Elk - this way
By Julie Engel | Argus Observer
Tuesday, March 6, 2007 11:03 AM PST
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| Julie Engel | Argus Observer
Kristy Sternes talks about her and her husband's Black Canyon Elk Ranch Friday in Gem County. The Sternes have all of their bulls at the Payette County elk ranch location. |
New Plymouth - On a nice summer day, there is nothing more peaceful for Kristy Sternes than watching her farm-raised elk roam on her ranch outside of Emmett.
Sternes and her husband, Roy, own Black Canyon Elk Ranch, which consists of two separate facilities - a 60-acre ranch outside of New Plymouth and a 300-acre ranch off Dewey Road in Gem County.
Sternes said the Payette County ranch holds the bulls, and they have 235 elk spread out between the two locations.
The New Plymouth ranch began nine years ago when Roy Sternes wanted to try raising an animal other than cattle, Kristy Sternes said. At that time, in the mid-1990s, she said the elk ranching business was really starting to take off. For the most part, Sternes said the ranch provides elk meat to restaurants throughout the Northwest. Elk meat is low in cholesterol and high in protein, she said, which makes it a good choice for those with heart problems.
Many Boise restaurants buy meat from Black Canyon Elk Ranch, as well as fine dining establishments in Sun Valley and Tamarack, she said.
The Sternes also send antler velvet to be processed into dietary supplements. The Sternes velvet about 30 bulls each year, she said, and there is a small window of opportunity before the velvet sheds off. Sternes said the velvet is high in glucosamine, and is also thought to be an aphrodisiac.
Idaho elk ranches jumped into the spotlight recently after 160 domesticated animals escaped from a ranch in Rexburg last August.
With time ticking down on the current legislative session, Idaho Speaker of the House Lawerence Denney, R-Midvale, has put a hold on an elk bill until those within the industry can come to a consensus.
The bill includes a one-time licensing fee of $200 in addition to the $5 per head the ranchers now pay each year.
The Idaho Department of Agriculture regulates elk ranches, and Sternes said they must follow strict guidelines each year.
When elk are purchased, Sternes said they must go through companies that are certified as chronic wasting disease-free and brucellosis-free. All of the farm-raised elk are tested for disease, Sternes said, but only 1 percent of wild elk are tested.
“We're more concerned about the wild elk,” she said.
An IDA representative comes out once a year to inspect fences, ensure the ranch provides adequate food and water and check the numbers provided to the department, Sternes said.
Each elk at the ranch must be accounted for, she said, and calfs must be tagged by the end of the year.
“It's nearly impossible to sneak elk in,” she said.
It is unknown whether the Idaho Legislature will make a decision on the elk bill before the session is over; however, Sternes said she hopes the bill is tabled so everyone in the Idaho Elk Breeders Association can come together to formulate a bill that is more specific. An issue with the current bill is it is too vague when it comes to violations and revocation of licenses, Sternes said.
“What I would prefer is to have the bill tabled ... to find a bill more appropriate and suitable,” Sternes said.
