The US Fish and Wildlife Service offered an opening for public comment input to a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) covering depredation permits for ravens in Nevada.  Observing the reason for the possible action of increasing the number of ravens that could be taken, the agency’s reason for the action was explained by noting that “raven populations in recent decades have followed a significantly increased trend.”  They continued by reporting, “Since 1966 there has been approximately a three-fold increase in the number of ravens nationally and a five-fold increase in the number of ravens in Nevada.”

Along with ravens being described as one of the most significant limiting factors to the recovery of sensitive species in Nevada, the agency’s documentation also shared that from fiscal year 2012 to 2016, ravens accounted for over $100,000 in value of livestock injured or depredated – only behind mountain lions and coyote.

The three alternatives that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offered included their “preferred alternative” labeled as a “reduced take alternative” which would allow for allowing for “lethal takes” up to 10,000 ravens per year.  Alternative 2 was called “Issue Permits for up to the Potential Lethal Take Maximum.”  This would provide for legally taking up to 19,042 ravens per year.  The third alternative was to follow the current level of allowing for lethal take of approximately 5,000 ravens.

Nevada Farm Bureau took advantage to weigh in with these comments and pressed for the Maximum Take alternative.

“Frankly, we are uncertain why the ‘Preferred Alternative’ was selected to be the option that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service chose?”  Farm Bureau’s written comments questioned.  “We were of the belief that protection of Sage Grouse was a priority and by the Service’s documentation in the Draft EA, the Potential Lethal Take Maximum (Nevada Farm Bureau’s preference) would provide a greater degree of protection for Sage Grouse ‘without causing a decline in the Nevada population’ of Ravens.”

If you haven’t already taken part in the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) campaign to urge our national legislators to finish the critical work of developing and passing a new Farm Bill, please click on this link and send your Senators and Congressional Representative an email stressing the need for their action.  In his recent column, AFBF President Zippy Duvall stressed the need for Congress to do their job and finish the next Farm Bill.

The Nevada Department of Agriculture have announced that they have availability of free native seed for cultivation from the Foundation Seed Program.  To be in the running to receive this free native seed you need to complete an application and submit the completed application to the Seed Program by 5 p.m. on March 29^th.  

Stephen Kielius is the contact person you need to reach out to at seed@agri.nv.gov or by phone to (775) 399-0284.  The application form is also available on this website for the seed program, use the tab on the right side of the website for the Foundation Seed Program Application…

The Department’s Foundation Seed Program aims to provide free native seed to producers so they may increase Nevada’s available seed stock to support restoration efforts.  In return, the program asks that a portion of the applicant’s yield be returned at no cost to create a sustainable foundation program. 

This is your last chance to sign-up to be part of the Nevada Urban Agriculture Conference, set for North Las Vegas.  It will be held at the Aliante Casino Hotel & Spa, 7300 N. Aliante Parkway, March 6-8, and places an emphasis on supporting both local producers and associated businesses.  

Register Online by March 5. For more information, email Carolina Martinez  carolinamartinez@unr.edu  or call her at 775-313-8012.

The Nevada Small Agriculture Conference is scheduled for March 13-15 at the 3C Event Complex, 227 Sheckler Road, Fallon.  Although this is a draft agenda for the conference, it does give a solid idea on when different topics will be covered as well as what those topics will cover.

Registration of $150, for all three days of the conference is similar to the Urban Agriculture Conference in North Las Vegas.  This fee includes all sessions, an opening reception, lunches and the tradeshow. Like the Urban Agriculture Conference, this conference opens on Wednesday with the regenerative or meat-processing track options, followed by lunch and the opening reception. Tickets for this day only are $55.

Thursday and Friday sessions are geared more toward small-production and rural producers, and feature presenters from the University, including its Extension and Experiment Station units and the Desert Farming Initiative, as well as many others sharing their agriculture and business expertise. An optional grow-local dinner will be offered on Thursday at 6 p.m. for $60.

Register online by March 5. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged. For more information, email Kaley Chapin ( kaleys@unr.edu ) or call her at 702-467-2668.

The Bee and Garden Conference will be hosted in Minden, NV at the Carson Valley Inn, 1627 U.S. Highway 395 North, March 22-24. This conference will focus on beekeeping, pollinators, and landscaping for homeowners and small acreages. There will also be hands-on classes for floral design, making medicinal products from the hive, and value-added honey products.

Registration for the main sessions of the conference, running from Friday evening through Sunday morning is $125, and offers two tracks, one on honey bee and value-added products from the hive, and the other on “NevadaScapes” and gardening. Continental breakfast on Saturday and Sunday and lunch on Saturday is included. In addition, there is an option for 10 youth, ages 9-13, to attend a Jr. Master Gardener session all day Saturday, for $80, which includes hands-on learning, continental breakfast and lunch.

Finally, there are also three other optional hands-on sessions offered for $25 per session (not included with conference registration), and limited to 30 people per session:

• Medicinal products from the hive, Saturday, 6:30 – 9 p.m.
• Shrubs, syrups and oxymels (herbal extractions of vinegar and honey), Sunday, 8:30 – 10:15 a.m.
• Apothecary (preparing and selling products for medicinal purposes), Sunday, 10:30 a.m. – noon

Register online by March 20. There are varying space limits, so early registration is encouraged. For more information, email Lindsay Chichester  lchichester@unr.edu  or Jessica Gardner email - jessicagardner@unr.edu .

Because of the priority, we want to remind you that the Nevada Department of Agriculture has announced a public hearing to be held on the regulation package that has advanced from the workshops, held last year, on meat and poultry processing.  The hearing is scheduled for Friday, March 15 at the Sparks headquarters office, starting at 9 a.m.  You will see from the announcement that a virtual link is available to participate by Zoom.

From our review of the proposed changes, compared to the original version, annual fees for custom processing facilities (including mobile units) have been cut to $250.  The initial evaluation of proposed plans for a custom processing facility are $600.  The fees for an official establishment are $750 for the review of the facility’s plan, that the agency needs to do as a start-up and then $500 per year for the licensing that is required. 

The pricing differential between the different levels of facilities was one of the issues that Nevada Farm Bureau pointed out in our comments of the original proposal.

The first full week of March 2024 has been designated as Ag Safety Awareness Week.  This year’s theme is “Cultivating Safety Protecting Our Future.”   The webpage shares information from the Farm Bureau Safety & Healthy Network and provides ideas for how to get involved and make a difference.  It also highlights the daily topics of importance for each day.