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Home My WebLink About20040302Comments.pdf62/27/2064 11:29 12683977658 BEHREND PAGE 61 February 27 2004 In regards to: IPC-E-03. IPUC Commisioners Dear IPUC Commisioners, I am writing to ask that you not approve Idaho Power's request for an incease in demand charge to irrigation customers on the following basis: I am a young farmer, twenty-nine years old, in Sou1h Eastern Idaho. I have been farming with father and bro1her-in-law for ten years, trying to keep our family business going. We farm a total of 500 ao-as all inigated, consisting of wheat, barley and potatoes. Over the past five years our farm has been operating on a break even margin a1 best. Some of those years we have even had to use equity 10 stay in business, We oonsider ourselves low cost prtXiucers and take every means available to keep our costs as low as possible. We farm 1 500 ao-es of potatoes West of Aberdeen, mostly on ground water wells where we are lifting water over 250 feet. One of our main variable inputs is our power costs to irrigate. We average $75 or more per acre to irrigate potatoes for a full season or 5% Of our total costs. Drought oonditions over the past few year5 have caused that number to rise up to $90 per acre or higher on certain fields. If Idaho Power were to get their proposed rate increase we would be facing an average (XIst of $94 an acre just for power to water our potatoes. Unfortunately, water is not a place where we can cut back to save money. like fertilizer chemicals and seed, water is a necessary component to growing a crop. That leaves only one place to cut back; Laber. Our farm currently employs six full time employees and 25 seasonal helpers. We have had to freeze wages at the same level for the past five years. These are good people who are trying to make a liVing in our local communities. If we oontinue to faU behind the oost of living increases, these individuals are going to molle someplace else and take their dollars with them. Farmers seem to be expected to absorb cost increases passed down to them in aU categories. like fertilizer, fuel. insurance, taxes, and nON power, with no ability to pass those increases on to our customers. We hal/e recently found out that our contract price for our pota1oes will remain the same as last year. We are facing across the board if'lC1'eases in fertilizer. cnemicals and insurance costs and an increase in over 10% on fuel. We can not allow the QJrrent state of agriculture to get any worse than it already is. We need a healthy Ag base in this state to start our economy headed back in the right direction. The camels back is ready to break, please don t add the final straw. If this increase is needed due to new demand created by urban sprawl and new air conditioners, than let the new residential QJstomers pay for it. I'm sure we would all oomplain if our residential rates were to increase by 50%, but it's nat going to put a large section of the states economy aut of business. Thank you for YOll' consideration. Nic Behrend Behrend Behrend & Knittel Farms 2976 W 2000 S Aberdeen, 10 83210 208-397-4489 221.0342 nicbehrend~dc:di. net 0JtSE !)o /PC -fJ3 -/3 / f)tclAllo.29'-13 J:Jv-, o'f c/1'o ,4.V. /70 P""' 1'-1 1 ~ eh ?5, . p;;;,~ ,- .. n__n_ () Cl-~k;;:I~~- ,~M~ . -~~.~~~~,_~~____ ~m___ ~~ - a__ ------------- ~.M !l Z4 ~~~~ -i.~~ -------- ~cfl ~LL4R-6f~ r/~ ~-- =---;-------- -- ----------- --------~----_._----- lJ-- ------- -----'------. .----- ---- ----------.--.----------- ------------- --- - ------ -._------------ bl -rLL/A"-d..0/ L. d i2~Ld. =i-- -- ----- -"tl7---:~- -:- -d,._ 11.;0 4/Z.~ ~--z:;- 0-- ~~~ l~/W~ ~/~ ~LL~lc ~~25ltz -'- CJ.~ ~~_ ;;L~ I:i:L_-P!:YL ~-- -_nu ~--I!'rAd~ffJ1-- 'lZ ~.-- -:Jk ~Jhi( ~~+ z;t ~ z=-1fP- ~~-~~ ------- --iUl_z;;, n-il!0.C'-I#-~ . - xdl'( 0. ----~----"~-------!-~~_ ~z;Zw ~- ;;C CT0L- ~_- ~:! ~zi ...~~~::::=~=~~~~_ ~!~~I/ ,?---~--~--~~- /M-14d~- -- - _. 7:Z-L "t:Q ~#- .rl k.- L~i;;Lb:L ~~~-:::: ,Uj ~~~_--- _uu ~~-~~ ct~ ~~~ 7/5; .i4 - - ~k ~-J ~,f ;f--~ _u L~ c~ _..~~ /?AT hi- tt; L~d.~ ~a-L~tzte/,- ~~ =- ----===-~- c.3~ #;:~~ - - n ===- ~ A~~~ =~=- -=-=l ---------------.--- ____n_ _-_-------------- -- n_- _.."- ___m - ...--------..------"-------- c; !J I b ~~'" tlvt .-------------------------- ---- -----------..--------.....------------- --- .--'" ----------- --= - - ~=u-- ~~==:~~~ Zfb ~= ~ = = - -