The Oregon Natural Resources Report - Agricultural News from Oregon

Oregon lands miss 600% tax revenue opportunity

By Cascade Policy Institute,

How Does Oregon Compare with Other Western States in Management of Public Lands?

Join Cascade Policy Institute on Thursday, April 26, at noon for our monthly Policy Picnic

Cascade Policy Institute recently commissioned economist Eric Fruits, Ph.D. to do a comparative analysis of nine Western states with large Common School Trust Land portfolios to determine under what circumstances it might make sense for states to sell these lands and invest the net proceeds into stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments.

Don’t fear party-line Farm Bill vote

By American Farm Bureau Federation Newsline,

The American Farm Bureau Federation says this week’s party-line vote on the farm bill is a standard practice for agriculture legislation. Micheal Clements has more.

Clements: The vote to advance the 2018 farm bill out of the House Agriculture Committee falls in line with similar votes on agriculture legislation, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. AFBF vice president of public affairs Dale Moore says votes have historically been partisan on the farm bill and other agriculture issues at the committee level.

Wyden’s Bipartisan Bill to Legalize Hemp

US Senator Ron Wyden Press Release,

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) introduced today the bipartisan, Hemp Farming Act of 2018, which would legalize and clearly define hemp as an agricultural commodity and remove it from the list of controlled substances.

The legislation will also give states the opportunity to become the primary regulators of hemp, allow hemp researchers to apply for competitive federal grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and make hemp farmers eligible to apply for crop insurance.

Cormorant harassment aims to protect young fish

By Oregon Fish & Wildlife

Harassment, or “hazing”, of double-crested cormorants is set to begin soon in several areas along the Oregon Coast in an effort to improve survival of juvenile salmon.

Double-crested cormorants are fish-eating waterbirds that occur throughout the state. The species is an Oregon native, and is particularly prevalent on the state’s estuaries during April through October. Research indicates cormorants can consume significant numbers of juvenile salmon during this time period.

Walden secures top pledge to not privatize BPA

Greg Walden Press Release,

Rep. Greg Walden, Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, today secured a commitment from Energy Secretary Rick Perry to not sell off assets of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) without Congressional authorization. During a hearing at the Energy and Commerce Committee, Walden said the Administration’s proposal would have a negative impact on Oregonians and consumers throughout the Pacific Northwest.

First peak at 2018 Farm Bill

By National Association of Wheat Growers,

The House Committee on Agriculture released its language for its version of the 2018 Farm Bill. In response, NAWG President Jimmie Musick made the following statement:

“We are glad to see that the House is taking a first step in the 2018 Farm Bill reauthorization process by releasing its draft bill. NAWG is currently reviewing the text and will continue to work with Members of the Committee and their staff to ensure our priorities are addressed in the bill.

Environmentalists disrupting public meetings. Police called.

Anti-aerial spray proponents increasingly are disrupting Lane County Public Meetings
By Oregonians For Food and Shelter,

In the aftermath of the court ruling that the aerial spray ban measure will not appear on the May ballot, members of the local Community Rights Lane County group have now turned their efforts to pressuring the Lane County Commission to take-up the issue though a work group. They are also pushing the county commission to refer the issue directly to voters.

Log prices at 25-year record. Home prices up.

By Rick Sohn, PhD
Coquille Lumber

Log prices remain in 25-year record territory but have leveled off. Mortgage rates jumped as the Fed lifted the key interest rate to the highest in 10 years. Home prices continue to march upward.

Warnings for Ag in China showdown

Wall Street Journal Editorial,

Donald Trump and his advisers spent much of Friday telling everyone that the U.S. is not in a trade war with China, but investors weren’t buying it. Equity markets took a major header, falling by more than 2% across the board. Maybe investors are starting to look at the damage Mr. Trump may do to the Farm Belt states and to the GOP’s chances of holding Congress.

Mr. Trump raised the stakes late Thursday in his tariff showdown with Beijing, vowing to impose another $100 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods in light of its “unfair retaliation” after his initial $50 billion in tariffs. The latest target list still hasn’t been drawn up, and the silver-lining crowd is hoping that Mr. Trump was merely popping off as part of his negotiating strategy. Maybe that’s right. But then China popped off in return, saying it is ready to “forcefully” strike back if the new tariffs are imposed.