means to live
in the perfect neighborhood next to the perfect schools. They are
overextending their families, making it hard for ends to meet and
adding to the family debt.
The next myth or assumption
is that people are cheating the system. This myth deals with people
who spend and spend and in the end file for bankruptcy, leaving the
government to bail them out. In other words, they are leaving their
friends and neighbors to bail them out of their debt. In “The Two
Income Trap” they state that 9 out of 10 families with children cite
three basic reasons for filing for bankruptcy: job loss, family
breakup, and medical problems. Another 13% state acts of God, being
called up for military service, and personal extravagance. As you
can see this leaves very few people who are filing for reasons of
overspending without a care.
“The Two Income Trap”
discusses many ways for middle class families to avoid bankruptcy
through a financial fire drill. The first item in the financial
fire drill is; can your family live without one income? Have you
and your family put yourselves in a place where it takes two incomes
to pay the bills? Could your family go for at least six months on
one income and savings? Is there another person in the family that
could enter the workforce if necessary?
The second item is can you
downshift your fixed expenses? It is not the extras in life that we
need to cut back on because when tough times come, what would a
person cut out? It is important to take a look at your fixed
expenses such as car payments, house payments, and health insurance
and decide for you and your family what you can downsize. If it is
taking both incomes to make the mortgage payment it may be time to
look at finding a smaller house or renting. It is also time to look
at those car payments do you really need such an expensive vehicle?
Can you get by with just one car? When looking at health care which
is something that is going to cost no matter what. Could you go
with a cheaper plan and still receive adequate care for your
family? These are just a few questions to ask yourselves and make
some decisions on your fixed expenses.
The third item is what is
your emergency backup plan? Now is the time to ask the dreaded
questions. What will you do if your spouse loses their job? What
will you do if a parent becomes ill and needs assistance? What will
you do if you become ill? It is so important to ask these questions
now and come up with a game plan so that if these circumstances
present themselves you are more prepared than you would have been.
Now is the time to look at getting a shorter length car loan so that
you can hold onto your vehicle for a year or two longer and continue
to pay that car payment to yourself so that you have more of a down
payment for the next one. Or it is a time to look at adding any
additional insurance coverage such as disability insurance so that
if a accident happens you have something to rely on.
There are many things we can
do to protect ourselves from bankruptcy and “The Two Income Trap”
discusses many of them. The authors also suggest getting yourself a
book on financial planning so that you can work a budget for your
family and really understand what you are doing and where you are
going with your financial future. For more information regarding
the issues discussed in this article I would suggest looking into
“The Two Income Trap.”
Source: “The Two Income
Trap” written by Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi 2003.
Americans Saved Minus Money in 2005
Lyle Hansen,
Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Science, Jerome County
The Commerce Department
recently reported that in 2005 Americas’ personal savings rate was a
whopping -0.5%. No, this is not a misprint; Americas’ average
personal savings was negative. You might be asking yourself how can
this be true? Basically, in 2005, the average American spent all of
their disposable income (the money left after paying taxes) and had
to increase their borrowing or dip into previous savings. The
scariest thing about the -0.5% savings is this was the lowest number
since the Great Depression in 1933!
With the unpredictable
rising costs of energy, gas, homes and other items, we cannot afford
to forego saving money. Saving money is not always easy, but by
learning and practicing money management strategies, you can build
your savings.
The first step in learning
to save is deciding how you want to spend your money. There are two
basic spending categories, needs and wants. Needs are necessities,
such as food, shelter, healthcare, and transportation. Wants are
extras that we like to have, but are not necessary. We can spend
less money by limiting purchases of “wants” and put the cash saved
in personal savings instead. Every decision to spend money affects
your ability to save.
The second step to saving is
by tracking your monthly income and expenses. This helps you see a
picture of how much money you bring in and where your money goes.
Below are five methods you can use to track your monthly expenses.
