IFBF Beef Committee Meets

Burley--At the Burley Convention Center a Farm Bureau meeting of the minds. The Farm Bureau Beef Committee meets to discuss issues that affect their bottom line.

"All the topics are pertinent to any farmer and rancher," said Chairman Sara Erb, of Blackfoot.

Topics like mandatory minimum negotiated trade—Scott Bennet of the AFBF presented a case for aggressive investigation of any market-distorting activities. And the minimum wage issue—Beef Committee Chair Sara Erb of Blackfoot

"Minimum wage could affect anyone in our position. There is no way we can pay $13-dollars an hour. Not that they are not worth it, of course, our laborers are very worth it, we just can't," said Chairman Erb.

The new State Vet told ranchers on the committee about the mandatory new RF-Id tags.

"Yes, the RF-ID tags! We are always worried about extra costs and I think it's a good thing, it's just going to take some time. I think the main thing that scares people is the extra time we have to put forth to implement it, and the extra costs, but it sounds like we will be compensated a bit, that helps," added Erb.

Wolf trapper Rusty Kramer out of Fairfield gave a wolf depredation and population report:

"Last year we saw a record wolf harvest, the biggest it's ever been, but the population stayed stagnant," said Kramer.

"So you can see they're still not harvesting as many wolves as being reported with pups the next year."

Kramer says there are 1,556 wolves in Idaho, and the government should expand hunting and trapping. The Farm Bureau Beef Committee, addressing pressing issues on the eve of another season.