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Show SOUTHERN UTAH NEWS Community WEDNESDAY AUGUST 15, 2001 Local producers testify before Congress about crickets Utah producers testified re- cently before the House Subcommittee on Parks, Forestry and Public Lands about the damage the recent cricket infestation has caused to their crops, homes, and communities. This comes after months of effort by Utahs senators and congressmen to get the attention of Congress on the subject. Rep. James V. Hansen, chairman of the U.S. House Resources Committee, ar- ranged for the hearing. Utah Farm Bureau was instrumental in working with Rep. Hansen, as well as Sen. Bob Bennett, to obtain funding for improved control of the insects, which largely hatch on federal lands and then spread to private and state property, where they devour virtually every plant in their path. So far this year, crickets have caused an estimated $25 million in damage to nearly two million acres of farm and rangeland in Utah. Oak City mayor Mike Anderson from Millard County testified on behalf of rural cities and towns. In my town, our children dont even dare to go outside or sleep in their own rooms for fear of the big, black they see all over lawns, sidewalks and flower gardens, he said. cialist for the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, who said, The Mormon cricket can devour 38 pounds ofalfalfa in its short life cycle. Darrell Johnson of Rush Valley, representing the Farm Bu- reau, testified that the insects have destroyed at least 75 percent of Lis forage. He stated that his only choice is to buy hay to replace the feed, fof a total loss of about $15, 000.We in the West know we must contend with drought, variable markets and a heavy layer of government regulations, Johnson said. But this insect infestation, coming in large measure from inadequately controlled populations on adjacent public land, is an element that we alone cannot vided up to 50 percent cost-shar- e to private farmers and ranchers for control chemicals on private land. But unless something is done to manage the crickets as soon as they hatch on federal lands, it is n ation, including a jug of crickets and pictures of crickets covering homes and cropland. two-gallo- Utahs congressional delegation asked for federal funds to control the crickets from hatching on government lands, but environmental groups claimed the chemicals would harm wildlife and blocked efforts by the U.S. Forest Service and BLM to combat the insects. Anderson also quoted Ed The Utah Department of AgBianco, the Pest Control Spe riculture and Food has pro We're your Best Friends nearly impossible for private land control efforts to be fully effective, according to Farm T-touched Bureau. A particularly cold winter would kill some of the crickets eggs, but winters in By Faith Maloney Utah have not been as cold as Lesley looked a bit silly be so more must usual lately, wrapped in several yards of Ace done to prevent the eggs from bandage, but by the end of the hatching. evening she was definitely a A congressional hearing on much calmer dog than when all crickets and grasshopper she wanted was to climb on the damage is an important breakthrough in Utahs long efforts to draw Washingtons attention to these devastatovercome. The Farm Bureau delegation ing insect infestations that brought along visual aids to dem- primarily begin on federal said C. Booth onstrate the severity of the situ- lands, 6 by angels soft touches designed to work on the nervous system of any animal from horses to pet rats and humans too. It was developed by Linda Tellington-Jone- s over her 40 years of involvement with horses and other animals. Each evening of the workshop, Debby and Lauren demonstrated the touches with names like the Python Lift, the Clouded Leopard or the Abalone. When Rupert, an ancient husky mix, got the whole body workout, it looked so wonderfully relaxing that we all tried it out on each other. My workshop partner was somewhat relieved when Debby and Lauren showed me how light the touch feels and that there was no need to hammer on her! n horse, has Gigi, a a real phobia about getting into a trailer. Getting a horse to load up into a trailer can become a dangerous battle of wills, and Gigi was just terrified of that small dark space. Debby Potts has been around horses all her life. She was trying to help a foal bom with se- tables. Lesley is a young shepherd mix who was found abandoned up on the Kaibab. She was one of the volunteer subjects at a g therapeutic touch workshop, known as TTouch, exUFBF chief held at the sanctuary last week. Wallentine, We commend ecutive officer. Ace bandages are just one of Sen. Bennett the tools used by Debby Potts Rep. Hansen, deland other members of our and Lauren McCall of Integrated for this egation important Animal, based in Portland, Orstep. egon. Debby and Lauren were at The Utah Farm Bureau Fed- BestFriends to demonstrate the eration is the states largest TTouch method that was develfarm and ranch organization, oped originally for horses by with more than 22,300 mem- Linda Tellington-Joneber, families in Utah. More TTouch uses mostly a system Farm Bureau policy positions of hand and finger touches, but ' and news on todays food pro- the judicious use of Ace banduction issues are available dages can be very effective. on the UFBF website at Its like a hug, said Lauren www.fb.orgutfb. McCall, as she loosely placed the wrap around Lesleys chest and back. Lesley is hyperactive and needs some work before she can find that special vere neurological problems when family that will lover her for- she discovered TTouch. It worked wonders on the foal. ever. A lot of animals are not aware Working with Gigi, Debby cut of their edges, explained an old blue tarp into 2ft strips Lauren. The wrap makes them and laid them on the ground in a aware of their body, and can V shape. With a soft encouraging help them move more easily and, voice and lots of TTouches all in the case of a dog like Lesley over Gigis body, Debby led her can help them calm down quite through this scary passage between the two blue tarp sections. a bit.' We all applauded her victory. Lauren and are both Debby certified TTouch practitioners. Gradually the two sections TTouch is a gentle system of were brought closer together to simulate the confines ofa trailer. ' Gigi once again negotiated this W treacherous path. Then Debby had some folks hold up the tarp 7- segments like panels to act like h sides of a trailer. With lots of reassurance, she successfully V passed each hurdle and shes now becoming more and more comfortable loading up into a small space. The TTouch method can be used on any animal with a nervous system. For more information and some demonstration of the touches, check out Debby three-evenin- s. part-Arabia- 2-in- ch Are you tired of advertising dollars that cost rather than pay? Then call Buzz Brown at Buzz's Ad & Specialty Agency 644-822- rl2 5 We'll help you streamline an ad campaign to fit your taste and budget. And all this at no extra charge to the advertiser, just the media. Mention this ad and get 10 off any specialty item. fc and Laurens website at www.integratedanimal.com. For more about Linda Tellington-- J ones, books, videos, Debby Potts and Lauren McCall work on Baby the dog. Photo by Jana de Peyer and the history of TTouch, go to |