1) Receipt
Method: This is an easy way to track spending, but make sure to get
a receipt when you buy something. Label all receipts with
categories, such as food, entertainment or clothing. Keep receipts
in a storage container, recipe file or large envelope that is
divided into spending categories. Payment receipts for utilities,
insurance, etc. should also be filed in the storage container. When
using credit or debit cards, file receipts under the spending
category, such as food or clothing. If you don’t get a receipt,
make one, label it and file it in the proper category. Sort the
receipts at the end of each week and write down the amount spent in
each category.
2) Envelope
Budgeting Method: This works well when paying with cash. It
requires little paperwork. Label an envelope for each expense
category (rent, utilities, food, etc.). Write on the envelope the
cost of each item that will come out of that envelope, the date the
item will be bought or when the bill will be paid. When you receive
income, divide the cash or “play money” into the envelopes for each
expense category. Inside each labeled envelope, put the amount of
money you plan to spend in that category this month. You don’t have
to record how much was spent; just replace the money with receipts.
Pay bills promptly so you won’t receive late charges. Keep
envelopes in a locked safe place if you use real cash. Try not to
shift money from one envelope to another or “borrow” it. If there’s
money left in an envelope at months end, you’ve done well. Deposit
leftover funds in a savings account and start the new
month.
3) Calendar
or Notebook Method: This uses a calendar or notebook to track
income and expenses. List income on the date received. Write bills
and expenses when they are due. As they are paid, mark that bill off
the calendar. The calendar or notebook provides a spending record
at tax time and can also be used to store bills before payment.
4) Checkbook
Method: Works best when using checks or debit cards for all bills
and purchases. Prepare a monthly spending budget based on
anticipated income and expense needs. Track expenses by using a
checkbook register. Recording each check or debit card transaction,
will provide an accurate record of spending. Include the date,
check number, name of the person or business, and amount of purchase
in the checkbook register. For each entry, note the spending
category. At the end of the month, total the expenses from each
category and compare them to the amounts budgeted.
5) Computer
Method: This tracks your expenses via computer. Expenses are
categorized by spending areas. These records are useful at tax
time. Buy personal finance software or develop your own spreadsheet
categories. Using a computer to manage finances is easy and records
can quickly be updated.
Use these methods of
tracking expenses individually or in a combination. The key is to
use a method and find what works for your financial situation. The
first couple months of using a tracking method can be challenging,
but with more practice, it gets easier.
It is still early in 2006.
Begin using one of the five tracking expenses methods, get control
of your spending and make 2006 a positive year for savings.
Look for future Focus
articles on Money Management topics. Dollar Decisions is a
University of Idaho Extension workshop that teaches participants
about tracking expenses and developing a spending and savings plan.
This workshop is available to groups free of charge. For further
information or questions you can contact Lyle Hansen, University of
Idaho Extension Educator in Jerome County at 324-7578 or lhansen@uidaho.edu
Source: University of Idaho
Extension, CIS 1112 Dollar Decisions Tracking Income and Expenses
curriculum, 2003.
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Page 5.
District III Extension Focus - Extension Educators and Research
Specialists Providing Information for Area Families and Agricultural
Producers
Writing an Effective Job
Description
Shannon
Williams, Extension Educator, Lemhi County
Hiring a new
employee can be stressful, but should be looked as an opportunity to
guide change in a positive direction. The first step in guiding the
change is to write an effective job description.
Writing a job
description gives the employer an opportunity to define what they
want an employee to accomplish. It allows them to consider if they
would like the potential employee to have formal training or
certifications or they will train them on the job. While writing
the job description, the employer should consider “why would someone
want to work for me and do this job?” Job descriptions are the
first communication between employer and employee. It lets people
know what will be expected of them and what skills they need to
posses. Most importantly, a job description provides a basis for
recruitment and selection.
A job
description needs to contain specific elements to be effective.
You need to start with an accurate job title that would entice
someone to read the whole job description. A two sentence overview
of the job gives a potential employee the “big picture”. It is
important to include who the employer will be and who will be
supervising the employee. Salary is important, so include the
specific salary or range. If there is a salary range, be prepared
to explain what facts will determine if someone starts at the bottom
of the salary range or at the top. Specific levels of education or
certifications must be included. It is always best to include the
hours you expect the employee to work.
