North Dakota Department of Agriculture Doug Goehring, Commissioner Promoting a healthy economy, environment and social climate for North Dakota agriculture and the rural community. Biennial Report 2007-09 Contents A Message from the Commissioner ii Mission Statement iii Organizational Chart iv Administration 1 Executive Services 10 Livestock Services 13 Plant Industries 18 State Fair 23 Funding & Expenditures 24 On the Cover: The pictures are from the 2008 and 2009 North Dakota Department of Agriculture Photography Contests. • Anastacia Hermes took the photograph of the combine and barn on a neighbor’s farm near Kindred. • The picture of the sunflower was taken by JoAnn Ensrud on her family farm near Pekin. • Katherine Plessner photographed her granddaughter, Kaitlin Geyer, bottle-feeding a lamb on a neighbor’s farm near Verona. A Message from the Commissioner My Fellow North Dakotans, North Dakota agricultural producers will long remember the 2007-09 biennium. We briefly saw re- cord high commodity prices, while at the same time witnessing a long upward spiral in fuel prices and subsequent increases in the cost of other inputs. During the biennium, our family farmers and ranchers again proved themselves as some of the best producers in the world. North Dakota led the nation in more than a dozen important commodi- ties, including spring wheat, durum, barley, sun- flowers, canola, dry edible peas and beans, oats, flax, honey and more. We are close to being among the top 10 states in soybean production, and corn now grows almost everywhere in the state. Remarkably, our producers have achieved this, despite less than optimal growing conditions. The 2008 winter was exceptionally hard on livestock. Thousands of ani- mals died from the cold and wind and from the subsequent spring floods. That flooding also prevented or delayed crop planting in much of the state. Nevertheless, farmers brought in record small grain harvests. The staff of the North Dakota Department of Agriculture is proud of these accomplishments and is dedi- cated to helping North Dakota producers continue to provide safe and abundant food, fiber and fuel for our state, our nation and the world. Plant Industries obtained federal registrations and exemptions to get producers the pesticides needed to protect crops and livestock. We helped local weed authorities control damaging pests like leafy spurge and Canada thistle. The Agricultural Mediation Service provided low cost agricultural mediation and financial counseling services. Marketing Services found new markets, helped develop new products, and assisted new businesses. The state veterinarians helped keep our livestock free of major livestock diseases. Agriculture remains the bedrock of our state’s economy and society. All the accomplishments of the state’s producers during this past biennium renew our confidence both in our heritage and in our future. I am confident that North Dakota agriculture will continue leading our state into more prosperous times. Sincerely, Doug Goehring Agriculture Commissioner ii Mission The North Dakota Department of Agriculture fosters the long- term well-being of North Dakota by promoting a healthy eco- nomic, environmental and social climate for agriculture and the rural community through leadership, advocacy, education, regulation and other services. To carry out its mandate, the North Dakota Department of Agriculture is committed to the following responsibilities: • Serving as an advocate for family farmers and ranchers and for the rural community. • Providing services that ensure safe, high-quality and marketable agricultural products. • Developing and expanding markets for agricultural commodities and value-added products. • Reducing the risk of financial loss to agricultural producers and to buyers and sellers of agricultural commodities. • Safeguarding livestock and other domestic animals from commu- nicable diseases. • Ensuring compliance with laws administered by the Department of Agriculture through understandable regulations, information, education and even-handed enforcement. • Ensuring human safety and a healthy environment through prop- er use of pesticides. • Verifying the contents of pesticides, fertilizers, soil conditioners, animal feeds and veterinary medicines. • Reducing agricultural losses from noxious weeds, predatory ani- mals, insects and diseases. • Gathering and disseminating information concerning agriculture to the general public. • Providing fair and timely dispute resolution services to agricul- tural producers, creditors and others. iii North Dakota Department of Agriculture Deputy Commissioner Agriculture Commissioner Assistant to the Commissioner Bob Christman Doug Goehring Lauren Strinden Executive Services Livestock Services Plant Industries