NAF News

NAF 2004 ANNUAL MEETING

Produce food or contribute to its production is what the Nevada Agricultural Foundation (NAF) wants to encourage young Nevadans to do. The Foundation does this by offering Educational Grants or scholarships each year to Nevada High School graduates or those already attending a College or University. The major requirements to being awarded such grants are that recipients must be graduates of a Nevada High School and must major in agriculture or a closely related field. Since NAF began awarding educational grants in the early 1980's they have provided nearly $900,000 mostly in scholarship but also in .support of 4-H, FFA (Future Farmers of America) and for agricultural research. Some $492,000 of this sum has been been given just since year 2000 or almost a hundred thousand per year for the past five years. Earlier this spring NAF held its annual Board of Directors meeting in Reno. Awarded at that time was $45,000 in Educational Grants which went to 20 of the States youth with an additional $22,000 going to the Nevada Junior Livestock Show Board, 4-H, FFA, agricultural research and a new program called, "Knowledge Bound." The latter is aimed at developing innovative approaches to teach school children and maybe teachers of agriculture's role in producing food, fiber, shelter and energy for the Nation's people. Agriculture is one of the three absolutely necessary industries for the welfare of mankind. The others are mining and logging. During NAF's Annual Banquet held this year at John Ascuaga's Nugget and in conjunction with its Annual Board of Directors Meeting, 10 of the recipients of the Educational Grants were on hand to receive congratulations for their awards. This is the most that have been able to attend the Banquet since it began. NAF President Tom Barnes of Elko noted how well over the years scholarship recipients have done at major colleges and univerities and how many have returned to become learned spoksmen for the farming and ranching community.

Two research efforts funded or partially funded by NAF were reported at the meeting by scientists involved. One studied agricultural lands and crop cultural practices that turned out to be highly beneficial to one wildlife species. Dr. Lewis W. Oring, wildlife scientist at UNR's College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources said that pasture management including livestock grazing in Ruby Valley resulted in habitat conditions very favorable to the Long Billed Curlew, a shore bird. A significent breeding population of the birds has been the outcome. It's another example where irrigated, moist privately owned lands have benefitted wildife. Mostly we hear of the detrimental aspects of ranching to wildlife and not often of the attributes. In an arid environment irrigated farm and ranch crop and pasture land often serves to help sustain various wildlife, especially in drought years. Mule deer, elk and antelope in some instances, rodents, rabbits, predators, and birds use such lands. Wildfires, tree encroachment, drought and other factors have adversely effected wildlife habitat thus making the irrigated areas even more important. This has especially been the case recently with sagegrouse. Dr. Paul Tueller, range scientist emeritus at UNR has been involved in the other study. He hopes to develope a range monitoring protocol that will be scientifically sound and which may establish a standard for such surveys. Monitoring is absolutely necessary in evaluating range use and impacts of natural forces. Currently there are varying approaches to such work making it difficult to compare results.

Featured speaker at the Annual Banquet was Carolyn Duferrena of the Quinn River Ranch in Humboldt County. She discussed the book,."Fifty Miles From Home" authored by her and her mother-in-law, Linda Duferrena who provided beautiful photos of Nevada's remote ranch country for the writing. Carolyn's comments captured the tone and mood of the book and it's recounting of life in such an isolated environment. - 30 -

Featured speaker at this year's NAF Banquet was Carolyn Duferrena, Quinn River Ranch, Humboldt, County. She discussed the book "Fifty Miles From Home" authored by her and her mother-in-law, Linda Duferrena, well known in Nevada for her beautiful photogrphy of the State's remote expanses. Carolyn recounted her experiences with ranch life, its isolation and it's many attributes.

NAF Educational Grant winners at Banquet, left to right: NAF President Tom Barnes of Elko; Jay Rose, Elko; Chance Dahl, Churchill; Brandon MacDougall, Pershing; Ann-Marie Shank, Pershing; Samantha Cavender, Elko; and Alan List, Selection Committee Chair, Pershing.

More Banquet Awardees, left to right; Barnes; Megan Peri, Lyon; Jodie Scribner, Lyon; Molly Christensen, Lyon; Adrienne Lipka, Carson City; Russell Pedrett, Douglas; and List.