The “job
duties” section of the job description is very important. This
section should be very specific about what an employee will be doing
the majority of the time. You do not need to list every little
item. List the most important five to eight duties. Well-written
job duties help a potential employee determine if this is a job they
would like to apply for.
The job
qualifications should be divided into two sections, minimum
qualifications and additional/desirable qualifications. As you
write the qualifications, consider what training, education,
licenses, or certificates are necessary to complete the job. If the
job is physical in nature, consider how physical in the way of
walking, carrying, etc. Any special job requirements needed to be
identified in this section. Identify what specific traits you are
wanting in a future employee. Additional desirable qualifications
usually refers to training or knowledge that would benefit the
employer and employee, but necessary to complete the job. Many
times it is training that the employer would furnish after the
person was hired.
A job
description allows the employer to determine what they would like a
potential employee to do and allows the potential employee to
determine if this is the job for them. Writing an effective job
description is the first step to hiring an effective employee.
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Page 6. District III Extension Focus - Extension Educators
and Research Specialists Providing Information for Area Families and
Agricultural Producers
Building
Happy Customers
Diana Christensen, Extension
Educator, Family and Consumer Science, Gooding County
Have you ever walked out of
a business, feeling such anger or humiliation that you vow never to
return? We may even fume to ourselves that it wasn’t the refusal,
it was the way they handled it. And that is the key; the crucial
point of customer service is how it is handled.
Anyone who visits your
business, agency, or school are the lifeblood of your business and
you cannot afford to have even one person go away angry. People
talk and those who go away from your agency, business, or school
feeling humiliated will tell their friends, relatives, and even
strangers of their bad experience.
If you as the service person
have had a bad day, leave it at home. If you prove to the customer
that you are right, you may be right, but you have lost a customer.
As a teacher, you may have won an argument, but you have lost a
portion of the good faith of someone in your community.
Here are more tips from
Customer Service Manager e-magazine:
Use my name. When my
daughter was substitute teaching she got a seating chart and worked
hard to learn the student’s names.
Treat me as if I am
important—to you, the business, the agency. I, and all of those
on my side of the counter, are important to your business. Be glad
I am here, and let me know.
Acknowledge me. I
know you are busy, but a smile and a hello, or a pleasant “We’ll be
with you shortly” will go a long way.
Apologize. When
things do go wrong, please give me a simple apology. A sincere
apology can take my dissatisfaction and turn it into loyalty.
Listen to me. If I
am unhappy with your service or product, and you really listen
(instead of arguing with me), that makes me feel good. That may be
enough to send me away happy.
Providing
Public Services in a Gateway Community
Steve Hines, Extension
Educator, Agriculture and Community Development, Lincoln County
Gateway community counties are those
places that front on major expanses of public land, which is
predominantly used by recreators. In Idaho and many other Western
states there are a significant number of such counties. Being a
Gateway county has unique responsibilities and demands. Among those
are the services that are needed to find, protect and rescue
visitors to the public lands. In Idaho’s case, local government’s
sources of revenue are property taxes and service fees with property
tax being the revenue source of last resort. When other sources do
not provide enough, it is charged to property taxes and the local
taxpayer.
As the economic structure of Gateway
counties change, there are implications for community members and
for the services that will be available for both residents and
visitors. The change from commodity production to amenity based use
puts different pressures on local governments and citizens.
Traditional commodity production tends to be, but not always, a year
around operation. Workers and their families would move to a
community and build their lives in that community. They built
homes, schools, churches, clubs and civic organizations. Generally
the commodity production jobs paid enough to support a family with
some extras.
In Idaho, the pressures of the change in public
land use have been going on for 30 years. As rural counties look for
opportunities to find livable wage jobs, one thing must be kept in
mind; many of the rural areas in Idaho were populated because of
their proximity to a natural resource that was processed in some way
and sold elsewhere. As the industries created by these resource
bases collapse, so too will the economies of the surrounding areas.
Most of Idaho’s rural areas tend to be too far from major shipping
terminals or they do not provide the necessary amenities to attract
major industrial or commercial employers. In many cases, this leaves
these communities with few other
options than to begin relying very
heavily on unpredictable tourism dollars. To further compound the
problem, the counties facing additional need for dollars are the
counties who are loosing revenues from decline of natural resource
based activities on Federal lands within their borders.
