The Pioneer Press, at the very top of the State of California, grants permission for this article to be copied and forwarded. State of Jefferson Rancher – an agriculture quarterly Published by Pioneer Press, Fort Jones, California
 May 25, 2005 Vol. 32, No. 31 Page 3, column 1

 The good, the bad and the ugly

By Liz Bowen, State of Jefferson Rancher editor, Pioneer Press, Fort Jones, California

 Issues are hitting us in the face.

SCOTT-SHASTA: It will be difficult to make decisions regarding coho salmon regulations, because some of the opinions and statements being put forth by agencies have not been proven to be true. The unfortunate part is that it may take a lawsuit to establish truth or fiction.

One of those statements that may create a court battle comes from California Department of Fish and Game. Craig Martz, who chaired the Recovery Strategy Plan for Siskiyou County, is still saying that diverting water will now be a "significant" disturbance and will need a new 1602 permit.

This is a different permit than the 1603, which a landowner used when he was going to make a "significant" disturbance in the streambed – usually with a backhoe to push up gravel, so some of the stream would flow into his ditch also called a diversion.

I haven’t read the code, but the definition of "significant" has definitely taken on a different meaning and reference from streambed to water.

Remember that if this water is an adjudicated water right, the allotment of water is a "property right." We can’t roll over when it comes to protecting our property rights.

Unfortunately, I was not able to hit much of the 1602 information the "Big decisions for ranchers" article on page 6, but it is intricately interwoven – although a separate regulation – with the California Endangered Species Act listing of the coho salmon. You will learn a few basics about the Incidental Take Permits that are being developed, if you check out that article.

As for good things – Mike Bryan’s new paint foal was a surprise and free. We all know that a well-marked paint is not cheap.

Tyler Sweet, a seventh grader, won the state Imagine This … writing contest and we have the well-written story in the Farm Bureau newsletter on page 26.

It is good to know that FFA is going strong and local members achieved success at the California State Convention; and that the Yreka High School Ag Economics class once again did a heck of a job farrowing out sows, feeding the animals and holding an auction for the feeder pigs.

With so many bad and ugly issues slapping us in the face, we need to remember that there are good things going on – that just may be what keeps us sane.