Program Manager - vacant Wayne Carlson, Program Manager Ken Junkert, Program Manager – Agricultural Mediation Service – State Board of Animal Health – Pesticides, Feed & Fertilizers Tom Silbernagel, Coordinator Dr. Susan Keller, State Veterinarian Jim Gray, Team Leader Tony Wixo, Negotiator Dr. Beth Carlson, Deputy State Veterinarian Jessica Johnson, Environmental Scientist Larry Smith, Negotiator Dr. Deidre Qual, Assistant State Veterinarian Clarence Farber, Negotiator (non-FTE) Dr. Jesse Vollmer, Assistant State Veterinarian Pesticide Enforcement Ron Willardson, Mediator (non-FTE) Dr. James Clement, Animal ID Coordinator Dave Phillips, Coordinator Betty Nelson, Administrative Officer Jeanne Beitelspacher, Veterinary Technician Angela Keller, Ag Program Specialist – Marketing Services Tammy Celley, Administrative Assistant Inspectors Charles Fleming, Coordinator Kraft,Ofice Kerri Assistant Dave Harsche Vacant Sara Kelsch, Marketing Specialist Schaan,Office Heather Assistant Ken MacDonald Phil Jallo Kevin Coufal Kevin Demers Stephanie Sinner, Marketing Specialist – Livestock Development iv Sue Balcom, Marketing Specialist Vacant Feed & Fertilizer Registration – Policy & Communications – Dairy/Poultry Garry Wagner, Coordinator Ted Quanrud, Public Information Specialist John Ringsrud,MilkSurveillanceOfficer – Apiary/Project Safe Send/Waterbank Program Orville Payne, Inspector Judy Carlson, Coordinator/Apiary Director – Support Staff Gary Molstad, Inspector – Noxious Weeds Bonnie Sundby, Administrative Assistant Jason Wirtz, Dairy Pollution Prevention Rachel Seifert-Spilde, Noxious Weed Specialist Becky Gietzen, Administrative Assistant Blake Schaan, Noxious Weed Specialist – State Meat Inspection Program Jim Hanson, GIS Mapping Specialist Dr. Andrea Grondahl, Director – Plant Protection Vawnita Best, Senior Inspector David Nelson, State Entomologist Cody Kreft, Senior Inspector Carrie Larson, Plant Protection Specialist Slack,ComplianceOfficer David – Fiscal Management Inspectors Gwen Mars, Plant Protection Specialist Lynette Baumiller, Account Budget Specialist Heather Andersen Holly Dalen – Support Staff Jet Collins, Administrative Officer Cami Metzger Vacant Elaine Sayler, Administrative Assistant Shawn Steffen Dustin Person Nicole Wetzel, Licensing & Registration Assistant – Information Technology Shaun Quissell Jacee Lund Roberta Tjaden, Computer & Network Specialist – Wildlife Services Phil Mastrangelo, State Director * Pesticide inspectors conduct both enforcement and registration duties. 6-30-09 Administration he agriculture commissioner directs the ad- Agriculture Commissioner ministration of the North Dakota Department Doug Goehring of Agriculture (NDDA). Gov. John Hoeven Deputy Commissioner appointed the present commissioner, Doug Robert Christman Goehring, in 2009. Assistant to the Commissioner The office of commissioner of agriculture and labor was Lauren Strinden T established in the North Dakota Constitution of 1889. In Financial Management 1964, voters amended the constitution, dividing the of- Lynette Baumiller fice into two entities – commissioner of agriculture and Jet Collins commissioner of labor, and lengthening the term of office Joanie Sanda from two years to four. The title of the office was changed Information Technology to agriculture commissioner by a constitutional amend- Roberta Tjaden ment, approved by the voters in 1996. Duties and Responsibilities Commissioners of Agriculture and Labor Henry T. Helgesen 1889-1892 Originally, the commissioner’s principal duties were the collection and publication of agricul- Nelson Williams 1893-1894 tural and labor statistics and enforcement of Andrew H. Laughlin 1895-1896 regulations. The commissioner was also the Henry U. Thomas 1897-1900 commissioner of immigration. The responsi- Rollin J. Turner 1901-1904 bilities of the department gradually expanded to include a leadership role in the formula- William C. Gilbreath 1905-1914 tion of policies affecting the state’s agricultural Robert F. Flint 1915-1916 industries, the advocacy of the needs and John N. Hagan 1917-1921 concerns of farmers and ranchers on the state Joseph A. Kitchen 1921-1932 and national levels, the administration of fair John Husby 1933-1934 and timely mediation services to farmers and ranchers, the promotion and marketing of Theodore Martell 1935-1936 North Dakota products and the dissemination John N. Hagan 1937-1938 of information concerning agricultural issues. Math Dahl 1939-1964 Collection and publication of statistics is now Arne Dahl 1965-1966 the responsibility of the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Commissioners of Agriculture Arne Dahl 1966-1974 The following responsibilities are set forth in Myron Just 1974-1980 various sections of the North Dakota