Visitors as well as local residents
rely on various services to make their community safe and to improve
its quality of life. These services include fire protection, search
and rescue, emergency medical service, police protection, solid
waste management, road maintenance, service clubs, youth
organizations and churches. This also includes year round
maintained access to recreational activities such as campground and
trail use in the summer and snowmobiling in the winter. Providing
these services to residents, and others, is not free. With few minor
exceptions, there are no mechanisms in place to charge for theses
services. Generally, these services cost the taxpayers or the
providing agency. In one example, in 1999, an effort to find a lost
hunter in Valley County, Idaho cost the taxpayers $3628.25. It
consumed 2320 volunteer man-hours and placed 6210 miles on search
vehicles. This does not include the cost of Air Force helicopters
brought in to help search. Another factor in many of these Gateway
Communities and Counties is that volunteers holding down other jobs
and running other businesses provide many of the volunteer services
such as search and rescue. When employers let the volunteers leave
work, there is some lost productivity and disruption to the work
taking place, whether the worker is paid for the time or not. The
implication is that many locals donate from their businesses and
personal lives to provide the services. Many do this because they
feel having these services improves the quality of life in the
community. Others do it because people need assistance
(humanitarian reasons).
Idaho is a beautiful state with many
opportunities for outdoor recreation. Much of this recreation, such
as snowmobiling and hunting, take place in the back country areas.
Usually things go smoothly, but when they don’t folks turn to the
local search and rescue groups to help. As Idaho becomes more
“discovered”, it makes logical sense that more people will find
their way into the many out of the way parts of the state. More
people will put more strain on the services provided by the counties
where they play. When people think counties that have to deal with
these issues, the mountainous areas usually come to mind. Certainly
counties such as Blaine, Camas, Lemhi, and Custer easily meet the
criteria for Gateway counties. But, in our area, we also have
counties such as Twin Falls, Cassia, and Lincoln the provide access
to thousands of acres of public land.
When people come into an area to
play, they expect roads to be maintained, parking areas cleared,
trash service, police protection, emergency medical service, and
search and rescue all to be provided if necessary. Who provides
these services? For the most part it falls back to the taxpayers of
the county where the activity takes place. As Idaho grows and
attracts more outdoor recreationists, methods will have to be
developed to provide the funds necessary to pay for the services.
There are some philosophical questions that will have to be
answered. Should the local taxpayers be the ones to foot the bill
since tourism will bring some dollars into those local communities,
or should a fee based structure be developed so that those who play
are those who pay? Idaho counties will have to work on this issue as
our state grows and becomes an outdoor destination of choice.
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Page 7. District III Extension Focus - Extension Educators
and Research Specialists Providing Information for Area Families and
Agricultural Producers
 Changes
in the Crop Acreage Mix in South-Central Idaho
Dale Baker, Extension
Educator, Agriculture, Minidoka County
The economic environment in
the south-central region of Idaho is constantly changing. The
results of those changes to the communities within the region will
be complex and far-reaching. In this article we will use published
data to quantify changes in the crop acreage mix in the region,
suggest some reasons why it has occurred, and discuss some of the
challenges and opportunities associated with those changes.
The south central section of
Idaho is made up of eight counties (Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding,
Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka, and Twin Falls). The majority of the
agricultural land in this region is irrigated and there are slightly
over 1 million acres devoted to the growing of seven major field
crops. Even though the total harvested acreage among these seven
crops has declined slightly during the past ten years, the acreage
devoted to individual crops has changed significantly. Several of
these changes can be observed as trends either up or down. Relevant
data for the acreage changes has been extracted from the Idaho
Agricultural Statistics Annual Reports covering the last five years
with a look back to 1995 provided to get a longer range
perspective. The data covers production through the 2004 cropping
season. It is the most recent crop year for which individual
county data has been published.
The data covering changes in
the numbers of dairy and beef cows in productive use in the region
is also found in the Ag Statistics Report. These data have been
published through 2005. Substantial increases have been occurring
in the number of dairy cattle producing milk in the region over the
past ten years. The consequences come in many forms but for now we
will only look at some impacts to the crop acreage mix.
Chart 1 shows the crop
acreage changes that have taken place since 1995 among five cash
crops. The change which is most noticeable is the decrease in wheat
acreage. From the high of 261,000 acres grown in 1995, wheat
acreage had declined to 193,000 acres by 2004. This constitutes a
loss of some 68,000 acres or 26%. Another notable change is in dry
bean production. The acreage fell from 79,400 in 1995 to a low of
34,800 in 2001 before recovering to 50,600 acres in 2004. The
overall decline amounted to 28,800 acres or 36% of the acres planted
to beans in 1995. Potato acres also declined from 111,300 to 90,400
in 2003 before recovering to 95,400 in 2004. The overall decline
between 1995 and 2004 was 15,900 acres or 14%.
The other two cash
commodities displayed some acreage increase during the ten year
period. Sugar beets increased from 118,300 acres in 1995 to a high
of 130,500 in 2002 before dropping back to 122,000 in 2004. The
overall change was 3,700 acres for a modest 3% increase in harvested
acreage. A more dramatic increase was noted in the planted acreage
of malting barley. That acreage increased from 97,000 acres to
135,000 in 2003 before sliding back to 121,000 in 2004. The ten
year change amounted to 24,000 acres for a net increase of 25%.
Chart 2 illustrates acreage
changes that have occurred in major feed crops which are grown in
the eight county area. Among these commodities, the most dramatic
change has been the increase in harvested corn acreage. In 1995,
there were 40,400 acres of corn harvested. That number has
increased steadily through the period of this study to a high of
122,900 acres in 2004. This amounts to an increase of 82,500 acres
which translates to a whopping 204% change in harvested corn
acreage.
The changes in the acreage
devoted other feed commodities have been less dramatic. Harvested
acreage for alfalfa has remained substantially flat for the 10 year
observation period. There was a one year spike in harvested acreage
in 2002 but the overall change in acreage was reported at 5,000
acres which amounts to an increase of only 1.6%. Feed barley
acreage actually declined considerably between 1995 and 2004. The
1995 plantings of 62,000 acres have been followed by a mostly steady
decline until by 2004 only 47,000 acres were planted. This
calculates to a net change of 15,000 acres or a decrease of 24% over
ten years.
A summary of the changes
cited above shows that increases in acreage of corn – 82,500, sugar
beets – 3,700, and malting barley – 24,000 add up to a total acreage
increase of 110,200 acres. The commodities showing declining acres
include feed barley – 15,000 acres, wheat – 68,000, dry beans –
28,800, and potatoes – 15,900. The total acreage given up from
these crops is 127,700. Summing the gains and losses leaves a net
loss of cropped area among the all the studied crops of 17,500
acres. Most of the difference can be accounted for by the decline
of total cropped acres in the eight counties as shown in the Ag.
Statistics report.
There are always multiple
explanations for changes in crop production. The time period
covered by these statistics has been marked by depressed market
prices for wheat and barley. However, prices for barley which can
meet malting contract specifications have been relatively higher
than for feed barley. This may account for some of the shift toward
planting more acres to malting varieties. The last ten years have
seen a marked increase in the number of dairy cows in the
eight-county region. Chart 3 illustrates the magnitude and timing
of that increase.
It shows that dairy cow
numbers have steadily increased over the period. There were 139,500
dairy cows that had calved reported in 1995 by Idaho Ag Statistics.
By 2005 that number had increased to a reported 310,000 head. This
is an increase of 170,500 head which amounts to a 122% jump. During
the same period, the number of beef cows which had been at 105,500
head in 1995 increased to a high of 114,000 head in 2004 before
dropping back to 107,500 head in 2005. The overall change is
observed as being 2,000 head or 1.8%.
There are plenty of
consequences associated with these changes and one of them is an
increased demand for feed ingredients to manufacture feed rations
for milk production. That seems to be the driving force for the
parallel increase in the acreage of corn produced in the region over
the time period as noted above.
The recent, relatively high
market price for milk has encouraged a continued interest in the
expansion of dairy production. The southern Idaho area with its
favorable climate and abundance of open space seems to be attracting
a sizable share of that expansion. So much so that Idaho has become
the fourth highest dairy producing state in the U. S. The
implications of that expansion to our local economies will be
considerable. The demand for specialized equipment and job skills
needed to service both the dairies and their associated input
requirements will expand the need for change far beyond the farm
gate into the cities and towns. There will be added concerns in
areas of air and water quality.
It is generally desirable to
introduce additional opportunities for economic activity into a
community. The saying that “a rising tide lifts all boats” comes to
mind. Recognizing the presence and magnitude of changes helps
policymakers and business operators to anticipate and manage the
effects of the change.
Back To Top
Page 8. District III Extension Focus - Extension Educators
and Research Specialists Providing Information for Area Families and
Agricultural Producers
 Tips
to Help Obtain Your Operating Loan
Richard Garrard, Extension
Educator, Farm Financial Management/Livestock, Cassia County
With spring rapidly approaching it is
time to prepare our selves for obtaining this year’s credit. Here
are five tips in negotiating a financial package with your lender.
ØFirst, as a borrower you must provide current, accurate financial
statements and supporting records. A current balance sheet with
supporting schedules and inventories is essential. It is a big plus
if you know your ratio’s and there meaning. A record of earnings
(usually an income statement) and a projected cash flow for your
business are also needed. If you are anticipating a major change in
your business, a three- to five-year projected cash flow period may
be required.
A good set of farm records showing
production plans, short and long-range goals, and procedures for
implementation and evaluation will enhance your ability to secure
credit. The time it takes to write a farm business plan will be
impressive to the lender and be of great help in obtaining a loan or
lowering the interest rate. In approaching a new lender, find out
specifically what they want in the way of financial information.
-
Second, arrange credit in advance. Bankers like budgets (financial
plans) and do not like surprises. Don’t inform your lender of a
major decision “after the fact.” This only results in destroying
trust and credibility and makes future credit more difficult or
impossible to obtain.
-
Third, allow your lender time to review your plans and make
suggestions. Many major purchase decisions are made on the basis
of emotion. A lender can be a source of sound advice and counsel
in reviewing your credit request. Remember, explanation of your
goals and plans builds confidence and trust, and strengthens your
working relationship.
-
Fourth, inform your lender of problems and changes. Even the best of
businesses may be faced with adversity that may reduce the ability
to repay. Inform your lender of changes in plans or unforeseen
problems that will interfere with making loan payments. Remember,
communication is the key element in the initial request as well as
through-out the whole credit process.
-
Finally fifth, maintain a high level of integrity. If a lender is
expected to be honest and aboveboard at all time, then the same
attribute will be expected of you, the borrower. Inaccurate
information and failure to honor commitments will jeopardize the
borrower-lender relationship initially and could last a lifetime.
By adhering to these five tips for
obtaining credit, it will help in obtaining your operating loan.
 Make
Sire Selection Work for You
J. Benton Glaze, Jr., Ph.D.,
Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Animal and Veterinary Science
Department, University of Idaho
Calving season is the
“moment of truth” for beef cattle producers. Spring calves are the
result of selection and breeding decisions that were made the
previous spring and summer. Now that the calving season has ended,
or is winding down in most beef cattle herds, producers must begin
shifting their attention toward the upcoming breeding season and the
associated challenges. One of the most important, and difficult,
management decisions a beef producer must make is the selection of a
herd sire. Sire selection is the basis for building a productive
and profitable beef cattle herd. The following steps should help
make sire selection less difficult for producers and make sire
selection a success in most beef cattle herds.
First, producers must
determine the needs of the herd.
Beef producers must know where their herd has been (in terms of
productivity), where it currently is, and in what direction they
want it to go. Performance records provide producers with a
“snapshot” of their herd’s productivity, and the means necessary to
direct changes. Before buying a bull, a producer must fir | 
Roundup-Ready Alfalfa
